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By M. M. Jones

Natural brines are potential domestic resources of minerals. The brines of Searles Lake, CA, for example, contain an estimated one-fourth of our current reserve of tungsten. A key to Bureau of Mines research to recover this critical mineral is the ability to quantitatively measure concentrations of particular constituents in the large number of brine samples and process solutions produced under a multiplicity of test conditions. This paper describes procedures used to determine arsenic, boron, phosphorus, silicon, and tungsten in these solutions by simultaneous inductively coupled plasma spectrometry. A variable in-ternal standard method was used to compensate for tungsten interference on the other analytes in tungsten concentrates, and matching standards were used to determine tungsten in raw brine. Other solutions were analyzed using normal techniques. Analytes were determined down to 1 mg/L with an average precision of 2.5 pet relative standard deviation. Accuracy, estimated using synthetic solutions and by comparison with values obtained by other methods, averaged about 2.5 pet. The methods were rapid, required little sample preparation, and provided the needed sensitivity.

Jan 1, 1985

By C. Richard Tinsley

INTRODUCTION Project financing has been defined by various authors in this book. It is founded on reliance upon the project's own future cash flows and secondarily on the collateral value of the asset base developed. It is chiefly provided by the banking community who, after an assessment of the risks involved (See Chapter 9) analyse the company's presentation (See Chapter 10) in order to structure a financing package often at a leverage of up to 80% debt. This paper describes the various support and structuring techniques used to delimit and abate the risk components perceived from the banks' experience on project development especially for the period before cash flow is generated (pre completion). ADVANTAGES The advantages of project financing extend beyond the offloading of risks to banks. Among the advantages are the following: 1. Longer loan maturity than conventional, unsecured financing; 2. Loan disbursement and repayment tailored to specific mine; 3. Ability of a joint venture without a "track record" to raise financing; 4. Obtain financing where further direct borrowing (corporate credit) limited by existing indentures; 5. Possibility of arranging finance off-balance sheets; 6. Leverage return on equity; 7. Obtain tax savings with certain project financing structures; and 8. Obtain flexible loan repayment conditions. It can also be said that from the point of view of the company, project financing has certain disadvantages which can be summarised as follows: 1. Perceived higher cost (risk premium) compared with straight corporate credit; 2. More documentation; and 3. Need to negotiate risk-sharing aspects. The main attraction of project financing is the ability to pass certain risks on to the lenders within a flexibly funded transaction. (For a more detailed description of the specific risks see the author's paper at the beginning of Chapter 9. The same risk system is followed here.) The typical project financing has corporate support prior to completion and will usually carefully control the resultant cashflow after completion to ensure the bank does not unnecessarily assume further risks of an equity nature. WITHIN THE COMPANY'S CONTROL Operating Risk This is broken into three interrelated segments for ease of description. Technical Component: This must be specifically addressed if new technology or unproven adaptations are to be used. The banks will have scrutinized the sampling and bulk testing work, perhaps grilling the geological, mineral processing, metallurgical, and mining engineering staff or consultants directly. A number of supports are available such as: TECHNOLOGY GUARANTEE: Either the company itself or the process developer will guarantee that the technology will work for a period of, say, six months to two years after startup. If not, then financial penalties will apply although these are rarely sufficient to repay the loan. Many process developers are weak financially and may have little substance to back such a guarantee.

Jan 1, 1985

By N. J. Themelis

It is a pleasure to introduce this session on frontier technology and present an overview of pyrometallurgical technology, as it is today and where it may be heading. While there have been many advances in hydro-metallurgical processing in our times, pyrometallurgy has not been still, and more novel processes have been introduced in the last four decades than in all previous ages of humanity put together. As a result, pyrometallurgy has managed to remain the predominant mode of producing metals from ores and concentrates: over 95% of the world primary metals production, including iron, manganese, copper, lead, chromium and nickel, is obtained via the high temperature route. Some of the characteristics of pyrometallurgy, along with the corollary industrial advantages are shown in [Table 1]: [ ] On the other hand, the necessity of operating at high temperatures also entails special problems and it is unfortunate that research on how to overcome these problems has not, in most cases, kept up with the development of these wonderful novel processes. We shall first speak of the important developments in pyrometallurgy which have brought us to the current state of the technology, and subsequently on the problems still encountered and the kind of research and development that will be necessary to bring pyrometallurgy on a par with other late twentieth-century technological developments.

Jan 1, 1985

By Abdel Kadir Attia, Haydn H. Murray, Adel Abdel Azin, Sabah N. Boulis

An extensive reconnaissance survey of bentonitic clays in Egypt was carried out from 1982 to 1984. X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis, electron microscopy, and physical property evaluations were used to identify the mineralogy and assess their industrial potential. Samples were collected from a number of localities, namely Qasr El-Sagha (Fayum), Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road (Western Desert), and Qattamia area (Eastern Desert). This paper reviews the geological occurrence, the mineralogical and chemical characteristics, and the potential utilization of these deposits.

Jan 1, 1985

By Hans von Michaelis

"INTRODUCTIONThe renaissance in gold and silver recovery technology has continued to unfold and it is appropriate to review some of the useful new technologies as well as try to identify some of the industry's future needs and frontiers.The remarkable strengthening in the US dollar has resulted in a relatively low gold price in US Dollars of around $310/oz at the time of writing and silver at $6.25/oz. This general softening in the dollar prices and the recent confusion as to environmental compatibility of cyanidation tailings and effluents, has led to a slowdown in announcements of new operations. Another reason for the slackening off in the USA is that in the past few years a large part of the capital has come from oi I and gas companies that now seem to be losing interest in mineral ventures, and foreign investors for whom the dollar is becoming out of reach. In the author's opinion this represents an unprecedented window of opportunity.Elsewhere in the world where local currencies have weakened, the price of gold is at or close to its all time high.For example, in South African Rands, the gold price was R571.00/oz when the rand was US$1.47 and the gold price reached US$800. Now at US $309/oz and with the Rand at US$0.51 = Rl .00, the local gold price is R600. The price of si Iver in Mexican pesos is not much less than it was when silver reached US$50/oz. Gold, and silver prices in local currencies outside North America are still buovant and at levels where additional investment in new projects is more encouraging.Even in Canada where the dollar is worth about US$0. 75, this provides a smaller but significant cushion compared with US operations. Considering the present strength of the US dollar and even the Canadian dollar relative to many other gold producing countries, there should be significant investment opportunities at today's prices. Mining companies have started to descend on Brazil, for example, where in a matter of just a few years annual gold production has increased from 10 to 70 tons. In South Africa, a Canadian company backed by Swiss financing has been able to take over a Witwatersrand gold mining operation and is installing a huge new tailin9s retreatment plant to process about 1 million tons per month of tailings."

Jan 1, 1985

By David C. Grant

In situ uranium mining offers the advantages of minimal environmental disturbance, low capital and operating costs, and reduced mining development time. It is becoming an increasingly attractive mining method for the recovery of uranium from secondary ore deposits. In order to better understand the process, a laboratory technique was developed and used to study and simulate both the chemical and physical phenomena occurring in ore bodies during in situ leaching. The laboratory simulation technique has been used to determine effects of leaching variables on permeability uranium recovery, and post-leach aquifer restoration. This report describes the simulation system and testing procedure in sufficient detail to allow the construction of the system, and to perform the desired leaching tests. With construction of such a system, in situ leaching of a given ore using various leach conditions can be evaluated relatively rapidly in the laboratory. Not only could optimum leach conditions be selected for existing ore bodies, but also exploitation of new ore bodies could be accelerated.

Jan 1, 1985

By John E. Hagni, Richard D. Hagni

ORE.ID, a microcomputer program, rapidly searches a database of the principal properties for 573 ore minerals. Searches may be performed on any or all of the following properties: mean Vickers hardness, Talmage hardness, mean reflectance, strength of anisotropism, and colors and tints of the mineral and its internal reflections. Data from the International Mineralogical Association - Commission on Ore Microscopy data card file have been used when available. The program displays the number and type of data matches for each mineral found, displays their chemical components, and allows the range to be narrowed or widened for each of the identification properties for repeated searches, if desired. ORE.ID is much more rapid, allows for the use of more identification properties, and involves more ore minerals than any previous identification system.

Jan 1, 1985

By D. A. Lowrie

Environmental concerns and increasing mine development costs have created a need for early information on gold recovery from its host environment. The habit, association, and approximate abundance of minerals which contain unacceptable metallic ions which may be released during process of concentration of gold should be identified in exploration drill core. One case of a "clean" gold orebody is described to show that early petrographic studies contributed to a rapid decision to mine a small deposit by open pit and to custom mill the ore in an already restricted effluent environment. A second example describes identification of an undesirable mercury content and resulting action taken.

Jan 1, 1985

By A. T. Yu, K. A. Young, Ronald M. Hays, Sanford Terry, D. R. Campbell, J. K. Lovrien, W. L. Price, C. W. Matthews, W. R. van Slyke, S. P. Cole

Storage and transport systems are essential for mineral processing. Section 10 includes systems for storage and transport of dry bulk materials, slurries, and water necessary for operation of mineral pro¬cessing plants. All aspects of these systems are presented, including material characteristics; dry material placement in and reclamation from storage stockpiles and bins; dry material conveyance; hydraulics (liquid flow and pumping); slurry characteristics; slurry storage and reclaim, slurry flow (distributors, launders, and pipes), and pumping; water (primary and secondary process, reclaimed, fire, cooling, and domestic) supply, transport, and storage; equipment selection and sizing; power transmission; controls; and health and safety. The mate¬rials considered include crude ore; process and other water supplies; initial, intermediate; and final in-plant materials; finished materials; and tailings and other waste products. Section 10 is a compilation of practical operating data for engineers, technicians, and plant opera¬tors. For the design of mineral processing plants, including selection and sizing of equipment, the design engineer should consult with equipment manufacturers, suppliers, engineering firms, and plant op¬erators with specialized experience in particular materials handling methods. When unusual conditions are encountered, actual pilot or full scale testing may be required to insure adequate design. Operation of mineral processing plants is dependent on the proper engineering and construction of storage and transport systems for dry bulk materials, slurries, and water. It is obvious that processing plants cannot produce the required quantities of semifinished and finished products unless these material can be transported adequately to, through, within, and from the plant. Costs of storage and transport systems may exceed 50% of the total capital and/or operating costs. Considerable attention must be given to the design, layout, and engineering of these systems. These systems are interrelated with the mineral processing method and it is necessary to determine the best combination of mineral processing method and storage and transport systems. Storage and transport systems perform a major supportive func¬tion to mineral processing. The final selection of these systems depends on the final selection of the processing method and related systems (environmental control, tailings and waste disposal, etc.). The process¬ing method determines the characteristics of materials to be stored and transported; distances, elevations, flow rates for transport; and storage requirements. Flowsheet After selection of the processing method and related systems, a flowsheet must be developed. This flowsheet should indicate produc¬tion rate, percent solids or moisture, and specific gravity for all initial, intermediate, and final products or product flow streams. It also may be necessary to know the size analysis, chemical analysis, abrasiveness, and other physical characteristics of various product flow streams. The flowsheet provides basic information for plant layout, storage requirements, and selection and sizing of process and transport equip¬ment. Storage and transport systems often function improperly be¬ cause of inadequate flowsheet data or process revisions, resulting in improper equipment selection and sizing. Further details on plant design are presented in Section 33. After selection and sizing of process equipment, it is necessary to select the type of material transport equipment to be used for in¬plant materials handling as well as crude ore, tailings, and final prod¬ucts. The storage and/or surge requirements, including capacity and location, then are determined. Storage and/or surge capacity is neces¬sary for leveling production rate fluctuations due to variations in material characteristics; production scheduling; equipment mismatch¬ing, failure, or breakdown; and scheduled maintenance downtime. Variations in ore grindability will cause fluctuations in throughput or production rate for grinding mills and variations in ore grade will cause fluctuations in production rate for concentrating equipment. Variations in material moisture content and percent solids can have serious effects on the capacity of material transport equipment. In some cases, a blending system may be desirable or necessary to reduce variations and to obtain uniform production and/or metallurgy. Storage capacity often is needed because of different production schedules for various phases of the mining and mineral processing complex. As an example, the mine and coarse crushing plant may operate on a one- or two-shift-per-day schedule while the fine crushing plant and concentrator on a three-shift-per-day schedule. This would require storage between the coarse and fine crushing plants. Another example would be load-out storage where unit trains are used to haul concentrate or final products. The concentrator could be operated on a three-shift-per-day schedule while only I to 2 hr may be scheduled for unit train loading. This would require adequate load-out storage so that the concentrator can be operated continuously. Process equipment with mismatched capacities requires storage or surge capacity between the mismatched equipment to achieve oper¬ating efficiency. As an example, the fine crushers may have greater capacity than the rod mills. Storage between the fine crushers and the rod mills permits both the crushers and rod mills to be operated at optimum capacity with the crushers actually operating or running a lesser number of hours per day. Mismatched capacities for process and transport equipment also may require storage or surge capacity. Mismatching of equipment capacities most often occurs because of the difficulty in equipment sizing. Thus, the design engineer must anticipate where in the flowsheet these mismatching capacities are likely to occur while making every effort to assure that equipment is selected and sized properly. Equipment breakdown can cause major operating difficulties and lost production. These breakdowns can be reduced with adequate scheduled maintenance. Lost production due to nonscheduled down¬time caused by equipment breakdown can be reduced further by standby equipment and storage and/or surge capacity ahead of essen¬tial mechanical and electrical equipment. As an example, standby pumps and conveyors often are available as part of the in-plant trans¬port system. Storage and/or surge bins and tanks often serve dual functions, such as dewatering, mixing, and smoothing production rate fluctuations.

Jan 1, 1985

By J. M. Mutmansky, T. K. Greer

This paper takes a look at the optimal velocity to be used in coal mine entries and determines a statistical relationship for optimal velocity that can be applied under current mining conditions. This relationship provides the optimal velocity for coal mine airways under variations in power cost, mining cost differential, airway friction factor, time value of money, airway lifespan, and quantity of air carried. This enables the ventilation engineer to make an easy, rapid determination of the optimal velocity for planning purposes.

Jan 1, 1985

By T. H. Jeffers

Significant amounts of cobalt, a strategic and critical metal, are present in readily accessible spent copper leach solutions. For example, recovery of cobalt at two major u.S. copper operations could produce about 1,300,000 lb Co annually, about 13 pct of domestic consumption. However, techniques such as solvent extraction and precipitation have not proven cost effective in separating and recovering the cobalt from these low-grade domestic sources. The Bureau of Mines has devised a procedure using a chelating ion-exchange resin to extract cobalt from a pH 3.0 copper leach solution containing 30 mg/L Co. Cyclic tests in 4-ft-high by 1-in-diam columns gave an average cobalt extraction of 95 pct when 65 bed volumes of solu-tion were processed at a flow rate of 4 gpm/ft2 of resin area. After an impurity scrub, eluates contained, in grams per liter, 0.4 Co, 0.2 Ni, <0.001 Cu, 1.3 Fe, 2.8 Zn, and 0.008 AI. Solvent extraction procedures to remove impurities, reject nickel, and concentrate cobalt produced a cobalt sulfate solution containing 80 g/L Co, 0.05 g/L Ni, and not more than 1 mg/L Cu, Fe, Zn, or AI. Based on data from commercial electro-winning operations, this solution appears suitable for production of metallic cobalt.

Jan 1, 1985

By A. Kavetsky, W. J. Whiten

Data from ball mills with a wide range of diameters are analyzed using detailed mathematical/ numerical models. Analysis shows the relative power inefficiency of large ball mills is due to their inefficient breakage of coarse particles. The models developed can be used to scale-up mill behavior. The behavior of large mills at Bougainville and Pinto Valley is compared. It is concluded that the mills are equally inefficient at grinding coarse particles. Differences in coarseness of total mill feed are shown to account for the fact that Pinto Valley mills achieved design throughput whereas Bougainville mills did not.

Jan 1, 1985

Copper grades of diamond drill hole and development samples are determined in the core shed logging area at Mount Isa Mine using a Bulk Mineral Analyser. All geological and grade data on the copper orebodies is collected and stored on computer file.The raw data can be manipulated interactively using a computer terminal or by input of forms to produce output as computer plots or printouts. Grade distribution of copper or cobalt is obtained by the geologist using a computer kriging package followed by grade contouring. Computer plotted cross-sections and plans of individual stopes or several stopes can be produced showing geological structures, kriged grades at points and as grade contours.

Jan 1, 1985

By Richard D. Lang

The paper provides an overview of the activities which culminated in the decision to construct a major diamond mine in the north west of Australia. It presents a broad summary of the geological, mining, processing and marketing work which has been required to bring the project to the construction phase. The implications of the development for the world industrial diamond market are also discussed.

Jan 1, 1985

By P. W. J. van Rensburg

The Institute was privileged to receive an invitation from the Armaments Corporation of South Africa (Armscor) for members to visit one of their plants. As these are factories, the number of visitors who could be accommodated was limited. As the opportunity seldom arises to learn something of this very large industry, there was great interest among members and many were disappointed in not being able to go. Underwater mining The 16th Annual Underwater Mining Institute will be held at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, from 20th to 23rd October, 1985.

Jan 1, 1985

Many of the difficulties faced by the U.S. mineral industry in 1982 and 1983 emanated from the worldwide recession, from the high value of the U.S. exchange rate, and, in part, from actions taken by foreign governments to protect selected industries. While some problems will be minimized with continued worldwide economic recovery, others remain and may require special attention by U.S. policymakers. These problems include declining U.S. production capacity in selected mining and mineral processing industries, the impact of the high value of the U.S. exchange rate, and protectionist trade practices by competitor nations. Illustrative of the last is the International Trade Commission (ITC) determination in June 1984 that both the domestic steel and copper industries have been substantially injured by foreign imports. In its July 1984 recommendations to the President, the ITC suggested higher tariffs and quotas for 5 years on 70 percent of steel imports but conditioned the aid on cost-cutting and modernization steps by the domestic industry. In the copper decision, two commissioners recommended increased duties, two recommended that quotas be imposed, and one recommended that no relief be provided. The President decided in September to seek voluntary restraint agreements with nations that export steel to the United States and rejected both quotas and higher tariffs on copper imports. General Economic Setting This decade opened with the U.S. mineral industries struggling to deal with double-digit inflation, record high peacetime interest rates, and almost 7 years of oil-cartel-induced energy price increases that seriously affected the profitability of energy-intensive industries such as mineral production and processing.

Jan 1, 1985

The Canada Centre for Mineral and Energy Technology (CANMET) /Calgary Coal Research Laboratory and the National Research Council in Ottawa established a joint working research group with industry to develop and test various computer models for application in surface coal mining operations in western Canada.The first part of the paper deals with the problems the group experienced during the past two years especially having model specification and requirements defined and understand site management practices.The second part of the paper deals with site specific development of general mine model for TransAlta Utilities&apos; Highvale Mine in Alberta. Described here are the development of an interactive truck/shovel model for their three pit operation, selection and application of dragline model for tandem operation with the extended bench method, criteria for operational model of the five seams operation with selec-tive mining approach.

Jan 1, 1985

By C. A. Wert, K. C. Hsieh

Measurement has been made of the organic sulfur concentration in coal macerals using microanalytical techniques in the transmission electron microscope. This technique utilizes measurements of x-rays emitted by the sulfur atoms embedded in the hydrocarbon constituents and the bremsstrahlung x-rays generated in the matrix. It is a simple technique for thin specimens and yields reliable results. Although it can be used to measure the average organic sulfur content of coal, it is most useful in determining organic sulfur in extremely small volumes of material. Variations in organic sulfur content can be measured at a scale unimagined earlier. This TEM technique also has application for determination of organic chlorine, phosphorous, potassium and other elements often found distributed through the hydrocarbon constituent of fuels.

Jan 1, 1985

Comminution Kinetics equations are developed to take into account difference of grindability of mineral components. The equations describing both batch and closed circuit grinding or crushing processes are given. These equations are applied to industrial data to derive comminution kinetic and classification characteristics of the component minerals in a multi-mineral ore. Control strategy based on these concepts is presented.

Jan 1, 1985

A brief introduction is given of the scale and of some special features of South African gold mining; it is noted that great depth of mining and narrowness of the reefs, and hardness and abrasiveness of the rock are the main sources of the problems of the industry. The most inhibiting problems are: Excessive rock pressure occcurring in conjunction with rockbursts, hot and humid working places due to high virgin rock temperature and auto-compression of the air, and low level of productivity. Conventional solutions applied ordinarily in mining do not promise to eliminate, or even alleviate, these difficulties.

Jan 1, 1985