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By Edward Ernst, Richard Runvik

AT the U. S. Gypsum Co. mine in Oakfield, N. Y., a flat-lying vein of rock gypsum is mined by the room and pillar method. Averaging only 4 ft thick, this vein is 1200 to 6000 ft in mineable width and many miles in length. Overlying the vein throughout the mine is a 2-ft thickness of distintegrated gypseous shale and fractured limestone which parts easily, falling with little or no warning. This shale, known as ash, varies in thickness from less than an inch to more than a foot. Small veinlets of selenite cut this shaley material, which breaks around timber props. The 18-in. limestone over-lying the ash is fractured vertically into blocks of varying size and will fail if any but the shortest unsupported spans are permitted. Above these two members is a thick layer of competent limestone.

Jan 6, 1957

By J. Meintjes

The measures taken by Rand Carbide Limited from the 1950s to 1976 to control dust emission from the electric furnaces at its Witbank factory are described. A new design of furnace for calcium carbide followed by a dry-fabric filtration plant for the furnace gases was not successful in arresting the dust. A 131 m chimney commissioned in 1968 effectively dispersed the dust-laden gases from both carbide and ferrosilicon production and so brought considerable alleviation. In 1974 a bag-filter dust-collecting plant was successfully commissioned on a 6 MV.A carbide furnace, and this was followed in 1976 by a bag-filter plant on a 46,5 MV.A ferrosilicon furnace. The company has spent considerable effort and money over two decades in trying to combat dust emission, but eventual success had to await technological development.

Jan 1, 1978

By Jesús L. Valenzuela

The solvent extraction for gold from alkaline cyanide solutions has been investigated using LIX 79 guanidine-based extractant. Different variables that could affect the extraction system were evaluated: equilibrium time, aqueous pH and extractant and modifier concentrations. The extraction isotherms of the aurocyanide complex with respect to other cyanoanions were compared and the following order of selectivity Au>Ag>Cu>Zn>>Fe was observed. From the pH isotherms it was found that aurocyanide can be extracted in alkaline media and a better separation with respect to other cyanoaniones was obtained in the range of 10.5 < pH < 11.2. Better selectivity was observed when using LIX 79 and tridecanol at 10% and 5% vol, respectively. Stripping gold from loaded organic was carried out at pH>12, using NaOH and NaCN solutions.

Jan 1, 2003

By Doug Halbe

?Many are called, but few are chosen.? The biblical adage applies not only to life, but also to hydrometallurgical processes. There have been, in the past, many outstanding successes with new processes ? and also some dismal failures. What are the odds of success for a new process? When there have been problems, why? What can you do to make sure these problems don?t occur with your process? What effect will a slow startup have on project economics? How do financial institutions ? the people who loan your company money for the project ? feel about new processes and why? Is it possible to predict or estimate the time required to reach design parameters?and if so, how do you sell this estimate to management ? and financial institutions? Probably most important ? when do you start thinking about the answers to these questions?

Jan 1, 2003

By D. S. Kostick

Soda ash production in the United States during 1994 increased 4%, reaching 9.3 Mt (10.2 million st). That was the second highest production year. Domestic nameplate soda ash capacity is about 11 Mt (12 million st). Overall, the industry operated at about 85% of capacity. Some companies produced at 100% of capacity while others produced at below their design ratings. Although domestic soda ash consumption was slow during the first half of the year, third- and fourth-quarter sales increased, especially in the flat¬glass and fiberglass sectors. These two sectors increased because of greater demand for glass products in the automotive and construction industries. Soda ash sold for pulp caustic soda increased during 1994. This was due to higher prices for and reduced availability of electrolytic caustic soda. It is often preferred for pulp digestion because of its stronger alkalinity.

Jan 1, 1995

Human resources (HR) practitioners use a general suite of tools that they adopt to suit their company needs and profile. This paper will cover the main areas of a selection and recruitment process from applying for a job, resumT writing, participating in an interview finalising the job offer. A holistic recruitment process has many facets to it. These processes can be quite sophisticated and technical but at the end of the day they are designed to identify talent. A recruitment process will generally include: ability testing (usually online);telephone interview;face to face interview;behaviourally based interviews;psychometric assessments;presentations;simulations (independent or team based); and assessment centres, etc. Understanding the basis of these tools will go a long way to prepare you for the job market, enhance your performance in a recruitment process and stand you out from the pack.

Jan 1, 2008

By Robert H. Peters, George R. Bockosh, Barbara Fotta

This paper was commissioned by the Japan Technical Cooperation Center for Coal Resources Development. It is to be published in a proceedings following a series of presentations to Japanese coal officials in February 1997. The paper focuses primarily on summarizing the past 20 years of U.S. research on promising techniques for ensuring that underground coal miners work safely. These techniques can be grouped into three major categories: management, workplace design, and training. Each technique is described, and the results of efforts to apply the technique at underground coal mines are summarized. Recent statistics on accidents and productivity in U.S. underground coal mining operations are presented before the overview of research findings is given. Because Japanese coal mines are using the longwall method of coal extraction, separate statistics are given for U.S. longwall versus room-and-pillar coal mining operations.

The 101 st Annual General Meeting of The South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy was held in the Gold Room, Transvaal Automobile Club, 60 5th Street, Lower Houghton, Johannesburg on Wednesday, 12th August, 1998. Obituaries The President announced the death, during the year, of the following members: Honorary Life Fellows and Past Presidents H.E. Cross, D.G. Malan, P.W.J. van Rensburg Life Fellows J.B. Rolfes, W.C. Walmsley Fellows H.F. Boshoff, M.L.A. Fitzgerald, J. Humphriss Retired Fellows H.S. Botha, E.Collier, J.L. Curtis, A.H.H. Davison, D.I. Legge, B.D. McNeice, J.A. Northcott, D. de V. Oxford, S.S.K. Penney, P.C. Pirow, J. Pope, A.J. Rossouw, A.N. Shand, E.P. Smit, H.V. Solomon, S.G. Taussig

Jan 1, 1998

By Fatma Arslan

Alada (Kayseri-Turkey) lead-zinc sulfide-oxide ores contain 10.17% Pb, 10.98 %Zn, 164 g/t Cd and 57 g/t Ag. During the laboratory scale flotation tests of these ores, it was found that almost all zinc was remained in the tailings that contain 12.31% Zn, 1.35%Pb, 198.3 g/t Cd, and 22.3%Fe. Three different methods were studied such as basic (NaOH) leaching, roasting+acidic (H2SO4) leaching and direct acidic (H2SO4) leaching for recovering metals that these tailings contain. In the direct acidic leaching, which gave the best results, dissolution efficiencies of 91.5% zinc, 78.2% cadmium, and 14.3% iron were reached at the optimum leaching conditions while Pb remained in the leach residues and the acid consumption was 422.3 kg/ton of tailings.

Jan 1, 2006

By S Jahanshahi, T Norgate

In single stage copper making appreciable amounts of copper report to the slag phase. Various strategies are available to minimise copper losses to the slag. However a slag treatment stage is likely to be required in an economically viable process. A number of slag treatment process options are available and include: flotation, leaching and thermal reduction. In the design of an industrial process some type of economic as well as technical analysis of these options will be required. In this paper an outline of the techno-economic analysis procedure used to design a single stage copper making process is presented. The calculated operating and capital costs of industrial copper making processes are compared and used to determine the optimum single stage copper making flowsheet. The most economic slag treatment options is flotation of slags containing low amounts of copper.

Jan 1, 2000

By N Stockton

Some preliminary results on the secondary leaching of previously heap leached gold ore are presented. Alternative lixiviants for gold comprising chlorine, thiourea and thiosulphate were compared with cyanide using bottle roll tests. Chlorine was subsequently selected for column leaching tests. Column tests at 1.0, 0.1 and 0.01 gL-1 Cl2 at pH 2 were conducted. The results indicated that about 23 per cent of the gold was leached over 45 days using 1 gL-1 Cl2 at pH 2. The experiments conducted proved that the chlorine/chloride system has good potential for further extraction of gold and silver from the existing cyanide heap leach residues and a process for secondary leaching of gold has been proposed. Further testwork is recommended to extend conditions, sample types, and the duration of leaching period.

Jan 1, 2000

The incidence of colliery disasters has highlighted the need for more centralised and directed coal mining safety research in Queensland, with particular impetus from explosions at Box Flat in 1972, Kianga in 1975 and Moura No 4 in 1986. Inquiries which identified the likely causes recommended measures and, research and two outcomes have been the present Mines Safety Research Advisory Committee and The Safety in Mines Testing and Research Station at Redbank, near Brisbane, dealing with all mining problems, coal and metalliferous. Already, important research into ignition and explosion and other health and safety matters has been accomplished; the Station has become an accredited testing laboratory; and international recognition has been achieved. Now the advisory, testing and research arms are soundly in place to pursue preventive investigations and be ready to provide assistance in any emergencies.

Jan 1, 1991

By W. J. Garmoe

The Carr Fork mine is located approximately 50 kilometers southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah, in the Bingham or West Mountain District, adjacent to the Bingham open pit copper mine. Applied geology at Carr Fork, by Anaconda Minerals Company personnel includes detailed geologic mapping and sampling of underground workings, logging and sampling of drill core and cuttings, and the preparation and posting of geologic maps and cross sections for geologic interpretation, ore reserve calculation, mine operations, and long range planning. Accurate and easily understood graphic recording of Carr Fork geology is essential for optimum use by operating and engineering personnel. The design and implementation of exploration, development and definition drilling programs, research into geological spatial relationships, and analysis of structural complexities of the Carr Fork deposit are a1 so integral parts of the applied geology program.

Jan 1, 1984

By J. E. Schaffer

Drilling activity in Ohio increased slightly in 1939. There were 1020 completions as compared to 910 in 1938. During the past six years the number of completions has varied little (Table 1). Oil production in Ohio has been gradually declining since 1896, when the peak production of 23,941,000 bbl. was reached (Fig. 1). Since that date production has slowly declined to an estimated production in 1939 of 3,144,134 bbl., the lowest in 53 years. This total production is divided approximately into the following grades of crude oil: Pennsylvania, 1,185,456 bbl.; Corning, 1,261,615 Flg 1. bbl.; Lima, 578,500 bbl.; Lodi, Based on figures of U. S. .Bureau of 104,740 bbl.; Cleveland, 13,823 Mines and Oil andGas Journal bbl. Table 2 shows the prices paid for the various grades of crude oil.

Jan 1, 1940

By J. A. Organiscak

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has investigated various factor effects on cab air filtration system performance. Factors experimentally investigated were intake filter efficiency, intake air leakage, intake filter loading (filter flow resistance), recirculation filter use, and wind penetration. Adding an intake pressurizer fan to the filtration system was also investigated. Results indicate that the intake filter efficiency and recirculation filter were the two most influential factors on cab protection performance. Use of a recirculation filter significantly reduced cab penetration over the intake air filter by itself due to the multiplicable filtration of the cab interior air. Cab penetration was also affected to a lesser extent by intake filter loading and air leakage. Adding an intake pressurizer fan notably increased intake airflow and cab pressure while providing only minor changes to cab penetration.

Jan 1, 2008

By Forssberg KSE

Purification of GAsgruvan Limestone is carried out by anionic, cationic and cationic followed by anionic flotations in order to obtain a calcite concentrate that is acceptable to the paper industry. The results indicate that such a concentrate could be achieved by first carrying out the separation of siliceous gangue minerals by cationic flotation followed by the separation of carbonate during the anionic flotation. Stearylamine acetate (Flotigam SA) and a modified fatty acid (OMC 357) are found to be selective during cationic and anionic flotation, respectively. A final product containing 99.25 per cent calcite with a recovery of around 80 per cent is obtained. It is hoped that these results could be further improved by the follow-up process variable studies, in particular, the effect of reagent dosages and conditioning time at each stage of cationic and anionic flotation steps.

Jan 1, 1993

By F. R. Morral

HOT-DIPPED heat-treated zinc coatings on sheet steel were examined with X-rays. The phases identified were compared with those listed in the modern literature of the zinc-iron system. The zeta (FeZn13) phase is shown to correspond to the phase found by Schueler (1925) in heat-treated zinc coatings. An investigation was undertaken to determine the phases present in hot-dipped FIG. I.-SYSTEM IRON-ZINC ACCORDING TO J. SCHRAMM.11 heat-treated zinc coatings on steel sheets and wire. This kind of coating on wire was studied some years ago by Schueler1 by microscopic and chemical methods. He reported a new phase, FeZn10. Later, Clark and Stillwell,2 using X-ray crystal analysis, identified a new phase in ordinary galva-nized wire, which was assumed to be the FeZn10 phase.

Jan 1, 1940

Aberfoyle sought to reduce Hellyer project development risk to a greater degree than usual. Consequently the ore reserves estimate and feasibility study were particularly comprehensive. A detailed ore reserve study was completed based on extensive drill core and underground sampling, large scale pilot plant work and a detailed feasibility study. Leading external consultants were used for advice on commercial matters which impact on ore reserves and to audit major technical conclusions, including the results from pilot plant work and the ore reserve estimate. Other project risks were diminished by negotiating a State agreement covering security of title, royalty formula and environmental management procedures, by obtaining sales contracts, and by analysing Hellyer&apos;s position on an industry cost curve. The task of financing the project was much simplified by the extent and quality of information available from the ore reserves estimate and feasibility study report.

Jan 1, 1990

By J. E. Schaffer

Drilling activity in Ohio increased slightly in 1939. There were 1020 completions as compared to 910 in 1938. During the past six years the number of completions has varied little (Table 1). Oil production in Ohio has been gradually declining since 1896, when the peak production of 23,941,000 bbl. was reached (Fig. 1). Since that date production has slowly declined to an estimated production in 1939 of 3,144,134 bbl., the lowest in 53 years. This total production is divided approximately into the following grades of crude oil: Pennsylvania, 1,185,456 bbl.; Corning, 1,261,615 Flg 1. bbl.; Lima, 578,500 bbl.; Lodi, Based on figures of U. S. .Bureau of 104,740 bbl.; Cleveland, 13,823 Mines and Oil andGas Journal bbl. Table 2 shows the prices paid for the various grades of crude oil.

Jan 1, 1940

By Henry F. Collins

The following notes on the cheap milling of a soft lowgrade ore-body in the State of Chiapas, Mexico, may be of interest. The ore-body in question was worked, not by itself, but incidentally in connection with a large extraction of concentrating-ore; and one 10-stamp battery of a 30-stamp mill used for re-crushing tailings, and provided with copper-plates, was set aside for the treatment of this particular ore, of which, during a period of 17 months, 10,274 tons, of 2240 lbs. each, were handled. Description.—The ore-body collsisted of that portion of a mass of decomposed garnet-rock of igneous origin, which, near its contact with another igneous mass, composed chiefly of the mineral wollastonite in a nearly pure state, had been permeated by solutions, depositing irregularly, throughout it, quartz, chal-

Jan 1, 1902