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Mother Nature controls, technical professionals model and miners decide. Decisions to explore, mine and mill. Mine decisions, mine design, planning and scheduling are subject to the quality of models û geological models, geotechnical models, resource models, density models. The closer these models are to reality, the more accurate the predicted outcome. So why is it we delegate the modelling tasks to the most junior and least experienced people? If we insist on this, we need to support them û to provide them with æexperience acceleratorsÆ. Technical mentoring is the most effective way to provide the right information at the right time. When this information (read skills) is supplied at the right time we can inject experience into the quality of our modelling and into our decision- making processes. The objective of this paper is to share those behaviours and manners that foster relationships and create frameworks for skills and experience transfer. Central to this is an understanding of how adults learn, an understanding of the basic rules of mentoring etiquette, and the three keys to building meaningful mentoring relationships. An understanding of adult learning processes and styles provides a structure within which a mentor can understand the learnerÆs perspective. Understanding the world from the learnerÆs point is critical to selecting the right language to engage, teach and transfer skills. Basic rules of mentoring etiquette like timeliness, respect and trust need to be brought into the consciousness so they can be agreed on and monitored to prevent conflicts in cultural and generational norms between the mentor and the learner.Meaningful relationships hinge on the three behaviours: truly listening, rather than just hearing; understanding the technical issues within the WIIFM (whatÆs in it for me?) question; and facilitative behaviour. Stronger and more meaningful technical mentoring relationships within our industry will bridge the generational gap and ensure we can capture and capitalise on the wealth of grey hair experience and develop an informed group of young decision-makers.

Jan 1, 2006

Young professionals are riding the current wave of high demand for their services and relatively little competition for placements. The attraction and retention of quality incumbents has therefore become a significant strategic issue for companies in our industry. Money is important, but poorly structured career development and lack of learning opportunities can discourage the highest paid professionals from being enthusiastic and striving for excellence. This will inevitably lead to the search for a new position. Important factors at play include the young professionalÆs lack of understanding of career pathways and poor quality, or lack of, structured on-the-job training and professional development. Too often young and not so young professionals are faced with the reality that fabulous looking (and paying) jobs can be quickly reduced to the monotony of repetitive tasks in an isolating environment. While it is the responsibility of the incumbent to manage their own career and professional development, without experience, how is anyone meant to understand the importance of their roles and the options for career development? Mentoring is therefore essential to the strategic plans of every organisation and the strategic plans of every professional. Mentors will accelerate learning, guide decision making and develop both competency and confidence as they share their experience, both technical and regarding the machinations of a particular discipline, within our industry. Mentors need not be from the same organisation as the mentee and in some cases this may be a distinct advantage. This paper discusses mentoring as an opportunity for young professionals and mentors to initiate and maintain a supportive relationship, the responsibility of management to get mentoring right and the responsibility of young professionals to demand the opportunity for professional development through mentoring.

Jan 1, 2006

By Val Ness, Leonard Harris

Mentoring is defined as close counseling by an experienced and objective advisor within the industry. It is one aspect of attracting the best candidates into the minerals industry, holding their interest, and encouraging stable career growth. By encouraging proper mentoring practices, we foster strong careers, we transmit important wisdom to the next generation, we fortify the industry with better talent, and we encourage the best possible advocates for the minerals industry. This paper illustrates the consequences of poor mentoring, offers an example of positive mentoring practice at the college or university level, reviews some guidelines for stable and fruitful mentoring, and proposes a plan to spread appropriate mentoring practices. Authors' note: The use of masculine pronouns is for convenience and simplicity only. Our best engineers and managers come from both genders, and the authors intend no slight to either one.

Jan 1, 2001

By Odd G. Askilsrud, Steinar Johannessen

New powerplants, tunnels and dams are currently under construction at Meraaker to triple the annual power production of a nearly 100 year old power scheme. A total of 44 km tunnels with cross sections varying from 7 m2 to 32 m2 have been excavated in hard rock formations. Ten kilometers were excavated by a High Performance Tunnel Boring Machine (HP TBM). The remaining tunnels have been completed by the drill and blast method, using modem proven equipment and procedures. This paper gives special attention to the TBM drive and equipment selection, including, planning, site organization and performance.

Jan 1, 1993

By J. C. Irvine

Meramec Mining Co., a joint venture by Bethlehem Steel Corp. and St. Joe Minerals Corp., is engaged in the mining, concentrating, and pelletizing of iron ore from the Pea Ridge mine near Sullivan, Mo., about 70 mi southwest of St. Louis. The orebody lies under about 1300 ft of sediments. It is tabular, about 2600 ft long and up to 600 ft thick, and lies in an approximate east-west delineation. The orebody dips about 80"s and is of unknown depth. The ore is primarily high grade magnetite with smaller zones of specular hematite. The Precambrian wall rock is rhyolite porphyry. The mine is serviced through two concrete-lined shafts, 19 ft 1 in. diam and 2500 ft deep. No. 1 shaft, equipped with an "A" type head-frame and conventional cylindrical drums, hoists men, materials, and waste rock; it is also the downcast air shaft. No. 2 shaft utilizes tower-mounted friction hoists to handle the two production skips, each with 24-ton counterweights, and a small man cage. The mine exhaust passes through this shaft. Ore is principally mined by sublevel stoping,

Jan 9, 1972

By A. Benchekroun

The phosphate mining industry is confronted everywhere in the world with financial difficulties and low prices which prohibit further investments and development of new mines even in regions with a comparative cost advantage (North America/ North Africa/ and Middle East). But old mines are being progressively exhausted/ and if no replacement mines come on stream in the near future/ we may soon find ourselves (around the year 2000) with a global annual production capacity of 160 million tonnes of marketable phosphate rock instead of the capacity of 200 million tonnes existing today. Unless prices improve/ phosphate rock/ a non-renewable resource and a vital commodity to world agriculture/ may turn to be in short supply to world fertilizer industry. Whatever the extent of recovery of fertilizer demand/ the expected decline of the production capacity during the 1990 I s is bound to cause the disappearance by the year 2000 of the important surplus characterizing today the supply/demand balance.

Jan 1, 1995

By A. Rubina P.

El presentre trabajo describe las propiedades del mercurio, usos, consumo, precios, reservas de producción, condiciones, así como el proceso que comprende su metalurgia y los factores que intervienen en los hornos rotatorios de la mina Santa Bárbara ciomo la velocidad de los gases, importancia de los refractarios, temperaturas, bafles, control de combustión, refinación y mantenimiento de operación. De otro lado, la Sociedad mineral "El brocal" enfoca el problema de la metalurgia de su mineral de arenisca a partir de la clasificación del mineral en grueso y fino. El primero, será beneficiado en las instalaciones de horno rotatorio, mientras que el fino se tratará a través de la flotación-retortas, flotación-briquetes-horno rotatorio y flotación, lixiviación, electrólisis.

Jul 20, 1960

By J R. Barber, B. E. Rogers, R. Fukuzawa

Mercury is sometimes present in non-ferrous ores including gold, zinc, copper and lead. The selection and use of appropriate mercury abatement technology is critical for preventing its release to the environment during ore processing and to protect workers from mercury exposure. This paper presents a general decision-making process for mercury abatement technology selection for major emission sources in the gold industry. Mercury abatement can be accomplished through making process changes and/or by adding a process step to an existing system (i.e. "end-of-pipe control"). Advantages and limitations of the technologies along with waste / by-product management options are discussed through case studies of current operating mercury abatement systems.

Jan 1, 2015

By G. R. Webber, L. M. Azzaria

"The wide interest in the application of the geochemistry of mercury to mineral exploration is leading to the continued development of a variety of analytical methods for the determination of nanogram quantities of this element. The various methods have different degrees of reliability, sophistication and portability. In this investigation, two simple portable instruments were used in geochemical prospecting surveys -an ultra-violet absorption instrument and a similar one modified with gold for the removal of interfering substances. The results show the application of the method to the determination of mercury in soils of different organic content, and in rocks, sulphides and air."

Jan 1, 1969

By J. Poijärvi, J. Rastas

Recently, when increasing attention has been paid to mercury for environmental reasons, the interest of several plants is directed to the removal of mercury from roaster and smelter gases. When Outokumpu Oy built its zinc plant at Kokkola in 1969, intensive development work was started to find an efficient and economic method for mercury removal from roaster gases. A process was developed, after laboratory research and pilot plant tests, to eliminate and completely recover mercury from the roaster gases. The process was commissioned in 1970. The behaviour of mercury in the roasting process and several possible methods of removing it from gases are discussed in this paper. Theoretical investigations and empirical tests show that the removal of elemental mercury from gases by sulphatization is very efficient. Further, it is stated how the technical process was built on this idea. The zinc sulphide concentrates contain small quantities of selenium, chlorine and fluorine. The role of selenium in the process is described. Similarly, the behaviour of chlorine and fluorine in the roasting, sulphatizing and scrubbing units has been discussed. Finally, the recovery of purified mercury and selenium from the precipitates is described.

Jan 1, 1973

By G. H. Friedrich

The distribution of mercury in soils, rocks, and ore was studied in three areas of the Pachuca-Real del Monte District: (1) An area north of the town of Pachuca where ore veins have been found at or near the surface. The mercury content of soil samples taken near the vein zones is far above the background value. The highest value was 1900 ppb (parts per billion) mercury in a soil sample above Veta Vizcaina; the background is about 50 ppb Hg. (2) In the area north of the town of Real del Monte where only a few of the veins are known to crop-out. Regardless of exposure, soils collected over veins show anomalous mercury values ranging from 250 ppb to 1900 ppb. (3) In an area south of the town of Real del Monte. Here, although vein outcrops are lacking, mineralization is known at a depth of about 120 m. All soil samples taken at 50 m. intervals along an east-west traverse contain anomalous amounts of mercury, with peaks corresponding with the known location of the veins.

Jan 1, 1965

By Palmer DJ

Mercury is introduced into EZ's electroly tic zinc/sulphuric acid plant complex at Risdon, Tasmania, in zinc sulphide concentrate. Mercury is volatilised during the roasting operation and then distributed in the sulphuric acid plant effluents and product acid. Following an investigation of the factors determining the mercury distribution, a plan was formulated to-provide an environmentally accep- table degree of mercury containment at Risdon. This paper discusses details of the various control measures investigated and out- lines the reasons for selecting the particular procedures finally adopted for the Risdon plant.

Jan 1, 1980

By Toshio Kurikami, Charles A. Brockmiller, John E. FitzSimmons

In the manufacture of sulfuric acid from SO2 bearing gases, the presence of mercury vapor in the gases may lead to unacceptably high mercury levels in product acid. Anticipating inception of regulations requiring low mercury acid, St. Joe Minerals Corporation and Toho Zinc Company, Ltd. independently developed new mercury removal technology. The processes may be used individually or in combination, depending upon the mercury content of the SO2 gases and the required mercury level in acid, for efficient control of maximum mercury levels in sulfuric acid. The St. Joe B Process removes mercury from roaster off-gas streams, while Toho’s NAK Process precipitates Hg from concentrated sulfuric acid. The combined process is commercially operated at St. Joe's zinc smelter in Monaca, Pennsylvania, and the NAK Process at Toho’s Chigirishima lead smelter and Onahama zinc roasting plant in Japan. Product acid mercury levels of 0.5 mg/kg are economically achieved.

Jan 1, 1976

By T. A. Toney

A sampling program was conducted in 2008 to determine the run of mine characteristics of 5 coal seams. The sampling program included size analyses and float sink determinations. The samples were analyzed for ash and mercury concentrations for each size and gravity fraction. This paper will report on the sampling program, the analytical results, and the correlations determined in the data set investigated.

Jan 1, 2010

By C. W. Vaupell

THE Huitzuco mines lie in north central Guerrero, Mexico; production has been about 90,000 flasks of quicksilver since 1873. Near-surface ores fill extinct mud geysers and the deep deposits are chambered veins, stock-works in brecciated blocks, and replacements in limestone. The epigenetic minerals livingstonite, stibnite and sulphur occur in limestone, gypsum and dolomite through a developed vertical range of 260 meters. The deepest workings expose an increased amount of stibnite, which probably indicates that the lower limit of mercury mineralization is being approached. A resur-gence of heat and water formed geysers over an extended area after the period of mercury mineralization. Mud geysers, which are situated, in the outcrops, contain the secondary mercury minerals, cinnabar and barcenite in the gravel and mud filling the vents. A 150-ton flotation plant is in operation concentrating stope fills that assay 3.0 kg. of mercury per ton. In one open stope, which is more than one hectare in area and 60 m. high, 150,000 tons are available.

Jan 1, 1937

By C. W. Vaupell

THE Huitzuco mines lie in north central Guerrero, Mexico; production has been about 90,000 flasks of quicksilver since 1873. Near-surface ores fill extinct mud geysers and the deep deposits are chambered veins, stock-works in brecciated blocks, and replacements in limestone. The epigenetic minerals livingstonite, stibnite and sulphur occur in limestone, gypsum and dolomite through a developed vertical range of 260 meters. The deepest workings expose an increased amount of stibnite, which probably indicates that the lower limit of mercury mineralization is being approached. A resurgence of heat and water formed geysers over an extended area after the period of mercury mineralization. Mud geysers, which are situated, in the outcrops, contain the secondary mercury minerals, cinnabar and barcenite in the gravel and mud filling the vents. A 150-ton flotation plant is in operation concentrating stope fills that assay 3.0 kg. of mercury per ton. In one open stope, which is more than one hectare in area and 60 m. high, 150,000 tons are available. INTRODUCTION The Huitzuco mercury mines are of interest because of the unusual occurrence of ore in extinct geyser vents and the presence of several rare mercury minerals. Some of the deposits have typical characteristics of the telethermal zone and there is a gradation towards typical epithermal mineralization in depth. Halse,1 Villarello,2 Mactear3 and Merrill4 have described the geology and the early operations in the district, and Barcena5 and Mallet6 have described the rare mercury minerals, livingstonite and barcenite, found at Huitzuco. LOCATION The village of Huitzuco lies in the north central part of the State of Guerrero, Mexico, 27 km. (16.7 miles) east of Iguala, which is the largest and most important town in the area. Iguala is served by the Mexican National Railways and also by the Mexico City-Acapulco highway. The highway is surfaced from Mexico City to Iguala, a distance of 200 km. (124 miles) by road, and there is a fairly good, level, dirt road from Iguala to Huitzuco. The elevation above sea level is about 1000 m. (3280 ft.). The climate is warm and very dry except during the rainy season, from June to

Jan 1, 1937

By F. Habashi

It has been estimated that about 45 tonnes of mercury are emitted annually in the USA in the atmosphere as a result of burning coal in power-generating plants. A similar situation had existed in the metallurgical industry particularly in zinc production plants but this problem has been solved long ago by introducing scrubbing systems. Methods of mercury removal and recovery are discussed.

Jan 1, 2010

By Edwin B. Eckel

THIS paper, based on brief field examination and on data supplied by the operators, records the condition of the Italian mercury industry as of March 1945, not long after Italy's collapse. Except for the once-Italian but now Yugoslavian Idria mine near Trieste, virtually all the known mercury deposits are in the Monte Amiata district in Siena and Grosseto Provinces, 75 miles north of Rome. This district contains the Abbadia San Salvatore, the Siele, the Argus, and the Cerreto Piano mines besides numerous prospects and unproductive mines. Under pressure from Germany the principal mines were highly productive during the early part of the war, but production fell off long before its end. All of the mines were damaged in some way at the German withdrawal but by September 1944 the Abbadia had resumed production and several others were only lacking power by the early spring of 1945. The Monte Amiata district is characterized geologically by a thick series of sedimentary rocks that range from Triassic to Eocene in age and are surmounted on Monte Amiata itself by a thick cap of extrusive trachyte. Bodies of travertine and of landslide detritus, younger than the trachyte, are rather widespread. The structure is complex and little known but most of the ore deposits seem to lie along or near a major, north-trending fault or on associated cross-fractures. Cinnabar is the only important ore mineral and clay minerals are by far the most abundant products of hydrothermal alteration. A southward increase in the amount of stibnite, relative to cinnabar, suggests horizontal zoning. The grade of ore ranges from 0.60 to 3.0 pct and the reserves, as compared with those in American mines, are enormous. Even in the face of war-time scarcities, the mines are remarkably self-sufficient and labor is plentiful, but the costs of production are estimated to be not greatly below those of the better American mines. Notes on the principal mines, on the mining and metallurgical methods, and on the manufacture of synthetic cinnabar are included in the paper.

Jan 1, 1947

By J. Loredo

In some rural regions of Peru, artisanal gold mining is currently an essential activity as it provides an important source of income. In the Huanca region (Ayacucho Department) gold deposits are not attractive for mining companies due to their reduced size, but they have enough interest for artisanal mining because of the ease and low cost of mining operations. Artisanal gold mining represents an important damage for the environment, because operations related to amalgamation processes using Hg result in special environmental problems besides the typical ones commonly associated to all mining activities. A preliminary sampling has been made in soils, materials from tailing ponds and surface water of the Acarí River, at the site of the Huanca village, according to networks specially designed for the particular conditions of the area. Studies accomplished revealed high mercury concentrations in soils and tailings. Chemical analyses of soils directly collected in the area of the active or abandoned ?quimbaletes? show mercury concentrations ranging from 15.3 mg?kg-1 to 44.2 mg.kg-1. Mercury concentrations in soils decrease as a function of distance from the before mentioned sources. Water quality of the Acarí River that flows through the area does not present important changes as a consequence of the mining and processing operations.

Jan 1, 2006

By Berndt Moeller

Mercury-cell chlor-alkali production plants generate mercury contaminated wastewater streams from which mercury must be precipitated and filtered, resulting in a sludge containing 2% mercury (designated KI06) that cannot be landfilled in the United States without treatment. REMERC is a chemical treatment process used to recover 99% of the mercury from wastewater sludge generated at these plants. The process uses leaching to oxidize mercury compounds to mercuric chloride, washing and filtration to separate mercuric chloride from the treated sludge, and cementation to reduce the mercuric chloride to metallic mercury. Mercury not recovered in cementation is recycled to the wastewater process for precipitation and filtration. Treated sludge contains less than 260 ppm total mercury and 0.2 ppm TCLP, meeting the USEPA low mercury subcategory specifications that allow landfill disposal. REMERC uses readily available chemicals, is straightforward to control and inexpensive to operate, has no mercury emissions to air, and recovers metallic mercury. REMERC enabled significant cost savings including lower solids disposal costs, recovery and reuse of metallic mercury in the chlor-alkali process, and ability to treat non-wastewater sludge. No new EPA permits were required. REMERC was shown to be a viable process for recovery of metallic mercury from K106 designated sludge.

Jan 1, 2003