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By D. C. Cooper, P. M. Green, J. A. Plant, P. R. Simpson, A. J. Reedman

Paper presented at the 28th International Geological Congress held in Washington DC, July 1989 (International geochemical mapping sessions). The Grampian Highlands and English Lake District evolved as part of the American and European continental plates, respectively, and were separated by the Iapetus Ocean until they were tectonically juxtaposed during the late stages of the Caledonian orogeny. The similarity in the controls of the distribution of gold pathfinder elements and gold mineralisation in the two regions thus provides important information for understanding the genesis of gold deposits in comparable tectonic settings elsewhere. The data presented are inconsistent with models that invoke a juvenile source of gold or its pathfinder elements. Instead, they support a model whereby gold and its pathfinders were initially concentrated in volcano-sedimentary sequences in rapidly subsiding, tectonically controlled basins and in associated volcanic rocks. Remobilisation and mineralisation occurred subsequently, probably as a result of an increase in oxygen fugacity associated with the influx of granite magmas into the crust and the establishment of hydrothermal convective circulation systems

Jul 1, 1991

By Xuejing Xie, Tianxiang Ren

Paper presented at the 28th International Geological Congress held in Washington DC, July 1989 (International geochemical mapping sessions). Standardised stream-sediment sampling procedures have been used in mountainous and hilly terrains. Special sampling procedures were developed for application in remote environments, such as high mountains, desert, semi-desert, karst and loess-covered regions. The diversified analytical methods used in more than 20 analytical laboratories participating in the project have been unified into two multi-element, multi-method analytical systems. A unified data monitoring procedure was developed based on primary and secondary standard samples. To date the project has covered about 4 000 000 km2 and the aim is to complete the coverage within the present decade

May 1, 1991

By R. M. Honey

An attempt is made to summarise the mining law of England, Wales and Scotland. Attention is also drawn to the recent privatisation of the electric power and gas industries and the intention of the present Government to follow suit as regards coal mining. The subject of mining law is discussed under the headings: minerals or rights that have been nationalised or are vested in the Crown; ownership (of land and mineral rights); special customs; tracing of owners; right of support (arising from mining); ancillary rights and easements; obtaining prospecting and mining rights; planning permission; statutory aids to obtaining rights; notes on the history, law and practices of petroleum (onshore and offshore), gas, coal, prescribed substances, gold and silver; electricity; safety, health and welfare; and technical information and boreholes. A correction in the subsequent issue amends errors on p.A75 and A82 and regrets the publication of misinformation on the availability of grants

May 1, 1991

By P. Mousset-Jones, G. Danko

Variations of the temperature and steam/moisture content of the air with distance and time are modelled for a single airway. The input for the simulation is an air temperature that varies with time, together with the moisture/steam content that results, for example, from a fire with a given distribution of heat and of fume concentrations at the beginning of the airway. The transport of heat and moisture to the surface of the wallrock is assumed to be simultaneous. Such multiphase convection may result in evaporation from the moist wall close to the fire and recondensation downstream. The modelling of this non-linear effect is a unique feature of the new simulation. A new analytical solution is used to calculate the conduction of transient heat within the rock mantle, which, in the event of a fire, is typically a short-term process. This allows for an arbitrary variation of surface temperature with time - unlike that permitted by the age function solution, which is limited to stepped temperature changes. An iterative numerical scheme that has recently been developed to simulate mine climate is used to calculate the coupled transient heat conduction and multiphase surface heat transport in successive length increments along the airway. To demonstrate the simulation procedure a numerical example is presented in which a fire with a given distribution of heat and fume concentrations with time is located at the beginning of an airway

May 1, 1991

By L. T. Isaacs, W. H. Traves

A numerical model for analysing the drainage of fill in mine stopes has been described. The model can be used to analyse the process of fill drainage in existing and proposed mine stopes. The validity and potential value of the model have been established by experience with a simpler, 2-dimensional numerical model and by testing the new model against the earlier model. The new model is more useful than the 2-dimensional model because it allows for heterogeneity of fill material within the stope - a factor that has been demonstrated to affect drainage characteristics significantly. The 3-dimensional model is also capable of predicting pore pressures and drainage rates at specific locations in the stope without the need to resort to 2-dimensional generalisations. Such information, integrated with relevant field data as they become available, will provide valuable mine planning information for the scheduling of filling operations and design of fill mixes

May 1, 1991

By A. G. Royle

Sampling formulae for in-situ material, hard rock sampling and alluvial sampling are briefly discussed

May 1, 1991

By Basilio Ponce Pío

La industria minera busca reducir los costos de operación y optimizar la producción a través de una modernización de las operaciones minero metalúrgicas. Bajo esta premisa, la mina Uchuccahua utiliza un nuevo método de explotación denominado "explotación por subniveles con taladros largos". En este sentido, el presente texto señala la aplicación del método a través del block mineralizado de plata llamado "Claudia", cuya explotación alcanza también a las vetas que sean mayores de dos metros. Así también revisa la recuperación de un block mineralizado en la veta Irma Viviana, la cual estuvo abandonada por derrumbes al inicio de la explotación.

Apr 1, 1991

By Oscar Marreros D

Luego de que Centromin realizara los estudios de los taludes del tajo Raúl Rojas a través de los métodos Janbu y Bishop, se recomendó que el talud final del lado oeste se mantuviera con el diseño planeado a 45° puesto que así lo requerían las instalaciones de la concentradora al límite del tajo. Posteriormente, este diseño se eliminó porque se comprobó la estabilidad del talud estudiado. En ese sentido, el presente texto señala los nuevos análisis de mecánica de rocas para la estabilidad en cuña, donde se eliminan los riesgos de seguridad de la concentradora y se disminuye la cantidad de desmonte.

Apr 1, 1991

By W. R. Paterson, W. Morton, D. B. Cameron

The Massbal II computer simulation program has been used to develop a general framework for the building of thermochemical models of metallurgical processes. The framework allows the rapid, simple construction of complex models of process equipment for use in flowsheet design, planning and plant operation. Application of the program to model the iron-making blast furnace and a flash smelting process is described

Apr 1, 1991

By Mario Cedrón

El presente trabajo describe la aplicación de la tecnología de perforación y voladura en túneles con equipo mecanizado, a través del empleo de las técnicas modernas y optimización de recursos, con la finalidad de minimizar los costos de operación en el túnel Intercuencas Salida Chavimochic. Para ello, se diseñó un sistema de operación para la perforación, voladura y evacuación, de forma que exista un equilibrio entre el tiempo de perforación, sobre excavación y fragmentación. Asimismo se describen las características del túnel, la selección del equipo de perforación, explosivo, diseño de la plantilla, sobreexcavación y las estadísticas de los mismos en la excavación.

Apr 1, 1991

By Luis de la Cruz Rengifo

El presente trabajo señala el tratamiento del concentrado gravimétrico con alta ley de oro en la planta concentradora Compañía de minas Orcopampa S.A. La aplicación del tratamiento se realiza a través del proceso de cianuración convencional y la implementación de la electrodisposición de las soluciones ricas. Como resultado del proceso, se obtienen barras de oro y plata metálicas puras y el concentrado cianurado sin presencia de oro grueso, eliminando el problema de ensayo y muestreo respectivos.

Apr 1, 1991

By Jorge F. Ponciano

El presente texto plantea una forma de tratamiento de lodos anódicos en la fundición de La Oroya a través de una individualización de los residuos de cobre y plomo, con la finalidad de recuperar los elementos valiosos. También, se analizan los resultados experimentales del esquema propuesto (tratamiento térmico-fusión-reducción) para los lodos anódicos de plomo, así como las ventajas que el nuevo diagrama de flujo aporta. Finalmente se plantean alternativas que procesen los residuos anódicos de cobre, complementando el esquema de los lodos nódicos de plomo, y se dan conclusiones técnico-económico del método innovador en relación al sistema actual.

Apr 1, 1991

By J. R. Budden, P. A. Spencer, J. Barrett

The initially produced arsenic (III) is very toxic to the unconditioned culture but the mixed culture has the capacity to oxidise it to arsenic (V) in the presence of iron (III). It was possible to build up the resistance of the culture through progressive sub-culturing on arseno-pyrite until it could tolerate steady-state concentrations of 30 mM arsenic (III) and 200 mM arsenic (V). With some samples tested in the continuous systems the final arsenic concentrations reached 330 mM. It proved possible to use the laboratory batch data to establish the optimum operating conditions for continuous test systems with capacities of up to 32 m3. Data on the residence time, oxygen uptake rates and gold extraction from the bio-oxidised residues could then be confirmed by continuous testing without the need first to use empirical means to determine optimum conditions for continuous bio-oxidation. The data on residence time, oxygen uptake rate, solids density and neutralisation could be used to estimate the capital and operating costs of treating any given tonnage of the concentrate of interest. It was established that the arsenopyrite concentrates can be suitably bio-oxidised to cause the liberation of at least 90% of the gold content. The method is simple to operate and is flexible over a wide range of external conditions

Apr 1, 1991

By Oliver Gago Porras

Dadas las modificaciones constantes en los métodos de explotación actual de la minería, se ha previsto reducir costos operativos y optimizar la productividad y seguridad minera. Por tal motivo, la mina Quiruvilca utilizó el método de explotación corte y relleno en la ejecución de sus vetas angostas. Sin embargo, la factibilidad del método tradicional señalado, no delimita el empleo de otros métodos de explotación, ni genera inversión alguna. En este sentido, el presente trabajo describe la aplicación del sistema numérico en la mina Quiruvilca a través de los métodos de explotación de tajeo con almacenamiento provisional y por subniveles en algunas vetas, con la finalidad de incrementar su productividad y tonelaje, así como eliminar el importe de su operación en los tajos correspondientes.

Apr 1, 1991

By Juan Carlos Ramírez

En los últimos años se desarrollaron sistemas para la generación de paredes finales en yacimientos de cielo abierto y así proveer la pared adecuada a los parámetros que alimentan el sistema. Por tal motivo, el objeto del texto es realizar un estudio comparativo entre los dos sistemas de generación de paredes finales: Pushbacks y Whittle 3D. La aplicación de ambos sistemas se ejecutó a través de dos etapas en la mina Cuajone donde el sistema Pushbacks guió el diseño de paredes finales de mina desde 1984 hasta 1989. Mientras que el segundo, se utilizó desde 1989 hasta la actualidad puesto que es un sistema optimizador computarizado que permite obtener paredes finales óptimas en yacimientos explotables a cielo abierto de forma segura.

Apr 1, 1991

By A. G. Waters, N. J. Bristow

A comparative study was made of an untreated and a heated haematite ore and a sinter produced from a feed consisting of 100% ore, to study the influence on reduction behaviour of sinter bonding phases such as SFCA (silico-ferrite of calcium and alumina). Under low-temperature reduction conditions the order of increasing reducibility followed that of increasing porosity and surface area but under similar conditions at 900 degrees C the sinter exhibited higher reducibility than the ores even though the total porosity and chemical reducibility of the individual phases were lower. This behaviour can be explained in terms of the higher total porosity of the natural ore at low temperatures and the higher level of fine pores in the sinter at high temperatures due to the presence of SFCA, which acts to support the fine (c.0.1 micrometre) pores created by the reduction process. This leads to the conclusion that the main role of SFCA in sinter during high-temperature reduction is to maintain a high level of fine porosity. Some implications of this work for granule design and sintering practice are discussed

Apr 1, 1991

By T. B. Whitmoyer, J. E. Sneckenberger, M. A. Jerabek, C. F. Stanley

The measurement of acoustic impedance at frequencies up to 6,400 Hz has been proposed as a diagnostic tool to yield more detailed information about lung condition. A three generation branching system of plastic Y-tubes has been constructed. The impedance of the branched system is measured by an impedance tube using the two-microphone technique. The impedance spectrum is used to calculate the reflection coefficient spectrum, which is converted to an impulse response by an inverse FFT. The area function is extracted from the impulse response by the Ware-Aki algorithm. Measurements of acoustic impedance of the branched system were made for several different end conditions of the eight terminal outlets. The outlets were either blocked with modeling clay, plastic packing material, or aluminum blocks or were unblocked. Six measurements were made of each configuration. In general, the more outlets blocked, the larger the shift to the right of the impedance magnitude peaks for frequencies above 3000 Hz. The impedance magnitude peaks for the plastic packing material were shifted in frequency to the right relative to the peaks of the other system terminations. The impedance magnitude peaks for the clay and aluminum system terminations were significantly different in magnitude but not shifted in frequency. The area functions at the end of the branched system were significantly different (a > 99%) for most of the end conditions. Area functions for the modeled branched lung systems between the end of the impedance tube and the termination outlets of the branched system were similar but distinctively different for the various end conditions. These results indicate that the two-microphone technique can sense small changes in the terminating end conditions of a rigid system of branched tubes and thus may sense impedance changes due to lung disease in the conducting airways. Keywords: acoustic impedance, lung model, area function.

Jan 1, 1991

By Raj K. Rajamani

In ball milling the rates of breakage vary primarily with the size distribution of powder in the mill. In wet grinding viscosity of the slurry varies continually as size distribution changes and hence the breakage rates change. In this study a simpler estimation scheme is used to determine breakage rates in batch grinding. Using an approximate solution to the batch grinding equation, acceleration and deceleration of breakage rates of all individual size classes is determined when the grinding environment is varied. Experimental results with limestone and copper ore show time-dependent breakage rates under both dry and wet grinding conditions. In general the breakage rates increase for coarse sizes and decrease for fine sizes with increase in the fines present in the mill. Such variations have strong implications in closed-circuit grinding.

Jan 1, 1991

By S. Haggarty

"Wholly owned by Corona Corporation, the Nickel Plate Mine is an open pit, gold mining operation located near Hedley, 50 km west of Penticton, in Southern British Columbia.Milling capacity is 3,400 SDT /Day with an average feed grade of 0.080 Oz Au/Ton. Gold processing involves three stage grinding including tertiary pebble milling, two stage cyanide leaching and filtering and Merrill-Crowe zinc precipitation.A summary of process improvements required to increase milling capacity above the initial design tonnage of 2, 700 SDT /Day are described -Installation of a 42"" x 65"" Allis Chalmers Gyratory crusher replacing a 42"" x 48"" Traylor jaw crusher.Installation of polyurethane screen panels replacing woven wire cloths on an 8' x 20 ft triple deck screen.Installation of a hopper clarifier to reduce filtrate turbidity.Automated control of solution balancing and effluent treatment circuits.INTRODUCTIONThis paper describes mining and milling practices at the Nickel Plate Mine and details post start-up process modifications which were required to attain design tonnage.Wholly owned by Corona Corporation, the Nickel Plate Mine is an open pit, gold mining operation located near Hedley, 50 km west of Penticton, in Southern British Columbia.Mining capacity from the open pit is approximately 32,000 TPD with an average waste/ore ratio of 8.4:1.Milling capacity is 3,400 SOT/Day, above initial design tonnage of 2,700 SOT/Day. Feed grade averages 0.08 Oz Au per ton yielding 85,000 troy ounces of gold per year."

Jan 1, 1991

By Hugh R. Wilson

Echo Bay's Waste Management Program for its Lupin Mine was developed in response to the terms and conditions of the water license issued to the mine in 1981 by the Northwest Territories Water Board. The gold mine, located about 80 km (50 miles) south of the Arctic Circle, commenced production in 1982. The Waste Management Program was based originally on the total containment concept, contingent on future treatability testwork results indicating the best treatment method to ensure pond discharges would be in compliance with stated Northwest Territories Water Board discharge criteria. To assess the various treatment technologies, an investigative program was established to determine the most effective means for treating the tailings pond water. In the course of milling, about 850,000 m3 (11 million cu yd) of tailings are produced annually that require appropriate management to protect the environment. This annual tailings stream consists of about 175,000 m3 (229,000 cu yd) of solids and 675,000 m3 (883,500 cu yd) of water. Following the completion of the required waste management studies, a two-ponds-in-series concept of tailings impoundment was developed. To attain this concept, the tailings impoundment area would require modification and construction to enable the use of such a system.

Jan 1, 1991