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By den Bulck A. Van

In Europe, 50% of the copper originates from recycling. High-Cu containing scraps are regularly rich in impurities like Fe, Ni, Sn and Pb. Many high-Cu containing scraps are fed directly into anode-furnace casting installations or furnaces with limited refining capability. The impurities levels of the anodes produced in these processes should however remain acceptable for further electro-refining. The distribution of Sn between copper and slag has been investigated for conditions relevant to copper converting. Unlike previous studies, this work focuses on the behavior of Sn relevant to fire refining conditions, which are essential for anode refineries.In this study, liquid Cu–1Sn and CuOx–FeOy–SiO2 slag, with CaO additions, were equilibrated at 1300 °C in vacuum sealed SiO2 ampoules. After metal–slag equilibration, the samples were quenched in water. The composition of the slag and Cu metal was investigated with Electron Probe X-ray Microanalysis. The distribution coefficients of Sn between slag and Cu metal were determined as a function of slag composition.

By W. Rocher

The Minera Ojos Del Salado (?MINOSAL?) concentrator is located 20 kilometers southeast of Copiapo, Chile and processes copper ore provided by its Santos and Resguardo mines at a capacity of 4,200 tip (4,620 stpd). Phelps Dodge acquired the majority interest in MINOSAL in 1982. The principal incentive for this purchase was the exploration potential of the property. At that time, the concentrator plant was a small, antiquated installation with a capacity of 674 t/d (740 stpd). In 1982, the majority of the ore was produced from the Santos and Resguardo mines, but custom ores of copper, silver, and gold were also treated. The acquisition occurred at a crucial time in the copper business, since the price had fallen to nearly $0.50 per pound. In 1985, Phelps Dodge purchased the outstanding interest in MINOSAL and acquired 100% of the property. Today, after numerous improvements and two expansion projects, the concentrator is an interesting combination of old and new equipment. The regrind mills, for example, have been in service for about 50 years, while the ceramic concentrate filter represents the latest technology.

Jan 1, 1993

By R. V. Higgins

Many contributions to methods of forecasting the performance of waterfloods of a five-spot pattern have been made by investigators. In most of these forecasting methods, a previously selected sweep efficiency is used, and other simplifying assumptions are employed to obtain the objective. In this paper the calculated oil recoveries from several five-spot single- and multiple-layer stratified reservoirs were made with a minimum of assumptions, and because of the techniques used, no previously selected sweep efficiency was required. As a result, the accuracy of the forecast is increased. Permeability curves and continuously changing saturation gradients are used in every section of the pattern. By means of a potentiometric model, the flood pattern is divided into channels, the centers of which are the streamlines. The channels are divided into cells. As flood water enters, the permeability and saturation of each cell change with time. In this study the production from multiple-sand layers of different absolute permeability but with the same relative permeability-saturation relations are combined. The results are shown for a single- and 10-layer reservoir with a permeability variation of 0.60. The oil rate, water-oil ratio, and recovery are shown as functions of time for a 2- and 20-centipoise oil starting in primary phase and after fill-up.

Jan 1, 1962

By G S. C Murray

Major mining projects are developed with the assistance of lending institutions who provide hundreds of millions of dollars in funding over several years, and of course expect those funds to be returned with interest. Two Australian banks have adopted the Equator Principles, an emerging financial industry benchmark for assessing and managing environmental and social risk in project financing. Project financiers have encountered environmental and social issues that are both complex and challenging, particularly with respect to projects in the emerging markets of Asia-Pacific and elsewhere. There are many recent and historical examples of failures by resource companies to effectively manage their environmental, social, safety and security risks, some of which have caused the project to fail completely, and some of which have caused the temporary cessation of production. These events put the financial institutionsÆ funds at risk through inadequate management capacity and non-compliance adversely affecting the ability of the borrowers to repay the loans. They can also reflect adversely on the reputation of the lending institutions. In assessing these risks, lenders are increasingly looking at the track record of the borrower in its country of origin and in other countries where it operates. Lenders are wary of companies that have one standard for operations in a developed country, where the regulatory environment may tightly control what they do, and another standard for operations in countries where the regulatory regime is perhaps less stringent. Lenders may require environmental and social reviews or audits to be conducted on their behalf by competent third parties prior to a loan being approved, and annually over the life of the relationship. The mining industryÆs concept of the unwritten æsocial licence to operateÆ is highly relevant in relation to the delivery of community benefits that are sustainable post-mine closure. This paper provides examples of recent practices that support financial viability and sustainable development, as well as examples of some failures that have put lenders at risk.

Jan 1, 2007

By C. C. Furnas

In the course of an investigation3 of the flow of gases through beds of broken solids the author obtained a number of data .on the specific volume of beds of broken solids of variously mixed sizes. A mathematical theory of the limiting conditions has been developed and some generalizations have been made for intermediate cases. A more definite knowledge of the relation between space occupied and size composition would be valuable to all those who are handling large quantities of broken materials. Such knowledge might be advantageously applied to the operation of a coke oven. For example, the output of the oven depends in general upon the number of pounds of coal which can be put in the oven at charging. It is known that the capacity of one battery of ovens was increased several per cent by slightly increasing the proportion of fine material in the charge.

Jan 1, 1928

By Shae K. Kim

The aim of this study is to manufacture magnesium alloys with alkaline earth metal oxides (BeO, CaO, MgO or SrO) additions with the objectives of (1) ensuring safety during processing and applications by raising the ignition temperature and reducing oxidation, (2) protecting the environment by reducing or eliminating use of protective gases, (3) maintaining or improving elevated temperature properties with lower amount of Ca or Sr or rare earth metals when compared with conventionally developed high-temperature magnesium alloys, (4) developing cleaner strip casting and continuous casting processes without hot tearing and (5) obtaining all of these objectives without sacrificing mechanical properties or increasing the cost of magnesium alloys.

Jan 1, 2006

By Richard L. Ashbrook, John F. Wallace

Several high-temperature eutectics of cobalt and nickel alloys were modified by small additions of selected elements. Thes-e alloys were compared to unmodified melts for microstructural variations. A few modified compositions were selected on the basis of structure and their tensile and stress-rupture behavior determined. The results of stress-rupture tests in air at 1800 F and room-temperature tensile tests of four high-temperature eutectics showed modification capable of producing substantial improvements in properties. The microstructures were altered and mechanical properties improved by: a.) dispersing a subordinate phase more uniformly throughout the matrix; b) replacing large continuous -network or platelike constituents with small equiaxed discontinuous phases; and c) by forming new, finely divided phases. tHE term "modification" is most commonly used to describe the refinement in microstructure of the Al-Si eutectic that occurs as a result of rapid cooling from the melt or on slow cooling after treatment with small amounts of sodium.1 "Modification" has also been used to describe the change from flake to spheroidal graphite in the austenite-graphite eutectic of cast iron.2 This change of graphite shape is accomplished by small additions of cerium or magnesium.3 Other systems have also been shown to be capable of modification, for example: Pb-Sn by copper;4 Al-Cu by sodium;5 Al-Mn by sodium;5 and Pb-Sb by aluminum.5 Although modification of Al-Si alloys and cast irons is usually accompanied by improved mechanical properties, a general definition of modification has been suggested to include the effect of small quantities of impurity elements on the microstructures of all eutectic alloys, regardless of the effect on the mechanical properties.6 In this paper, the term "modification" is employed in a broad sense to include the formation of third phases or even the supplanting of one of the binary eutectic phases by a third phase. The mechanism of modification, as for any solidification phenomenon, must be considered primarily in terms of nucleation and growth. Although both nuclea-tion and growth mechanisms are required to explain all the phenomena observed in connection with the solidification of modified eutectics, various investigators have usually favored one or the other.7"16 It has been shown that modification of a binary eutectic can be effected by addition of a solute element that has greatly different distribution coefficients or k values in the two phases of the eutectic. Under these conditions, differences in the temperatures at the solid-liquid interfaces of the two phases retard the growth of one phase with respect to the other.4 It has also been shown that increased undercooling favors a transition from a rodlike eutectic to a globular eutectic.17 A mechanism proposed for the transition from lamellar to rodlike eutectics depends on the concept of constitutional super cooling.18 The modification of eutectic alloys may be of interest for high-temperature service as well as at room temperature. Although "high-temperature eutectic alloys" may appear to be a contradiction in terms, many eutectic systems, including those studied in this work, have melting points in excess of 2400°F. One of the mechanisms by which high-temperature alloys are strengthened is dispersion of a relatively brittle phase such as an oxide, carbide, or an inter-metallic compound throughout a ductile matrix. For a given volume fraction of dispersed phase, strength is increased by decreasing the size and spacing of the dispersed particles.19'20 Furthermore, room-temperature ductility may also be increased by changing the shape of a brittle dispersed phase from platelike to equiaxed or spheroidal.8 Overaging and redissolving of the secondary phase limit the maximum temperature to which precipitation-hardened alloys can be used. However, in a binary eutectic system, both phases coexist up to the melting point. Although all eutectic structures are not completely stable,21 a dispersion-hardened cast high-temperature alloy might result if a fine distribution of one of the eutectic phases could be obtained during solidification. An additional reason for interest in eutectic alloys is their excellent castability.22 Since eutectic alloys, like pure metals, freeze at a single temperature rather than over a range of temperatures, their castability is superior to solid-solution alloys with long liquidus to solidus ranges. The purpose of this research was to study the effects of small solute additions on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a number of high-melting-point eutectic compositions.

Jan 1, 1967

By L. E. Garner

Aggregate resources should be considered primary factors in urban development. Resource planning is essential because land values, previous construction, or zoning restrictions often preempt exploitation of aggregate deposits within an urban area. Sequential land use practices allow development of areas prior to urban development. Population and aggregate consumption trends in Austin, Texas, indicate that substantial quantities of reserves will be lost to future development. Aggregate materials are present in nearby seas. However, a comparison of transportation and reclamation costs indicates that reclaiming land after mineral extraction can be significantly cheaper than transporting materials longer distances.

Jan 1, 1979

By P Swart, A Fletcher, P D. Erskine

Glencore Coal Assets Australia (GCAA) operates five coalmines in Queensland and has rehabilitated thousands of hectares of mined land across these sites. Accordingly, GCAA seeks to continually improve rehabilitation outcomes over time and work towards progressive rehabilitation sign-off. The ultimate test of rehabilitation success is the attainment of an agreed land-use target, whether for biodiversity conservation or some type of agricultural production, and the ability of the rehabilitated landscape to resist degradation and retain desired functions (eg biodiversity protection or grazing productivity). However, success must be based on documented evidence that can demonstrate adequate progress towards rehabilitation targets and is assessed at appropriate intervals. To assist this task, a stepwise decision guide for the GCAA monitoring program was developed to ensure consistent monitoring data is collected across the range of sites. This presentation will discuss some of the processes that were followed to allow GCAA to identify appropriate metrics to assess rehabilitation success efficiently over thousands of hectares.CITATION:Erskine, P, Fletcher, A and Swart, P, 2016. Preparing for progressive mine rehabilitation sign-off in Queensland, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2016 Conference, pp 148–150 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jun 28, 2016

By M. P. Valoski

Mine fires and/or explosions continue to occur. While these are unusual events, they comprise emergency situations. Whenever one of these events occurs, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) responds with specially trained teams, mine fire experts, sophisticated scientific instrumentation, and trained instrument operators. In order to analyze mine air samples on-site, because time is of the essence, MSHA has a Mobile Gas Laboratory. The laboratory, which is stored near Pittsburgh, is totally self-contained. Sending air samples to a laboratory would take too long. Mine fire experts need the results of the latest analyses as soon as they are finished. The mobile laboratory is housed in the box of a diesel truck. Benches line both sides of the laboratory. Gas chromatographs are mounted on the benches. There is sufficient bench space for multiple bench top gas chromatographs. These instruments and their controllers are shock and vibration isolated to protect them during transit. The mobile laboratory can operate using on board diesel generators or line power. An uninterrupted power supply (UPS) supplies power to the instruments while switching from generator to line power or visa versa. Therefore, analysis of samples can proceed without interruption if a power failure would occur. In the rear of the mobile laboratory are racks that hold compressed gas cylinders. These cylinders contain carrier gas and compressed air. An air compressor is housed under the laboratory to operate the gas chromatograph actuators. Within several hours after arriving at a mine the instruments have stabilized and have been calibrated. The mobile laboratory is ready to begin analyzing air samples. The mobile laboratory has proved itself at many mine fires and explosions since its purchase.

Jan 1, 2009

By R. G. Eggert

"A critical element, as the term has come to be used, provides essential properties to a modern engineered material and is subject to supply risk. The rare-earth elements became perhaps the most prominent of the critical elements in recent years because of their important uses in permanent magnets, advanced lighting, and military materials; the geographic concentration of production in China; and the dramatic run-up in prices in 2010-2011 followed by price collapse between 2011 and 2016. Yet criticality extends beyond the rare earths. What is critical depends on your perspective – who and where you are, and when you ask. This paper reviews the many perspectives on, or faces of, critical elements. It compares and contrasts perspectives of industry (General Electric), national or regional manufacturing sectors (Japan, European Union), emerging energy technologies (as seen by U.S. Department of Energy and, separately, Joint Research Centre of the European Commission) and the world as a whole (as evaluated by academics). This comparison reveals a diversity of not only perspectives but also methodologies and time frames of concern.INTRODUCTIONRare-earth elements appeared prominently in the news in 2010 and 2011 because of the dramatic increase in their prices; their important uses in permanent magnets, advanced lighting, and military materials combined with the geographic concentration of production in China, which reduced export quotas significantly. Rare earths became the most prominent of what have become known as critical elements or materials – that is, those that provide essential properties to modern engineered materials and yet are subject to supply risks.Yet criticality, the state of being both essential and subject to supply risks, extends beyond rare earths. What is critical depends on your perspective. This paper begins by reviewing a little history and presenting a general conceptual framework from which to think about critical materials. It then reviews the many perspectives on, or faces of, critical elements – corporate, national, and global, as well several that focus on emerging energy technologies. The paper concludes with thoughts on what to do to mitigate the potentially negative effects of the supply risks associated with criticality."

Jan 1, 2016

By Antal Partos

ATLAS Processing Company Shrevesport, LA initiated a major plant expansion in 1980. SITE Engineers, Inc. provided engineering consultation regarding the foundation of the vacuum unit. Four test borings were drilled and laboratory testing completed for shear strength and compressibility. Vertical drains were proposed to accelerate time rates of settlements. Steel erection was completed by May 22, 1981 with very small < 0.1 in., settlements. Hydrotesting was initiated on July 9, 1981 and completed on August 27, 1981. An average rebound of 0.3 in. was computed resulting into an average net settlement of 0.5 in. This paper describes in detail soil behavior during load testing.

Jan 1, 1992

By Y. J. Wang

The Hardy Cross iterative method is the most popular technique for solving a ventilation network problem with natural air splitting. This method traditionally solves each mesh equation by an approximation during each iteration. Thus, it is interesting from both a theoretical and a computational viewpoint to be able to solve for an exact solution to the mesh equation. Presented in this paper is an algorithm for computing the exact solution to the mesh equation with a variable fan pressure. The algorithm uses signum functions for air quantities to generate an alternative mesh equation in the form of a quadratic equation that has two solutions defined by the well-known quadratic formula. The condition that the derivatives of the alternative and the original equations must be the same provides a basis for the correct choice between the solutions.

Jan 1, 1998

By Filippos Patsiogiannis

Laboratory size (5 kg) aluminum killed low carbon steel melts were desulfurized with synthetic fluxes in zirconia crucibles. The sulfur, oxygen, aluminum, silicon, and manganese contents in the melt were determined as a function of refining time and temperature. With a good argon shield and synthetic flux cover, melt reoxidation was not observed. Sulfur removal followed first order reaction kinetics. The effectiveness of calcia saturated calcium-aluminate (12CaO.7Al2O3) based fluxes in desulfurizing the steel melts was evaluated. The effects of initial sulfur level of the melt, weight of the flux (slag), and additions of tellurium, fluorspar, and barium oxide to the melt on the kinetics of desulfurization were also studied.

Jan 1, 1993

By N. M. Steven, J. M. Moore, J. L. Kuyper

Abstract - Mineral exploration and research has led to the identification of four types of tungsten mineralization in the NE-trending, largely ensialic, inland branch of the late Proterozoic/early Paleozoic Pan-African Damara Orogen. The mineralization (mainly scheelite) occurs in a terrane (the Central Zone) that is characterized by multiple deformation, greenschist/amphibolite-facies metamorphism and numerous peraluminous S-type granitic and pegmatitic intrusions. The four major types of scheelite mineralization are (in ascending stratigraphie order of host rock): (1) thin (5 cm to 2 meter) quartz+ plagioclase+ diopside ± scapolite cale-silicate granofels with finely disseminated scheelite (scheelite-bearing granofels; SBG) developed as discontinuous intercalations within the cale-silicate rocks of the Khan, Spes Bona, Oberwasser and Kuiseb Formations (Nosib and Swakop Groups); garnet+ pyroxene ± vesuvianite + scheelite ± fluorite replacement skarns hosted by Okawayo, Karibib and lower Kuiseb Formation marbles in the aureoles of late tectonic, unmineralized leucogranites; metaturbidite-hosted scheelite- (and possibly wolfrarnite-) bearing tourmalinites, both stratiform and crosscutting, in the Kuiseb Formation located in the &apos;cleavage fronts&apos; of late tectonic granitoids; scheelite-bearing vesuvianite +quartz+ garnet skarnoid rocks (several hundred meters in length) in the calcareous metaturbidites of the upper Kuiseb Formation. These scheelite occurrences were discovered by the follow-up of a large number of tungsten anomalies located during a regional stream sediment sampling program. Detailed mapping, ultra-violet surveys and rock sampling proved to be the most effective surface exploration techniques for locating mineralization; soil sampling and geophysics were of almost no use. The largest, continuous scheelite-bearing skarn of economic interest, Otjua, has a drill-indicated reserve of 250 000 tonnes at 0.53 wt% W03 and 8 wt% CaF2.

Jan 1, 1994

By D. K. Sengupta

Increased recycling of waste paper has been emphasized in recent years in both the USA and Canada for environmental and economic reasons. Removal of ink particles from the waste paper pulp is therefore necessary. One of the most promising methods for ink removal is froth flotation. Our study investigated the feasibility of a simplified flotation scheme which showed that about 90-92% ink removal can be achieved while 95-97% ink removal is achievable if a hydrophobic polymer is used ahead of flotation. The clean paper pulp recovery was over 90%. The effects of pulping pH, flotation pH, and concentrations of flotation and polymeric reagents are discussed in the paper.

Jan 1, 1993

Maximizing margins in competitive markets demands superior productivity. Unfortunately, management systems developed early this century for other industries often drive counterproductive behaviors choking mining productivity. Many executives and managers waste valuable time and effort relying on simply training and communicating to improve managerial practices and attitudes. In covering practical human behaviour, the paper explains why this fails -and explains how to use systems to successfully drive improved managerial practices and attitudes. It highlights use of modern performance Measurement, Analysis and Reporting systems to drive behaviors and improve margins -without capital investment -and make executive and managerial work easier and more effective.

Jan 1, 1999

By P. Zhu

The leaching behavior of copper powders recovered from waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) was investigated using electrogenerated chlorine and aeration in a sulfuric acid solution with added NaCl and CuSO4. Various parameters were studied to understand the mechanism of the copper leaching. When the current density increased from 0 to 0.1 A/cm2, the temperature from 30 to 60° C, agitation speed from 100 to 400 rpm, and the size ranged from below 75 to 150 µm, the leaching ratios of copper powders increased. The leaching kinetics were analyzed using a shrinking core model: 1-(1-X)1/3 = kt, and the leaching process was chemically controlled with an activation energy of 14.7 kJ/mol due to Cl- ion catalysis. The ratios of [Cu+]/[Cu2+] at various temperatures (30, 40, 50, 60 and 70° C) showed a periodic variation with the increasing of the leaching time. The redox potentials of the leaching solution and copper leaching ratios in different conditions were measured. The result indicates that dissolved oxygen achieved the dissolution of coppers and electrogenerated chlorine can promote the dissolution of copper powders and improve the reaction rate of kinetics in the presence of oxygen.

By J. Peterson, P. G. McKneight, R. W. Riggle

"In today’s tough mining environment, the key difference between surviving and thriving is how effectively miners optimize their mining operations. This paper explores the compounding effects material fragmentation has on mining costs and productivity. Starting with Drilling & Blasting and moving through Loading, Hauling and Crushing, we will illustrate the opportunities to improve operating costs and thus reduce the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of the total mining system. Material size and volume requirements are defined by the needs of the mill or plant, and drive the rest of the mining operation from the bench through the primary crusher. At the start of the cycle, where the rock mass is drilled and blasted, the degree of fragmentation and the muck pile configuration is determined, as are the effects on cost and productivity of all subsequent operations. The cost of managing oversize material, including secondary handling, overloading, reduced diggability, higher load factors, extra pass loading, increased wear factors and reduced throughput rates are all opportunities for improvement. INTRODUCTION Having visited many mine sites, customers are asking about the end to end mining value stream from loading to the crusher and how to measure the cumulative effects on each part of the mining value chain. All too often improvements with the drilling and blasting may impact fragmentation but do not improve the diggability so the net change on cycle times or fill ratios is perceived to be negative at the point of loading but they may have a measured improvement going through the primary crusher. This makes it imperative to measure performance at each segment of the overall cycle and not just to the crusher but thru it. The mine material process originates with solid rock, in-situ, and progresses to the output of the primary crusher. Once the material has passed the primary crusher the fragmentation size will be fairly consistent and promote consistent throughput of the plant or mill. In late 2015 a team was conducting a reassessment visit to a mining site where we had conducted the original assessment the previous year. Though many recommendations had been implemented some had been so recent they had not resulted in the expected improvements. Several of our discussions kept returning to the impact fragmentation has to both the individual components of the mining cycle but also the effects compounded throughout the end to end process. Let’s move on to the big picture before we zoom in on any specific operation. To get from native solid rock in the ground to a concentrate or a saleable rock product we have the same steps from one end of the chain to the other. We start with a good geological understanding of the rock type, characteristics and structure to design a program to drill and blast the rock. The height of the bench is relevant to the annual production requirements and the specific digging equipment models best sized to make that production possible. The equipment selection influences the bench height which has a minimum and maximum hole diameter to maintain a safe blasting operation. The diameter of hole burden and spacing all contribute to a good distribution of explosives in the rock mass that maximize the fragmentation and preconditioning of the rock when blasted. The timing and sequencing of hole initiation will yield a fragmentation ratio and diggability factor. Fragmentation size adjustments will change the meters drilled per cube and the explosives consumption will change accordingly. Drill cost is measured by meter drilled so a direct relationship exists between cost and fragmentation sized achieved."

Jan 1, 2017

1. What Effect Has Sulfur Or Vanadium (In The Oil) On The Steel With Your Burner? 2. Also, what is the decibel rating on the floor when your burner is on? AUTHORS&apos; REPLY 1. There is no effect. 2. The decibel rating is 98-99 decibels.

Jan 1, 1972