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By R. Havens

During the course of the investigation of possible domestic sources of manganese, engineers of the Bureau of Mines examined and sampled two manganese mineral deposits in northeastern Utah. The Daggett Chief claims are situated in the northern part of Daggett County,5 miles southwest of Manila, Utah, and approximately 57 miles from Green-River, Wyo. Owners of the property are J.E. Harris Of Salt Lake City, Utah, Nels Palleson of Manila, Utah, and J. P. Larson. The manganese occurs in a vein 6 to 8 feet wide in a shale and sandstone formation. Two distinct occurrences Of manganese are present Within the vein, and samples of each were subjected to testing. Lot A, representing .probably the major portion of the Manganese; was composed of nodules and veinlets of manganese oxides in a semicompact; gray, shaly formation. Lot B represented a 15-inch vein of dense iron-manganese ore. .Most of the laboratory work at Salt Lake City, Utah, was done on these two samples; but preliminary testing also was carried out on a small sample, physically similar to lot A, submitted by the owners.

Jan 1, 1949

By Nomuqhele N. Nkosi, Yasuo Yabe, Musa D. Manzi, Raymond J. Durrheim, Siyanda B. Mngadi

This study examined rock failure in brittle rocks hosting the deep gold-bearing ore bodies on scales between millimeters and kilometres. This research study is part of the International Continental scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) project, “Drilling into Seismogenic Zones of M2.0-M5.5 earthquakes in deep South African gold mines” (DSeis). The broader ICDP-DSeis project aims include the examination of the extent of damage, the stress state around the fringes of the earthquake, and the potential existence of living organisms associated with deep-level earthquakes. Nevertheless, this study focused on two seismogenic zones – the Cooke 4 mine and Moab Khotsong mine. At Cooke 4 mine, the study examined the evolution of mining-induced fractures (M1-4) occurring ahead of the stope face during the extraction of the remnant shaft pillar. These fractures were monitored and delineated by a dense array of acoustic emission sensors that allowed hypocentres to be located with decimeter accuracy. Using this acoustic emission data, the DSeis team drilled and recovered the fractures, rock breccia and gouge using a sophisticated triple-tube drilling rig.

Apr 26, 2022

By W. C. Yates

Lack of visibility from cabs of the large haulage trucks used in open-pit mines has become a serious safety problem. This Anaconda research program was conducted to develop a low-cost system for alerting haulage truck operators of the presence of small vehicles in their blind areas. Several systems, developed and tested to help solve this problem, are summarized and evaluated in this paper. As the size of the haulage trucks used in large open-pit mines has increased, so have the blind areas. Mine utility vehicles, pickup tucks and cars become concealed within these blind areas and, thus, become a serious safety hazard. Figure 1 shows the typical blind areas of a 150-ton haulage truck. The areas of greatest concern are those at the rear center and front right corner of the truck. It is within these areas of "no visibility" that numerous small vehicles over the years have been crushed by the large haulage trucks at various mine sites. Although the occupants in most instances, have escaped the vehicle before it was destroyed, injuries and deaths have occurred. The accidents, in most cases, were attributed to negligence or carelessness on the part of the driver of the smaller vehicle, but the problem of limited visibility still exists, and a solution is needed.

Jan 1, 1982

By J. Bruce Clemmer, M. F. Williams, B. H. Clemmons, Carl Rampacek, R. H. Stacy

"INTRODUCTION This report is the first of several dealing with the application of flotation methods for beneficiating the calcareous and siliceous red iron ores and ferruginous sandstones of the Birmingham district. The flotation study was part of a general investigation of the concentratability of various iron ores of Alabama and other Southeastern States undertaken by the Southern Experiment Station of the Bureau of Mines, United States Department of the Interior, in cooperation with the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala.Batch testing and pilot-plant flotation testing of the calcareous red ores of the Birmingham district have been in progress for several years, and although some phases of the study are not yet completed, enough data are available to indicate that many of the ores will yield marketable-grade concentrates with good recovery.The first flotation tests on the calcareous red ores employing conventional methods either the iron oxides or the siliceous gangue materials failed to give the desired results. The inferior separations obtained or prohibitive reagent requirements made the methods unattractive. Other more effective flotation methods were sought. A laboratory study of various reagents was undertaken. It resulted in the development of two attractive methods embracing anionic flotation of the activated siliceous gangue from the retarded iron oxides. The methods were similar in that fatty acid or soap-collecting agents were employed in strongly alkaline pulps to float the naturally activated quartz from the iron-ore pulps. The methods differed, however, in the addition agent employed to retard the hematite or hematite and calcite. By proper choice and quantity of the addition agent, the calcite could be floated with the quartz or retarded with the hematite as desired. Ability to recover or reject the calcite gives added flexibility to the separation. Although the methods have their limitations and cannot be considered ""cure-alls,"" they have given encouraging results on a number of calcareous red ores that heretofore proved difficult to concentrate by conventional flotation procedures."

Mar 1, 1945

By A Tsang, D La Rosa, L Julian, W Hunt, R Pratama

Mineral extraction is facing the twin challenges of finite resources and increasing environmental and economic costs. Society’s growth is matched by an increase in demand for the earth’s resources. It is incumbent on us as contemporary mining professionals to promote and facilitate ethical and efficient practices. Technological developments have and will continue to allow a decrease in viable cut-off grades, creating new economic opportunities from deposits that were previously uneconomic. Mining low-grade deposits however, even with perfect recoveries, will have a significant environmental cost for the metal won. The greatest opportunity to increase metal with the least environmental cost is to increase the metal yield from existing mines. The determination of mining polygons is a critical juncture where rock is typically subjected to the binary grading of either ore or waste. This is undertaken using a number of factors, such as the mining equipment being used and the recovery in the processing plant. Traditionally, mining polygons were generated on the in situ grade control model. This ignores the complex differential blast dynamics that occur during blasting. Two opportunities exist to improve metal yields: optimise the blast design to achieve the post-blast muck pile that will support the greatest outcome; and generate optimised polygons on the post-blast muck pile. A data set from a Canadian Gold deposit is used to demonstrate the potential benefit of iterative blast movement modelling and grade control polygon optimisation on metal yield. The impact of blasting on the total recoverable metal is presented, highlighting blast design as a critical process in the mining value chain.

Sep 1, 2024

By S. Balideh

A good understanding of the behavior of rock helps us to make more informed decisions regarding geo-structures. Engineers need accurate equations to calculate the strength and deformation of rock before and after failure. Previous studies explain the failure of rock to ultimate strength, and laboratory tests adequately determine the ultimate strength and deformation modulus of rock. However, there are few comprehensive equations to determine the post-failure strength and deformation of rock. Previous work shows that the post-failure behavior of rock depends on the behavior of the broken rock particles after failure. The following question is then posed: How can the post-failure behavior of rock be determined by the behavior of broken rock particles? In order to answer the question, this study pursues three objectives: (i) to explain the behavior of broken rock at low confining pressure; (ii) to estimate the behavior of broken rock via the extrapolation of scaled laboratory testing; and to suggest a procedure (iii) to outline the post-failure behavior of a rock mass at low confining pressure commensurate with the behavior of broken rock in a rock mass.

Aug 1, 2013

By C. Gaubert, G. Bourassa

"The construction or rebuild process in the anode baking furnaces has been modeled with the software Rockwell Arena, in order to minimize the process cost and risk. The case study was focused on the sectional rebuild (""on the fly"") that needs a high coordination of the material inventory, the on-site personnel and the construction/production schedule. Multiple entities and resources were allocated for the different part of the process (in-furnace process, prefabrication, materials transportation, etc.). Logic flow charts and VBA macros were used to simulate the space utilization (including cranes utilization) and interaction with production. MS-Excel output files can show user-friendly results."

Jan 1, 2006

By Wm. L. Giachino

"Over the last 10 years, C-1-L has played a significant role in the major advances that have taken place in blasting technology, among them the following: development and introduction of capsensitive slurries; development of bulk slurry systems both for underground and open-pit operations; development of the TOE-DET and ANODET systems of delay blasting;introduction of the NONEL system of initiation;development of the Vertical Crater Retreat (VCR) system of mining.This paper identifies areasin which we foresee further developments in blasting technology over the next 10 years and outlines how and to what extent C-1-L will become involved."

Jan 1, 1980

By C. H. Sleeman

"The Iron Ore Company of Canada constructed a beneficiation complex in Sept-Iles, Quebec, to concentrate and pelletize earthy red hematite iron ores from the Knob Lake area. The plants were scheduled for initial production during the first quarter of 1973.Many problems have been experienced to date. Difficulties in controlling the process, excessive mechanical failures, design deficiencies and manpower-staffing problems have caused an extended start-up. The problems are now essentially solved and, with the completion of some additional minor modifications, it is expected that the plants will be producing premium iron ore pellets at or near rated capacity within the next immediate period."

Jan 1, 1976

By Short KC

The Hunter Region, with a major part of the coal resources of New South Wales and a long history of coal mining, has experienced a rapid expansion of coal resource development in recent years. While there are inevitable conflicts between mining, urban development and related infrastructure, and between mining and other resources, the application of sound planning practices, and improved co-operation and co-ordination among the various parties, helps to reduce such conflicts. The planning process involves consideration of factors such as transport- ation (including port facilities), mine subsidence, provision for surface facilities, a,iC the need for buffer 'ones. In addition, provision must be made for urban expansion, often co-existing or in close proximity to present or future coal mining development. Approval of coal mining developments takes place within the legislative framework of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act, 1979 (EPA Act), the Coal Mining Act, 1973 (CM Act) and the Mining Act, 1973. Considerable effort has gone into stream- lining and co-ordinating the procedures under these Acts. The EPA Act provides for regional and local environmental plans, as well as a linked process of development control and environmental impact assessment. The CM Act provides for the grant of exploration and coal mining titles and mechanisms for the responsible management of Mining.

Jan 1, 1987

By M. Bryson, G. Marap, M. Ntlhane, M. D. Hlahane

This study investigated flotation of phosphate from a low-medium grade 8-12% P2O5, 65-73% SiO2 sedimentary phosphate ore from Kropz Elandsfontein (herein referred to as Elandsfontein) in South Africa. Quantitative evaluation of minerals by scanning electron microscopy (QEMSCAN) was used to determine apatite grain size distribution, liberation and mineral association in the F2 horizon sample. The mineralogy indicated that apatite was liberated and for the Elandsfontein plant to operate at the design throughput, the flotation feed has to be milled to a coarse grind ranging between 300 μm and 425 μm. Reverse flotation process routes using varying reagent dosages, and flotation feed top sizes that could possibly yield a final product of 31% P2O5,10% SiO2 at a reasonable +70% P2O5 recovery were investigated. Based on the results, a split circuit of coarse (-300+212μm) flotation and fine (-212+20μm) flotation, was mostly preferred as compared to treating the whole ore. A final combined concentrate of 31% P2O5 and 10% SiO2 with P2O5 recovery of 84% could be produced from the reverse split circuit. The robustness of reverse flotation for both coarse and fine fractions was further investigated. Reverse flotation of the fines fraction was found to be robust and produced a final product of 31% P2O5. It was however more challenging to achieve the required product grade and recoveries on the coarser fraction (-425+212μm), suggesting that reverse circuit was not adequately robust at fractions coarser than 300μm. Keywords: Phosphate, sedimentary, reverse flotation, particle size

Jan 1, 2020

By G. W. Barton

Process Systems Engineering (PSE) can be defined as the integrated usage of computer-based design and analysis tools. As such, PSE is becoming increasingly important in the chemical and petrochemical industries. This paper shows how a range of PSE techniques have been applied to the zinc electrowinning process. Topics discussed include model development, parameter estimation, steady-state and dynamic model applications, steady-state optimisation and neural network modelling.

Jan 1, 1994

Jan 1, 1879

By Carlos Maurício Fontes Vieira, Sergio Neves Monteiro

"A ceramic body traditionally used to produce bricks and roofing tiles with kaolinitic clays was reformulated by the addition of sand and illitic clay. The objective was to obtain a ceramic product with better technological properties. Specimens were made by uniaxial press-molding at 20 MPa and then fired at 850, 900 and 950°C. The determined technological properties were: linear shrinkage, water absorption and flexural rupture strength. The results showed that both sand and illitic clay contribute to reduce the water absorption of the industrial clayey body. With respect to the flexural behavior, it was observed that the incorporation of sand decreased the mechanical strength. On the other hand, the illitic, incorporated in an amounts of 30 wt.% contributed to increase the mechanical strength of the clayey ceramic.IntroductionCeramic bodies industrially fabricated in the county of Campos, north of the State of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil, are still empirically elaborated using a mixture of local clays. These clays are predominantly kaolinitic mineral in nature, associated with high plasticity and elevated weight loss during the firing stage. Due to the excessive plasticity of the ceramic bodies, dimensional defects, which occur after drying and firing are usually obtained. Moreover, the kaolinitic nature and the presence of aluminum hydroxide (gibbsite) confer a refractory behavior to the local clays, which impairs sintering during the firing operation. In the case of clay ceramic products for civil construction, this results in greater porosity associated with elevated values of water absorption and low mechanical strength [1,2]. To avoid these problems, it is necessary to reformulate the ceramic body composition. The addition of both non-plastic materials to reduce plasticity and fluxes to condition the refractoriness is a possible alternative.As an alternative to reduce the plasticity of clayey ceramics sand, which is predominantly constituted of silica, can be used. The incorporation of sand in amounts of up to 25 wt.% to a clayey ceramic body used for roofing tiles fabrication was studied by Vieira et al. [3]. In that work specimens were prepared by extrusion and fired at 850°C. The results indicated that in the pre-firing stages the sand improved the workability of the investigated clayey ceramic body and facilitates the drying stage. It was also observed that the incorporated sand significantly improved the physical and mechanical properties of the clayey ceramic after firing. On the other hand, the apport of flux oxides could be done by the use of illitic clays that have a higher amount of alkaline oxides in comparison with the kaolinitics clays."

Jan 1, 2013

By Samuel de Lima Silva

A Comissão Interna de Conservação de Energia (CICE) atuou com uma série de ações para aprimorar a rotina de trabalho com finalidade da redução do consumo específico de gás natural na Unidade de Juiz de Fora da Votorantim Metais Zinco. As principais ações adotadas foram o desligamento de um dos queimadores da Caldeira Aalborg, e regulação do outro para 50%, utilizando o primeiro apenas quando necessário; estudo de melhorias na operação da Planta Polimetálicos, visando a redução de consumo pelo queimador do forno; melhoria no acompanhamento de consumo diário, tanto na chegada de gás quanto na caldeira; levantamento dos pontos de vazamento de vapor e contratação externa para adequação. Como resultado dessa série de ações tomadas, obtivemos uma redução de 17% no consumo específico de gás natural da planta.

Jul 31, 2018

By M. M. C Jiménez, D. C. Buzzi, D. C. R. Espinosa, J. A. S Ténorio, G. F. R Oliveira

In this work the extractive and selective capacities of solvent extraction synergistic systems to recover nickel and cobalt were evaluated. The liquor used was from the high pressure acid leaching process (HPAL). Initially the industrial liquor, processed from lateritic ores, was analyzed to identify the concentrations of the metals. Experiments of synergistic solvent extraction were performed later. The extraction liquid-liquid was carried out with a mixture of Cyanex 272 (CY) and Ionquest 290 (IQ) extractants. The process was executed with the temperature of 65 ºC, pH of 5.2 and the ratio aqueousorganic 2:1. Systems of 80% kerosene and CY 20%, CY 16% - IQ 4%, CY 12% - IQ 8%, CY 8% - IQ 16%, CY 4% - IQ 16%, IQ 20% were studied during 20 minutes. The results of this paper showed that the mixture of these two extractants doesn’t improve significantly the recovery of nickel and cobalt from liquor.

Jan 1, 2014

By F. Magweregwede, S. Khan

Circular economy opportunities for the mining sector are presented in this paper. A literature review was undertaken, followed by qualitative data gathering through survey questionnaires and unstructured interviews, and stakeholder engagements through workshops. The circular economy opportunities were identified and categorised according to the three circular economy principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems. Opportunities aligned with the first principle include increased ore extraction efficiency processes, water recovery and recycling, substitution of raw materials, technology and waste utilisation for carbon capture and biotechnology. The second principle includes opportunities such as zero waste-to-landfill strategies, repurposing of mine waste, re-mining of tailings, recycling metals and processing of residues, and urban mining of electronic waste. Opportunities aligned with the third principle include the adoption of renewable energy, green hydrogen production, repurposing of post mining landscapes, and eradication of alien invasive vegetation. Furthermore, the challenges of implementing circular economy in the mining sector are discussed. The current rate of waste generation from mining activities far exceeds the rate of reuse and repurposing. Recycling of large tyres and characterisation of hazardous electronic waste also pose challenges. The most implementable circular economy opportunities in the mining sector are those aligned with the second principle of keeping materials in use. The high impact opportunities aligned with the first principle of designing out waste and pollution, and the third principle of regenerating natural systems, are more difficult to implement as they require large investments.

Dec 15, 2025

By F. Wendling, R. C. Nascimento, S. S. Wendling

"The objective of this research is to study the quality of blast-furnace iron ore pellets with binary basicity 1 fired on a pilot scale using the two main firing processes that are presently in use in the world and comparing them. Currently, the great majority of pellet producers use the traveling grate process because of its higher production capacity. In this study, the physical and chemical qualities of the pellet feed, limestone, anthracite and bentonite were determined and the amount of additives for a blast furnace pellet with the defined basicity was calculated. The physical properties of the green and dried pellets were determined accordingly. Produced pellets, after being fired on a pilot scale using traveling grate and grate kiln, were subjected to chemical analysis and physical testing. No significant difference was observed in the metallurgical quality — that is, reducibility index (RI), reducing disintegration index (RDI) and swelling index (SWI) — of the pellets produced by both processes. However, a comparison of cold physical tests — tumble and cold compression strength — shows improved quality of the pellets fired using the grate kiln process.IntroductionThe development of human civilization owes much to iron and steel (Sun et al., 2015). Iron is the most used metal in the world, and it is the main component of steel, which is present in materials for structural engineering, automotive and general industrial applications (Liu et al., 2014). Increased global demand has led to a decrease in the resources of ore with high iron content (Zhang et al., 2015), and currently 95 percent of the iron ore in China needs processing before smelting as its iron (Fe) content is only about 30 percent on average (Liu et al., 2014).Pelletizing is a process to economically agglomerate iron ore pellet feed into pellet form. After balling, green pellets are conveyed to the final step of the manufacturing process (Pena, 1982). The process is a multifaceted one, involving high temperatures, air flow gas turbulence and complex equipment geometry (Larsson et al., 2009). The pellets are fed into blast furnaces, which are now predominantly used in the extraction of iron. Ore processing also requires physical separation, including crushing, grinding and water removal (Sun et al., 2015).The increase in steel consumption favors the exploitation of low-concentration ores and the production of pellets (Halt and Kawatra, 2014). Pellet quality is affected by various factors, such as their physical and chemical characteristics and their temperatures and residence times in the furnace (Halt, Silva and Kawatra, 2015). Different geological settings lead to a wide range of different minerals (Graça et al., 2015).This work aims to generate important information for the pellet industry in the area of physical and metallurgical qualities of the agglomerates obtained by two processes: traveling grate and grate kiln."

Jan 1, 2017

By Paul Dean Proctor

The world's population by 2000 A. D. may approximate 6.5 billion and the United States' 304 million. South Asian population increases between 1970 and 2000 A. D. will be triple the projected population of North America. Such anticipated dramatic and probably traumatic increases in world population yield grave concern for the standard of living in the world and the United States. The people of the United States currently consume 32 percent of the world's energy and similarly large percentages of the world's mineral raw materials. With only 6 percent of the present world's population and slightly smaller percentage by 2000 A. D., much expanded world-wide production of energy and raw materials will be required to maintain even a standstill living standard. A minimal 2 percent increase per year in the standard of living in the United States and a 4 percent increase elsewhere in the world, beyond the demands of the estimated population increases, suggest the magnitude of the increased need for energy-mineral raw materials and the possible crises the world will face in these areas by 2000 A. D. Mineral engineers and scientists with broad educational backgrounds will be required in greatly increased numbers to help alleviate, and possibly avert, expected energy-mineral raw materials shortages of the next millenium. Explorationists, mineral engineers, commodity economists, environmentalists, city, county, state, and federal mineral materials planners and coordinators, and metallurgists will be among those most needed. AIME membership in the second century of the Institute's history will contribute directly to this personnel pool.

Jan 1, 1971

By U König, N Norberg

Traditionally, quality control of iron sinter has relied on time-consuming wet chemistry. However, the mineralogical composition that defines the physical properties, such as strength or reducibility, is not monitored.X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis in combination with Rietveld quantification and statistical data evaluation using partial least squares regression (PLSR) has been successfully trialled to determine the mineralogical composition and process parameters such as the FeO (Fe2+) content and basicity of iron sinter within an analysis time of less than eight minutes per sample. The results were compared with wet chemistry data.PLSR does not require pure phases, crystal structures or complex modelling of peak shapes. The analysis is therefore easy to set up and ideal if only one property needs to be analysed. PLSR results show an accuracy for the FeO content of ±0.3 per cent for the samples analysed in this case study.Both the PLSR and Rietveld methods take the full XRD pattern into account and can be simultaneously applied on the same measurement. PLSR was found to be the more robust method if only FeO and basicity results are required. The Rietveld method helps to predict other parameters, such as the compression strength of the sinter, by monitoring all existing phases (eg larnite C2S or silico-ferrite of calcium and aluminium phases).CITATION:König, U and Norberg, N, 2015. Iron sinter process control using x-ray diffraction, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2015, pp 53–60 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 13, 2015