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By Malcolm V. Lowry

At Balmat in northern New York State, the St. Joseph Lead Co.'s 2100-tpd zinc mining and milling operation is utilizing a unique thickener in conjunction with conventional crushing, grinding and flotation methods. From 1930 through 1962, zinc concentrates went directly from flotation to the filtering, drying and loading facilities, all of which had to operate 24 hr per day. Wide fluctuations in tonnage also had to be accommodated due to variations in the grade of ore. Many problems were thus encountered in filtering and drying, but the cost of installing a conventional, large diameter thickener could never be justified. In 1963, after thorough investigation, an unconventional thickener that is unusual in several respects was installed at Balmat. The tank depth is 16 ft instead of the normal 8 ft. The rakes are raised and lowered by having the main drive gear located on a movable platform. Automatic controls are programmed to raise the drive platform and rakes during one shift of storage. During the next two shifts of withdrawal, the controls are programmed to lower the drive platform and rakes.

Jan 5, 1966

Coal pillar design has been based on generalised formulae of the strength of the coal in a pillar and experience in localised situations. Stress measurements above and in coal pillars indicate that the actual strength and deformation of pillars varies much more than predicted by formulae. This variation is due to failure of strata surrounding coal. The pillar strength and deformation of the adjacent roadways is a function of failure in the coal and the strata about the coal. When the pillar is viewed as a system in which failure also occurs in the strata, rather than the coal only, the wide range of pillar strength characteristics found in the UK, USA, South Africa, Australia, China, Japan and other countries are simply variations due to different strata-coal combinations and not different coal strengths.This paper presents the measured range of pillar strength characteristics and explains the reasons. Methods to design pillar layouts with regard to the potential strength variations due to the strata strength characteristics surrounding the seam are Presented.

Jan 1, 1998

By Janeir Ribeiro Dutra

Os aços siliciosos de grão orientado (GO) e de grão não orientado (GNO) são aços ligados ao silício para aplicações elétricas. O aço silício de grão orientado possui as propriedades magnéticas otimizadas na direção de laminação, enquanto o de grão não orientado apresenta boas propriedades em qualquer direção. O aço elétrico de grão orientado tem como principais características as excelentes propriedades magnéticas, desenvolvidas especialmente para a redução das perdas magnéticas e aumento da eficiência de máquinas elétricas. Durante o processo de elaboração do aço o principal desafio é o controle de elementos como alumínio, titânio e enxofre, elementos estes provenientes da carga metálica (sucata e gusa) e adições de ligas na panela. Para este controle ser eficaz a estabilidade da composição química da escória na metalurgia secundária é de fundamental importância. O fluxo produtivo do aço GOAT na metalurgia secundária inicia-se no processo VOD(Vaccum Oxygen Decarburization) com término no forno panela. Este trabalho promoveu a adequação da escória da metalurgia secundária do aço GO através da: i. revisão do padrão de consumo de fundentes, mediante estudo de balanço de massa; ii. desenvolvimento de escória sintética para ajustar finamente a basicidade da escória. Os estudos de balanço de massa apontaram que em determinadas situações havia a necessidade da correção da escória para aquecimento no forno panela; iii. implementação de amostragem de escória ao final do processo VOD para correção da basicidade de escória para aquecimento no forno panela; iv. criação de modelo para correção da basicidade da escória. Após a implementação do projeto o controle da escória no forno panela ficou mais efetivo promovendo: i. redução dos teores finais de alumínio e titânio ao final do processo de elaboração no forno panela; ii.possibilidade de correção da quantidade de escória para aquecimento no forno panela sem comprometer a basicidade de escória requerida no processo; iii. atendimento a faixa otimizada do aço GOAT (M3, maior qualidade) passou de 33% para 65%; iv. redução do desgaste de panelas na elaboração do aço GOAT na metalurgia secundária; v. redução do risco de sucatamento por fora de faixa em alumínio e titânio do aço GOAT na aciaria que representou nos últimos 4 anos uma perda ao processo superior a R$ 1,2 milhão; vi. estabilização da basicidade binária da escória final do Forno Panela dentro da faixa desejável.

Oct 30, 2017

By Graham P. Crutchfield

The W. I. Cook pool in Shackelford County, Texas, has been the subject of a number of papers and articles. Its unique position both as to operation and development has made it an ideal location for unit repressuring. The major portion of the pool is located on the W. I. Cook ranch and most of the oil leases are owned by Roeser & Pendleton, Inc. and the Continental Oil Co. and operated by Roeser & Pendleton, Inc. The Humble Oil & Refining Co. and Tom James operate producing leases which have a vital bearing on the unity of the pool. Both have cooperated in the repressuring project. Practically the entire royalty is owned by Mrs. W. I. Cook and she has given the operators her entire cooperation in all phases of unit repressuring.

Jan 1, 1931

By Soraia Karolinne Castro Silva

Com o objetivo de analisar o nível de aderência e a qualidade dos Indicadores Ambientais, divulgados pelas empresas dos setores: metalúrgico, siderúrgico e de mineração, que fazem parte da BM&Bovespa, foi feita uma pesquisa exploratória, qualitativa e de caráter documental, com base nos dados coletados nos Relatórios de Sustentabilidade GRI G3.1. Os Indicadores Ambientais foram analisados pelos métodos GAPIE (Grau de Aderência Plena) e GEE (Grau de Evidenciação Efetiva). Constatou-se que poucas empresas dos setores apresentam relátorios nomolde padrão internacional GRI, mesmo assim 58,33% apresentam algum tipo de evidenciação voluntária ambiental em seus web sites e 54,16% são ou já foram certificadas pelo ISSO 14001, demonstrando que a divulgação de ações de Responsabilidade Social Corporativa, ainda são tímidas nesses setores. Especificamente, os resultados obtidos através dos cálculos do GAPIE e di GEE mostram que, quando divulgados, os resultados são considerados positivos, levando-se em conta a média das empresas. Deve-se destacar que a pesquisa limita-se a análise apenas dos Indicadores Ambientais, nesse contexto os resultados dos cálculos de GEE e GAPIE não devem ser generalizados ao Relatório de Sustentabilidade como um todo.

Aug 16, 2017

By E. D. Gardner

The tide of increasing demand for metals turned during early 1949, with resultant lower prices. The production of the principal metals was less than in 1948. The problem of high unit costs, however, was held over from 1948. With the lower prices for metals, greater efforts are being made to reduce operating costs. The labor supply was adequate during the latter half of the year in most districts. The force has been reduced at most mines; some mines were idle during part of the year because of strikes, and others ceased operations on their own account. In the main, labor efficiency increased during the year in underground metal mines. Efforts are being made generally to improve labor relations. Green men hired in the time of the scarcity of skilled miners are becoming better trained. The supervisory personnel of most mines is cost conscious, and the planning of operations has been improved. Overhead costs are being scrutinized. The trend toward mechanization underground continued strong. Mining technology rapidly is becoming a problem of handling materials. Surface miners, underground miners and miners of metals, nonmetallics, and coal can learn much Gardner from each other. A mine, however, may become overmechanized. The capital charges against new equipment may exceed the saving in labor costs where sufficient daily tonnage is not handled.

Jan 1, 1950

By Paul Miller, Rene Laprade

Does a 76 mm Ø hole drilled over 45 m deep remain straight? This is the question asked by the Engineering department at Placer Dome's Dome Mine in Timmins, Ontario before they could lay out the initiation sequence in a long-hole production stope. Everyone realized that the holes would wander over such great depths, but it was important to know where they went.

Jan 1, 1998

By S. Hodgson

The Red Dog zinc/lead deposit in northwest Alaska is the second largest zinc deposit ever discovered. Being developed by Cominco Alaska with startup scheduled for early 1990, it will ultimately be the largest zinc mine in the Western World. Table 1 illustrates the reserves of the deposit.

Jan 1, 1988

By Edward Keller

Although the subject matter contained in this paper is presented under a new title, its writing was induced by the work of S. Skowronski and K. W. McComas.' A discussion of the latter is here combined with the presentation of new and independent data. The' physical constants quoted by the authors of that paper, such as melting and boiling points, as also the chemical reactions of the substances involved, are so well established that the numerous confirmatory experiments and their application to metallurgical conditions leave little or no room for criticisms. On the contrary, they will greatly aid to dispel any lingering skepticism as to possible considerable losses of copper accruing when the metal is melted in the presence of its own and, probably, other chlorides and when no provision is made for the recovery of volatile products. Exception may be taken, to some degree, to that part of the work under the caption Melting Drillings of Copper Mixed with Sodium Chloride. These experiments should have been extended in order to make the implied reactions clear and the results convincing. The latter are stated to be, "that when sodium chloride is present above certain minimum quantity relative to copper some of it is found to volatilize in the melt while another part reacts with the metallic copper to produce the volatile cuprous chloride, and that when smaller quantities of sodium chloride are present the reaction is complete and all chlorine is found to have volatilized as cuprous chloride." Metallic copper and sodium chloride are mentioned as the sole reagents in this chemical process, acting, according to the authors, in a neutral atmosphere of carbon dioxide. The chemist, quite naturally, wi11 inquire into the formula according to which that reaction takes place and will find that it presents itself as follows: 2Cu + 2NaCl = 2Na + Cu2Cl2 It would appear that the truth of this formula will be challenged and a more rational explanation of the reaction sought. Apparently, carbon dioxide is neutral relative to metallic copper in its molten state; whether it remains neutral in the presence of sodium chloride is quite another

Jan 1, 1921

By Albert E. Reed

The development of the modern highspeed vibrating screen, together with the increasing availability of long-lasting stainless-steel screen cloth for relatively fine-mesh separations, means that more screen circuits will be used in the future. It seems pertinent therefore to examine a few characteristics of screen-circuit products, and especially the points of difference as compared with products of classifier circuits. The most noticeable change that takes place when substituting screening for classification in a grinding circuit is a substantial drop in the circulating load, owing to the greater ease with which the "fines" leave the circuit. Where circulating loads of 500 to 600 per cent are considered fairly normal in classifier grinding circuits, the grinding circuit equipped with screens for equivalent work will have a circulating load of only 20 to 75 per cent. As a result, the products of screen circuits will show a minimum of overgrinding or sliming as compared with a classifier circuit. The desirability of this characteristic will naturally vary according to the metallurgical requirement in each case. Because screen separations make a sharper division according to particle size, the products of screen circuits can be expected to show greater crowding of particles near the point of separation. These changes in product characteristics are so important that other factors, both in the grinding and concentration processes must be adjusted if the operator is to take full advantage of the increased tonnages and higher efficiencies available to him through the use of the screen circuit. One factor that too often is overlooked when changing to screen circuits is the importance of adjusting the ball-mill or rod-mill charge, to compensate for: (I) increased tonnage of new feed, (2) decreased circulating load, or (3) more granular character of feed. These same factors should also be taken into consideration for their effect on the various types of concentration or flotation equipment that may follow the screen circuit. Over a period of years, this equipment has generally been designed and adjusted to the product of the classifier, therefore it seems obvious that some research on the adjustment and adaptation of concentrating and flotation equipment to screen-circuit products will be most profitable to the operators. To illustrate the points mentioned above, the results from three recent installations follow, with data on the comparative characteristics of screen and classifier circuits. A range of separation from 10 to 48 mesh has been chosen, using two general types of screening equipment and two types of classifiers. The first of the installations of which the results are to be examined is that of an iron-ore installation where eastern magnetite was being concentrated prior to sintering. Fig. I shows the original grinding circuit, using classification, while Fig. 2 shows the same circuit equipped with a

Jan 1, 1947

By Albert E. Reed

The development of the modern highspeed vibrating screen, together with the increasing availability of long-lasting stainless-steel screen cloth for relatively fine-mesh separations, means that more screen circuits will be used in the future. It seems pertinent therefore to examine a few characteristics of screen-circuit products, and especially the points of difference as compared with products of classifier circuits. The most noticeable change that takes place when substituting screening for classification in a grinding circuit is a substantial drop in the circulating load, owing to the greater ease with which the "fines" leave the circuit. Where circulating loads of 500 to 600 per cent are considered fairly normal in classifier grinding circuits, the grinding circuit equipped with screens for equivalent work will have a circulating load of only 20 to 75 per cent. As a result, the products of screen circuits will show a minimum of overgrinding or sliming as compared with a classifier circuit. The desirability of this characteristic will naturally vary according to the metallurgical requirement in each case. Because screen separations make a sharper division according to particle size, the products of screen circuits can be expected to show greater crowding of particles near the point of separation. These changes in product characteristics are so important that other factors, both in the grinding and concentration processes must be adjusted if the operator is to take full advantage of the increased tonnages and higher efficiencies available to him through the use of the screen circuit. One factor that too often is overlooked when changing to screen circuits is the importance of adjusting the ball-mill or rod-mill charge, to compensate for: (I) increased tonnage of new feed, (2) decreased circulating load, or (3) more granular character of feed. These same factors should also be taken into consideration for their effect on the various types of concentration or flotation equipment that may follow the screen circuit. Over a period of years, this equipment has generally been designed and adjusted to the product of the classifier, therefore it seems obvious that some research on the adjustment and adaptation of concentrating and flotation equipment to screen-circuit products will be most profitable to the operators. To illustrate the points mentioned above, the results from three recent installations follow, with data on the comparative characteristics of screen and classifier circuits. A range of separation from 10 to 48 mesh has been chosen, using two general types of screening equipment and two types of classifiers. The first of the installations of which the results are to be examined is that of an iron-ore installation where eastern magnetite was being concentrated prior to sintering. Fig. I shows the original grinding circuit, using classification, while Fig. 2 shows the same circuit equipped with a

Jan 1, 1947

By Malcolm Wilson

THE year 1923 was one of great importance in northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas, so far as the' development and expansion of previously discovered oil and gas fields were concerned. However, the search for new fields failed to produce a single discovery that led to important development during the period; in this respect, the year was one of discouragement to the prospector. During the winter and spring months, an especially active "wildcat" campaign was in. progress in southern Arkansas, and a large number of tests were drilled in northern. Louisiana but this activity subsided during the summer and fall. By the close of the year, only routine drilling was in effect in the fields; and only two new areas-Cotton Valley, in Webster Parish, and an area in Union Parish, La.-were showing any important activity because of favorable oil showings. Further drilling is contemplated in both of these areas, and the present feeling is that one or the other may produce the next oilfield in this territory. Briefly, the development of the Smackover field was the overshadowing event of the year. In. southern Arkansas, important development also took place in the East El Dorado, Stephens, and Irma fields; but all of these were relatively small. In northern Louisiana, many new oil wells were drilled in the Bellevue field, and many new gas wells in the Monroe field. In the old Caddo field, a large number of the deep Woodbine wells were plugged back to the "chalk rock," where a high gravity oil is obtained. In the other fields, only a few small wells were drilled. Therefore, Arkansas, furnished the real development of the year in this area. The production for the year showed a material increase over that of 1922, due, chiefly, to Smackover, and practically altogether to the Arkansas fields. In Louisiana, every field, except Caddo, Bellevue, and Elm Grove, showed slight to marked declines; while in Arkansas, El Dorado was the only field that declined throughout the year.

Jan 3, 1924

By S. Atak, M. C. Fuerstenau

Clean quartz cannot be floated with a high molecular weight sulfonate as collector at any pH. Good flotation is achieved from pH 6 to 12 when Pb is added at low additions of sulfonate. The active species of lead responsible for flotation is shown to be Pb(OH), which in the presence of sulfonate forms precipitated lead-hydroxy-sulfonate, the apparent collector in these systems. The ratio of collector to metal ion addition is critical for flotation to be effected at a given value of pH. At low Pb++ additions, the constant, k, k = (hydroxyl activity)/(sulfonate addition)', must be equalled or exceeded for flotation to result. Similarly, at high additions of Pb ++, k1 = (hydroxyl activity)/(sulfonate addition) " must be exceeded. Previous work has shown that clean quartz cannot be floated at any pH with a high molecular weight sulfonate as collector.'" Flotation can be effected, however, when a polyvalent metal ion is added to the system in a pH region in which the metal ion is hydrolyzing to its first hydroxide complex. Although the basic phenomenon responsible for activation is apparently metal ion hydrolysis, the amount of collector added in relation to the amount of metal ion is critical. In fact, Schuhmann and Prakash,3 and Gaudin and Rizo-Patron4 have demonstrated that this ratio of collector addition to metal ion addition determines whether any flotation is possible at a particular value of pH. The object of this paper is to explain and quantify the relationship between collector and activator additions as a function of pH. For this work, Pb++ was selected as activator, and a high molecular weight sulfonate was chosen as collector. EXPERIMENTAL MATERIALS AND METHODS Sodium alkyl aryl sulfonate (mol wt 450) was used as collector. Reagent grade n-amyl alcohol was added as frother, and pH adjustments were made with KOH. Lead was added to the systems as the chloride salt. Conductivity water, made by passing distilled water through an ion exchange column, was used in the investigation. Quartz was prepared by leaching the sized sample

Jan 1, 1965

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) defines an independent contractor as any person, partnership, corporation, subsidiary of a corporation, firm, association or other organization that contracts to perform services or construction at a mine. Contractors that perform specific types of work are required to report the number of employees who work at coal mines and noncoal mines.

Jan 1, 2008

By Josiah Royce

To evaluate chemically the sample of rock obtained by diamond drilling, it has long been recognized that the analyses of the two components of the sample, core and sludge, must be given appropriate influence in computing the average analysis of any unit of depth. The purpose of this investigation is to set forth what means are available for apportioning the effect of core and sludge on the final analysis, what variables affect the problem, and what combination of applied mathematics will closest approximate the truth under each condition as these variables proceed within their limitations. A drill hole is bored in iron ore exploration principally to test variations in rock composition with depth and is usually directed as nearly normal to the bedding of a horizon to be tested as possible. This practice has a tendency to minimize variation in composition laterally which in any event is not likely to be great. It is obvious that the opportunity for change in analysis of a particular rock is not statistically as great radially in a diamond drill hole where the distance in which such a change may occur is from 0.719 in. (EX bit) to 1.469 in. (NX bit) as there would be longitudinally even in a' run as short as 5 ft. Variations in composition of bedded or layered rocks are usually greater normal to the bedding than parallel thereto. Even in massive rocks, like porphyries, variations are functions of distance. Hence. in either case, variations along the hole are of greater effect than across it. Let us examine Fig 1 briefly to observe a cross section of a unit of depth of a typical diamond drill hole. If we neglect radial change in chemical composition, which we have seen is small compared to lengthwise variation, we can see that if core recovery was 100 pct, the core and its surrounding area, which would be recovered as cuttings (assuming 100 pct sludge recovery), must analyze the same if the sampling is perfect. This is the foundation of this paper, namely, that if core recovery is complete we may assume that the core constitutes as nearly as possible a perfect sample of the ground drilled. Now let us pass to the methods of weighting core and sludge in the final analysis and then develop each in turn. One might employ core analyses only, sludge analyses only, or apportion the influence of each by one of several methods. The most common apportionment is by direct proportion to relative theoretical vol- ' ume occupied by each component in the cylinder hollowed out by the drill, known as the Longyear formula. Another logical treatment would be to consider core and sludge in the final analysis according to the weight of each recovered. This procedure was elaborately set forth and refined by R. S. Moeh1man.l Then to be sure that we have embraced all the possibilities, we must admit that some other method or methods may be devised empirically or by mathematical maneuvers. Should a drill machine be capable of recovering 100 pct of the core in all types of rock, certainly core alone need be analyzed and no complicated mathematics are required; but although some companies have had fair success in obtaining high percentages of core in certain homogeneous ores on the Mar-quette Range, their same methods have proved disappointing on the Menominee, Cuyuna, and Gogebic Ranges where the iron formation often varies widely from flinty chert beds interstratified with soft hematite to wholly leached ore material composed of an unpredictable mixture of hematite and limonite with occasional zones of sugary, recrystallized chert. In spite of numerous mechanical improvements in core barrels, few drilling programs can count on complete core recovery. The sludge alone might be analyzed but for practical reasons this is inadvisable when core is obtained due to the numerous opportunities for contaminating or losing portions of the cuttings. The Longyear formula involves a weighting of the core and sludge in proportion to the theoretical volume of each, that is, where the volume of the core recovered is one-third of the total cubic volume of the cylindrical hole made by the drill, the analysis of the core is given one-third of the weight in the final analysis. This approach to

Jan 1, 1950

By Ripu Daman Lama

The size of coal pillars in mines until recently has been determined by experience without being based upon scientific investigations. As a consequence, the size of pillars had invariably been larger than could be accounted for because of the number of unknown factors involved which influence the strength, dictating the use of large safety factors. With the mining going deeper, the size of the pillars greatly increases and sometimes a considerable portion of the mineral property are blocked in the mine pillars required to support the superincumbent strata. With the advances in the field of Rock Mechanics, attention of mine planning engineers has been focused upon the design of mine pillars for safe and efficient working as well as decrease losses of coal. The problem involves the study of three factors: (1) Presence of stresses in the area and their distribution on pillars in the course of extraction. (2) The influence of external factors on the strength of coal. (3) The inherent mechanical properties of coal. These aspects have been studied by a large number of investigators, the first by in-situ stress measurements and photoelastic studies and the second and third aspect by studies conducted in the laboratory on small size specimens (Bunting, 1911; Evens & Pomeroy, 1961; Gaddy, 1956; Greenland et al, 1941; Steart 1954). The size of the specimens tested in the laboratory has been limited to a few inches and the results obtained have been extrapolated by large factors, sometimes several hundred times the largest specimen tested. In these tests much consideration has not been given to

Jan 1, 1971

This paper describes the principle of cut-and-break rock excavation, in which rock is first undercut, and the undercut material is subsequently broken free by a wedging action. The current work on cut-and-break using the large rock cutting test rig at the Centre for Mining Technology and Equipment (CMTE) is outlined, and suggestions are made as to the potential advantages of cut-and-break roadheading, particularly in excavating short tunnels in hard rock in an urban environment.

Jan 1, 1993

By M. C. van Blerck

This paper examines the South African fiscal system as it applies to the mining industry and, where components are found wanting, discusses possible alternatives. It is concluded that the South African system has long provided a stable environment for mining investment and growth. However, the introduction, of steep surcharges during the past decade or so (since abolished) and ring fencing (since relaxed but not abolished) has started undermining this stability.

Jan 1, 1994

By David Sprott

The effect that underground blasting has on the stability of hangingwalls, pillars and other rock structures is an inherent part of Noranda's geomechanics and mine design program to improve mine safety and stability, increase productivity and reduce ore dilution. The blast monitoring program at Noranda Research aims to provide values of particle velocities and accelerations, delay firing times, and vibration periods to assist with practical blast design and controlled blasting techniques.

Jan 1, 1988

Digital computers, by virtue of their capacity for high speed repetitive calculation at low cost, are finding increasing application to routine calcula- tions in the mining industry. In this paper techniques are shown whereby the use of computers can be extended to more complex tasks. The regular calculation of grades and tonnages of material to be extracted from specified areas of an operating open pit is a necessary part of production planning. In this paper it is shown how these calculations can be carried out by computer. thereby freeing planning staff from manual calculation. An operating open-pit mine can be described in terms of drill logs, geological ore boundaries and pit perimeters at various levels. These form the data base which must be suitable for frequent updating to incorporate new information. A suite of computer programmes is described which operates on this data base to calculate tonnages and grades of ore within extensions to the perimeters as indicated to the system by planning staff. Possible future extensions are discussed.

Jan 1, 1971