Search Documents

By Alisa M. Caswell

Outline: 1. Syncrude: Who are We? 2. Energy Use at Syncrude 3. Historical Energy Focus at Syncrude 4. Case Studies for Process Variable Monitoring 5. Extraction Flood Water Temperature Management 6. Fired Heater Tuning 7. Critical Factors for Success Syncrude: Who are We? ?Syncrude is a Joint Venture Operating Company with one product: Synthetic Crude ?Production Capacity: 350 kbbls/day ?Primary Energy Sources: ??Fuel Gas + Natural Gas ?? Coke ?? Electricity ?? Diesel

May 1, 2008

By G. F. Trainor

At the Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL) Horizon Mine they use Wenco International Mining Systems Ltd (Wenco) Fleet Management System to monitor and control their production fleet with the goal of increasing operator productivity and safety, and raising dispatcher awareness and control. Amongst the broad productivity goals CNRL wanted to achieve with help from the system was a very specific need to blend ore at the truck level. CNRL uses 25m x 25m block geological model information to represent their complex ore body. Wenco's High Precision GPS application, BenchManager provides precise graphical actual-vs-design operator feedback and system integration. Together the two companies advanced the BenchManager product to meet CNRL's needs by using live camera feeds to compare activity with data collection that ultimately lead to changes in the algorithm to include enhanced GPS indicators and the support of a GLONASS assisted solution generating distance and bearing information.

May 1, 2011

By H. Sahay

"DISCLAIMER NOTICEThe views and conclusions contained in this presentation are those of the author and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies or recommendations of the Department of Mines and Energy, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. ABSTRACTThis paper describes the main testing procedures that should be carried out to evaluate the capacity and capability of the service brakes on the large-size diesel-electric trucks now in common use at open-pit mining operations. Brake testing programs in general are described, and then consideration is given to different techniques of service brake testing, brake performance evaluation, braking energy and typical performance characteristics.IntroductionThe first diesel-electric truck with a capacity of about 85 tons was introduced in 1963 by Unit Rig and Equipment Company of Tulsa in cooperation with General Electric Company, who successfully developed and supplied the most important component- motorized wheels. Since then, its popularity and numbers have continued to grow, and now more than 3700 such units are in operation in mines around the world. In Canada alone, their number is more than 700, including about 150 in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Similarly, their size has also grown from that initial capacity of 85 tons to 350 tons.Although the introduction of the electric trucks proved to be invariably economical, their indiscriminate use was not without severe consequences. Many runaways and even fatalities occurred when the dynamic retarder failed while the truck was travelling loaded down severe grades. The service brakes in such cases proved incapable of stopping runaway trucks, mainly due to their limited capability and the fading caused by excessive heat produced during the act of braking itself. This eventually led the various governments, the open-pit operators and the manufacturers to seriously question the braking capability as well as function of both service brakes and dynamic retarders. Extensive testing"

Jan 1, 1980

By M. Medraj, M. A. Arafin, D. P. Turner, P. Bocher

In this study, the kinetics of isothermal solidification during TLP bonding of Inconel 625 and 718 superalloys with nickel based multi-component filler alloy BNi-2 have been studied through a combination of direct experimentation and mathematical modeling in order to determine the effect of process variables and, thus, to optimize the process. The predicted isothermal solidification completion times from the boron diffusion model and migrating solid/liquid interface model were in good agreement with the experimentally determined values and, they were found to be significantly less than those of other nickel superalloys with different nickel based filler alloys. Further, significant reduction of holding time was observed with increasing bonding temperature and with decreasing joint gap. No significant grain growth in the base metals has been observed in the temperature range being investigated (1325 - 1394K).

Jan 1, 2006

By I. Imris

The chemical industries are using different type of catalysts, which after application usually produced many tons heap of residues. One of them is cupric oxide catalyst with high content of copper and silica. The recovery of copper from the waste has become major interest from a viewpoint of environmental protection and recycling of resources. The thermodynamic analysis and experimental results suggest that the copper from cupric oxide catalyst can be extracted by plasma reduction process. By plasma reduction process the inert slag and copper with following chemical composition: 99.04 % Cu, 0,042 % Fe could be obtained.

Jan 1, 2007

By Robert B. Parsons

"Canadian income tax legislation contains a number of provisions which serve to facilitate the structuring of business arrangements, including mineral resource ventures. These rules are often fairly complex and not easily understood. This article attempts to explain in plain and understandable language the mechanics and benefits of one of the more frequently encountered provisions, the ""Section 85 election"".IntroductionThe Canadian resource industries are probably singled out for more special attention under this country's tax legislation than any other industry. This special treatment is, of course, not always welcomed by the industry, such as where unnecessarily restrictive taxation is perceived to exist or where agonizingly complex tax legislation must be dealt with. On the other hand, certain provisions in the tax legislation treat the industry in a relatively favourable manner, including a number of rules which, in recognition of the high risk and capital requirements of the resource sector, serve to facilitate the structuring of resource ventures."

Jan 1, 1984

By I. E. Puddington, F. W. Meadus

The beneficiation of barite in mill tailings using an agglomeration technique has been demonstrated. Barite was selectively absorbed from a conditioned aqueous slurry into a collector oil by mechanically mixing slurry and oil. The resulting oil-bonded barite-containing agglomerate was washed, to remove gangue material, and further mechanically contacted with dilute H2SO4 This treatment resulted in the transfer of barite into the aqueous phase. Grades as high as '97% BaSO4, with recoveries of 80%, have been obtained using this technique.

Jan 1, 1973

By P. H. Riordon

ONE OF the major sources of the world's supply of asbestos lies in a belt of ultrabasic rocks stretching through the Eastern Townships of Quebec where chrysotile asbestos has been mined continuously since 1878. The productive portion of the belt extends from the town of Asbestos in Shipton town-ship northeastward some 60 miles to the eastern edge of Broughton town-ship. (See map). Twelve mines, currently treating an aggregate of over 60,000 tons of rock daily, produce more than one million tons of asbestos :annually. An equal number of mines are now dormant, having for the most part exhausted their reserves. It is evident from the past and present activity, in this belt that it can look forward to at least half a century or more of large scale production. The host rock to the asbestos de-posits is essentially a peridotite which originally contained I 0 to 15 per •cent pyroxene. The peridotite, associated with dunite, pyroxenite

Jan 1, 1962

By S. N. Dixon

"Maximizing the value of each tonne of processed ore is the goal for all operations. Cyanidation processing of gold-copper ores has been challenging since its first use in 1889. The current practice treats a bleed or the total flow of mill solution to recover copper as copper sulfide (by sulfidization, acidification, recycling, and thickening), or to recover the cyanide (by acidification-volatilizationneutralization). The process presented uses the adsorption of copper cyanide by carbon and the selective elution of copper from carbon to concentrate copper into a smaller stream. Copper contained in the smaller stream is precipitated as copper cyanide.RÉSUMÉ Toutes les exploitations ont pour objectif commun d’optimiser la valeur de chaque tonne de minerai traité. Depuis sa première utilisation en 1889, la méthode de traitement par cyanuration des minerais aurifère et cuprifère s’est révélée complexe. La pratique actuelle traite la saignée ou le débit total d’une solution de traitement du concentrateur pour récupérer le cuivre sous la forme de sulfure de cuivre (par sulfuration, acidification, recyclage et épaississement), ou pour récupérer le cyanure (par acidification, volatilisation et neutralisation). Le procédé présenté dans cet article utilise l’adsorption sur charbon actif de la solution de cyanure de cuivre et l’élution sélective du cuivre depuis le charbon pour concentrer le cuivre en un plus petit jet. Le cuivre contenu dans ce plus petit jet est précipité sous forme de cyanure de cuivre."

Jan 1, 2017

By E. A. Davies, Trevor T. Jones

"Aspects of materials, design and operation of suspension equipment is dealt with, hazard, fatigue and special metallurgical properties of certain steels to resist are described, as is the effect of temperature in service modifying the properties of some steels to resist stress concentration and propagation of cracks.The influence of steady impact and fatigue loading and its results are described. Control of manufacture including nondestructive testing is outlined and acceptance parameters and strength calculations are given. Quality requirements and control in manufacture are outlined. A short description of the overwind detaching hook, together with illustrations of the operation of detachment are presented.MaterialsWinding engine ratings of 8000 h .p. and large capacity shafts 2000 m in depth (4000 m depths have already been reached and it may be necessary to go to 6000 m) and up to ten conveyances are not uncommon today. Loads of 100 or even 200 tons hoisted at low speeds are possible within the near future. Some of these appliances are designed to protect lives and installations in hazardous conditions when, due to human or mechanical fault, a malfunction occurs in the system. In addition, such equipment includes suspension gear of various kinds designed to anchor and apply high mechanical tensions to numerous steel ropes installed in shafts necessary either for the safe passage of conveyances or for balancing purposes when heavy loads are in motion.No unique metallurgical problems are presented in underground mining operations, but they have two special characteristics that influence the metallurgical aspects of the de sign of suspension gear and other equipment concerned in the transport of men and materials. (1) Any uncontrolled release of energy caused by the unexpected failure of a component is more likely to injure personnel and cause costly damage to installations in the narrow confines of an underground mine shaft. (2) Some mechanical equipment in mines, tends to be overloaded in service and suffer plastic distortion."

Jan 1, 1987

By H. Hao

This paper outlines the development of a 2-D axisymmetric mathematical model to predict the evolution of temperature during the Direct Chill (DC) casting of AZ31 magnesium billets. Model predictions of temperature have been compared to measurements made on an industrial DC casting machine at Timminco Ltd, in Haley, Ontario. These measurements have been used to fine-tune the thermal boundary conditions employed in the mathematical model, The model, which is based on the commercial finite-element code ABAQUS, has been developed as part of a strategic project aimed at improving the DC casting process for light metals through a reduction in casting related defects and increased productivity.

Jan 1, 2004

By T. Alan O'Hara

"Annual mining revenue can be computed by formulae relating metal prices, smelting schedules, concentrate grade and recovery to known ore grade and an assessment of core samples. Operating costs at different daily tonnages are related to orebody shape, mining method, milling process and general plant services. Capital costs are related to sizing of mining equipment, mine development, plant-site topography, climate and accessibility, plant services and personnel housing. IntroductionA crude guide to the average 1978 cost of mine projects is shown in Figure 1, but the costs of many mine projects have differed widely from the graphed average costs of $800,000 T0.6 for underground mine/mill projects and $400,000 T 0.6 for low-grade open-pit mine/mill projects.High mine project costs and high operating costs are characteristic of open-pit mines with high stripping ratios, underground mines with thin orebodies, mills with complex metallurgy, and projects located in isolated regions with severe climate, mountainous topography, and lacking access to existing roads, towns and electric power. When none of these adverse conditions prevailed, the mine project cost was typically much less than the graphed average cost. Virtually all the conditions likely to cause high capital and operating costs are known from knowledge of the local topography, climate or accessibility, or can be assessed by tests on core samples, as soon as the orebody has been outlined by drilling .A more accurate estimate of over-all project capital cost and operating cost can be made from a summation of items of cost after judging the effect of specific local conditions on each item of capital and operating cost. This paper offers guides in judging the effect of local conditions on the sizing and 1978 cost of specific items of capital cost and operating cost and operating cost of mine projects. When the specific items of capital cost and operating cost are totaled and measured against expected net revenue and taxes over the life of the mine using the net-present-value or discount-cash-flow methods, the result should show whether the mine project development is clearly feasible, doubtfully feasible or clearly uneconomic. If the development of the mine project is clearly feasible, or probably feasible, a detailed feasibility study by experienced consulting engineers should be commissioned before any financial commitments are made; but if project development appears to be uneconomic, the time and cost of a detailed feasibility study is not warranted."

Jan 1, 1980

By A. K. Verma

This paper provides a brief overview of evolution of deformations, stresses, and pore pressures due to different excavation stages during construction of an URL. Excavation of a rockmass develops a damage zone of finite width around the excavated zone which is associated with changes in permeability and which affects the fluid flow mechanism. In this study, a coupled hydromechanical (HM) analysis has been conducted for a water saturated porous rock mass which has been created by sequential excavation and backfill of vertical disposal pit of an URL. For this purpose, an Atomic Energy of Canada Limited?s in-floor concept for a deep geologic repository suitable for Indian conditions has been used. Changes in rock deformations, stresses, strains and mechanically induced pore pressure in an undrained condition, during excavation, as well as those caused by mechanically induced rock deformations after backfill of the disposal pit, have been modeled. A three-dimensional finite difference tool FLAC3D has been used for the analysis.

Jun 1, 2012

By Candido Bariáin

A new vapochromic material of formula [Au2Ag2(C6F5)4(bipy)2]n (bipy = 2,2´ bipyridine) has been developed and used for the detection of some volatile organic compounds as acetone either in vapour or in water solution. The material is presented in the form of powders which colour changes with acetone vapours turning from bright yellow in the absence of vapour to white in the presence of vapour. By using the sol-gel technique, the powder ? dispersed in tetraethyl orthosilicate- was easily deposited on optical fibres. In order to study experimentally the behaviour of this material for construction practical optical fibre sensors, a sol-gel material doped with the vapochromic material is deposited onto an extreme of a monomode fibre connected to a coupler. The behaviour of the material was studied for different wavelengths and concentrations of acetone vapours and acetone/water solutions. Changes up to 4dB in the reflected optical power were detected. Optical fibre sensors have many advantages over conventional ones, such as electromagnetic interference immunity, passivity behaviour, possibility of using multiplexation techniques, low weigh and little size, etc. Actually, there is an increasing interest in developing optical fibre sensor for vapour detection in the chemical industry and in fact many sensor had been developed [1]. Some are based on the deposition of a sol-gel-based material either over the core of an optical fibre [1] or onto the thinner zone of a biconically tapered optical fibre [2]. Others are based on Fabry-Perot interferometers [3]. Also there are sensors based on the reflection of the light on films, on the fluorescence of dye-doped polymer cladding in fibre, on colorimetric reagents in the core of a silica fibre or on surface plasmon [4]. The possible materials for the construction of such sensor should be colorimetric reagents able to change the colour or refractive index in the presence of same organic vapours. There are not many metallic complexes with these properties, although same interesting examples have been reported in the chemistry of palladium and platinum as [Pt(p-R-C6H4NC)4][Pd(CN)4] described by Nagel [5] and Mann [6], which reported the construction of some LEDs. We recently reported the preparation of a novel vapochromic material (Fig 1) [7] which can be used for the construction of optical fibre tapered environmental sensors [8,9] of vapour organic compounds (VOC´s). Also we reported other nickel and palladium derivatives which present this type of behaviour [10]

Oct 1, 2003

By Zhiye Zhao, Jianping Sun, Zhipeng Xu

"The subsea rock cavern project is an underground storage facility. For cost-effective and safe excavation, the risk caused by the groundwater seepage into the rock cavern must be addressed. As one of the essential steps of the assessment work, the hydraulic conductivities of the fractured rock masses should be reliably determined based on the limited measured data and geological information from the few boreholes. On the basis of site investigation data and monitored water flow and water pressure data during excavation, this paper presents an estimation method for hydraulic conductivities of the rock masses containing water bearing zones.INTRODUCTIONIn the development of underground rock caverns/tunnels, the uncertainty of hydro-geological conditions plays a critical role in terms of construction cost and construction safety. Excessive groundwater seepage has been identified as one of the key safety factors which always lead to vast loss, such as the Seikan Tunnel in Japan which encountered sudden water inflow and then catastrophic face collapsing, tunnel flood during excavation (Xu et al., 2013). As a key factor in the risk management associated with the groundwater leakage into rock cavern, the hydraulic conductivity determination is very important for cost estimation, reliable water control and construction management.The case presented in this paper is an underground project consisted of a cluster of rock caverns/tunnels for storage of hydrocarbon products. These caverns are located in heterogeneous sedimentary bedrock, at a depth of 130 m beneath a basin, and the crowns of caverns are located at about 100 m below the sea bottom. The caverns/tunnels are designed at two levels, the water curtain tunnels are at the upper level, and oil storage caverns are at the lower level, as shown in Figure 1. A number of horizontal and vertical water injection holes drilled from the upper water curtain gallery tunnel will establish continuous horizontal and vertical water curtains for providing a stable pressure distribution around the caverns, to keep oil/gas inside the lower storage caverns. As the hydrostatic pressure of groundwater around the storage caverns is higher than the pressure of stored oil and gas, the stored oil and gas will not leak out of the cavern (Lu, 2010; Xu et al., 2015). Groundwater pressure gauges are installed in the water curtain gallery tunnels, and water from the operational and access tunnels is injected continuously into the curtains to maintain the pressure. Some monitoring data are recorded at different construction stages. This paper proposes suitable methods to predict the hydraulic conductivity in rock mass and to determine the hydraulic conductivity in the water bearing zones."

Jan 1, 2015

By A. Dahi Taleghani, Amir Shojaei

A continuum damage mechanics (CDM) based constitutive model has been developed to describe elastic, plastic and damage behavior of rock during drilling. In addition to inelastic deformations, this model incorporates rock anisotropies like toughness anisotropy due to the bedding planes orientation that is a common observation in soft Shales. The pressure sensitive inelastic deformation of porous rocks together with their damage mechanisms are studied for drained and undrained conditions. Fracture mechanics of microcrack and micro-void nucleation and their coalescence are incorporated into the formulation of the CDM models to accurately capture different rock failure modes. The performance of the developed elastoplastic and CDM models are compared with the available single cutter test data of a specific shale play and then the models are introduced into a commercial finite element package through user-defined subroutines. A workflow to derive the required model parameters is presented through inverse modelling of the single cutter test data. The developed CDM model outperforms the traditional discrete element and fracture mechanics approaches by removing stress singularities at the fracture tips and simulation of progressive fractures like formation of the cuttings ribbon without any essential need for remeshing. This model would provide a robust tool for modeling bit performance and rate of penetration using conventional elements of FEA with a reliable results and a computational cost less than similar computational techniques like discrete element methods.

Jan 1, 2015

By B. M. Das, F. Claridge, V. K. Garga

Coal, as well as a large part of other minerals in Canada, is produced by surface mining methods. This has resulted in short and long-term accumulation of waste rock in dumps. Two main problems arise from the flow of water through these dumps: stability of dumps and the impact on stream flows. In recent years, a number of mines have started placing waste rock in valleys for general disposal or far constructing mine access road ways. All these have created challenges in the following areas: effective design of dumps and flow-through dams; stability monitoring of the structures; environmental impacts downstream by way of increased amount of fines in suspension, sedimentation, and toxic substances; and long-term status of flow and flood. Similar situations also exist in many civil engineering structures. This paper discusses the status of rock drains and the immediate and future research needs.

Jan 1, 1990

By James K. Gowans

"Cominco Ltd's Polaris Mine, located on Little Cornwallis Island, Northwest Territories (latitude 75degrees 30') went into production in late 1981, becoming the world's most northerly base metal mine. The concentrator, powerhouse, shops, offices, dry and warehouse, were uniquely designed and constructed on a 100f t wide by 400 ft long by 65 ft high barge. This process barge was constructed in southern Canada at Trois Rivières, then towed 3,500 miles into the High Arctic Islands and beached on Little Cornwallis Island.The paper deals with the original design philosophy, flowsheet and the initial year's operation of the Polaris process barge.IntroductionTo bring a mining property into production in the Canadian High Arctic, a company must deal with the harsh environment, the short shipping season and the high cost of labour. In trying to minimize the effect of these fact or s, the concept of a barge-mounted process plant was investigated as an alternative to the conventionally built concentrator. Cominco's previous experience gamed at the Black Angel Min e on Greenland's west coast suggested that this would be a practical alternative.The normal shipping season at Little Cornwallis Island is approximately six weeks long, from mid-August to the end of September. All equipment and materials must be delivered during the ""shipping window"". The logistics problems are enormous; if the conventional approach had been used the major process equipment would have been delivered to Little Cornwallis Island at the same time as the completed barge actually was! Construction would also be starting at the start of the worst climatic conditions, the Arctic winter. Nine months' production was gained by opting for the ""barge"" approach."

Jan 1, 1983

By Qiling Zhang, Zengqian Hou, Xiaoming Qu

Abstract - The Okinawa trough is an active back-arc-spreading center in which submarine hydrothermal exhalation (black chimneys) and sulfide mineralization are forming. Fluid inclusion composition in minerals of the hydrothermal feeder zones in the JADE field shows that the hydrothermal systems are extremely gas-rich. There are two independent and co-existing fluids, CO2-hydrocarbon and saline fluids. Microthermometry and Laser Raman Microprobe (LRM) analyses on individual fluid inclusions of the CO2-hydrocarbon type, dominated by CO2 and containing minor CH4, C2H4, C2H6, N2 and H2S, are almost equivalent to the fluid inclusion composition of a natural gas field. The saline fluid is mainly composed of H2O and contains minor Na+ and K+. It is close to a H2O-NaCl, or H2O-NaCl-KCl system, with salinities from 3.7% to 7.5% NaCl eq. Before venting on the seafloor, the fluids experienced immiscible separation. One of the end-member fluids is downward circulating seawater that interacted with sub-seafloor rocks. The other was gas (volatile)-rich fluid derived from a shallow magma chamber. The immiscibility separation of fluids resulted from the decrease of temperature and pressure of the hydrothermal system and continuous input of magmatic volatiles. The saline fluids in this system are discharging to form sulfide chimneys and black smoke. Meanwhile, CO2-rich fluid discharges as CO2 bubbles through hydrate pipes. A large amount of CO2-CH4-H2S gas or fluid in the upper part of the hydrothermal system, and reaction of this gas or fluid with saline fluids, finally enables the accumulation of metal sulfides.

Jan 1, 1999

By V. Shumila, T. Butler

Microseismic monitoring systems listen to a rockmass and record ground vibrations associated with brittle rock fracture. Modern systems record continuously and can identify as many as one thousand small and possibly larger magnitude events occurring each day from induced stress change and redistribution. This paper presents examples of the real time use of microseismic information in mining applications. It shows how alerts can quickly identify large magnitude events or unexpected clusters of seismicity and how seismic re-entry protocol can help to improve safety decisions. Additionally, newly developed advanced analysis techniques applied to mine seismic data sets are shown including the use of clustering methods to see into a cloud of seismic data to identify significant activity and quantify possible planar features. The use of source parameter trend analysis is shown to be a beneficial method for interpreting changes in relative stress levels. Seismic moment magnitude distributions are analyzed using the TGR (Truncated Gutenberg Richter) and TMD (Tapered Moment Distribution) methods to estimate bvalue and expected maximum magnitude. Seismic hazard analysis is shown as a useful way to simplify a dataset and highlight seismic hot spots. The rockmass response to excavation is a complicated spatial and temporal process and microseismic monitoring is a method that can be used to help understand the location and mechanics of failure occurring in the rock ultimately helping to improve safety and productivity at a mine site.

Jan 1, 2015