Search Documents

By John Rogers

The goal of a detailed quantitative understanding of the variables insulfide flotation in terms of established, or new, scientific principles is still distant, although there has been a good beginning in the past 50 years with more rapid progress since 1930. Advances have paralleled closely those in other branches of surface chemistry and the development of a series of experimental techniques such as contact angle, surface area measurement, radioactive tracers, infrared spectra, electron diffraction, monolayer, and electro- chemical methods of investigation. The second editions of books by Sutherland and Warkl ( 1955) and Gaudin2 ( 19571, are detailed accounts of this progress. The complexity of sulfide mineral flotation systems is indicated by Sutherland and Warkl who list 32 variables of flotation, of which only 22 can usually be controlled by the metallurgist. A consequence of this multiplicity of variables, many of which may be specific to each particular ore, is that ways of floating sulfide minerals from new ores are still developed empirically. How- ever, this review will try to show how the chemistry of the function of frothers, collectors, depressants, and activators in sulfide flotation is being steadily unravelled. Chiefly, it will be concerned with the interaction of pure soluble compounds with individual sulfide minerals, the surfaces of which are often not stoichiometric for several reasons discussed by Plaksin.3 As a result, for example, a freshly cleaved galena surface has cathodic and anodic areas which have different degrees of oxidation and different reactivity to- wards collectors like xanthate. Such complicating considerations should be remembered in the subsequent discussion of pure minerals. THE NEED FOR FLOTATION REAGENTS After considerable controversy it has been established with a few exceptions that unoxidized, uncontaminated sulfides will not float. Moreover all flotation plants recovering sulfide minerals use collectors which are removed from the circuit with the sulfides. Gaudin, Miaw, and Spedden4 have discussed the relation between the crystal structure of solids and the native floatability of the exceptions mentioned above. A second question which has been much explored is the nature of the surface on which a collector like xanthate is adsorbed or reacts. Is this the un- changed surface of the sulfide mineral, or does the adsorption depend on the initial oxidation of the sulfide surface ? Sutherland and Warkl and Gaudin2 discuss the work of Taggart5 and others on this question without reaching any other conclusion than that oxygen was important.

Jan 1, 1962

By W. F. Mattes

The manufacture of steel rails in the United States upon a large scale may be roughly dated from the years 1875-76, and the same years witnessed an active movement among the railroads toward the adoption of heavier and improved patterns. In this movement each road was a law unto itself, and the "personal equations " of some scores of engineers were so freely injected into the calculations that patterns were multiplied in the most absurd and mischievous manner, until at length the burden upon the mills became wellnigh unendurable, and called forth a vigorous protest in Mr. Holley's paper,* read before the Institute in February, 1881. There were then regularly manufactured in the various mills of the United States, no less than 119 different patterns of steel rails, subject to current order, of which 64 per cent. were embraced under five weights per yard. Commenting upon these and other figures there given, Mr. Holley stated as the primary object of his paper, " to show that,, while this multiplication of rail-patterns is an annoyance and an expense to rail-makers, it is a source of immense loss to railway companies." Since 1876 the increase in gross annual tonnage upon our leading lines has been very great, and has been accompanied by an increase of wheel-loads and running-speeds. As the average weight of the rails of 1876 was by no means excessive, the growing deman Is of traffic have slowly driven the roads toward stiffer sections, inaugurating a movement that now promises to become epidemic. In 1876 a 67-pound rail was a first-class equipment; to-day everything under 75 pounds is light, and many 80's are coming into use. European practice has long been heavier than ours; in part because the higher cost of sleepers has led to an average of 3-feet spacing, instead of two-feet as with us. The old 84-pound double-header, and Sandberg's 80- and 89-pound rails, respectively 51/4 inches and 591/2 inches high, are reported common on English roads; and he is strongly advocating the general adoption of the 100-pounder shown in Fig. 7, with what success I have not learned, except that the Belgian government has ordered a lot. Mr. Sandberg points out the undesirability of frequent changes of pattern, and the recent rapid growth in traffic-requirements; prognosticates a continuance of this

Jan 1, 1887

By V. W. Aubel

Among the iron-bearing ores of the world, the titaniferous iron sands of New Zealand are probably the least known to American engineers. This is not surprising in view of the fact that American ironmasters look with disfavor on any, even domestic, ores containing over 1 per cent. titanium. The possibilities of smelting titanium-bearing ores in the blast furnace are still undetermined, but the problem of their efficient reduction is becoming more important each year. There seems to be little inclination on the part of American furnace operators to tackle this problem, and they will no doubt continue to utilize the non-titanium ores at their command, leaving research and experiment to those countries not so fortunately endowed. New Zealand has, however, been intensely interested in her deposits of titanium-bearing iron sand, and during the last 50 years considerable English and New Zealand capital has been expended on this problem. The extent of the New Zealand iron-sand deposits is almost beyond measure. From Patea north to Manuka Heads, along almost the entire west coast of the North Island, these deposits exist. Wherever there is beach sand along this 300 mi. of coast line, the sand is iron bearing. It varies considerably in grade; but wherever the contour of the coast affords small bays and inlets, large dunes are found that are remarkably uniform in quality. Several of these large deposits, especially those at New Plymouth and Patea, are noted for their high iron content. The dune at New Plymouth runs between 55 and 60 per cent. of metallic iron; the panning action of the prevailing westerly winds and northwesterly currents has no doubt resulted in this concentration. Whatever the origin of this material may be, there is no doubt that deposition is going on continuously. At New Plymouth, a small artificial harbor, protected from the drifting sand by a large breakwall, has been dredged. Here sailing vessels have for years been loaded with iron sand for ballast by means of a crane and grab bucket operated from the wall of the breakwater. Thousands of tons of sand have been removed from this spot yet each succeeding storm renews the supply. The sand dune shown in Fig. 1 has been tested to a depth of 50 ft. (15 m.) without losing its

Jan 1, 1920

By Henry Hibbard

Fox the purpose of this paper all steels will be divided into two divisions: effervescing and non-effervescing. This classification must be borne in mind as many statements true of one class are not true of the other. Effervescing steels are those that effervesce in the molds, evolving large volumes of gases, which, in escaping, throw up a spray of molten particles of steel and give the molten metal in the mold a rapid stirring or churning motion until it freezes, or, at least, becomes pasty. This effervescing is intended and proper. The non-effervescing steels, which are more or less completely killed, should not evolve any gas in the molds. Many years ago the writer proposed to call the two classes of steels evolution and solution steels, depending on whether the gases in the molds are evolved or kept in solution, but the present designations seen to be better. In America, at least, effervescing steels are in a class by themselves and include steels made for boiler, tank, and ship plates, steel pipe, soft steel wire, wire nails, soft machinery, and structural steels. These are all low-carbon steels with less than 0.40 per cent. carbon. Low-carbon steels that do not effervesce but are killed are also made; these are put into ingots and castings but they are outside the limits of this paper. Effervescing steel is cast into square or slab molds, either top or bottom poured. Most of the effervescing steel is made in the basic open-hearth furnace, though much is made by the acid Bessemer process and a little is made in the acid open-hearth. It is not made by the crucible or electric-furnace process, in which the volume of gas required cannot be produced in the steel and evolved from it in the mold to give the effervescence desired. Any steel ingot, when teeming is finished, is of a certain size or volume. Leaving out of consideration for the moment the lessening of the over-all dimensions of the ingot through contraction due to loss of heat, the ingot may be placed in one of three classes: It may settle, losing in volume; it may stand, that is, remain constant in volume; it may rise, that is, increase in volume.

Jan 9, 1919

By E. C. W. Perryman

The recovery of X-ray line broadening, hardness, and electrical resistivity from cold worked AI-Mg alloys has been investigated. The results, together with those from density measurements, suggest that magnesium atoms freeze in the excess vacancies formed by cold working, and that this affects the climb of dislocations during the recovery process. PREVIOUS work1, " has shown that while 1 pct Mg increases the activation energy for recrystalliza-tion, it decreases the activation energy for the recovery of mechanical properties and decreases the subgrain size both after cold working and annealing. A similar result has been reported by Varley2 for an A1-2 pct Mg alloy. With plastic deformation at high temperatures, McLean and Farmer' and Rachinger have found that magnesium appears to retard the motion of dislocations and, furthermore, they find little or no effect of magnesium on the size of subgrains formed during high temperature deformation. In view of the apparent contradictions as to the effect of magnesium on subgrain size, the recovery process in Al-Mg alloys has been investigated more thoroughly by studying the annealing out of X-ray line broadening, hardness, and electrical resistivity from alloys cold worked at room temperature. Material Used—The chemical analyses of the alloys are given in Table I. Fabrication—The material used was cold rolled 20 pct at room temperature, the grain size prior to the last cold rolling operation being similar to that used in previous work; i.e., 230. The experimental procedure for annealing, determination of X-rav half-veak breadth. hardness measurement, electEica1 resistivity, and density and metallographic examination was exactly the same as previously described." Variation of X-Ray Half-Peak Breadth with Annealing Time—Isothermal annealing curves at 100°, 200°, and 250°C were obtained for material cold worked 20 pct. The half-peak breadth of the (333) Ka, line directly after cold working is shown as a function of magnesium content in Fig. 1. Only with the 2.87 pct Mg alloy was overlapping of the a, and n.. reflections observed to any appreciable extent. To separate these, Rachinger's method' was used. Typical isothermal annealing curves are shown in Figs. 2 and 3 for 100" and 200°C, respectively. These curves are similar to those obtained previously for super-purity aluminum except that the

Jan 1, 1957

By A. Mular, T. Bond, G. D. Farnell, J. F. Kingston

"ABSTRACT:-A 60—cm semiautogenous grinding-(SAG) mill was designed -for continuous wet operation in closed circuit with a vibrating screen. The circuit is fully instrumented and automated. Part of the control system incorporates Foxboro SPEC 200 controllers around the pump box to maintain level. The rest of the control system involves an ACTION model BC2 basic direct digital controller that handles all other inputs/outputs and contact closure sensing:·The success of the control system is attributed to the uniqueness of specially designed mass flow metering systems. Various control strategies are possible. Employed to date has been control of a mill load set-point by cascading the deviation from load set-point as the set-point to the fresh feed rate ""controller"". Mill feed water is ratioed to total flow rate of solids fed to the mill. The performance of the circuit is being correlated with the performance of full scale SAG circuits in British Columbia to develop models, to assess the feasibility of scale up and to investigate the effects of design variables on responses such as circuit throughput. 1 INTRODUCTIONWhere ore types are appropriate, semiautogenous grinding and/or autogenous grinding (AG) has replaced conventional grinding. Secondary/Tertiary crushing plants are thereby eliminated so that capital expenditures are less and overall comminution costs can be lower (Barratt 1982). To establish the suitability of an ore for SAG circuits, pilot scale tests with 1.7 to 1.8 M diameter mills are often conducted. At least one test per ore type in a deposit has been necessary. Often, each test involves a large amount (up to 50 tonne) of sample, so that the testwork can be expensive and may discourage the use of SAG or AG circuits. However, MacPherson (1977) has employed a continuous 45 cm dry Aerofall mill circuit closed with screens and an air classifier to determine whether ores are suitable for SAG milling. The amount of sample per ore type is of the order of 60 kg or less. Thus an established SAG mill scale up procedure that employs small circuits is highly desirable.The purpose of this paper is to describe a small 60 cm wet continuous SAG/ AG mill pilot circuit assembled at the University of British Columbia to study the feasibility of scale up, to assess the influence of design variables, to develop mathematical models and to evaluate the effects of alternative control strategies on circuit performance"

Jan 1, 1988

By Edward A. Capillon

The problem of scrap is probably of greater importance in the pro duction of gold, silver and other precious metal alloys than is the case for base metals and alloys. Remelting of gold and silver scrap in the shop is always a costly process because it involves losses by oxidation of thc base metals in the alloy with a consequent increase in the percentage of precious metal. This is most marked in the case of alloys containing the low-boiling and easily oxidized metals zinc and cadmium. Since it is not generally feasible to assay every shop remelt it follows that the possibilities of lost values arc large. So-called rolled gold and silver plate is made by soldering or welding the precious metal alloys onto base metal. Such plate when defective must be sent to the refinery to recover the gold and silver values, thereby involving additional expense in the form of refining charges. It is obvious therefore that gold and silver alloy scrap is an important item in manufacturing cost and must be reduced to a minimum. The amount of scrap resulting from poor metal will depend on a number of factors in the manufacturing operations, not least among which is the melting and casting practice. The notes which follow are a summary of experiments performed at various times to determine what variables in melting and casting are influential in the production of sound alloys. Metals Used in Alloying Pure gold, that is, gold of 24-kt. value is very much too soft for jewelry purposes and it is therefore always alloyed with other metals to increase its hardness and resistance to wear. For the same reason pure silver is seldom used alone but is alloyed with copper, the standard alloy being sterling silver which contains 92.5 per cent. silver and 7.5 per cent. copper. The metals commonly used for alloying gold are silver, coppcr, nickel and zinc. In addition to hardening the gold and producing alloys of different karat values the use of these metals makes possible the production of gold alloys of various colors such as yellow, red, green and white. The gold-silver-copper alloys vary in color from light greenish-white through green, yellow and red depending on the relative amounts of the three metals. Green or yellowish-green colored golds

Jan 1, 1930

By A. Roca, V. A. Quezada, O. A. Benavente, M. Cruells

The leaching pretreatment of copper ores is widely used in the Chilean mining industry. Agglomeration and acid curing have been identified as the most useful pretreatments. Of these, acid curing was recognized as beneficial in the dissolution of copper minerals, even in sulphides such as chalcopyrite. Extensive acid curing times have an impact on copper extraction, generate a homogeneous acid distribution in the mineral bed and benefit the inhibition of aluminum-silicate minerals (acid consumers). This document describes some of the theoretical background and results regarding the effect of acid curing in a chalcopyrite sample with 74% purity according to Qemscan analysis and a 28.5% of total copper. Leaching tests are carried out at 25, 50 and 70°C, evaluating the effect of a pretreatment on the chalcopyrite dissolution. The original sample and products generated were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The performed experiments indicate a direct relation between the effect of curing time and temperature in copper extraction. 92% of copper can be extracted in a leaching at 70°C and with 15 days of curing. Elemental sulfur, jarosite and copper polysulfide (CuS2) have been detected in leaching products. INTRODUCTION The copper extraction from minerals is a technique that has been developed for hundreds of years in the world. In 2017, the largest copper producer was Chile, exported 5.5 million tons (COCHILCO, 2018). However, in order to preserve this production level means overcoming multiple challenges. In the case of the Chilean copper deposits, the average copper grade in 2016 was 0.65%, lower than the 1% declared in 2004 (Consejo Minero, 2018). This is mainly due to the deeper of the deposits reaching sulfide mineral zones, mainly chalcopyrite. Traditionally, these sulfurized zones ore are treated through concentration by flotation and subsequent pyrometallurgical treatments. However, for some copper companies it is complex to process by this alternative, due to the high costs and high rates of water consumption. The mineral resources of these companies are known as "low-grade sulfides" and do not allow, economically, the treatment of these minerals through concentration by flotation. This is how hydrometallurgy becomes an alternative for the treatment of this type of deposits. In addition, several companies have hydrometallurgical plants, which would allow the operational continuity of these plants.

Jan 1, 2019

By T. Prof. Ph. D. Egleston

(Read at the Amenia Meeting, October, 1877.) THE copper-bearing rocks of Lake Superior are composed of a series of metamorphic rocks, comprised under the names of amygdaloid and conglomerate, in which the copper and silver found with them are pseudomorphs. These rocks, generally, have well-defined walls which cause them to separate easily. Generally, the country rock is sterile, but it occasionally rises into the copper-bearing rock, and then carries copper. Usually, the amygdaloids carry copper, and the greenstones or melaphyres which encase them do not. There is a very generally received opinion that the copper in these beds occurs in shoots. This does not appear to be proved, though the opinion seems to have some foundation from the experience of the Calumet & Hecla Mine, where a body of poor rock has been left, which, on the mine map, shows a general direction. The theory may be true of that individual mine, but too little work has been done in the other mines to draw any decided conclusion. The copper is very unequally disseminated in the rock, if any given piece be taken as an example, but, if the whole copper-bearing series be considered, its distribution is uniform. It may prove that there are certain directions in which the copper has been deposited more abundantly than in others, and these may be found to correspond with certain geological causes, but up to the present time the knowledge gained is not sufficient to warrant any general conclusion. These rocks are supplemented by a series of true fissure veins, of which there are several systems, making the amount of native copper very large. Unfortunately, except in the fissure veins, known as "mass-mines," the copper is so scattered through the rock, and is in such a fine state of division, that, although it is not always difficult to mine, it is always difficult to dress it sufficiently too make it pay. The metal is so uniformly distributed through these copper-bearing rocks that detached pieces, called " float," are found in digging on almost any land in the country. These pieces vary from very small fragments, weighing not more than a few ounces,, up to many pounds. III one instance, in making an excavation for a cellar of a

Jan 1, 1878

By Walter R. Hibbard

THE increased strength of a polycrystal-line metallic aggregate compared with that of its individual crystals generally has been associated with complex stress distributions at the grain boundaries resulting from atomic irregularity between grains. This disregistry, together with the necessity for adjacent crystals to deform 'compatibly regardless of the single crystal crystallographic strain mechanism, complicates this mechanism so as to increase the metal's resistance to deformation. Although Taylor1 has shown from purely mechanical considerations the requirement for at least five active slip systems to absorb the complexities during the homogeneous deformation of polycrystalline face-centered cubic metals, experimental studies by Barrett and Levenson2 indicate that this is feasible only in a qualitative sense because of deviations from homogeneous deformation. Seitz and Read in their review3 state: "Unfortunately . . . present knowledge of the grain boundary influence is not sufficient to complement the work in single crystals and provide us with a good foundation for treating polycrystals." The purpose of this investigation was to attempt to clarify the gap between single crystals and crystalline aggregates by an analysis of the effects of deformational stresses. Some of the results were described by C. H. Mathewson in his 1943 Campbell Memorial Lecture.21 PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS Since the performance of single crystals deformed under pure stresses has been relatively thoroughly investigated, the most significant researches are concerned primarily with deviations from single crystal behavior of large grained specimens. Qualitative grain boundary effects involving the observed amount of slip were reported by Carpenter and Elam5 in 1921. Individual crystals in a two or three grained aluminum specimen deformed by tension acted in the normal manner described by Taylor and Elam4 except for marked modifications at the grain boundaries. There the power to withstand deformation was considerably increased, leaving a ridge on the specimen where decreased slip occurred, often noticeable 34 in: from the boundary. Adcock,6 Yamaguchi,7 Seumel,8 Hirst9 and others have also reported this phenomenon as a qualitative trend. Yet attempts by O'Neill10 and Ljunggren11 to measure a difference in hardness at grain boundaries in undeformed specimens were unsuccessful. Miller12 measured quantitatively the reduction in slip near the boundary between the single crystal and polycrystalline areas of zinc specimens. These effects consisted of two parts: I. Next to the polycrystalline interface the distribution of stresses was so altered

Jan 1, 1948

By Orville R. Lyons

THE removal of moisture from coal has been a coal-preparation problem ever since the first wet-washing preparation plant was placed in operation. Today, when most of the coal produced in the United States is wetted at the working face when mined, or is cleaned by wet methods, the removal of moisture is a necessity for any one or a combination of the following reasons; (1) to avoid freezing difficulties during shipment, (2) to increase the B.t.u. content, (3) to effect savings in freight costs, and (4) to so improve the coal that it may be used for specific purposes-for instance, in the production of briquettes or the production of metallurgical coke-or so that it can be treated by dry cleaning methods. In general, the amount of water retained by coal particles varies with the size-consist of the coal. Fine coal has a larger surface area per unit weight than does coarse coal, so its capacity for retaining moisture is proportionately greater. The removal of moisture from coarse coal is relatively easy, while the removal of water from minus 10-mesh coal or finer is a major problem, usually requiring an individual solution at each preparation plant. As a result, a multitude of methods and a variety of equipment have been designed to solve both general and specific moisture-removal problems. Definitions In order that misunderstanding may be eliminated insofar as possible, it is necessary to define the terms to be used. The moisture content of any given increment of wet, washed coal is made up of two parts, inherent and surface moisture. Inherent moisture has been defined in various ways and as yet no standard definition has been agreed upon. However, in general, it is considered as the moisture that is present in the coal in the bed. The important point to remember is that coal with any amount of inherent moisture, whether 2 or 20 per cent, will appear dry if there is no surface moisture. Also important is the fact that inherent moisture can be removed, in part, by air drying at atmospheric temperatures. Surface moisture is that attached to the surface of the coal particles or that retained in cracks and fissures other than capillary openings in the coal substance. Essentially, insofar as the bituminous coal and anthracite indus-

Jan 1, 1950

By A. Chakravarti, C. C. Harris

First-order kinetics adequately describe the recovery of a single floatable species. The conditions under which cell behazior can be simulated by a single-phase model are discussed; deviations from the multiphase model are accountable. The rate coefficient depends upon operating conditions besides particle size and mineralogy and the physicochemical properties of the pulp constituents. The model for a real flotation system combines the first -order, single-phase model with a distribution of noninteracting species. Methods for determining the distributions are discussed. Applications of the procedure to flotation studies are outlined. The mathematical description of flotation as a rate process can be traced to Garcia1 who reported cases in which the fraction of solid remaining in a cell in semi-batch operation, F (for Notation used throughout, see Table l), decays exponentially with experimental time T. F = e-k>r. (1 The differential equation leading to Eq. 1 is dF ----= -k,F (2) dT which is recognized as the algebraic analog of the chemical kinetics first-order reaction equation.' This has led to suggested mechanisms for flotation and mathematical relationships other than first order: with very little foundation other than analogy. The flotation rate coefficient kl can be accounted for as the product of several probabilities concerning bub-ble-particle attachment and detachment, aggregate entry from pulp into froth and return from froth to pulp, and removal from froth as concentrate. These factors clearly contribute to the magnitude of the overall flotation rate, and there are others also, but describing flotation merely as the overall probability of consecutive gross events hardly appears a significant advance in understanding. More recently, it has been described in terms of a stochastic process, which promises to provide a more satisfactory approach? The present paper will be more concerned with a phenomeno-logical description of the flotation process than with an account of the internal mechanics of the process. This is not a statement of priorities, or a judgement of the relative importance of these options but rather an assessment of what is presently possible. Previous investigators'" have developed methods for interpreting semi-batch flotation data in terms of species distribution. These methods have been used in an attempt to explain flotation behavior in response to changes in operating conditions." Inspection of examples given in the literature" reveals discrepancies between theory and experiment, and data obtained in the Colum-

Jan 1, 1971

By Joan C. Biordi

[Composition profiles for atomic, radical, and stable species, as well as temperature and area expansion ratio profiles, have been determined for a nearly stoichiometric CH4-02-Ar flame and one to which 0.3 percent CF5Br inhibitor had been added. Net reaction rate profiles were calculated for all the observed species. For the normal flame, these and the mole fraction profiles gave rate coefficient information about the elementary reactions in the methane flame, for example, CH. + 0 4- H2CO 0 H, k4 = 1.05 X 1014CM3 mole-1sec-1 for 1,550§T 0,725' K; CO + OH 4 C02 + H, k6= 4.7 X 1011 for 1,350{T X1,750° K. Comparison between the inhibited and normal flame showed that A] and [CH3] were significantly reduced at the lower temperatures in the inhibited flame even though in the hot gas region the [E] [OH!, and [0] were essentially the same in both flames. The CF3Br disappears very early in the flame, relative to the fuel, and the reaction primarily responsible for its disappearance is H v CF3Br 4 HBr + CF3, where k7 is found to be 2.2 X 1014 exp(-9460/RT) for 700-1,550° K. Reaction of the inhibitor with methyl radicals provides for the relatively small amounts of CH3Br observed, but CH3 + Br2 - CHs Br + Br must also occur. The HBr formed reacts rapidly with H atoms to form H2 and Br, but the reaction is soon "balanced" in the flame as may be demonstrated by calculation of the equilibrium constant at various temperatures. The fluoro-carbon fragment produced in reaction (7) also reacts rapidly, in part with methyl radicals to give the observed elimination product CH2CF2 Later in the flame, above -1,400' K, F2CO is formed from the reaction CH2CF2 + 0 P F2CO + CH2 and k., -1.5 X 1013 at 1,600° K. The rather slow decay of carbonyl fluoride is attributed to reaction with H atoms according to the sequence F2CO I H - HF + FCO and FCO + H HF + CO.]

Jan 1, 1975

By P. C. Thurston, T. Setterfield, D. H. Watkinson

"The Maybrun copper deposit IS In a succession of pillowed basaltic flows in the Wabigoon sub-province, northwestern Ontario. The rocks have primary flow morphologies and remarkably well-preserved crystallization textures, including quench-textured plagioclase, in spite of metamorphism to the amphibolite facies. The sulphide assemblage chalcopyrite-pyrrhotite-cubanite with minor sphalerite and pyrite is primarily in interpillow spaces and is stratabound. Basaltic rocks immediately enclosing the copper sulphide minerals have an enrichment in Fe, Mg and K and depletion in Ca and Na relative to surrounding flows. The Maybrun deposit is interpreted to have formed contemporaneously with volcanism and alteration, and was subsequently metamorphosed with the enclosing basalts.IntroductionThe association o f significant base metal accumulations with mafic submarine flows in the Archean is as yet poorly documented. Such deposits, where noted, have typically been small, and are therefore commonly over looked. The Maybrun Mine, a 2.6 x 106-tonne copper deposit in pillowed basalt, has many similarities with large, well-documented volcanogenic deposits. Given the interpretation of the Maybrun Mine to be volcanogenic in origin, there is n o reason why similar processes could not produce large deposit s. This is an important realization in an area where Archean submarine mafic rock s are very common, but frequently are examined only superficially. As gold commonly occurs in deposits such as Maybrun, even modest-sized deposits may be economic. The basalts at Maybrun are remarkable for amphibolite-facies rocks because of their extremely well-preserved delicate volcanic textures, including quench textures.The Maybrun Mine is one kilometre south of Atikwa Lake, in the Wabigoon sub-province of the Superior structural province, 75 km southeast of Kenora, northwestern Ontario, at longitude 93°35'W, latitude 49°25'N (Davies, 1973). Archean metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks and intrusions underlie the area. Goodwin (1970) concluded that the mafic and minor felsic metavolcanic rocks, as well as the overlying metasedimentary rock s, were an eastward extension of the lower cycle of the Keewatin type section for the Lake of the Woods area. He estimated that the stratigraphic thickness of Keewatin rock s in this area is about 6900 m, of which 87% is basalt. The flows contain numerous interlayered sills, predominantly of basaltic composition; they have been extensively folded, faulted, metamorphosed to amphibolite facies and intruded by numerous felsic bodies, most importantly the Atikwa Batholith."

Jan 1, 1983

By A. Sariisik

This study analyses the results of a pilot trial of a newly developed armed-chained stone-cutting machine. The machine was developed in Turkey and trialed at the Kaklik/Kocaba travertine quarries in the Denizli District. An armed-chained cutting machine is an alternative to the diamond wire cutting method more frequently used in the production of natural stone quarry blocks, and increases production efficiency and quality. Since there is no need to collapse the blocks using the armed-chained cutting production process, there is no risk of the block developing cracks. This results in a considerable increase in the efficiency of natural stone block production. The armed-chained cutting machine is easier both to assemble and run when compared to other block cutting methods. This process resulted in the production of a larger number of blocks at a lower cost within the same time frame, particularly in travertine quarries and in all other natural stone quarries. The block efficiency in travertine quarries was calculated as 65?80%using the armed-chained cutting machine, compared with 7?14% using the normal diamond wire cutting method.

Jan 1, 2010

By A Reid

The Late Archaean of South AustraliaÆs Gawler Craton contains significant potential for gold resources. The main targets of interest are migmatised gold style systems of which the Challenger deposit is the best known example. This deposit is one of the lower cost gold producers in Australia due to the high-grade, low-tonnage nature of the mineralisation. Structurally controlled, metamorphosed deposit styles are also possible throughout the Archaean of the Gawler Craton, including occurrences within reactivated shear zones. More typical, lower metamorphic grade orogenic gold styles are also possible within greenstone host sequences identified in the central and southern parts of the Gawler Craton.

Jan 1, 2007

By R. R. Tatiya

Data obtained from a copper mine were used in a comparative study of the reserve estimates generated by applying geostatistical methods to surface borehole data, underground core drilling results and assay values from chip sampling. Global estimation of the deposit performed by kriging of the low-density sampling data from the surface boreholes did not provide reliable results, but could identify the potentially mineralised zones. The reserve generated from core drilling results correlated well with that estimated from chip sample data and with that estimated by the conventional methods used at the mine. A satisfactory reserve evaluation could, therefore, be obtained by kriging of the data from the underground core drilling alone, provided that a systematic sampling procedure was adopted. Estimates based on chip sampling information could be used as a check, which could avoid the current practice of chip sampling of most of the mine workings. The aim should be to develop a semi-variogram for the deposit, which could be used to estimate the reserves by kriging

Jun 19, 1905

Failure of rock materials is a process of crack propagation. Crack initiation takes place when the crack tip stress intensity K reaches a critical value called fracture toughness, K1C. The rock fracture toughness is known to be affected by the surrounding environment such as temperature, confining pressure and humidity. In order to examine the effect of humidity, a series of semi-circular bend tests were performed under various water vapour pressures in a rock material that is known to be anisotropic. Water vapour promotes stress corrosion of rock and therefore the fracture toughness was found to have a decreasing trend with increasing water vapour pressure. The rate of decreasing the fracture toughness depends on the microcrack density that promotes the migration of water vapour into the rock. Also in an anisotropic rock, the fracture toughness depends on the direction of crack in relation to the anisotropy of the rock material.

Dec 6, 2010

By Thomas Schwind, Pamela S. Moran

For short tunnels, a reinforced cast-in-place lining is not economical and shotcreteis a logical substitution. In the past, reinforced shotcrete linings have been constructed with lattice girders and welded wire fabric. For the Russia Wharf Tunnel in Boston, MA, the Contractor, with the help of the Dr. G. Sauer Corporation offered the MBTA a VECP to substitute the reinforced cast-in-place concrete lining with a steel fiber reinforced shotcrete lining. The challenge was to adequately model the ductility of the steel fiber reinforced shotcrete and to test the shotcrete prior to and during construction to assure quality control. To our knowledge, this type of numerical simulation has not been used on any other tunnels in the US.

Jan 1, 2005

By Robert Hopler

A blast caused the destruction of a bridge and loaded freight train and the death of three men, near Chattanooga, Tenn., on May 16, 1907. The blast and its disastrous effect has been described by Mr. Hunter McDonald, M. Am. Soc. C. E., in a paper read before the Engineering Association of the South and reprinted in the Proceedings of the Association for April-June, 1907. The excessive damage was so largely due to coincidence and wreckage of the bridge and train so complete that the incident is worthy of notice.

Jan 1, 2008