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By J. H. Hammarstrom, S. M. Fortier, W. C. Day, S. J. Ryker, R. R. Seal

"The United States’ supply of critical minerals has been a concern and a source of potential strategic vulnerabilities for U.S. economic and national security interests for decades (for example, see Strategic and Critical Minerals Stockpiling Act, 1939). More recently, with the rapid increase in the types of materials being used in advanced technologies (Fortier et al. 2018a), and geopolitical events surrounding the supply of rare earth elements (Ting and Seaman, 2013), among other developments, the critical minerals issue has again achieved a high level of visibility within the U.S. government (Executive Order 13817 (2017)).In this paper, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides an overview of its ongoing focus on critical minerals through the agency’s core competencies in mineral information, mineral resource assessments, geologic and topographic mapping, geophysical surveys and mineral resource research. Aspects of the multifaceted critical minerals issue addressed here include:• Identifying minerals that meet the definition of “critical” provided in Executive Order 13817.• U.S. net import reliance for critical mineral raw materials.• Current status of domestic critical mineral resource assessments.• Current status of topographic and geologic mapping, and geophysical survey coverage of the United States.• The Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) to support future critical mineral exploration.• Critical mineral potential of waste streams from extractive industries.Identifying minerals as criticalU.S. government agencies and other organizations use a number of existing definitions and criteria to identify a mineral or mineral material as critical, strategic or otherwise important. The executive order defined a “critical mineral” to be “(i) a nonfuel mineral or mineral material essential to the economic and national security of the United States, (ii) the supply chain of which is vulnerable to disruption, and (iii) that serves an essential function in the manufacturing of a product, the absence of which would have significant consequences for our economy and national security.” This definition is broadly consistent with that defined by the National Research Council (NRC, 2008) and may be summarized as “essential in use” and “subject to disruption of supply.” Virtually all of the dozens of critical minerals studies conducted since the 2008 NRC report have used some variation of this same definition (Hayes and McCullough, 2018)."

May 1, 2019

By Tanya J. Gallegos, Mojisola A. KunleDare, James V. Jones III, Charlotte E. Riggs

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) provides scientific information for the Department of Interior and the nation, consistent with its original mission expressed in the Organic Act of 1879 (43 U.S.C. 31): “the classification of the public lands and examination of the geological structure, mineral resources, and products within and outside the national domain.” Legislation such as the Energy Act of 2020 and the 2022 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (43 USC 31l) and recent executive actions (Executive Orders 14154 , 14153, 14241 Secretary’s Orders 3417, 3418, 3422, 3436) underscore the importance of mineral resources and focus USGS activities on mapping and assessing mineral resources, with a particular focus on those presently identified as critical, both in ground and above ground in mine wastes. This article reviews selected activities and accomplishments by the USGS Mineral Resources Program related to critical minerals in 2025. Highlights include a new List of Critical Minerals, a first-ever national mine waste inventory, international minerals partnerships, mineral resource assessment advancements, and national data collection activities and outcomes of the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI). The selected contributions are not comprehensive but are intended to demonstrate USGS leadership in critical mineral mapping and assessment, the importance of domestic and global partnerships, and the breadth of research activities that are responsive to national needs and priorities.

May 1, 2026

By J Joy, D Griffiths, A Bye, G V. Kizil

Poor standards of electrical installation and maintenance continue to contribute to electrical related fatalities and injury risk in the mining industry. Electrical isolation has the potential to initiate major unwanted events (MUEs) and as such requires thorough analysis to demonstrate adequate management. There have been 719 incidents related to accidental contact with electricity over the past five years in the Queensland mining industry (Queensland Government DME, 2012a, 2012b) with the last fatality being recorded in 1997 (MESA, 2012).A project funded by the Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP) has developed a form of a safety case using the four-layered æCoal Mine Safety Regime (CMSR)Æ approach. The CMSR is transparent and robust as it includes full site risk assessment and special issues risk assessment to be demonstrated as part of the process.The practical application of the CMSR has been demonstrated using a longwall mining case study site, where a unique 11 kV armoured face conveyor (AFC) is in operation. The case study has involved progressive application of the requirements of each layer of the CMSR (see Figure 1) to high voltage (HV) electrical isolation related issues. The project has specifically concentrated on understanding and analysing two high priority MUEs, electric shock and unplanned movement of equipment, through Layer 1 analysis. These two MUEs are an important part of the project as they have demonstrated the steps that may be taken to satisfy the risk management processes at Layer 1 of the CMSR and have contributed to resolving issues at the other three layers of the CMSR.The analysis of HV electrical isolation has been used as an exemplar to demonstrate the CMSR process and its practical application. The CMSR is applicable to major/principal hazards management as identified by the New South Wales and Queensland jurisdictions.This paper provides an overview of the development of a form of safety case using the CMSR and introduces the case study application for HV electrical isolation risk management at underground coal mines focusing on the major unwanted event of electric shock.This project provides the mining industry with a documented, publicly accessible, form of safety case using the CMSR approach for the first time.CITATION:Kizil, G V, Griffiths, D, Bye, A and Joy, J, 2012. Using a coal mine safety regime approach to the management of high-voltage electrical isolation, in Proceedings International Mine Management 2012, pp 59-74 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 20, 2012

By A. Khan, C. Ciriello

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the value of constraint modelling in optimization of mineral processing systems. This will be achieved by first understanding the overall concept of variation and constraints present in any system. Next, the value of using a Constraint Model in optimization is demonstrated through comparison of business cases. The benefit of understanding the severity of constraints and movement of the bottleneck within a mineral processing system will be understood through the use of a case study. Paper will conclude with a summary of all optimization benefits that utilization of a constraint model can bring.

Jan 1, 2015

By E. Tarshizi

This research project demonstrates the application of a mine system simulation and animation model in enhancing the efficiency of a truck-shovel operation and reducing the haulage environmental impact in an open-cut coal mine. In any mine, a key objective is to have enough equipment for production and not have excess to where it is counterproductive. Due to the advent of responsible mining, environmental regulations, and eco-friendly practices, these factors must also be considered in the analysis. The over-trucked situation at a mine will be discussed, i.e. when the number of trucks exceeds the optimum number of trucks a mine should have for the most productive/profitable mining operation. When the system has an excess number of trucks, truck utilization is reduced which impacts mine operation, capital costs and the environment, through unnecessary truck purchase, energy use, air pollution etc. A hypothetical surface coal mine layout was used for the simulation model.

Feb 23, 2014

By Louis M. Schlesinger

KMG Minerals, Inc., a mica-feldspar-quartz producer in Kings Mountain, N.C., uses about 50% of its plant's -200 mesh slimes to manufacture brick. However, the company is unable to market the remaining 50% of this fine mineral mixture. The NCSU Minerals Research Laboratory operated a pilot plant to process these slimes to produce an additional product. The process, consisting of blunging and hydraulic sizing, was designed to separate a kaolin-enriched -270 mesh product from the bulk of the coarser +270 mesh "grit" minerals. Size analysis showed that this product was 80% finer than 20 microns and 50% finer than 6 microns (in equivalent spherical diameter). An evaluation indicated that it is a hydrous aluminum silicate that might be suitable in the filler and extender markets for traffic paint, some types of plastics, joint cements, and dusting compounds. Because of its high viscosity, it will be difficult to use more than a small percentage in cast ceramic bodies. However, it might be possible to use up to 10% in extruded ceramic bodies (i.e., electrical porcelain). The 15.2 cm (6 in,) diameter Linatex Hydrosizer was tested using a range of teeter water flowrates, so that the net rise velocity was varied from 0.10 cm/s to 0.40 cm/s. The solid feed rate to the sizer was maintained at approximately 1.1 t/hr/m2 (0.12 ton/hr/ft2). Tests were run using both "shallow" (i.e., 6 in.) and "deep" (i.e., 15 in. teetered beds. The best overall result was obtained when the sizer was operated with the "deep" teeter bed and a net rise velocity of 0.10 cm/s. About 97% of the +270 mesh material was rejected and approximately 79% of the -270 mesh material was recovered in a 14% solids slurry.

Jan 1, 1994

By N Trabelsi, D Bakun-Mazor, Y Ben-Ari

As part of a comprehensive project to develop a remote sensing tool for evaluating the mechanical properties of rocks, one must obtain a rapid indication of these properties using conventional field methods. A common method for evaluating the mechanical properties of rocks in the field is to use a Schmidt hammer, a portable device that measures the rebound (R) of a spring-loaded mass impacting against the rock surface. Since the 1960s many studies have been made to find empirical correlations between the R value measured by the Schmidt hammer and mechanical and physical properties such as uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), elastic modulus, density, and porosity. Despite the existing correlations in the literature, this work is required to establish detailed empirical relationships for the carbonate rock units in Israel. To do so, 150 rock samples were collected from 38 different outcrops of carbonate rock units. In each outcrop, 20 impacts were made using a Schmidt hammer at different but adjacent points. The impacts were done horizontally perpendicular to the vertical rock walls. In the laboratory, we measured the density, effective porosity, water absorption, UCS, and elastic modulus. The rock samples we selected contained a wide range of UCS: from 7 to 270 MPa. Our empirical correlations indicate an exponential relationship between R and UCS and the elastic modulus, and linear relationships between R and density, porosity, and water absorbance. The most reliable index is the average of the five maximum impacts out of the 20 made in each rock outcrop. The correlation equations obtained from this work will make it possible to effectively evaluate the mechanical properties of the intact rock in the field, thereby aiding development of advanced tools for rock mass characterisation by means of remote sensing.

Nov 29, 2022

By Ava Segal, Doga Cagdas Demirkan, Abhidipta Mallik, Sebnem Duzgun, Andrew J. Petruska

Search and rescue operations in mining heavily rely on humans. In the context of emergency situations within underground tunnels, the potential to utilize sensory technology for navigation assistance holds the promise of saving human lives. Our research introduces a device configuration designed to enhance the performance of search and rescue teams. This setup integrates LIDAR and thermal cameras with the Microsoft Hololens, facilitated by the NUC computer and ROS Bridge. Performance assessment involves quantifying the extent to which a user is willing to venture into a light-deprived section of the mine prior to necessitating supplementary illumination. The preliminary outcomes highlight the significant potential of augmented reality assistance in offering indispensable aid to first responders, thereby greatly augmenting the efficiency of search and rescue missions conducted during critical circumstances.

Feb 1, 2024

By T Trott, G Lumley

"The mining industry suffers from a shortage of professional and other workers. Research and analysis has demonstrated a close correlation between high performance in productivity, maintenance and safety. There is also a significant correlation between engagement and performance. It is the hypothesis of the authors that mines can use a strategy of establishing themselves as a high-performance mine to attract and retain high caliber professional people: step 1 is to become best practice in equipment performance (productivity, maintenance and safety) step 2 is to brand the mine as æbest practiceÆ by sharing what has been confidential performance and outcome information with the general industry.Previous research has shown that many professional people are attracted by the prospect of a high achieving site because of the learnings and the support for continually doing better. In addition, a link has been established in previous research between productivity and safety. Operators and drivers are attracted to sites which have fewer dangerous people operating or driving. Good management delivers exceptional performance and a work site which high caliber managers and operational personnel people want to work at. The strategy requires commitment and proper execution but it can work. The strategy needs a specific approach and this paper will discuss this. A case study is provided from a mine which over a nine month period increased dragline performance by 15 per cent and reduced stress on the boom by 30 per cent. This mine paid the employees (professional and operational) $25 000/a less than the major mines but the operators and professional people would not leave; in fact, people were happy to be paid less to work there.CITATION:Lumley, G and Trott, T, 2012. Using best practice operations as a strategy for attracting and retaining professional people, in Proceedings International Mine Management 2012, pp 35-52 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Nov 20, 2012

By G Morgan, C Kemp

In December 2010, a trial of borehole radar technology was conducted to test the usefulness of the technique in better refining the position and geometry of narrow vein orebodies away from the primary data sources of drilling and mapping of development excavations. This paper summarises the reasons why the technique was applied, describes the testing methods selected and summarises the outcomes of the trial.Poor reconciliations of recovered metal from a section of an orebody at Jundee mine site, Western Australia, led to an investigation that identified insufficient understanding of the geometry of a narrow vein orebody as a potential cause. This orebody was situated between mapped development excavations and away from surrounding drill holes. Borehole radar was identified as a possible technique that could supply information on vein location and continuity away from other data sources allowing more accurate orebody modelling and subsequent stope optimisation.A borehole radar instrument (10 - 100 MHz frequency) was inserted into pairs of purpose-drilled boreholes on either side of relatively well-constrained mineralisation and the radar reflection data was collected. This process was repeated in five locations across the mine to represent the most common geological settings, lithologies and orebody varieties encountered at Jundee to determine the suitability of applying the technique in each of these settings. Collected, processed and interpreted radar data was compared to other geology data collected independently for verification and interpretation.Conclusions drawn from the analysis were that the technique could effectively determine the following features of the mineralised veins in the majority of test environments: geometry of veins, magnitude of offsets where structures intersect and orientations of planar structures with short strike length. The technique was very useful in selecting the appropriate structural interpretation where available data could lead to multiple, equally likely, interpretations.CITATION:Kemp, C and Morgan, G, 2012. Using borehole radar to refine orebody interpretations in a narrow vein gold deposit, in Proceedings Narrow Vein Mining 2012 , pp 121-130 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Mar 26, 2012

By Tom Skodack

Mine and tunnel contractors face a complex environment-one in which economic risks are high, operating costs grow ever higher, ore grades are lower or recovery more difficult, and civil construction projects are intensely competitive on a world-wide scale. Within the context of this environment, the risks and rewards of proper machine selection for rock excavation have become proportionately large. Speed, depth and scope of analysis, and extensive supporting information are indispensable in the selection process. Equipment designs and their applications are also myriad and diverse. Several equipment alternatives and excavation techniques may have to be evaluated at once to choose the most cost-efficient approach. The following examples are typical of the current demand for more detailed equipment analysis: • An aggregate supplier starts a new quarry. He knows his targeted tonnage, blasting restrictions, and previous operating costs from other quarries. But he must improve on his old costs. What drill pattern, hole size, and bench height will give lowest cost per ton? How many crawler drills and what type will produce this tonnage most efficiently? • A mine is using a fleet of twin pneumatic ring drills for long hole drilling to initiate their cave. The mine is facing both air shortages and increasing operating costs with decreased efficiency in the ring drill fleet. If they invest in new hydraulic long hole drills, what impact will each drill unit have on production? Each twin drill unit? What configuration gives best operator efficiency and subsequent reduction in manpower? Which configuration gives the best return on investment? • A tunnel contractor is bidding a long straight water tunnel by conventional drill and blast methods. What is the optimum number of drill booms for the tunnel cross section and excavation schedule? How many rounds per day can he achieve? What are his total project drill, blast, and muck costs? In the past, such questions could be answered, but only approximately at best. One good prediction could involve many hours of laborious calculations that had to be repeated each time a new parameter was introduced or an existing parameter changed. In 1980, increasingly complex analysis, coupled with increasing need and quick response times demanded by industry, led Atlas Copco's project department to turn to the computer. New computer programs based on theoretical considerations and three decades of worksite performance data were developed for evaluating mine and tunnel contractors' equipment needs, productivity, and partial or total operating cost calculations for most conventional drill and blast excavation techniques-including shot rock loading and transportation. This Computerized Analysis of Rock Excavation-or CARE-program has since been available to the mining and construction industry. From each program specific results can be pre- dicted, including: • Productivity Calculations-Rock drill penetration rate for a given drill, hole size, and rock type, optimized for the best drill steel life; net machine productivity (drill-out time or drill meters-footage-per shift); total drill round time, including charging, blasting, loading, and haulage; suggested drill pattern, computer printed, including hole size for a given rock drill, rock type, and associated blasting restrictions for either drift rounds or benching applications; long-hole drill meters (ft) per drill shift; breasting down (upper drilling) drill meters (ft) per drill shift; and comparison between continuous loading machine capacity and LHD capacity. • Operating Cost Calculations-Operating costs expressed as cost per drill meter (ft), cost per cubic meter (cubic yard) of excavated rock, and cost per meter (ft) of tunnel advance. These costs may be calculated using as many cost centers as the mine, quarry, or tunneling contractor wishes. Specific operating costs may cover drill rig operating costs only, less capitalization; drill rig operating costs, including amortized equipment investment; drilling and blasting costs; drill, blast, load, and haulage operating costs; long-hole drilling operating costs per drill meter (ft) or per blasted cubic meter (cubic yard) of rock; and loading and transport operating costs. In all the above cases, any number of cost and capacity calculations may be run by simply changing important cost center variables to judge their net effect. Accuracy as a Function of Input Data and the Statistical Data Base Accuracy of a projection clearly depends heavily on the data base from which the projection is drawn.

Jan 11, 1982

By Fred C. Turin, Lisa J. Steiner, Kim M. Cornelius

Like many experienced workers, remote control continuous miner operators perform their everyday jobs making choices and decisions that they may not consciously think about. While performing tasks, they are continuously processing feedback and cues which guide them for the next move. Initial training teaches the operators the tasks necessary to operate the equipment and perform the job. However, with experience they are better able to deal with hazardous conditions and non routine situations. To better understand what potential cues and feedback help to guide the operators, a questionnaire was developed to learn what factors affect decisions. Operator responses address issues related to specific tasks, equipment operation, visibility, lighting, and communication issues. The information collected is useful to understand what cues experienced operators use to make task performance decisions. Results will be used to develop interventions and training for safe and effective operator performance.

By G. Davis

It is well known that the anticipated mineral price at the start of a prospective mineral project can have an overwhelming effect on a property's ex ante value. However, possible price movements throughout the life of a project can also have an impact on this value. This paper demonstrates how different potential price paths can affect project value. When considering commodity price projections for mine valuations, it is thus necessary to estimate not only the expected commodity price at the start of the project, but also the manner in which that price is likely to fluctuate throughout the project's life.

Jan 1, 1995

By Jr. Wilkinson

Suncor Energy currently mines approximately nine hundred thousand tonnes of ore and waste per day at its open pit operations in the Athabasca Oilsands near Fort McMurray, Alberta. Modeling these deposits for planning purposes is particularly challenging given the characteristics associated with the deposit - stratigraphic deposition coupled with gradational grade distribution. The identification of ore and waste is a combination of bitumen cutoff grade, minimum mining thickness and separable waste thickness subject to criteria established by provincial regulatory agencies. Suncor along with Mincom Inc. have collaborated on this project to derive a methodology, automated by computer software, to streamline the ore and waste identification process. This paper explains the methodology and programs created to identify ore and waste in use at Suncor Energy and how this identification is used to categorize reserves and to generate mine design surfaces.

Apr 1, 2005

The last decade has seen the use of powerful computerized Mine-Wide Monitoring (MWM) systems for detecting hazardous conditions in underground coal mines. Recently, the U.S. Bureau of Mines and Jim Walter Resources, Inc. (JWR) expanded the scope of MWM system to include ground control. Single-point extensometers were installed in each of 30 intersections along a tailgate entry. These instruments monitored the rate of roof sag, a sensitive indicator of roof instability. Data were collected by the mine's own computerized MWM system. The paper describes the successful integration of ground control instruments into MWM, the data reduction procedures, and the identification of several hazardous areas.

Jan 1, 1994

By P. F. Mataich

When the subject of plant computers is brought up most people visualize the computer's controlling the entire plant with very little operator intervention. Actually, this picture is true today in only a limited number of cases and will certainly not be true in the minerals industries for many years to come. There are several ways in which a plant computer can significantly contribute to improving plant operation and closed loop control is only one of these. First of all, what are the basic ingredients for good plant control? For good plant control, two requirements must be met. First, the operator must get good information feedback from the process and then he must know what action to take in response to this information. Control information can be obtained through instruments, laboratory analyses, or through simple visual observation. If it is timely and accurate and the operator knows how to use it, then we have the makings of a good plant control system. The computer can be of help in both these areas by getting good data back to the operator and in helping to develop a good control scheme for the plant.

Jan 1, 1966

By J. C. Kerkering, P. M. Daling

This paper discusses a study performed to evaluate the feasibility of transferring formal system safety assessment technology to the mining industry. A representative listing of formal techniques was evaluated to select the most useful methods for the mining industry to implement. Criteria for selecting methods included the interests, needs, and requirements of mine safety officials. This paper describes one of the selected methods, preliminary hazards analysis (PHA), and illustrates the analysis procedure for a mining example. This study also includes an assessment of the adaptability of selected methods to a user-interactive computer system for use by mine safety personnel. This paper includes a description of a conceptual computerized PHA-type safety program that facilitates performance of the safety analysis and can accommodate updates and revisions as necessary.

Jan 1, 1983

By Rob D. Morrision, Paul W. Cleary

"The best accepted method for design of autogenous and semi-autogenous mills is to carry out pilot scale test work using a 1.8 m diameter by 0.6 m long pilot scale test mill. The load in such a mill typically contains 250,000-450,000 particles larger than 6 mm, allowing correct representation of more than 90% of the charge. This scale of DEM model is now within the practical range of standard workstations running an efficient DEM code.This paper describes various ways of extracting collision data from the DEM model and translating it into breakage and wear estimates. Account is taken of the different breakage mechanisms (impact and abrasion) and of the specific impact histories of the particles in order to assess the breakage rates for various size fractions in the mills. These impact histories have the potential to be directly related to breakage as they most resemble the single particle breakage tests which are used by the JKMRC to calibrate more traditional population balance models for variations in ore behaviour. However, the specific impact histories also show a background of many low energy collision events within the mill. This Background may constitute what is usually regarded as “abrasion” breakage. As might be expected, high impact events are concentrated in the toe of the charge and near to the mill shell where the forces associated with the load bearing on each particle is more concentrated."

Jan 1, 2003

By I. S. Parrish

Locating and defining an ore body with minerals or metals that can be recovered at a profit is the objective of minerals exploration. Direct exploration involves examining and sampling rocks either in outcrop, underground exposure, drill core, or cuttings. Indirect exploration infers the measurement of some physical, chemical, or biological factor that reflects the possible presence of the metal or mineral of interest, or a structure that may act to collect, concentrate, or otherwise favor the presence of the desired commodity. Included here are all forms of geophysical, geochemical, or geotech-nical prospecting. In recent years, indirect exploration has given rise to an impressive number of specialists and a variety of techniques. Less impressive is the success rate or productivity of the modern explorationist. Exploration Productivity Losing Ground Judging from the low number of mine openings or mine discoveries in recent years, the exploration industry is not as productive as it once was. Many will take umbrage at this judgment, but a review of the literature will support this statement. In Canada, from 1951 through 1960, there was an average of 5.6 discoveries a year. From 1961 through 1976 there were only four a year. This nearly 30% reduction occurred despite a massive increase in exploration funding. From 1950 to 1955, the Canadian mining industry spent $5 million (1975 dollars) for each minable deposit found. During the period 1970 to 1975, the cost was $25 million for each one found. The industry was spending five times as much and finding 30% less than a generation earlier. This is not indicative of a productive endeavor. The loss in productivity is even more apparent to explorationists who wander the western US, and are awed by the thoroughness and discovery rate of those early prospectors who explored from 1850-1920. The "old-timers" missed very little. They used pans and crude chemical tests in place of plasma or X-ray fluorescent assay techniques. But, they found ore bodies that led to mines. Today, the best prospecting areas are pockmarked by the hand dug pits, trenches, and shafts left by our predecessors. The success or productivity of the old-timers may be attributed to any or all of several factors. Granted, they were looking at virgin ground and at deposits that in many places were exposed. The factor most critical is, however, that they employed direct exploration methods. They walked over areas of interest, traversed swamps and mountains, and followed "colors" in stream gravels to their source. They also chipped rocks, dug pits, trenched along structures, and followed the "leads." Many of today's explorationists, on the other hand, adopt a more sophisticated approach. A geologic model is conjured up so the exploration team "knows" models, but the model should be applied at a later stage in the exploration effort. J. D. Ridge has written an excellent article on the role and timing of models. Geologists should collect and assemble data, facts, and observations and fit these into a model and not conceive a model and seek data to prove their vision. Further, many exploration managers are adept and talented at devising exploration programs. They can program and use modern exploration techniques and tools. They can apply these and their modeling capacity to assemble a glittering array of targets. It would appear that in all too many instances, creating targets has been equated with and is considered being productive. As noted, finding ore bodies is being productive in exploration. Creating targets may or may not lead to ore bodies. As an end result, locating targets is not productive exploration. How then does one foster productivity in exploration? Some suggestions are to increase the use of direct methods, follow the methods and philosophies of old-timers, look at more rocks, do more field work, use foot traverses, and do more drilling. It may be argued that this is what the old-timers have done and we would then be hoping to find

Jan 11, 1983

By L. M. Sun

Baotou Baiyunerbo Mines Location in Inner Mongolia is a famous deposit of iron mineral and rare earth mineral accreting. The iron ore has very complicated ingredients and minerals composing. In the mine, there is not only magnetite ore but also hematite ore, so that it is impossible for high grade iron concentrate to adopt single wet low-intensity magnetic separation or high-intensity magnetic separation to concentrate iron mineral. Because of mixing the magnetite with hematite mineral in feed ore, recovery of iron of magnetite production system in the mineral processing plant is less than other mineral processing plants. Therefore, the research for increasing recovery of iron of the magnetite production system in the plant was undertaken. The paper presented the research for using dry magnetic separation to increase recovery of iron concentrate of the magnetite production system in the plant. It mainly includes dry magnetic separation test and wet magnetic separation and reverse flotation test. The test results indicated that dry magnetic separation is a important way to improve the feature of feed ore of the magnetite production system and to increase the recovery of iron. The recovery of iron may increase from about 70% to over 80%. The research also presented optimum operation parameters of the dry magnetic separator and the separation flowsheet. In conclusion, using dry magnetic separation to treat with feed ore of the magnetite production system in the plant to increase the recovery of iron is a feasible technique. The research present a new way for the mineral processing plant to made technology innovate to increase the recovery of iron concentrate of the plant in future.

Jan 1, 2014