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By A. B. Young

T HE smelting industry in Utah is represented by four plants: The Midvale of the United States Smelting, Refining & Mini.ng Co., the Murray of the American Smelting and Refining Co., the Garfield of the same company and the Tooele of the Inter- na.tiona1 Smelting Co. The first two are lead smelters, the Garfield plant is a copper smelter while the last named embraces both a lead and copper smelter. A total daily smelting capacity of over 10,000 tons is represented, of which 4000 tons is lead smelting capacity. With the exception of Tooele, forty miles distant, all of these smelters are within twenty miles of Salt Lake City. Pyrometallurgical operations in this district are con- fined entirely to the production of unrefined bullion, which is shipped east to the various refineries of the respective companies. The smelting industry in this state had its beginning away back in the latter days of the Civil War, many years before the completion of the trans-continental railroad. Ox teams were still bringing their companies of better fixed Mormon emigrants across the plains to the valley of the Great Salt Lake and those in lesser circumstances were still pushing their hand- carts over the same roads to the temporary abode

Jan 1, 1925

By Hokuichiro Ohmachi

INTRODUCTION Metallic minerals have been formed only through complex geologic processes which took place at certain stages of the earth's histrory. Their concentration, abundance, and distribution are, therefore, restricted geologically, and very small in global scale. Ore is a mineral deposit or mineral concentration from which metals can be economically extracted by the contemporaneous technology. By this definition, several factors should be considered before any mineral deposit is regarded as an ore. The grade of mineral concentration and the scale of the reserve are most important. Demand for the metal and its price are the other factors. Advancement of technology in mining and extraction are also vital. Copper, for example, is now commonly extracted from the ores containing less than 0.3% of the metal. However, in the 1700's the common minerable grade was about 13%, and in the 1900's between 5 to 2.5%. This decrease in minerable grade is a function of not only the demand for copper, but also technological progress in mining and metal extraction in this case. Availability of ores has recently been subject to political factors, which were not the primary concern in the past. The petroleum of the Middle East is the prominent example. The metallic minerals are classified into three categories. The first one is the minerals free from these factors mentioned above. Iron and manganese belong to this category. The second category include aluminum, copper, nickel, cobalt, titanium, lead and zinc. These metals can be provided by the future progress in technology which enables the use of lower grade deposits. The third one represents the metals whose occurrence is geologically limited, and, thus, subject to the political factors. Niobium and tantalium are the example. In this article, I discuss these minerals in detail to give an outline of the factors which brought their concentration, distribution and availability. SELECTED MINERAL CONCENTRATIONS Iron Major iron ore deposits are the features of the relics of ancient continental crusts. They are found in all the continents where the Precambrian rocks expose. They do not occur in the oldest rocks (3,000my old) nor in the youngest ones (600my old). They are sedimentary rocks, normally, exhibiting alternations of bands of iron oxides (magnetite and hematite) or iron silicates (especially greenalite), and bands of silica, variously described as jasper, quartzite and chert. The best known banded iron ore deposits exist in the Lake Superior region of the North America, and their distribution extends at intervals to Labrador of Canada. Other examples occur in the U.S.S.R. Brazil, Venezela, India, the mainland China, and southern and western Africa (Liberia and Guines) (Table 1). Recently large deposits have been discovered in the Hammersley region of the western Australia, and northern and central region of Brazil. These ore deposits were originally formed in shallow seas where simple but abundant life existed. After the deposition, enrichment processes , related to tropical weathering, have brought about wholesale removal of silica to produce the deposits of best quality. Ores with 50-60% iron represent the best products in the Precambrian fields. Since local reserves of this high grade ores approach to exhaustion, benefication processes have been used effectively to upgrade much leaner ores (for example, taconite with 20-25% iron in Minesota, U.S.A.). There are two other types of iron deposits. Ironstone, a sedimentary rock containing goethite, chamosite and siderite, first appeared in early Paleozoic times in the stratigraphic record, and reached its Zenith in the Jurassic. Similar bedded iron deposits are found in the belt from the Cleveland Hills to Oxford in England, and in the "minette" oolitic ores of Alsace-Lorraine in Luxenburg and France. The iron content of these ironstones seldom exceed 30%, but they usually contain calcite and are self-fluxing. They also have phosphorous as undesirable impurity. Because of the grade and impurities, they require more fuel than the Precambrian ores. The third type of iron ore is associated with igneous activity and consists of magnetite and some hematite, and apatite. This deposit is believed to be a product of magmatic differenciation. It occurs in Kiruna of Arctic Sweden. The iron ore, therefore, present no global shortage problem. They extend to considerable depths. Their concentration is largest among the metals. If low grades were treated, the resource can be stepped up much substantially. Manganese Manganese is a ferro--alloy metal, thus, essential to the manufacture of sound steel. Manganese comes from manganese oxide and silicate ores. Many minerals contain manganese, but only a few oxides, silicates, and, in some places, carbonates (rhodecrosite) are mined as ore. Types of manganese deposits are bedded, massive,

Jan 1, 1982

By Shular R. Scudamore

There was a time when heavy-duty apron feeders were built to last almost forever. The machines were heavy and built to maintain certain expected longevity and reliability. Increasing emphasis on return on capital leads to cost-effective designs. Costs can be increased or decreased, depending on customer specifications and the design philosophy of the feeder manufacturer. Specifiers can make important contributions to cost effectiveness. To do so, this article describes what should be known about planning with a supplier for heavy-duty apron feeders. There are several factors that should be considered, including capacity, characteristics of material carried, length, method of feeder loading, degree of lift, hopper opening, pan construction, and type of drive. Today's apron feeders are built in various sizes and with a variety of components to handle heavy, lumpy, or abrasive materials that can ruin lighter feeders. Careful feeder selection is important if it is to provide a controlled feed rate, absorb huge impacts, be used with long hopper openings, and have a relatively low power-perton capacity. Variations in systems and materials demand that each feeder be designed for its application, drawing on a wide range of components. Therefore, certain factors must be considered before final specifications are drawn. Capacity The design and application of an apron feeder is based on how material passes through a given system over the feeder into processing machinery. The processing machinery's capacity governs other equipment and productivity of the flow. From this basic information, related sizes of upstream equipment can be determined. Of these, the apron feeder acts as the "mouth and neck of the bottle." No more will pass than the mouth and neck will accommodate. Everything in the apron feeder design, from dimensions to power, is based on processing machinery. Material Considerations Are Vital Just as the nature of materials to be crushed or screened affects capacity and productivity of a crusher or a grinding mill, so does it affect capacity and performance of a feeder. Lump size must be identified closely so the pan width can be selected to accommodate the maximum lump with room to spare. For example, a lump size of 760 mm (30 in.) indicates a pan width of 1.5 m (60 in.) While two times the maximum lump is considered minimum width, if the maximum lump

Jan 12, 1983

By R. A. Burmeister, G. P. Pighini, P. E. Greene

An open tube vapor phase epitaxial growth system has been used for large area (multiple substrate) growth of GaAs1-xPx on GaAs substrates. The GaCl-GaCl transport reaction is used with either a GaAs or Ga (nonsaturated) source. Selenium and tellurium have been used for donor impurities, and zinc as an acceptor. The useable substrate area in this system is approximately 20 sq cm. The uniformity of thick-ness of the epitaxial layers are typically better than ±5 pct across a given wafer. Electrical and optical measurerments indicute comparable uniformity in electrical and luminescent properties within a wufer. The application of this system to the large scale pro-duction of GaAs1-x Px for display devices, both discrete and arrays, is discussed. Typical electrical and luminescent properties of light emitting diodes fabricated front material produced by this technique are presented. THE most promising materials currently being utilized for visible injection electroluminescence are GaAs1-xPx, Ga1-xAlxAs, and Gap. All have reasonably efficient emissions in the red portion of the visible spectrum at room temperature; Gap also has an efficient green emission.' At present, GaAs1-xPx has a technological advantage over Ga1-xAlxAs and Gap for display applications, since relatively large (several sq cm) areas of GaAs1-xPx suitable for use in electroluminescent devices may be readily grown by vapor phase growth techniques. In contrast, the preparation of Gap and Ga1-xAlxAs for electroluminescent device applications generally employs solution growth techniques which are at present not well suited for the growth of large areas of uniform thickness and doping level. The capability of uniform growth over large substrate areas and the use of multiple substrates is necessary for the practical utilization of electroluminescent devices. This is particularly important when quantity production or monolithic devices are required. Furthermore, in many display applications arrays of light emitting devices are used, the individual elements of which are of a size resolvable by the unaided eye. Thus the overall dimensions of display are substantially larger than those of most semiconductor devices. It is also necessary to achieve a high degree of control over the growth parameters to attain the required degree of reproducibility of materials properties for electroluminescent devices. In the case of GaAs1-xPx it is necessary to accurately and precisely control the phosphorus content of the alloy, both on a macroscopic and microscopic scale, in addition to the parameters generally associated with epitaxial growth such as thickness and doping level. This value is critical, as it has a major effect on the performance of electroluminescent devices. This paper describes the epitaxial growth of GaAsl-xPx suitable for electroluminescent display devices using a system developed specifically for this purpose, and which contains several novel features. The results of studies of selected physical properties of the epitaxial layers are also discussed. Finally, a brief summary is given of the characteristics of display devices fabricated from GaAsl-xPx grown in this system. EXPERIMENTAL A) Reactants. A number of techniques suitable for the vapor phase epitaxial growth of GaAs1-xPx have been reported in the literature.'-' The method selected for this investigation is that in which the Ga is transported by the GaC1-GaCI3 reaction in an open tube process. The results reported here were obtained using either the combination of GaAs, AsC13, and pH3, or Ga, AsH3, pH3, and HC1 as the initial re-actants.* The ASH3 and pH3 were obtained as dilute *Several different sources of supply were used for these reactants, y~elding comparable results._____________________________________________________ mixtures in HZ; the HC1 was obtained from the reduction of AsC13 by Hz at elevated temperatures. Both selenium and tellurium were employed as donor impurities, and zinc as an acceptor impurity. Selenium was introduced in the form of H2Se, tellurium in the form of tellurium-doped GaAs, and zinc in the form of diethy1 zinc. B) Apparatus. The prinicipal difference between the apparatus used in the present study and that of Tietjen and Amick,8 in addition to size and other related design features, is that RE induction heating is utilized in place of resistance heated furnaces. Induction heating was selected for this application because it appears to have several advantages, including: 1) It is possible to keep all fused silica portions of the apparatus at temperatures well below those of the reaction zone, thus minimizing a possible source of contamination. 2) The thermal mass of an induction heated system can be made small, thus reducing the total time required for the growth process. 3) Sharp temperature profiles (desirable for high deposition efficiency) are easily achieved. 4) The volume of the system for a given substrate area can generally be made smaller than a comparable resistance heated unit. This results in shorter time

Jan 1, 1970

By Jr. Hazen

Relationships that may exist between assays and sample interval lengths when using unequal sample intervals in mine sampling have been investigated as part of the larger research problem of adapting statistical methods to the analysis of weighted average grades. The theoretical relationship between the amount of difference in the weighted and unweighted average grade of ore and the size of the correlation coefficient between assay value and sample interval length was found to be linear. Numerous examples of actual field sample and assay data, which have been obtained by using unequal sample intervals, are documented, and the differences between weighted and unweighted average grades of ore and the correlation coefficients between assays and sample interval lengths have been computed and plotted on graphs. Differences between these actual field data and the expected theoretical linear relationship are examined. It is hypothesized that the use of unequal sample intervals in mine sampling is, in fact, stratified sampling in a statistical context. The sampler establishes stratification by selecting unequal sample intervals on the basis of differences in lithology, changes in rock type, characteristics of mineralization, or differences in metal content. Statistically} methods currently used in mine sampling, involving unequal sample intervals, fail to consider differences in the inherent variances in grade of ore within the various strata established by using unequal sample intervals. Consequently the strata are sampled with different precision. This difference in precision of sampling between strata may account for much of the deviation between the plotted points representing actual field sampling data and the theoretical linear relationship between the amount of the difference between weighted and unweighted average grade of ore and the size of correlation coefficient between assays and sample interval lengths.

Jan 1, 1966

By Marcel M. Djivre

Electromagnetic wire rope testing is the only practical non-destructive method to evaluate the current condition of wire ropes in general, and in the mining industry in particular. The method has been successfully used worldwide for decades. In mining it has considerably improved the safety of operations. Yet, problems persist. In particular both the Loss-of-Metallic-Area (LMA) readings, as well as the Local Fault (LF) readings, as obtained by different instrument operators, were found to be unacceptably diverse. Consequently, large sums have been spent internationally, as well as in Canada, comparing a whole range of these instruments in an effort to rate their performance. The published results clearly confirmed operational experience, namely that the LMA and LF readings were, indeed, unacceptably diverse. Excellent pertinent conclusions were also published. In Canada the authors? conclusion was that while the divergence in the LF signal based results could, possibly, be attributed to both hardware and human-error related factors, the LMA signal related quantitative uncertainties were human-error related. Consequently, much attention was paid in Canada to developing novel control methods, namely computerized ones to replace the more error-prone analogue ones. In addition new sensor-heads were developed, both for portable as well as for permanent installation with remote control operations. While these efforts were of considerable benefit, the situation must again be carefully reviewed with very special reference to deep-level mining, now of immediate concern in Canada as well. In this paper the authors supply an overview of the results obtained by three of the four major international projects referred to previously. Relevant conclusions/comments are also restated. Moreover, specific recommendations are put forward as to how current problems might best be remedied.

May 1, 2004

By Donna Wallace

Past EPA groundwater monitoring programs required that contamination not leave the boundaries of a disposal facility. New regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) require that once hazardous waste constituents are detected beyond the limits of the disposal area, a program to define the rate and extent of contaminant migration must be instituted. Future regulations are likely to include even more stringent groundwater protection criteria. The implications of both the existing and probable future groundwater protection and monitoring requirements in terms of using geologic containment as a means of disposing of hazardous waste are explored in this paper.

Jan 1, 1981

By G. M. Ritcey, B. H. Lucas

In the conventional alkaline leaching of concentrate containing nickel, copper and cobalt, copper is usually removed from the system, prior to nickel reduction, by sulphide precipitation. A new process is described for the selective extraction of copper and separation from cobalt and nickel, using liquid-liquid extraction. General Mills LIX-63 dissolved in a kerosene diluent is the extractant. Trace amounts of co-extracted cobalt and nickel are easily removed by a scrub treatment, and copper is recovered from the extract by sulphuric acid stripping, thus providing a solution amenable to the oroduction of electrolytic copper. Estimated processing costs are included together with a proposed flowsheet.

Jan 1, 1972

By K. Ohmori, K. Takeya, S. Yoshizawa, A. Kawamoto, T. Ishikawa

"High performance Sm2Fe17N3 magnet powder is developed nitriding Sm2Fe17 alloy that 'is made using a reduction and diffusion method. Typical remanence, coercivity and maximum energy product of the fine powder are 1.40 T, 1.13 T and 323 kJ/m3, respectively. Decreasing samarium content, oxygen content and the amount of a-Fe are found to be the important factors to realize high-energy product.High performance injection molded Sm2Fe17N3 anisotropic magnet is also developed using the powder and an original binder system developed in order to mold at low temperature. Typical remanence, coercivity and maximum energy product obtained are 0.77 T, 0.78 T and 103 kJ/m3, respectively in the density of 4.77 Mg/m3The temperature coefficient of remanence is -0.07 %/K and that of coercivity is -0.54.%/K. The initial irreversible flux loss of the magnet that has a permeance of two is -5 % at 100 °C and the irreversible .flux loss of it is -4.4 % exposing it at 80 °C for 1000h.IntroductionSm2Fe17N3 alloy powder is expected to be very useful for a bonded magnet. The reasons are as follows. The magnetization is as large as the Nd2Fe14B alloy. Curie temperature is even higher than the alloy. The uni-axial anisotropy is comparatively higher than the alloy. Consequently it is possible to obtain high coercivity after just milling the powder and therefore possible to obtain high-energy product in a bonded magnet as it is realized in the SmCo5 bonded magnet. On the other hand, sintering is difficult because it will be decomposed into samarium nitride and a-Fe when heating it up to 500°C:"

Jan 1, 2000

By E. Arghavani, S. H. Amiri, S. Zare, F. Sepehri, M. Ramezanizadeh

Mineral processing plants include different stages like crushing, grinding, classification and concentration, all of which have partially affect the final product. To identify and solve the related problems of each stage, process audition should be carried out continuously to find the major solutions of improving product and decreasing the maintenance and operating costs. The Iranian Gohar-Zamin iron ore beneficiation plant consists of equipment such as gyratory and cone crushers, high pressure grinding rolls (HPGR), ball mill, dry and wet double-deck vibrating screens, hydrocyclones cluster, magnetic drum separators, thickener and horizontal vacuum belt filters. The defects of initial design as well as current non-standard operating conditions of equipment were monitored and detected and the opportunities for process optimisation were presented as follows: establishing the control loop of power draw for cone crushers, the modification of feeding chute in cone crushers to minimise the non-uniform wear of parts, removing segregation in the fresh feed bin and screen’s circulating load chute in order to provide the proper feed to HPGR, reducing wear rate on HPGR rolls surfaces, decreasing the amount of rejected materials in screen, equalising the solid content and particle size distribution (PSD) of feed in all magnetic drum separators and equalising the PSD of hydrocyclones overflow. This paper provides a guideline for the mineral processing industry to focus its efforts on process design to deliver the efficiency with minimum capital costs. Keywords: Process audition, gyratory crusher, cone crusher, HPGR, screening, hydrocyclones, magnetic drum separators

Jan 1, 2020

By S Hapugoda, J Manuel, N Ware, A Dehghan-Manshadi

The effect of titania (TiO2 ) addition on the sintering performance of hematite iron ore has been studied by doping pure TiO2 into a sinter blend. The results of laboratory-scale compact sintering tests confirmed the considerable effect of TiO2 addition on sinter strength and mineralogy. The tumble index measurements confirmed an improvement in the strength of the sinter in response to TiO2 addition. The melting point of the sinter was also affected by increasing the TiO2 content, indicating a possible relationship between coke breeze consumption and TiO2 on industrial-scale sintering of Ti-bearing ores. Analysis of the sintered structures using optical and scanning electron microscopes confirmed a general improvement in the overall pore structure and sinter melt characteristics with the addition of TiO2 to the sinter blend. An important feature of the sinter structure was the formation of a perovskite phase (CaTiO3 ) and an increase in the proportion of this phase in the structure as TiO2 levels increase.CITATION:Dehghan-Manshadi, A, Manuel, J, Hapugoda, S, Ware, N and Donskoi, E, 2015. Effect of titania on the sintering performance of hematite iron ores, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2015, pp 29–34 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 13, 2015

By James A. Schneider

The successful installation of long piles driven into very dense sands relies on the occurrence of the reduction in local friction with increased pile embedment, a phenomenon known as ?friction fatigue?. The underlying mechanisms controlling friction fatigue are poorly understood, with some design methods including an adjustment for the influence of pile diameter while others do not. This paper back calculates the installation resistance of 0.356m to 2m (14in to 78in) diameter open ended piles driven into very dense sands using wave equation analyses. Cone penetration test data are used to link soil properties to installation resistance. The study illustrates consistent interpretation of a variety of case histories of open ended piles driven in very dense sands using newly developed analysis techniques and normalized parameters. Results provide information on methods for incorporating friction fatigue into drivability studies as well as a discussion of mechanisms related to pipe pile installation resistance in sandy soils.

Jan 1, 2010

By Michael Arnold, Jignyash Manyam, Yoav Rappaport

The USACE required construction of over 13 miles of cutoff wall at an average depth of 65 feet for the Herbert Hoover Dike (HHD). To meet project requirements, to provide quality control and make sound operational decisions, automated data capture, retention and visualization is crucial. Accurate and complete data management allows the authors to deliver critical business insights and to improve operational efficiencies. The author’s understood the necessity of capturing all their data, and efficiently processing and displaying it for multiple stake holders, for both internal and external purposes. The authors realized early in the project life cycle that data ownership and management is one of the fundamental features of the construction process. The authors developed their own software and use two in house applications; WEB-BGM online portal and, b-project which store rig production information combined with field quality control. b-project is used to create and deliver the Enterprise Database (EDB) to the USACE. Another biproduct of capturing the production data is the generation of the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and also business analytics visual interactive display, developed through Microsoft Power BI. The paper focuses on the business process workflow and various technologies employed and lessons learned from the field operator perspective to achieve higher returns on business software operations.

Oct 1, 2022

By John H. Walthall, Raymond L. Copson, Travis P. Hignett

In October 1942, the War Production Board requested the Tennessee Valley Authority to undertake investigations to determine the feasibility of producing alumina suitable for reduction in aluminum cells, from clays and other domestic materials, by a lime-sintering, soda-ash leaching process. The work was undertaken by the chemical engineering staff of the Authority under the general direction of the War Metallurgy Committee of the National Academy of Sciences. The investigation included small-scale tests to determine the most suitable conditions for the process, and construction and operation of a pilot plant to obtain data for evaluation of the process and for design of a plant. The results of this investigation are described in the present paper. Sources of Alumina Alumina for the commercial production of aluminum is obtained from bauxite by the Bayer process. The tremendous demand for aluminum for wartime uses is causing rapid exhaustion of the high-grade bauxite deposits in the United States. On the other hand, there is an abundance of aluminous materials such as clay and lower grades of bauxite, which are not suitable for treatment by the Bayer process because of their high silica content. The Tennessee Valley Authority has conducted research and pilot-plant work for more than 5 years on methods for the production of alumina from clay and low-grade bauxite. Particular attention has been given to the high-grade white kaolin found in Carroll County, Tennessee. Exploratory drilling has demonstrated that at least 4 1/2 million tons of kaolin containing in excess of 34 per cent AlzOI is available in this area by strip-mining methods. It has been estimated that hundreds of millions of tons of clay of similar quality occur in the Tennessee Valley region. The Process The process is illustrated in the flowsheet (Fig. I), and consists essentially of the following steps: I. Heating a mixture of clay and limestone to form a sinter containing calcium aluminate and dicalcium silicate. z. Leaching this sinter with a dilute sodium carbonate solution, to form a sodium aluminate solution and a calcium carbonate, calcium silicate residue, which is discarded. 3. Treating the sodium aluminate solution with carbon dioxide to precipitate aluminum trihydrate and regenerate the sodium carbonate solution, which is recycled. 4. Heating the aluminum trihydrate to produce alumina. The process was considered promising because of the abundance and cheapness of the two raw materials, clay and limestone; and because, as compared with an acid process, smaller amounts of critical

Jan 1, 1944

By R. Hejazi, Saghaeian. M., H. Abedini

Continuous vacuum belt filters mainly carry out an important duty in the solid-liquid separation processes such as iron ore concentrate dewatering. However as the particles become finer, the resistance to filtration and dewatering would increase and as the result cake moisture content tends to increase. So in recent decades, using additives in order to improve the filtration performance has been considered by many researchers. In the present study, the effect of several surfactants on the filtration rate and cake moisture content of Chadormalu iron ore concentrate (80% =40 micron) was investigated using a laboratory scale vacuum filter. The results of several tests indicated that a non-ionic surfactant (Lauryl Alcohol Ethoxylated, LAE) has the best performance on reducing the moisture content of the cake and reducing the cake formation time. The optimum dose of LAE was found to be 300 g/ton which reduced the concentrate cake moisture content from 13.76 to 11.28% (wet weight base). Some industrial filtration tests were performed in Chadormalu iron ore concentrate plant to prove the effectiveness of this surfactant. The surfactant is mixed with water and added to the concentrate slurry before distributing on the vacuum belt filter. The industrial and experimental results were almost similar, so that adding about 300 g/ton of LAE would reduce the final cake moisture content from 12.87 to 10.76%.

Jan 1, 2014

The key to the successful debt funding of a new mining project, whether in economically established or developing nations, is the submission of a comprehensive feasibility study. The feasibility study forms the basis from which the resource banker can construct financial models which govern the amount of available funds, the conditions which control the supply of such funds and the time period over which the loan may be repaid. The bank will wish to ensure that the feasibility study is the best representation and confirmation of reality possible because this model is the basis of the loan security package. Thus the study will be vigorously interrogated by independent experts in all its elements including the ore reserve, mineability, metallurgy, operating and capital cost profile, environmental factors and management. A well constructed feasibility study, undertaken by well recognised and respected independent consultants can save the client company a great deal of real and opportunity costs especially in relation to project timing. Once constructed and operating, the mining project may face one or more completion tests in relation to the loans provided. The genetics of such tests often relate to either the ability of the operating company to become solely responsible for the repayment of the loan or to be rewarded by lower interest rates or some other mechanism. Strong professionalism, accessible records, good checking procedures and high quality, competent site management will greatly assist the client company passing these tests. A record of well established technical competence with its bankers may well assist a company in the establishment of a mezzanine loan for the early development of its next project, thus allowing an earlier return of dividends to shareholders.

Jan 1, 1995

By Daniel K. Dysinger

Capital resource budgeting is the way managers of publicly held companies fulfill their fiduciary responsibility to maximize the wealth of stockholders. Managers maximize shareholder wealth by allocating investment capital to the most productive of competing alternative projects. Managers do this in a manner that maximizes the net present value of the firm's future cash flow. The techniques of cash flow analysis are the primary tools available for selecting a corporate portfolio of projects that meets or exceeds the rate of return expected by shareholders. The reliability of cash flow analysis hinges on the ability of managers to forecast the future values of individual components of cash flow. The accuracy and reliabil¬ity of forecasting determine the soundness of capital investment decisions and, ultimately, determine the value of the firm.

Jan 1, 1997

Safe underground mine backfilling with hydraulic fill requires efficient fill drainage and stable fill retaining walls or bulkheads. If any or both the above two requirements are not satisfied, such a backfilling operation creates unsafe conditions and may lead to backfill retaining wall failures. Mine backfill retaining wall failures are always associated with economic losses, fatalities and interruption to mine production. Mining industry wants to either reduce or eliminate these fill retaining wall failures. The fill retaining wall failures could be effectively avoided through the use of fibre reinforced shotcrete fill retaining walls and engineered drainage systems through the retaining walls. This paper presents the experience of the author in developing, implementing, and monitoring several hundred fibre reinforced shotcrete fill retaining walls at a mine in Australia with the highest safety standard. The details on the mine backfill drainage system and fibre reinforced shotcrete fill retaining wall designs are also presented.

May 1, 2007

By Fedotov. K. V., A. Y. Senchenko, V. A. Chanturiya

"The paper describes an efficient process to treat the ore from the largest in Russia copper deposit – Udokan. The recommended process is universally applicable to Udokan ores different in composition and allows reaching high copper recoveries during production of high-grade cathode copper and sulphide concentrate with 45% copper content. There are several promising trends for the process optimization and in the case they are implemented, economics of the whole project could improve significantly. One of the most important optimization options implies reduction of specific energy consumption in the course of comminution operations. Another possible option to optimize the already selected process flowsheet is production of cathode copper from sulphide concentrate directly at a mining and metallurgical plant without sending the latter to other metallurgical works.INTRODUCTIONUdokan copper deposit with resources of more than 20 million tons of copper is the largest in Russia and one of the largest copper deposits in the world. The deposit is located in Kalar District of the Trans-Baikal Territory, 30 km away from Novaya Chara railway station of the Baikal-Amur Mainline.Scientists and engineers from various research institutions have studied Udokan copper ores for years. Along the way, some conceptual process flowsheets have been proposed and each of them has its own pros and cons. The key requirement to the processes being developed was their universal application for processing of all the ore types using a single flowsheet. Due to the hard mining and geological conditions and because of complex material composition of Udokan ores it is of great difficulty to design a process which would provide for maximum economic benefits. That is why the process optimization has been ongoing until now.According to the Russian standards, the main input document for design of a metallurgical plant is referred to as a Process Design Report that covers the following key data sections: analysis of metallurgical testing results, validation of the process, design criteria, process flow diagrams, the mass and metallurgical balances, process description, equipment list and other information necessary for the subsequent design."

Jan 1, 2018

By T. Surkova

For the moment reserves of high-grade ores are practically depleted requiring ever-increased involvement of low assay raw materials, such as black-shale ores, in industrial operations. Black-shale ores are constituted of minerals containing such valuable components as vanadium, uranium, molybdenum, manganese, and rare-earth elements (REE). We studied technogenic solutions of black-shale ores processing, after uranium, molybdenum, and vanadium were recovered. Mentioned solutions contain rare-earth elements in substantial quantities (S REE 70-100 mg/dm3) that is very important factor taking into consideration the world demand ever-increasing last years. Higher concentrations of iron and aluminum inhibiting REE sorption and extraction recovery are found in solutions. We propose a method of hydrolytic deposition to cleaning solutions from impurity elements (Fe, Al). Study of hydrolytic deposition kinetics allowed identifying optimal conditions to run this process. Rare-earth elements may be recovered from purified solutions through sorption process followed by their further deposition from eluates in form of concentrates. Keywords: black-shale ores, rare-earth elements, a method of hydrolytic deposition, impurity elements, sorption

Sep 1, 2012