Search Documents

Wetherstones gold deposit is located just east of the township of Lawrence, in the Otago District of the South Island, New Zealand. The paper will describe aspects of the mining and exploration history of the Wetherstones gold field, current knowledge of the geology of the deposit, and speculate on possible outcomes of exploration in the modern era.   As at the famed Gabriels Gully situated nearby, most of the Wetherstones gold is/was contained in, or recycled into modern drainages from, the Blue Spur Conglomerate (æBSCÆ). The BSC is the basal member of a wedge of auriferous non-marine sediments of latest Cretaceous age which are tilted against the Tuapeka Fault Zone, a structure of regional dimensions. In particular mineralisation of elevated grade (which cannot yet be reliably estimated) appears to be concentrated in an elongate basement depression (ægutterÆ) of width around 100 m, variable thickness to a few metres, and axial length in excess of 500 m. The gutter plunges from the base of alluvial mining (where it has been partly exploited by underground methods) to depths of more than 100 m, beyond which it remains open and untested.   The prospects for a revival of mining at Wetherstones depend upon confirmation of what is here inferred to exist, and the discovery of additional gold. The economic prospects of the project however are enhanced by what is known or indicated of the geographic location, and anticipated geologic, mining and metallurgical characteristics of the mineralisation, and consequent anticipated environmental management issues.   The recognition of gold contained in pyrite in the BSC represents an upside to project economics which has never previously been evaluated. The Wetherstones Basin covers more than five square kilometres in areal extent. There is no modern exploration record of the majority of this area, leaving open the prospect of the discovery of additional gutters, and primary mineralisation in the underlying schist.   Australasia Gold Ltd has embarked on a program to reassess the potential resources of the Wetherstones gold mineralisation, and to evaluate the feasibility of mining.

Jan 1, 2004

By R. C. Palmer

THE testing of flotation oils has occupied a large part of the time of the testing departments of various companies using the flotation process in the beneficiation of their ores. The great differences in ores and iii oils has made such work necessary as it has not been possible to select the oil best suited for the purpose without trial of many kinds. In fact, individual shipments of flotation oils from the same manufacturer will often differ so radically that the mill men have been forced to test every lot of flotation oil before its use in the mills. Further, although almost every imaginable product of the distillation of wood, from alcohol to pitch, has been tested in a more or less perfunctory manner by various people, few companies have allowed the results of their tests to be made public. This work was undertaken for the purpose of obtaining reliable data regarding the value as flotation agents of a number of products that are obtained from the distillation of wood by different methods, and incidentally to determine whether some of the products not used at present could be used. Large quantities of such materials are being wasted or burned in the wood-distillation plants of the United States, and if some use other than fuel could be found for these materials, such a use would represent a distinct saving to the country as a whole, would increase the profit of wood-distilling plants now operating and perhaps make it possible for others to operate which at present cannot do so except at a loss. At the same time it was thought that if such products can be used as flotation agents, then their use would serve to increase the number of oils and other products available for flotation purposes. It was also hoped that it might be possible to discover a substitute for some of the most effective but comparatively high-priced oils which are now used for flotation

Jan 8, 1916

By R. H. T. Garnett

Reserve estimation is a process that commences with sampling and culminates in the issuance of a reserve statement. The tin, gold and diamonds that occur as marine placers on the continental shelf are low grade with very erratic mineral distributions. Sampling, using a variety of special equipment, determines the extent and grade of the mineralization. The sample size is important, especially for diamonds. Together with the sampling density, it determines the accuracy of the grade estimate. Bulk sampling is a confirmatory process. The choice of mining equipment, either new or developed from onshore activities, dictates the unit costs, the cutoff grades and the selectivity of extraction. Thus, the size of the blocks that comprise the mining plan and the reserves are determined. A variety of estimation methods of different reliability are available, with the most sophisticated being kriging. Dilution and losses during mining must be taken into account in estimation, and a grade-volume curve should be constructed. Diamond deposit estimation also involves an extra variable, the dollar value of the stones. During and after mining, essential feedback on the accuracy of un estimation may be given by the RIE factor and by a mineral balance. Reserve estimates are required for several reasons and may be subject to public disclosure. The use of the correct definitions is, therefore, important.

Jan 1, 1999

By K. Adham, T. Buchholz

Debottlenecking of high temperature processes within an existing metallurgical plant can significantly increase the throughput to meet new production demands. Modeling and simulation can help to fulfil that aim through incremental changes and operational improvements, rather than the more expensive option of building new plants and facing new environmental and infrastructure challenges. This paper describes a methodology of how modeling tools can be used to simulate the processing steps, how to estimate their existing and ultimate capacities, and how to determine the minimum cost points for a plant capacity expansion. This technique is presented through a generic description that can be applied to different metallurgical processing studies. We start with heat-and-mass balances, draw a bottleneck diagram, brainstorm capacity increase options, and prepare a cost-capacity curve. Hatch has successfully applied this technique to a number of plant capacity studies, with great benefits to our industrial clients (Adhametal et al. in A Success Path from Process R&D to Commercial Plants, Montreal, Canada, [1]).

Mar 1, 2017

By C M. Sennitt, M J. Spadafora

Systematic field evaluation of known gold and clay occurrences in South Korea has led to the recognition and discovery of both high and low sulphidation gold-silver epithermal systems. These are associated with Cretaceous acid-intermediate volcanic centres in the southern parts of the peninsula. The high sulphidation deposits such as Seongsan and Kohung are characterised by pervasive silica-alunite-dickite-pyrophyllite alteration with anomalous arsenic geochemical signatures. Gold mineralisation is associated with fine grained marcasite and pyrite. A low sulphidation quartz vein system observed at the Tongyoung mine comprises multistage colloform banded quartz-carbonate assemblages, with minor manganese and base metals. Gold and silver occur as electrum and tellurium minerals. Some deposits such as Gasado and Dogcheon display both high and low sulphidation alteration assemblages. Early pervasive silica-alunite-pyrophyllite alteration caps formed by acid fluids with a significant magmatic component, occur above cryptocrystalline colloform banded vein systems. The quartz vein stage hosts the precious metal mineralisation and appears to have been deposited by later neutral fluids generated in part through mixing with meteroric water.

Jan 1, 1999

By James S. Browning

The Bureau of Mines conducted laboratory batch and pilot plant flotation tests to determine the technical feasibility of recovering commercial-grade mica from a California micaceous schist. Best results in the laboratory batch tests were obtained using sodium carbonate and sodium silicate for pH control and quartz depression, and a combination of fatty acid and cationic reagents as the mica collector. In continuous pilot plant flotation tests, an alkaline fatty acid-cationic method recovered about 70 percent of the mica in a concentrate analyzing 95.6 percent mica.

Jan 1, 1965

By AIME AIME

THE following paragraphs comprise such information as the Secretary has been able to obtain concerning the members and associates whose deaths have been reported. Further particulars or corrections of errors, and biographical data concerning deceased members or associates not already noticed in this way, are solicited. Pat Doyle was born in 1849. At the age of fifteen he entered the Civil Engineering College of Madras, India, and left it at seventeen, having achieved special distinction in mathematics, chemistry,. and geology. Before be was eighteen years old he was in charge of two of the most important Sub-Divisions in the Madras Presidency, where he had ample opportunities for acquiring a preliminary knowledge of his profession, which was his chief object in joining the Public Works Department. In 1867, his energetic measures saved the island of Seringham from disastrous inundation. At this period he began contributing to the press ; and after a varied practical experience he came into public notice again in 1876, with an article in the Colliery Guardian on Indian Mines and Mining. In 1877 he became a Fellow of the Statistical Society of London. He was a founder of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society and a life member of the parent Society of Great- Britain and- Ireland, as well as a member of the Independent Asiatic Society of Bengal. In 1878-9 he was Chief Superintendent of the Public Works of Perak; was active in having the Associate Member Class added to the Institution of Civil Engineers; and became a member of the Society of Engineers of London and of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers. In 1880 he went to the Southern Colonies and held several appointments in Australia, where he became a member of the Johnsonian Club, Brisbane, and the Queensland Philo-

Jan 5, 1908

By R. G. Webber, F. C. Langenberg

During the course of some magnetic investigations which the authors have under way, six bars of 0.43-carbon steel were tested, a permeameter designed after the Hopkinson yoke type being used. The results obtained were of some interest and although far from complete serve at least to show the necessity for a careful investigation of the previous history of the samples under study as well as the chemical composition. A steel of given chemical composition may assume a great variety of structures, depending on its treatment. Professor Sauveur has devised a very clear and effective means of illustrating this point. The accompanying microphotographs show some of the possible structures assumed by a 0.30 carbon steel (Fig. 1). It is now a well-established fact that a structural change is accompanied by changes in the tensile strength, elastic limit, hardness, etc., and it seems reasonable to assume also, a change in the magnetic properties. Six bars of a 0.43-carbon steel were used, all the bars being taken from the same rod and treated as follows: Bar 1. Heated to 1,100° and cooled in the furnace. Bar 2. Heated to 1,000° and cooled in the furnace. Bar 3. Heated to 900° and cooled in the furnace. Bar 4. Heated to 1,000° and cooled in air. Bar 5. Heated to 900° and cooled in air. Bar 6. Untreated. The bars were then turned to 13 mm. diameter and tested by the Hopkinson yoke method. After testing, three specimens were taken from each bar, one from each end and one from the middle. The homogeneity of the bars was tested in this manner and in no instance could any difference in structure in the three specimens1 be detected. Bars 1 to 3 inclusive are pearlitic in structure. The white areas are ferrite (iron with certain impurities in solution) and the dark areas pearl-

Jan 1, 1915

By Phil Hulse

The Atlanta mine is located in east-central Nevada, approximately 360 km (225 miles) from Las Vegas. It lies in Lincoln County, 116 km (72 miles) south of Ely and 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Pioche. The property is currently operated by the Standard Slag Co. under a joint venture agreement with Bobcat Properties Inc, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Operations began in May 1975, and the mill is currently processing 109 000 to 122 500 t/y (120,000 to 135,000 stpy) of gold- and silver-bearing ore. Open-pit mining takes place in a breccia zone that occurs between Ordovician limestones and dolomites on the footwall and Tertiary rhyolites on the hanging wall. The quartz breccia ore is among the most abrasive in the world-shovel teeth must be replaced every week, 19-mm-thick (3/4-in.) steel chutes last about a month.

Jan 9, 1978

Albin. B . R Billings. Mont . '28 Amnter . Nathan L 26 Broad St.. New York . N . Y . '28 Bache . Jules S 42 Broadway. New York. N . Y . '28 Borrett . C . P . 5338 Harper Ave .. Chicago. I11 '28 Baum . Frank G. . Cons . Hydro-Electric Engr Camel'. Shasta Co. . Cal. '23 Baylean, William S Russ Bldg .. San Francisco. Cal . '28 Bean, Louis H .. V.P.. Dwight P . Robinson & Co.. lnc 126 E . 46th St New York. N . Y . '28 Beatty . Roes J . 1106 First National Bank' Bldg .. Chicago . Ill . '28 Benwell . Oswald F . 110 Gilpin St .. Denver. 1310 . '28 Beymer. Albert 9.. V.P .. Keystone. National Bank Pittsburgh. Pa . '28

Jan 1, 1929

By V. R. Garfias, R. V. Whetsel

As pointed out in previous studies, estimates of petroleum reserves if they are to be of value must not only presuppose a clear understanding of what is actually meant by reserves but must be subject to constant revision to conform with changes in their component factors. When such estimates are analyzed it must be clear that it is virtually impossible to obtain comparable figures reflecting the same degree of accuracy, to represent the reserves not only in various countries, but at times even of different fields in the same country. Estimates of reserves in the United States, subject to frequent independent checks, are obviously more reliable than those furnished, for instance, by the Soviet Government, as the latter must be accepted at their face value and are open to the suspicion of being made to conform with predetermined programs of propaganda. Any tabulation of the reserves of all producing countries, therefore, gives a total that is misleading, as the component items arc not arrived at on the same basis and therefore are not homogeneous in a true sense. Only a fraction of the petroleum stored underground, usually associated with natural gas, is or can be brought to the surface, and although practically all the natural gas underground can be rccovered, in actual practice in some fields a large part of the gas that reaches the mouth of the well is wasted. It is thus estimated that in the United States only some 25 to 35 per cent of the petroleum underground in proven fields is actually economically recovered. Estimates of reserves, therefore, should make clear the distinction between the known amount of oil underground in producing fields and the portion that actually can be brought to the surface. It cannot be overemphasized that as a result of the operation of the "Law of Capture," which controls subsoil ownership in the United States on comparatively small landholdings that seldom if ever cover the entire producing area, the oil fields are not as economically exploited as some forrign fields, and that as a result (were it not for the easy accessibility of the domestic market, the largest in the world) some American production would now be unprofitable in open competition with foreign oils.

Jan 1, 1939

By R. V. Whetsel, V. R. Garfias

As pointed out in previous studies, estimates of petroleum reserves if they are to be of value must not only presuppose a clear understanding of what is actually meant by reserves but must be subject to constant revision to conform with changes in their component factors. When such estimates are analyzed it must be clear that it is virtually impossible to obtain comparable figures reflecting the same degree of accuracy, to represent the reserves not only in various countries, but at times even of different fields in the same country. Estimates of reserves in the United States, subject to frequent independent checks, are obviously more reliable than those furnished, for instance, by the Soviet Government, as the latter must be accepted at their face value and are open to the suspicion of being made to conform with predetermined programs of propaganda. Any tabulation of the reserves of all producing countries, therefore, gives a total that is misleading, as the component items arc not arrived at on the same basis and therefore are not homogeneous in a true sense. Only a fraction of the petroleum stored underground, usually associated with natural gas, is or can be brought to the surface, and although practically all the natural gas underground can be rccovered, in actual practice in some fields a large part of the gas that reaches the mouth of the well is wasted. It is thus estimated that in the United States only some 25 to 35 per cent of the petroleum underground in proven fields is actually economically recovered. Estimates of reserves, therefore, should make clear the distinction between the known amount of oil underground in producing fields and the portion that actually can be brought to the surface. It cannot be overemphasized that as a result of the operation of the "Law of Capture," which controls subsoil ownership in the United States on comparatively small landholdings that seldom if ever cover the entire producing area, the oil fields are not as economically exploited as some forrign fields, and that as a result (were it not for the easy accessibility of the domestic market, the largest in the world) some American production would now be unprofitable in open competition with foreign oils.

Jan 1, 1939

By G. R. Fitterer, E. A. Krockenberger, B. E. Sockman, R. B. Meneilly, J. F. Eckel, E. W. Marshall

"Steel manufacturers have noticed a decided tendency on the part of many of their customers to become more exacting in their steel specifications. Under these conditions, the steel must not only meet the specifications of physical properties (tensile strength, reduction of area, elongation, impact strength, grain size, normality, etc.) and the chemical analyses, but must also pass the inspection test of ""cleanliness.""By cleanliness is commonly meant the absence of oxide and sulphide inclusions. Other foreign particles such as furnace or ladle slag, ladle and runner brick, etc., must also be absent. The determination of cleanliness at present is usually made by microscopic inspection or macroetching.The rejection of steel for lack of cleanliness is increasing, out cleanliness is one of the most difficult requirements for the manufacturer to fill. The reason for this is that every steel inspector has a different conception of a. clean steel. A material which does not pass the examination of one inspector way be regarded as entirely satisfactory by the metallurgist of an¬other company. The cause of this confusion and disagreement concerning the definition of a clean or a dirty steel is simply that as yet no standardized procedure for the determination of impurities has been proposed and generally accepted, since many variables are encountered which interfere with the development of a satisfactory method. An idea of the complexity of this situation will be obtained from the following pages.A Survey of Proposed Analytical MethodsAlthough no analytical method has been accepted, many procedures have been proposed, as may be seen in Table 1. Therein are listed 16 of the better-known processes, pith references to the work of their originators, their mechanisms of determination, and their applicabilities. Among these is included the electrolytic method developed by one of the present authors, and some comparison between this and previously proposed procedures may be obtained by a study of the table. It appears that this new method Las many advantages over the others, and this paper presents a critical Study of its value."

May 1, 1933

By Peter G. Tregelles, Derek K. Barham

Introduction A successful step towards mechanisation of the collier's work was taken in 1954 when the first Anderton shearer loader was commissioned in Lancashire, and progress was reinforced in 1956 when the first powered supports were installed in Nottinghamshire. By 1970, virtually 100% of the coalfaces in the United Kingdom were mechanised and the industry's productivity had doubled. In 1961 the National Coal Board recognised that the next move towards greater productivity and improved safety would be to automate the longwall system. What was not well enough understood, however, was that the basic prerequisites of automation - reliability and measurement - had not yet been achieved. Consequently, the schemes for automatic longwall faces and for an entirely automated colliery were abandoned at the close of the decade. A review of mining research and development policy, commissioned by the Board in 1974, confirmed that the system of longwall mining had great potential for investment and that the short-term policy of automation must once again be pursued. Since then, aided by advances in computer technology, systems for automating the transport of coal from the face to the coal preparation plant have been successfully instituted. Applications of sub-systems dealing with the conveyor, coal preparation plant, and various items of fixed plant are now at the exploitation stage. In the medium term, a number of key problems have been identified, which will arise once the productivity from the coalfaces has doubled, as it is now expected to do in the next five years. One of the most important of these problems is machine guidance, and considerable research and development work is now being carried out in this area. This paper reviews the work on machine guidance prior to 1974 and explains the programme on which the National Coal Board's Mining Research and Development Establishment is currently working.

Jan 1, 1981

By R. Bridge

Mining companies are progressively finding themselves having to develop operations for more complex, deeper ore bodies, which require the use of more complicated mining and mineral processing methods. This coupled with the generally increasing trend of higher capital and operational costs have led to a need in the industry for improving ore body knowledge, mining and mineral processing. Geometallurgy is a relatively new concept that can link the three aspects, and when used effectively it is a method that can produce the necessary information for designing and building operations for reliable and optimum performance. Geometallurgy not only involves the integration of geological, mining, and metallurgical fields, but it can also be expanded to include environmental and economic information to produce a block model that can be used to obtain the best outcome in terms of plant response and plant sustainability. The geometallurgical program should not end once the block model has been populated. A detailed geometallurgical approach should be applied to all stages of the operation encompassing sample selection, through to equipment sizing and production forecasting. It can also become a useful optimisation tool thereby allowing the operation to be proactive rather than reactive against changes in the ore characteristics. With the development of metallurgical performance predictors it is possible to quantify how the ore will behave in the process plant in terms of throughput, recoveries, reagent consumption, etc. Therefore, in terms of responsible mining and sustainable resource development, a geometallurgical approach to operations is the logical step for plant development. In this paper we describe the state of the technology with respect to the application of geometallurgical modeling and its utilisation in the fields of design, forecasting and optimisation of mining operations.

Aug 1, 2013

By Walter Harvey Weed

AMONG the many causes of that perplexing feature of mine-exploitation, the unequal distribution of the ore, the influence of the country-rock upon the vein-contents has long been accepted as an important factor in certain districts, but the general application of the theory has not been proved. It is now possible to obtain trustworthy data with which to test the theory, and either to confirm or to overthrow this time-honored tradition. By the searching methods of modern petrography and chemistry, rock-determinations are now scientifically made, while the examination of thin sections of ores supplements field- and laboratory-study, and affords conclusive evidence of the paragenesis of the ore-minerals. In the great mass of data regarding mineral deposits accumulated during the past century, there are some facts which stand the test as to reliability; but the greater part are not available for use in this discussion. Within the last 20 years, however, many able workers have contributed careful and accurate accounts of various ore-deposits; and it is by the facts given in such papers, and by personal experience, that. I have become convinced that there is in some districts a true relation between the country-rock and the mineral contents of the veins. My own interest in the subject arose from the observation of a number of striking instances of the variation of vein-contents with the nature of the inclosing rock. Having already recorded certain observations of this kind, I venture to present in this paper further notes, together with a few facts from the literature of the subject, which seem to prove the correctness of my view. It is apparent that if the relation holds true, though in limited districts only, it will be of great practical in-

Jan 1, 1913

By Dennis Keay, Barbara Schickner, P. L. Longenecker, Glenn J. Philips, Lee Rice, Herman E. Knight, Wayne E. Veneman, B. W. Washington, Robert S. Hess

The outlook for coal continued to improve in 1980, fueling expectations that a long-awaited boom is at hand. The surprising surge in coal exports contributed to the latest wave of optimism. Overseas exports hit 66 Mt in 1980, buoyed by a significant increase in demand for steam coal, up from 1979's 2.3 Mt to 15 Mt in 1980. US coal production rose 6.9% to 750 Mt in 1980 and total coal consumption increased 8.1% to about 725 Mt, due primarily to higher world oil prices and setbacks in the US nuclear power industry. Yet the industry is beset with problems-both internal and external. Although demand for US coal is growing, the industry's excess productive capacity is estimated at over 90 Mt/a. Public utilities, where real increases in coal consumption must come, are still moving slowly, blaming delays on antipollution equipment costs. Coal supplies are uncertain, subject to the vagaries of the UMW. For the sixth time since 1964, the coal industry and UMW failed to renew their labor contract without a national strike, reinforcing the perception held overseas that the US is not a reliable supplier. The expected boom in coal exports will, in part, depend on our ability to assure foreign buyers that US sources are dependable. The US industry is also plagued by inadequate facilities linking mines and consumers: inadequate rail systems, coal ports, and barges, For US producers to be competitive, ports must be expanded, rail lines improved, and harbors dredged to allow 136-kt ships to load coal. The im¬provements will require an enormous commitment and investment. Despite these major problems and unresolved issues, two factors continue to favor an increased reliance on coal as an energy source: abundant US reserves and coal's comparative price advantage. Coal's performance in the 1980s may at last exceed its promise.

Jan 5, 1981

By R. K. Dunham

It has been estimated that 30% of the United States coal reserves occur in the Western States at depths which would preclude exploitation by surface techniques. Much of this coal occurs in seams considerably thicker than those presently mined in other parts of the country. Recognizing the lack of technology and experience in exploiting the thicker seam range the Interior Department's Bureau of Mines is implementing a major "Mining System for Western Coal," research program which has as its ultimate objective the development and demonstration of underground mining methods and technology for extracting these seams. One investigation, being carried out by D'Appolonia Consulting engieers, under contract to the Bureau of Mines, is concerned with design of an entry system for longwall top slicing of thick western coal seams. This presentation presents an overview of some of the problems which have to be faced in designing such layouts.

Jan 1, 1977

By Francis F. Pitard

North America had an Important role in the early development of sampling theories. Unfortunately many progressive ideas were soon frozen into a series of guidelines based on the philosophy that "honest sampling only requires good judgment and practical experience". Such a philosophy appeared to be good enough In the early age of the mining Industry; however, it became quickly necessary to find new approaches. During the last thirty years, Pierre Gy's sampling theory provided tremendous breakthrough in the comprehension of this new science, nevertheless went unnoticed in North America. Sampling always generates complex problems and as the philosopher and mathematician Descartes suggested: "A complex problem can often be dissociated Into a series of several simpler problems, only then you try to solve those one by one". The only way to solve sampling problems is to consider each component of the overall sampling error: components of a continuous model such as long-range quality fluctuations, periodic quality fluctuations, weighting fluctuations; components of a discrete model such as materialization errors, delimitations errors, extraction errors, fundamental errors, grouping errors, and segregation errors. PAST AND CURRENT PRACTICES Many sampling methodologies have been developed, improved, and standardized during the first half of this century. Accordingly, sampling equipment has been proposed, selected, and used by standards committees. Today, there is a tremendous variety of sampling methodologies and corresponding tools offered to anyone with limited experience in sampling and it is very easy for a chemist, metallurgist, geologist or miner to spend considerable money in equipment transgressing the most basic rules of sampling correctness. Sampling stations that never worked properly in modern plants often cause engineers to abandon them and return to a primitive form of grab sampling.

Jan 1, 1986

By C. Walker

Since the 1950's, production of ferronickel from laterites has predominantly been achieved using the Rotary Kiln -Electric Furnace (RKEF) process. The productivities of kilns and furnaces have increased steadily over the years and metallurgical smelters can now rely on a smaller number of high-powered, reliable units to meet production objectives at much lower capital and operating costs per tonne of production. Modem RKEF plants are characterized by one or more process lines consisting of one large kiln feeding one large furnace. The current benchmark is one RKEF line with a high capacity kiln feeding an 80 MW furnace to process approximately 1.3 million tonnes per year of new laterite ore. It is proposed that a single RKEF line comprising one kiln producing 240 t/h of calcine feeding a 120 MW furnace could process 2 million tonnes per year of dry new ore which, for an ore grade of 2% nickel, is equivalent to 36,000 t/y of nickel per line. The plant could also be twinned to double the capacity to 72,000 t/y of nickel. This paper reviews recent developments in kiln and furnace technology, which enable substantial increase in productivity of an RKEF plant. The reduction in the capital and operating costs of a single-line, 2 million tonne of ore per year nickel laterite facility, and accompanying improvement in energy efficiency and environmental performance compared to existing operations, are also highlighted.

Jan 1, 2009