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By Raj Thamburaj, Li. Ping, Prakash C. Patnaik

"An effective prognosis system for aircraft engines may involve the application of a wide range of technologies and methodologies, which may include: - On-line, real-time and in-situ non-destructive inspection/detection/sensoring - Aircraft/engine instrumentation - Airborne data recording system - Advanced signal filtration - Data compression technologies - On-line engine health monitoring technologies - On-line engine component life usage monitoring technologies - Mission severity analysis algorithm based on life prediction and damage tolerance analysis models - Life assessment methodologies - Optimized repair/overhaul/maintenance planning - Optimization of mission assignment and homogeneous life usage - Web-enabled information delivery and sharing system - Decision making logistics This paper will demonstrate some efforts that Orenda has accomplished over the last decade in collaboration with the Institute for Aerospace Research of National Research Council Canada and the Department of National Defense. The presentation will focus on the following projects:"

Jan 1, 2004

"These guidelines, implemented in 2003, were recommended by the Diamond Exploration Best Practices Committee established by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum. The guidelines are applicable to public companies and their consultants reporting diamond exploration results.“The guidelines are referenced in the Companion Policy of NI 43-101 with a statement that disclosure regarding the reporting of diamond exploration sampling results should conform to them.”Reporting GuidelinesThe following guidelines have been recommended by the Diamond Exploration Best Practices Committee established by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum. These guidelines are applicable to public companies and their consultants reporting diamond exploration results.In respect of these guidelines, Diamond Exploration Results are results derived from the initial activities undertaken to investigate a diamond bearing prospect or deposit, to generate tonnage, grade and value estimates that cannot be classified as a Mineral Resource or Mineral Reserve. They do not address the earlier stage reporting of geophysical, geochemical or kimberlite indicator mineral results.Public reports of Diamond Exploration Results relating to mineralization not classified as Mineral Resource or Mineral Reserve must address the confidence limits of the result and contain sufficient information to allow a considered and balanced judgement of the significance of the results.The objective of these guidelines is to assist public companies and consultants in making appropriate disclosure of diamond exploration results by reporting in a manner which is:Uniform within the diamond exploration industry; Consistent with reporting from other industry sectors .Comprehensive .Unambiguous .The guidelines are not prescriptive. Materiality is the overriding principle that determines the information that should be disclosed. However, where a company or consultant deviates from the guidelines, the disclosure or technical report should state the extent to which the guidelines have not been followed, and the reasons for the deviation.The guidelines do not in any way replace jurisdictional reporting requirements (For example, the requirement for Canadian reporting issuers to comply with Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument 43-101 by having technical disclosure endorsed by a Qualified Person as defined in that legislation)."

Jan 1, 2003

By Robin Perry, Claude Bazin

"Discrete transfer functions which use the grinding circuit feed tonnage to predict mass flowrates at reagent addition points in a flotation circuit were calibrated using a dynamic grinding/flotation circuit simulator. Predicted mass flow values are multiplied by reagent addition ratios to obtain actual reagent flow. The transfer functions are currently integrated into the distributed control system of Les Mines Selbaie.IntroductionThe development of adequate tools for the control of flotation processes is a continuous challenge. Since the early 1970s there have been numerous publications dealing with practical aspect of control of flotation processes. Most plants use a combination of feedback and feedforward controls to reduce the effect of the following flotation process disturbances (McKee, 1991):• changes in throughput;• changes in feed grade;• changes in particle floatability (size, liberation, surface oxidation ... ); and • deliberate changes of setpoint;Feedforward control manipulates variables such as reagent and/or air flow rate to attenuate the effect of disturbances such as changes of feed rate and mineral content. The feed forward strategy is driven by measurements of these disturbances. Feedback control is used to maintain process variables to targeted set-points of concentrate or tails grades. The feedback control action is driven by deviation from the set-point, caused by a deliberate change of set-point or disturbances.This paper proposes a method to improve feed forward control schemes by the addition of a simple model for solids transportation. The feedforward strategy considered in this paper is the ratio type, in which the manipulated variable is changed according to a predefmed ratio between this variable and the measured disturbance. A typical example is the ratio of the reagent addition to mass flow of ore.The paper reviews the state of the art in feed forward control strategy applied to flotation processes and describes the method used for predicting mass flow rates. The last section shows an application of the method in the Les Mines Selbaie flotation circuit."

Jan 1, 1994

By S. Asano

Hydrometallurgical processes for treating copper sulfide concentrates have attracted considerable attention over thirty years and many processes have been developed. However there have been still problems in those processes because of difficulties of iron removal and high purity copper production with low operating cost. Although SX-EW is highly cost effective method, it is difficult to process the chalcopyrite. Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. (SMM) conducted a review of hydrometallurgical copper concentrate processing and has successfully developed a novel process for the hydrometallurgical production of copper from copper concentrate. In this process, copper sulfide is leached by chlorine gas under atmospheric pressure. Most of hydro metallurgical processes can leach only some of chalcopyrite under atmospheric pressure then they need high pressure leaching facility like autoclave. In this process, copper in chalcopyrite can be leached completely by controlling oxidation reduction potential and chloride ion concentration. Cu(I) ion in leached liquor is separated from Fe(I!) ion by SX using TBP then pure copper powder is produced by electrowinning. Results in batch and continuous testworks and pilot plant tests at Niihama Research Laboratories are presented in this paper. Cu2007

Jan 1, 2007

By J. B. C. Wu, B. McKee

"Mining along with subsequent processing of the minerals often presents conditions where a wear- and/or corrosion-resistant alloy is needed to minimize downtime and maximize efficiency. This paper is intended to give an overview of the alloys that are currently being used, as well as those developed in recent years that could be used in the mining industry. Emphasis will be put on the iron-, nickel-,cobalt-based alloys and composites containing a variety of carbides. The characteristics, properties, product forms, and methods of application are presented. In addition, examples of the actual use of these wear-resistant materials are illustrated.IntroductionPreventing wear and corrosion is important in any industrial operations. In the mining industry, the process equipment typically suffers many different types of material degradation. Abrasion, impact, erosion, metal-to-metal wear and corrosion are typically encountered. Each situation requires different material characteristics to retard the degradation process. Therefore, it is essential to understand the characteristics of the materials and the effects of the alloying elements.There are four common classes of metallic materials for resisting wear and corrosion; namely, iron-based alloys, nickel-based alloys, cobalt-based alloys, and carbide-containing composites. Each class of material has its own characteristics. Depending on the chemical composition, the materials within each class can be vastly different in properties. In recent years, there have been materials developed in each of the four classes using the knowledge of the metallurgical principles and the effects of the alloying elements on the material degradation process.To use a wear-resistant alloy, it is also necessary to understand the available product forms and their application methods. Weld overlaying is a traditional way of using these alloys (Wu and Redman, 1994). In recent years, thermal spray is becoming popular. For applications where over-laying and spraying are impractical, solid components can be made by a variety of casting and powder metallurgy techniques. They can also be fabricated from the wrought products.To select a proper material for an application, it is important to understand not only the characteristics of the wear-resistant materials but also the degradation process. Due to the complexity of the processing environments, past experience is also helpful in making the decision on the material selection."

Jan 1, 1997

By C. Chapman, P. Cowx

"INTRODUCTIONTetronics Research and Development Co. Limited has installed several plasma torches for steel heating in continuous caster tundishes. An extensive demonstration program on a 14 tonne tundish reported the following advantages of plasma heating.• close control of steel temperature to ± 5°C;• a reduction of the furnace tapping temperature of up to 20ºC, leading to savings in energy and refractories costs ;• improvement in steel quality, to produce a slab product with an equi-axed crystal structure and a reduced number of large sub-surface slag inclusions;• the virtual elimination of oxygen pickup in the tundish; and• the capability of making ferroalloy trim additions to the tundish to permit a change of steel grade during casting, greatly decreasing inventory costs.The Need for Tundish HeatingIn the continuous casting of steel, the function of the tundish is to transfer the molten metal between the ladle to one or more continuously fed casting moulds. Figure I shows a typical temperature profile of molten steel in the tundish over the first cast cycle. It is observed that a rapid drop in temperature occurs both at the start of the cast, due to the tundish refractories absorbing heat, and also during ladle changeover. In addition, as a result of thermal losses through the ladle sidewalls, there is a gradual decline in the bulk steel temperature over the entire heat cycle. Consequently, in normal tundish operation, it is necessary to cast with a high superheat (25°C to 30°C + above steel liquidus temperature) in order to prevent freeze-up of the strand. Problems of high temperature variation and the potential of the steel solidifying in the tundish are greater for small caster units of low thermal mass . A high steel superheat increases the steelmaking vessel process time and refractory wear and prevents the formation of a uniform equi-axed solidification structure in the cast steel, resulting in centre line segregation and porosity. The large drop in the casting temperature that occurs during unsteady state operation causes an increase in the number of sub-surface inclusions, reducing the value of the product. Accordingly, plasma heating may be employed to maintain the molten steel at an optimum temperature to produce a slab of consistent quality."

Jan 1, 1989

By R. Simard

"Conventional exploration strategies identify many mineral deposits as potentially interesting, although only a few of them turn out to be of economic importance. In the context of exploration for sulphide nickel deposits in the Canadian Shield, a decisional model, based on a statistical study of parameters relative to nickel deposits as well as to barren sulphide occurences, has been developed.Because such geophysical variables as gravimetry, aeromagnetism and topography could be related to the relative importance of nickel-bearing deposits, a statistical analysis of 13 such variables was carried out for 98 targets which were considered promising after conventional exploration. Among these 98 targets are36 sulphide nickel deposits in the Canadian Shield and 62 drill-tested non-economic occurrences. The results of this study led to the development of a linear logistic model that permits evaluation, for each of the targets, of the probability of finding a nickel deposit of potential commercial interest. This decisional model can thus complement conventional exploration strategies.RésuméLes stratégies conventionnelles d'exploration définissent un très grand nombre de cibles comportant un inténet minier potentiel dont seules quelques-unes correspondent à des gisements économiquement importants. Dans Ie cadre de l'exploration des dépôts nickélifères du Bouclier Canadien, nous avons défini un modelé de décision fonde sur l'étude statistique de divers paramètres relatifs tant aux gisements d'importance qu'aux cibles dites stériles.Ayant fait l'hypothèse que certaines variables géophysiques (gravimétrie, aéromagnétisme et topographie) peuvent suffire à fournir des indications sur l'importance relative d'un gisement nickélifère, nous avons entrepris l'analyse statistique de 13 variables évaluées sur un échantillon de 98 cibles considérées comme potentiellement intéressantes par les stratégies conventionnelles d'exploration. Ces 98 cibles se composent de 36 dépôt nickélifères d ‘importance recontrés sur tout Ie Bouclier Canadien et de 62 cibles stériles reconnues par forage. Nous avons défini à l'aide de ces données un modèle logistique linéaire. Ce dernier nous permet d'évaluer pour chacune des cibles les chances de trouver un gisement. Ce modèle de décision peut done s'inscrire comme outil complémentaire aux stratégies conventionnelles d ‘exploration."

Jan 1, 1980

WHAT IF? ?Mine closure and reclamation liabilities were fully funded -at all times from current mine revenues ?Unexpected & catastrophic events were insured ?Remediation costs could be capped ?Risk management was improved ?best practice and independent oversight ?Host communities?concerns were adequately addressed If this could be achieved within a cost-effective financial structure, this may be a solution to a complex issue for the mining industry

May 1, 2006

By H. Ardehali, P. Lind

Many gold deposits also contain significant quantities of deleterious elements such as arsenic. Several biological pathways are possible for arsenic exposure; special care and caution must be used while undertaking metallurgical testwork on ores and concentrates that contain high levels of arsenic. Laboratory precautions pertaining to handling of airborne dust concentrations, necessary personal protective equipment, and effluent treatment are discussed.

Jan 1, 2014

By M. A. Nadar

Harsh and dynamic construction sites are generally equipped with cranes in order to rapidly and conveniently move heavy loads from one location to the other. If not properly inspected and managed, this operation can be very hazardous and lead to accidents. As such, a reliable and self-contained monitoring system that can update construction and safety personnel about the status of the crane, the weight of the load lifted, the location of the boom with respect to nearby buildings and other tower cranes, and the weather conditions under which the crane is operating, is deemed necessary. This can lead to significant time and cost savings as well as safety and productivity improvement due to the accuracy and immediacy of relevant on-site crane information delivery. This paper takes the initial steps and presents research targeted at evaluating the capability of wireless sensor networks (WSN) for monitoring tower crane operations in construction environments. A reliable long range WSN system is implemented and information is obtained from various special-purpose sensors (temperature, wind, proximity, etc.) mounted on special motes that relay data to and from each other and a central hub. The latter continuously monitors and manages network performance and relays incoming data to the host application. This application, in turn, displays the received data, and maps it onto a user-friendly visualization scheme, triggering alarms when a set of pre-programmed rules and safety conditions are crossed. The components of the proposed system have been tested through proof of concept experiments and preliminary results highlighted the potential of WSN systems for improving monitoring of tower cranes and reducing related accidents on construction sites, especially in Lebanon and the Middle East region where safety precautions are usually not properly implemented.

Aug 1, 2013

By N. A. McPherson, P. C. Stevens, A. J. Rigby

"There has been a consistent move in recent years to continuously cast small billets while utilizing ceramic stream protection between tundish and mould. The need to have ceramic stream protection has developed from a need to improve billet surface quality by submerged pouring. The need to protect the ladle to tundish stream in conjunction with tundish to mould protection is explained.The continuous casting of thin slabs is at the development state and will require a great deal of ceramic development to ensure the economic viability of the project. An insight is given to the main problems.IntroductionDuring the early development period o f the continuous casting of steel in the late 1940s and 1950s, much of the work was carried out on small cross section products. For example, the continuous casting of 50 mm square billets was carried out on a production scale in the United Kingdom at Barrow. Slab casting was initiated on a production basis on 100 mm thick stainless steel slabs at Atlas Steel, Weiland, Ontario. In the case of slab casting the thickness increased gradually until it was similar to Slabbing Mill feedstock , i.e. in the range 200 mm to 250 mm , although stainless steel continued to be lower at around 185 mm thick.For billets , a significant proportion of steel is now cast at around 100 mm square which creates specific difficulties when casting with a submerged pour - mould powder practice. The move back to smaller cross sections is further emphasized by the current interest in "" Near Net Shape Casting"" . If this move continues, then significant development will be required to create the refractories used between tundish and mould in the continuous casting process.Two specific areas which will receive attention are; (I) the casting of small cross section billet s; and (2) the casting of thin slab."

Jan 1, 1990

By Eiichiro Mizushima

Catalyst systems comprising (Ph3P)AuCH3 and acid co-catalysts were found to be highly efficient for hydration of alkynes to give ketones. Methanol was the best choice of solvents. Introduction Hydration of carbon-carbon unsaturated bonds is one of the environmentally benign routes to the carbon-oxygen bond formation. Hydration of alkynes forming carbonyl compounds, an important variation in this category, is a well known reaction which has been extensively studied. The reaction by acid-catalysis is the most conventional method, while it is applicable only to electron rich acetylenes to obtain satisfactory yields (1,2). The hydration of simple alkynes usually requires another catalyst (co-catalyst), typically a mercury(II) salt (3), which is inconsistent with the guiding principle of Green Chemistry (4).

Oct 1, 2003

By Jason A. McLennan

Conditional bias is an infamous problem with estimation methods including kriging. Changing estimation parameters will mitigate, but not remove, conditional bias. The conditional bias of kriging is well understood; however, there is widespread confusion in the literature and among practicing geostatisticians regarding the conditional bias of geostatistical simulation. There is no conditional bias of simulation when the simulation results are used correctly. The correct use of simulation for recoverable reserves estimation is to (1) generate multiple realizations conditional to all available data at a small scale, (2) linearly average all realizations to the chosen block size and (3) calculate the probability of each block being ore and the ore grade of each block. The ?probability of ore? and the ?ore grade? are conditionally nonbiased.

May 1, 2002

By K. Adham, C. T. Harris

Arsenic is often associated with copper, nickel and gold in sulphide deposits. This paper describes a two-stage high-temperature fluid bed reactor for the removal and fixation of As from ores and concentrates. The first (bottom) stage of reactor removes the As through a neutral roast, by volatilization as mostly sulphide species. The second (top) stage of reactor captures the As from the gas phase through oxidative fixation, as a stable iron arsenate, by reaction with an appropriate iron source (sulphide or oxide). The second stage is placed on top of the first, so that their combined function can be achieved in a simple two-stage fluid bed arrangement, with the bottom stage off-gas providing the top stage fluidization.

Jan 1, 2014

By Kiran B. Chaudhuri, Michael Koch, Jorg Lema Patino

"Stricter pollution regulations together with other factors have stimulated interest in the modernization of the traditional sinter - blast-furnace lead operation. In this context, direct smelting methods have again come into prominence. Consequently, the Kivcet Lead Smelting Process, which belongs to this group, has attracted the attention of the lead producers of the world. The Kivcet Process offers the advantage that lead and zinc can be simultaneously recovered in a single furnace unit. KHD Humboldt Wedag A G, Koln, Federal Republic of Germany, has signed a contract with the Sociedad Complejo Metalurgico de Karachipampa of Bolivia for the delivery of a turn-key Kivcet plant, which is expected to be the first plant of its kind in commercial operation. This paper describes the design and expected operating data of the plant."

Jan 1, 1980

By Isabel F. Barton, Matthew J. Gabriel, Mark D. Barton

Process control, mine-to-mill optimization, and other mining operations depend on having robust, comprehensive mineralogical and chemical characterization. However, current characterization methods rely primarily on analyzing samples from trenches, channels, blast holes, and drill holes and interpolating between them, and are not always sensitive to some minerals (such as clays) that cause major problems for mining and mineral processing. Continuous characterization is possible with techniques such as hyperspectral remote sensing, which measures reflectance or absorption of light in the visible to near infrared (VNIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR) regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Absorption and reflectance features are characteristic of different chemical bond types, so each spectrum corresponds to a different mineral or material. In remote sensing, each pixel in the scanned area has both a location and a spectrum. This makes hyperspectral remote sensing potentially useful for characterizing mine site materials. In this study, we tested a hyperspectral remote sensing system as a method of characterizing the mineralogy and material types at mine and metallurgical sites. Our test site was a small open-pit copper mine and leach operation in the southwestern U.S. We scanned mine highwalls, dump piles, leach pads, and nearby rock outcrops with drone- and tripod-mounted VNIR-SWIR spectrometers. We collected ground-truth data through geologic mapping, sampling, and spot analyses with a portable short-wave SWIR instrument. The results show that the hyperspectral remote sensing system that we tested is capable of distinguishing the types and distribution of spectrally active minerals and other materials in diverse mining settings, including showing wet and dry areas of leach pads; clay and carbonate type and distribution on mine highwalls, leach pads, dumps, and rock outcrops; plant type and distribution; fault zones, bedding planes, and other geological features; and qualitative spectral matches between dump piles and areas of the mine highwalls. Hyperspectral sensing proved particularly sensitive to the presence and type of clay and carbonate minerals, which cause geotechnical and metallurgical problems such as highwall failure, gangue acid consumption, and flotation sliming. Examples will be presented and discussed at the conference. Areas of continuing research include automating and streamlining the data reduction process, integrating hyperspectral data with block modeling and mine planning software, and testing the results of hyperspectral sensing in different geological environments.

Jan 1, 2019

By Garth D. Kirkham, James P. Siddorn, Hendri Falck

"Abstract - As an integral part of the Geological Survey of Canada’s EXTECH III Project, a threedimensional computer model has been created of the Con and Giant gold mines in the Yellowknife Greenstone Belt. The Yellowknife Mining Camp has produced a great deal of gold (over 15 million ounces, or 400 000 kg) in the past sixty years and the prevailing assumption is that the mines are at the end of their lives. However, the potential for discovering additional resources using new ideas and technology, and maximizing use of existing data, offers an opportunity to sustain the old mining operations and maintain their contribution to the community.The objectives of this study included the compilation and creation of a three-dimensional Geographic Information System model (combining 3D subsurface data with surface information) to provide a framework for concurrent structural and alteration studies, and to encourage new exploration in the area. A secondary objective was to retain the data in digital format as a historical reference for future remediation efforts, and to document a portion of Canada’s rich mining history.The end result is a database and set of models that have been instrumental in facilitating further exploration in the area, as well as in developing targets for future exploration and mining activities. In addition, the EXTECH III 3D GIS model has made a valuable contribution toward the understanding of the arsenic remediation issues at the Giant mine, and has served as a tool in support of a variety of highly technical engineering studies and for communicating information and problems to the layman and community as a whole."

Jan 1, 2003

By Kimberly M. Curran

The path by which hydrogen supply is provided to any end use application will have a strong effect on the specific economics and price stability for the product supply and the flexibility with which it can be used. The objective of this paper is to present those variables which play a significant role in the selection of the hydrogen production technology, with a particular focus on several typical mining applications. The variables examined include gas requirements in terms of flow-rate and demand profile, overall volumetric consumption, level of interruption tolerable, gas pressure and quality needs. Also examined are the effects of geography in terms of primary energy supply available as well as existing hydrogen sources, developed or not. The role of these factors in the selection of an appropriate supply chain capable of supporting mining applications that use hydrogen as an energy carrier will be illustrated with a typical mining application scenario drawn upon in the form of a case study.

May 1, 2007

By A. Uribe-Salas, J. A. Finch, B. J. Huls

Froth depth or interface level is an important control variable in column flotation which can influence both grade and recovery. A common method of locating the level is based on sensing the hydrostatic pressure at one or more points along the column. The level indicated can be in considerable error, largely because of variations in froth and collection zone bulk densities. A portable conductivity probe has been developed to detect the position of the interface from conductance measurements across the interface. The location of the interface corresponds to the position where a large change in conductance is observed, which is primarily a consequence of the difference in gas holdup between the collection and froth zone. This probe detects the position of the interface to an accuracy of ± 5 cm. The probe can be used while the column is in operation, which allows for on-line recalibration of the level detection system. Results obtained in its application in a pilot-scale column (0.91 m in diameter) are described.

Jan 1, 1990

"AbstractThe Sedimentary Basin area of Western Canada, which lies between the Precambrian Shield and the Cordilleran mountain area, covers approximately 800,000 square miles. Sediments ranging in age from Cambrian to Tertiary are present and, of these, horizons in the Upper and Lower Cretaceous, Jurassic, Mississippian, and Devonian have yielded commercial oil and gas flows. Producing horizons in the Cretaceous and Jurassic are sandstone, while all those of the Palaeozoic are carbonate rocks such as red limestone or dolomite (bioherms). Shows of oil and gas have been encountered also in the Cambrian and Triassic sediments.The broad structural features of this vast expanse of sedimentary rocks are the Moose Jaw syncline, the Sweet Grass-Battle River arch, the Alberta syncline, the Foothills belt, the Rocky and Mackenzie mountains, the Great Bear-Slave Lake basin, and the Mackenzie Delta Basin area.This contribution outlines the .stratigraphy and structure of the Basin area, and gives examples of present producing oilfield structures and stratigraphic traps.Part 1.-Regional StratigraphyIntroductionThe vast expanse of relatively undisturbed sedimentary rocks of western Canada has long been recognized as prospective territory to search for oil and/ or gas. This search in western Canada dates back before the turn of the century, but, considering the size of area to be explored and tested, the effort an<l money expended upon it, which, before the recent discovery of oil at Leduc, Alberta, appeared large and fruitless, now seems almost ridiculously small. A check-up of effort and money expended prior to and since the Leduc discovery would undoubtedly reveal that more wildcatting and development has taken place during the last two and a half years than during all previous years combined. The figures would astound not only the average citizen, but many within the industry itself."

Jan 1, 1950