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The mmmg of alluvial gold involves many deposits of theMesozoic, Tertiary, and Quaternary Ages in processing. Majorfeatures of the composition of such alluvial deposits are the lowcontent of gold and the small size of the gold particles. Atpresent, the gold-miners treat alluvial deposits in which a portionof fme gold (0.25 mm) exceeds 45 per cent. It is expected that by2000 these resources will be the main deposits mined (Zamyatinet aI, 1991).Under real industrial conditions the losses of minus 0.25 mmmetal are 50 per cent and more. The low level of recovery of finegold is observed not only at concentrators equipped with sluices,but also at concentrators equipped with modern diaphragm andpistonless jigs (Table 1).

Jan 1, 1993

The Round Hill gold-scheelite deposit is located three kilometres from Macraes Flat and approximately 60 kilometres due north of Dunedin, New Zealand. A mining feasibility study is currently being undertaken on the deposit by BHP Minerals (New Zealand) Limited, who are the managers and operators of a Joint Venture with Home Reef Mining Limited. BHP has a 70 per cent equity in the project area.

Jan 1, 1987

By Richard Frentress, Dave Donelon, Robert Henderson, Mike Warnert

"The Round Mountain gold mine is an open-pit mining operation located 97 kilometres north of Tonopah in Nye County, Nevada. Gold has been produced from the property since 1906.Gold is currently recovered using a combination of four independent processing operations. These include a 10,000 ton per day mill, a 30,000 ton per day, crushed ore heap leach, a 150,000 ton per day, run-of-mine ore heap leach and a small high-grade gravity concentration circuit. In 2002, Round Mountain Gold Corporation produced 755,494 troy ounces of gold at a total direct operating cost of US$2.14 per ton ($193/oz).This paper presents a summary of the Round Mountain operations and discusses some of the processing innovations that have enabled the mine to profitably recover gold from a large low-grade ore body.INTRODUCTIONRound Mountain Gold Corporation is a 50/50 joint venture between Kinross Gold Corporation and Barrick Gold Corporation. Kinross acquired its ownership interest in the Round Mountain mine upon completion of combination with Echo Bay on January 31, 2003. The joint venture partners continue to support an aggressive exploration program in the vicinity of the mine in order to add reserves and extend the mine life.The Round Mountain mine currently operates a conventional open pit that is approximately 8,200 feet long, 4,900 feet wide and 980 feet deep. Mining is conducted on 34-metre benches by electric shovels and front-end loaders paired with 150, 190 and 240-ton haul trucks. Blasthole samples are collected and assayed and provide the control for ore segregation. Based upon these assays, blasted pit rock is determined to be run-of-mine Dedicated Pad ore, crushed Reusable Pad ore, high-grade ore or waste.Gold is recovered using a combination of four independent processing operations. These include run-of-mine ore heap leaching (Dedicated Pad), crushed ore heap leaching (Reusable Pad), milling and the gravity concentration circuit. Non-mineralised rock is delivered directly to the waste dumps. Low-grade ore is trucked directly to the Dedicated Pad and medium-grade ore is crushed and placed on the Reusable Pad. High-grade ore is handled in one of three ways: 1) leached on the Reusable Pad and offloaded to the mill; 2) sent directly to the gravity plant with tails reporting to the mill; or 3) sent directly to the mill or mill stockpile. The gold particle size distribution of highgrade ore determines the processing method."

Jan 1, 2005

By Colin P. Pigott

The paper describes a variety of existing techniques and equipment which when combined together permit faster and cheaper drilling of shafts in soft to medium strength formations. Drilling fluid circulation, methods of hole stabilisation and bit design, including the advantages of flat bottomed and conical bits, shrouds and skirts, tungsten carbide, long tooth and disc cutters are considered. The principles of rock chip transportation and bottom hole cleaning are described together with a new and very efficient fluid circulation system which was invented by the author.

Jan 1, 1985

By Horst Huettenhain

The Rowland Coal Preparation Plant is located on Workman's Creek in Raleigh County, West Virginia, approximately 20 miles Northwest of Beckley and 10 miles Southeast of Ameagle. It is owned and operated by the Rowland Division of Consolidation Coal Company. This paper describes the plant flowsheet, process considerations that were evaluated in its development, and observations made during and since the plant was constructed. The final flowsheet was developed specifically to wash the coal from the Rowland Mine and contains several equipment combinations and applications heretofore never placed in a single, commercial operation. The major process equipment is presented in a functional description of the flowsheet. The coal reserves are leased from the Rowland Land Company and consist primarily of #2 Gas and Middle Eagle coals and various major splits of the Middle Eagle seam. The Rowland Coal Preparation Plant was designed to process 560 TPH of raw coal consisting of 50 percent #2 Gas coal intimately mixed with 50 percent Middle Eagle coal and containing lumps no larger than a 12-inch cube.

Jan 1, 1970

By J M. F Clout

The Roy Hill Project is an independent integrated port, rail and mine development in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The bankable feasibility study for the project was completed in January 2011 by Roy Hill Holdings Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd. The Project will deliver 55 Mt/a of premium quality iron ore to a rapidly growing market with a mine life of over 27 years. This study is based on exploiting a 1.2 Bt bedded resource of microplaty haematite-rich Marra Mamba, from which 562 Mt of reserves has been delineated to date. A further 1.1 Bt resource of detritals and low grade bedded is proposed to be mined once the bedded high grade resource is depleted. Roy Hill lump and fi ne ore products will compete strongly with other Pilbara products. As a low cost producer, Roy Hill is on track to capture four per cent of the global seaborne traded iron ore market. The project decision to proceed is targeted for Q2 2011 to enable first ore on ship by Q2 2014.

Jul 11, 2011

By Henry Louis

THE work performed by the Royal Commission on Mining Subsidence is likely to prove of permanent value, less perhaps for the conclusions it has reached and for the recommendations it has based upon these than for the admirable exposition which it affords of the law concerning mining subsidence and of the legal status of the person who has suffered damage by reason of such subsidence, as also of him whose working has caused the damage. The Commission was appointed by Royal Warrant in the middle of 1925 and delivered its final report in the middle of 1927. The terms of reference to the Commission were as follows: "To consider the operation of the law relating to the support of the surface of the land, and of buildings or works on or under the surface, by underlying or adjacent minerals; to enquire into the extent and gravity of the damage caused by subsidence owing to the extraction of minerals and the incidence of the resulting liability; and to report what steps should be taken, by legislation or otherwise, to remedy, equitably to all persons concerned, any defects or hardships that may be found to arise in existing conditions."

Jan 1, 1929

By Henry Louis

THE work performed by, the Royal Commission on Mining Subsidence is likely to prove of permanent value, less perhaps for the conclusions it has reached and for the recommendations it has based upon these than for the admirable exposition which it affords of the law concerning mining subsidence and of the legal status of the person who has suffered damage by reason of such subsidence, as also of him whose working has caused the damage. The Commission was appointed by Royal Warrant in the middle of 1925 and delivered its final report in the middle of 1927. The terms of reference to the Commission were as follows: "To consider the operation of the law relating to the support of the surface of the land, and of buildings or works on or under the surface, by underlying or adjacent minerals; to enquire into the extent and gravity of the damage caused by subsidence owing to the extraction of minerals and the incidence of the resulting liability; and to report what steps should be taken, by legislation or otherwise, to remedy, equitably to all persons concerned, any defects or hardships that may be found to arise in existing conditions."

Jan 1, 1929

By J. McD. Porter

IN many of the old placer-mining districts are still to be found large tracts of gold-bearing gravel not suitable to be worked with a dredge, because the bed is too shallow- or the gulch too narrow. Frequently there is not enough grade to handle the gravel successfully by ground-sluicing or a bedrock flume, or it contains too many boulders to be worked successfully with the ordinary pipe or tube hydraulic elevator. In southwestern Oregon, two practical placer-miners named Ruble, after working for years trying to make money out of placer-ground containing many large boulders, invented and patented a hydraulic elevator of an entirely new type, and one . that has been found to work very successfully in flat' ground and in gravel containing many large boulders. It is a very simple contrivance. A few years ago I acquired the property near Pierce City, Idaho, known as the American placer-mine. Various attempts .bad been made to work this ground. A bed-rock flume had been installed by one company, an Evans elevator by another, and still other methods were tried on a smaller scale. All were unsuccessful. I installed a Ruble elevator, and it has proved very satisfactory. Working under 100-ft. (pipe) head, the 'ground has been handled at a cost of a little less than 8 cents per cubic yard. The conditions at the American mine are exceptionally hard, the boulders being large, heavy, and numerous. Basalt-boulders, up to a size of 16 by 18 by 32 in., have been elevated to a height of 16 or 17 ft., with a 4-in. nozzle-stream, under 100-ft. head. Boulders larger than this size are blasted. At the American mine, a foreman, two pipemen, and two laborers are-required per day of 24 hr. to operate the elevator. Several sizes of this elevator are in use, the one at the American mine being the 25-ft. size, having 25 ft. of grizzly

Oct 1, 1909

By John M. Loveioy

EVERY producer of crude oil knows what is meant by the Rule or Law of Capture. It means that the ultimate ownership of a migratory substance such as oil is not determined until that substance is reduced to physical possession. Unless, therefore, the producer moves quickly to capture his share from the common pool, he may lose to any neighbor who is drilling and producing more rapidly than he a portion of the oil originally underlying his property. And there is no recourse open to him if his property is so drained. Under this rule it is obvious that the owner of an oil property, if he is to protect his' ownership, must be governed in his development and production policies by the activities of his neighbor rather than by his own business requirements. He must drill as densely and as fast as the other operators in the field or lose part of the oil to which he should be entitled.

Jan 1, 1936

By J. D. Price, W. M. Bertholf

One of the chief difficulties with which the operator of a coal washing plant has been forced to contend is the handling of the very fine coal. First he has the problem of separating the fine coal from washery water. This is usually accomplished by the use of settling cones or Dorr thickeners: in either event the separated fine coal contains a high amount (40 to 80 pct) of water and, somewhat loosely, dependent upon the size of the coal particles present, may be known as sludge or slurry. His second problem is the satisfactory further dewatering of such separated sludge and/or slurry.

Jan 1, 1949

By V. GUDKOV

THE iron-ore deposits of Russia were estimated at 2,200,000,000 by the Russian Geological Survey, in 1910; but this estimate must be considered as being far too low. The estimate for Siberia, which had been explored very little for iron ore, was placed at about 27,000,000 tons. The exploration, in 1912-14, of the three iron deposits-Blagodat, Baakal and Kamensk-raised the estimate of the iron-ore reserves or the Urals from 282,000,000 tons to about 400,000,000 tons. Conservative estimates of the explored deposits made by the writer in 1915, gave the following figures: Southern Russia 900,000,000 tons, Ural Mountains 500,000,000 tons, Central Russia 900,000,- 000 tons, Siberia 100,000,000 tons, Caucasus 20,000,000 tons, or a total of 2,420,000,000 tons of iron ore, or 1,200,000,000 tons of pig iron.

Jan 1, 1921

By Walter G. Perkins

T SEEMS almost sheer presumption to attempt' to discuss Russia in its present chaotic political and economic condition, and were it not that at least two certain absolute factors are continuously at work, it would be impossible to' even approach the subject with any degree of intelligence. These are the inborn love of peace of the people and the national character of the cooperative movement. The love of peace inborn in the soul of every Russian, the desire to be left alone and to- live his life among his home village surroundings, is probably one of the two greatest factors that will make the continuance of the present conditions of civil war impossible. One army or the other may sweep up and down the country. but the Russian peasant will: remain in his own village if not literally darken out. This love of peace is evidenced by the fact that there is no country where personal safety is greater than in Russia in normal times. I have traveled in many isolated parts, carrying considerable sums of money and persolial equipment that; in itself, would be a fortune to any peasant, and have never even encountered a condition in which the most wildly imaginative person looking for adventure, 01: trouble, could muster up even a suspicion of fear. This statement applies also to Southern Siberia and Northern Turkestan, which are inhabitated by the nomadic tribes of Khirghese origin.

Jan 1, 1920

The Río Agrio of northern Patagonia, Argentina, is highly acidic due to inputs of volcanic gases (SO2, HCl, HF) in its headwaters. The watershed includes a hyper-acidic (pH <0.5) volcanic crater lake, a larger glacially carved lake that is also strongly acidic (pH 2.6 to 2.7) and an acidic river that flows for more than 40 km (25 miles) before its pH is completely neutralized. This unique watershed has many geochemical and biological similarities to acid waters caused by mining. This paper describes the Río Agrio watershed and draws a comparison with some famous acid mine waters. Learning more about naturally acidic lakes and river systems could have important applications to the bioleaching of ores or biological treatment of mine waters. Therefore, it should be of interest to the general community of mining and metallurgical engineers.

Jan 1, 2008

By C. W. Washburne

Continued discussion of the paper Of ROSWELL H. JOHNSON, presented at the New York meeting, February, 1015, and printed in Bulletin No. 98, February; 1915, pp. 221 to 226. See also Bulletin No. 101, May, 1915, pp. 1157 to 1162, and No. 103, July, 1915, pp. 1449 to 1450. C. W. WASHBURNE, New York, N. Y. (communication to the Secretary*).-Mr. Johnson recognizes that connate waters must be driven, outward toward the earth&apos;s surface. He considers the ascent due to the settling and packing of the underlying sediments and to the formation of gas within the rocks, supplemented by abyssal pressures. The origin of the methane in the sedimentary strata probably is not simple. There are three possible modes of origin: (1) as marsh gas formed near the surface and entrapped in the sediments; (2) from abyssal sources; (3) by the decomposition of organic matter buried in the sediments. The abyssal source is generally negligible, and in all cases doubtful. The third origin is the most important in the gas fields. A fourth mode of origin, by the dissociation of liquid hydrocarbons, frequently has been suggested, but it is improbable, because crude oils are exothermic. Therefore they have no tendency, to split or decompose at low temperatures, as do endothermic substances, such as coal, which is geologically by the loss of methane, water, and carbon dioxide. This cannot happen to a hydrocarbon until its temperature of dissociation (" cracking point") is reached, which is over 250&apos;.C. for the most easily cracked hydrocarbons and over 400° C. for others. Engler says that the dissociation of fats and waxes into oils is an endothermic process, thereby unconsciously nullifying his own theory of the dissociation of these substances at low temperatures. However, recently I have found reason to think that heat is liberated by the disruption of the molecules of fats and waxes, as it is in the molecular decomposition of the substances of wood, coal, etc. If this tentative opinion is correct, and Engler wrong, then it seems that the Engler-Höfer hypothesis of the origin of oil becomes not only possible, but even probable.

Jan 9, 1915

By Norman Marr

Introduction In Canada, the mining industry and water-power development are intimately associated in that mining, which ranks second among the country&apos;s primary industries, depends principally upon hydro-electric energy for its large power requirements. On the whole, the Dominion has been very favourably endowed with water-power resources; generally speaking it is a well-watered country with numerous rivers and lakes located in are as where the topography favours water-power development. Precipitation, the raw material of water power, varies from an annual fall of more than l00 inches on the Pacific coast to about 12 inches in sections of the Prairies and the Northwest Territories; in Ontario and Quebec the annual average is 24 to 40 inches and in Nova Scotia about 45 inches. In its descent to the sea, the resulting run-off, much of it from considerable altitudes, creates sources of potential energy at every rapid and fall along the country&apos;s many streams and rivers. Many of the innumerable lakes in the Dominion provide storage basins for the regulation of stream flow, thus enhancing the potential power of available sites. While water-power resources are fairly well distributed across the Dominion, as is shown on the accompanying map of Canada showing power sites (Figure 1), it is particularly fortunate that those areas which are lacking in indigenous fuels have been compensated in large degree for this scarcity by being favoured with a high proportion of the total potential water power. This has an important bearing on the mining industry in that extensive mining operations can be economically carried out in the great Canadian Shield, which is lacking in commercial coal deposits but is rich in water-power resources. This Precambrian formation, which forms a wide belt around Hudson bay and in which many metalliferous ores are found, was &apos;subject to severe glaciation in a recent geological period, so that its river systems are comparatively young and are characterized by numerous lakes joined by short reaches of fast water, rapids, and falls which offer frequent opportunities for power development. The western Cordilleran region, which also is important in mining, has abundant water power. The accompanying geological map (Figure 2), prepared by the Geological Survey of Canada, shows the great extent of the Precambrian and Cordilleran regions and may be compared with the map of water-power sites to show the high incidence of water-power resources in these potential mining areas in which important mineral discoveries have already been made.

Jan 1, 1949

By Blake M. Loring

RECENTLY the S-curves for 30 to 40 alloy steels have been published.1,2 These steels show individual characteristics, which make each additional S-curve of great interest. There are important differences in the mechanism of the transformation process, the type of transformation product, and the influence of alloying elements. Steels of the same general alloy composition may possess such variable characteristics with regard to the length of time of isothermal transformation that an S-curve for each heat of steel may be desirable. In the present work the isothermal transformation of a steel having the following composition and grain size was studied: 0.20 percent carbon; 0.21 manganese; 0.026 phosphorus; 0.017 sulphur; 0.056 silicon; 1.45 chromium; 3.25 nickel; austenite grain size, 7. The progress of the isothermal transformation was followed by several different methods, including hardness measurements, dilatometer observations, and examinations of the microstructure. It was not expected that these methods would be in precise agreement.3 Accordingly, the changes in microstructure and hardness were given additional weight in determining the initial stage of transformation and the dilatometer measurements were relied on in estimating the completion of the process. The beginning of transformation was indicated by I per cent of transformation products and the end of transformation by about 99 per cent. The reproducibility of the various methods in the ranges of highest sensitivity was checked by several observations at each time and temperature. The steel used in this investigation was annealed for 24 hr. at 925°C. Macroetching revealed no serious segregation. The specimens for the metallographic and hardness investigations were 1 1/4 by 1/2 by 1/8 in. Wires attached to the samples were used for handling, instead of tongs, to avoid chilling. The specimens were heated at 845°C. for 1/2 hr. and quenched into constant-temperature salt baths held at various temperatures from 205° to 650°C. The time required to transfer the specimens was found to be about x 1 1/2 sec., and nearly 5 sec. more was required for them to come to the temperature of the bath. After various lengths of time in the constant-temperature baths the specimens were quenched in water at 21°C. The specimens were cut in half for the metallographic examination, to provide a surface free from decarburization. To determine the beginning and end of the transformation the percentage of transformation determined metallographically and by hardness was plotted against time. A planimeter was used in the metallographic determination. The hardness and metallographic determinations made at room temperature were confirmed reasonably well by dilatometer measurements taken during the process of transformation at the various temperatures. Two dilatometers were used to

Jan 1, 1941

By Doll. H. G.

THIS paper discusses a method and apparatus for determining the dip of formations traversed by a drill hole, by means of electrical measurements in the hole. The process consists in recording the Spontaneous Potentials present along three oriented generatrices in the hole, By comparison of the three curves thus obtained, after application of a correction factor to compensate for any deviations of the hole, the dip angle and the dip direction are determined. Excellent accuracy is obtained for dip angles over 10°. Because the method is simple and the apparatus rugged, the measurements are rapid and reliable; consequently, they can be made at all the levels that are of interest at any time after the well has been drilled. Mechanical cores are not needed to evaluate the dips. A convenient, time-saving procedure is to perform the dipmeter survey at the time the electrical log is taken, using for both operations the same cable and truck. Actual examples of results obtained in wells of the Gulf Coast area are given.

Jan 1, 1942

By H. G. Doll

THIS paper discusses a method and apparatus for determining the dip of formations traversed by a drill hole, by means of electrical measurements in the hole. The process consists in recording the Spontaneous Potentials present along three oriented generatrices in the hole. By comparison of the three curves thus obtained, after application of a correction factor to compensate for any deviations of the hole, the dip angle and the dip direction are determined. Excellent accuracy is obtained for dip angles over 10°. Because the method is simple and the apparatus rugged, the measurements are rapid and reliable; consequently, they can be made at all the levels that are of interest at any time after the well has been drilled. Mechanical cores are not needed to evaluate the dips. A convenient, timesaving procedure is to perform the dipmeter survey at the time the electrical log is taken, using for both operations the same cable and truck. Actual examples of results obtained in wells of the Gulf Coast area are given.

Jan 1, 1944

By Alyse Munro Hindley

The increasing negative public opinion toward blasting has led to stricter regulations and increased costs. This paper outlines alternative methods of rock excavation and the safety regulations and certification required by blasting professionals. Most importantly, however, it showcases the benefits and accomplishments that controlled blasting bring to society, giving the public a better understanding of the necessity of blasting in modern society.

Jan 1, 2015