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By L. Makua, K. Langa, Ndlovu. S., C. Saguru

"Global demand for the three platinum group metals (PGMs) Pt, Pd, and Rh has been steadily growing due to their widespread use in emission control, industrial catalysis, and numerous other applications. The primary supply of PGMs is currently the mining industry. However, legislative, operational, and environmental challenges faced by many mining operations result in erratic supply patterns and deficits for these three metals. Naturally, recycling scrap material to recover Pt, Pd, and Rh has therefore aroused research interest in the scientific and engineering communities. Given that the majority of the global demand for these three metals is driven by emission control devices, autocatalytic converters are therefore a significant source of already processed and beneficiated PGMs for recycling.Although pyrometallurgical processes dominate the recycling industry, hydrometallurgical processes may offer certain advantages, chief among these being lower emissions and reduced energy consumption. In this investigation, scrap converter material was leached in acidic chloride media and the leach liquor subjected to solvent extraction and cloud point extraction (CPE) to recover the PGMs. The recoveries for Pt and Pd using Alamine 308® dissolved in kerosene with decanol as a modifier were 95% and 81%, respectively. The maximum recoveries using CPE after complexation with 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (2-MBT) in the presence of Triton X-100 and tin (II) chloride dihydrate as a reductant were 97% for Pd, 96% for Pt, and 91% for Rh. This demonstrates that CPE, although relatively new, may have some potential as a breakthrough PGM recovery technology. IntroductionPlatinum group metals (PGMs) have found a wide variety of applications in different industries due to their chemical, catalytic, and physical properties. PGMs are essential in automobile emission abatement, petroleum refining, and the pharmaceutical and electrical industries (Carabias-Martinez et al., 2000). However, the abundance of PGMs in the Earth’s crust is low and their primary sources are fast depleting (Crundwell et al., 2011).The high demand for PGMs, together with social, economic, environmental, and political aspects related to their production, has led to concerns about their future supply. This has resulted in renewed interest in recycling end-of-life material. PGM supply from recycling has doubled over the last decade, and currently contributes 22% to global supply (Johnson Matthey, 2016). This is in part due to the environmental, social, and operational challenges associated with mining of PGMs. For example, labour unrest, energy cuts, declining commodity prices, and declining ore grades have collectively made the mining landscape economically challenging (KPMG, 2015). On the other hand, the high content of PGMs in secondary sources makes their recovery from the increasing quantities of waste products important from a resource conservation viewpoint. Moreover, PGMs obtained through recycling have been demonstrated to have a 1% environmental cost from a life-cycle perspective, whereas PGMs obtained from mining contribute the remaining 99% of environmental cost (Bossi and Gediga, 2017). Sustainable resource recovery and the economic incentive of recycling have therefore been major drivers to justify investment in PGM recycling. The autocatalytic converter industry accounts for about 70% of the global consumption of these metals (Johnson Matthey, 2016) and therefore recycling spent converters has become a major source of Pt, Pd, and Rh (Figure 1)."

May 1, 2019

THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL GEOCHEMICAL EXPLORATION SYMPOSIUM (Summary Account) This Symposium, co-sponsored by the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and the Society of Economic Geologists, was held in Toronto, Canada in April, 1970. Over 700 delegates attended from 26 countries. Ninety papers were presented at the symposium and another 18 papers were read by title. The programme included: An Opening Session, Five General Sessions, a session on Remote Sensing Methods, a session on Geochemical Prospecting for Petroleum and Natural Gas, a session on Primary Halos and Lithogeochemical Methods, and a session on Statistics and Evaluation of Geochemical Data. The delegates were welcomed by Dr J. M. Harrison, President of the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Dr C. H. Smith, Regional Vice-President, North America of the Society of Economic Geologists. Dr D. R. Derry of Toronto delivered the opening address to the Symposium entitled 'Geochemistry-the link between ore genesis and exploration'. Dr Derry considered the various hypotheses on the origin of economic mineral deposits and expressed his belief that the next ten years will show evidence of an increased proportion of ore bodies that owe their origin, at some stage in time, to supergene agencies. He stressed that 'there are no sharp divisions between processes that form and destroy ore bodies at or near surface and those that form or destroy them at a depth of 20 kilometres in the earth's crust. The more we understand about the migration and concentration of metals the more accurately we can apply this knowledge to searching for unknown concentrations, whether at rock surface or at depth. To learn more about these processes of ore genesis we must rely on geochemical studies co-ordinated with field observations'. The five general sessions included accounts of progress in geochemical prospecting in different countries of the world, case histories describing the application of soil, stream sediment, geobotanical and biogeochemical techniques, papers on the behaviour of different elements under varied environmental conditions, discussions on analytical methods and the use of stable isotopes in mineral exploration. It is anticipated that the proceedings of the Symposium will be published late in 1970 or early in 1971 as a Special Volume of The Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. All registrants at the Symposium will receive a copy of this publication and copies will be available for purchase. At a special meeting called during the Symposium, charter members of the Association of Exploration Geochemists approved a constitution and elected an interim Council which will organize procedure and formulate policy during the coming year. The interim president of the Association is J. Alan Coope, Newmont Mining Corporation of Canada Limited, Toronto, Canada. More information on the constitution and membership in the Association will be distributed to learned societies and technical magazines in the near future. Membership will be open to exploration geochemists in all countries of the world. SOUTH AFRICAN COUNCIL FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS Report on Registration The Professional Engineers Act (Act 81 of 1968) came into force on the 14th February, 1969. At the time it was recognised that the success of the Act would depend in large measure on the extent to which engineers in South Africa would become registered professional engineers in terms of the provisions of the Act. The promulgation of the Act and its provisions relevant to registration were the subject of considerable publicity during 1969. This has resulted in a rate of application for registration far beyond the capacity of the very active committees set up for this purpose by the South African Council for Professional Engineers (SACPE). To give some idea of the task before these committees and before SACPE itself, which must ratify each case,

By B. S. Agbenuvor, R. Morrison, V. Jokovic, C. Antonio

Body breakage usually involves breakage of particles by compression between two surfaces or impacted against a rigid surface, with the latter of interest in this current study. This mode of breakage has been identified to be the most elementary size reduction process and the most effective breakage process in comminution devices. It has been found in the literature that the progenies produced from this form of breakage possess a residual velocity at which they move, after the breakage event. In the pursuit of efficiently utilising applied comminution energy, a laboratory-scale breakage device has been developed to deliver precise specific impact breakage using the concept of a fast-moving hammer and a slow-moving particle to effect breakage. The residual velocities of the progenies from the breakage event may be used to generate secondary breakage without further addition of energy if the particle encounters a stiff obstacle such as a steel plate at right angles to its path. To measure the extent of secondary breakage, the steel wall of the device was lined with a rubber material to suppress the second set of breakage events. The performance of the new device is analysed, based on calculated t10 values and measured residual velocities of the moving daughter particles. Testing involving anvils showed a much finer PSD and higher t10 compared to the test involving rubber lining. This finding is corroborated by the measured residual velocities of the progenies. The resulting energies calculated from the measured residual velocities of the progeny were found to be approximately 42-88% of the primary specific impact energy. This retained energy was found to be sufficient for secondary breakage. Keywords: Impact breakage, residual velocity, secondary breakage, energy utilisation

Jan 1, 2020

NIM reports Report no. 1970 List of unrestricted NIM publications issued from 1966 to 1978. (30th Jun., 1978). Report no. 1976 The preparation and certification of two samples of chromium ore. (9th Sep., 1978). Report no. 1982 The resistivity of mixtures of Mamatwan manganese ore and reducing agents. (31st Aug., 1978). Report no. 1984 Commissioning of the AEI MS702 mass spectrometer. 31st Aug., 1978). Metallurgical slags The Basic Science Section of the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy is sponsoring an International Symposium on Metallurgical Slags, which is to be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, during 24th to 28th August, 1980. Mining machinery An international conference on mining machinery is to be held in Brisbane, Australia, from 2nd to 6th July, 1979.

Jan 1, 1979

Mr J. Meintjes (Chairman) was in the chair. There were also present: 7 Members: Messrs B. D. McNeice, A. Bain, G. E. Carlyon, C. H. Coxon, B. F. v. d. Merwe, A. C. Hofmeyer, H. J. R. Way. 4 Associate Members: Messrs E. J. Jackson, A. C. Melvill, W. Weber, R. E. Powell. 2 Visitors. It was decided to have the visit to ETC at Barberton on 20th March. A programme will be sent to all members who indicated that they wish to go on this visit. A talk on "Billet Casting of Ferrochrome" was given by Mr. B. F. van der Merwe. After question time the chairman thanked the speaker and asked for the talk to be forwarded for possible publication in the Journal. The meeting closed at 9.10 p.m.

By T. Steyn, M. Fofana

"One of the most important performance indicators of a dense medium cyclone (DMC) circuit is the Tromp curve, and by extension the separation density and Ecart Probable (Ep) values. The densimetric profiles of DMC product streams have been traditionally acquired using heavy liquid sinkfloat analysis, which has certain disadvantages, such as the associated safety and health risks. More recently, non-toxic media such as lithium hetero-polytungstates (LST) have been used, with the desired densities being achieved by maintaining the solutions at specific temperatures. However, the high costs of these liquids can be prohibitive. The long turnaround time of the sink-float analysis is a further disadvantage for timeous interventions to the operating set-points of the DMC process.The RhoVol technology can generate the density distribution of a batch of particles in a rapid, accurate, repeatable, and safe manner. Additional data of interest, such as particle size and shape, are also measured and reported on a per-particle basis. Furthermore, samples can be sorted into discrete sorting bins based on any of the measured parameters of the particle, making further analyses of the material possible.This technology has applications across all commodities that use the DMC, particularly in the size fractions –25 +8 mm and –8 +3 mm. To date, laboratory results have proved very encouraging – separation densities are within 5% of traditional sink-float results, and the technology is being introduced to diamond DMC plants. IntroductionDense medium separation is a commonly applied beneficiation technique for the density separation of valuable products from crushed ores. The industrial applications of dense medium separation have been summarized and reviewed by various authors (Scott and Napier-Munn, 2000; Bosman, 2014; Napier- Munn, 2018). Dense medium cyclones (DMCs) are widely used in the coal and diamond industries to produce clean coal or to preconcentrate kimberlitic ores, respectively. Cyclone performance (separation density monitoring) techniques are varied. In the mineral industry. Density tracer tests (Napier- Munn, 1985, 2014; Davis, Wood, and Lyman, 1985) without mineral material, are widely used, although their accuracy in predicting operating cut-points becomes limited once mineral material is introduced. More recently, radio frequency tracers have been also used for the determination of cyclone efficiency (Partition Enterprises, 2017)."

Feb 1, 2019

By Q. Fu, Q. Wang, L. G. Wen, M. X. Jia, J. J. Zhao, J. W. Zhou

The BGRIMM process mineralogy analyser (BPMA) is a new automated mineralogy software platform developed in China. This system consists of the BPMA software platform, controlling a combination of commercially available scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive Xray spectrometry (EDS). The BPMA software controls SEM and EDS through their application programming interfaces, to form an auto-SEM and EDS system that automatically acquires BSE images and X-ray spectra, respectively, and classifies minerals by spectrum-matching. After automated measurement and mineral identification, various quantitative process mineralogical data (e.g., mineral composition, mineral abundance, mineral liberation and intergrowth relationships, mineral associations, particle and grain sizes, particle density distributions, calculated assay, elemental deportments, mineral grade recovery and elemental grade recovery, etc.) would be calculated quickly, accurately and automatically. The BPMA could be used for ore characterisation as a new advanced automated mineralogy technology. Keywords: BSE image; X-ray spectrum; automated mineral identification; quantitative mineralogical investigation; automated mineralogy

Jan 1, 2020

SYMPOSIUM ON THE RECOVERY OF PYRITE The proceedings of the Symposium on the Recovery of Pyrite, held in Johannesburg in June 1969, may be ordered from the Secretary, S.A.I.M.M., P.O. Box 61019, Marshalltown, Transvaal, at the reduced price of R5.00. Papers and addresses presented at the Symposium were: Opening Address by Mr J. K. E. Douglas (President). "The world sulphur position," by W. C. J. van Rensburg (Member). "The South African sulphur position," by D. L. Taylor (Member). "The recovery of pyrite at Government Gold Mining Areas Limited," by R. J. Westwood (Member), G. S. Stander (Affiliate) and H. P. Carlisle (Member). "Recovery of pyrite concentrates from colliery-waste discards-A preliminary assessment," by W. A. Gilbert (Visitor) and E. A. Nugent (Member). "The role of pyrite in upgrading the uranium content of Witwatersrand conglomerate ores by means of the heavy-medium separation process," by D. J. Tutt (Associate Member). "Pyrite recovery by jigs at Durban Roodepoort Deep Limited," by E. J. Dominy (Affiliate), F. Diamond (Affiliate) and A. D. Graham (Affiliate). "The storage of pyrite concentrates," by Joan C. Campkin (Visitor) and P. J. Lloyd (Member). "The flotation plants of the Anglo-Transvaal Group," by L. A. Bushell (Member). "Pyrite flotation with amines and cyanidation of the products," by E. H. D. Carman (Member). "Gold recovery by cyanidation from mill products obtained after pyrite flotation," by P. G. Mrkusic (Graduate), M. Sciarone (Visitor) and H. E. Simonsen (Visitor). "The influence of sulphydryl and cationic flotation reagents on cyanidation of native gold," by K. G. Ashurst (Visitor) and W. P. Finkelstein (Member). "Laboratory tests on the flotation of pyrite from Witwatersrand gold ores by cationic collector," by J. Levin (Member), and M. L. Veitch (Visitor). Closing Address, by Dr R. E. Robinson (Director, National Institute for Metallurgy). INCOME TAX: POST-GRADUATE STUDY COURSE CONCESSION As a result of representations made by the Associated Scientific and Technical Societies of S.A. and the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns, engineers and scientists will now be allowed to deduct expenses incurred on post-graduate study courses from their taxable income. The conditions of this concession are set out in section 16 of the Income Tax Act, 1969, which reads as follows: 16. (1) The following section is hereby substituted for section 16 of the principal Act: 16. "Notwithstanding the provisions of section 23(a) and (b), there shall be allowed to be deducted from the income of any person who is a dentist or medical practitioner or practises any profession referred to in paragraph (a), so much as the Secretary may allow of any expenditure incurred by such person in the circumstances contemplated in paragraph (c), if the Dental Association of South Africa in the case of a dentist, or the Medical Association of South Africa in the case of a medical practitioner, or the "Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns" or the Associated Scientific and Technical Societies of South Africa in any other case, certifies in such form as the Secretary may prescribe that such person- (a) if he is not a dentist or medical practitioner, is the holder of a degree in engineering or allied technology or natural sciences awarded by a recognized university on completion of a prescribed minimum period of study of not less than four academic years or the equivalent thereof and enabling the holder thereof to practise the profession of an engineer or a profession for which advanced and specialised scientific knowledge is required which relates directly to- (i) the development or exploitation of natural resources; (ii) mining or prospecting for minerals; (iii) the production of pastoral, agricultural or forest produce ; (iv) the breeding or care of farm animals; (v) any industrial process; or (vi) the training of specialists in any branch of science or technology connected with any aforementioned profession; (b) has practised his profession for not less than three years; and (c) has incurred such expenditure during the year of assessment in respect of the attendance by him of any postgraduate study course approved by such body to improve his qualifications for carrying on his profession in the Republic". (2) The amendments effected by subsection (1) shall first take effect in respect of assessments for the year of assessment ending on the twenty-eighth day of February, 1970. From this section it is clear that the concession will only be granted if the application is accompanied by a certificate, which certificate must be either signed by the Chairman of Die Akademie or the President of the Associated Societies. In terms of the authority granted such certificates must certify that: (i) the taxpayer concerned has practised his profession for not less than three years; (ii) the expenditure was incurred by the taxpayer during the year of assessment indicated in the certificate; (iii) the expenditure was incurred by the taxpayer in respect of the attendance by him of a post-graduate study course approved by the Associated Scientific and Technical Societies of South Africa or Die Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns, as the case may be, to improve his qualifications for carrying on his profession in South Africa; (iv) the taxpayer is the holder of a degree in engineering or allied technology or natural sciences, which degree was awarded by a recognized university,

By L. Godfrey, Z. Nontso, F. Magweregwede, B. Maphalala, S. Khan

The aim of this paper was to establish if mineral resource scarcity is a driver for South Africa to transition to a circular economy. The project objectives were achieved by investigating economically viable, and critical or strategic minerals remaining in South Africa, as well as resource scarcity, as a driver for South Africa to transition to a circular economy. The study found that some minerals in South Africa, such as iron ore, lead, manganese, gold, and cobalt have less than 50 years of economically viable mining remaining. At least 18 minerals can be classified indicatively as critical or strategic: aggregates, bauxite, chromite, cobalt, copper, gold, graphite, iron, limestone, lithium, manganese, nickel, phosphorous, platinum group metals, rare earth elements, silver, titanium, and vanadium. The classification was based on the minerals’ economic importance, supply risk, and potential use in the development and manufacturing of emerging technologies. The findings suggest that the scarcity of mineral resources is a critical driver for the country to transition to a circular economy. Other identified drivers include socio-economic factors, climate change commitments, and business objectives. All minerals are non-renewable resources and at risk of depletion, therefore sustainable extraction and use are critical. Priority should be directed at investigating circular economy opportunities and substitutes for commodities at risk of being depleted within the next 50 years. There is an opportunity for South Africa to transition from a minerals export-based model to one that promotes local mineral beneficiation and manufacturing of end products.

Mar 5, 2025

By J. Bullón, A. Pérez

Some years ago, Ferroatlantica developed a new type of electrode known as the ELSA electrode. In this electrode there is a central graphite core that provides support, surrounded by an annulus of Søderberg paste that gets baked during operation. This technology has been implemented on several silicon furnaces around the world, and was reported on during the previous Infacon conference. In all electrodes, but particularly in the ELSA electrode, the quality and consistency of the paste are important for correct operation. As the type of paste varies between customers and between countries, Ferroatlantica has developed a quality control procedure for their customers of this technology. This procedure is geared to the point of view of the customer rather than the paste producer. The analysis is based on the desired flow pattern of the raw paste and on the desired mechanical and electrical properties of the baked paste, as experience has shown that these are the most important parameters to monitor in order to avoid having problems with the resulting electrodes. This paper discusses these methods of paste analysis in the light of complementary studies that have been done when there has been an electrode breakage in the different plants.

Jan 1, 2007

By P. Linzer, L. M. Linzer

The gravity method is often applied in mining-related scenarios such as geological and mineral exploration, detecting subsurface cavities and voids (“receptacles”) that may become sinkholes, siting of surface structures, fault-mapping, and more. It is also widely applied in geotechnical engineering to map subsurface karst profiles and to detect subsurface cavities, such as can occur in open pit mines. While it is widely acknowledged that, compared with other available geophysical methods, this method is the most applicable to the karst profiling problem, survey geometries applied in the field are often far from optimal. The gravity surveying specifications prescribed in SANS 1936 omit some key requirements for optimal survey outcomes, and this paper is intended to fill those gaps. The authors have seen scopes of work that require only a few measurements over the footprint of a proposed structure, indicating a lack of understanding of the nature of the gravitational field. A single gravity measurement is subject to the camouflaging effects of several influences, many of which can be larger than the anomaly caused by the subsurface density variation itself. Papers in the body of literature show an awareness of the need to map the regional field so that it can be subtracted to unmask the residual gravity anomaly, but rarely do they examine how instrument sensitivity governs the size of detectable anomalies or discuss how a detailed terrain correction can be instrumental for isolating faint targets. This paper aims to explain how to apply the gravity method correctly to mining and geotechnical problems, specifically in the detection of subsurface cavities. It discusses various factors to assist with optimising the acquisition of gravity data and its processing so as to maximise the practical value of gravity surveys.

Sep 1, 2025

By M. -B. Kime

This study applies attainable region analysis to optimise cobalt recovery from oxidised ores via reductive leaching with sulphur dioxide and sulphuric acid. The attainable region framework enables systematic visualisation of trade-offs between cobalt yield and sulphur dioxide loss, guiding reactor network design beyond conventional mass balance modelling. Experimental column leaching trials, supported by validation runs, were conducted under controlled flow and reagent conditions. Kinetic parameters for cobalt dissolution and sulphur dioxide consumption were used to simulate reactor trajectories and construct attainable region envelopes. To ensure hydrodynamic realism, residence time distribution tests confirmed partial plug flow behaviour with dispersion effects, justifying the use of hybrid reactor models in the attainable region simulations. The results revealed that increasing recirculation ratios improves cobalt yield while reducing sulphur dioxide losses, with attainable efficiencies exceeding 90% cobalt recovery and < 20% sulphur dioxide loss. Importantly, the study proposes practical reactor network configurations for future implementation, including staged percolation columns with intermediate mixing zones, oscillatory flow reactors, and modular fluidised bed systems. These designs offer scalable pathways to translate attainable region-based optimisations into industrial practice. Compared to traditional modelling, attainable region analysis provides a geometric decision support tool that captures multi-objective trade-offs and reactor interactions, offering novel insights for continuous leaching system design. This work advances the application of attainable region methodology in minerals engineering by bridging theoretical optimisation with practical reactor design, supporting sustainable cobalt recovery from both primary ores and recycled feedstocks.

Mar 30, 2026

By G. Segaetsho

"Conventional blasting rules of thumb used to develop blast designs are based on parametric ratios, with insufficient consideration of the rock mass factors that influence the achievability of final wall designs. At a hard-rock mine in Botswana, catchment berm designs were frequently unachievable, which exposed the mining operation to safety hazards such as local wallrock failure from damaged crests, frozen toes, and rolling rockfalls from higher mining levels. Increased standoff distances from the highwall reduced the manoeuvring area on the pit floor and the extraction factor that was safely achievable. Application of rock mass classification and the Blastability Index (BI) as a means to improve wall control was investigated. Zones were defined according to rock types forming the western highwall rock mass, and distinguishing rock mass classification factors were used to establish the suitable wall control designs. The approach combined rock mass classification methodologies such as the Geological Strength Index and the Rock Mass Rating, and related them to the BI and discontinuities of the rock mass to produce a design input tool that can be used to develop objective wall control designs. The designs driven by the tool inherently take into account the rock mass characteristic factors at the centre of the rock mass classification methods mentioned above, and significantly reduce the dependence on rules of thumb. It was found that this approach produces designs with explosive energy measures that are consistent with the required rock-breaking effort and the behaviour of discontinuities, while preserving perimeter walls.IntroductionBlasting is the first step in the comminution process. Various coordinated inputs contribute to its success, and in turn to the efficient execution of processes that lie downstream from the blasting step. Primary to meeting production and operational objectives of a mine, as well as the protection of human life and the mineral resource, is the achievement of highwall design specifications and competence. To this end, this study investigated the use of existing tools and knowledge for the achievement of highwall control goals at a hard-rock mine in Botswana."

Jan 1, 2018

1. Book reviews Phosphate rock, a bibliography of world resources. London, Mining Journal Books Limited, 1984. £10 (surface mail), £12.25 (airmail). Reviewer: P.Le. Grubb Ok Tedi, by William S. Pintz. London, Mining Journal Books Limited, 1984. 206 pp. £19 (surface mail), £22.25 (airmail). Reviewer: R.P. Plewman 2. Publications of the Canadian Mineral Policy Sector Lime by D.H. Stonehouse. 5 pp. Phosphates by G.S. Barry. 9 pp. Statistical summary of the mineral industry in Canada. 77 tables. Talc by M. Prud&apos;homme. 6 pp. Zirconium by M.A. Boucher. 6 pp. Cement by D.H. Stonehouse. 13 pp. Gypsum and anhydrite by D.H. Stonehouse. 7 pp. Regional review by T.M. Buch. 12pp. SaltbyG.S. Barry. 7pp. Silicon, ferrosilicon and silicon carbide by D.G. Law-West. 6pp. SulphurbyB.W. Boyd. 9pp. Mineral Report 31. Canadian Minerals Yearbook 1981. Available from the above address at $40.75 per copy. 3. Mintek reports Report M18D The recovery of pyrite and gold from acid-leach residues from the Merriespruit Gold Mine. (First issued Feb. 1982; reissued Mar. 1984). Report M2OD The separation of ore from Cooke into high- and lowgrade fractions. (First issued Feb. 1982; reissued Mar. 1984). Report M33D Explanatory tests on the reduction of the sulphur content of sponge iron. (First issued Apr. 1982; reissued Mar. 1984). Report M43D Beneficiation tests on andalusite-bearing shales from a farm near Thabazimbi. (First issued Aug. 1982; reissuedMar. 1984). Report M129 The determination of tin, niobium, and tantalum in pegmatite by X-ray-fluorescence spectrometry. ReportM131 The determination of copper and nickel in iron- and chromium-bearing materials by a pressed-powder technique and X-ray-fluorescence spectrometry. Report M135 The installation of a 100 kV A plasma furnace at Mintek. The selection and installation of a 100 kV A a.c. plasma Report M136 The determination of gold in activated charcoal by use of a loose-powder technique and X-ray-fluorescence spectrometry. Report M140 The effect of physical and chemical factors on the corrosivity of a synthetic mine water.

Jan 1, 1984

By P. Leeuw, H. Mtegha

"The aim of this paper is to enhance the understanding of the nature of mining input technologies in the South African mining industry. In the context of this research, mining inputs refer to input technology into the activities in mining engineering fields, which include mining-related production activities, rock engineering, mine ventilation, and mine transportation (handling of personnel, material, broken rock, and pumping). Input technologies in supporting fields such as geology, other engineering disciplines, human resource, procurement, finance, as well as downstream fields that include metallurgy, and marketing of minerals, were disregarded.The mining input technologies were divided into 12 nodes, and data from a sample of 150 first-tier mining suppliers was analysed. It was found that, in general, there is a high local content in mining input technologies, particularly as regards technical support services, artefacts, and machine technologies. This points to the presence of mining-induced backward linkages in the South African mining industry. The majority (83%) of companies that provide input technologies into mining are located in Gauteng Province, and relatively few are found in provinces where mining is concentrated such as North-West, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Free State. IntroductionSouth Africa is well endowed with minerals, with more than fifty different minerals being mined throughout the country. For this and other reasons, mining is one of the crucial pillars in the South African economy and its importance is well documented (Robinson and von Below, 1990; Creamer, 2010; Department of Mineral Resources, 2015). In 2013, South Africa was the largest global producer of chromium, ferrochrome, platinum group metals (PGMs), and vermiculite and the second largest global producer of antimony, manganese, titanium, and vanadium (Chamber of Mines of South Africa, 2014). In 2013, the mining industry contributed 6.7% to South Africa’s GDP and was the fifth largest sector in the economy, as shown in Figure 1."

Jan 1, 2016

By R. Lechuti-Tlhalerwa

"Geometallurgy aims to improve mining project value by predicting the impact that ore and waste characteristics will have on mining and metallurgical processes. This requires integration of rich spatial models of orebody characteristics with validated process response models. These models have, until recently, been constrained by the spatial coverage and representativity of relevant data and the ability to validate predictions made.The revolution in the diversity and volume of data and computational power that is now becoming available for integrated geoscientific modelling of orebodies, and stochastic simulation of mining and mineral processes is accelerating. By embracing emergent integrated data analysis and simulation techniques, geoscientists and engineers can lead a transformation in the way the mining value chain, from orebody to recovery, can be conceived, evaluated, and operated by using the geometallurgical paradigm.This paper describes a methodology that is applied to an existing diamond operation. Analysis of spatial and process data is used to build an integrated geometallurgical value chain model (IGVCM). This IGVCM is used to generate geometallurgical options and evaluate their potential outcomes. The model facilitates the use of flexible, highly configurable, and potentially automated intelligent approaches to evaluate mining and mineral process configuration, and results in more robust design outcomes. The approach described here, and its successful implementation has potential to deliver step-changes in value. IntroductionGeometallurgy aims to identify treatability risks – and opportunities – that arise from the interaction of orebody characteristics with mining and treatment. Improved understanding of the rock/process relationships allows project planners and production teams to predict performance, identify potential shortfalls, and thus enable the proactive creation and evaluation of strategies to mitigate these risks. These advanced insights also create opportunities for continually improving operational performance through dynamically adapting and improving the process response to the changing properties of the ore (Figure 1)."

Apr 1, 2019

By A. Santana, J. Jankolovits, G. S. Reyes

The flotation of sulfide ores that contain carbonaceous gangue requires significant operational and chemical intervention to achieve suitable metallurgical outcomes. Carbonaceous gangue dilutes concentrate grades, alters the froth behaviour, reduces operational stability, adsorbs reagents, and reduces value recovery. Carbon management processing strategies like preflotation and depression are often presented as point solutions. Moreover, oversimplified mechanisms of carbon depressants belie their complex and nuanced impact on flotation behaviour. Optimising the flotation of carbonaceous sulfide ores requires a holistic consideration of interactions between the carbon management reagents and the processing strategy, ore mineralogy, flotation behaviour, flowsheet, and all other aspects of the flotation system. Examples are shown where conventional, simplistic mechanisms of carbon depressants fail to explain the observed flotation behaviour. The multifaceted impacts of carbon depressants on froth behaviour, collector performance, and value recovery highlight the need for a holistic approach to carbon management. Keywords: Carbon management, carbonaceous ores, sulfide flotation, carbon depressant

Jan 1, 2020

By E. F. W. Buermann

This paper, which is meant to be read in conjunction with the other papers on the Grootegeluk Coal Project in this Issue (J. S. Afr. Inst. Mm. Metal/., vol. 82, no. 12. Dec. 1982) deals with the extent to which civil-engineering infrastructure had to be provided for that project, near Ellisras in the Transvaal.

Jan 1, 1982

By M. Shaw, H. R. Heydenrych, A. E. Lewis, E. Glass, J. Chivavava

The removal of calcium from the retentates of reverse osmosis (RO) treated minewater is desirable since it allows the recovery of both additional potable water (through RO) and higher-purity salts (in downstream processing). This, in turn, reduces the need for costly and unsustainable evaporation ponds and enhances the economics and operability of potential zero-liquid discharge downstream processes, e.g. evaporative-, cooling- and eutectic freeze-crystallisation. For this study, a multi-component retentate high in sodium content was considered, typical of those emanating from minewater reclamation plants in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Four technologies were evaluated to remove calcium: gypsum precipitation by addition of lime; calcium carbonate precipitation by addition of soda-ash; heating crystallisation of calcium sulphate anhydrite; and cooling crystallisation of gypsum. Full processes were developed and simulated using electrolyte thermodynamics. Using the results of these simulations, capital- and operating costs, as well as revenues were calculated and used in economic comparisons of the processes. Sensitivities to key purchasing and selling prices were also investigated to understand the impact of changes in these variables. For the case of a low magnesium-to-sodium ratio in the feed, gypsum precipitation through lime addition was found to have the lowest operating and total annualised costs; but, if revenue could be derived from the sale of sodium sulphate, calcium carbonate precipitation through soda-ash addition was favoured. Keywords: Calcium removal, gypsum precipitation, calcium carbonate precipitation, heating crystallsation, cooling crystallisation, economic comparison

Jan 1, 2020

"Chairman: Prof A. E. H. BLEKSLEY Rapporteur: Prof J. ELBRONDPanel Members: Prof J. C. Griffiths, Prof T. E. Hawkins, Mr A. C. Langton, Mr M. Splaine, Mr A. WeissThe reasons for failure of computer applications in the mineral industry and the direction of future developments.The Chairman opened the discussion by elaborating on the disappointment felt by some authorities with the lack of progress in the application of computers in the mineral industry during the last ten years, and posed the question to the panel : &apos;Do you agree that the computer age has not come up to expectations?&apos;Mr Langton said that although there seemed to be a tremendous amount of brainpower applied to the theoretical side, he thought that the production men had not got all the help from computers that could have been given to them. The computer, said Prof Griffiths, is as yet a new tool which should not be used to do old things in old ways. To learn to use the computer will take time. After all, he said, it had taken 400 years after the introduction of the printing press to achieve general literacy, and perhaps it will take 40 years after the introduction of the computer to achieve `numeracy&apos;.In Mr Weiss&apos; view, the reason for the feeling of disappoint¬ment lay in the focussing of attention on the computer. The blame, if any, lay with the people surrounding the computer, that is, the analysts and programmers, to whom the emphasis should be shifted.Prof Hawkins said that he thought that some applications of the computer in the mineral industry had been successful, such as, for example, the compilation of payrolls. Reasons for failures in other areas were to be sought in the fact that the people connected with computers had failed to realise that they were merely part of a system. They had not understood the power structure of the organization which their work tended to change, and were therefore not prepared for the inevitable conflict with the production men.In Mr Splaine&apos;s view the production man had not received the assistance he could have had from the computer people because he may possibly not have allowed this to happen.Prof Bleksley concluded from these opinions that the promise which computers had ton years ago had not been fulfilled and added that the opinions expressed by the panel had intruded on his next question which was: &apos;Is the reason for this that people are involved?Prof Hawkins elaborated on his previous theme, namely, that of computer people in relation to management. Com-puter people, he said, were trying to impose change on management but were not prepared to share the responsibility for these changes. In fact, they wanted their work to be distinct and separate, and, as far as management was concerned, changes would be made when management believed that these would be less agonizing than no change at all."

Jan 1, 2014