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By H. O. Hofman, H. L. Norton

Zinc smelters in the central western States have established a very high standard of purity for blende-concentrates, viz., zinc 60, iron less than 3, and lead less than 1 per cent. The very low percentage of iron is made possible by the blende containing less than 0.5 per cent. of isomorphous iron sulphide and by the sparing occurrence of pyritic material in the large blende-deposits of southwestern Missouri and southeastern Kansas. The blende in these districts occurs in sub-carboniferous limestone, and is associated with chert, residual clay, cal-cite, pyrite or marcasite and bitumen. The different minerals are coarse and therefore readily separated by mechanical washing from the blende, with the exception of pyrite and marcasite, as blende has a specific gravity of from 3.9 to 4.1; marcasite, from 4.85 to 4.90; and pyrite, from 4.95 to 5.10. The common procedure of dressing the ores' is to crush in a breaker, size in a trommel with 0.5-in. holes, pass the over-size through roughing-rolls and then jig the ore, now reduced to 0.5 in. maximum size, in roughing multiple-sieve jigs. The products of these are waste-tailings, side-discharge coarse concentrates, side-discharge coarse middlings and bottom-discharge fine middlings. The coarse concentrates are sent to the market. The coarse middlings are crushed in middlings-rolls and brought back into the system by feeding into the main trommel. The fine middlings are cleaned upon finishing-jigs. Any pyrite or marcasite present follows the blende and increases the percent- +1MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, BOSTON, MASS.

Jan 1, 1905

By J. Donovan Jacobs

An underground excavation project usually is a highly organized complex of different but interrelated construction activities. It is the whole effort, including the necessary tools, which will be referred to as the System. Tunnel-driving and shaft-sinking operations are among the most systematic of construction efforts. Systems are not new in the performance of construction. It is the Systems Concept which seems only recently to have been discovered and made the subject of much study and discussion. HISTORICAL From the seventeenth century, when explosives were first utilized for rock excavation, until the successful application of the rotary-head continuous tunneler in this decade, the cyclical drill-blast-muck-support method has been standard tunnel-driving procedure throughout the world. Whatever improvements occurred were the result of development of better tools for performing the various operations of the cycle. The electric locomotive replaced the mule and permitted the use of larger muck cars. The steam drill, which ended the day of the double jack, was itself quickly made obsolete when compressed air replaced steam as the source of drilling energy. Power shovels were introduced to save the time and money involved in the hand-loading of excavated materials. A cubic yard of rock tunnel muck can be excavated today for just half the man-hours of labor required in 1948. Developments over 20 years which cumulatively have resulted in this economy include: drifter drills mounted on hydraulically controlled booms and positioners; tungsten-car- bide-tipped bits; long feed shells on the drifters, making it possible to drill the full depth of a round without changing steel; better designed,

Jan 1, 1970

Mineral resource and ore reserve classification defines the risk associated with quoted resource tonnes and grades, allowing the interested party to make a judgement as to the `worth' of the resource statement. The JORC Code and Guidelines (1992) are now well entrenched as the foundation upon which gold and base metal deposits in particular are publicly reported. There are three categories of resource, namely Measured, Indicated or Inferred reflecting decreasing levels of confidence. The ore reserve, that is the economically mineable part of the resource, is classified as Proven or Probable and can only be drawn from the Measured and Indicated resource categories. As summarised by Stephenson (1995), resource/reserve classification has been an issue ever since the earliest days of mining in Australasia where, like elsewhere in the world, the industry, for a long time, lacked firm reporting guidelines. Those currently adopted in Australasia as the minimum standards for companies reporting to the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) have been developed and revised since 1972 by The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (The AusIMM), the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG) and Australian Mining Industry Council (AMIC). Debate is now underway in terms of adopting an international code. The Code specifically does not attempt to regulate either the classification technique nor the method of estimation of the resource/ore reserve, but rather places the responsibility for this task on a `Competent Person' whose experience will decide the appropriate approach for a given commodity/orebody. The Competent Person must be a Corporate member of either The AusIMM or AIG with five years experience `relevant to the style of mineralisation' under consideration.

Jan 1, 1996

By R. B. Russell

SINCE Cahn's¹ paper on plastic deformation in orthorhombic (a) uranium an increasing amount of work is to be expected on orientation of single crystals and preferred orientation in this metal. It would seem desirable to have a table of angles between crystallographic planes (hkl) and (HKL). Table I shows these angles as distances from (loo), (0l0), and (00l), and in Fig. 1 as a standard (001) stereographic projection. Only the locations of poles whose diffracting planes produce Cu Ka reflections up to 0 = 70.5" (i.e. (154) ) are given." The relative reflection of these planes are represented by circle diameters. It is hoped that the projection may also be used in making inverse pole figures, originally suggested by Harris.' Values of 4 were calculated from the expression hH kK 1L cos = hH/a²+kK/b²-lL/c² where the lattice parameters a, b, c, and the spac-ings d were taken from the work of Jacob and Warren." (They report a = 2.852 kX (2.8578 A), b = 5.865 kX (5.8768 A), c = 4.945 kX (4.9550 A).) The parameters reported by them may be subject to revision,4,5 accordingly the interplanar angles are listed to only the nearest tenth of a degree. References ¹R. W. Cahn: Acta Metallurgica (1953) 1, p. 49. ¹G. B. Harris: Philosophical Magazine (1952) 43, p. 113. 3C. W. Jacob and B. E. Warren: Journal ACS (1937) 59, p. 2588. 4J. S. Lukesh: Acta Crystallographica (1949) 2, p. 420. ³ J. Thewlis: Nature (1951) 168, p. 198.

Jan 1, 1954

By D. A. Belforti, M. P. Lepie

Spectroscopically pure copper was melted on sapphire plaques in a zydrogen atmosphere. The surface tension of the liquid metal was determined using the sessile drop technique. Measurements were made by direct observation with the aid of a specially const,mcted telescope. The value obtained, 1268 dynes per cm, is compared to that found in the literature. THERE is at this time considerable interest in the use of ceramics for vacuum tubes. The crystalline material is superior to the more conventional glass in mechanical strength, chemical inertness, dielectric properties, ability to withstand high temperatures, and so forth. However, ceramics are much more difficult to seal hermetically with metals than are the glasses. For this reason an investigation was undertaken to determine the wetting and adhesion of metals to ceramics. The sessile drop technique offers a convenient means at elevated temperatures for measuring liquid surface tension, wetting angle, density, spread- ing coefficient, and work of adhesion. Thus, from the contour of a drop of liquid at rest on a solid surface one can obtain a quantitative evaluation of the degree to which the two substances will bond. To this end a special apparatus was constructed so that various molten metals could be observed. Standardization of the apparatus was done initially by measuring the surface tension of copper since this is well documented in the metallurgy literature. Although there are many methods available for the measurement of surface energy,'+ the sessile drop technique has been used most extensively for molten metals and ceramics.5"' Fig. 1 illustrates the dimensions to be measured. From these values, the surface tension of the liquid can be obtained using the Bashforth and bdams' equation and tables.

Jan 1, 1963

By Lawson F

The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy is a society of engineers and scientists formed in 1893 (incorporated by Royal Charter in 1955) to advance science and engineering in the mineral industries, and to facilitate the exchange of information and ideas to enhance the professional excellence of its members. The Institute has several grades of members. The professional members are linked with Student and Company Members, as well as an Affiliate grade covering other professionals and non-professionals with experience in the mineral industry. The diverse group covers all sections of the mineral industry, from exploration through production to marketing of minerals and petroleum. Corporate (professional) membership also covers science and engineering professionals from specialisms other than the "traditional" ones in geosciences, mining and petroleum engineering and metallurgy. The Institute has Branches throughout Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Oceania, whose activities complement the corporate occasions arranged for the benefit of all members by Headquarters in Melbourne. Members are drawn from all sections of the industry - private enterprise, government, research, education, and the support sector, including consultancies, manufacturers and suppliers. Membership of The Institute allows professionals to contribute to their profession through participation in The Institute's seminars and conferences, its many committees and Branch meetings, and through contribution to its many high standard publications. The Institute is the main body for the accreditation of professionals in the minerals industry. The activities of The Institute are directed towards the achievement of professional excellence. It provides opportunitites for contact with, and professional support from, colleagues, and the interchange of information on the latest industry developments.

Jan 1, 1989

By Paton T. P

In the technical sense, as well as in the professional sense, the word 'model' can have many meanings. More than 23 000 references were uncovered by a simple literature search on keywords ' MO D EL#. and. (META LLURG#. or. M I NERAL#)' . For the purpose of this paper, 'models' will be considered to be mathematical formulations which attempt to represent or approximate a process. The model may be purely, or a combination of: ò fundamental models, based on the laws of physics, chemistry and thermodynamics; ò semi-empirical or phenomenological models, where an intuitive concept of the process is formulated and found by testwork to fit observed behaviour; and ò empirical or 'black-box' models (including neural networks), where a mathematically convenient form is proposed and fitted. Even under this more restricted definition, which eliminates heuristic and statistical 'models', it is clear that the efforts expended in devising and using models have exploded during the years since the first APCOM Conference in 1961, benefiting from the dramatic decrease in the cost of computer power. This paper reviews the areas of usage of computer modelling in the metallurgical and mineral processing industries, from plant design, through off-line support, to on-line modelling and automatic control. In each area, frontiers of new development of the technology are mentioned. It is noted that, while modelling is now standard practice in design, it is not yet the norm in operating and controlling plants. The reasons for this partial acceptance are, it is argued, less related to the limitations of the technology than to the human and organisational factors involved in transferring technology to implementation.

Jan 1, 1995

By Charles McElroy White

IT is indeed an honor to have been asked to participate in the program which celebrates the seventy-fifth birthday of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers. This great organization has occupied an important place in the professional and industrial life of this country-of the world. Its members have explored the far reaches of our globe and have played a great part in the discovery, extraction and utilization of the mineral resources upon which our civilization so largely depends. These engineers, together with the restless prospectors, on the one hand, and the scientists, on the other, have literally been the advance scouts of our modern way of life. As such, we owe them a deep and lasting debt of gratitude. May I, therefore, wish many happy returns to the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers and express the hope that it may long continue to be of great service, as it has been in the past. The subject assigned to me-Iron Ore and the Steel Industry-is, indeed, important, as one considers the future of our world. I shall give as few figures as possible. Pertinent statistical data are included in the tables in this chapter, which, I think, will prove interesting. Many studies of iron-ore reserves have been -published and are available; hence I shall limit myself mainly to an interpretation of these figures. The statistics data are from standard sources, including the Lake Superior Iron Ore Association, the American Iron and Steel Institute, the United States Bureau of Mines, the United States Geological Survey, the United

Jan 1, 1947

By P. G. Chamberlain, E. R. Podnieks, R. E. Thill

Although published data on the physical properties of rock are voluminous, information is often lacking on the environmental conditions under which such data were acquired. Efforts are frequently directed to improve specimen tolerances and preparation procedures; but investigators often overlook giving the rock environment equally careful control during the testing program. Generally, tests are conducted at existing laboratory room conditions, and the prepared rock specimens are frequently, if not most commonly, air-dried for various lengths of time before testing. The standard testing atmosphere recommended by the American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM)1 is 73.4°F and 50% relative humidity. To maintain a rock at 50% relative humidity for testing purposes, however, requires special equipment and preconditioning procedures, as this study demonstrates. Relatively small variations in the moisture content of a specimen, for example, due to the coolants or lubricants used during specimen preparation, can cause significant variations in the physical properties measured. Such moisture variations may occur in the rock specimen even after it is air-dried, since laboratory humidity conditions commonly fluctuate from day to day. For these reasons, this study emphasizes procedures for preconditioning and maintaining a controlled environment during testing. Although the effects of moisture or temperature on rock properties have previously been studied, their combined effect on rock properties is unknown. In this study, uniaxial compressive strength, Young's and stiffness moduli, and longitudinal wave velocity were determined and compared under controlled conditions of temperature, moisture, and pressure for 11 environments considered to be of particular interest in laboratory, in-situ, and even simulated lunar environments. The following environments were selected for this program: -250°F under dry, 50%

Jan 1, 1972

By C. O. Brawner

Geotechnical theory is reasonably well developed to evaluate the stability of rock slopes for surface mining projects. It is recognized widely that structural geology, groundwater pressures and seepage, and blasting are key factors that influence the stability of such slopes. However, our capabilities to model the structural geology, to determine rock strength along discontinuities and to model groundwater pressures and profiles are still very approximate. Plus, practical experience of the rock mechanics engineer is one of the most important inputs to the design of open pit mine slopes. To emphasize the use of practical experience, a number of case examples are reviewed here to illustrate key factors that must be evaluated. These case examples comprise a continuation of other examples presented in the Jackling lecture to the SME in 1986 by the author (Brawner, 1986). Example no. 1 In situations where the orientation of geologic discontinuities will not influence rock slope stability, extremely steep slopes can be developed, providing blasting and groundwater are controlled adequately. An excellent example of this condition is the Republic Pit of Cleveland Cliffs in Michigan. The rock slope in Fig. 1 isover400fthigh with a face angle of approximately 80". The rock is hard and massive, and blasting was carefully controlled. The original design of this slope was at45", a standard design angle at that time. The competency of the rock and the lack of critical geologic structure subsequently was recognized, and the much steeper slope angle was developed successfully. The rock proved to be so competent and the slope sufficiently stable that an underground crusher station was developed with entrance and exit tunnels excavated at the toe of the steep wall.

Jan 1, 1991

By H. F. Yancey, M. R. Greer

At the annual meeting of this Institute held two years ago a new method1 of estimating the grindability of coal was described, based on experimental work carried on by the Bureau of Mines at its Northwest Experiment Station. Since that time, several organizations concerned with the testing or utilization of coal as pulverized fuel have adopted and used the method in determining the grindability of several hundred samples of coal. In addition, a series of comparative tests of this method and three others has been carried out in five laboratories under the auspices of Committee D-5 of the American Society for Testing Materials. As a result the Committee has recommended that the Bureau of Mines method, designated as the "ball-mill method," and the Hardgrove method2, previously advanced, be accepted as tentative standards3. Since the ball-mill method was originally developed and published, an opportunity has been presented to apply it to a larger number of coals and to study intensively some of the principles upon which the method is based. This paper presents a résumé of these further studies and includes a comparison with the Hardgrove-machine method. Trial runs were also made with another procedure recently proposed—the C.I.T. roll-test method4. Principles of Methods In the ball-mill method, the relative amounts of energy necessary to grind coals to the same fineness are determined by the number of revolutions of the mill required to reduce 80 per cent of the feed (500 grams of 10 to 200-mesh coal) fine enough to pass a 200-mesh screen. This is a

Jan 1, 1936

By John E. Conley

The production of lime by the burning or calcination of limestone, including all varieties from true dolomites and magnesian limestones to high-calcium types, continues as one of the essential basic industries. In 1937, a total of 4,124,165 tons of lime valued at approximately $30,091,000 was produced in the United States.' The importance of any contribution to our knowledge on the mechanism of the lime-burning process is, therefore, obvious. The burning of limestone has been practiced since the earliest days of our civilization, and the literature on the various phases of the industry is voluminous. Calcination of the various types of limestone has been studied by many previous investigators, but some points require additional research. Each occurrence of limestone provides an opportunity for specific investigation, because the characteristics of stones in different localities vary. Knibbs13 has given an excellent discussion of available data on the theory of lime and magnesia burning. The thermal dissociation of calcium carbonate has been studied more recently by Johnstonr2 Smyth and Adams,3 Ralston et al.,4 Furnas,6 Potapenko,6 and Southard and Royster.7 As a result of these investigations the dissociation temperature at atmospheric pressure has been established as 894" to 898' C. The dissociation of dolomite and magnesite, although studied by several investigators,4,6,8 still requires clarification by additional data. The calcination of limestone was studied for a twofold purpose: (I) to extend our information on the mechanism of the lime-burning process and (2) to standardize the conditions for calcination of high-calcium and dolomitic limestones for subsequent hydration tests on the lime.

Jan 1, 1942

By John E. Conley

THE production of lime by the burning or calcination of limestone, including all varieties from true dolomites and magnesian limestones to high-calcium types, continues as one of the essential basic industries. In 1937, a total of 4,124,165 tons of lime valued at approximately $30,091,000 was produced in the United States.1 The importance of any contribution to our knowledge on the mechanism of the lime-burning process is, therefore, obvious. The burning of limestone has been practiced since the earliest days of our civilization, and the literature on the various phases of the industry is voluminous. Calcination of the various types of limestone has been studied by many previous investigators, but some points require additional research. Each occurrence of limestone provides an opportunity for specific investigation, because the characteristics of stones in different localities vary Knibbs13 has given an excellent discussion of available data on the theory of lime and magnesia burning. The thermal dissociation of calcium carbonate has been studied more recently by Johnston,2 Smyth and Adams,3 Ralston et al.,4 Furnas,5 Potapenko,6 and Southard and Royster.7 As a result of these investigations the dissociation temperature at atmospheric pressure has been established as 894º to 898º C. The dissociation of dolomite and magnesite, although studied by several investigator,4, 6, 8 still requires clarification by additional data. The calcination of limestone was studied for a twofold purpose: (1) to extend our information on the mechanism of the lime-burning process and (2) to standardize the conditions for calcination of high-calcium and dolomitic limestones for subsequent hydration tests on the lime.

Jan 1, 1939

The investigations of the Leningrad ruining lilstitute on this problem are carrying out in the following main directions: 1) The analysis and study of contaminants migration at particular sites of mining development; 2) The working out of theoretical and me- thodical basic principles of aquifers migration tests; 3) The work- ing out of methods of the forcasting of groundwater pollution pro- cesses; 4) The theoretical and uethodical substantiation of hydro- geological observations of groundwater pollution processes; 5) The wort ing out of the measures at the groundwater control and their rational use at the particular sites of mining development. The research that have been carried out by the present moment have covered the wide range of wining and geological conditions -- as from the point of view of specific genetic types of water-be- aring rocks (porous, fissured and fissured-porous), as well as from the point of view of pollution sources (surface waste water basins and underground basins of non-standard water) and the cha- racter of the latter's migration (tracers, physically neutral ef- fluents, heavy or light ones). The combination of specialized mi- gration tests and observations carryed out at uoayi, sites, as well as the following ar~,alysis o:i the data of field study allowed to get useful theoretical, methodical and practical results on the all directions above mentioned, ns the summing up of these results the author proposed the concept of controlled ground :ester polluti on. This conception is based on three whales" - groundwater self- purification, engineering prevention measures and ground-water monitoring correlated with each other by succes i.vely refined (ac- cording to the observation data) hydrogeologicZl forecasts.

Jan 1, 1988

By Ronald W. Utley

INTRODUCTION The ''Do's and Don'ts" of installing equipment in a comminution circuit begin during the study stage of a proposed project, continue through preliminary engineering, detail engineering, procurement, the actual placement of equipment at the job site, and end with turnover to the owner. Equipment supplied for a modern comminution circuit will be high quality, rugged machinery designed according to appropriate manufacturing standards for long hours of trouble-free service. However, certain precautions and procedures must be observed in plant design and layout, equipment handling, installing and servicing in order to obtain optimum performance. This chapter contains general installation "DO'S and Don'ts" for the major equipment in the circuit. •Primary Gyratory Crushers •Rock Breakers (Hammer) •Belt Conveyors •Apron Feeders •Weigh Belt Scales •Secondary Crushers •Vibrating Screens •Grinding Mills •Mill Liners •Open Gear Sets •Speed Reducers •Electric Motors •Cyclones •Slurry Pumps Some questions will not be covered in this chapter, or may not be applicable to the actual equipment purchased, as requirements do vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Additional specific information can be obtained by contacting the manufacturer's local representative or the factory. All inquiries should be accompanied by the following information: •Unit size and type of equipment •Manufacturer's shop order number (after order placement) •Serial number (after manufacture) DO'S 8 DON'TS FOR INSTALLATION OF ALL COMMINUTION CIRCUIT EQUIPMENT Installation By Design DO obtain tables of weights and clearances from manufacturer. DO obtain WR2 forces from manufacturer to determine that the foundation is adequate. DO determine compression strength of foundation soil and/or rock. DO obtain manufacturer's recommended typical foundation drawings. If substantial alteration to manufacturer's drawings is required, check with the manufacturer before proceeding.

Jan 1, 1982

By H. F. Yancey, M. R. Greer

At the annual meeting of this Institute held two years ago a new method1 of estimating the grindability of coal was described, based on experimental work carried on by the Bureau of Mines at its Northwest Experiment Station. Since that time, several organizations concerned with the testing or utilization of coal as pulverized fuel have adopted and used the method in determining the grindability of several hundred samples of coal. In addition, a series of comparative tests of this method and three others has been carried out in five laboratories under the auspices of Committee D-5 of the American Society for Testing Materials. As a result the Committee has recommended that the Bureau of Mines method, designated as the "ball-mill method," and the Hardgrove method2, previously advanced, be accepted as tentative standards3. Since the ball-mill method was originally developed and published, an opportunity has been presented to apply it to a larger number of coals and to study intensively some of the principles upon which the method is based. This paper presents a résumé of these further studies and includes a comparison with the Hardgrove-machine method. Trial runs were also made with another procedure recently proposed—the C.I.T. roll-test method4. Principles of Methods In the ball-mill method, the relative amounts of energy necessary to grind coals to the same fineness are determined by the number of revolutions of the mill required to reduce 80 per cent of the feed (500 grams of 10 to 200-mesh coal) fine enough to pass a 200-mesh screen. This is a

Jan 1, 1936

By Jed H. Mosgrove

One of the most interesting of all the subjects required of persons studying the different facets of coal mining is coal mine gases. Some mine gases have been a real problem since the very beginning of underground mining, and in the early days there was insufficient knowledge to cope with them. The history of mining shows that until about the last 50 years, much work was done primarily by the hand methods which are primitive by today's standards. Miners had to contend with gases without the aid of enclosed lighting, permissible mine machinery, sophisticated testing devices, and high-pressure ventilating fans. In early days the miners were not educated about the different mine gases nor did they have the technical equipment to determine the actual composition of the deadly atmospheres they encountered. They simply applied a descriptive term to each gas or mixture of gases depending on its, effect on a person or the surrounding atmosphere. The gases or mixtures of gases were then referred to as "damps," a term which was probably derived from the German word "damps," meaning vapors or gases. The more common damps encountered were : Blackdamp A condition of the atmosphere in which a miner's light would be extinguished and in which breathing would be difficult, sometimes even resulting in suffocation. An atmosphere deficient in oxygen which could contain a combination of any of the mine gases. Firedamp A flammable mixture of methane and air which would either burn or explode when ignited. White Damp A mixture of gases containing carbon monoxide, most often found in mines during fires or after explosions.

Jan 1, 1981

By John E. Conley

The production of lime by the burning or calcination of limestone, including all varieties from true dolomites and magnesian limestones to high-calcium types, continues as one of the essential basic industries. In 1937, a total of 4,124,165 tons of lime valued at approximately $30,091,000 was produced in the United States.' The importance of any contribution to our knowledge on the mechanism of the lime-burning process is, therefore, obvious. The burning of limestone has been practiced since the earliest days of our civilization, and the literature on the various phases of the industry is voluminous. Calcination of the various types of limestone has been studied by many previous investigators, but some points require additional research. Each occurrence of limestone provides an opportunity for specific investigation, because the characteristics of stones in different localities vary. Knibbs13 has given an excellent discussion of available data on the theory of lime and magnesia burning. The thermal dissociation of calcium carbonate has been studied more recently by Johnstonr2 Smyth and Adams,3 Ralston et al.,4 Furnas,6 Potapenko,6 and Southard and Royster.7 As a result of these investigations the dissociation temperature at atmospheric pressure has been established as 894" to 898' C. The dissociation of dolomite and magnesite, although studied by several investigators,4,6,8 still requires clarification by additional data. The calcination of limestone was studied for a twofold purpose: (I) to extend our information on the mechanism of the lime-burning process and (2) to standardize the conditions for calcination of high-calcium and dolomitic limestones for subsequent hydration tests on the lime.

Jan 1, 1942

By Jed H. Mosgrove

One of the most interesting of all the subjects required of persons studying the different facets of coal mining is coal mine gases. Some mine gases have been a real problem since the very beginning of underground mining, and in the early days there was insufficient knowledge to cope with them. The history of mining shows that until about the last 50 years, much work was done primarily by the hand methods which are primitive by today's standards. Miners had to contend with gases without the aid of enclosed lighting, permissible mine machinery, sophisticated testing devices, and high-pressure ventilating fans. In early days the miners were not educated about the different mine gases nor did they have the technical equipment to determine the actual composition of the deadly atmospheres they encountered. They simply applied a descriptive term to each gas or mixture of gases depending on its effect on a person or the surrounding atmosphere. The gases or mixtures of gases were then referred to as "damps," a term which was probably derived from the German word "dampf," meaning vapors or gases. The more common damps encountered were : Blackdamp A condition of the atmosphere in which a miner's light would be extinguished and in which breathing would be difficult, sometimes even resulting in suffocation. An atmosphere deficient in oxygen which could contain a combination of any of the mine gases Firedamp A flammable mixture of methane and air which would either burn or explode when ignited. White Damp A mixture of gases containing carbon monoxide, most often found in mines during fires or after explosions.

Jan 1, 1981

By Jan Rosenkranz, Anders Sand, Lisa Malm, Nils-Johan Bolin

Within flotation technology the general trend is towards very large cells. Scale-up is usually done by postulating geometrical similarity, which implies keeping the aspect ratio constant when increasing cell volume. Consequently, the design of flotation circuits typically involves several cells of identical geometry within a bank. Using a few standard sizes in a flotation plant simplifies design, manufacturing and maintenance of the cells, but does not necessarily guarantee optimal performance and selectivity of the flotation process. Geometry parameters for a given cell volume that influence flotation cell performance include cell height, which causes changes in the hydrostatic pressure and suspension hydrodynamics, and also influences the travel distance of particle-bubble agglomerates as well as the homogeneity of the mixing. Also the thickness of the froth layer depends on the aspect ratio of the cell. The objective of this work is to gain a better understanding of material distribution and properties within a flotation cell and, based on this information, elucidate how alterations of the cell geometry can influence separation efficiency. For this purpose systematic measurements and analyses of the spatial distribution of the different phases within a 160 m3 flotation cell have been carried out with a particular focus on an industrial, low-grade copper ore beneficiation process. The concepts for sampling at different vertical and lateral positions of the flotation cell are introduced. The results from the experimental work give an understanding of internal material distribution within flotation cells. Based on the measured phase distribution and concentrations as well as particle properties at various positions within the cell, the implications for an optimized scaling and design of individual flotation cells within a flotation circuit are discussed.

Jan 1, 2016