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By K. Chomyn, R. Veenstra, P. Zangeneh, Hatch Ltd., C. Van der Woude, H. Ghorbani

"The furnace is the heart of smelting operations, and therefore the performance, reliability, and campaign life of the furnace are critical considerations. Furnace refractory is exposed to high temperatures and other harsh operating conditions causing brick erosion, crushing, and cracking, typically limiting the furnace campaign life and requiring costly furnace shut-downs for refractory re-lining. Despite extensive study, the in-service thermal / mechanical stresses in these complex refractory systems are not generally well understood. Hatch has developed a thermal-mechanical finite element analysis (FEA) based furnace refractory modeling approach that allows for the quantification of refractory movements, load distribution, and thermal / mechanical stresses.Due to the complexity of the refractory system, a range of models are used to identify and assess damage mechanisms and design improvements, including: 2D models, to capture expansion and movement of individual bricks, changes to load paths, and thermal stresses; and 3D models, to include the effect of differential expansion between bricks in each course, and assess overall load distributions. The 2D and 3D analyses include the effect of nonlinear temperature-dependent properties, thermal expansion, movement of individual bricks with frictional contacts (i.e., gaps can open, bricks can slide), and brick tensile or compressive failure. Both as-built and damaged conditions can be investigated (e.g., after bath zone brick erosion), for circular and rectangular furnaces. 3D models also include papering and brick joint & interface action.Analyses using these models have shown the importance of thermal stresses, papering, and geometry / arrangement of individual bricks. Results have been used to identify and assess damage mechanisms, showing good alignment with furnace autopsy observations. By using this FEA-based approach to quantify the refractory design, the risk of damage can be significantly reduced, low-cost design changes can be identified, and the furnace campaign life can be extended.INTRODUCTIONThe furnace is the heart of smelting operations and therefore the performance, reliability, and campaign life of the furnace are critical to the success of the smelting operation. Furnaces are inherently exposed to high temperatures, often in excess of 1600°C (Holappa, 2004), and furnace operating power has progressively increased over time (Voermann, Gerritsen, Candy, Stober, & Matyas, 2004). The refractory system must withstand high temperature, high heat flux, and other harsh operating conditions. These conditions are particularly significant for the furnace hearth, and can lead to damage including brick erosion due to molten material flows, crushing due to thermal expansion loads, and cracking due to severe thermal gradients within the bricks. Refractory damage typically limits the furnace campaign life, requiring costly furnace shut-downs for refractory re-lining (repair or replacement). In some cases the refractory may lose integrity causing damage to nearby equipment and harm to personnel."

Jan 1, 2016

By A. J. Monhemius

"The paper reviews the history of modern iron control processes in hydrometallurgy. Particular attention is paid to the processes developed in the 1960s by the electrolytic zinc industry for the removal of iron from zinc sulphate leach liquors - namely the Jarosite, Goethite and Hematite processes. Problems faced by the industry in the safe disposal of the iron residues produced by these processes are discussed. The lessons learnt over the past half century by the zinc industry are projected on to the current efforts to develop hydrometallurgical processes for the treatment of copper sulphide concentrates. It is argued that any attempt to create a “hydrometallurgical copper smelter” is doomed to ultimate failure, unless and until methods are developed that can recover iron from solution in a form that can be directly utilised by the steel or pigment industries.INTRODUCTIONYou suddenly realise that age is catching up with you and that technology is moving on apace when you are asked to talk about the history of a process or a technology that you’ve grown up with. Such was my reaction when, out of the blue, I received an email last year from the chairman of the CIM’s Historical Metallurgy Committee, asking me if I would give a talk on the early developments of iron control in hydrometallurgy. Once I’d got over the initial shock of realising that I had now become living history, I was of course flattered that the invitation was to give a talk at the prestigious IMPC, a conference series that has been going for as long as I have been in the business. That this particular IMPC was to include the 4th Symposium on Iron Control in Hydrometallurgy, made the invitation even more appealing and appropriate, because I was the co-chairman of the First Symposium on Iron Control, together with my old friend, John Dutrizac (known by many as Dr Jarosite), which was held 30 years ago in Toronto.first became involved with iron at the very start of my career in hydrometallurgy – the research topic for my Masters degree thesis at UBC, back in the mid 1960s, was “Reductive leaching of Goethite with SO2”. My thesis supervisor was the late Professor Ian Warren, who himself was a protégé of Professor Frank Forward, one of the founding fathers of modern hydrometallurgy. Little did I realise at that time, now 50 years ago, that the problem of iron and how to deal with it in hydrometallurgical processes would be a theme that followed me throughout much of my 40-year career in academia."

Jan 1, 2016

By J. B. Hadaway

The operation at Phu Kham commenced design and construction in early 2006 and was commissioned in May 2008. This paper will examine and discuss the project from the inception of flow sheet development and equipment selection, equipment design and manufacture, construction, commissioning and ramp up to full production. The paper will touch on the strategies employed to achieve a short schedule and the efficient use of capital, but with the main emphasis on the grinding circuit. Various challenges during the early years of operation will be discussed including the effect of ore characteristics, including competency, on the performance of the grinding circuit. Actions to overcome these challenges and to enhance performance will also be discussed. Finally, current and future plans to improve the performance of the grinding circuit and the overall plant will be summarised.

Jan 1, 2012

By A. N. Shen

Fe3A1 intermetallics are potential inexpensive candidate for hot applications. In this project, torsion tests on hot-rolled and annealed Fe3A1 (Fe-15.5A1-5.8Cr-1.0Nb¬0.05C) were carried out over the ranges 750-950°C and 0.01~1s-1 . The experimental results showed that when peak stress op>90MPa (LogZ>16s-1 , Z: temperature-compensated strain rate), specimens cracked at randomly low strains. Optical microscopy exhibited original elongated grains and many grain boundary cracks associated with segregation. With op<40MPa (LogZ<16s-&apos;), specimens deformed with low random op but considerably high fracture strains; slowly propagating cracks may explain the reduced flow stress. Optical microscopy showed both elongated grains and equiaxed subgrains with some indications of geometric dynamic recrystallization (gDRX) and of static recrystallization (SRX). Compression tests gave higher stress with little effect of the preexisting cracks. The activation energy Quw of current material in satisfactory torsion and compression tests is about 10% higher than previously published. Fe3A1 has body-centered cubic structure in the experimental range, so it was compared with ferritic stainless steel 434C (Fe- 16.55Cr-0.96Mo-0.21Ni). Constitutive constants and restoration mechanism are compared between these materials. While Fe3A1 is hardly a light metal, it is considerably lighter than most steels. Furthermore, like the other body centered cubic metals (BCC) (a-Fe, ß-Ti, ß-Zr and ß-brass), it exhibits a high degree of dynamic recovery (DRV) like Al alloys, producing easier hot workability than that of austentic stainless steels.

Jan 1, 2007

By George A. Lawrence, J. C. McHardy

"Field operating experience with an improved flotation mechanism for handling various flotation applications is covered in this paper. Some aspects of designing flotation machines are also presented. Operating data from extensive testing of commercial size equipment under actual plant operating conditions in the following applications is detailed:1. Copper Flotation2. Fine Coal Flotation3. Base Metal Sulfide FlotationDesign features, design improvements, modifications tested, and overall performance data are reviewed. Some mecl1anical performance data as well as metallurgical performance results are presented. Some comparisons with conventional flotation equipment are reported in this paper.Flotation sizing theories are reviewed and an actual equipment selection ex2.mple is presented. Scale-up criteria used for developing large cells are briefly covered.The paper concludes with a brief review of anticipated future flotation equipment design needs. IntroductionThe mining/milling industry is faced with increasing pressure to cut costs while maintaining product quality and indeed, in some instances, expanding production. For copper, nickel, iron, molybdenum, lead and zinc sulphides, coal, phosphate and some other minerals;, flotation remains the primary method of concentration and recovery of the valuable mineral away from the gangue. Cost reduction in flotation can be broadly focused on two areas:1. Flotation Chemicals2. Flotation Equipment"

Jan 1, 1985

"Far from being eclipsed by petroleum and natural gas, Canadian coal continues to command wide (and apparently growing) interest.Major R & D investigations are currently heavily oriented toward coal beneficiation (e.g., cleaning and utilization of fines) and toward a broad range of studies on metallurgical coals and cokes. However, active work is also being carried out in the areas of coal geology, mining, transportation and combustion; and, in some laboratories, increasing stress has been laid on developing a number of new, essentially non-fuel uses for coal and coal products.This review summarizes the work of Canadian coal research agencies during 1966 and indicates some of the more important advances made by them."

Jan 1, 1967

By T. R. Roy

"This paper presents an objective model for the estimation of fire risk potential of an underground coal mine panel by the bord-and-pillar method of mining where extraction is carried out by depillaring with caving. The fire risk rating procedure for the estimation of fire risk potential involved in the panel is described in detail. The model developed thereof is tested with the field data collected from different collieries across the country along with the laboratory data for critical assessment of fitness of the model. Some results showing the validity of the model are also cited here. Introduction The occurrence of fire in underground coal mine panels is quite common in India and elsewhere. These fires cause extensive loss of resources.Although substantial work has already been done by different research organizations, the problem has not been fully eliminated.The causes of panel fires depend not only on the spontaneous heating susceptibility of coal, but also on the extraneous conditions created in the panel due to the mining operations. From the studies done so far by various organizations, it is apparent that two types of parameters associated with spontaneous heating of a coal mine panel exist: intrinsic and extrinsic. Parameters related to the nature of coal, i.e., its physicochemical characteristics, petrographic distribution and mineral make-up are intrinsic, while the extrinsic parameters are related to the atmospheric, geological and mining conditions such as scope of leakage of air into the panel, wetness of mines, heat dissipation capacity of the panel, gassiness of seam, geological disturbances, method of extraction, size of panel, etc.Banerjee (1982) identified twenty-two mine parameters such as spontaneous heating susceptibility of coal, method of mining, geological disturbances, quality of overburden, degree of consolidation of coal mass, scope of accumulation of coal fines, etc. that can influence spontaneous heating in underground mines. He used the terms “high” and “low” for fire risk rating of each of these parameters. Since this approach is oversimplified, it can not determine the exact fire risk potential of an underground working."

Jan 1, 2003

By G. Major-Marothy

"INTRODUCTIONA beneficiation plant to upgrade earthy iron ores is being installed by the Iron Ore Company of Canada in Sept-Iles, Quebec.The crude ore for the plant will come from the Knob Lake area, located in Northern Quebec, where mining has been in progress since 1954.Some 170 million tons of ""direct 11 ores have been mined and shipped in the past eighteen years, with an overall silica content of 7 to 8 percent. No beneficiation - except the reduction of the top size to about 2 inches - took place during this period, but extensive research work has been carried out, in order to find a feasible process.Since “washing"", gravity separation, roasting and magnetic separation experiments did not indicate positive enough results, flotation was tried and found to be feasible.The beneficiation complex being installed will consist of grinding, flotation, dewatering - i.e.: thickening, filtering and drying - balling feed preparation, and agglomeration - i.e.: balling and induration.This process will result in a product superior to the ""direct shipping"" ores and will also expand the ore reserves by allowing material with a higher silica content to be utilized.THE OREThe Knob Lake ores are grouped by mineralogical composition and by grade.BLUE ORES, representing roughly two thirds of the reserves, carry their iron content mostly in the form of massive, blue hematite and martite.YELLOW ORES, about one sixth of the reserves, have predominantly hydrated iron oxides as the iron bearing minerals.RED ORES, the other sixth of the reserves, carry the iron mostly in the form of red hematite.The gangue in all ores is mainly quartz, but aluminum oxides and hydroxides are also present, particularly in the red ores."

Jan 1, 1972

By H. Marquis

This paper is concerned with an analysis of a number of failures of large-size, hypervelocity light gas gun chambers and barrels. A brief description of the light gas gun principle and of the various types of guns is first given. The failures and the investigations carried out are then described in detail, with the failures divided into two groups. The first group comprises those failures caused by certain conditions to which the guns may be submitted, and includes, for example, severe local heating of the bore surface causing hardening and cracking of the steel. These conditions were accidental and steps were taken to prevent them. The remaining failures were due to faults in the material or in the heat-treatment, manufacturing or assembling procedures. Specific problems, such as hydrogen embrittlement, and the use of high strength gun barrels above their ductile-brittle transition temperature by preheating prior to firing, are briefly considered. Some interesting observations are also presented on the use of surface markings, and angles of fracture of large fragments, as an

Jan 1, 1962

By Irving Wigden

The world is fast becoming information based. Mine companies migrate business infrastructures to be handled electronically. Suppliers move onto the worldwide web. In this ?e-world? successful suppliers will recognize they no longer trade in just equipment, but in knowledge. Companies can no longer just provide products and services, but instead must find ways to harness their knowledge to provide new value for customers. Mine customers will be attracted to suppliers that can help them streamline the process and use Information Technology to optimize operations, increase profit, reduce cost and enhance shareholder value. With the continued move to industry standard communications and software platforms, technology that formerly stood alone can now be integrated with other technologies. This creates more powerful systems that mine operators can use quickly, easily and cost effectively. These unified architectures improve productivity, provide higher asset optimization and allow more informed decision-making. As a leading supplier of process automation solutions for the industry, ABB provides a dynamic range of such control systems. These systems are designed for instrumentation controls, variable speed drives, electrical distribution, electrical equipment and related services for Mine Automation. Enhanced by ABB´s new family of integrated software solutions ? collectively known as Industrial IT ? ABB´s control and Scada systems place you in the best position to optimize your plant, process and enterprise operations. The paper discuss system integration and installation of High-Tec system in an underground mine. ABB has the ambition to be a System Integrator and co-operate with partners in different areas of technology. To day it is a problem to find one Supplier that can be responsible for the complete Automation System. The design of the system is also much depending of the design of the mine and also which caving procedure that is used in the current mine. Much of the work must be done in a feasibility study and during the design phase. If there is careful planning and consideration during these phases is vital in order to avoid costly changes during the commissioning phase The paper will also include a presentation of the benefit of using Automation in an Underground Mine, and how important the integration of the Human Being is to the Automation System. The most profit gained in mining industries are received when the mines can reduce internal and external disturbances in the production flow and speed. Must of the experience and discussed in this paper is from advanced technology, that has been developed in Scandinavian and adopted of LKAB in Kiruna. The author of this paper has been responsible för the Automation projects in the Kiruna Mine during 1994 - 1999. These projects include: Broadband communication of data, audio, compressed video in one data stream. Control System for Haulage -1045m Automation of Load Haulage and Dumping machines (LHD) Control of Production Drilling Riggs from a Central Control Room.

May 1, 2002

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 Trevor Yeomans, David Yaschyshyn

"Placer Dome (CLA) operates the 90-year-old Dome Mine, in South Porcupine, Ontario.The milling operation currently processes 5 million tons of ore per year, from both the underground and Open pit mining operations, producing 320 000 ounces. The milling process is conventional crushing and grinding, with gold recovery by gravity followed by leach/CIP.Cyanide tailings are impounded in a large (325 ha) tailings area where cyanide is allowed to degrade naturally. Effluent is discharged seasonally during the summer and early fall months to maintain site water balance. Pond water is reclaimed for sole use within the mill process.In 1995, an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) was constructed for the purpose of removing dissolved metals and suspended solids. In 1997, an INCO S02/Air cyanide destruction module was added.During this time period, the treated effluent often failed toxicity tests required by the Ontario MISA Regulation, even though effluent chemical parameters were below permit limits. Two studies identified ammonia as the toxicant to Rainbow Trout, and free copper as the toxicant to Daphnia magna.From a literature study, and contacts within the Ontario Mining Association, the use of chelation as a final end of pipe treatment step to render any remaining free copper and metal fractions biologically unavailable was considered. Lab and plant scale tests followed.During the 1999 ETP operating season, the addition of the chelant EDTA (ethylene-diamine-tetraacetic-acid) commenced. To date discharged effluent has passed all toxicity tests.The paper will review the effluent treatment history, current effluent treatment plant operation, and detail the use of EDTA for successful toxicity control.History of Tailings Deposition, and Effluent Treatment From 1910 to 1995Over it’s ninety years of operation, the Dome Mine milling circuit has changed from the original 1910 stamp-mill mercury plant, to today’s modem 14 000 ton per day automated gravity and Carbon in Pulp based plant.By the 19803, a modern mill was operating on mainly underground mined ore. The plant was operating at some 3 800 tons per day, using fairly conventional processing routes.The number 4 tailings dam was being used for tailing’s deposition.All effluent treatment was by natural degradation of cyanide. Discharge was from decanting type structures during the summer months only, maximizing the use of natural degradation no tailings effluent was recycled for Mill use."

Jan 1, 2001

By Irving Wigden

The world is fast becoming information based. Mine companies migrate business infrastructures to be handled electronically. Suppliers move onto the worldwide web. In this ?e-world? successful suppliers will recognize they no longer trade in just equipment, but in knowledge. Companies can no longer just provide products and services, but instead must find ways to harness their knowledge to provide new value for customers. Mine customers will be attracted to suppliers that can help them streamline the process and use Information Technology to optimize operations, increase profit, reduce cost and enhance shareholder value. With the continued move to industry standard communications and software platforms, technology that formerly stood alone can now be integrated with other technologies. This creates more powerful systems that mine operators can use quickly, easily and cost effectively. These unified architectures improve productivity, provide higher asset optimization and allow more informed decision-making. As a leading supplier of process automation solutions for the industry, ABB provides a dynamic range of such control systems. These systems are designed for instrumentation controls, variable speed drives, electrical distribution, electrical equipment and related services for Mine Automation. Enhanced by ABB´s new family of integrated software solutions ? collectively known as Industrial IT ? ABB´s control and Scada systems place you in the best position to optimize your plant, process and enterprise operations. The paper discuss system integration and installation of High-Tec system in an underground mine. ABB has the ambition to be a System Integrator and co-operate with partners in different areas of technology. To day it is a problem to find one Supplier that can be responsible for the complete Automation System. The design of the system is also much depending of the design of the mine and also which caving procedure that is used in the current mine. Much of the work must be done in a feasibility study and during the design phase. If there is careful planning and consideration during these phases is vital in order to avoid costly changes during the commissioning phase. The paper will also include a presentation of the benefit of using Automation in an Underground Mine, and how important the integration of the Human Being is to the Automation System. The most profit gained in mining industries are received when the mines can reduce internal and external disturbances in the production flow and speed. Must of the experience and discussed in this paper is from advanced technology, that has been developed in Scandinavian and adopted of LKAB in Kiruna. The author of this paper has been responsible för the Automation projects in the Kiruna Mine during 1994 - 1999. These projects include: Broadband communication of data, audio, compressed video in one data stream. Control System for Haulage -1045m Automation of Load Haulage and Dumping machines (LHD) Control of Production Drilling Riggs from a Central Control Room.

May 1, 2002

By M. Piard

Fires and explosions are not likely to originate in clean gobs above pillar faces steadily driven through a solid panel in order to effect a complete extraction. As. to the storage which such a process implies where the market is intermittent, its cost will never equal that of abandoning large pillars in a fully developed property. Much less will that cost, thanks to the big sizes obtained, ever approach that of cleaning wet and dirty crushings robbed at great expense from small pillars exposed to many years of roof pressure. Even thick seams under bad roof may be fully extracted without the help of filling material. Fatal accidents from falls of roof owing to the great height of excavations, losses in coal, and the danger from fire, have compelled operators in South Staffordshire, England, to discontinue the stall-and-pillar system at one time supreme in the district, and to successfully adopt the following plan: A retreating&apos; longwall is run along the top coal, as the first working; the bottom coal is taken in the same manner, after the fallen roof has become sufficiently consolidated to allow the mine to be reopened. A similar plan is suggested in this paper in order to deal with the outcropping and pitching seams found in the Kootenay measures.

Jan 1, 1930

By Fathi Habashi

"A process is proposed for the treatment of phosphate rock for the recovery of uranium and the lanthanides. The process assures the production of phosphatic fertilizers without polluting the environment with radioactive material.IntroductionWhile many processes for uranium recovery from phosphoric acid produced by the H2S04 route are known and utilised commercially, little is known about uranium recovery from phosphoric acid produced by the HN03 route1. Advantages of the latter route are both the elimination of the gypsum disposal problem, and the possibility of radium disposal in a controlled way2. Further, the lanthanides originally present in the rock can be recovered if the nitric acid route is used; they will be mostly lost in the gypsum produced by the sulphuric acid route3. In the present work a scheme for the recovery of uranium and the lanthanides from phosphate rock without interfering with the normal route for fertiliser production is proposed using HN03 as a leaching agent. Attention was also given to uranium decay products and their separation so that they might not contaminate the fertiliser4. Further, an attempt was made to defluorinate the leach solution in order to upgrade the fertiliser and at the same time recover the fluorine5. Rapid analytical methods for the determination of uranium, radium, and lanthanides in phosphate rock were developed6,7."

Jan 1, 1997

By Brigitte J. Dejou

The Red Dog sediment-hosted zinc-lead deposit is located in the Brooks Range thrust belt in northwest Alaska, approximately 1000 km northwest of Anchorage. The mine constitutes the primary deposit in a 400 square kilometre district, which hosts several other mineral occurrences. All the known mineralisation is hosted by the Mississippian Ikalukrok Member, deep basinal shale of the Kuna Formation, part of a Devonian to Cretaceous sedimentary sequence. The rocks underwent intense deformation during the Brookian Orogeny in Middle Cretaceous time. Several thrust faults juxtapose the stratigraphy. The Red Dog mine is composed of four deposits which together contain 105 Mt in resources and reserves for a total resource exceeding 18 Mt of Zn metal. The mine is an open pit with 25 foot high benches. The biggest challenge is not the Arctic conditions, but metal extraction, due to the fine grained nature of the mineralisation and the variability of the ore. The mine produces Zn and Pb-Ag concentrates that are shipped to smelters around the world from the Red Dog port facilities during the short summer period. Ore mineralogy is generally simple and consists of sphalerite, pyrite, galena and marcasite. The deposits are generally overlain by decametre thick exhalative barite horizons and exhibit strong silicification, which locally obliterates the original textures. Although described as a world class Sedex-type deposit, a large portion of the mineralisation exhibits sub-surface replacement textures. Moreover, unlike most other Sedex deposits, the reconstruction of the basin is made difficult by the structural complexity of the district. To assist exploration in the district, several assumptions are made regarding the deposit settings relative to metal source, growth faults or crustal extension.

May 1, 2006

By J. A. McCamley

Gypsum scrap generated from wallboard manufacturing, construction and deconstruction activities in North America, Europe and Japan is a recognized environmental problem. Landfill disposal of this gypsum scrap is problematic, with deposits often creating hydrogen sulphide emissions and metallic sulphide groundwater leachates. Of these regions, Europe is the most advanced in dealing with the issue having enacted legislation, which will come into effect in July 2005 that will strongly encourage gypsum recycling throughout the EU. An estimated 10% to 17% of all gypsum used in the wallboard industry becomes recyclable scrap, which represents approximately 1% of the total waste stream in North America. In the United States, 2.5 to 4.5 Mt of gypsum scrap is generated each year; the volume is similar in Europe (the percentage of total tonnage is less because of the higher use of brick and concrete). The Greater Vancouver region of British Columbia has banned gypsum from its landfills, and as a result, all gypsum scrap is now recycled. New West Gypsum Recycling, a Canadian firm, uses its proprietary technology to process large quantities of gypsum scrap that is reincorporated into new wallboard, at percentages ranging up to 25%. The operation of New West Gypsum Recycling Inc. of Langley, Vancouver is examined as a case study and recommendations are provided as to how other urban regions can implement similar gypsum scrap recycling programs.

Jan 1, 2004

By John Ramsay, Frederick A. Edwards, J. Eric Belford, Clarence V. Amyotte

"DEVELOPMENT of the underground mine is carried out from a main ramp driven from surface to the 800 and 1200 levels and from a shaft sunk to 3050 ft. Sub-levels at approximately 100-ft vertical intervals, starting 300 ft above the 800 level, were collared from the ramp as it advanced and a considerable amount of development work was pursued. The lateral and ramp work provided an opportunity to train drift crews, test equipment and methods, assess ground conditions and advance the initial stope development. The development of an exhaust ventilation raise system closely followed the extension of the level development to the south end of the orebody (Fig. 26) . On completion of the shaft, temporary lip pockets were installed at the shaft stations on the 800, 12.00, 1600, 2000 and 2400 levels. The permanent loading pocket had been installed on the 2860 level as part of the shaft-sinking contract and the level had been connected to the 2800-level station by a small muck transfer raise. Development of the 2800-level area was given top priority at this stage. This included a 1000-ft cross-cut to the crusher location, the crusher excavation, storage bins, conveyor ways and a ramp to connect the 2800 level to the loading pocket, the rope changing station and the shaft sump. The development and installation of the rock handling system between the 2400 level and the shaft bottom was contracted to Macisaac Mining and Tunnelling Company, of Sudbury, Ontario."

Jan 1, 1974

By W. L. Thayer, K. A. Jonasson, R. D. Coleman, J. D. Hazlett, C. E. Capes

"Loss of coal fines in reject slurries limits the yield of coal cleaning operations. Difficulties in handling fines also limit the extent of physical cleaning in treating coals with finely-disseminated impurities. Selective oil agglomeration allows even extreme fines to be processed and offers some novel approaches for coal cleaning and utilization.The oil agglomeration process for the recovery and beneficiation of fine and ultrafine coal has now been commercialized by the Chemical Engineering Section/Chemistry Division of the National Research Council (NRC). This paper describes these activities to apply oil agglomeration and related fine coal technologies on an industrial scale. Pilot plant and large scale results are described, as well as aspects of agglomerate utilization in both wet and dry form."

Jan 1, 1988

By M. Zavvari

Flotation, as with most engineering disciplines, involves testwork. Commonly this means going from lab scale to pilot scale to industrial scale. It is important to conduct tests to identify key parameters and to optimize even at the lab scale. To reduce the number of tests while maximizing the information, it is necessary to use Design of Experiment and Statistical Analysis. In this communication Fractional Factorial Design was used to identify the effect of 7 main factors on barite flotation recovery from jig gravity tailings at the Dorrin Kashan operation. The factors include: pH, collector and depressant dosage, impeller speed (RPM), pulp dilution, particle size and flotation time. By analysis of the output with Minitab software all factors were shown to have an effect. Among the factors, pH and flotation time have an interaction effect but the others have wise effect as an interaction effect and main effect. Finally, reliability tests at pH= 9, RPM= 1000, collector 1 000g/ton, depressant l 750g/ton, particle size 90 µm, flotation time 90 s, pulp dilution 23 % solids, the optimum level of each factor, were done. At the optimum level a barite concentrate with average specific gravity 4.308 g/cm3, average grade 93.72% and average recovery 90.04% was produced from the jig tail.

Jan 1, 2009