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By Richard C. Corson

"Modern microprocessor systems make it possible to use several variables to anticipate changes in the process and to react with responses before upsets can be magnified by the process or by control action.Through tighter control, ""insurance"" can be eliminated from process set points without affecting product quality. In actual operation with a traveling grate furnace this control philosophy has produced savings of up to 20% in fuel consumption and 8% in fan power usage while producing a more consistent quality product.IntroductionA straight grate indurator, or pelletizing machine, consists of a continuo us moving train of pallets on which a feed stream of unfired, ""green"" pellets is deposited on a hearth layer o f fired pellets. This bed moves through several zones in the furnace where it is dried, preheated, fired and cooled by streams of gases which are pulled or blown through the bed by a series o f large process fan s. Control systems for straight grate plants are designed to maintain gas flow through the machine to ensure that sufficient time and heat are available to raise the temperature of the entire green bed to 1300°C where hematite bonding take s place.For the pas t two year s a new approach to control systems using microprocessor-based instrumentation has been designed and tested in an existing plant with a straight grate indurating furnace processing magnetite ore. The purpose of the test was to determine the most efficient operating setpoints for all levels of production above fifty per cent of design capacity. Through a combination of feed forward control, variable setpoints and additional loops, significant savings have been realized. Thus far the project has taught us much about control systems design and operation, energy utilization, and the process itself."

Jan 1, 1983

By W. W. Adams

Reports received by the Bureau of Mines, Department of Commerce, from State mine inspectors, for November, 1930, showed that 219 men were killed in the coal mines of the United States during the month, an increase of 25 over the previous month and 33 over November, 1929. On the other hand the production of coal decreased, the output of 43,329,000 tons in November being 8,397,000 tons less than in October and 9,005,000 tone less than in November a year ago. The larger number of fatalities accompanied by a smaller output of coal resulted in a higher death rate4 per million tons in November than in the same month last year or in October, 1930. The November rate was 5.05, as compared with 3.55 for November, 1929 and 3.75 for October, 1930. The increase in the rate for the industry as a whole was chargeable entirely to bituminous mines, as the anthracite mines had fewer fatalities in November than in either of the previous months to which reference has been made. Reports for bituminous mines alone showed that accidents at this class of mines resulted in a death rate of 5.12, based on 195 fatalities and a production of 38,122,000 tons. This rate indicated an increase of 55 per cent over the rate for October, of the same year, and 72 per cent over the rate for November, 1929. The October record was 146 fatalities and 44,150,000 tons, and that for November a year ago was 138 deaths and a production of 46,514,000 tons.

Jan 1, 1930

By Frederick Prime

The first catalogue of Geological Reports of the United States was prepared by Prof. 0. C. Marsh, and published in the American Journal of Science and Ark for 1567, vol. xliii, second series. Since then the list has more than doubled, and it was thought that the publication of a new catalogue, brought clown to date, would be useful to many of the members of the Institute of Mining Engineers. The compiler will be most thankful to have any omissions or inaccuracies in the list sent to him, to be published as a supplement in the next volume of the Transactions. Especially to have the correct title, number of pages, plates, and maps of any volume on the list to which an * is prefixed, as he has been unable to personally consult such works. A preliminary list was issued last February, which has been almost doubled by the kindness of many friends. The writer desires more especially to express the obligations he is under to the following gentlemen : The Chief of Engineers, U. S. A.; Principal Dawson, Mr. G. M. Dawson, Drs. R. J. Harrington and T. Sterry Hunt, of Montreal; Mr. H. Engelmann, of La Salle, Ill.; Dr. F. V. Hayden and Prof. J. W. Powell, U. S. Department of the Interior; Prof. E. W. Hilgard, University of California; Prof. Henry Y. Hind, Windsor, N. S.; Prof. C. H. Hitchcock, of Dartmouth College; Mr. Henry A. Holmes, State Librarian, Albany; Maj. Jed. Hotchkiss, Staunton, Va.; Prof. W. C. Kerr, Raleigh, N. C.; Dr. J. S. Newberry, of Columbia College ; Prof. W. H. Pettee, of the University of Michigan ; Dr. Samuel H. Scudder, Prof. N. S. Shaler, and Prof. J. D. Whitney, of Harvard College; Mr. Sanderson Smith and Prof'. J. J. Stevenson, of New York; Mr. Addison Van Name, of Yale College, and Lieut. Geo. M. Wheeler, U. S. Engineers.

Jan 1, 1879

1. Alford, N.G. quantity, of timber used in soft-coal mines and how much will be needed for the future. Gives a table of estimated increase in mine timber consumption in the future. A.I.M.E. Separate. 1336-C 1924. 2 Clark, B.M. The forest and the mine. Rept. Conference of Wood-Using Industries, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Apr. 13-14, 1921, pp. 58-62. Describes experience of a Pennsylvania mining company in depletion of timber supply and conservation methods adopted.

Jan 1, 1925

By R. J. Mitchell

"High narrow backfills of significant strike length approach the stress conditions associated with a free standing wall but this lower bound design approach is not considered efficient for earth structures. This paper considers the design of high narrow backfills using upper bound limit analysis, retaining wall theory with backfill arching and centrifuge model tests. Complex toe support situations pertaining to operational factors at Falconbridge's Lockerby Mine are investigated. It is shown that the susceptibility of high narrow fills to toppling is much lower than anticipated from the retaining wall analysis and that toppling can be avoided by a suitable toe support. It is also concluded that adhesion between the fill and an adjacent pillar can markedly increase the stability of the fill. INTRODUCTIONFalconbridge's Lockerby Mine pillar projects will expose cemented tailings backfills to heights (H) up to 55 m. The exposed backfills may have strike lengths (L) greater than the heights but are relatively narrow, having widths (w) of up to 12 m. The bulk cement content of the fills varies from 8.3% (12.1 T:C) to 3.0% (33.1 T:C). Exposed faces may have up to a metre of overhang due to stope overblasting, as shown in Figure 1. These fills have a solids specific gravity of close to 3.0 and were placed at a pulp density of about 68%. The tailings have a fairly uniform grain size with 32% less than 0.075 mm (200 sieve) and about 12% slimes (less than 0.02 mm sizes). The fill exposed by early pillar removal will be backed by adjacent, near vertical, ore pillars. Future pillar removal may expose similar fills which are not supported by an adjacent ore pillar but which will be backed by either an open void or by uncemented backfill. Furthermore, these fills may be undercut when the pillar slot is driven, further reducing stability (case 3, Fig. I) or a wedge could be left to help support the fill (case 2, Fig . 1). This paper presents limit equilibrium analyses for these various backfill conditions in a 22: 1 T:C fill and com- pares the results to data from centrifuge model studies at a scale factor of A= 157 as indicated in Figure I. Prototype fills have a 6 m deep cone plug of 16:1 T:C which is accounted for in the comparison of centrifuge model test with analytical results."

Jan 1, 1989

By I. F. Avery

The productive capacity of natural gasoline and cycling plants in the United States on January 1, 1956, was 46.4 million gallons per day, according to the Bureau of Mines r biennial survey. This represented an increase of 7.5 million gallons per day during the 2-year period since the last survey. In the previous 2-year period, capacity had increased 4.8 million gallons per day. The total number of plants increased from 535 on January 1, 1954, to 600 on January 1, 1956. The number of operating plants increased from 521 to 571. The major increases in capacity took place in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, with the absorption-type plants continuing to account for most of the new construction. All types of plants showed construction gains with the exception of charcoal which showed no change.

Jan 1, 1957

By Neil Schofield

"The Pine Creek gold mineralization is associated with saddle reefs and quartz and quartz sulphide veining within the Enterprise Anticline. The anticlinal structure is complex and the mineralization was considered prior to development to be dominantly strata controlled. Gold grades vary up to 160 gin 1.5 m core samples with coefficients of variation in excess of three.The estimation of ore reserves for such a deposit must account for both the geological complexity and the extreme variability of gold grade.This paper describes the structural and variogram analysis of the gold grades and demonstrates the importance of incorporating the geological model in such an analysis. Variogram interpretation is greatly improved and greater insights into the finer geological structure areprovided. Part 2ofthis work presents the application of multigaussian kriging to reserve estimation for deposits with highly variable grade and which consequently demand highly selective mining operations. IntroductionThe Enterprise Gold Mine is situated some 220 km southeast of Darwin in Australia's tropical north. Gold is believed to have been discovered there in 1869 during the construction of the overland telegraph line.From 1894to 1915, some 75 000 ounces of gold were produced from 121 000 tonnes mined mainly by Chinese leaseholders. From 1906 to 1915, government-sponsored drilling led to the sinking of the Enterprise Shaft to 79 m and several drives were developed. Mining ceased because of war.Since late 1980, Goldfields Exploration Pty. Ltd. had explored on several mining tenements near Pine Creek under joint venture with the title holders, Enterprise Mines NL. This work culminated in the development of the current mine which opened on October 29, 1985.Feasibility studies to determine the economic viability of mining were based on ore reserves generated by project geologists using a sectional polygonal approach tuned to the interpreted geological control of the mineralization.The study motivating this two-part paper covers are-estimation of the recoverable reserve s using the geostatistical approach of multigaussian kriging developed at Stanford University, (Verly, 1984)."

Jan 1, 1988

By Virgil Kirkham

NORTH AMERICA has for many years led the world in phosphate production, but with development of African deposits and their marketing conditions with respect to European countries, this leadership will shortly pass to Africa. Algeria, Egypt, Tunis, and Morocco have large phosphate reserves and a correspondingly large production because of easy mining and a ready European market, which was developed during the war. An increase in home consumption is destined to develop for the eastern American fields, and the countries of the Pacific will provide a market for the western producers. New processes indicate a decrease in fertilizer costs, which will encourage a more widespread domestic use and assure better marketing conditions. The African deposits, although benefited by a water haul, have the disadvantage of being isolated from a source of acid so that the crude rock is shipped from Africa to its destination, whereas in the United States the chief product shipped is acidulated rock or various types of superphosphatic fertilizers. The principal types of phosphate deposits used in the manufacture of fertilizers are guanos, apatite, phosphatic marl, phosphatic limestone, phosphatic shale, and phosphate rock which is also known as phosphorite. Some of these deposits are found on each of the continents; Table 1 gives their occurrence, age, location, character, extent, etc. Most of , the information found in this table represents a compilation of information published elsewhere in a different form and widely scattered.

Jan 1, 1925

By R. W. Powers, M. V. Doyle

ThE solution of a diatomic gas such as 0, or N2 in a metal usually follows Sieverts' law; i. e., Here C is the solute concentration at equilibrium and P, the gas pressure. The proportionality constant Ks is also the equilibrium constant for the reaction 1/2 02 (at pressure, P) - 0 (in solution at [21 concentration., C). to use oxygen as an illustrative gas. Sieverts' law is therefore interpreted to indicate that diatomic gases go into metallic solution atomically and that the solute "gas" atoms interact negligibly with each other. Of course, this interpretation is strictly valid only over the temperature interval in which the reaction indicated in [Z] can be investigated. At temperatures several hundreds of degrees below this interval, the possibility of interactions between solute atoms is conceivable. Indeed, from internal-friction measurements some evidence for the existence of groupings of oxygen atoms in tantalum solid solutions was presented a few years ago.1,2 Over a range of solute concentration, the experimental oxygen internal-friction peak in tantalum, measured as a function of temperature at constant frequency of vibration, can be described as the sum of two elemental peaks, each corresponding to a separate relaxation process. At 0.7 cps, the height of the elemental peak found at 137°C is proportional to the oxygen content, whereas the height of the one at 162°C varies as the square of the oxygen concentration. The 137°C peak was presumed to arise from the stress-induced ordering of oxygen atoms among various classes of octahedral sites in the manner proposed by Snoek.3 The 162°C peak was attributed to a somewhat similar stress-induced ordering process, in which each oxygen atom was interacting with a neighboring oxygen atom. Similarly, the experimental peak due to nitrogen in tantalum can also be described as the sum of two peaks. The height of one varies as the nitrogen concentration and the other as the square of this quantity. In fact, some evidence of solute interactions exist for all oxygen and nitrogen solid solutions of Group V transition metals. However, the interaction energy was not obtained previously for any alloy. The determination of this quantity, as a part of a more intensive study of the interaction between oxygen atoms in solid solution in tantalum, is reported in this paper. PRINCIPLE OF THE EXPERIMENT Consider an equilibrium in a solid solution of tantalum between oxygen atoms which are bound together pairwise and those solute oxygen atoms which are not so associated. 20 (Ta) - O2 (Ta) [3]

Jan 1, 1960

By D. A. Mackie, J. E. Rider

"Good belt conveyor design is the most often neglected detail in the engineering of a plant. This results in downtime from spills or jams and premature failure of equipment components. Careful layout and component selection will result in better operation, a cleaner plant and therefore lower maintenance costs.IntroductionDespite the availability of many excellent sources of data on conveyor design, such as the Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers' Association (CEMA) Manual, ""Belt Convyors for Bulk Materials"" , there continues to be repetitive errors made in design. Why? Certainly, there is no substitute for experience, but largely, classical errors in belt conveyor design is rather elementary and so the temptation to have the work done by relatively inexperienced designers is great. What that does is develop "" experienced"" designers who become incompetent through no fault of their own. It is hoped that this paper will supplement available design data, help those who are "" put into"" a design situation to better cope with their predicament, and ease the lives of plant maintenance personnel."

Jan 1, 1990

By Frederick Jr. Prime

THE first catalogue of Geological Reports of the United States was prepared by Prof. O. C. Marsh, and published in the American Journal of Science and Arts for 1867, vol. xliii, second series. Since then the list has more than doubled, and it was thought that the publication of a new catalogue, brought down to date, would be useful to many of the members of the Institute of Mining Engineers. The compiler will be most thankful to have any omissions or inaccuracies in the list sent to him, to be published as a supplement in the next volume of the Transactions. Especially to have the correct title, number of pages, plates, and maps of any volume on the list to which an * is prefixed, as he has been unable to personally consult such works. A preliminary list was issued last February, which has been almost doubled by the kindness of many friends. The writer desires more especially to express the obligations he is under to the following gentlemen The Chief of Engineers, U. S. A.; Principal Dawson, Mr. G. M. Dawson, Drs. B. J. Harrington and T. Sterry Hunt, of Montreal; Mr. H. Engelmann, of La Salle, Ill.; Dr. F. V. Hayden and Prof. J. W. Powell, U. S. Department of the Interior ; Prof. E. W. Hilgard, University of California; Prof. Henry Y. Hind, Windsor, N. S.; Prof. C. H. Hitchcock, of Dartmouth College; Mr. Henry A. Holmes, State Librarian, Albany; Maj. Jed. Hotchkiss, Staunton, Va. ; Prof. W. C. Kerr, Raleigh, N. C.; Dr. J. S. Newberry, of Columbia College ; Prof. W. H. Pettee, of the University of Michigan ; Dr. Samuel H. Scudder, Prof. N. S. Shaler, and Prof. J. D. Whitney, of Harvard College ; Mr. Sanderson Smith and Prof. J. J. Stevenson, of New York ; Mr. Addison Van Name, of Yale College, and Lieut. Geo. M. Wheeler, U. S. Engineers. PHILADELPHIA, 907 Walnut Street, October 1st, 1879.

Jan 1, 1879

By K Kinnunen

A strong correlation between the reduction degradation index (RDI) of production sinter and the titanium content of the sinter mix was identified at the Ruukki sintering plant between 2000 and 2004. The titanium distribution in different mineral phases was studied using samples from pot sintering tests. Titanium additions were made using two different materials: rutile and crushed titanium-bearing haematite pellets. While both titanium additions clearly increased the RDI, titanium seemed to favour secondary haematite. The study focused on the effect of titanium in haematite, because haematite is reduced to magnetite in the RDI test. During the haematite-magnetite reduction, reduction degradation was observed. To increase accuracy, the phenomenon was investigated first by sintering and then reducing synthetic minerals under controlled laboratory conditions at the University of Oulu. The effect of titanium oxide in solid solution in magnetite on the magnetite to haematite transformation rate was studied first in order to simulate the final stage of the sintering process. In other experiments, haematite samples doped with 0.5, 2.0 and 5.0 wt per cent titanium oxide were studied using thermogravimetry under a controlled gas atmosphere (CO/CO2/H2/N2). Sintered samples were reduced using the same gas composition as in the RDI test. Polished sections for optical microscopy and SEM-EDS analysis were prepared from both reduced and oxidised samples and unreduced sintered samples. The titanium oxide content of haematite had a clear effect on reduction degradation of the samples. Furthermore, increasing titanium oxide content in solid solution in magnetite radically accelerated the oxidation rate. Similar observations regarding the effects of titanium have been reported earlier, but this was the first time the effect of very small additions of titanium were shown to deteriorate blast furnace burden quality and a reason suggested behind the process.

Jan 1, 2007

By D. E. M. Plaumann

"The wet grinding of asbestos has attracted the attention of engineers for many years as a means of improving fibre liberation from the ore. Today, added impetus for wet grinding has resulted from a need to minimize worker exposure to asbestos dust in conventional dry mills using air, as well as a need to provide a cleaner, technically superior fibre for use by product manufacturers. However , high viscosities of asbestos slurries create transport and grinding difficulties which have been a factor impeding use of a wet grinding process.Laboratory evaluation of reagents to reduce viscosities of asbestos slurries found that one reagent, XFS-4272.00, reduced the viscosity of a 35% (by weight) slurry by 75%. The impact of XFS-4272.00 on actual grinding parameters were evaluated using a pilot plant rod mill. Slurries containing 78% solids and XFS-4272.00 were successfully milled and asbestos fibres from that milling compared favourably in liberation and relative surface area to asbestos fibres obtained from milling a 4% slurry without additives.IntroductionAlthough the use of asbestos has been declining over the last few years, the large deposits of chrysotile in eastern Canada (Quebec in particular) remain very important. Asbestos production in Canada stands ninth in volume for mineral production with over 740 000 tonnes produced in 1985. Of this quantity, 722000 tonnes were exported with a value of $446 million . Canada is second in world production of asbestos behind the U.S.S.R ."

Jan 1, 1988

By S. Pearson, L. Rotherham

Measurements have been made of the variation of internal friction with temperature for spectroscopically pure silver, and for o series of solid solutions of silver with cadmium, indium, and tin, using a Ke-type torsion pendulum apparatus. Some experiments have also been made to investigate the effect of nonmetallic impurity on grain boundary relaxation in silver. The effect of the alloying elements is to increase the grain boundary viscosity, and to raise the activation energy for grain boundary relaxation from 22,000 cal per mol for pure silver to 43,000 cal per mol for the solid solutions; the same value being obtained, within the limits of experimental error, for all the alloying elements and solute concentrations investigated. Results of the experiments show exactly the same trend as those obtained previously for a similar series of copper solid solutions. They are in agreement with the general theory of grain boundary relaxation developed by Zener and Ke, but do not seem to be in agreement with either of the mechanisms so far put forward to explain grain boundary slip. EXPERIMENTS described in this paper were made as part of an investigation into the effect of alloying elements in substitutional solid solution on grain boundary viscosity, measured by the internal friction method developed by Ke.&apos; The apparatus and experimental procedure have already been described.&apos; Preliminary work was done with spectro-scopically pure silver. Experimental Work Materials Used—All the materials were supplied in the form of % mm diam wire by Messrs. Johnson Matthey and Co. Ltd. The silver and all the alloying elements used were spectroscopically pure. Composition of the alloys is given in Table I. They were all melted and chill cast under the same conditions as the copper alloys. The ingots were rolled to 1/4 in. sq rod with intermediate annealing at 600°C in an atmosphere of cracked ammonia when necessary. These rods were then drawn to wire by standard procedure with intermediate bright anneals at suitable steps in the drawing operations. Specimens from the annealed wires were sectioned longitudinally. mechanically polished, and examined under the microscope. They were then etched and reexamined. Grain sizes were reasonably uniform for all wires, and no traces of a second constituent were observed. The wires were weighed before and after testing so as to measure any loss of the alloying element due to evaporation. The loss was less than the accuracy of measurement—< 0.1 pct of the total weight— for the Ag-In and Ag-Sn alloys, but appreciable loss of weight occurred in the case of the Ag-Cd alloys. The percentage loss is given in Table 11. X-ray diffraction photographs were taken of all thc wires after test to determine whether there was any marked preferred orientation. Results of the examination are given in Table 111. Experiments on Spectroscopically Pure Silver-— Experiments were made on specimens in which the grain diameter was small relative to that of the wire, and on one specimen in which the grains were grown by the usual strain-anneal method to extend across the full diameter of the wire. These large grained specimens will be referred to as single crystal specimens. The wires were annealed for 11/2 hr at 700°C, and experiments were made at two frequencies of vibration, 1.5 and 0.4 vibrations per sec. The variation of internal friction with temperature is shown in Fig. 1. Experiments on a second small grain specimen gave approximately the same results as for the first wire. It will be seen from Fig. 1 that the peak in the curve for the small grained wire, which is presum-

Jan 1, 1957

By Anna Szostak-Chrzanowski, Adam Chrzanowski

"New techniques in monitoring surveys and new methods in the analysis and prediction of ground subsidence are being developed in the Department of Surveying Engineering at the University of New Brunswick (UNB). The new surveying techniques include a telemetry monitoring system developed at UNB in cooperation with CANMET, and use of the satellite Global Positioning System. A generalized approach to the analysis of deformation surveys has been developed which permits an integrated analysis of geodetic and geotechnical measurements in geometrical modelling of ground subsidence. A computer program, FEMMA, has been developed for the elastic and non-linear elastic analysis and the deterministic prediction of deformations using the finite element method.IntroductionResearch and development of new monitoring techniques and new methods in the analysis and prediction of ground subsidence in mining areas is an integral part of a broad research program on deformation surveys which is being carried out in the Department of Surveying Engineering at the University of New Brunswick.The research concentrates on:developmentof a general method for predicting deformations with an emphasis on the use of the non-linear elastic finite element analysis; development of a generalized approach to the geometrical analysis of deformation surveys with an integration of geodetic and geotechnical measurements; and development of new monitoring techniques with an emphasis on continuous data acquisition and application of new space techniques such as the satellite Global Positioning System (GPS).This paper gives a brief report on the progress and recent developments within the above program."

Jan 1, 1987

By Rodney Allen

Background: Development of the Project ?European GEODE collaboration 1999: considers possible projects, including a VMS project, to continue after GEODE ?GEODE-CODES-Canada collaboration 1999: Questionaire, database ?Workshop at CODES 2000: project theme and strategy selected ?GEORANGE (Sweden-EU) 2001 supports development of Global VMS Project: interest from 12 nations ?Skellefte VMS Project set up as Sweden?s component of Global VMS, 2002; other projects in Spain, Canada collaborate ?Low metal prices ---> little funding from mining industry 2001-2003, change in strategy ?IGCP/UNESCO support 2004: enlargement to over 20 nations

Apr 1, 2005

By W. J. Wenger

Analytical, geographical, and geological data on 67 samples of crude oils from Utah are presented, along with some correlations and interpretations. Most of the, geologic formations that produce oil in other areas are also productive in Utah; and as in many other locations, the Permian, Pennsylvanian, and Mississippian formations account for the major amount of the total oil produced in the State. Some anomalies and unusual phenomena are noted. Although most Utah oils are low in sulfur, a sample containing the highest percentage of sulfur ever recorded by the Bureau of Mines is among the oils discussed in this paper. Most of the oil from the major producing formations in Utah is low in sulfur; the same formations produce high-sulfur oils in adjoining Rocky Mountain States. Some Utah oils are both waxy and asphaltic, an unusual combination of characteristics. Correlation index curves for some oils are shown suggesting compositional differences in oils from different producing formations. Production statistics trace the rapid rise of oil production in the State after the first commercial discovery in 1947 and indicate a decline in amounts produced since 1959, the year of peak production in Utah.

Jan 1, 1971

By Peter Harben

"This paper discusses the benefits of industrial minerals, their sources of supply, price and marketing trends, and their increasing use as substitute materials and ""strategic"" minerals. IntroductionKaolin finds have yet to spark the kind of frenzy associated with the 1849 California gold rush; no dolomite deposit has ever gained the notoriety of the Comstock Lode; and few industrial minerals are counted among the currently fashionable list of "" strategic mineral s"". Nevertheless, the glamorous zhine associated with metals may be somewhat superficial; further digging provides perhaps the real foundation of modern society - industrial minerals.They are often tagged as common, everyday materials that are simply dug out of the ground, crushed and hauled to a local point of consumption. Although this description is accurate in the case of road aggregates, sand and gravel, and the like, there are many exceptions to this rule. The term industrial minerals is rather nebulous, covering as it does the mundane and esoteric, the chemically active and the refractory, the $2 and the $10m-a-ton product. All of these minerals influence every facet of modern life from fertilizers to fire retardants, ceramics to cars, construction to clothes, and toothpaste to tennis courts. Their usefulness is well illustrated by the variety of industries they serve; the main ones are listed in Table 1. It is now time to dismiss the notion of non-metallics as the ""third world"" of natural resources business after the metallic and energy products by dispelling some of the myths regarding abundance, variety and value of the group&apos;s sixty-plus products."

Jan 1, 1982

By Nigel J. Cook

"Detailed mineralogical examination of gold-bearing rocks, ores, concentrates and other samples should be considered an integral part of any study of a deposit for which exploitation is being planned. Adequate mineralogical study, although time consuming and often costly, can significantly improve understanding of the mineralization, can help to optimize the results of any metallurgical testing and can be of great value in case of potential trouble-shooting. The advantages and disadvantages of various examination techniques are discussed with reference to a number oj mineralogical studies oj Canadian gold-bearing samples.IntroductionVarious authors, notably Gasparrini (1983), Harris (1989) and Henley (1990), have stressed that mineralogical study of gold ores is critical to successful and efficient beneficiation. Only in cases where diagnostic cyanide leach testing is successful can detailed mineralogical examination be disregarded. Such examination of gold-bearing rocks and metallurgical products is all too often neglected because the methods involved are believed to be time-consuming, costly, and may carry a considerable degree of inaccuracy. Commonly, bulk metallurgical testing is, carried out without prior or concurrent mineralogical examination, causing the results of the testwork to be difficult to interpret, or in some cases, misleading. This, in turn, may lead to> significant delays to the project at the feasibility stage or mean that understanding of the sample is limited, preventing the introduction of prudent modifications at a later stage if problems arise. Mineralogical studies may guide the successful implementation of a metallurgical test program."

Jan 1, 1990

By R. S. Archer

BERYLLIUM has certain properties such as low density, high hardness, good corrosion resistance, low thermal expansion and fairly good electrical conductivity, which would indicate that it, is worthy of consideration as an ingredient of light alloys. It was not until recently, however, that beryllium could be produced with sufficient ease to encourage research along this line. The production of beryllium by electrolysis from a fluoride bath has now developed to the stage where it could be used commercially if there were sufficient demand for the element. Claims made in certain newspapers and technical articles in regard to the strength and corrosion resistance of the aluminum-beryllium alloys are not justified by experimental results. Moreover, beryllium is an expensive metal ($200 a pound at the time this work was done) and, on account of the nature of its ore and the consequent difficulty of its extraction, it will in all probability continue to be a relatively expensive metal, although the cost would undoubtedly be a great deal less than $200 a pound if the metal were produced on a large scale. It seemed, therefore, that low-beryllium alloys offered the greater commercial possibilities except for very special purposes. It was partly for this reason that in the present work emphasis has been placed on beryllium alloys of low beryllium content.

Jan 1, 1928