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By J. H. Gray

"IntroductionIn 1980, Fording Coal Limited started conceptual planning studies which led to major changes in the long-range mining plan at their Fording River Operations. These new plans have been completed and are now in operation.To assist personnel in a timely completion of this major revision to the long-range plan, existing in-house drill hole data base and scheduling systems were used and a computerized Mine Modelling and Planning System was purchased. With these tools, plan s were developed which led to completion of initial access to the peak of Eagle Mountain and the start of mining operations in March 1983. As mining area s open up and new geo logical data is obtained, detailed plan s are being extended and revised.With the geology and mine plan s on line, this work can now be done with less effort and plans ca n be adapted to provide flexibility in mining operations. Changes in market conditions can be accommodated by moving mining operations into different seams for different coal types. The computer systems are used to revise pit designs and schedules accordingly."

Jan 1, 1986

By D. Bois, P. Keating, J. Lemieux, M. A. Vallée, M. Allard, R. S. Smith, L. Z. Cheng, M. Chouteau, D. K. Fountain

"Abstract - MEGATEMII airborne electromagnetic data collected over the Iso and New Insco massive sulfide deposits have been modeled using three modeling packages. The EMQ package is a quick inversion tool which indicates that the Iso body is a dipping, plate-like body. The New Insco body is inferred to have a geometry somewhere between a dipping plate and a sphere. The Maxwell package was used to refine the properties of the plate-like body at Iso. The EMIGMA package was able to identify which parts of the New Insco orebody were more conductive. It was observed that the most conductive parts correspond to copper-rich zones and the next most conductive to pyrite-rich zones. The EMIGMA package was also used to show that a thick-prism model might be more appropriate for the New Insco orebody. Gravity modeling constrained by the known geology was successful in identifying the denser sulfide zones. The densest zones appear to be pyrite rich. Magnetic modeling identified diabase dikes. Over New Insco, a small magnetic anomaly was attributed to pyrrhotite-rich sulfides. There was only a weak magnetic anomaly over the Iso body, consistent with the nonmagnetic sulfides logged in the holes drilled at that location. Sommaire - Les données MEGATEMII recueillies au-dessus des dépôts d’Iso et de New Insco ont été interprétées en utilisant trois outils de modélisation différents. L’outil EMQ a été utilisé comme un outil d’inversion rapide suggérant que le dépôt Iso peut être considéré comme une plaque inclinée, et que le dépôt de New Insco se situe quelque part entre une plaque et une sphère. L’outil Maxwell a été utilisé pour raffiner les propriétés du dépôt Iso. L’outil EMIGMA nous a permis d’identifier les différences de conductivité à l’intérieur du dépôt Iso. Il a été observé que la partie la plus conductrice correspond à la zone riche en cuivre, suivie par la zone riche en pyrite. L’outil EMIGMA a aussi permis de montrer qu’un modèle de prisme épais pourrait être plus approprié pour décrire le dépôt New Insco. La modélisation des données gravimétriques, contrainte par la géologie connue, définit bien la zone de sulfures massifs. La zone de pyrite semble être la plus dense. La modélisation des données magnétiques identifie bien les dykes de diabase. Au-dessus du dépôt New Insco, on observe une faible anomalie magnétique correspondant aux sulfures non magnétiques observés dans les carottes de forages à cet endroit."

Jan 1, 2006

By A. J. Goodman

Introduction The position of Turner Valley in the foothills of Alberta, some thirty-five miles southwest of Calgary, is too well known to need further description. This attempt to interpret in detail the nature of the structure, and its relationship to neighbouring structures, together with general observations on the foothills belt, is based on work carried out in the office of the Supervisory Mining Engineer, at Calgary. The object in view was the correlation of the mass of evidence which had accumulated from the detailed examination of drill cuttings, and to discover, if possible, its structural significance. Unfortunately it is not possible to publish most of this detail owing to its confidential nature, and in consequence the reader is asked to accept certain statements, which under other circumstances would not be made without supporting evidence. The main argument for the general structural interpretation rests on evidence which has already been made public, and it is possible to proceed to logical conclusions on the main points. The evolution of ideas concerning the structure of Turner Valley is somewhat difficult to follow, as, compared with all that has been said on the subject, there is not a great deal on record.

Jan 1, 1930

Proper water and thermal management is essential for obtaining high performance of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs). A steady, two-dimensional water and thermal management model was developed, aiming at considering pressure drop, open circuit voltage variation with stack temperature, water vapor effects on membrane conductivity, which made the model physically more reasonable and more suitable for various operating conditions. The model could predict the distributions of a series of important parameters along the flow channel, and thus the effects of various operating and design parameters on the fuel cell performance could be investigated easily by numerical trial-and-error method. The modeling results compared well with the available experimental results from the literatures. The results also showed that the humidification is crucial for the performance of PEMFCs. The model could be a very useful engineering tool for the optimization of PEMFCs.

Jan 1, 2005

By P. A. Bahri, D. G. Dixon, T. M. Woodward

A comprehensive mathematical model of the Sherritt-Gordon ammoniacal pressure leaching process at K winana Nickel Refinery has been constructed. The process is comprised of six autoclaves functioning as a three-stage leach circuit, operating over the temperature and pressure ranges of 85-95°C and 750-1000 kPa, respectively. The process chemistry forms a complex series-parallel reaction network, characterised by: (1) the gas-liquid mass transfer and reduction of oxygen, (2) the oxidation of eight distinct minerals, (3) the oxidation of sulphur, and successive reactions involving various intermediately oxidised sulphur species, and (4) the oxidation of Fe(II) to Fe(III), and subsequent precipitation as a hydrated ferric oxide. Material balances were developed for species in all three phases, and an energy balance to account for all reactions and phase conversions. The multiple convolution integral (MCI) statistical reactor model was employed for the scale-up of particle kinetics. The model has been validated against plant data, and simulation results are in agreement with plant performance.

Jan 1, 2005

By M. Leroux, J. A. Finch

"Sizing below 38 µm (400 mesh) is an increasing requirement in mill testing laboratories. The Cyclosizer is gaining wide acceptance in this role. A recent alternative is to use electro-formed sieves (micro-sieves), which are available with openings down to 5 µm. The advantage of micro-sieving is a cut size which is independent of mineral density, easier retention of the fi nest fraction and reduced purchase cost. A simple method of microsieving using an ultrasonic bath, which performs readily to 10 µm, is described.A systematic study of Cyclosizing and micro-sieving is reported for three samples; silica, copper oxide and a lead concentrate. Micro-sieving gave comparable results. Comparison with a standard sizing method, the Sedigraph 5000D, revealed misplaced material in each fraction by both methods. The range for micro-sieving was from 20% to 60% depending on the sieve and material; for the Cyclosizer it was a consistent 40-50% for all cones and all materials. The Cyclosizer can be sensitive to feed mass and particle size for dense materials. It is recommended that for minerals of specific gravity greater than 5, no more than 35 g of -38 µm be used.The disadvantage of micro-sieving is that it requires continuous operator attention and sieving time depends on sample mass. To fractionate 35 g-as used on the Cyclosizer and considered at reasonable mass for mill testing purposes-through 25-, 15- and 10-µm sieves requires about 80 minutes.IntroductionParticle size has a pronounced influence on mineral separation processes. Consequently, the measurement of particle size plays an important part in mill testing. By far the most common method is by screening. This, however, is usually limited to 38 µm (400 mesh) or occasionally 25 µm (500 mesh). Increasingly, mineral products are becoming finer than this limit and consequently finer sizing methods are required."

Jan 1, 1982

By S. Caron

From the early 70?s, ?Centre de Recherche Minérale? (CRM) has conducted and co-ordinated Research and Development activities for the mineralurgical and metallurgical industries. Since 1999, CRM has continued its mandate through COREM which is a consortium of 13 members that uses the benefits and advantages of collaborative pre-competitive industry / university research. In particular, COREM?s ?In-Situ Optimization Group? is involved in the implementation of modern optimization and control tools. The POP Project was launched in order to increase and consolidate the use of modern optimization and control tools and methods for mineralurgical and metallurgical processes. To ensure a successful transfer in the industry, there are a number of essential activities that have to be undertaken. These activities have been identified by COREM?s members and are grouped into three main modules: - R&D Module: Research and Development in universities, research centres and other partners; - Technology Transfer Module: integration of new tools and methods into the POP Software, industrial applications and technical support; - Training Module: education of new engineers in universities, continuing education of plant personnel through on-site workshops and resource networking by specific information exchange tools. This paper outlines the opportunities that led to the definition of the POP Project and describes its main modules. The main features of the POP Software are presented, the first application is described and finally, future developments are discussed.

May 1, 2001

By Tweedy. D. H.

"The paper describes the rapid development of, and operational experience in the utilization of, pneumatic low-pressure pipeline hoisting systems to vertically convey raw coal and rock through shafts, supplementing shaft capacity-the greatest lift to date being 535 m.A typical installation has raised over 250,000 tonnes in less than one year from a depth of 413 m through a 350/ 400-mm pipeline at a rate of 85 tonnes per hour. Operational experience on seven systems has provided valuable data on performance and operating costs.The main advantages of the systems lie in the flexibility of the pipeline to occupy existing free space in shafts and underground roadways, the relatively low first cost, the short delivery and installation time, and the economical running cost.Conclusions are therefore reached on future applications for example, the use of boreholes in older mines where new production technology has outstripped shaft or slope capacity, inter-level hoisting to implement concentration on transport roads and perhaps full mine output from relatively small mines.IntroductionIt is seven years since the basic art and practice of the pneumatic hoisting of minerals was described. The technique was developed in Western Canada by Radmark Engineering and found favour in the United Kingdom with the National Coal Board. Engineering and commercial feasibility trails were conducted in collaboration with the Mining Department and Mining Research and Development Establishment of the N.C.B. There was also considerable involvement with the British Health and Safety Executive.During the last five years, rapid progress has been made in the installation of new systems in the United Kingdom, Hungary and other countries. The operational experience gained makes it possible to report ""in depth"" on these installations, which cover a wide range of different physical mining applications."

Jan 1, 1982

By H. Attia, S. Engin

This paper presents a practical approach for determining the optimal spindle speed and the depth of cut in a milling operation within the ever-increasing economic and technical constrains. Analytical modeling and experimental work has been carried out to predict chatter in such operations. The stability lobes determined from this analysis were then used as a constraint in the optimization of the cutting process. The optimal cutting conditions are determined for two different objectives: maximum metal removal rate and minimum cost per unit. It is demonstrated that this approach can be generalized to impose multi-level constrains, e.g., surface integrity and machining accuracy. The approach presented in this work was examined and validated on three NC milling machines. The productivity improvement, cost reduction, while respecting part quality requirements, is demonstrated.

Jan 1, 2006

By H. Scott Swinden

"ForewordA symposium on base metal deposits was held in Bathurst, New Brunswick, from June 10-13, 1990, sponsored jointly by the Geological Surveys Branch of the New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources and Energy, the New Brunswick Prospectors and Developers Association, and the Geology Division of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum . Papers prepared for the symposuim are being published as a series of articles in the CIM Bulletin. This second paper (the first was by Fyffe, et al., in Vol. 83, No. 938) in the series presents an overview of the paleotectonic settings of massive sulphide deposits in the Dunnage Zone of Newfoundland with emphasis on volcanic geochemistry.ABSTRACTCambrian and Ordovician volcanic sequences of central Newfoundland, which record the history of the Iapetus Ocean, are prolific hosts to volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits. Geochemical, isotopic and geochronological studies show that the vestiges of Iapetus in Newfoundland probably record a complex series of island arcs and back-arc basins that were marginal to, rather than part of, the main ocean basin of Iapetus. The geochemical and isotopic data provide a means of characterizing the tectonic environment of individual volcanic sequences, and allow us to identify a number of distinct tectonic environments in which VMS depositiontook place.Four tectonic environments have been identified as being associated with VMS deposition: (I) back-arc environments hosting VMS deposits include both N-MORB-type ophiolites (e.g. Skidder?) and volcanic sequences with oceanic island (or within plate) tholeiite characteristics (e.g. Great Burnt Lake); (2) primitive arc environments include both supra-subduction zone (SSZ) ophiolites (e.g. Betts Cove, Rambler) and volcanic/epiclastic sequences (e.g. Point Leamington, Duck Pond) and are characterized by abundant arc tholeiites, with lesser refractory lavas and rhyolites; (3) mature arc environments comprise dominantly thick felsic and mafic volcanic piles in the Buchans - Robert's Arm Belt (including the Buchans camp) and are characterized by dominantly calc alkalic basalt and andesite; and (4) continental rift environments occur in the Hermitage Flexure area (e.g. Strickland deposit) and are characterized by dominantly felsic volcanic sequences.Island arc environments are by far the most prolific hosts to VMS deposits. Patterns of VMS distribution in central Newfoundland show that similar tectonic settings may be recorded by very different stratigraphic sequences (e.g. both ophiolites and thick volcanic/ epiclastic sequences may record primitive arc rifting) and emphasize the importance of the rifting in VMS generation, irrespective of the details of the tectonic or stratigraphic setting. The ability to judge the prospectiveness of a volcanic sequence by using whole rock geochemistry to evaluate its tectonic environment may prove useful in area selection at the grassroots exploration level."

Jan 1, 1991

By M. I. Abbas, M. A. Shahin, M. S. Ahmed

"The influence of annealing of galvanized steel (galvannealing) on its corrosion kinetics in a saturated solution of Ca (OH)2 has been studied by means of the polarization resistance method.Galvannealing heat treatment was carried out at 450°C and 550°C for varying times. Annealing at 450°C for 24 hr or at 550°C for 5 hr showed the highest corrosion potential (Ecorr) ~= - 400 m V/ SCE as well as, the lowest corrosion current density (icorr ~= 3 mA.cm-2, while Ecorr and icorr of the unheated specimens were ~= - 1400m V/SCE and == 20 mA.cm-2, respectively.Polarization curves were also obtained for the as-received galvanized specimens together with the galvannealed ones.INTRODUCTIONHeat treatment of galvanized steel (i.e . galvannealing) is carried out at a temperature range of 450°C to 550°C for a time sufficient to convert the free zinc coating to an alloyed one consisting of layers of iron-zinc intermetallic compounds. Table I is a review of the properties of the Fe-Zn intermetallicphases while Figure I is a reproduction - of the Fe-Zn equilibrium phase diagram taken from Hansen.Several authors have studied the formation of intermetallic phases through the interdiffusion of Zn/Fe couples. Their results confirmed the stability of intermetallic phases that could be shown up on the outer surface as a result of galvannealing of galvanized steel.Bernick and Sievertv"" investigated the processing of galvan nealed steel. They found that the galvannealed coating with the best forming qualities consisted of a mixture of Zeta phase and Eta phase."

Jan 1, 1989

By V. Vorontsov

Catalysts Mo-Ni-S were prepared by combining MoS2 and NiS in weight ratios 1:1, 1:2, 1:4 and 2:1, each of which was admixed with 5%wt Ag and 5%wt YSZ to increase three-phase boundary surface area of the electrode. For comparison catalysts comprising Co-Mo-S in weight ratio of 1:1 of CoS to MoS2 admixed with 5%wt Ag and YSZ and pre-sulfided NiMoO4 were made. The catalysts were examined for electrochemical oxidation of hydrogen sulfide in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) at 850°C temperature. The catalyst prepared from 1:1 (wt. %) NiS:MoS2 demonstrated highest performance. Current density up to 1,330 mA/cm2 and power density up to 300 mW/cm2 were achieved using pure H25 gas, which are the highest among the reported H2S-powered fuel cells ever published in the literature. Anode materials of different NiS:MoS2 ratios have been characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), simultaneous TG/DSC analysis and Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA). TG/DSC and NAA results show that addition of NiS and Ag increases fuel cell performance due to improved structure/integrity of the anode. It has also been demonstrated that MoS2 is a suitable anode material in H2S-powered SOFC, with high activity towards H25 oxidation and thermally and chemically stable up to 850°C.

Jan 1, 2005

By William Skinner, Jim Pae Lem, Massimiano Zanin

It is well known that the specific density of minerals has adverse influence on the classification performance of a hydrocyclone, particularly when liberated high density minerals such as gold or uranium are present in sulphide ores. These liberated heavy minerals often misreport to the underflow and recirculate to the system. Such phenomena does result in serious issues in a closed-grinding circuit, such as overgrinding, leading to production of flaky particles (as in gold) or ultrafines, in addition to increased energy inefficiency. In plants which present gold liberated at coarser size, loss of gold due to cyclone inefficiency is sometimes prevented by incorporating gravity concentrators into the grinding circuit to recover the gold. The work reported in this paper looks at whether the effect of density will prevent successful rejection of liberated U-bearing minerals in the –10µm size range of a plant re-cleaner feed, which is necessary to minimize penalty U accumulation in a copper concentrator. The study was carried out using a cyclone rig with spigot diameter of 0.25 inches in combination with batch flotation. It was found that the density effect is almost negligible at particle sizes below 10µm. Consequently, the liberated U-bearing particles finer than 10 µm were successfully removed in the overflow stream as rejects and hence U grade in the copper concentrate remarkably reduced, by 16 ppm. Based on the results, de-sliming of the re-cleaner feed was recommended for plant trial and implementation.

Jan 1, 2016

By J. Kalejta

Ever increasing depth of mineral extraction presents a challenging environment for hard rock underground mines. High in-situ stresses and associated seismicity with potential rockburst hazards are the major decisive factors contributing to the choice of a ground support regime. Conventional ground support systems, designed primarily for static loads, are not always capable of providing safe working conditions for underground personnel in seismically active mines. Systems specifically developed to resist dynamic loading and allowing for larger deformations are therefore preferred alternatives. High-tensile chain-link mesh has a proven record of successful use in open cut operations in various rockfall barrier installations due to its high energy absorption capacity. It has also been used in underground operations in various parts of the world. This paper describes a method of mechanized installation of a chain-link mesh evaluated at the Kiruna mine in Sweden and South Deep Mine in South Africa. A purpose-built mechanized roll mesh handler was used in this evaluation. The handler is compatible with all standard multi-boom underground drill rigs and is operated utilizing the hydraulic circuit normally used for the feed arrangement. A number of key performance indicators have been identified as success criteria: ??A 30-50% faster installation compared to the conventional methodology ??The mesh should sustain any blast damage when applied to the blasting face ??No unraveling of the mesh when cut ??No failure of mesh under normal conditions Although the energy-absorbing mesh combined with yielding rock bolts is a ground support system of choice for rockburst prone conditions, the operational upsides recognized during the evaluation imply that this product can also be competitively used in less demanding ground conditions where customarily weld mesh or shotcrete are used as a primary surface support. The main conclusion: a fast, safe and fully mechanized installation.

Aug 1, 2013

By Farzaneh Abedini, Narain Hariharan, Lucas C. McFarlane, Nikolas A. Romaniuk, Tiffany Thayne

The use of dewatered mine tailings as backfill material (commonly referred to as ‘paste’ backfill), is the most practiced form of backfill in Canada providing significant environmental benefits by reducing the size of external tailings facilities and improved economics through enhanced resource recovery. Paste backfill operations reuse filtered mine tailings with a cementitious binder and water to create a slurry that is hydraulically transported to refill underground stopes, later forming a structural network of cemented tailings in the mine stopes. Unlike typical structural applications that utilize General Use (GU) Portland cement; modern paste backfill operations maximize strength performance by blending Portland cement with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) or other supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). GGBFS and other SCMs offer key performance benefits and carbon reductions; however, the availability of these SCMs is rapidly dwindling in today’s carbon-constrained economy. This paper examines the development of an alternative binder system that provides similar performance and carbon reduction to that of GGBFS for mine backfill operations. The binder utilizes the chemical reaction between a reactive source of aluminosilicates and available calcium from calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide to replace between 50 to 100% of GGBFS. The performance of the binder is examined with insights into the hydration mechanisms that generate mechanical strength in the cemented paste network. Paste backfill slurries require precise engineering to create a material that maintains flowability during pipeline transport and generates enough strength to meet operational targets once placed in the stopes. Engineering of such slurries requires large amounts of water to be added to the binder-tailings matrix, far exceeding the typical water to binder ratios used in concrete mix designs. This characteristic of paste backfill warrants great emphasis on understanding the hydration mechanisms of the binder used in the paste backfill system. GU cement is typically composed of 50-70% tricalcium silicate and 15-30% dicalcium silicate.  The hydration mechanisms of these compounds consume 4 to 6 units of water to mineralize into calcium silicate hydrate cemented phases that result in compressive strength development. Cementitious aluminate and aluminosilicate phases make up 5-20% of GU cement and aid in secondary performance characteristics such as set time. Certain calcium aluminate hydrate phases such as monocarboaluminate and ettringite mineralize 10 to 32 units of water into their crystalline structure. Hydration products such as ettringite are traditionally avoided in construction applications due to their propensity for volumetric expansion after cement setting, leading to micro-fissures and subsequent strength degradation (known as ‘sulfate attack’). This paper proposes that such hydration products benefit the strength development in paste backfill slurries with the aforementioned characteristics due to their greater potential to mineralize free water. The newly developed calcium aluminosilicate binder is designed to replace 50-100% GGBFS or other SCMs used in paste backfill systems and meet operational strength requirements by providing exceptional hydration characteristics through cementitious reactions. Additionally, the aluminosilicates used have a minimal carbon footprint and a secure supply outlook, thereby allowing mine operators access to a low-carbon binder option throughout the mine’s lifespan.

May 4, 2025

By A. L. McAllister

"MASSIVE sulphide deposits are found in two areas of New Brunswick, the St. Stephen area and the Bathurst-Newcastle area. In both, the geology in the immediate vicinity of the sulphide bodies is largely inferred from drilling results as outcrop is not plentiful and is, in fact, almost lacking in most places. With few exceptions these deposits have not been explored by underground methods. Consequently much of the. detail on the geology will only become known over a period of years as economic conditions make mining feasible.Much of the information contained in this paper has been supplied directly by company geologists. As a result of the number of contributors, some confusion of nomenclature bas to be anticipated. Cross-sections and plans of the individual deposits are, in most cases, as supplied by the companies concerned. Most of the interpretations are the responsibility of the author."

Jan 1, 1960

By Dale A. Walters

The thermal recovery of bitumen reservoirs by steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) is often designed to maximize the operating pressure. In general, the benefits of higher operating pressures are higher steam temperatures that maximize the reduction of oil viscosity, potential permeability enhancement associated with lower effective stress and shear dilation, and a larger pressure window to allow flexible control of the producer. This is especially important for shallow reservoirs where the pressure window for injection and production is smaller. Higher operating pressure can reduce thermal efficiency (due to heat losses), but the other benefits usually compensate. The limitation of the maximum operating pressure is then based on maintaining caprock integrity. Thus, shear and tensile failure mechanisms must be quantified and managed. This paper presents a geomechanical analysis of caprock integrity for SAGD operation. Both analytical and numerical approaches are used to investigate the modes of caprock failure. Main factors in the analysis are the knowledge of the initial stress state and proper representation of the complexity of the geomaterials. Typical initial stress states for northern Alberta are presented showing the potential for low initial minimum total stress and elevated initial shear stress levels. The stress-strain behavior for the sand and caprock materials is discussed focusing on the potential for shear dilation in the sand and shear strength behavior in the caprock. Elasto-plastic constitutive models used to represent the sand and caprock are presented and compared using numerical analysis. The increase in pressure and temperature alter the stress state and disturb the soil matrix. This disturbance results in shear dilation of the sand matrix creating regions of enhanced permeability and porosity. Also, the transfer of stress and strain to the caprock causes dynamic stress changes and, therefore, dynamic behavior of shear and tensile failure conditions. Calculations are presented showing the stress paths associated with SAGD operations, suggesting better design of lab testing programs and the implications for shear dilation in the sand and shear failure in the caprock.

Jun 1, 2012

By Manqiu Xu, Songtao Yang, Zongfu Dai, Robert Pelton

Five years ago, VALE Base Metals (then INCO), approached Pelton's group at McMaster and described a challenging mineral separations problem. The McMaster group has a strong track record in colloids, polymers, and chemical additives for papermaking; however, they had no experience in mineral processing. They proposed employing hydrophobic nanoparticles to replace conventional low molecular weight, water-soluble flotation collectors. Over the last five years, Vale, together with the Ontario Government (OCE) have funded two graduate students at McMaster who have worked closely with flotation experts at Vale. Experiments involving both very clean model mineral suspensions at McMaster and complex ores at Vale, have shown that hydrophobic nanoparticles do indeed function as collectors. Key nanoparticle properties and mechanisms have been identified and the technology has been protected in patent applications. Efforts to commercialize the technology are on-going. We believe that this project is a good case study demonstrating the advantages of industry-university collaboration and the use of outside experts, who may come up with novel solutions to complex problems.

Jan 1, 2011

By William H. McCracken, William G. Holroyd

"The People's Republic of China could very well be considered the largest untapped mineral and metal resource in the world. The proven reserves of antimony, barite, bauxite, fluorspar, graphite, lithium, magnesite, mercury, molybdenum, phosphate, pyrite, rare earths, talc, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium and zinc are among the largest in the world.Any company involved in the purchase or supply of industrial raw materials has undoubtedly followed the phenomenal growth of some of the Chinese mineral commodities, where growths in production of more than 200010 have occurred during the past ten years, for commodities like barite, cement, gold, gympsum silver and talc. Others, like bauxite and phosphate, experienced production increases in one year alone of over 45%, from 1986 through 1987!A popular rationale in the United States during the past two years has been the acknowledgment by Professor David Calleo, of Johns Hopkins School of Advanced Studies, that ""America is not sinking-the rest of the world is rising"". While we recognized this rise to be that of economic power for Japan, Korea, Brazil, Taiwan and, more recently, the newly-combined Germanies, China has also successfully completed her own modern five year development binge. But with each boom there is also a bust, and the start of the 1990sfor China shows signs of economic distress. China posted a budget deficit equivalent of US$1.9 billion in 1989 coupled with official inflation at 18010. Projections for 1990 are for US$1.8 billion deficit and inflation as high as 24%. However, government spending in the first seven months of the year climbed 16.4%, outpacing an 11.6% rise in revenue. Spending increases have been related to the government policy to keep prices on domestic goods artificially low, through subsidies, and to bailout inefficient state companies."

Jan 1, 1991

By M. U. Oko

"Monitoring of all the waste streams from Falconbridge's Sudbury Operations to determine whether they meet the required standards, has been performed for many years. By 1969, however, the number of samples being collected had become so large that a complete revision of the existing systemwas necessary. Sites previously designated by name only, were numbered, clearly marked on the ground and on maps which were circulated to all concerned. The types of pollutants analyzed were determined and specified for each sampling location and a chemical analysis report form was designed. The sampling schedule has been computerized to produce a periodic listing of the samples to be taken and the analyses required.An area map showing sampling sites, chemical analysis report form, spill report and a computer print-out example are shown and explained.EVOLUTION OF FALCONBRIDGE'S WASTEWATER. MANAGMENT SYSTEMFalconbridge Nickel Mines employs some 4500 people, operates nine mines, four mills and a smelter in the Sudbury basin. The operations are geographically fragmented into four widely separated locations, the Falconbridge operations east of Sudbury and the Onaping operations in Levack Township being the two largest of the four. The Lockerby area located to the west and the Lindsley Mine just north of Sudbury are now under development. The magnitude, the diversity and nature of the operations are such that constant vigilance is needed to prevent inadvertent damage to the environment. The purpose of this paper is to describe the information system used to monitor and control waste-water disposal on Falconbridge's properties to help ensure the maintenance of effluent standards satisfactory to the Ontario Water Resources Commission (OWRC) and to the Ontario Department of Health."

Jan 1, 1971