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By Robert J. M. Miller

Thank you Mr. Chairman. For more than 15 years a debate has been taking place among students of massive sulphide deposits as to the origin of these deposits. Prior that time it was widely accepted that the deposits were of hydrothermal, epigenetic and even replacement origin (Wilson, 14). Kinkel, Knight, Stanton and others advanced hypotheses which would explain the, formation of the deposits by different, largely syngenetic, volcanogeric processes. I was fortunate in having become involved in exploration for these deposits at about the time the debate was beginning and thus had an opportunity to apply with some success, some of the new and old ideas for formation of massive sulphide deposits. The deposits which I will discuss today are all located n northwestern Quebec, in the Abitibi orogenic belt. Mattagami Lake Mines is about 100 miles due south and Noranda's Horne Mine about 200 miles south of James Bay. In 1959 I prepared a talk which was presented to the 1960 CIM Convention calling attention to the spatial and possible genetic relationship between the ore sulphides of the Mattagami Area, Quebec and the tuffite, as well as the structures which controlled the ore. In this present paper I would like to cover the following points: (1) The general criteria used by the epigeneticists to support their contention that the deposits were formed after the enclosing rocks.

Jan 1, 1973

By David C. Slack

In recent years public concern over the environment has grown enormously. A very aware populace has exerted pressure on its legislators to enact enforcement laws dealing with pollution. Among the different types of pollution, sulfur dioxide in the air is a large and readily identifiable constituent. Air pollution, according to the EPA, costs the U, S. billions annually with SO2 a major portion of this cost. Fossil fuel and oil fired power plants release better than 50% of the SO2 in the country. Thus great attention is being focused on the methods power plants are utilizing to control emissions. With a time schedule of compliance by early 1975, decisions are being made and systems chosen that will have to perform - and perform - and perform. Therefore, a large majority of the power plants are presently considering lime in the planning and operational phases of their stack gas desulfurization programs. The reasons for this are: Lime scrubbing has more development and pilot work completed than most other methods; the removal potentials are relatively high; the stoichiometric ratios are not excessive and, the process has relatively low capital and operating costs. Many pilot plant studies have been completed recently using lime and the first operational full scale lime scrubbing unit is now in the start-up phase at this time at Duquesne Light Company's Phillips Station here in Pittsburgh. Also, because of completed development work, the problem of solid waste disposal will also be tackled at this power station at the same time. There are various methods for the use of lime in scrubbing for S02, but for our purposes I would like to describe the cyclic wet lime process. This method called "Scrubber Addition of Lime" involves contacting the flue gas with a slurry of milk of lime.

Jan 1, 1973

By Joseph S. Malesky

As essential as the discovery of coal was to our state of advancement, the discovery and development of explosives marks one of the most important findings in the history of civilization. For this reason explosives are rightfully referred to as the forerunner of progress. Without explosives our vast economic enterprise concerning the mining of coal, copper, iron, aluminum, and various other ores could not function. Explosives are used in all kinds of construction works, in the razing of old buildings, blasting of trenches, driving of tunnels, and in many other instances common to our everyday life. An explosive may be defined as a substance (usually a mixture) that, where flame or shock is applied, yields readily to rapid combustion or oxidation, accompanied by the formation of such relatively large quantities of gases as to produce much violence and pressure which, in turn, react against their surroundings and cause what is termed an explosion. By their very nature the action of explosives is destructive and disruptive of adjacent materials. Decomposition of explosives can occur through deflagration, which is rapid burning or combustion, as in the case of black powder, or through detonation, which is an almost instantaneous disruption, as in the case of dynamites and blasting agents. HISTORY OF BLASTING WITH EXPLOSIVES At one time workmen obtained stone blocks for building by grooving the rock with crude picks, driving wooden wedges into niches in the rock, and pouring water on the wedges; the swelling of the wood forced out the blocks. As late as the 17th century, fires were placed against the face of rock to crack it, and water was sometimes dashed on the heated rock to shatter it by sudden cooling. The progress of our country is synonymous with advancement of the improved manufacture and extended use of explosives. Coal had been

Jan 1, 1973

By John T. Atkins

Utah International's Shirley Basin Mine is located in the Southeastern High Plains of Wyoming at an elevation of about 7,100 feet. The Shirley Basin area is a gently rolling semi-arid land. The uranium ore zone occurs at depths ranging from 270 to 350 feet below the surface. Overburden consists of poorly consolidated sandstones, siltstones, and clays. Underground mining was begun in 1960. Conditions were made difficult by high rates of water inflow and ground support problems. The development of a solution mining I or in-situ leaching technique allowed underground operation to be abandoned in 1964. Solution mining provided limited production from 1963 to July 1970. In January, 1969, large scale development of open-pit mining was begun. A 1,200 ton per day mill went "on stream" in March, 1971.

Jan 1, 1973

By M. P. Amsden

"Ecstall Mining Limited, a subsidiary of Texas Gulf Incorporated operates the Kidd Creek Mine, a 10,000 tons per day base metal producer, near Timmins, Ontario. Two different ore types are mined and milled: copper-zinc and silver-lead-zinc. At the highly automated Ecstall Concentrator the ores are processed by selective flotation in threes individual circuits. One of the most important metallurgical tools for process control is a sample system incorporating continuous on-stream x-ray analysis. Recently this system was further automated by adding computer control of reagents for two copper-zinc flotation circuits. The computer programs, utilizing optimum seeking methods and smelter contract terms, have increased copper recovery 0.8%, zinc recovery 1.6%, and reduced reagent costs by 12%. Although not anticipated, copper and zinc concentrate grades were improved modestly as well.INTRODUCTIONSEcstall Mining Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Texas Gulf Incorporated operates the Kidd Creek Mine, one of the world's major base metal producers, near the old gold mining centre of Timmins, Ontario. Discovered in 1964, the property was brought into production in November, 1966. Originally designed for 9,000 tons per day, the operation now treats 10,000 tons per day of two different ore types mined from a single open pit. In the near future, open pit ore will be supplemented by ore from an underground operation now being readied for productionAt the Ecstall Concentrator the ores are processed by selective flotation in three individual circuits. The whole plant is highly automated and control is coordinated from a central control room. The treatment process follows conventional practices although fine grinding is required for optimum flotation recoveries. Normally, two circuits treat copper-zinc ore at a combined rate of 6,500 tons per day while the third circuit treats 3,500 tons per day of silver-lead-zinc ore. Special production averages 2,400 tons per day."

Jan 1, 1973

By S. Wallden, R. Lindstrom

The electrolytic copper refining process is an excellent method for producing high-purity metal for electric conductors and other demanding applications. However, the process involves very high capital expenditure, especially the amounts of metals bound in the process. Efforts have therefore been made for many years to increase the production rate by increasing the current density, without impairing the quality of the copper. One of the approaches has been to diminish the polarization by mechanical means, while another was to "polish" the cathode surface by periodic brief reversals of the current. Reversed current electrolysis was first developed for electro- plating purposes and in 1952 Boliden AB and the Dept. of Electrochemistry at the Royal Inst. of Tech., Stockholm tested the method for copper refining with good results. However, no suitable electrical equipment for current reversal was then available. The thyristor-controlled silicon rectifier became available during the '60s and provided the scope for industrial application of the process and the first large-scale development was made by the Bulgarian copper refinery in Pirdop. Many copper refineries are now studying or adapting the reverse current process. Further lab and pilot investigations have been carried out at Boliden AB during the past 4 years and these were mainly aimed at studying the optimization of factors influencing the quality of copper. A production unit containing two tank sections with a total of 56 cells and equipped with a rectifier for cur- rent reversal has been installed and will be started during 1973.

Jan 1, 1973

The low grade Mount Charlotte orebody was first mined with minimum capital expenditure by mechanised cut and fill stoping. The lower block was prepared simultaneously for open stoping by shaft sinking and installing another crusher and services. Similar development for the third block was discouraged by economic factors and reduced tonnage. Decline develop- ment required less capital and opened up ore reserves commensurate with advance, providing flexibility to stop operations without commit- ment: A 1 in 7 decline measuring 4.25m x 5.5m to accommodate standard Euclid 25 tonne dump trucks was developed south of the orebody. A fleet of four trucks average 12 loads each per shift over a haul distance of 700m.

Jan 1, 1973

By C. Droun

"Low back pains account for about 13 per cent of all compensation claims made to the Quebec Workmen's Compensation Commission and cost the employers a sum exceeding ten million dollars. The frequency and cost of these health problems in Quebec metal mines are proportional to the provincial trends. An elaborate review of the literature on the causes, nature and prevention of low back pain is made in this presentation. A prevention program for low back pain has been designed in cooperation with a team of seven medical specialists and two physiotherapists for the Quebec metal mines. The program is especially designed for persons who have had low back pain, in order to prevent a recurrence, and for persons beginning to feel chronic difficulties. It is based on existing programs at the Hawthorne Plant of Western Electric Company and at Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing, but it requires a much different approach because of the nature of medical care available at the mining sites. The program is difficult because it involves a change of attitude for every employee and every supervisor. The program, so far, is beneficial because several men are now seriously engaged in an active program of reconditioning and because the problem of low back pain ie beginning to be seen from a new angle."

Jan 1, 1973

By Richard L. Fowler

[Study and development of sensing techniques and sensors were performed to aid shuttle car drivers in detecting, obstacles and in guiding the car along the face haulage route. Microwave, acoustic, and optical sensing techniques were considered as part of the feasibility study for obstacle detection. Various guidance techniques, including wire-following and rib-ranging were investigated. Active optical sensing was selected for obstacle detection to obtain the bear overage and sharp angular cutoff characteristics required within the packaging limitations defined by the shuttle car configuration. Rib-ranging guidance was selected to achieve completely self-contained shuttle car system which responds to the mine geometry without need for wires, stripes, or other path defining devices. Extensive hybrid computer simulation runs were performed to valuate various guidance techniques during the feasibility study. Subsequent simulation rues were performed to establish parameter values for the rib-ranging guidance system. The obstacle detection and guidance system was designed, fabricated and installed on a standard shuttle car. The system satisfied all applicable permissibility requirements of Schedule 2G. An experimental permit was issued to Bendix for operation in an underground coal mine. System evaluation tests were performed first above ground at the Bendix Research Laboratories. The simulation model was validated by these runs. Final testing wan performed underground in an operating mine with an experienced shuttle car driver. All sensors successfully demonstrated Chi predicted performance capability during underground face haulage tests. Dust did not Impair system performance and lens cleaning was not required during working shifts. Further development is required to achieve the desired obstacle detection performance Closed loop steering control with manual override is recommended o: mended for the lateral guidance e system. The guidance system should be an invaluable aid to low-coal shuttle car drivers where continuous mining machines are utilized.]

Jan 1, 1973

The seminar had its origins in an Inquiry into the Box Flat Disaster and one of the conclusions from this Inquiry was that there should be a better dissemination of technical knowledge and the results of research work. As a result of this Mr. W. Roach, Chief Inspector of Coal Mines in Queensland and Mr. R. Menzies, Chief Inspector of Coal Mines in N.S.W. had a meeting to see how this could be done. They concluded that it would be difficult to have the sort of regular meetings that would be possible where distance was not significant, but a seminar would be a major step toward satisfying this particular conclusion of this Inquiry. As a consequence, Mr. Roach, who is on the Committee of the Southern Queensland Branch of the Institute, suggested when the Branch programme was being planned this year that a meeting of this type should be held, and the Mine Fires Seminar which was held today is the result. We have received a great deal of support in arranging the Seminar. First and foremost I wish to acknowledge support from the National Coal Board in United Kingdom. Not only have they released Dr. Willett for a period of six to seven weeks to visit Australia, conduct the Seminar and give a series of lectures in various areas through the country, they have also borne the brunt of the financial support that has been necessary to make this possible. In addition we have received considerable support from many organisations in Australia. I 'mentioned this

Jan 1, 1973

By K. Shimamoto

This study has been prompted by the anticipated demand for rhenium by the petroleum industry and the concern for an adequate supply of rhenium to meet the demand. The present and projected outlook for rhenium relative to its distribution and occurrences, the recovery factors involved in ore beneficiation, capital and operating costs, changing technology, and the projected uses and market growth of rhenium are presented in this report as part of the Bureau of Mines program to determine the availability of recoverable rhenium in a developing market.

Jan 1, 1973

By Jed H. Mosgrave

One of the most interesting of all the subjects required of persons studying the different facets of coal mining is coal mine gases. Some mine gases have been a real problem since the very beginning of underground mining and in the early days there was insufficient knowledge to really cope with them. The history of mining shows that until the last 50 years, work was done primarily by the hand methods which are primitive by today's standards. Miners had to contend with gases without the aid of enclosed lighting, permissible mine machinery, sophisticated testing devices, and high pressure ventilating fans. In early days the miners were not educated as to the different mine gases nor did they have the technical equipment to determine the actual composition of the deadly atmospheres they encountered. They simply applied a descriptive term to each gas or mixture of gases depending on its effect on a person or the surrounding atmosphere. The gases or mixtures of gases were then referred to as "damps" which was probably derived from the German word "dampf," meaning vapors or gases. The more common damps encountered were as follows: Blackdamp A condition of the atmosphere where a miner's light would be extinguished and in which breathing would be difficult, sometimes even resulting in suffocation. An atmosphere deficient in oxygen and which could contain a combination of any of the mine gases. Firedamp Flammable mixtures of methane and air which would either burn or explode when ignited. White Damp A mixture of gases containing carbon monoxide.

Jan 1, 1973

The design of a sand pump is similar in principle to that of a water pump but differs in several areas. Results of experiments on sand pump performance have been summarized and values of design parameters quoted for optimum results. Typical performance data are also Included.

Jan 1, 1973

By R. K. Koch

The normal spectral emissivities of liquid Ti, V, Zr, Mo, and Pt were determined at the fusion temperatures in an electron-beam furnace using a water-cooled copper hearth. The normal spectral emissivities were estimated above the melting points by using adjusted two-color temperatures as approximations of the true temperatures for substitution in Wien's equation. Simultaneous brightness temperatures were determined with a micro-optical pyrometer. The true temperature ranges covered were 1,668° to 1,885° C for Ti; 1,919° to 2,013° C for V; 1,855° to 2,367° C for Zr; 2,610° to 2,751° C for Mo, and 1,772° to 1,990° C for Pt. The spectral emissivities for titanium and zirconium decreased with increasing temperature. At an effective wavelength (?) of 658 mµ the emissivity of titanium ranged from 0.51 to 0.45 and zirconium, from 0.47 to 0.41. The emissivities of vanadium (? = 658 mµ) and molybdenum (? = 657 mµ) were constant at 0.41±0.02 and 0.33±0.01, respectively. The spectral emissivity of platinum (? = 658 mµ) was constant at 0.39±0.02 up to 1,900° C; above that temperature anomalous data were obtained. A mass spectrometric study indicated that platinum was reacting with back-streaming silicon vapors from the diffusion pump when the ambient pressure was greater than 2 X 10-5 torr.

Jan 1, 1973

The introduction of nitro-carbo-nitrate (NCN) blasting agents has been one of the most significant innovations in the explosive industry in the last twenty years. The most commonly used blasting agent is a rather narrowly proportioned mixture by weight of 94% ammonium nitrate (AN) and 6% No. 2 diesel fuel oil (FO) that is generally designated as ANFO. Other formulations have been developed but none of these have been as extensively used as ANFO. The relative safety of the nitro-carbo-nitrate (NCN) blasting agents almost immediately suggested bulk loading techniques to obtain economies in materials handling. The first attempt at bulk handling was to pneumatically load boreholes with ANFO. When the initial experiments were made in 1957, it was apparent that there were three problem areas which needed study to minimize potential hazards. These were: 1. Static Electricity 2. Fumes 3. Safe Handling Procedures Since those early days, considerable work has been performed in evaluating these problem areas and in arriving at procedures and recommendations that would provide the required safety. Despite the relative insensitivity of ANFO type products, all normal practices for the safe handling of explosives should be obselved. Smoking should not be tolerated in the vicinity of blasting agents and misfires should be handled in the same manner as a misfire with a dynamite charge. The purpose of this Technical Report is to discuss the problems of static electricity and fumes and the solutions that have been developed. Safe handling procedures have been discussed by the Bureau of Mines and are specified by various state and local regulations. Since regulations vary from state to state, the local, applicable regulations must be followed within the area of their jurisdiction. General information is contained in a U. S. Bureau of Mines report, IC 8179, "Safety Recommendations for Sensitized Ammonium Nitrate Blasting Agents" (1963).

Jan 1, 1973

By Charles H. Jacoby

In 1960 the management of International Salt Company made the decision that all waste material from the Watkins Glen plant would be stored in underground salt cavities. The cavities which they contemplated using had been depleted of salt to a point where continued operation would have impaired their structural stability. Originally, the waste to be disposed of included vacuum pan bleeds, cinders, contaminated salt and sewage. It was proposed that this material, in a slurry form, was to be injected into the salt cavity through one of the abandoned wells. Brine, displaced from the cavity, was to be recovered from an adjacent well and subsequently injected into the Cherry Valley limestone, This Cherry Valley limestone which underlies a large portion of north central New York contains a connate water with high concentrations of ammonia, hydrogen sulphide and the chlorides of calcium, magnesium and sodium. A number of questions were immediately raised on various aspects of the technical feasibility of the project. Of major concern was the buildup of insolubles adjacent to the bore of the injection well. Another pertinent question was the carryover in the displaced liquor of finely-divided, mechanically-suspended particles. Criticism was leveled at the inclusion of sewage. Engineering studies were started by the company's Mineral & Mines Development Department and on April 3, 1961 a preliminary feasibility report was issued.

Jan 1, 1973

By Stephen Gerard Sawyer

The Bureau of Mines developed a method for analyzing elastically certain types of protective cabs and canopies used on underground electric face equipment. The method is based on plane frame theory, and to be amenable to analysis by this method, cabs and canopies must contain symmetry about one plane. Additionally, protective structures with one or more top members in the long direction that do not frame into the columns should be approximately twice as long as they are wide and have two or more internal top members in the short direction. The assumptions and limitations of the plane frame method as regards analysis of three-dimensional cabs and canopies are discussed. A step-by-step procedure for application of the plane frame method is given, and three example canopies are analyzed following this procedure. Elastic strengths calculated for the three example canopies compare within 10 percent of those computed by the more complicated space frame analysis. Formulas employed in plane frame analysis of cabs and canopies are given in the appendixes.

Jan 1, 1973

By James Boyd

JAMES BOYD 29.1-STAFF-AND-LINE ORGANIZATION Industrial organizations are established primarily to coordinate the activities of many individuals working toward a specific goal. In mining, the goals can vary widely, and the skills necessary to reach them likewise will vary from operation to operation. It is essential to keep in mind the principal point that an organization embodies the necessary skills which supplement each other and achieve a given objective. Those who direct such an organization are grouped together as "management" and accept the responsibilities for the regulation, administration, supervision and guidance of the enterprise. Those who comprise the "administration" and have supervisory authority are referred to as the "executives." In the early days of mining it was common for one executive to exercise virtually complete control over the entire organization, and direct its operation from a central office. However, the science of management has advanced significantly since then. Mining organization administration now allocates increased authority and flexibility to those in direct-line responsibility, and organizes competent people in specialized fields to provide supervisors with guidance where it is needed in day-to-day operations. Few mining companies today are confined to one operation. Therefore, highly developed skills can be provided in the staff which assists management. This is known as staff-and-line organization, illustrated, in general, in Fig. 29-1. Each operation requires diverse skills for the carrying out of specific functions. The acquisition and training of those with such skills is an important operation in assembling organizations. An organization normally is modified to accommodate individuals rather than being a "hard and fast" mold into which people are fitted. The modern manager is inclined to organize to minimize central direction, with delegation to line executives, providing staff whose day-to-day operations, in cooperation with line executives, coordinate a continuing drive toward the organization's objectives. The staff officers, therefore, tend to become what could be described as parts of the president's brain, dealing with specific areas requiring certain skills. They do not necessarily direct operations, but watch them to be sure that the skills which they have themselves developed can be transmitted to line operations by persuasion rather than by direct authority. The elements of management requiring staff assignments are: 1. Planning, which, at staff level, is only a coordinating activity. Planning is done at all levels in the organization. 2. Engineering. 3. Finance. 4. Control. 5. Personnel and industrial relations, which set personnel policies, including salary plans and the means of handling relations with the unions. 6. Research, which, in a modern organization, is essential to progress and needs to be overseen at the top. 7. Legal staff to see that all operations of the company are provided with sound legal advice, and that the company's policies stay within the law.

Jan 1, 1973

By L. G. Smith, C. A. Shook, W. H. W. Husband, W. Schriek

"The flow of slurries in pipelines is governed by many variables, and the study of the influence of each of these variables is difficult, if not impossible, in some cases. Many correlations are available which fit data within a given range. However, no one method is yet available to design a slurry pipeline for all desired conditions without at least some physical measurements on the slurry itself. For this reason, the slurry pipeline facilities at the Saskatchewan Research Council have been developed during the past 12 years and it is hoped that the development will continue until the process is thoroughly understood and test facilities are no longer necessary. This paper outlines methods currently used and under development at the Saskatchewan Research Council for measurement, control and study of the variables governing the flow of slurries."

Jan 1, 1973

By C. L. Pillar

In many cases, substantial time may elapse between the exploration stage and a serious detailed planning stage which has the objective of putting a mineral property into production. This is always true where properties change ownership and new partners are brought in for joint venture situations. Such conditions make it imperative that the recording of complete and accurate geological data for the property is done during the active part of the exploration phase and accomplished by competent geologists and engineers. This work should not be left to helpers and technicians. Furthermore, it should not have to be redone years after the actual drilling was accomplished, when either those involved have parted company or those present have lost the touch and feel of their part of the exploration program and must rely on a memory sketchy in detail, at the best. All of this emphasizes the importance of thorough geological evaluation and reporting during the exploration program. To evaluate and comment on the application of geological data by a mine planning department, we must assume (1) that sufficient diamond drill holes have outlined the existence of a potentially economic ore deposit, and (2) that the next step is to obtain the required information to allow a detailed feasibility study. This paper will comment on: 1. what types of geological information are required, 2. how it can be obtained, and 3. comments on the application of this information by the mine planners.

Jan 1, 1973