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By S. Veeramasuneni

The recent nonequilibrium electrophoretic mobility measurements by laser-Doppler electrophoresis coupled with the stability and prevalence of collector colloids in soluble-salt flotation systems suggest that the selective flotation of alkali halides is due to the adsorption of oppositely charged collector colloids by heterocoagulation. Previously reported flotation results confirm this surface charge/collector colloid adsorption model. These results also indicate that the sign of the surface charge has a significant effect on the extent of particle dispersion/aggregation. In this regard, the nature of such particle interaction forces at high ionic strengths are examined to improve our understanding of these systems. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is now being used to directly measure the interaction forces responsible for the stability of these alkali halide aggregates observed in optical microscopy studies. Results from this study indicate that, while repulsive hydration forces exist between similarly charged hydrophilic particles, attractive forces exist between oppositely charged hydrophilic particles in high ionic strength solutions.

Jan 1, 1999

By J. T. Carlson

Dolomite [CaMg(CO3)2] is an intolerable impurity in phosphate ores, due to its MgO content. The need to develop a cost-effective method for the removal of dolomite from high-MgO phosphate ores becomes increasingly important as high-grade reserves become depleted. The jigging process has been investigated as a method for the beneficiation of phosphate ores. A laboratory-scale jig was constructed and tested using a semicontinuous, ?through-the-screen? jigging process. Two types of sedimentary phosphate ore were used; a sample from Plant 1 in the 4.00 x 0.85-mm size range, containing 1.55% MgO, and a sample from Plant 2 in the 3.40 x 0.85-mm size range, containing 3.07% MgO. These were tested, using previously optimized jigging parameters, at high and low feed rates. For the Plant 1 phosphate ore, a phosphate concentrate that contained 0.89% MgO was achieved with a bone phosphate of lime (BPL) recovery of 32.0%. For the Plant 2 phosphate ore, a phosphate concentrate that contained 1.38% MgO was achieved, with a BPL recovery of 74.7%. Minimum achievable MgO grades were also determined by analyzing hand-separated phosphate samples.

Feb 1, 2012

By Glen L. Black

Choosing a mining method for an underground orebody is a complicated and often iterative process. Advances in technology have given design teams an array of possibilities for methods and equip¬ment. Hecla Mining's discovery of the deep Gold Hunter ore body challenged the staff at the Lucky Friday Mine to determine the optimum mining method. Taking an ore body from prospect to production requires traditional resource characterization. This includes drilling, delineating and modeling. Developing the mining plan is an evolving process, changing with each new piece of in¬formation as the project progresses through exploration and development. The Gold Hunter deposit is a steeply dipping vein system in the Wallace Formation of Idaho's Coeur d'Alene mining district. Gold Hunter is a misleading name for the ore body. The vein is a silver-rich, lead-zinc deposit with only traces of gold. The Gold Hunter ore body is located about 1.6 km (1 mile) north to northeast of Mullan, ID. The ore body is mined from the Lucky Friday Mine, located 0.4 km (0.25 miles) east of Mullan. Mining began on the vein from an access drift driven from the Lucky Friday Mine's 4900 level. Production from the ore zone is projected to be 771 t/d (850 stpd). The Gold Hunter ore is combined with Lucky Friday ore and milled in the Lucky Friday mill. The combined ore boosted Lucky Friday's 1998 silver production from 62.2 t/a (2 million oz/year) to more than 124.4 t/a (4 million oz/year).

Jan 1, 1999

The leaching of gold and silver by ammonium thiosulfate solutions in the presence of copper has been actively studied in recent years. Newmont Gold Company has successfully tested the ammonium thiosulfate for gold extraction following biooxidation pretreatment of low grade refractory carbonaceous/sulfidic ores. In this paper, the chemistry of the copper catalyzed leaching process is reviewed. Factors affecting both the leaching reactions and the stability of the lixiviants are reviewed and discussed from a solution chemistry perspective.

Jan 1, 1996

By Jaime Lomelin

[First of all I want to thank the Society of Mining Engineers of AIME for the opportunity to present what Industrias Penoles, S.A. is doing in Mexico to reach the basic objetive of the enterprise without compromising, in short or long term, the living conditions of the community or attempting in an irreversible form against Nature. Industrias Penoles, S.A. is one of the largest mining and metallurgical companies in Mexico. It was founded in 1887 and at the turn of the century installed a lead smelting operation close to the village of Torreon, which became city five years after the start up of the Penoles smelter. Now Torreon has a population close to 300,000 inhabitants. In 1974 Penoles is still the largest industry in Torreon and the dynamic growth of the city is close related to this factor. Today Penoles in Torreon has a lead smelter with a capacity of 130,000 metric tons/year of bullion, an electrolitic zinc plant of 105,000 metric ton/year, and it is modernizing its lead smelter to control pollution and expand it to 190,000 metric ton/year of bullion including all the services and refinery. The Penoles complex in Torreon is the biggest in the non-ferrous metals field in Latinoamérica.]

Jan 1, 1974

By D. R. Kelland

A program has been carried out over the last two years to apply the technology of High Gradient Magnetic Separation (HGMS) to the problem of mineral beneficiation and specifically oxidized taconite iron ores. This program, supported by the RANN division of the National Science Foundation, has consisted of a laboratory program at the Francis Bitter National Magnet Lab- oratory at MIT and a pilot investigation at the Hanna Mining Company Research Laboratory. 1 The laboratory tests were conducted using several batch type high gradient separators and a continuous separator with a rotating matrix which was constructed at the beginning of the program. The high field magnets available at F.B.N.M.L. were used for investigations above 10 kG but most of the test work was performed in the range of this field value. Ore samples were contributed by several iron ore companies and consisted of oxidized taconites having goethite and hematite as their principal components.

Jan 1, 1975

By Khosrow Badiozamani

Depletion of easily accessible coal reserves and stringent competition in coal marketing has led to the coal industries' need to more accurately assess alternate development scenarios and to develop well-conceived produc¬tion plans. This, in turn, has encouraged the active use of the computer during resource eval¬uation and mine planning. Morrison-Knudsen, (M-K) has developed proprietary software, known as "EAGLES", to support not only its own mine planning and development activities but also the mining industry in general. The EAGLES system provides complete geologic modeling, mine planning, production modeling, equipment modeling, and cost and financial modeling capabilities. In addition, EAGLES can be used for geotechnical studies, environmental assessments, and surface and groundwater hydrological evaluations. Another important tool used in today's mine development is Landsat (remote sensing). Landsat is especially useful in the evaluation of mining activities at remote mine locations and for megascale assessments of geologic structures and hydrologic regions. The use of scientific systems in the development of surface mines is being well integrated into today's mining operations and will be a major factor in the planning, development, and operation of mines in the future.

Jan 1, 1985

By Nicholas Chlumecky

A practical method is described for determining or checking whether underground supports such as props, posts and mechanized longwall supports have bearing areas of proper size in relation to the type of ground or floor strata on which they are standing, It is felt that this information provides an approach to eliminate, as much as possible, a potential grave source of error during the selection of roof supports. This would also affect the choice of costly mechanized longwall equipment where it is possible that the size of the bearing area is not as carefully determined as, for instance, the design strength of structural components.

Jan 1, 1967

By Earl A. Berry

Someone once said, "The safest mine is one in which no one goes into." We all recognize this as being perhaps wishful thinking. We also recognize in it a certain amount of truth and an ultimate goal if we are optimistic. All of us are aware of the many things that have been done, are being done and will be done to reduce manpower in mining. For those of us; who are optimistic about this ultimate goal it would appear from the records-we are more than well on our way to the so called safest mine. Let us see what has been done in the past 20 years. T e period from 1935 to 1956. For example in the coal mining industry: In 1935 there were employed 462,903 men who produced an average of 805 tons per man per year or 4.50 tons per man per day. In 1955 there were employed 225,093 men who produced an average of 2,064 tons per man per year or 9.84 tons per man per day. There are no comparable figures compiled for the metal mining industry as a whole that can be broken down in this manner. However, from examination of figures available for different groups in metal mining there is a trend similar to that in coal mining. No-dbout the above figures reflect the intense development and perfection of machines and mining systems to tear out, transport and process our mineral wealth. The figures also show the mining industry has been able to double its production and at the same time reduce its manpower by half. When you compare the number of men employed today with the number which would have been employed 20 years ago to gain todays production at that time it become apparent that greater safety has been accomplished. For example the years 1935 to 1956 for all mining show. In 1935 there were approximately 649,226 men employed in mining and reports show 1,399 fatalities and 74,913 non-fatal injuries. In 1955 when there were 313,883 men employed in mining 496 fatalities and 25,365 non-fatal injuries were reported. To have produced the same tonnage of material in 1935 that was produced in 1955 it would have required the employment of approximately 1,298,452 men. 2,798 could have been fatalities and 149,826 could have had non-fatal injuries. You can now measure the full impact of what has been accomplished in the past 2o years by the aggressiveness of mine management, the wizardry of our engineering personnel and the thoughtfulness and devotion of our safety people and their programs. Therefore, there is a trend towards the goal of our opening statement. We whoare toptimistic believe this trend will accelerate at a-faster pace. Why? Because anyone engaged in the mining industry today can well afford to invest a minimum of $30,000.00 in capital equipment todisplace the labor of one man. This fact alone is a terrific incentive for mine management to apply and manufacturers to develop equipment of a type to get the men out of the mine. Now you can determine this problem not only becomes one of safety but also one of economics, When productivity is stepped up and manpower reduced management is learning the hard way what it means to them; in the profit and los s column when a few minutes of delay or downtime of costly machines and processes occur. They have learned that fast and efficient communication systems are the best means of combating breakdown, delays, bottlenecks, supply problems, the saving of lives and property and increasing production. One large western metal mine was able to increase Its tonnage by 4000 tons a day by using modernup to date electronic type communication system. The National Coal Board of Great Britain recently allocated 45,000,000.00 to study and develop faster and more efficient communications when a survey indicated what a serious bottleneck poor communication in their present systems of mining turned' out Lobe.

Jan 1, 1958

By J. A. Chermak

Piles of sulfide-bearing overburden, ore, and tailings have the potential to generate acid drainage (AD) when exposed to an oxidizing environment. Laboratory column experiments were conducted using acid-generating overburden material with an added surface amendment of limestone and/or lime. Artificial rainwater was introduced and allowed to drain through the columns. Results showed that the limestone and/or lime reacted with the acidic rock, resulting in the precipitation of a hardpan layer of gypsum and amorphous iron oxy-hydroxide at the surface. The hardpan layer significantly reduced the effective permeability of the column. Based on this study, hardpan layers can be created as chemical caps to significantly reduce the infiltration of rainwater and snowmelt into acidic overburden or tailings material. Unlike traditional capping methods (for example, clay and high density polyethylene (HDPE) covers), chemical caps are self-healing.

Jan 1, 1996

By R. E. Brewer

Pilot scale flotation tests were conducted with a 1-ft-diam column at the Barrick Resources (USA) Mercur mine, Tooele County, UT, to scavenge unleached (0.01 to 0.018 oz/st) gold values from the tailings of a carbon-in-leach (CIL) circuit. The optimal recovery was 35 pct of the unamenable-to-leaching gold, at a grade of 0.353 ounces of gold per short ton, using a mixture of dithiophosphate, xanthate, and diesel fuel as a collector. This was achieved by floating approximately 1.6 wt pct of the CIL tailings. The gold values are believed to be contained in arsenic-bearing minerals, attrited carbon, and carbonaceous material in the ore. Redox potentials were measured with a gold electrode during the conditioning stage prior to flotation. The correlation between flotation recovery and redox potential values could be used to control reagent additions. Treatment of a previously leached and weathered tailings material, averaging about 0.055 ounces of gold per short ton, was also investigated using the column. The tailings were first water leached at approximately 600 C, and the water-leached tailings, which contained approximately 0.03 ounces of gold per short ton, were then fed to the column flotation unit. The effects of pH and sodium sulfide addition on gold flotation recovery and redox potentials were examined. maximum gold recovery, 36 pct, was achieved at pH 8.5 with a sodium sulfide addition of 0.18 lb/st.

Jan 1, 1989

By Henry S. Brown

At least two dozen massive sulfide deposits in the southern Appalachians have supported significant mining operations. Literally hundreds more deposits are known to exist, but are too small to be of commercial interest. Essentially all that are being, or have been, mined are those deposits that were exposed at the surface when first discovered. It is reasonable to assume that many more massive sulfide deposits, large and small, exist hidden not far beneath the surface. The ideas I am sharing with you here today are based both on my personal studies of some of the deposits and on descriptions of deposits in the literature. An attempt will be made to account for the genetic interpretation problems raised by many of these deposits posessing both "syngenetic" and "epigenetic" features. In addition, an examination will be made of the possible relationships between the massive and the not-so-massive sulfide deposits in this region. Hopefully, these observations added to those of others will eventually lead to the synthesis of a better model on which we can base exploration programs in the southern Appalachians.

Jan 1, 1976

By Edward F. Oxford

The area described in this paper lies along the inner margin of the Coastal' Plain in Twiggs County, near the exact center of the State of Georgia. Twiggs is one of four counties which produces approximately 75 per cent of the nationals output of kaolin used in the paper trade. In this vicinity the land surface is characterized by coastal plain hills with elevations ranging from about 250 feet, above mean sea level in the flood plain of: the Ocmulgee River to about 550 feet above mean sea level on the hill tops. Surface drainage in the area is southwestward to the Ocmulgee River, the tributaries of which have dissected the land surface exposing thick sections of the upper parts of the hills of Eocene (Ocala Limestone and Barnwell formation) limestone, sand, marl and clay, and in the lower parts of the hills Cretaceous (Tuscaloosa Formation) kaolin, kaolinitic clay, sandy clay, sand and, gravel. The contact between these two principal groups of geologic units is rather easil distinguished as the top of the kaolinitic beds. It is described in detail and mapped in published geologic reports for the area (LaMoreaux, 1946).

Jan 1, 1968

By John S. Owens

The National Steel Pellet Project and the Butler Taconite Project are operated by The Hanna Mining Company in the vicinity of the towns of Keewatin and Nashwauk, on the western Mesabi Range. Production began in 1967, after seven years of exploratory and development diamond drilling and reconnaissance magnetic surveys, Previously, direct shipping hematitegoethite ores and gravity concentrates had been produced in the area from numerous open pits and several underground mines since the start of the century. Total shipments of these oxidized ores amounted to more than 200 million tons, but at the present time such reserves are nearly exhausted, and there are no mining operations in the Keewatin-Nashwauk area except at the two taconite projects. The locations of all of the present taconite operations on the Mesabi Range are shown in Figure 1, extending for a distance of about seventy miles from the Butler plant to the Dunka River area. The Butler and National plants have a combined rated capacity of 4.4 million tons of pellets. Their reserves cover a combined strike length of about eight miles on the Biwabik iron formation. All of the intervals between present taconite operations on the Mesabi are potential sources of additional magnetic taconite; in particular, exploration and economic studies have been carried out by Jones and Laughlin Steel Corporation in the Biwabik area between Aurora and Virginia, and by Pickands Mather and Company in the Hibbing area. However, west of the Henna and Butler holdings, it appears unlikely that magnetic taconite exists in commerical quantities at economic depths due to extensive oxidation of magnetite to hematite.

Jan 1, 1968

By Walfrid Been

There are no particular nor unique features of iron mining that are not shared in some degree by all mining ventures everywhere. There are, however, at least three problems that have acquired a special emphasis from a unique cause. That cause is the embarrassment of riches under which the industry is suffering. The most obvious' feature of iron mining today is the copious abundance of usable ore and its almost universal distribution over the face of the earth. By the term "usable ore" is meant ore that is amenable to reduction by the usual and conventional processes. Amidst this plenty, three problems become acutely emphasized: 1. The geographic location that will provide a mine with the best market opportunity. 2. The size of the orebody that will be required to' return the preproduction investment. 3. The geometry and configuration of the orebody that will permit quality control measures to be effectively executed.

Jan 1, 1964

By J. Hanna, R. Kalathur

Over the years, Alabama's coal industry has generated, during mining and cleaning operations, about 150 million st of fine waste coal, with this total increasing at a rate of 2 million stpy. Reclamation of the fine-size wastes (containing 20% - 60% clean coal by weight) provides, free of charge, mined and crushed feed stocks for coal recovery. Also, the removal or recovery of pyrite from the tailings should eliminate a major source of acid-water pollution. Tests were made on the impounded wastes and current plant discharges to recover the coal fraction by sizing, gravity and flotation techniques. Gravity separation of the +100-mesh material produced commercial-grade coal averaging 7.6% ash, 0.8% sulfur and 13,471 Btu/lb. However, the coal yield, at about 31 % - 56%, was relatively low. Froth flotation, using mechanical and froth column methods, gave similar coal products at much higher coal recovery rates of 87% - 93%. This coal analyzed 10% ash and 1.1% sulfur.

Jan 1, 1993

By N. Hoffman

Accurate, repeatable density measurements of a coal-magnetite-water slurry are difficult to achieve using a nuclear density gauge. Changes in the coal-to-magnetite solids ratio cause fluctuations in the readings of nuclear gauges. To investigate this problem the Electric Power Research Institute's Coal Cleaning Test Facility compared the performance of a nuclear density gauge on a coal-magnetite-water slurry with the performance of a differential pressure gauge modified with a new pressure sensor. A second aim of these preliminary tests was to determine if the differential pressure gauge is also sensitive to the type of solids in the slurry. This paper explains current slurry density measurement practices, describes the nuclear and differential pressure gauges used in the CCTF tests, and presents test methods and results.

Jan 1, 1986

By F. D. Wang

This paper presents an innovative mining method with the application of the water jet. The basic principle of this mining method is to mine a thin panel slice with a water jet system and to allow the roof to deflect elastically and subsequently to be supported by the coal floor without artificial roof support. Through the sequential mining of layers from top to bottom, the entire seam is extracted and the roof rests upon the mine floor. The advantages of this method are that the safety of underground operation can be greatly increased and the surface overburden disturbance will be markedly reduced. . An economic evaluation of such a system is presented for the total cost estimated per ton of coal mined at the face. This evaluation is then compared to that of a continuous mining section utilizing a room and pillar mining method.

Jan 1, 1991

By J. D. Crone

Crone Geophysics Limited in co-operation with Newmont Exploration Limited has developed a ground Pulse electromagnetic method. This is the first unit in a planned integrated system of surface and borehole Pulse EM equipment. Newmont had previously developed an operational Pulse EM unit for use in areas of very high surface conductivity. The Newmont equipment was large, heavy apparatus that required motorized transport. It operated in the equivalent frequency spectrum of 10Hz to 2.5Hz. The basic aim of Crone Geophysics was to design a Pulse EM system more portable than Newmont's. We wanted to operate in all types of field conditions including heavily wooded and mountainous terrain areas. We also wanted to record the higher frequency information that is contained in the Pulse EM waveform. There are three reasons why we thought this high frequency information was important in survey applications: (1) Field tests conducted over massive sulphide bodies in the Arizona desert showed that the desert weathering process tended to break down the electrical contact between sulphide crystals. The net effect is to reduce the conductivity of a massive sulphide body, particularly narrow bodies or highly fractured sulphide zones. In order to detect such occurances the higher frequency information is essential. (2) We wanted to be able to detect occurances with sulphide content as low as 5% sulphides that are usually poor to moderate conductors. (3) We also wanted to be able to determine the presence and extent of surficial conductive formations and clay deposits since many airborne EM anomalies are caused by such bodies. If we have the capability of detecting and recognizing these formations we would be able to explain the airborne anomaly.

Jan 1, 1976

By Richard Klimpel

A common problem in mineral processing and chemical engineering is the need to estimate flow rates and/or weight ratios involved with engineering operations for which it is inherently difficult to directly measure stream weights. Simple examples of this situation include stream separators (a classifier operating on a particle flow) and stream mixers (the mixing of new feed and circulating load in a ball mill circuit). Often in these types of operations, it is possible to sample the streams involved to get approximate component analyses (e.g. size distributions of solid streams, chemical composition of chemical streams). In this paper various formulae are developed which can be used to estimate stream flow rates or weight ratios given information on the stream components. The type and level of experimental error present in the stream component analyses does have an important bearing on the numerical values (and reliability) of the weight ratios calculated by the various formulae. A simple but theoretically sound method is shown for selecting appropriate estimation formulae for any given engineering operation. The derived formulae are applied to sets of experimental classification data for illustration purposes.

Jan 1, 1979