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By M. H. Col

Within the last few years, there have been numerous techno-logical advancements within material handling due, in part, to the introduction of conveying systems and mobile material handling systems to the industry. Although the traditional material handling methods are still commonly used, the introduction of conveyors to the industry has provided companies with some very efficient and economical options. These "new" systems change with the industry to accommodate rigorous demands, ease of operation, and low operating cost requirements. The number of mobile material handling systems utilized in mining operations is increasing, especially in heap leaching applications. Ten years ago, mobile material handling systems like Mobile Stacking Conveyors (MSC) were considered a novelty. There were two (2) MSC's in actual operation and only one of those in a heap leaching application. Today there are numerous proven systems operating at mine sites around the world-La Coipa, Zaldivar, Florida Canyon, Cananea, El Abra, Chuquicamata, and Radomiro Tomic. The popularity of mobile systems is due to the benefits realized by individual projects. As technology advances, so do the concepts behind mobile material handling systems. Implementing self leveling mechanisms, Programmable Logic Controllers, and Global Positioning Systems to control the equipment are just a few of the recent advances that will be discussed in this paper. We will also discuss current proven systems, and touch on what we see as some of the future advances.

Jan 1, 1998

By W. S. Szolga, M. Moser, M. D. Soderstrom, L. Cohen

"CYANEX® 272 is a phosphinic acid-based solvent extraction reagent used commercially since the early 80’s to recover and purify cobalt from sulfate solutions. Historically, the design of CYANEX 272 circuits has involved the selection of an optimal pH profile during pilot-scale testing using mixbox pH control. The desired pH profile is required to be carefully controlled in the same manner during commercial operation. To assist operators in the design and optimization of their circuits, Solvay developed CYANEX 272-specific solvent extraction modeling software, which has enabled determination of the ideal pH profile and staging configuration. Solvay’s recent advances in modeling capabilities have allowed the simulation of circuits without direct mixbox pH control. Modeling has indicated that circuits operated without direct pH control can achieve the desired metal separation while simplifying the commercial operation significantly. This paper reviews a number of potential circuit configurations for the use of CYANEX 272 and demonstrates the separations achievable under the right design and operational conditions, some of which have historically been considered too difficult.INTRODUCTION CYANEX® 272 is a phosphinic-acid based reagent designed specifically for the separation of cobalt from nickel by solvent extraction from weakly acidic sulfate solutions (Rickelton, Robertson, & Burley, 1982; Rickelton, Flett, & West, 1984; Rickelton & Nucciarone, 1997). Following commercial introduction in the 1980’s, CYANEX 272 has been used in a number of hydrometallurgical flowsheets for cobalt purification and/or recovery. CYANEX 272 metal extraction occurs by means of a cation exchange mechanism. Extraction of a divalent metal ion M2+ is represented by the following equation where RH represents the CYANEX 272 ligand and MR2 represents the ligand-metal complex."

Jan 1, 2017

Advances in Optical Image Analysis and Textural Classification of Iron Ore Fines

Sep 13, 2010

By S Hapugoda, M Peterson, A Haileslassie, A Poliakov, E Donskoi, L Lu

Most metallic iron in the world is produced in blast furnaces from different feed stocks – sinter, lump ore and pellets. Sinter is the main iron-containing feed to the blast furnace and can constitute up to 70–85 per cent of the total ferrous burden. As sinter quality is a key element for stable blast furnace operation, the textural, chemical and physical characteristics of the sinter are very important. Two major factors that affect sinter strength are mineralogy and porosity. This study utilised optical image analysis (OIA) to characterise sinter mineralogy, and the results were compared to those obtained by manual point counting under the optical microscope.Two major mineral characteristics of iron ore sinter are the presence of primary (unreacted) and secondary (derived from melt) hematite. Standard OIA, which is based on RGB thresholding, is not able to distinguish them as they have the same reflectivity; however, primary and secondary hematite in iron ore sinter have a different morphology. The CSIRO-developed OIA software Mineral4/Recognition4 has a unique feature to identify various textures/morphologies of the same mineral. Together with other capabilities of the Mineral4/Recognition4 software, this feature was used to identify different types of hematite and silico-ferrite of calcium and aluminium and other common sinter phases, such as magnetite, larnite, glass and remnant aluminosilicates.A visual comparison of the sinter mineralogy present in optical photomicrographs and that present in the mineral maps created automatically by the Mineral4 module of the CSIRO software confirmed the accuracy of the automated mineral identification.CITATION:Donskoi, E, Hapugoda, S, Lu, L, Poliakov, A, Peterson, M and Haileslassie, A, 2015. Advances in optical image analysis of iron ore sinter, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2015, pp 543–548 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 13, 2015

By Paul J. Sylvester, Yeonuk Choi, Mike Nelson, Louis J. Cabri, Mike Tubrett

"The development and characterization of sulphide standards containing as many as seven precious metals has increased the efficiency and comprehensiveness of micro-analyses for deportment studies using laser ablation microprobe inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LAM-ICPMS). Because trace precious metals occurring in solid solution or as sub-micron inclusions in sulphides, arsenides, and sulpharsenides are often heterogeneously distributed, a significantly large number of analyses are required. Using well-prepared samples it is possible for up to 120 analyses per day, far more than by other comparable methods. Examples will be discussed from projects focused on the deportment of Au and the platinum group elements (PGE).INTRODUCTIONBecause gold and the platinum-group elements (PGE) occur as both discrete minerals and in trace quantities in a variety of minerals (mostly sulphide, arsenide, and sulpharsenide minerals), specialized trace analytical methods were developed and applied to determine the deportment of precious metals in ore deposits, requiring sensitivities ranging originally from about hundreds to presently tens of ppb for individual precious metal or less.In mineralogical studies, micro-analytical techniques such as the electron microprobe were first applied to obtain analyses for major elements in about 1959-60, but as the instrumentation improved early attempts for PGE in potential carrier minerals indicated that reasonable levels of detection (LOD) were of the order of 300-400 ppm, depending on analytical conditions, X-ray spectral lines, and mineral matrix (e.g., Cabri and Laflamme, 1976). Eventually, the lowest detection levels by electron probe micro-analyses (EPMA) obtained for some PGE were of the order of 10s of ppm using high accelerating voltage and current for extended measuring time on peak and background (Gervilla, Cabri, Kojonen, Oberthür, Weiser, Johanson, Sie, Campbell, Teesdale and Laflamme, 2004)."

Jan 1, 2010

By S Q. Zhao, J H. Wei

"An EXTENDED ABSTRACT is available for download. A full-length paper was not prepared for this presentation. The Xitieshan lead-zinc deposit is located in the north margin of the Qaidam Basin, Qinghai Province, China. It is one of the largest massive sulfide deposits in China and is supposed to be of the sedimentation-exhalation (SEDEX) type. Based on the main ore mineral and sulfur isotopic compositions in sulfides found in the wall rock, the S of the deposit is considered to originate from the mantle, but the fluid potentially mixed with sea water during the hydrothermal circulation exchange. The study of lead isotopes shows that the metallogenic material is characterised by the mixture of orogenic and upper crust sources. The lead isotopic signature of the wall rock is similar to that of the ore, which shows synsedimentary characteristics. According to the composition of the rubidium and strontium isotopic signature, the value of 87Sr/86Sr is lower than the average value of that in the crustal rock, which is larger than that of the mantle. Hence, the metallogenic materials of this deposit mainly originate from the crust, which is related to materials of volcanic rocks activation and migration of the deep hot circulating water. The process of the metallogenic fluid circulation shows continuous interaction with crustal material and lead to continuous enrichment of the ore forming fluids. From the study of the fluid inclusion microthermometry of the ore and the associated minerals combined with the C, H-O, Si isotopes, it is believed that the metallogenic fluid is mainly coming from the mantle or the deep magma chambers. The rising deep fluid then mixes with the sea water. The carbon dioxide escaping and mixing with sea water during the hydrothermal exhalation process leads to the rapid precipitation of the hydrothermal fluid to deposit metal. That is proposed as the principal formation mechanism of the Xitieshan deposit. Further studies are proposed, including obtaining geochronology data from this deposit.CITATION:Zhao, Z X, Wei, J H, Liang, S N and Zhao, S Q, 2015. Advances in research on metallogenic mechanisms for the Xitieshan sedimentation-exhalation lead-zinc deposit, Qinghai Province, China, in Proceedings PACRIM 2015 Congress, pp 487–494 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Mar 18, 2015

By R. J. Pruett

Selective flocculation enables the production of high-brightness kaolin products from kaolin ore once considered too poor in quality for beneficiation into paper-coating pigments. Anatase, Ti(1-X)FeXO2, with X = 0 to 0.05, is a common iron-bearing impurity in sedimentary kaolin that can be unresponsive to kaolin beneficiation processes, such as magnetic separation, due to its extremely fine particle size (<0.3 µm), or chemical bleaching, because of its chemical stability. Described here are selective flocculation technologies that separate anatase by flocculating anatase or flocculating kaolinite from dispersed slurries. Applying the advances in the chemical and mechanical dispersion of ultrafine particles and the selective aggregation of kaolinite or anatase particles have resulted in the selective flocculation processes practiced today that have increased process recoveries from those technologies practiced beginning in the 1960s.

Feb 1, 2012

By John Wallace

"Monitoring compound semiconductor crystal growth using multifrequency eddy currents for sensing illustrates some of the extreme problems of measurement and interpretation that are not often seen in metallic systems. Using sensor arrays and scanning sensors have produced a qualitative and quantitative understanding of some of the high temperature electrical conductivity mechanisms in several compound systems. A detailed review of the CdTe/CdZnTe data is presented showing some of the complexity in the data as opposed to what is found in elemental semiconductors.HistoryThe most common goal in the use of eddy current measurement in crystal growth is to deter-mine the curvature of the liquid solid interface during growth to test if the heat transfer estimates of the thermal design were adequate for single crystal growth[l]. This aim could be met but represented only a small fraction of the data that was produced observing a growth cycle. A secondary consideration was what could be discovered in the recorded data about the growth and subsequent heat treatment as the boule cooled. This is usually a more difficult task because a crystal growth process is not a controlled experiment so much as a process that continually sees modification. Using a sensor arrays or a scanning loop has produced a qualitative and quantitative basis for understanding some of the high temperature electrical conductivity mechanisms. The implication of the these measurements of electrical conductivity variations are important in that they reflect the complex defect states that will occur on cooling and heat treatment following crystal growth. In contrast to the complex behavior of the conductivity of these compound semiconductors in the solid and liquid state we have the very well characterized system silicon to compare. Initially the interest on using eddy currents to monitor compound semiconductors came from G. Westphal at the Texas; Instruments Company in 1987 to monitor aspects of growth and compounding of GaAs. This was followed by work on solution growth of HgCdTe with D. Witter. The initial interest in the use of eddy cur-rents for monitoring CdTe crystal growth came from Prof. Wilcox at Clarkson University in the practical interest to determine and control the crystal interface curvature during vertical brigdeman growth. The first actual work was done by one of his former students. G. Neuge-bauer at the II-VI Corporation which was carried on by G. Rosen at Clarkson and R. Shetty at II-VI Corporation and with A. Socha at Johnson-Matthey Electronics. The work on CdTe extends over four years and yielded sufficient data to allow one to evaluate the utility of the information produced as compared to what could be obtained from monitoring an elemental semiconductor such as silicon."

Jan 1, 1997

By H. Y. Sohn

The considerable progress made in the sulfide smelting technology since the first International Sulfide Symposium of 1983 is discussed. The new developments and innovations have largely been driven by the recognition of environmental concern as well as the need for increased productivity. The smelting technologies for various nonferrous metals are reviewed, with an emphasis on the industry trend towards larger plants and continuous processes. The tremendous advances made in process modeling and computer simulation to describe the complex smelting processes are also reviewed. The goal of these mathematical models is the quantitative description of the processes and the reactors that will provide a means for the control and optimization of smelting operations as well as the optimal design of the operating conditions and the reactors. Environmental issues remain a key consideration in the smelting industry. One of the most remarkable improvements made in the last fifteen years since the 1983 Sulfide Smelting Symposium is the rapid increase in the sulfur capture by nonferrous smelters. This and other related issues are briefly discussed. Finally, the challenges that the smelting industry faces as the new millenium approaches are discussed. The industry continues to face technical challenges to improve productivity and efficiency, while being responsive to ever-increasing public pressure for environmental protection. It also faces external challenges from factors that may cause the reduction of metal uses as a result of substitutions by other materials. Another serious challenge and dire consequence that the primary metals industry is expected to face is the serious diminution of university-educated manpower as well as basic-research output. To remain competitive and healthy, the industry should take up the void left by the complete disappearance, at least in the U.S., and the reduction in other nations, of the governmental support of higher education and basic research in the field of primary metals production.

Jan 1, 1998

By Osvaldo Guilherme Comineli

While the hot cracking of Cu-containing steels is a serious and widely known problem for the industry, the literature reports that copper only slightly impairs the hot-ductility measured in laboratory. A distinction is drawn between hot ductility and hot shortness and the respective cracking operating mechanism involved at the respective range of temperature. The representability of the laboratory assessment of hot cracking of Cu-containing steels by hot tensile tests compared with actual results in industrial practice is discussed. The effectiveness of the variable affecting in each cracking mechanism and respective temperature range, focused in improving the hot cracking assessment of Cu-steels and the relative importance of oxidation will also be discussed. It is concluded that the hot tensile test in argon might be a good simulation if properly interpreted and that the role of oxidation is secondary in causing hot shortness. A schematic diagram for the hot tensile test is proposed.

Oct 30, 2017

By Donn A. Calder, Wayne C. Henderson

The Calmet Process for extraction and recovery of gold and silver from concentrates and high:grade ores has been a commercial reality for over two years. During that time period, almost seventy-five different concentrate (or ore) types have been processed in approximately 200 separate lots (a total of almost 2000 short tons). During commercial operation of the process at the plant in Fountain, Colorado, recovery of gold and silver into <lore' has averaged almost 93% for gold (range 81-98%) and over 90% for silver (range 76-97%) based on a fire assay target and calculated head values.

Jan 1, 1998

By G. Deschênes

Silver minerals are known to have slow leaching rates and low overall extraction and require a high concentration of cyanide and a long retention time to maximize leach extraction. Their response to cyanidation is considered mild to moderately refractory, largely due to complex mineralogical compositions. New research on improving the dissolution of silver minerals in cyanide was performed using high-purity minerals, as well as a high-grade ore sample from the Kupol property, owned 75% by Kinross Gold. The high-purity silver minerals studied in the leach investigations included acanthite, stephanite and pyrargyrite, which were also the predominant silver minerals in the Kupol ore sample. Dissolution of silver from acanthite produced only 37% extraction in 48 hours of leaching with 500 ppm NaCN. Analysis of the leached acanthite surface showed appreciable formation of polysulfide species, which can interfere with silver leaching. Adding lead nitrate into a pretreatment stage increased the acanthite silver extraction to 86.2%. No polysulfide species were formed with the addition of lead nitrate from the surface analysis. Cyanidation of stephanite and pyrargyrite produced very low dissolutions of silver, only 12.6% and 10.4%, respectively, in the absence of lead nitrate. Silver extraction from stephanite improved to 98% by adding lead nitrate directly to the leaching stage, whereas pyrargyrite required a pretreatment with lead nitrate to extract 83.2% Ag. With the addition of lead nitrate, the mineral surfaces had a PbO species and minor amounts of Pb(OH)2 and antimony was oxidized on the stephanite and pyrargyrite surfaces during leaching. There was a much greater concentration of Sb(V) on stephanite relative to pyrargyrite. Therefore, lead forms a redox couple on silver mineral grains and favors the oxidation of silver minerals. The high-grade Kupol sample assayed 22.6 g/t Au and 359.3 g/t Ag following treatment by gravity separation. Gold and silver extractions from the Kupol sample were 94.5% and 82.9%, respectively, using 500 ppm NaCN and 250 g/t lead nitrate. The findings to improve the extraction of silver from the ore sample with lead nitrate addition were congruent with those to improve the extraction of silver from the individual high purity minerals. Pretreatment did not, however, improve gold or silver extraction significantly with the ore sample.

Jan 1, 2011

By M M. Hilden, M S. Powell, B Foggiatto

In an environment of decreasing ore grade, increasing costs and uncertainty with respect to commodity prices, the industry could benefit from evaluating alternative technologies and innovative circuit configurations. The flexible circuit approach suggests that the design of grinding circuits can be adapted to changes in feed properties and economic conditions. Advances in modelling and simulation are enabling metallurgists to predict the performance of more complex circuit configurations with increased confidence. Ore variability information and processing costs may be used as modelling inputs to determine the optimum processing conditions at a given time. A case study has been completed demonstrating the value of combining a flexible circuit with a model-based optimisation of the process. Ore properties and equipment performance data obtained in operating plants have been used to model and simulate flexible circuit configurations.This paper explores strategies to introduce flexibility to existing circuit configurations when processing ores with high variability. Multicomponent models incorporated in the model developers’ kit (MDK) allow the simulation of more complex and flexible circuits. This capability enables demonstration of the potential to enhance metal production through adapting processing routes according to the ore type being processed. The simulation of different flow sheet configurations allowed the definition of the best option for maintaining the metal production when treating lower grade ores, highlighting the advantages of flexible circuit configurations compared with a one-process-fits-all approach.CITATION:Foggiatto, B, Hilden, M M and Powell, M S, 2014. Advances in the simulation of flexible circuits, in Proceedings 12th AusIMM Mill Operators’ Conference 2014 , pp 391–398 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 1, 2014

"Previous studies on the effect of polytetrafluoroethylene addition during chalcopyrite leaching under conditions similar to those of the CESL process have reportedly resulted in complete leaching of the copper without the need for grinding of the flotation concentrate. However, these studies employed a pulp density of only 1% and finely sized PTFE particle that required the use of high impeller rotation rates that are not sustainable at an industrial scale. This paper explores the performance of 1/8” diameter balls of PTFE, that readily sink in the leach solution, on leaching performance at impeller rotation rates and ore pulp densities more typical of industrial practice. Possible routes for separation of the PTFE from the leach residues and their regeneration for recycling back to the leaching stage are also discussed.INTRODUCTIONChalcopyrite, CuFeS2, is the most important primary sulfide source of copper. While pyrometallurgical smelting of chalcopyrite remains the only widely accepted route for treating chalcopyrite concentrates, several medium temperature pressure oxidation processes are claimed to be economically feasible (Muir & McDonald, 2007). Among these, the CESL process has been extensively piloted and demonstrated at the prototype scale. The overall process chemistry of the CESL process may be summarized as follows (Marsden & Wilmot, 2007):4CuFeS2 + 5O2 + 4H2SO4 ? 4Cu2+ + 4SO4 2- + 2Fe2O3 + 8S0 + 4H2O (1)4CuFeS2 + 17O2 + 2H2SO4 ? 4Cu2+ + 10SO4 2- + 4Fe3+ + 2H2O (2)Though copper extractions of over 95 % are achieved, the CESL process requires extra grinding of the concentrate (Muir & McDonald, 2007). This is because leaching is conducted at temperatures around 150 °C, where the elemental sulfur produced is molten and grows thicker on the mineral’s surfaces as oxidation progresses, creating an increasingly large barrier for mass transport. In addition, the sulfur is sticky and tends to cause the mineral particles to agglomerate, effectively halting further oxidation of the particles that end up embedded within the agglomerates. Consumable surfactants, such as ligin sulfonate, have been shown to be effective at avoiding agglomeration, but they are not effective at removing sulfur from the minerals. Hence, their use does not obviate the need for fine grinding."

Jan 1, 2012

By James F. Archibald

In historic mining practice, typical thin liner support systems have been considered to comprise non-reinforced or mesh-reinforced shocrete linings. In the early 1990?s, development of alternate forms of liner systems was initiated in Canada which is now undergoing significant international growth in countries which sustain major mining activity. Now internationally designated as thin, spray-on liner systems, a wide spectrum of liner materials, ranging from liquid/liquid to liquid/solid component combinations, has become commercially available. This innovative family of products is characteristically identified as being rapidly deployable, capable of creating ultra-fast setting coverage over rock surfaces, and able to develop tenacious adhesion and pull strength capacities for resisting rock falls and movements. This paper presents a summary of current liner developments and use in principal mining districts world wide. Additionally, a database of material properties for principal product types used in mining and a review of common quality control testing procedures under development are provided. Such information is based upon recent Canadian and international efforts being taken to assess and develop user standards for the implementation of thin, spray-on liners as rock support in mines. This work is intended to continue for a period of years, with the eventual goal being to establish support and installation guidelines for mines based on quantifiable laboratory and field research.

May 1, 2002

By Thomas E. Newman

This paper is a case study using new laser-terrain-mapping technology by EagleScan, Inc., for creating topographic maps. Holnam, Inc., has used this technology to create maps and volumetric calculations of several mines in the United States. The information is superior to conventional methods through accuracy, manpower, time, and cost. Holnam, Inc., was the first cement manufacturer to use the Digital Airborne Topographic Imaging System (DATIS?). The technology uses the DATIS? to produce high-resolution terrain maps and volumetric assessments of any area. DATIS? is a mapping instrument that integrates (1) a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) instrument to measure terrain elevation using laser light, (2) a large-format digital camera, (3) a relative position Global Positioning System (GPS) to measure aircraft position, and (4) an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to measure aircraft attitude. The DATIS? can measure up to 220,000 elevation samples per mil. The system continually collects data on the aircraft&apos;s position and measures the time for each laser pulse transmission to return from the ground, giving each sample a GPS reference. The system can operate at night, in overcast sky, and during high-wind conditions and can measure terrain below vegetation cover, unlike standard aerial photography used for traditional surveying and mapping. Surveyed ground-control panels are no longer necessary with this new technology, and only one ground GPS base station located within 60 mi from the aircraft position is required. A computer elevation-point data file is created with the x, y, z coordinates of each laser elevation sample. With this file, CAD engineering programs can create topographic maps that rival products using conventional aerial mapping techniques. Volumetric measurements of stockpiles and pits are also available due to the high density of points collected from an area. This new technology radically changes the turnaround time for map users, giving a product in the format used by today&apos;s cartographers. The time line from flight to maps is measured in days instead of weeks.

Jan 1, 1999

By Leonardo F. Trivino

Despite the significant economical and safety implications of poor blasting practice in mining and quarrying operations, the default practice in many large operations, including both design and control, is considerably below standard when compared to other engineering disciplines. Blast dynamics includes a number of complex phenomena, such as the generation, propagation and interaction of stress waves, the expansion of high pressure, high temperature gases from the explosive components, and their combined effects upon the rock mass, including fracturing, fragmentation and displacement. In order to tackle this non-trivial problem, a combined finite and discrete element software (Y-code) capable of accounting for the dynamic behaviour of stress waves, simulating fracturing processes and modeling the expansion of gases is under development. The constitutive models used in this particular software are fundamentally simple, however, non-linearity and chaotic behaviour result as natural consequences of the interaction of relatively simple processes and mechanisms, such as propagation of stress waves in the immediate vicinity of the exploding borehole, and the creation and propagation of fractures. Advances on its development and comparisons with experimental data show realistic propagation of stress waves and fracture networks.

May 1, 2013

By Juan Anes, Dominic Fragomeni, Tim Edwards, Dave Scott, Simon Yu

"The Montcalm concentrator operation was successfully commissioned in fall of 2004 at the Xstrata Copper’s Kidd Creek Metallurgical Site, Timmins. The start-up met or exceeded the Type 1 profile as defined by McNulty. Since the life-of-mine was estimated at seven years, concentrator optimisation endeavours had to be fast-tracked. These joint endeavours between the Kidd Creek Metallurgical Site staff and Xstrata Process Support were focussed on increasing ore treatment capacity and metallurgical performance. This paper reviews these endeavours. A flotation circuit survey, together with appropriate Process Mineralogy measurements, identified recovery opportunities in both locked and overground pentlandite in final tailings. The bypassing of first rougher concentrate directly to final concentrate was also recommended, given the composition of that stream. A subsequent grinding circuit survey identified a low circulating load due to poor classification performance. Modelling of these data suggested a change to the cyclone nest and pumping arrangements in the grinding circuit. Implementation of these recommendations has led to a 25% gain in milling circuit capacity as well as improved flotation circuit performance. These improvements amount to nickel and copper recovery gains of 2.57 and 1.83% respectively.INTRODUCTIONHistoryThe Montcalm Ni/Cu Ore is processed in a spare division of the Xstrata Copper’s Kidd Creek concentrator, located near Timmins in Northern Ontario. The flowsheet had been specified by earlier work, and the project fast-tracked so as to commission production operations into a time of rising nickel and copper prices. The Montcalm flow sheet starts with on-site ore crushing to - 19 mm. The crushed ore is trucked to the concentrator. This off-site crushing minimizes contamination with the Kidd Creek Cu/Zn ore. In the concentrator, rod and ball mill grinding to a target p80 of 39 µm produces the Rougher Flotation Feed. Flotation to Bulk Concentrate follows as Cu/Ni roughing and two stages of cleaning. Bulk concentrate is subjected to Cu/Ni separation using conventional column cells. Xanthate is the collector and MIBC is used as frother. Depramin C, a CMC (Carboxy Methyl Cellulose) is added to depress ferromagnesian silicates in the flotation process."

Jan 1, 2009

By Andrew Palangio, Blessing Taiwo

Understanding rock mass structural features is essential for optimizing blast design, highwall control, and evaluating post-blast performance in both surface and underground mining operations. This paper presents a comprehensive methodology utilizing image-based structural mapping to accurately characterize geological discontinuities including joints, faults, and lineations captured from both terrestrial and aerial imagery at varying scales. Key structural parameters such as joint orientation, spacing, and apparent in-situ block size are extracted to understand rock mass classification and enhance blast design inputs with greater geotechnical precision. The study introduces a significant enhancement to the existing discontinuity assessment algorithm by integrating a deep learning-assisted detection process. This improvement enables more accurate, quantitative and consistent identification of pre-existing cracks and surface features across complex bench free faces. The enhanced system facilitates better evaluation of how structural features influence blast fragmentation, energy distribution, and slope stability. A case study from a limestone quarry illustrates the use of a derived comminution factor based on the relationship between joint-controlled pre-blast block sizes and post-blast fragmentation to evaluate blast performance and optimize future design strategies. The results highlight the value of structural analysis in reducing overbreak, minimizing underbreak, and improving fragmentation predictability. This paper emphasizes the importance of integrating structural assessments into the blasting workflow to enable a more data-driven, geotechnically informed, and performance-optimized approach to modern blast design and evaluation.

Jan 26, 2026

By Ery Wardhana, Fathur Rozaq, Jeff Averett, Nella Lubis, Carl Lager, Herry Saputra, Rudolf Sitorus, Relinda Sanistrya, Hormat Sinaga, Andhiko Maharjono

Efficient drill and blast operations are crucial for achieving optimal fragmentation, productivity, safety, and operational efficiency for the mining industry. However, conventional methods face significant challenges, including manual borehole marking and retrieval by survey teams, limited real-time data monitoring, excessive borehole collar deviation affecting blast quality, suboptimal drill productivity impacting person-hours and fuel usage, subjective judgment by drill operators on voids during drilling, and limitations in explosive charging design that do not match rock hardness. Rock hardness determination using lithological data from exploration models is often inaccurate due to the interpolation effect of wide drilling distances and depths, necessitating manual field verification using drill cuttings and historical blasting results. Furthermore, using single-density bulk emulsion throughout blast holes leads to suboptimal results due to varying rock properties. This study introduces an integrated approach that combines smart drilling technology with advanced emulsion technology to enhance drilling and blasting efficiency. The method utilizes smart drilling technology with GPS for precise borehole placement, Measure While Drilling (MWD) loggers, and real-time performance monitoring. Additionally, it integrates a smart Mobile Processing Unit (MPU) featuring a digital system and an automated gassing system (AGS). This setup allows for multiple emulsion densities within a single blast hole, customized to match the hardness index parameters determined from MWD data, addressing the challenges in drilling and blasting operations. The study evaluates the effectiveness of this innovative approach through comprehensive field trials and data analysis. While maintaining the digging rate according to production targets, key metrics such as drilling productivity, drilling accuracy, fuel consumption, powder factor, drilling and blasting cost, and fragmentation size were compared between conventional and new methods. Results showed a 56% increase in drilling accuracy, a 23% increase in penetration rate, a 19.6% increase in drilling productivity, and a 29% reduction in fuel consumption. This new method decreased the powder factor by 5.2%, impacting the drill & blast cost reduction by 2.3%. Moreover, fragmentation size improved by 12.8%, demonstrating the effectiveness of rock hardness-adjustable emulsion density in achieving better blast energy placement. In conclusion, integrating smart drilling and advanced emulsion technology significantly enhances drilling and blasting efficiency. This approach offers substantial cost savings and operational improvements, providing a strong rationale for adopting this innovative method in drilling and blasting activities.

Jan 21, 2025