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By S. F. Dudka, T. Dang, M. L. Wong

Abstract - The Nui Phao W-F-Cu-Au-Bi deposit is located in one of the poorest regions of northern Vietnam. The deposit is currently undergoing a pre-feasibility study by Tiberon Minerals Ltd., with a view to developing what would be the largest WO3 mine and one of the five largest fluorite mines in the world. The project is being planned in close compliance with World Bank and national guidelines for environmental and social protection. Development of the mine is anticipated to bring the following benefits: remediation of serious pre-existing environmental conditions (natural and anthropogenic heavy metal contamination and acid rock drainage); provision of employment and training, and thereby wealth, to local communities; significant tax and royalty payments to government, which will be reinvested as social spending; and development of municipal and industrial infrastructure to build sustainable post-mining communities. The role of governments at all levels is critical in guiding and facilitating this process. This paper was written prior to development of the mine, and relays the intentions of the developers. Future studies will be needed to evaluate the degree of attainment of sustainable development objectives, both during mine operation and after closure.

Jan 1, 2003

By Paul A. Glapa

Quality is much more than providing a product that functions properly. True quality is a way of thinking, a way of doing business, and, ultimately, a way of satisfying a customer?s long-term needs. A true commitment to quality requires a top-down management commitment, with a willingness to change what needs to be changed and to expand upon ?best practices? that are already done well. Is there a cost to creating and maintaining a quality program? Of course there is, but the cost of not having a focused program is much greater. We have come to regard quality as an investment that pays dividends to both the supplier and customer. The lack of quality costs everyone and the customer pays the ultimate penalty. With modern, highly engineered surface mining equipment the end user calculates cost in terms of lost production (revenue), not simply the cost of the part. Bucyrus International, Inc. is a company that has listened to its customers and has dedicated itself to implementing an advanced quality program. The ultimate goal being the creation of a high quality product with extended reliability for the customer. The result is reflected in Bucyrus? current product offerings and highlighted by the new 495HF electric rope shovels at Albian Sands mine.

May 1, 2003

By S. M. Moon

Today, underground exploration is spotlighted as an infinitely developable area. For this purpose, many tunneling technologies were created. And until this very day, many techniques are being developed for more efficient underground movement. Although previous technologies have been developed and now being used in various forms like TMB, struck propulsion method and hydraulic propulsion method, it is hard to find a robot type exploring in small scale. But development of small scale underground exploration robot is a promising research subject for its usage in examination of soil, mineral, and subterranean resources, investigation of hazardous regions, and the military. So we developed a robot that can dig and move underground, inspired from the motion of earthworm and mole cricket. Earthworm and mole cricket dig the soil in the front and draw it off backward, so that they can move forward. We developed a mechanism that uses 2 rotating solid of revolution (bits) for pulverizing the firmly united soil in the front and put it inside the body. The bits rotate in the opposite direction of each other. While moving forward, the soil in the front moves along the spiral on the bit and is saved inside the body. The soil saved inside is taken out through an outlet in the back by a ventilation system. The ventilation system on the ground blows through a hosepipe connected to inner part of the robot and the air blows off the soil. The moving mechanism of exploring underground can be classified into 2 parts. One is to fix the blade link on the soil in a form of 4-bar link. The other one is to move forward rotating the whole link. When the blade link system for movement rotates a certain degree, one blade link is fixed, while the other one is folded in. When 2 blade links of different length rotate as it is, different torque is applied on each link. By the law of action and reaction, the link that has larger torque leads the rotation and movement.

Aug 1, 2013

By J. Fournier

A novel sol ? gel (SG) synthesis procedure utilizing varying ratios of glycine and ethylene glycol to total metal cations has been developed to create high purity nanometer sized La0.65Sr3.5MnO3 powders. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM, SEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) have confirmed that the crystallite sizes of such powders are ~ 20 nm, and the aggregate particle sizes vary between 100 to 300 nm. Mixing varying weight percents of SG LSM powders with commercially available Praxair LSM in a composite LSM/YSZ functionally graded cathode has been shown, through the use of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV), to exhibit enhanced oxygen reduction kinetics vs. at conventional cathode materials.

Jan 1, 2005

By L. Sun

Recently, micro-tubular solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have attracted the attention of many researchers because of their numerous advantages over larger tubular and planar SOFCs. These include excellent thermal shock properties giving rapid startup/shutdown capability, a high volumetric power density compared to larger tubular SOFCs, and reduced sealing problem compared to planar SOFCs. In order to screen cathode materials for micro-tubular SOFCs, the perovskite cathodes were deposited, using a variety of methods, on 10.5 mol % yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) tubes. Their electrochemical properties were then evaluated by using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and steady-state polarization methods, based on a three electrode configuration, and with the reference electrode position carefully optimized. The oxygen reduction reaction kinetics at the cathode/electrolyte half cell were then investigated in detail.

Jan 1, 2005

By M. Takebayashi, K. Takenaka, S. Matsubara, T. Yoneyama

The cathode production of Toyo Smelter and Refinery, owned by Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. reached 450,000 tons per year in 2016 with three tank houses. Niihama tank house commenced operations in 1919 with conventional sheet cathode technology. Approximately 100 years of operation experience and the technical development enabled that the current density of Niihama tank house and the Toyo tank house #1 increased to 320 A/m2. These operation techniques were utilized at the Toyo tank house #2 which started in 2005, and its current density reached up to 350 A/m2 with permanent cathode technology. In order to achieve high current efficiency under condition of 350 A/m2 operation at Toyo tank house #2, continued efforts had been made to verticality of anodes and permanent cathodes. To improve verticality of anodes and cathodes, reduction of short circuit ratio by changing the shape of the anode, optimizing the anode pressing machine and off-line process for rectifying the distortion of permanent cathodes was carried out. In addition, concentration control of electrolyte and expansion of Ni removing ability from the electrolyte prevented passivation. Finally, more than 96% of the current efficiency was stably confirmed. INTRODUCTION Today, Toyo Smelter and Refinery of Sumitomo Metal Mining operates three tank houses in Japan, namely, Toyo tank house #1, Toyo tank house #2, and Niihama tank house with a total capacity of 450,000 metric tons of copper cathodes. Figure 1 shows the trend of cathode copper production and the current density at three tank houses over the last 10 years. Cathode production by Toyo Smelter and Refinery reached 450,000 tons per year in 2016 with three tank houses.

Jan 1, 2019

By A. D. McKay

Uranium exploration expenditure in Australia reached a record level of A$220.5 million in 2008, which has subsequently declined to A$185.2 million for the year ended 30 June 2009. Recent discoveries include: Ranger 3 Deeps east of Ranger open pit (Northern Territory), Pepegoona and Yadglin sandstone hosted deposits (South Australia), and Thunderball project (Northern Territory). Australia?s Reasonably Assured Resources recoverable at costs of <US$80/kg U at June 2009 are estimated to be 1,210,000 t U, 4% higher than the estimate for December 2008. The main additions were in the south eastern portion of the Olympic Dam orebody. The Olympic Dam Expansion is based on a large open pit and will increase output to an annual capacity of 19,000 t U3O8; 750,000 t copper; 800,000 ounces gold. The Four Mile in situ recovery project was approved in July 2009. An ion exchange facility is to be constructed at Four Mile and uranium-bearing resins will be transported to the Beverley plant to recover the uranium. Recent developments at Ranger mine, and Honeymoon, Oban and Yeelirrie projects are discussed.

Aug 1, 2010

By CIM CIM

Why Workplace Important! ?We need Diversity is to do more in the industry as a whole to encourage and support diversity. It has long been an industry of white dudes and we?re not going to survive if that?s how we continue to think.? ? Mark Scott, HR Superintendent, Vale Inco PURPOSE OF MINING FOR DIVERSITY ? Share best practices in the areas of HR Development ? Support industry in attracting, recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce ? Raise awareness of industry HR challenges and collaborate with stakeholders to develop sustainable HR practices

May 1, 2009

By Z. D. Hora

Several deposits of crystalline magnesite are known in southeast British Columbia. Deposits at Cross River and Marysville have been thoroughly explored, but as yet there has been no commercial production.

Jan 1, 1984

By Shamil Shaikhutdinov

CO adsorption on gold particles deposited on well-ordered alumina and various iron oxide films has been studied with temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and infrared reflection adsorption spectroscopy (IRAS). Structural characterization has been performed with scanning tunneling microscopy. Data show that the CO adsorption exhibits a size effect in that small particles adsorb CO more strongly. The effect generally vanishes after annealing to 500 K. For annealed samples, CO TPD and IRAS spectra are nearly independent of the particle size and supports studied. The results indicate that the CO interaction with gold surfaces is essentially similar and involves low coordinated atoms.

Oct 1, 2003

By Alastair J. Sinclair, Asger Bentzen

Abstract - A simple linear model for interpreting duplicate analytical data for a range of values is described. The conceptual model can be quantified using a reduced major axis model rather than the inappropriate traditional least squares approach. The reduced major axis parameters (slope, intercept) and associated errors provide a quantitative basis for: (1) defining bias, and (2) comparing results within laboratories, between laboratories and between sampling/analytical methods. Application of the linear model must be preceded by extraction of obvious outliers or small groups of values that have an inordinately large impact on values of the statistical parameters defining the model. In addition, consideration must be directed to the presence of more than one population of sampling error, as in the case of multiple styles of mineralization being sampled.

Jan 1, 1998

By Carol E. Jones

?Reclaiming the land? in the Athabasca Oil Sands is becoming a household phrase in Canada. Advances in soil salvage and placement, increasing biodiversity of forest ecosystems and improved design of the landforms are beginning to change the trajectory of the ?reclaimed land? towards a boreal forest. The boreal forest is much more than just a forest; in the area of Fort McMurray AB, roughly one half of the boreal forest is composed of organic wetlands, often called muskeg. How important is muskeg to the boreal forest ecosystem and to the local aboriginal people? Should muskeg be reclaimed? Can muskeg be reclaimed? Ten years ago it was broadly accepted that organic wetlands could not be re-established; in fact this was so well accepted that reclamation of organic wetlands had not been attempted. Over the past decade this conclusion has been re-evaluated and research projects have been undertaken to examine the potential to create organic wetlands in a reclaimed oil sands landscape. This paper examines these questions and the research initiatives necessary to reclaim the other half of the Athabasca Oil Sands.

May 1, 2011

By Chris Ryan

Operational excellence along with the need for a capital management strategy demanded an educated budgetary retirement age for haulage fleets, with uniform applicability. Given fleet size and volume of data for the Komatsu 830E fleet within Teck, this unit type was selected for development of a retirement age model suitable for all operations. The model is designed to act as a capital planning and fleet management tool aimed at minimizing costs. Life cycle parameters were examined to facilitate a visual and numerical representation of a fleet over a period of time. Physical availability and operating cost models were developed to obtain an understanding of the life cycle. These models became the drivers behind the fleet-wide retirement model. A wide analysis range of the equipment life cycle was used as it assured that the optimum retirement regime would be accurately captured. Average annual spend, including cost of operating and ownership was measured against the corresponding retirement age. Targeting the minimum within this range yielded the optimal retirement age.

May 1, 2010

By J. Kicki

The paper depicts the current status of the EKSPERT mining machinery management system and shows the prospects for its further development. The system is the result of a rare attempt to utilize the comprehensive dataset; this refers to a precisely identified group of users and is used to develop a solution with a scope that encompasses other areas of activity within the company. The authors present the incredible flexibility and usefulness of the system used at KGHM Polska Miedz S.A. for everyday control of the mining machinery fleet. The issue of visual aspects of the reports generated by the system is handled separately and used as a tool allowing for implementation of the methodological assumptions of EKSPERT. A concept for creating a system for assisting decision making in the process of mine management with the use of IT tools and production monitoring is also discussed. The solution is based on integration of information from both the monitoring field and visualization of the technological process around the Production Reporting Center.

Aug 1, 2013

By T. R. Bieler

"Hot forming and superplasticity in powder metallurgy aluminum alloys and composites is reviewed. The effects of alloy composition, particulate composition, size, and size distribution is summarized. The role of climb distance for recovery is described in connection with the size of strengthening phases. In materials with fine strengthening phases on the order of one micron or less, high strain rate superplastic deformation processes are likely. However, the quality of superplastic deformation depends on the prior processing history, and these effects are reviewed. Very few data describing the effects of hot forming history on post-forming properties exist, but some results emerging in the literature are compared.IntroductionHot deformation in aluminum based materials is done for several technological purposes, such as thermomechanical processing to alter mechanical properties of simple forms, and/or final shaping operations to produce a complex shaped part by means of extrusion, forging, or superplastic forming. In the interest of improving the mechanical properties of aluminum based materials, two microstructural design strategies are commonly used, dispersion strengthening, and composite strengthening. The introduction of fine, stable dispersions is commonly done for high temperature strength, and the dispersions are typically ceramic particles in the range of 10 nm to 1000 nm in volume fractions around 5 vol.% (Higashi et al., 1990; 1991a; 1991b; 1992; Bieler and Mukherjee, 1990; Otsuka et al., 1987; Bieler et al., 1991; Oliver and Nix, 1982). Alternatively, composite strengthening strategies using 10-40 v% of 3 µm to 40 µm ceramic particles provide high modulus and high strength aluminum based materials (Midling and Grong, 1995; Lloyd, 1994; Subramanian et al., 1995)."

Jan 1, 1997

By R. C. Snider

The Roy Lloyd Mine in northern Saskatchewan is a high-grade underground gold mine which is currently supplying ore to Golden Band Resources Inc. (Golden Band)?s Jolu mill. Prior to the operation of the mine, an underground exploration program was conducted intermittently at the site. During both the underground exploration phase and mining, Golden Band has implemented water recycling to reduce freshwater usage within the mine in order to address concerns over the potential for impacts associated with freshwater usage and to reduce the volume of effluent discharged from the site. Golden Band initiated an underground exploration program at the Roy Lloyd Mine site (formerly called the Bingo Project) in October 2007 to better delineate the mineralization of the Bingo gold deposit. The exploration program provided geological information required in order to improve the confidence level of the geological resource model and also provided information to aid in the mining of the deposit, such as the determination of groundwater inflow rates. Underground production mining started in March 2011. This paper provides an overview of the mine water recycling methods implemented at the site during both the exploration and initial mining phases of the project, and the success/drawbacks of these measures to date, including the potential cost savings in the form of reduced treatment and monitoring costs inherent in a reduction of the volume of effluent discharged from the site. The paper will also discuss options that are currently being evaluated in order to further assist Golden Band?s ability to recycle water and reduce the volume of effluent discharged to the environment, while ensuring effluent discharged from the site to the environment meets criteria.

Nov 1, 2011

By C. Barnett

"The mill at Noranda Mines Limited, Geco Division in Manitouwadge, Ontario went into production in 1957 treating 3,500 tons per day of copper, zinc, silver, lead ore. It was not until 1964, however, that the zinc concentrate drying plant was constructed. In 1970, milling capacity was increased from 4,000 to 5,000 tons per day. The zinc content of the ore is quite variable so that the tonnage of zinc concentrate dried varies from 200 to 650 tons per day.The drying plant was designed to dry 25 tons of zinc concentrate, dry basis, per hour from an initial moisture of 8.5% to a final moisture of 2%. Major components were selected so that capacity could be increased to 35 tons per hour with minor modifications.The rotary dryer is a Hardinge type ""XH-12"" with a diameter of 80"" and a length of 50 feet. The all welded construction shell is 1/2 inch thick mild steel plate with 3/4"" thick reinforcing bands under the tires arranged for operation at a slope of 1/2 inch to the foot. The 3/8"" x 12"" radial flights are welded to the shell. There are no flights in the last ten feet of the shell in order to reduce dusting. This unit is driven by a 50 HP motor through a Hamilton type CD250 double reduction helical gear speed reducer. The shell speed is 5.8 RPM.The standard Peabody horizontal air heater has a rated capacity of 10,000,000 B.T.U. 's/Hr. The combustion chamber is lined with high temperature refractory brick and is air cooled. The conical outlet section of the air heater is lined with insulating fire-brick. The burner is a type AT wide range mechanical atomizer fired by a type ""CR"" gas-electric ignitor.The Bunker ""C"" fuel is supplied by a Compower duplex pumping, heating and straining unit, including tank hotwell, Powertronic oil line heating system with a 550/24 volt transformer."

Jan 1, 1972

By M. J. Bennett

"The Quemont mill is primarily a differential flotation plant in which copper, zinc ·and pyrite concentrates are recovered. Native gold and silver are associated in the form of very small particles with all the minerals contained in the ore: chalcopyrite, sphalerite, pyrite, pyrrhotite and even with the gangue rock.The proportion of the precious metals associated with chalcopyrite is such that the best recoveries we can obtain in our copper flotation concentrate are about 68 percent of the gold and 51 percent of the silver in the ore. In order to improve the total recoveries of precious metals it is necessary for us to float a pyrite concentrate and treat it by cyanidation for the extraction of whatever gold and silver we can obtain in this manner. In spite of the fact that we regrind this concentrate to 75 percent minus 325 mesh, it is difficult to extract much more than half of the gold and silver present in the pyrite concentrate by cyanidation, due to the extremely fine association of the precious metals with the pyrite.In 1963 we produced 86, 853 ounces of gold by flotation alone, and 14, 581 ounces by cyanidation. These amounts are equivalent to 67. 74 percent and 11. 37 percent respectively of the total gold in the mill heads. Comparable figures for silver are 325, 598 ounces by flotation and 99, 448 ounces by cyanidation; and 51.37 percent and 15.69 percent respectively.The total annual value of these metals (ie. $4, 000, 000) qualifies Quemont as a precious metal producer of some note. On the other hand, it is evident that by far the greater proportion of our gold and silver production is contained in copper flotation concentrates. When the income from our copper and zinc values is also considered, the much greater importance of flotation compared with cyanidation in our operation may be appreciated. This explains why most of our work on controls has been carried out in our flotation mill, rather than in our cyanide plant. Some of the controls installed there could, of course, be employed in either type of operation."

Jan 1, 1964

By D. J. Bowen

"The Great Dyke extends for 540 krn along strike, to unknown depth, and varies in width from 3 krn to 11 krn. Rb/Sr age determinations gives values of approximately 2470 Ma.The Dyke consists of a variety of mafic and ultramafic rocks, many altered to serpentinites. These include, from top to bottom, successions of gabbro/norites, pyroxenites, peridotiteslharzburgites, and dunites/picrites.The layers dip in from either margin, steepest at the edges (20°) and flattening toward the central sections. Four separate complexes are present. From north to south these are termed the Musengezi, Hartley, Selukwe and Wedza Complexes, and are described as &apos;boat-shaped&apos; or &apos;pig-troughed&apos;. All are similar in petrological sequences. Physiographically, the Dyke is spectacular in the north, where as a mountain range it meets the Zarnbezi Escarpment. Elsewhere in the central parts there is little surface expression and wide open treeless vleis. Dyke rocks cut through granite and schist belt terrain and are termed &apos;The Magnesia Belt&apos;.Vast mineral resources exist. These include chrome, asbestos, platinoids, nickel, copper and gold. Up to eleven chrome seams numbered from top to bottom occur in the lower ultramafic sequences. Seams are narrow at 10 em to 30 em but of high grade. The platinum occurs 10 m to 40 m below the norite/pyroxenite contact.A 60 m wide zone of Light Sulfide Mineralization (LSM) of less than 1070 sulfides extends from the lower gabbronorites into the upper pyroxenites. In this LSM, four enriched zones carry up to 5% sulfides. The most widespread is termed the Main Sulfide Zone (MSZ), below which is No. 2, No.3 and No.4 Sulfide Zones. The MSZ carrying pyrite, pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite is a multielement ore with components of PGE (pt-Pd-Rh), nickel, copper and cobalt, and gold and silver.Extensive exploration programs have been carried out and the intention is to begin large-scale mining. However, with Russia supplying metals to the western markets, South Africa&apos;s cutback on production, and an end to the Cold War, delays have arisen."

Jan 1, 1994

By H. M. Roscoe

Fifty per cent. increased lump coal production and at the same time a reduction of from 20 to 40 per cent. in explosive consumption. These results were achieved by the use of the rock-dust cartridge method of stemming shots in the Ruhr coal mines, as announced by Dr. Alfred Stettbacher in the September 1923 number of the Explosive Engineer. Immediately, the explosive and the coal-mining industries on this continent became intensely interested. Considerable experimental work has been carried on in a number of American and Canadian mines during the past year, by which our engineers have become assured that the use of rock-dust cart-ridges for stemming shots increases the efficiency of explosives and promotes safety in coal mines.

Jan 1, 1924