Search Documents

By M. Nilmani, J. Sofra

The transverse distributions of the solids discharge velocity and mass flux at the discharge end of vertical and inclined lances were measured in order to detennine the transverse distributions of the axial momentum flux, which is a dominant factor influencing the penetration behaviour of particles into melts during submerged injection. The effects of gas velocity (10 - 30 m/s), solids loading (5 - 10), lance length (0.15 - 1.0 m), lance inclination (vertical downward - horizontal) and particle density (2500 - 8900 kg/m3 ) were investigated, while the lance diameter and particle size were fixed at 10 mm and 220 µm respectively. The particle velocities and mass fluxes were measured by image analysis of particles illuminated in a laser-generated light sheet aligned vertically through the axis of the lance at the discharge point. The particle discharge velocity profiles for vertical downward flows were synunetrical about the centre-line of the lance, with the maximum velocities occurring at the centre-line. The velocities increased with increasing gas velocity, increasing lance length and decreasing particle density in accordance with previous observations. The transverse mass flux profiles were also synunetrical for vertical downward flows, however at the lower gas velocities the peaks in the profiles were displaced from the centre-line of the lance by a fractional diameter of about 0.15. The particle discharge velocity profiles become increasingly asynunetric as the lance orientation was changed from vertical to horizontal, with higher particle velocities present near the top wall of the lance. The mass flux profile also became asyrrunetric as the horizontal orientation was approached, however in this case, the profile became biased towards the bottom of the lance. The effect was much more pronounced for a gas velocity of 10 m/s than for 30 m/s, showing the relatively stronger gravitational influence as the velocity was reduced.

Jan 1, 1996

By Lucy England

The following is a summary of the Robert E. Murray Innovation Lecture on “Sustainable Copper Mining Flowsheets and the MissionZero Mine” presented as part of the keynote session on Feb. 23, 2026 during the MINEXCHANGE 2026 SME Annual Conference & Expo in Salt Lake City, UT. As the world accelerates its transition to renewable energy, the appetite for critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, rare earths and graphite has never been greater. Forecasts suggest that global mineral demand will double by 2050, driven by the proliferation of electric vehicles, renewable power infrastructure and digital technologies. This surge presents not only an immense opportunity but also an unprecedented challenge. In a world where every ton of ore processed and every liter of water used is scrutinized, how can mining deliver more with less, while meeting tightening environmental and social expectations? Traditional mining methods, developed for an era of abundant, high-grade ore and looser regulations, are struggling to meet today’s demands. Declining ore grades, volatile markets and the imperative to shrink environmental footprints have rendered traditional mineral processing practices unsustainable. The sector thus finds itself at a decisive juncture, caught between the need to fuel the green economy, defense and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, without compromising the planet’s future. Balancing these competing demands requires a paradigm shift in technologies and processes. FLS has responded to this challenge with MissionZero: an ambitious, holistic initiative to develop flowsheets for the future of mineral processing. This systemic approach aligns operational excellence with environmental responsibility. Integrating innovative technologies, digital intelligence and commodityspecific process designs, it offers mining professionals a roadmap to meet both production targets and sustainability goals. At the center of this approach is the belief that a more sustainable mining requires more than incremental improvement; it demands a fundamental shift in how we extract, process and manage resources. By developing tailored flowsheets for copper, gold, lithium and tailings reprocessing, FLS aims to set a new standard for efficiency, circularity and environmental stewardship. The message is clear. We must achieve more with less: less energy, less water, less waste.

Mar 1, 2026

Electric power curtailments resulting from the coal strike, required Noranda Aluminum, Inc. to shut down its 140,000 ton-per-year (tpy) primary aluminum smelter at New Madrid, Mo., and layoff 308 workers. Other primary aluminum production facilities affected by the coal strike included the Aluminum Company of America plant at Evansville, Ind. which shut down half of one potline; the Eastalco Aluminum Co., smelter at Frederick, Md., which cut production by 7 percent; and the National-Southwire Aluminum Co. plant at Hawesville, Ky. which cut production by 6 percent. Alumax, Inc. announced that construction had started on a 91,000 tpy potline at the Eastalco primary aluminum smelter. The new potline will be owned 65 percent by Alumax and 35 percent by Mitsui & Co. Ltd. Howmet Aluminum Corp., which currently owns 50 percent of the existing 176,000 tpy facility, has the option of becoming a 50 percent owner of the third potline in 1982. Construction of the new line was scheduled to be completed in 1980.

Jan 1, 1978

By Norihiko Fukatsu, Takashi Iwamoto, Noriaki Kurita, Koji Katahira, Kunihiro Koide, Teruo Ohashi

"The galvanic cell-type hydrogen sensor employing CaZro.9Ino.t03-a. as the solid electrolyte was designed for the measurement of hydrogen activities in molten copper under industrial .conditions. The sensor probe consists of the cap-shaped solid electrolyte with porous platinum electrode on the inside and alumina refractory tube. The gas mixture of the composition 4%H2-0.5%02-Ar was made to flow on the inside electrode. The hydrogen sensor probe was inserted directly into molten copper and the melt was used as the outer electrode. The effect of oxygen activity gradient to EMF was eliminated theoretically by measuring the oxygen activity in the melt simultaneously with an oxygen sensor. The high stability of output and excellent response to the change of hydrogen activity were obtained over the wide range of industrial copper melting conditions.IntroductionIn the metal casting process, hydrogen easily dissolves in molten metals from water vapor in the surrounding atmosphere. Owing to the large difference in hydrogen solubility between liquid and solid metal, dissolved hydrogen becomes a cause of the defects of blowholes in castings or ingots. It is necessary to control the hydrogen content in the molten metals [l]. Using proton-conducting ceramics as a solid electrolyte, high temperature-type hydrogen sensor can be constructed [2]. SrCe03- and BaCe03-based perovskite-type oxides exhibit appreciable proton conduction under hydrogen containing atmosphere at high temperature [3-5]. A hydrogen sensor for molten aluminum using CaZro.91no.103-a. has been developed and widely used in the ·process control in the aluminum melting industry [6,7]. The same type of hydrogen sensor has also been expected in the copper melting industry. .. However, CaZro.91no.103-a shows ·not only proton but also oxide ion conduction in the high temperature and at low oxygen activies like the copper melting· conditions. Then we studied the oxide ion conduction in CaZro.91no.103-a. iit · detail [8]. From the consideration on the EMF of the galvanic cell employing this material as electrolyte, it was shown that the unknown hydrogen activity may be precisely determined from cell potential which is corrected for the effect of oxygen potential gradient And the hydrogen sensor based in this principle was constructed and tested in laboratory-scale [9,10]. We repeated the similar tests in factory-scale and developed the sensor system for practical uses [11, 12]. In this report, the structure and system of the hydrogen sensor for molten copper will be introduced first. The reliability of the sensor will then be demonstrated from the results of experiments for sensor probes carried out in TYK's laboratory."

Jan 1, 2000

By C E. Gordon Brown

Aircraft utilization, weather and cost data are given for three separate projects north of the sixtieth parallel in the Northwest Territories and the Yukon Territory. These operations, carried out by helicopter-equipped geological and prospecting parties, have cost $24 to $30 per square mile, depending principally on the distance from the base. They provide adequate surface exploration of areas with 40 to 50 per cent rock outcrop. A good one-inch-to-one-mile geological map can be made. T HE exploration of the Canadian northland has been given increasing attention by the mining industry during recent years. In many cases, the initial problem is to make an adequate reconnaissance of a large area where existing geological information is meagre. The Geological Survey of Canada pioneered the use of helicopter-equipped geological parties for mapping at a scale of eight miles to the inch.

Jan 1, 1964

By H. H. Kellogg

Equations representing the standard free energy of formation as a function of temperature, for thirty metallic chlorides, are presented and plotted on a free-energy vs. temperature diagram. The use of these data for calculations on reduction of metallic chlorides, refining of metals with chlorine, and chlorination of metallic oxides and sulphides is illustrated. CHLORINE metallurgy' has attracted metallur- gists for more than a century because the unusual properties of the metallic chlorides—low melting point, high volatility, and ease of formation from the oxides—make possible many useful extractive processes. Interest in chlorine processes is undergoing a renaissance due to present availability of chlorine at relatively low prices, and to recent advances in technology. During the present century there have accumulated a considerable number of reliable values of the thermodynamic constants for the metals and their chlorides. These data permit the calculation of free-energy equations for many metallurgically important reactions. Consideration of free-energy values makes possible certain predictions of the direction and extent of a given reaction, as well as the effect of temperature, pressure, and composition upon the result. Reaction rate, although not predictable from free-energy data, is usually sufficiently great at elevated temperatures that diffusion of the reactants and products to and from the zone of reaction determines the actual rate. Thus, if the free-energy indication is favorable, the chances are good that a high temperature metallurgical reaction will proceed at a reasonable rate, if adequate provision for rapid diffusion has been made. This paper presents standard free-energy equations for a number of metallic chlorides, based on data which are scattered throughout the literature. The equations are presented in a form that simplifies their use, and typical examples are given of the application of free-energy data to metallurgical processes. Free Energy of Reaction The free-energy change (AG) of a reaction is the true measure of the "driving force" of the reaction under a given set of conditions, and this is related to the standard free-energy change (AGO) of the reaction as follows: For the reaction: bB + cC = dD + eE ?G = ?G°+RTln ADd. AEA / ABb. ACc where A, = activity of constituent (i) T = absolute temperature, OK R = gas constant The criterion of a spontaneous reaction from left to right, at constant temperature and pressure, is a negative value for the free-energy change (?G). The standard free energy of the reaction is equal to the free energy of the reaction when all the reactants and products are at unit activity, since under these conditions the second term on the right-hand side of eq 1 is equal to zero. The concept of activity is treated fully in many textbooks on chemical thermodynamics1 and in a recent article by Chipman.2 Briefly, the activity (A,) of a constituent (i) is a measure of the reactivity of this constituent relative to its reactivity in some arbitrary standard state. For liquids and solids the standard state most often used is the pure liquid or solid constituent. Thus the activity of a pure liquid or solid in a metallurgical reaction is equal to unity. Gases under moderate pressure and at elevated temperatures behave very nearly as 'idea1 gases,' and the standard state is chosen as the gas at 1 atm pressure. The activity of an ideal gas is therefore equal to its partial pressure, and this relation is sufficiently exact for real gases in most metallurgical reactions. For a liquid or solid solution there is in general no simple way to express the activity of a constituent as a function of its concentration, and activity must be determined by experiment. A few solutions follow a so-called 'ideal' behavior, and if the pure constituent is chosen as the standard state, the activity of a constituent in an ideal solution becomes equal to its mol fraction. When a reaction reaches a state of thermodynamic equilibrium at constant temperature and pressure, AG becomes equal to zero and eq 1 reduces to: [ADd . AEe ?G°=RTln Abb ¦ Ac c equilibrium [2] The brackets surrounding the activity term are used to emphasize that each of the activities is an activity under equilibrium conditions—not just any arbitrarily assigned value. The bracketed term is the equilibrium constant (K) of the reaction. Eq 2 makes possible the calculation of equilibrium activities for a given reaction, if AGO is known at the desired temperature. The standard free-energy equations presented in this paper were calculated from the fundamental thermodynamic values of enthalpy of formation at 298°K (AH°,), standard entropy at 298°K (So298), heat capacity as a function of temperature (Cp), and enthalpies of transition, fusion, vaporization, and sublimation for the various constituents. Where possible the data reported in the recent "Selected Values of Chemical Thermodynamic Properties," published by the Bureau of Standards," were used. A large number of data came from the publications

Jan 1, 1951

By A. Sobering, G. N. Carlson

"This paper describes the conversion of the grinding section of the W a bush Mines pelletizing plant from conventional wet, open-circuit trunnion overflow ball milling, with filtering, and bentonite mixing on a common conveyor belt, to dry, open-circuit, grate discharge grinding, with pug mill mixing of bentonite and water at individual mills.The test work and data on operating economies to justify the cost of conversion are given. It is too early, at the time of writing, to have complete operating confirmation, but data are available. A brief description of the original plant is included."

Jan 1, 1971

By J. A. López-Molina, S. García, V. Castellanos-Pedroza

"Grouting aims to reduce the permeability of rock mass below a predetermined value and has been widely used in rock engineering field for a long time. However, the injection procedure needs several empirical decision makings and it is rather difficult to reliably confirm the achievement of improvement, because the grout penetration process is not sufficiently clarified. This investigation proposes a neuronal method of defining spatial distribution of rock hydraulic properties and a fuzzy scheme for estimating their relation with the grout penetration (consumption, localization and filling material). The intelligent method stands as a tool for helping in harmonizing the sealing activities and the medium conditions. The virtual simulation of grouting strategies embraces geology, hydraulic and rock characteristics and the filling process. Important aspects as different pressure injection levels and fracturing systems can be holistically studied using the intelligent environment, resulting in an advantageous, economic, flexible and interactive tool for planning better this critical activity.INTRODUCTION Grouting is a very common method of sealing rock and repairing concrete structures (Butron et al., 2010) and its use in engineering of dam-foundation and tunneling has been documented as very successful (Yang, 2004). Generally speaking, to achieve the closing purpose, boreholes are drilled into the rock mass and grout is injected (under pre-selected pressure) until the fractures around the borehole are filled. The complete filling of these fractures is possible if they are connected to each other in such a way that the remaining water and air can be displaced outside the designed grouting zone (Houlsby, 1990; Kutzner, 1996). Water testing is necessary for evaluating seepage potential and for determining whether grouting is necessary or practical. Regardless of the main reason for the investigations, design of a program for water testing for grouting should consider the type of structure to be built, the geologic conditions at the site and the level of seepage control desired. As information gathered the report must content the fracture openness, number and connectivity, exploratory drill holes orientations, materials situation and a panorama of rock-mass state (quality)."

Jan 1, 2015

By Jerry L. Smith

Industry on a whole has not been very receptive to government prodding to implement waste minimization programs. Waste minimization has the appearance of substantial benefits, however, there are underlying difficulties and suspicions that need to be addressed before industry will support pollution prevention initiatives. They can be summarized as follows: - Human behavior resists change, uncertainty, and unknowns. - New waste minimization techniques are difficult to find and research. - Calculating the true cost of present waste practices as well as new techniques being considered is difficult and time consuming. - Getting a consensus opinion of all the individuals affected on the course or technique to be employed in a pollution prevention program. New software products have addressed many of the problems associated with implementing pollution prevention programs: They contain research on a large number of pollution prevention techniques and case studies; they generally are accessed by EPA ID number, chemical name, or synonym; and some programs have the option to print a comprehensive written user-specific pollution prevention program.

Jan 1, 1994

By Raymond W. Hiteshue, Sam Friedman, Martin D. Schlesinger

The Bureau of Mines in cooperation with the El Paso Natural Gas Co. investigated the effect of high temperature and pressure at short residence times on the hydrogenation of a New Mexico coal to gaseous and liquid hydrocarbons . The study was made in a bench - scale semicontinuous unit at pressures of 500 to 6,000 psig , 480 ° to 1,000 ° C , and residence times of less than 1 minute to 15 minutes . Ammonium heptamolybdate was impregnated on the coal to furnish 1 percent molybdenum based on maf coal . Coal could be rapidly hydrogenated at elevated temperatures and pressures to yield large quantities of gaseous hydrocarbons and small quantities of lowboiling oils , high in single - ring aromatics . At 800 ° C and 6,000 psig and a residence time of 1 minute , the yield of hydrocarbon gas was 43 percent and of liquid hydrocarbons 9 percent , based on maf coal . With a 15 - minute residence time , the yield of gaseous hydrocarbons increased to 68 percent with a decrease in yield of oil to 6 percent . At higher hydrogen velocities , the yields of oil were much greater but contained large quantities of asphaltene . Low concentrations of molybdenum (0.01 and 0.1 percent ) or a high concentration of iron ( 1 percent ) were ineffective at 800 ° C , 6,000 psig , and short residence time .

Jan 1, 1964

By JO Choi

Jet-grouting method is a useful technique to reinforce foundations on relatively soft or vulnerable soil layers such as fractured zone and stratum with cavities. Although jet-grouting has been widely applied to various field works, a reliable design standard has not been established yet. A number of model tests were performed to investigate end bearing behaviors of piles reinforced by jet-grouting. It was concluded that end bearing capacity was increased in proportion to uniaxial compressive strength of grout column. Based on the test results, the design criteria for the end bearing capacity were suggested.

Jan 1, 2006

By N. O. Johnson

This is one of a series of-Information Circulars dealing with mining and milling methods and costs at mines in various districts in the United States. The Hog Mountain gold mining district is of the northern edge of Tallapoosa County, in the east central part of the State of Alabama. The district is equally close to Goodwater and to Alexander City, both stations on the main line of the Central of Georgia Railroad. From Alexander City the mine is reached by 13 miles of graded road, traveling in a northeast direction. In dry seasons the road is good; in wet weather it is bad but passable. Improvements are being made constantly on the road, so that in the near future the gravel road should be good under all weathered conditions.

Jan 1, 1936

By G. K. Derby

The Bureau of Mines investigated methods for removing dragline bucket wire rope terminations with the objective of finding efficient methods that are safer than the method most commonly used at U.S. surface mines, which is to use the explosive impact of a projectile fired from a cannon to remove the rope termination. Removal of a wire rope termination for repair or replacement requires separation of the wedge and socket that lock together to secure the rope end. The Bureau investigated currently used methods and improved upon and tested two safer alternate methods for removing wire rope terminations. A cannon test program was conducted, using 40-and 50-gr primer (detonating) cord, to establish the possible force produced with a 4-in-bore cannon and a 55-lb projectile. Wedge and socket units supplied from cooperating mines were separated under controlled conditions to establish data on separation force requirements. The two alternate methods investigated were use of the force generated by (1) a pendulum ram and by (2) a portable hydraulic pusher. Both methods are capable of providing sufficient force to effect wedge and socket separations on draglines with up to 78-yd3 buckets under normal conditions.

Jan 1, 1984

By Keith Haddock

"The Sheerness Mine, a new surface coal mine located near Hanna, Alberta, went into full production in mid-1995. The mine, which is operated by Luscar’s subsidiary Forestburg Collieries (1984) Ltd., has the design capacity to supply up to 2.1 million tonnes of sub-bituminous coal per year to the adjacent Sheerness Generating station under a 30-year contract. This paper documents the construction phase of this project and highlights the major equipment purchases as well as the construction of the mine facilities. The paper also focuses on some of the areas where cost savings have been achieved that have allowed the mine to come on stream six months ahead of schedule, and under budget. Project ReviewMine DescriptionThe Sheerness Mine is located 25 km southeast of the town of Hanna in southeastern Alberta (Fig. 1). The mining property occupies the western portion of the Sheerness CoalField and borders the Montgomery Mine, operated by Manalta Coal Ltd. in the east, and Highway 36 in the west. The Montgomery Mine and the Sheerness Mine exclusively supply the total coal requirement of the adjacent Sheerness Generating Station. The station is owned jointly by Alberta Power Limited (APL) and TransAlta Utilities Corporation (TAU). APL is the operator. Manalta’s Montgomery Mine has supplied coal to the Sheerness Station since its opening in 1986. Coal is shipped by truck from the mines over a network of haul roads to the coal receiving hoppers located on the east side of Highway 36."

Jan 1, 1997

By J. B. Clemmer

Fluorspar is one of the most important nonmetallic minerals and is used extensively in the metallurgical, ceramic, cement, and chemical industries. The steel industry consumes most of it, but as the Mineral is the chief source of fluorine, it is becoming increasingly valuable to the chemical industry in the production of fluorine compounds The development of nontoxic organic fluorides for use as refrigerants in mechanical refrigeration and air-conditioning units illustrates the increasing use of fluorspar in the chemical industry. Most domestic flurospar comes from deposits in the Illinois-Kentucky district, which centers around Rosiclare, Ill. About a dozen companies operate in the district, which comprises parts of Pope and Hardin Counties in southern Illinois and Crittenden, Livingston, and Caldwell Counties in western Kentucky. According to the latest available statistics, this district supplied 1/5,960 short tons of fluorspar in 1937, compared with the total domestic production of 181,230 tons. Imports totaled 37,063 tons.

Jan 1, 1939

By J. B. Clemmer

Fluorspar is one of the most important nonmetallic minerals and is used extensively in the metallurgical, ceramic, cement, and chemical industries. The steel industry consumes most of it, but as the Mineral is the chief source of fluorine, it is becoming increasingly valuable to the chemical industry in the production of fluorine compounds. The development of nontoxic organic fluorides for use as refrigerants in mechanical refrigeration and air-conditioning units illustrates the increasing use of fluorspar in the chemical industry. Most domestic flurospar comes from deposits in the Illinois-Kentucky district, which centers around Rosiclare, Ill. About a dozen companies operate in the district, which comprises parts of Pope and Hardin Counties in southern Illinois and Crittenden, Livingston, and Caldrell Counties in western Kentucky. According to the latest available statistics, this district supplied 165,960 short tons of fluorspar in 1937, compared with the total domestic production of 151,230 tons. Imports totaled 37,063 tons.

Jan 1, 1939

By A. L. Engel

This report is a compilation of results of brief preliminary tests on sulfide ores that contained gold and silver and, in some cases base metals. It is a companion paper to a recent similar report on oxide ores. Simple treatment methods employing the least possible equipment sometimes produce satisfactory results on marginal ores and in small-scale operations. Investigations of typical ores from newly discovered or recently explored mining districts have been made in continuation of a long-established part of the hydrometallurgical and ore-dressing program of the Reno station, Bureau of Mines. The purpose of such investigations is to encourage the search for and development of mineral resources and particularly to assist in the economical exploitation of low-grade and marginal ores as well as the conservation and recovery .of values in products that were discarded from former operations because of inability to treat them profitably. Several of these investigations have been limited to preliminary tests of samples from prospecting operations, whereas same involved samples of old dumps or tailings piles. The test work in these cases was not extensive enough to warrant publication as individual reports, but is of considerable interest inasmuch as it indicates the possibilities as well as the limitations of treating the respective materials. The samples were representative of the districts from which they wore obtained, so this information should be helpful in the future development of these districts.

Jan 1, 1951

By Patrick Edward Connell

The next generation of the well-established 3-roll Reducing & Sizing Block (RSB), the RSB SCS® is the latest milestone in reducing and sizing technology for SBQ products. It offers enhanced bar quality, improved productivity, mill availability and economy as well as a simplified, safe and environmentally friendly operation. A newly developed modular drive concept of the RSB SCS® grants a smaller footprint in the layout, a reduced oil-lubrication volume and a simplified maintenance schedule. Intelligent engineering leads furthermore to reduced hydraulic functions of the RSB SCS®, which ensures a safe and environmentally friendly rolling. Another integral part of the RSB SCS® is an innovative stand changing concept, which allows automatic stand changing within three minutes. The new RSB SCS® also includes a Fast Remote Control (FRC) which enables the immediate adjustment of the roll gap against the rolling force (under load) within milliseconds. Size changes along the free-size range can also be made within the traditional billet gaps in less than five seconds. At the core of the future-oriented RSB SCS® is a real-time closed-loop control system called Size Control System (SCS®) acting with 3-roll stands adjustable under load (AUL) and / or the heavy duty stands. These features remarkably further improve the rolled tolerances and their reproducibility, and at the same time simplify the operation by means of an automated optimization of the process parameters for the rolled bars.

Aug 16, 2017

By N. Aslin, G. Heferen, H. DeWaal

"Mount Isa Mines (MIM) acquired a reputation for the successful application of R&D to develop break-through technologies for the mining industry starting in the 1978’s through until the early 2000’s. The ISAPROCESSTM tank-house technology has been licensed to copper refineries throughout the world, and a significant per cent of the world’s copper is refined using this technology. Since development in the late 1980’s more than 20 ISASMELTTM copper and lead smelting furnaces are now installed in countries around the world. Jameson Cell flotation technology developed jointly by Mount Isa Mines and Professor Graeme Jameson is widely used in the Australian coal mining industry and increasingly in the base-metal and gold industry. The IsaMillTM’s developed at Mount Isa and McArthur River made it possible to develop the McArthur River and George Fisher orebodies and has been successfully implemented into base metal fine grinding applications around the world. The most recent commercialised innovation is the atmospheric leach Albion ProcessTM with its supersonic HyperSpargeTM gas sparger, is being adopted as a solution to the increasing complexity of orebodies. MIM’s contribution to the industry was significant given the size and the remote location of its operations with Townsville Copper Refineries more than 1350 km and Mount Isa 1800 km from the nearest state capital of Brisbane. This paper will briefly discuss the development of each of these technologies and why MIM – now owned by Glencore - was so successful innovating and developing such technologies over a period of nearly 40 years.INTRODUCTION Mount Isa is located in the Gulf Country region of Queensland about 1800 kilometers North West of Brisbane (see Figure 1). It came into existence because of the world class mineral deposits found in the area. In 1923 the orebody containing lead, zinc and silver was discovered by the miner John Campbell Miles. Mount Isa Mines Limited (MIM) was founded in 1924 to develop the minerals discovered by Miles, but production did not begin until May 1931. It paid its first dividend in 1947 after 16 years of troubled production. In 1954 the 1100 copper orebody was discovered and with rapidly rising reserves during the 1950’s and 1960’s led to the construction of new concentrators to treat lead/zinc/silver ores in 1966 (#2 concentrator) and copper ore’s in 1973 (#4 concentrator). The difficult nature of the Mount Isa lead-zinc orebodies has meant that the company had always needed to be at the forefront of mining technology. In the 1970’s through to the 1990’s, it became a world leader in developing new mining techniques and processing technologies as a response to declining metal prices and rising costs. Mount Isa has been smelting copper since 1953 and lead since the early 1930’s. Copper Refining at Mount Isa’s fully owned subsidiary of Copper Refineries Proprietary Limited (CRL) had commenced operations in 1959."

Jan 1, 2018

By Tom Learmont

The importance of coal in solving our energy problems has been widely discussed; the world demand for food requires increased fertilizer production and the minerals to produce fertilizer must be mined. We have seen an explosive increase in the demand for large stripping equipment. It is appropriate that we review this equipment and determine what can be done to improve productivity. While we have used coal mining as an example in the study, much of the discussion will apply equally to other forms of stripping.

Jan 1, 1975