Search Documents

By Connor Meinke, Shaihroz Khan, Kevin Erwin, Rajiv Chandramohan, Muhammad Usman Siddiqui

High-quality sample selection for metallurgical test work is essential to a geometallurgy study, but the large multidimensional dataset makes sample selection a daunting task, as classifying the dataset while respecting its heterogeneity is difficult. This paper presents a streamlined approach for sample selection, utilizing custom-built tools in Python to standardize the methodology, saving time and costs. This approach uses the cumulative sum method, principal component analysis, and k-means clustering method to elegantly cluster the data and select representative samples. A case study is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the methodology by selecting 40 samples for flotation test work.

Feb 1, 2024

By L. L. Brown

As part of the Federal effort to help maintain an adequate supply of fertilizer materials, the Bureau of Mines conducted research to characterize complex low-grade Michigan phosphate materials and to devise methods for recovering fertilizer-grade phosphate concentrates. The rock is from middle Precambrian sedimentary formations in the Marquette Range located in the central part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Occurrence of phosphate-bearing sediments in Precambrian rocks is rare. This deposit, containing 12 to 15 pct P205, is believed to be the richest Precambrian phosphate deposit in the United States. Petrographic examination showed that the conglomeritic rock contains crystalline apatite both in "black pebbles" and in quartz matrix. Attrition scrubbing and sizing tests showed that there is no tendency for phosphate to concentrate in any of the sized fractions. In beneficiation tests, which included grinding to minus 325 mesh followed by phosphate mineral flotation using a fatty acid-fuel oil collector, a phosphate concentrate was obtained that had a grade of 30 pct P205 and a P205 recovery of 72 pct. This concentrate should be suitable for fertilizer manufacture.

Jan 1, 1981

By A. E. Dwight, A. F. Berndt

Binary and ternary alloys of uranium with transition metals were prepared with U2X stoichiometry. The compounds U2Tc, U2Rh, U2Os, and U2lr were formed by peritectic or peritectoid transformations, and were shown to be isostructural with U2Ru. The lattice constants are presented. Miscibility relationships obtained from the study of ternary alloys are graphically summarized in terms of an area-of-stability plot. The compound U2Re is not isostructural with either U2Ru or U2Mo. A series of compounds with stoichiometry U2X has been prepared in which X is technetium, rhodium, rhenium, osmium, or iridium. The only other U2X compounds, for which X is related to the above transition metals by proximity in the periodic table, are U2Mo and U2Ru. The structure of U2Mo is the tetragonal C11b type (MoSi2 type)1 and U2Ru is monoclinic, with a new structure type.' This investigation was undertaken to determine if any of the above compounds are isostructural with either U2Ru or U2Mo and to find the range of occurrence of these phases. EXPERIMENTAL Alloys were prepared from stoichiometric amounts of electrolytic uranium (99.99 pet pure) and transition metals of 99.5 pet purity (98+ pet pure Tc), by arc melting on a water-cooled copper hearth under an Ar-He atmosphere. Weight losses were negligible. The buttons were homogenized at temperatures between 700o and 800°C (900°C for U2Tc) in evacuated capsules and air-cooled. The X-ray powder specimens were annealed briefly at the temperature of homogenization. Except in the case of the technetium alloy, metallographic examination was used to determine the number of phases present. The radiation hazard involved in handling technetium precluded the use of metallography to examine U2Tc. The temperature and mode of formation of the U2X phases were determined by heating the metallographic specimens to successively higher temperatures, until examination indicated the presence of chilled liquid or a peritectoid transformation. RESULTS The U2X compounds investigated were found to be formed under the following conditions: UzTc unknown U2Ru peritectic 897o ± 3°C U2Rh peritectoid 755o ± 5°C U2Re peritectoid3 below 750°C Uas peritectic4 920°C U2Ir peritectoid 775o ± 5oC Debye-Scherrer patterns for the above U2X phases were made with CuKa radiation (nickel filter). The similarities in the positions and intensities of the strongest lines in the front-reflection region strongly suggested that U2Tc, U2Ru, U2Rh, U2Os, and U21r are isostructural with only minor differences in the unit-cell dimensions. The known lattice constants and intensities of the Debye-Scherrer rings for U2RU2 were used as a guide in order to index the low-angle X-ray reflections of the U2TC, U2Rh, U2Os, and U2Ir powder patterns. Approximate lattice constants for these compounds were thus obtained and were used along with the intensities observed for U2Ru to index the strongest lines in the back-reflection regions. A sin2 2? correction term was included and the lattice constants were refined and standard deviations estimated by least squares. Comparison of observed and calculated values of Q(= 4 sin2?/?2) used in these calculations are given in Table I. In each case when the positions of lines could not be resolved on the films they were not measured. The final lattice constants, with their standard deviations, are given in Table 11, along with the unit-cell volume and X-ray density. The values of the atomic volume5 of the transition ele-

Jan 1, 1965

Controlled Blasting, Inc. (CBI) located in Norcross, Georgia recently teamed with the Dekalb county fire marshals office to stage a mock disaster to test new trainees of Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). It as an interesting example in which industry can help out the community and government through the use of explosives.

Jan 1, 2010

By Márcio Aurélio dos Santos

A Automação Industrial utiliza de forma intensiva os mesmos equipamentos e softwares de TI como servidores, historiadores, switches, firewall, dentre outros. No entanto, são poucas as áreas de automação que aplicam de forma eficaz todos os controles e cuidados que esses ativos requerem. Neste cenário, a garantia de altos níveis de disponibilidade dos sistemas de automação inicia-se pelo ambiente físico no qual tais sistemas estão instalados. É comum a improvisação de ambientes inadequados dentro das áreas industriais ou a instalação em subestações elétricas que não foram construídas com o rigor necessário para receber os ativos de TI Industrial utilizados nos sistemas automação. A solução para manter elevados os índices de disponibilidade destes ativos é, sem dúvida, instalá-los em Data Centers, comumente utilizados nas áreas de TI, o que é facilmente justificável pelo fato de que a indisponibilidade dos ativos de automação representa um impacto maior aos resultados das indústrias ao se comparar com a indisponibilidade dos ativos de “TI Corporativa”. Assim, este trabalho conceitua um ambiente de Data Center, discute as particularidades relacionadas à Automação Industrial (projetos de cabeamento estruturado e as interligações entre os níveis 1 e 2 de Automação) e apresenta as estratégias que a Samarco Mineração está adotando com relação ao tema.

Jul 30, 2018

By Matheus Machado de Souza

A utilização de revestimentos a base de cromo eletrolítico traz prejuízos ao meio ambiente, uma vez que durante o processo são liberados íons de cromo hexavalente e estes são extremamente tóxicos à natureza e ao homem. No entanto, existem outras tecnologias que vem sendo estudadas como alternativas ao processo tradicional de cromagem. A aspersão térmica por oxi-combustível de alta velocidade (HVOF) é a técnica que tem apresentado os melhores resultados sob as óticas de qualidade de revestimento, porosidade, resistência ao desgaste, propriedades mecânicas e adesivas. Neste trabalho foi realizado um estudo comparativo da eficácia da técnica de HVOF em termos de adesão, resistência ao desgaste e coeficiente de atrito. Como substrato foi utilizado o aço SAE 4140; o revestimento utilizado na aspersão por HVOF foi o WC-Co-Cr em comparação como o cromo eletroliticamente depositado, todos com a mesma espessura de camada. A avaliação tribológica foi realizada através de ensaios de desgaste por deslizamento do tipo pino sobre disco e a resistência adesiva por meio de ensaio de adesão.

Aug 7, 2018

By Riley S. J

Ranger Uranium Mine is located within the Alligator Rivers Region of the Northern Territory of Australia and surrounded by the World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park (Figure 1). The mining operation is currently producing about 1500 tonnes of uranium oxide annually, as well as considerable volumes of waste rock, low grade ore and tailings. The rehabilitation of the project should ensure that the radioactive mill tailings and other contaminants remain contained for at least 200 years, as required by the existing guidelines (Commonwealth of Australia, 1987). The present uranium mining operation is regulated by the Northern Territory Department of Mines and Energy who must refer to the Environmental Requirements when considering regulatory options. These Environmental Requirements were agreed by the

Jan 1, 1994

By Peter Zhang, Todd Minoski, Gabriel Esterhuizen, Jack Trackemas, Berk Tulu, Morgan Sears

Longwall mining is a highly productive and efficient coal mining method used in the USA. During longwall retreating, the belt entry must be maintained stable, and any roof fall in the belt entry would jeopardize mine safety and substantially interrupt the continuous production of coal in the longwall face. Past experience of longwall mining has shown that belt entry stability was the greatest challenge in longwall ground control, and the occurrence of roof falls in belt entries was largely associated with high horizontal stress. To properly support the roof in the belt entry, it is important to understand how longwall-induced horizontal stress changes affect roof stability in belt entries and to strategically install supplementary support to prevent any potential roof falls. Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) performed horizontal stress measurements in the immediate roof of the belt entries for two Pittsburgh seam longwall panels oriented unfavorably to high horizontal stress. Hollow inclusion cells (HICells) were installed in the immediate roof at the intersection in each of the belt entries, and stress changes were monitored as the longwall face was approaching and passing the intersection. Numerical models were set up to calculate the longwall-induced horizontal stress changes in the roof at the monitoring sites. With the verified model, investigations were made of how horizontal stress is concentrated and relieved in the belt entry roof near the face under different panel orientations. Both measurements and modeling results showed that high horizontal stress is concentrated in the roof in the belt entry within about 15 m outby the face when a longwall panel is unfavorably oriented to the major horizontal stress. The study demonstrated that longwall-induced differential horizontal stress can be used as an indication of the degree of horizontal stress concentration. Roof support strategies are discussed on how to maintain the stability of belt entry under high horizontal stress concentration.

Jun 14, 2022

By Heinrich Ries

Fullers' earth is a clay-like substance, which has the property of decolorizing or clarifying oils. An ultimate chemical analysis shows it to differ from most ordinary clays in having usually a high percentage of combined water and a low amount of alumina. There is probably a large amount of hydrous silica present. Fullers' earth possesses little or no plasticity, and in order to work properly has to be ground very fine. A chemical analysis is of little value at present in determining its quality; only a practical test suffices. Up to about two years ago all of the fullers' earth used in this country was imported from England; but about that time deposits were discovered in Florida, "† and since then rumors of its occurrence have been coming from all parts of the country. Next to the Florida deposits of fullers' earth, those of South Dakota are the most extensive thus far discovered in this country. The earth was first discovered near Fairburn, Custer county, and other deposits have since been prospected at Argyle, Minnekahta and other localities. Fairburn.—One of the first deposits located and opened up is five miles southeast of Fairburn, Custer county. The mine is a mile from the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad, and the section exposed shows, beginning at the top: Feet. Micaceous sandy clay,......... 6 Fullers' earth,..........9 Micaceous sandstone,......... The fullers' earth passes upwards into the sandy clay, but in its purer portions it is a yellowish, gritty clay, with a somewhat

Jan 1, 1898

By R. M. G. S. Berezowsky

An atmospheric ammoniacal thiosulphate leach system was developed to recover gold and silver from residues of the ammoniacal oxidation leaching of sulphidic copper concentrates. Extractions of 88 - 95% Au and 83 - 98% Ag were attained within 2 to 4 hours at 40 - 60°C in thiosulphate leaching of the oxidation leach residues of Manitoba chalcopyrite concentrates analyzing 24.6% Cu, 0.18 oz/ton Au and 4.26 oz/ton Ag and a complex British Columbia chalcopyrite/tetrahedrite concentrate analyzing 18.5% Cu, 0.27 oz/ton Au and 276 oz/ton Ag. Parameters affecting the Au and Ag solubilization included thiosulphate, ammonia, and cupric ion concentrations, temperature, retention time and the degree of Cu extraction and sulphide oxidation in the primary oxidation leach. The precious metals were recovered from the thiosulphate liquors by zinc dust cementation.

Jan 1, 1979

By Kenji Sasaki

Tamano Smelter started its operation in January, 1972 adopting FSFE ( Flash Smelting Furnace with Furnace Electrodes ) type smelting furnace at a production capacity of 101,00Ot/y of anode copper and 285,00Ot/y of sulfuric acid. Since then, it had experienced several production expansion program, it had twice as production capacity as start. 196,000t/y of anode copper and 436.000t/y of sulfuric acid. This time, we have completed the plan for increasing production capacity up to 226,000t/y of anode copper and 510,000t/y of sulfuric acid, by the oxygen enriched operation. We carried out several improvements and modifications, changing of cooling system ill FSFE, enlargement of converter and anode furnace, and some progresses in sulfuric acid plant and environmental facilities.

Jan 1, 1993

By Arthur F. Taggart

TO all Mineral Dressers, but particularly to those in the Coal and Industrial Minerals Divisions: Ted Counselman, retiring after two years at the helm of the Milling Committee, pointed with pride to the continued growth of that committee, and sang the swan song "Why ain't we a Division of Mineral Dressing?" Our genial Secretary pointed out, handily, that, you see, the way the Institute is divided there are several blocks running across this way here, and one running all the way down here, and another running part way down here, and they all cut across each other like this, and anyway the miners want to be a Division now, so why not you Mineral Dressers be good and not upset the big Institute organizational chart? And anyway again, Divisions have vested interests, and a Division of Mineral Dressing would take something away from Coal and something from Industrial Minerals, and any good institutional man can see that a Division would never give anything up. It was all quite confusing, and apparently not too convincing, because then the Milling Committee went ahead and voted unanimously it is a good idea, let's see what the other fellows think about it as well.

Jan 1, 1944

By R. S. Conti, C. D. Litton

This U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) report discusses the results of research conducted in the USBM experimental mine at its Lake Lynn Laboratory to determine the alarm times of smoke and carbon monoxide(CO) sensors, and a point type heat sensor (PTHS) to slowly developing coal-conveyor belt fires. The tests were conducted at air velocities of 0.44 and 0.97 m/s. The data clearly indicate that smoke sensors provide earlier warning of fire than 10 ppm CO sensors, and that 10 ppm CO sensors provide earlier warning than PTHS. A success rate of 1.0 (indicating detection of every test fire) was obtained for both smoke and CO sensors. For the PTHS, the success rate was 0.57 at the lower air velocity, decreasing to 0 at the higher air velocity. Data are also presented showing the sequence of fire events and detection events at the two air velocities as a function of time. Results show that early detection and warning of underground mine fires will improve the probability of miners’ escape.

Jan 1, 1995

By R. Clark Lantz, Charles Stanley, David E. Hinton

Morphometric examination of lung alterations following exposure to toxic and pathogenic substances is invaluable in detecting subtle changes which might otherwise be overlooked. Results, from evaluation of initial structural alterations, support and guide subsequent nonmorphological techniques and, when coupled appropriately, can lead to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of a disease. Morphometry is a technique which can be used to determine, quantitatively, the site, extent, development, and progression of a disease state. Determination of the extent of tissue and cellular involvement in the response to inhalation of silica has been performed in order to gain a better understanding of the development of fibrosis following inhalation of this toxicant. In addition, since silica has been postulated as one of the important pathogenic minerals in coal mine dust' it is important to understand the lung tissue response to silica prior to evaluating the effects of inhaled coal mine dusts. Male Syrian golden hamsters were placed in Hazelton 1000 inhalation chambers and were exposed to either filtered air (controls, n = 24) or filtered air plus 30 mg!m3 silica (Min-U-Si110,95%ofparticles < 5 um,n =24)for16hours per day, five days per week, for two weeks. Animals were returned to the animal quarters prior to subsequent tissue processing at 1, 4, and 12 weeks following exposure. This schedule was designed to allow time for the development of fibrosis. Lungs were fixed by intratracheal perfusion of ½ strength Karnovsky's fixative at a pressure of 20 cm H20 and tissues were taken for embedment and analysis at the light level. Determination of site, extent, and development of alterations was performed using a multitiered approach. Changes in large structures (airways, blood vessels) was determined prior to evaluation of changes at the septal tissue level. Data will be presented outlining the progression of changes. Results indicate the usefulness of morphometric analysis of lungs following inhalation of toxic substances in quantitatively defining the structural alterations.

Mar 1, 1989

By R. Asmatulu

According to Darcy&apos;s law, the rate of filtration should increase with increasing pressure drop across a filter cake. In centrifugal filtration, the driving pressure is created by the centrifugal forces applied in the free water on the surface of a filter cake. However, the pressure drop can become negative when the free water surface disappears, which makes it difficult to achieve low cake moistures. In hyperbaric centrifugal filtration, this problem is overcome using air pressure to restore the pressure differential. In the present work, various mineral and coal fines have been subjected to hyperbaric centrifugal filtration tests. The laboratory tests show that the moistures of various mineral fines, such as copper and zinc concentrates, phosphate, talc, kaolin clay, and precipitated calcium carbonate, can be reduced substantially below that achieved by conventional centrifuges. Similar promising results have also been obtained with various coal fines in laboratory and pilot-scale test programs and in full-scale plant demonstrations.

Jan 1, 2012

By Samuel S. Wyer

THE following abbreviations have been used in, the text: Cassier&apos;s, Cassier&apos;s Magazine. Eng. Lond., The Engineer (London). Eng. Mag., Engineering Magazine. Eng. and Min. Jour., Engineering and Mining Journal. Eng. News, Engineering News. Eng. Rec., Engineering Record. Engng., Engineering. Engr., The Engineer (Chicago). J. I. and S. I., Journal of the Iron and Steel Institute. Jour. F. I., Journal of the Franklin Institute. Jour. Assn. Eng. Soc., Journal of the Association of Engineering Societies. Mar. Eng., Marine Engineering. . Mem, Soc. Ing. Civ., France, Memoires de la Society des Ingenieurs Civils, France. Prac. Eng., Practical Engineer. Proc. Digs. Soc. of W. Pa., Proceedings of the Engineers&apos; Society of Western Pennsylvania. Proc. I. C. E., Proceedings of the Institute of Civil Engineers. Proc. I. 1M. E., Proceedings Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Trans. A. I. M. E., Transactions of the American Institute Mining Engineers. Sci. Am., Scientific American. Sci. Am. Sup., Scientific American Supplement. Zcitschr. d. V. D. Ing., Zeitschrift des Vereines Dentscher Ingcnieure.

Mar 1, 1905

By Yael Miron

Coal mines that undergo self-heatings, and specifically mines that sustain both floor heave and self-heatings, would benefit from the use of sealants to minimize air ingress to susceptible areas. The U.S. Bureau of Mines(USBM) evaluated three sealant systems for this purpose, bentonite-water mixtures, silicate gel, and guar gum gel. The guar gum-based gel was the only sealant that possessed the desired properties of elasticity, ease of preparation, adaptability to the mine, and a long life. In addition, since the gel consists mostly of water, it could quench or cool nearby heatings. Optimal formulations were determined in laboratory tests, and then tested in the USBM Safety Research Coal Mine. Two formulations resulted in stable gels that lasted for at least 12 months in the mine. Semi continuous preparation of gel using an eductor was evaluated and appears feasible. Although guar gum gel is expensive, selective use to prevent heatings in specific areas would be cost-effective, both interms of productivity and enhanced mine safety.

Jan 1, 1995

By Fadeela Saloojee, Frank K. Crundwell

"Pressure leaching is an option for copper recovery from chalcopyrite. Leaching takes place at high temperatures and pressures in the presence of an oxidising agent. This work shows how the performance of pressure leaching circuits may be improved by optimising the configuration of autoclaves and the heat-removal method. The objective was achieved by creating an autoclave model by combining mass balances, energy balances and population balances. A base-case circuit consisting of a single autoclave was chosen, and this base case was compared with options for increasing capacity by adding more autoclaves to the circuit. These capacity–increase options include circuits in which the additional autoclave is added in parallel, in series and in series with thickening between the two autoclaves. The copper extraction, productivity and cooling requirements for these options are compared. The series circuit with inter-stage thickening has the highest extraction and productivity, however, the cooling duty in the first autoclave is high. In addition to comparing circuit options, three options for heat removal were investigated: cooling coils, quench water and flash recycling. The flash-recycle option results in the highest copper extraction, and the quench-water option gives the lowest copper extraction. INTRODUCTION Background Copper sulfide ores and concentrates containing chalcopyrite are typically hard to leach under atmospheric conditions. Smelting of these ores may also be a challenge, due to the inability of smelting processes to handle low-grade ores, as well as impurities such as arsenic and antimony. Alternative hydrometallurgical routes to treating chalcopyrite are therefore required. One option is pressure leaching, which is the focus of this work. In the pressure leaching process, sulfide ores and concentrates are leached in autoclaves at temperatures of 200 to 220°C and a pressure of about 3000 kPa (Schlesinger et al., 2011). An oxidising agent, usually oxygen, is required to oxidise sulfide ions to sulfate ions. The oxidation of sulfur to sulfate is exothermic; consequently, a method of heat removal is necessary in order to maintain the temperature in the autoclave."

Jan 1, 2015

By Walter Kawa

Bureau of Mines research on the hydrogenation of coal has been concerned with developing processes that could be used to supplement the Nation&apos;s petroleum and natural gas resources. Motor fuel was produced in a subsidized coal hydrogenation industry in Europe prior to 1945, but the process used is still not economical and other methods of producing liquid and gaseous fuels from coal are being investigated. As an aid to the planning of coal hydrogenation research, a literature survey was made of processes or methods of hydrogenating coal that differ from the subsidized or conventional process. This report contains a bibliography of unconventional methods of hydrogenating coal and a brief discussion of the economics of the conventional method. A general discussion of unconventional methods is included, and the advantages and disadvantages are pointed out where possible. The survey supplements a previous Bureau of Mines survey3 and a comprehensive review published in 1930.4

Jan 1, 1964

By Boorder De, B. S. Panov, A. B. Westerhof, V. A. Korcemagin

Paper presented at the conference on Economic geology in Europe and beyond II, models for <mineral deposits> in sedimentary <basins>, held in Keyworth, UK, 13-14 April 1994. The Hg and Sb deposits of the Mediterranean and Circum-Pacific Belts are often found at elevated structural levels, suggesting that their preferential occurrence in young orogenic belts is not a fundamental metallogenic feature but merely reflects their chances of surviving post-orogenic peneplanation. In western Europe their emplacement appears often to be related to late orogenic extensional events accompanied by a notable increase in heat flow. Although Nikitovka and Almaden have quite different settings, both appear to be related to deep-reaching shears. Together with brittle fault zones at higher levels, these provided pathways for fluid phases that originated at least partially within the mantle. The Nikitovka deposits are located in the Donets segment of the 2 000 km Pripyat-Dniepr-Donets palaeorift in the East European Platform. Initiated in the mid-Devonian with a possible Precambrian precursor, its listric boundary faults displace the Moho from a depth of about 50 km north and south of the rift to 35 km along the axes of the Pripyat and Dniepr segments. The steep central anticline of the Donets segment, within which the main Hg-Sb district is located, is interpreted to be associated with a reactivated fault reaching into the upper mantle. The Almaden syncline, formed during the Variscan Orogeny, may be an older pull-apart basin or half-graben associated with the collapse of the Cadomian Orogenic Belt. It is situated on a major ENE-WSW-striking shear zone which may represent a Late Cadomian transfer zone reaching into the mantle

Apr 1, 1995