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By G. A. Eltringham, A. F. Sarofim, A. A. Shook, M. P. Heap, B. R. Adams, K. A. Davis

This paper discusses the use of a reacting CFD model to determine chalcopyrite kinetics in a drop tube furnace and to predict the reaction of a chalcopyrite concentrate in the reaction shaft of an industrial smelter. Reacting CFD codes can be applied to determine the consequences of the interaction of gas with particles and therefore improve the ability to derive kinetic parameters that take into account the different temperature and oxidation histories that different particles will see. This paper describes the application of such a model to derive improved kinetic parameters for the pyrolysis and oxidation of chalcopyrite. The improved kinetic parameters derived from the drop tube studies are used to simulate chalcopyrite concentrate reactions in the reaction shaft of an industrial smelter. The reaction shaft model includes the effects of turbulent fluid mechanics, entrained flow mixing, turbulent particle dispersion, heterogeneous particle reactions, radiative and convective heat transfer, and surface and bath deposition rates. Particle reaction and composition characteristics are predicted as a function of particle trajectory and deposition and are used to aid in evaluating shaft performance.

Jan 1, 1999

By Eduardo Vitral

The present study focuses in the simulation of pattern formation by ion beam sputtering on a material surface. This process is responsible for the appearance of unexpectedly organized patterns, such as ripples, nanodots and hexagonal arrays of nanoholes. A numerical analysis of preexisting patterns is proposed to investigate surface dynamics, based on a model derived from a Kuramoto-Sivashinsky anisotropic equation, in a two dimensional surface with periodic boundary conditions. While deterministic, its highly nonlinear character gives a rich range of results, making it possible to describe accurately different patterns. A finite-difference semi-implicit splitting scheme is employed on the discretization of the governing equation. Simulations were conducted with realistic coefficients related to physical parameters (anisotropies, beam orientation, diffusion). The study dealt with a random and a monomode 1D structure initial condition in order to understand how the shape and wavelength of the initial pattern evolve with time. Ripples and hexagonal patterns were observed in the results, being physically consistent with the phenomenon. Moreover, the Method of Manufactured Solution has been used as verification of the developed numerical scheme.

Aug 16, 2017

By G. Pierson

Explanations of commodity price levels, or movements, commonly focus on the supply and demand fundamentals of the particular commodity, or else are assigned to speculative activity. Comparisons of metal price histories with monetary and other economic data support the argument that the supply of and demand for money are no less important in price determination than are the supply and demand of the commodity itself. That these relationships should exist is evident in the price identity and are consistent with monetary theory. The patterns developed have limited usefulness as predictors, but their recognition is essential for the construction of price scenarios for planning purposes.

Jan 1, 1996

By Xuemei Zheng, Aiyuan Ma, Yonggang Zuo, Jinhui Peng, Shiwei Li, Libo Zhang

The effect of moisture content on the dielectric properties and microwave drying behavior of zirconium hydroxide was studied by using an open-ended sensor dielectric measurement system at the frequency of 2.45 GHz. The experimental results showed that moisture content can significantly influence the variation of dielectric properties. Dielectric constant, loss factor and loss tangent all increase with the increasing moisture content. Compared with the conventional drying method, the microwave-assisted drying method resulted in a substantial decrease (81.8%) in the drying time, and the drying effect was better at the lower power level of 600 W. This study offers the useful information on dielectric properties of zirconium hydroxide, which can be used for developing microwave drying applications in mineral processing and designing better microwave sensors for measuring zirconium hydroxide moisture content.

Jan 1, 2015

By D Carroll

Mining of the zinc, lead and silver deposit at the Broken Hill Southern Operations site has been occurring for over 100 years. As a result of this, a significant amount of high-grade ore is now taken from narrow remnant pillars left between old stopes and zones of previously mined ground. Stopes have been filled with either hydraulic fill (also known as ‘sandfill’), cemented hydraulic fill (cemented sandfill), waste rock backfill or a mixture of these fill types.In the last ten years, there has been considerable success mining through narrow pillars where sandfill is exposed in the development face and/or walls using a ‘shell’ support regime, wherein a layer of bolted mesh is sandwiched between two layers of sprayed fibrecrete (25 mm fibrecrete, then mesh and bolt, followed by a final 50 mm layer of fibrecrete). Shell support is also used in very poor, broken, relaxed ground conditions and in areas filled with cemented fill (sandfill with a minimum four per cent cement content).The next stage of innovation has been to develop a technique for mining through old stope voids filled with uncemented sandfill, known locally as ‘contours’ (old cut-and-fill working), an activity where unconsolidated sandfill can run at the face and from the backs. The challenge is to prevent exposed sandfill in the face and the backs from failing before it can be supported.To achieve this, the Southern Operations mine has implemented a technique in which 6 m long spiling bars are used to strengthen and stabilise the sandfill in front of the face. The hollow steel bars are driven in around the heading perimeter in a closely spaced pattern then pumped full of grout. The bars and the grout stabilise the sandfill in front of the face, preventing it from failing into the drive during excavation and prior to further support being installed.A final support system consisting of shotcrete, mesh, bolts and steel girders is installed as excavation progresses. Both the initial and final support systems are essentially passive support systems designed for a low-stress environment (as the stress originates mostly from the mass of unconsolidated sandfill).This process is slow and labour intensive. Fifteen separate cycles of people/machinery are needed to progress one equivalent heading cut (compared to six for a standard fibrecrete- and bolt pattern-supported rock face heading). This slow pace introduces scheduling challenges, but the process opens up parts of the orebody that were previously uneconomical to mine.CITATION:Carroll, D, 2014. Mining through sandfill using spiling bars, in Proceedings AusRock 2014: Third Australasian Ground Control in Mining Conference , pp 95–100 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 5, 2014

By W. Geo. Waring

THE growing need of better methods for the recovery of zinc and other elements from complex sulfide ores has suggested an inquiry respecting a possible group separation of the elements by the aid of volatilization at more or less elevated temperatures. It 'is evident that if the zinc content of such ores can be completely separated, for instance, as pure oxide, by a volatilization 'method, there should be no difficulty in recovering the other elements by smelting and refining. Zinc burning" as applied to zinkiferous ores has advanced but little in practice since the invention of the wetherill grate-furnace process in 1852, as may be seen by reference to papers on the subject.' In other words the thermochemical reaction employed in effecting the volatilization of the zinc is essentially one of reduction by means of carbon, whether the ores treated contain their zinc in an oxidized form, or as the sulfide. The zinc vapors, liberated from the ores at a temperature above that required for the reduction of ZnO by C (about ,1100° C.) or for the volatilization of ZnS per se, (about' 1300°-1400° C.) are subsequently burned to ZnO or to ZnO + SOz, by contact with' atmospheric ,oxygen in the upper or posterior parts of the furnace chamber, or in a so-called "combustion chamber" after leaving the .furnace proper.

Jan 1, 1925

By AIME AIME

IN accordance with the custom of recent years, the Institute joined with the Western Division of the American Mining Congress in holding a joint meeting at Joplin on Sept. 28, 29 and 30. Actually the meeting might be said to have begun on the 27th, since the Engineering Education Committee held two sessions on that day, which are reported on another page. In addition to these sessions there were informal gatherings in the Hotel Conner, which was the headquarters, on the golf links and elsewhere of all those who had arrived by Sunday morning. The technical sessions were formally opened on Monday morning by Robert E. Tally who, after suitable preliminary remarks, introduced A. Scott Thompson, of Miami, Okla. Mr. Thompson in welcoming the visitors to the Tri-State district said that it had come to be known as a poor man's country and at the present price of zinc did not find it difficult to live up to its name. He also referred to the work Mr. Tally had done for the stabilization of the mineral industry. H. Foster Bain, in responding to this address for the Institute, said that mining men generally felt at home in Joplin, that the solutions of their problems and the general practice that had been developed in the district were not only of great interest to them, but that visitors could learn much

Jan 1, 1931

By Jr. East

The Bureau of Mines conducted an investigation of the Nightingale tungsten deposit about 38 miles north of Fernley, Nev., from September 1939 to March 1940, to determine possible resources of tungsten ore. The property was owned by the Gold, Silver & Tungsten, Inc., which maintained its offices in Boulder, Colo. Ore was discovered in 1917, and some ore was mined in 1918 and treated in a mill at Toulon, a station on the Southern Pacific Railroad, 40 miles east. Same shipments were made since 1918, but no production figures are available. The ore is mined from nearly vertical tactite bodies at the limestone-granite contact. The Bureau of Mines excavated 944 linear feet of trenches, drifted 52 linear feet, sunk a shaft 20 feet in depth, sampled the underground workings by cutting 743 linear feet of channels, sampled the surface trenches by cutting 415 linear feet of channels, and drilled 9 diamond-drill holes, totaling 3,000 feet. The ensuing sections note the location and physical features of the district and specify the property and ownership. The history of the mine is briefed, and the geology and mine workings are described. The work done by the Bureau of Mines is summarized and supplemented in detail by assay maps, logs of diamond-drill holes in appendix A, and a table of sample analyses in appendix B.

Jan 1, 1950

By Vladimir Mindin

This paper presents results of thermodynamic investigations and experimental' studies of some essential for pyrometallurgy of sulfide concentrates topics. Among them: 1. Thermodynamic simulation and experimental investigations of roasting process, 2. Thermodynamic investigations of sulfur dioxide off-gases treatment technologies. 3. Investigations on "Mind in -Kiknadze" effect of suppression of sulfur dioxide formation during sulfide concentrates roasting in the vapor containing atmosphere. 4. Thermodynamic simulation and experimental investigations of sulfide concentrates and manganese containing materials co-roasting processes. Some essential aspects of thermodynamic simulation techniques are also discussed.

Jan 1, 1998

By Alejandro Prieto

Traditionally, Mexico has been a mining country. This industry has played a very important role in our country's development, creating jobs, integrating geographical regions - generally very remote from urban communities - and, an essential factor in our present day economy, generating an influx of foreign currency. The Fluorspar mining industry's development started in the 1920?s, but it was not until World War II that its exploitation became consistent and started growing. During the last few years, Mexico has become the world's leading producer, with an annual output of more than one million tons, which directly generates over 3,000 jobs. The actual proven reserves can guarantee fifty years of production at this same annual rate, and it is due to this fact that the producers have not increased their reserves. However, there is concrete information of the existence of several deposits, extending from the northern border to the gulf of Mexico, forming the "Fluorspar Belt? in Mexico.

Jan 1, 1986

By Raymond M. Coveney

Bedded sulfide ores in Cambrian Chinese black shales typically contains at least 2% Ni, 4.5% Mo, 1% As and 0.2% Se. Thin laminae and replaced on colites from the ore contain intimate mixtures of fine-grained Ni-rich sulfides and jordisite complicating ore treatment. The ores contain abundant jordisite, vaesite, nickelian pyrite, and barite and lesser amounts of sphalerite, gersdorffite, millerite, tennantite, fluorite, chalcopyrite, and HgSe (probably tiemannite). At present only ores that are sufficiently rich (>4.5% Mo) for direct roasting are mined and treated to produce, ammonium molybdate. The ores contain Pt, Pd, and Au in amounts totaling up to -2.5 ppm, but these are not recovered.

Jan 1, 1993

By D Connelly

Quartz deposits are common in nature but the presence of quartz suitable for yielding high purity quartz is exceedingly rare. This paper describes a test work study on producing high purity quartz (HPQ) product to meet the tight product specifications of greater than 99.97per cent, including four and even five nines, for uses including, lighting and fibre optics and modern-day high efficiency solar panels. Due to demand in renewable energy applications the market for high purity silica solar panels known for their increasing efficiency and durability is rapidly growing. Demand continues to rise for the use of high purity quartz in semiconductors, electronics, imaging and sensor markets. Microelectronic components are created by chemically fabricating wafers of semiconductors such as silicon to obtain the desired transport of electrical charge and control of the current. The production of silicon metal from high purity quartz has been designated a Strategic Mineral by the European Commission and by the US Department of Justice due to the growing significance of this metal in various industries. The subsequent processing of quartz is the key step to adding value and aiding technological advances. Overall, the high purity quartz market is a highly secretive, specialised market with increasing opportunities for stakeholders. The attempt to produce HPQ in this work was carried out using an Australian quartz ore following a typical HPQ process flow sheet. The unit processes included primary crushing, scrubbing, magnetic separation, flotation, acid leaching followed by hot chlorination. The results indicate that grinding of quartz requires specialist equipment due to the hardness and extreme abrasiveness of the ore leading to additional iron contamination in the ground ore. The critical impurities were aluminium, iron, sodium, potassium, lithium, titanium, zircon, calcium and magnesium. The chemical refining was found effective. The hot chlorination process needed to be done at 1200°C in a chlorine – hydrogen chloride gas atmosphere. The risk of any gas being released during this stage is very serious and only specialist companies should and can carry out this step. More recent studies reported many new options that appear to facilitate the production of HPQ with the requisite purities more easily, but costly equipment along with highly trained operators are required and hence unlikely to become available in standard metallurgical laboratories any time soon.

Sep 1, 2024

By Danforth R. Hale

The pressure of military use of quartz resonators led to efforts to Grow high, grade quartz crystals in Germany and in Great Britain during 19)3-25, and was responsible for a series of U.S.A. Signal Corps contracts beginning in 1946 with the Clevite Corporation (as the former Brush Development Company), Bell Telephone Laboratories, Antich College, and others. The technique of growing crystals from the melt, such as KI, NaBr, was already commercially inuse Quartz could not be so grown, since its utility depends on the form stable below 573°C, and, even if it could be grown from an extraordinarily viscous melt, the higher form passing through this transition becomes twinned. Again, several crystals were being grown commercially from water solutions; quartz, however, is listed in the common literature as being insoluble in water. Fused quartz, or vitreous silica, was chosen as raw mater¬ial by the European experimenters because of its thermodynamically lesser stability than quartz, and various alkaline solutions were tried for the purpose of enhancing the solubility.

Jan 1, 1964

By Andrzej Luszczkiewicz, Magdalena Duchnowska, KGHM Polska Miedz S. A., Witold Pawlos, Jan Drzymala, Alicja Bakalarz, Przemyslaw B. Kowalczuk

A pre-flotation process of the Kupferschiefer ore with only frothers produces a concentrate enriched in carbonaceous matter and tailings for further upgrading steps. A partial removal of easy-to-float components of the feed before the main enrichments steps by flotation (rougher, scavenger) improves overall efficiency of separation of valuable elements from the ore. Since the types and doses of frother used for pre-flotation effect the process, the aim of this study was to determine the influence of selected frothers on the efficiency and selectivity of the Kupferschiefer ore processed by KGHM Polska Miedz S.A. A series of pre-flotation tests in the presence of different poly(propylene glycols) ethers, poly(ethylene glycols) ethers and aliphatic alcohols were conducted. The obtained results indicated that the types and doses of frother determine the flotation selectivity of copper and total organic carbon. The evaluation of the pre-flotation process was based on the analysis of selectivity parameters calculated from the recoveryrecovery Fuerstenau upgrading curves as well as the values of copper and organic carbon grades in the flotation products. It was shown that pre-flotation performed in the laboratory scale using a suitable frother provides higher overall flotation selectivity of organic carbon with lower overall flotation recovery of copper in comparison to flotation without the pre-flotation step. Thus, the pre-flotation process improves the quality and quantity of the final concentrates produced from the Kupferschiefer ore.

Jan 1, 2016

By R. R. Sayers

There is probably no industry , trade , or art in which mercury is used but what has produced some cases of mercury poisoning . This is true of the mining and smelting of mercury , where the hazard has long been recognized . When the ore contains free mercury or the more soluble salts , and when the workings are underground and are poorly ventilated , cases occur , but there are a far greater number of cases among the employees about the reduction works . 3 In 1863 William V. Wells visited the mines at Almaden , * Spain , which were worked by convicts . He reported that the men at the furnaces suffered severely , being able to work only about one week out of four , when it was necessary to transfer them to places where the exposure was less . He states that "pale cadaverous faces and leaden eyes are consequences of even these short periods . " Mercury , like lead , when absorbed in small amounts at intervals , as daily, over an extended period of time will result in symptoms of poisoning . This is due to the fact that the mercury is eliminated from the body more slowly than it is absorbed . The frequency and severity of cases of mercury poisoning are far less with modern methods of mining and recovery of the metal than formerly . However , further reduction is possible and much can be done by both the workmen and the operators by following the proper precautionary measures , some of which are described in this chapter .

May 1, 1922

By Hao Zhang

Site inspection is an important component of safety management system. In current practices, the inspectors evaluate the safety condition on a construction site with the assistance of a standardised checklist. However, the checklist emphasizes on evaluating the implementation of safety management system, but provides limited task-specific check items for assessing whether the individual construction tasks are conducted under safe condition and in a safe manner. To address this issue, the research presented in this paper aims to provide safety practitioners with comprehensive and taskspecific safety information to promote effective risk identification and facilitate strategic risk control during site inspection. Specifically, this research first builds a project-specific safety information database, which stores potential risks and control measures for each construction task. The research team then develops a mobile decision support tool to retrieve information from the database and support safer decision-making on site. The tool supports users in two ways: one is to provide daily risk checklists and risk control strategies to guide step-by-step inspection alongside the project schedule; the other is to let users input any safety-related keywords during the safety inspection process and the tool returns relevant safety information by applying text mining algorithms. It is ongoing research. This paper presents an overall research framework and discusses the progress in developing safety database and data retrieval concepts. The outcome of the project will help enhance safety management practices and reduce possible risky working conditions on a construction site.

Aug 1, 2013

By Lauri Pesonen

"Although electrical energy use at copper smelters is typically about 15-20% of operational costs, it is something which is not very often analyzed and discussed at a detail level in technical papers and presentations. This paper aims to list different equipment configurations per smelter area and estimate their electrical energy consumptions versus unit of material processed. In addition chosen smelting technology and oxygen enrichment rates affect the overall electricity consumption and therefore some overall guidance is provided for efficiency gains.INTRODUCTION In principle, processing plants, such as copper smelters, require electrical and chemical energy together with some degree of human input to process input materials into desirable output form like metallic copper. From the standpoint of metallurgical plant designers, the thermodynamics of smelting, when it comes to releasing and conserving thermal energy, is sufficiently understood and frequently discussed in the literature in detail, but judging from the quantity of publications, the way how we exactly utilize electrical energy is not. This article is meant to illustrate how electrical energy consumption is distributed among different process units and equipment types at copper smelters using various smelting technologies. In general, typically about 15-20% of operational costs are related to electricity and at locations with high electricity prices the potential savings can be quite significant for the overall profitability of the plant operations. In today’s tight profit margin environment any potential savings are more than welcome. The purpose here is not to promote any certain copper smelting technology, but to open a discussion on how and where we use electrical energy, and how the overall energy use could be lowered with the implementation of newest electric power saving designs and solutions. Using the principles outlined in this article, it should be fairly easy and straightforward to replicate the calculations and even improve them wherever it is seen necessary for the greater benefit for us all in this industry"

Jan 1, 2017

By Henry D. Hibbard

THIS article aims to clarify the use of some terms often occurring in writings on iron and -steel, and also to suggest several new short abbreviated names for some of the things related to the subject which now are indicated by phrases. Crude or Crude Iron The name crude or crude iron is recommended for the iron produced from ore by the blast furnace. When necessary it can be specified as pig iron when in the form of pigs (usually cold), or as molten iron, commonly called hot metal to distinguish it from cold iron in pigs. The product of a direct process of making wrought or malleable iron from ore is not included.

Jan 1, 1924

By G. Atesok

Turkey?s EU affairs started in 1963 with the Ankara Treaty. On 31 December 1995 the Customs Union between Turkey and the European Union came into effect. In order to achieve the Copenhagen Criteria?s, Turkey, made laws parallel to the Framework Programs. On 3 October 2005, with the confirmation of ?Membership Framework Document? the negotiation process of Turkey has started. Coal had important role in the industrialization of EU and it is directly related to Energy and Environmental subjects. In this point many restriction became with the some protocols, in last decades. European Union composed Energy and Coal Policy, therefore engaged to reduce the emissions, and made new regulations. This regulations concern Turkey?s energy future, since large; but low quality of lignite reserves of Turkey, it is expected to have some difficulties with Union?s Environmental Legislation during Turkey?s congruity process. With the last natural gas import agreements of Turkey, the production and consumption of coal sunk in last seven years. However, considering environmental sustainability, the role of coal in energy production will rise up in the coming future. In this paper, in terms of Turkey Energy Sector, production and consumption problems of coal discussed and evaluated considering EU?s coal, energy and environmental rudiments.

Jan 1, 2014

By M. I. Dobrynina

At the beginning of the 80-s the first diamond pipe in the East-European platform was discovered in the North of the Russian Federation on the White Sea Winter coast. During several years while studying this unique area data on kimberlites and country rocks petrophysical characteristics have been collected. Considerable experience in geophysical methods when searching and exploring diamonds was accumulated, and various methods of geophysical data interpretation were used. It has been established from the analysis of geophysical data that diamond-bearing kimberlites are located in the most ancient and the most stable block of the East-European craton.

Jan 1, 1995