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By Wilkins L. G

Ore recovered by North Broken Hill Limited as a result of mining operations at its Broken Hill leases is obtained, at the present scale of working, in the proportions of 80% from the North mine and 20% from the British mine sections, and is composed mainly of a silver bearing, sulphide lead and zinc mineral, in association with the gangue materials mentioned later in the text.The lead-zinc sulphide lode at the North mine is deposited in folds in pre-Cambrian sedimentary schists. These folds pitch north-east at approximately 40° and dip north-west at approximately 60°. In plan the deposit appears as two lenses designated on the mine as the "Southern" and "Northern" ore-bodies.The Southern ore-body yields the main tonnage of crude ore. The sulphide mass here overlies a heavy layer of rhodonite which persists with the pitch of the lode. In the central section of this ore-body the sulphide zone is coarse grained and of high grade with a wide range of minerals in the gangue dilution. Quartz, garnet, ftuorite, rhodonite, and felspar are common, whilst chalcopyrites, pyrites, pyrrhotite and green felspar are often present. The Northern ore-body is dolomitic to siliceous in nature. Crude ore obtained from the British section is predominantly...

Jan 1, 1940

By D. W. Hoey

Eight years use of the ISA Process is reviewed and current design and operations described. Nodern Technology used for impurity control and disposal as well as the use of mechanised electrode handling equipment, cell voltage monitoring, cell insulation and an efficient contact bar system are described. Improvements achieved in terms of energy usage and plant productivity are detailed.

Jan 1, 1987

By Bond. F. C.

Introduction Although autogenous grinding applications date back to the early years of mineral processing when tumbling-type mills were first used, there has been a renewed interest in this type of grinding over the past few decades. A review of the historical aspects of autogenous grinding is provided which follows the development of the various types of mills and processes. Wet and dry grinding operations using either autogenous or semiautogenous mills, including the Aerofall mill, are described. Em¬phasis has been placed on the test work required to evaluate the feasibility of using autogenous or semiautogenous grinding for a spe¬cific application. The factors which must be considered to establish the appropriate design criteria for these types of grinding circuits are discussed in detail. Successful application of these grinding circuits results from a thorough test program, a careful analysis of the test results, and a practical engineering approach to the design of the process flowsheet and milling equipment. Certain pebble milling applications, where the pebbles consist of the ore or rock itself, can be classified as autogenous pebble mill grinding, or better known as ore-pebble mill grinding. In the generic sense, pebble milling includes those grinding operations using a tum¬bling mill in which the grinding media consists of various types of pebbles, either ore or other pebbles, instead of metal balls. Conse¬quently, this subject is covered separately in Chapter 5, Pebble Mills. Operating data from many of the installations located throughout the world are included in this chapter. Our appreciation is extended to those companies who contributed this important information. History of Autogenous Grinding F. C. BOND Autogenous grinding, the grinding of ore by itself rather than by special metallic or nonmetallic grinding bodies distinct from the ore, has an old and honorable place in the art of mineral processing. It antedates the use of the rod mill and is only a few years younger than the development of the continuously fed rotating tumbling mill in which it is accomplished. Its history71, 72 is inextricably bound up with that of gold mining. Every important early development of autogenous grinding took place on ores of gold, except in one case of silver ore. In common with many other features of modern mineral processing, autogenous grinding would have been greatly retarded if the winning of gold had been so small a part of mining in the past as it is today. Gold unlocked the secrets of rock-on-rock grinding. In years past gold ores were crushed in stamp batteries and then flowed over copper plates covered with mercury which amalgamated the gold. The McArthur Forrest cyanide process for the dissolution of gold in a dilute alkaline cyanide solution appeared in 1890. With finer grinding it recovered more gold than could be won by amalgama¬tion alone. The first response was to stamp in cyanide solution and finer mesh screens guarding the stamp discharge. However, the fine screens greatly restricted the tonnage stamped, and they wore out rapidly. Rotating tumbling mills70, 73 were the obvious choice to grind the coarse product from stamps. Many of these were Gates tube mills; more than 1,000 of these were sold between 1907 and 1913. They were made in 6, 51h, and 5 ft diam, with lengths of 20 and 22 ft. The 5 x 22-ft size was the most popular. The term tube mill did not refer to the mill shape, but included all tumbling mills using grinding pebbles. The flint or chert rocks found along the coasts of Denmark and Normandy are probably the most durable and resistant to abrasive and tumbling wear of any on earth. They were much used in the early tube mills. The early linings were all silex or Danish flint blocks, cemented into place with portland cement. Local hard stones or cast iron blocks were also used later. The cast iron liners carried lifters and were not bolted to the shell, but were held in a tight circle against it by steel wedges hammered home between them. The first ribbed metal liners designed to hold grinding pebbles pounded into them by the mill action were developed at El Oro, Mexico, about 1905. These and the Forbes, Komata, and Tonopah types, as well as the Osborne type developed in South Africa within about five years, were very successful in reducing liner wear. They sometimes lasted two years or more, and equalled or exceeded the life of silex lining at a lower cost. Some of the types were patented. The pioneer name recorded in the history of autogenous grinding is that of Kenneth L. Graham. In 1907 at the Geldenhuis Deep Ltd. mine near Johannesburg, he ran a comparative test on two tube mills. One mill used pieces of the common gold ore, or banket, and the other used the customary imported Danish pebbles as grinding media. He published the first account of autogenous grinding.'' In a test lasting 81 days the ore pebbles showed a definite saving over the Danish pebbles. Graham's historic paper also describes the invention of B. Chew of the Crown Deep Mines of the first trammel to be attached to a grinding mill discharge. The first known account of autogenous grind¬ing printed outside of South Africa was the description of the Graham test in Mining and Scientific Press's The use of grate- vs. overflow¬discharge was also described at this time." The news of this successful test appears to have had immediate effect, for by the end of 1908 the number of tube mills on the Rand had increased from 72 to 120.76 Presumably, most of these mills were now using autogenous grinding. The ore was principally a hard conglomerate of quartz peb¬bles cemented by silica, and was eminently suitable for use as a grind¬ing media. It is unfortunate that in South Africa the new autogenous process continued to be called by its old name of pebble milling, since the name does not distinguish between grinding with ore and grinding with extraneous pebbles. For increased clarity the former is called rock pebble milling. The first historical stage in the development was what is now designated as secondary autogenous grinding, or rock pebble milling. It consists of grinding a feed all passing 'A in. or finer with ore pebbles about 2 to 4 in. in diameter. The next stage to develop was that now called intermediate autogenous grinding, where larger amounts of larger pebbles about 5 in. in size were used to grind ore which had been crushed to about rod mill feed size or somewhat finer. It was developed on the Rand and in other places where coarse stamp screens were used to increase mill tonnage. In many cases the early secondary and intermediate autogenous mills have now been replaced by conventional ball mills and rod mill-ball mill circuits, with the object of further increasing grinding capacity. The third stage to develop is designated as wet primary autogenous grinding, in which run-of-mine ore or a primary crusher product is all fed to the autogenous mill together. It developed many years later indepen¬dently in the United States and in South Africa. The fourth and most recent stage is that of dry primary autogenous grinding, which developed in the United States and Canada. All four stages originated in gold mining. The first use of commercial autogenous grinding outside of the Rand apparently took place five years later in 1912 at the Santa Gertrudis gold mine at Pachuca, 55 miles northeast of Mexico City. This was followed closely by an installation at Goldfields, Nevada, in 1914-1915. The first name associated with autogenous grinding

Jan 1, 1985

By Mackenzie Burnett

Quick-Fix Blowout Stoppings were evaluated in several underground mines as an alternative to conventional ventilation control bulkheads. Blowout stoppings offer considerable savings in bulkhead construction and repair costs if the 0.1 inch H20 of differential pressure required to inflate them is available. The Quick-Fix Blowout Stoppings were utilized successfully in uranium mines in the Southwestern United States where savings in bulkhead construction and repairs to blast damaged bulkheads are estimated to equal $9,500 over the projected 2 year average life of a blowout stopping. Two types of material were evaluated. Five methods of anchoring the stoppings to drift walls were evaluated. Three methods of anchor attachment to the stopping material were evaluated. Blast pressure measurements were made in conjunction with the evaluation of the blowout stoppings.

Jan 1, 1978

By H. H. Hasler

THE mining and removal of coal from two or more beds, either simultaneously or consecutively, in vertically adjacent areas have always been matters of concern to mine operators from both operating and recovery points of view. However, with the progressive introduction and use of electrical and mechanical facilities, such problems assume even greater proportions. In this paper typical cases occuring in Cambia County, Pa., are given and procedures whereby such problems may be .greatly reduced, if not entirely eliminated, are suggested. Throughout a considerable portion of the Central Pennsylvania bituminous coal region, particularly in Cambria County (Fig. I), the portion of the region to which references in this paper are made, large areas are encountered where two or more beds of coal occur and have been mined extensively since the earliest days of mining in the county. Generally, operations were commenced in one bed of coal on a property, following which, as conditions appeared to warrant, operations were commenced in another bed or beds on the same property, in some instances by the same operator. Operating results by no means have been uniformly successful, as the following review of some typical cases indicates, partly because of lack of experience in earlier cases and in certain later cases to disregard for the experiences of earlier operators. It is suggested that repetitions of such failures may be reduced largely, if not eliminated entirely, by adherence to a few basic principles founded upon past experiences. Geology and Stratigraphy The geology, stratigraphy, and relief of almost all of Cambria County have been studied and reported at length by the U. S. Geological Survey in its Johnstown, Ebensburg and Barnesboro-Patton Folios and other publications, by the Pennsylvania Geological Survey and by various individuals. All exposed rocks occurring within the boundaries of the county are of sedimentary origin, consisting of alternate beds of sandstone, slate, shale, fireclay, coal, limestone, etc., and all have been classified by the U. S. Geological Survey as extending from the upper strata of the Catskill formation, Devonian system, to and including, in a few hilltop areas, the lower strata of the Monongahela formation, Carboniferous system. Included within that range is the Allegheny formation, Pennsylvania series, which embraces all of the commercially important beds of coal that occur in the county, viz., the A, or Brookville, to the E, or Upper Freeport, both inclusive, shown in Fig. 2. The measures are traversed by a series of anticlines and synclines, extending in a northeasterly and southwesterly direction, which form broad, gently sloping basins (flat to 15 pct pitch, exceptionally to 25 pct). However, the topography of the surface is such that long lines of outcrops of all beds of coal overlying bed B, and to a limited extent bed B also, occur over large areas, a factor which contributed to the early and extensive development of mining activities in the county. Earliest mining developments of commercial importance were made in B, C', D, and E beds of coal, and it is in these beds that the principal mining operations are being conducted. To a limited extent, mining operations also have been conducted in local areas in the A, B rider and C beds. Coal beds being mined today range in thickness from approximately 28 to 60 in. Intervals between the respective beds of coal are variable but conform somewhat to the following general averages: A to B, 60 to 100 ft.; B to C, 50 ft.; C to C', 70 ft.; C' to D, 45 ft.; and D to E, 45 ft. The following are typical mining cases obserced over a period of years in various parts of the county.

Jan 1, 1952

By H. C. George

The Wisconsin Zinc District, or the Upper Mississippi Lead and Zinc District as it is often called, lies in the southwestern corner of Wisconsin, in Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Counties, and it includes adjoining parts of Illinois and Iowa. The district is about 70 miles long, north and south, and about 40 miles wide, east and west. It lies wholly within what is geologically known as the non-glaciated area of the Upper Mississippi Valley. HISTORY OF THE DISTRICT The district was first opened up as a lead producer in 1822. From this time until 1860, about 205,000 tons of cog lead (galena) and washed lead (galena) was produced from shallow crevices and openings. From 1860 to 1900, about 74,500 tons was produced, and since that time, from 5000 to 7000 tons has been produced annually. Since 1900, most of the lead concentrate produced has been as a byproduct of the zinc mines. The first zinc ores were mined about 1862. These were the carbonate ores, locally known as "drybone." Very little zinc blende was mined in the district, previous to 1875. The zinc blende ores mined from 1875 to 1900 were mostly of the high-grade, hand-cobbed, sheet-ore class, which usually contained from 45 to 60 per cent. metallic zinc Such mines as the "Sallie Waters," "Quinlin," 'Lead Mine," "Benton Blende," and "Ida Blende," located near Benton, Wis., were mines which produced ores of this type, during this period. The mines located at Highland, the "Coker Mine" located at Livingston, Wis., and the "Opencut Mine" located at Shullsburg, Wis., were mines that were heavy zinc carbonate producers, previous to 1900. The production of zinc ores in the district from 1862 to 1890 was about 283,500 tons, mostly zinc carbonate, with a probable average metallic zinc content of 30 per cent. From 1890 to 1903, the production

Jan 1, 1918

By A. M. Whiting

Competition for coal producers and their primary customers has constantly increased during recent years. The effects of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 on the electric utility industry, coupled with the normal complexities of coal production, quality control, transportation and contracting techniques have spurred both buyers and sellers to increase their level of sophistication. This paper will review the basic aspects of the U.S. coal business and explore the commercial approaches which have proven to be most successful.

Jan 1, 1994

A new national-scale geochemical survey is under way inAustralia with the aim to provide energy and mineral explorers with state-of-the-art precompetitive data and information about the continentÆs potential resources. This low-density geochemical survey will provide a national geochemical data layer using consistent sampling medium and sampling, preparation and analytical methods. Large-scale geochemical patterns thus revealed are expected to point to new areas of exploration potential. The project is funded under the Onshore Energy Security Program. It is hoped that this new national geoscience dataset will help make Australia a more attractive destination for energy and mineral exploration investments. An EXTENDED ABSTRACT is available for download. A full-length paper was not prepared for this presentation.

Jan 1, 2008

By R. A. Nadler and

Specimens of Ti-155A (Ti-5Al-1.3Fe-1.3Cr-1.2Mo), Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-4Al-3Mo-1V were hydrogenated, aged to high strength levels, and subjected to notched stress-rupture tests and tensile tests at two strain rates. Both Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-155A were relatively unaffected by hydrogen in amounts exceeding those found in commercially -produced material. Inconsistencies in the data and a relatively low initial level of ductility prevented an accurate determination of the hydrogen tolerance for aged Ti-4Al-3Mo-1V, but there was no evidence that this alloy was any more susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement than Ti-155A and Ti-6A1-4V. THE metallurgical literature has been considerably enriched in the past five years by the publication of the results of many investigations which were concerned with the effects of hydrogen on titanium and its alloys. Although it is not the authors' intention to provide a complete literature survey of this vast field, it is worthwhile to summarize briefly some of the important factors which influence the embrittling phenomenon in a - B alloys. Some of the influencing factors are those of strain rate, temperature, and composition. Hydrogen embrittlement in a - B titanium alloys is now believed to be a strain-induced phenomenon, and whether or not embrittlement occurs at high hydrogen levels depends largely upon whether sufficient time is available for hydride precipitation. This condition is fulfilled by tensile testing at very slow strain rates or by rupture testing smooth or, preferably, notched specimens over relatively long periods. Conveniently, maximum embrittlement occurs at or near room temperature. The presence B - stabilizing elements, in amounts sufficiently small to prevent an all -B or nearly all -P condition, promotes hydrogen embrittlement and this tendency is believed to be related to the amount of a - B interfacial area present. Aluminum, by increasing the solubility of hydrogen in A titanium, greatly reduces the danger of hydrogen embrittlement, while oxygen has been shown to have detrimental effects.' The preceding discussion is based on experimental work performed on annealed a - P alloys. This early work has shown that annealed Ti-6A1-4V and Ti-155A are relatively insensitive to the embrittling effects of hydrogen.' Although no work has been reported on annealed Ti-4A1-3Mo-lV, the alloy would be expected to exhibit somewhat the same insensitiv-ity as Ti-155A. In sharp contrast to the voluminous literature on annealed titanium alloys is the paucity of reported investigations on materials receiving commercial heat-treatment cycles. To date, the most notable contributions in this field have arisen from two separate investigations on Ti-3Mn-1Fe-1Cr-1V-lMo, the so-called 3Mn comple~. These investigations

Jan 1, 1961

By C. M. Suhr

n order to validate the borehole analysis valuation procedure commonly used in the South African gold mining industry, a simulated orebody was used to create borehole values which would serve as data for the procedure. After confirming the distribution, calculating the variance size of area relationship, estimating the block variance, and calculating a profit measurement for each set, comparisons were made to the known population parameters. Results show only one overall bias (in the estimation of the lognormal third parameter), which is carried throughout the analysis. The remainder of the analysis is unbiased, validating the procedure.

Jan 1, 1987

By Pyrih R, House A, Shangraw J, Silva AJ

Sunbeam Mining -Corporation has the inten mine with heap leach gold recovery, near spent ore indicated a relatively high ar topographical configuration, the spent across a small drainage and a lake. Du permit for spent ore disposal from th agencies, concerns about the potential contamination by the arsenic were expres conducted extensive studies to addre contamination. These studies consiste( geochemical and geotechnical parameters underlying the proposed disposal si geotechnical investigations were also hydrologic characteristics were include with the use of an IBM PC computer. :ion of opening an open pit gold Stanley, Idaho. Testing of the ?enic content. Due to the local ore was planned to be disposed :ing the process of obtaining a federal and state regulatory for surface and ground water .ed. Sunbeam Mining Corporation is the potential for arsenic of laboratory testing of both of the spent ore, and the soils te. Field hydrogeologic and -onducted. Local climatic and 1 in the analysis of these data Conclusions of studies indicated that although the seepage through the spent ore disposal would contain an elevated dissolved arsenic content, the hydrologic and geochemical characteristics of the site would prevent arsenic migration into the local ground water system. The attenuation of arsenic on soils with high clay content, and dilution after reaching the ground water table would lower the arsenic content to acceptable Concentrations.

Jan 1, 1988

By K. A. Jackson, J. D. Hunt

A new classification of eutectics is proposed, based on tlze entvopies of wzelting of the tuio eutectic phases. The clnssification was used to predict suitable tvansparent analogs of the metallic systems. Experimental confir?nation loas obtained for the theovetical shape of the lamellar solid-liquid interface, fov the fault mechanisms of lanzellar spacing changes, and for the development of low-energy solid-solid boundaries between the lamellae. An explanation is presented to account jov the irvegular and coinplex regular structures zrhich are found in some eritectic systems. FrOM experimental observations, single-phase materials can be divided into two groups according to their solidification characteristics, those that grow as faceted crystals and those that do not. acksonl' showed from thermodynamic reasoning that the type of growth depended on a factor a which was almost thg entropy of melting. Most nonmetals have high entropies of melting (a greater than 2) and grow with crystalline facets. Most metals have low entropies of melting (CY less than 2) and grow almost isotropically with no facets. The authors propose that eutectics may be classified in a similar manner. There are three groups of eutectics, those in which both phases have low entropies of melting, those in which one phase has a high and the other phase has a low entropy of melting, and those in which both phases have high entropies of melting. Lamellar or rodlike structures are formed in systems in which both phases have low entropies of melting. In these alloys dendrites of either phase may be formed, when the alloy is rich in the relevant component. Examples are Pb-Sn, Sn-Cd, Pb-Cd, Sn-Zn, Al-Zn. Irregular, Fig. 14((), or complex regular, Fig. 14(b), structures are formed in alloys in which one phase has a high entropy of melting and the other has a low entropy of melting. Examples are A1-Si, Zn-MgzZnll, Pb-Bi, Sn-Bi. When the alloys are rich in the low entropy of melting phase, dendrites are formed; when the alloys are rich in the high entropy of melting phase, faceted primary crystals are produced. These crystals are sometimes called hoppers or pseudodendrites. In this work the term dendrite will only be used to describe nonfaceted primary crystals. Dendrites are not formed during solidification in high entropy of melting single-phase materials. The third group of eutectics includes alloys in which both phases have high entropies of melting. Each phase grows with a faceted solid-liquid interface. Since most metals do not have high entropies of melting, metallic examples in this eutectic group are rare. However they may occur between some intermetallics and semiconductors or semimetals such as silicon, germanium, and bismuth. Attempts have been made to study eutectic solidification visually by watching the growth process.374 Since metals are not transparent, the observations had to be made on external surfaces. This difficulty can be overcome by using transparent analogs of the metallic systems. As was mentioned earlier, most single-phase compounds have entropies of melting greater than 2 and so grow as faceted crystals. Recently organic materials with entropies of melting less than 2 were investigated.' These materials grow in exactly the same way as the low entropy of melting metals. When the materials are pure, they grow with a solid-liquid interface parallel to an isotherm; when they are impure, cells or dendrites are formed. Since these materials are transparent, have low melting points, and even have cubic structures, they should be ideal for making up transparent analogs of the metallic eutectics. The purpose of the present work was to investigate these organic eutectics and to see whether this quite different series of eutectics could be classified in the same way as the metallic systems. The observations made on the organic alloys are also discussed with reference to the current theories of lamellar growth. Explanations are proposed to account for the structures formed in the other eutectic groups. EXPERIMENTAL Thin cells containing the organic alloys were uni-direction ally solidified on a specially constructed microscope stage.' Uniform growth rates were obtained by moving the cells, with a motor drive, through a fixed temperature gradient, so that the solid-liquid interface remained stationary with respect to the microscope objective lens. The cells were made by fusing two microscope cover slides 7/8 by 7/8 by 1/100 in. together on three sides, leaving a gap of 1 to 3 mils between the slides, and these were filled by surface tension. A preliminary investigation of the phase diagram between two components could be made very rapidly. One side of the cell was filled with component A and the other side with component B. Since only a small amount of mixing could occur every composition from pure A to pure B was present in the cell. When the cell was placed in the temperature gradient a pictorial representation of the phase diagram was obtained. Eutectics, peritectics, "interorganics", and solid -solid transformations could be readily detected. Fig. 1 shows part of a eutectic phase diagram. The Sample was first grown slowly then stopped. The two

Jan 1, 1967

By Michael Schultz, Gregory Sanders

In 2017, the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) initiated the design of the Sister Grove Regional Water Resource Recovery Facility (SGRWRRF) to provide additional treatment capacity for future population growth within the Lavon Lake watershed. To provide a discharge location for SGRWRRF approximately 4.5 miles of 2.4- meter (96-inch) internal diameter pipeline will be constructed, including 2.3-kilometer (7,800) feet and 487-meter (1,600 foot) long tunnel segments. This paper will discuss the anticipated geology of the two tunnel segments, selection of the tunnel alignment, the anticipated initial tunnel support requirements and other aspects of the project design

Jun 13, 2021

By Randal J. Barnes

In, any open pit mine the ability to make accurate production estimations for the shovel-truck system is an important asset. This is true in an operating mine wishing to estimate production under a set of system modifications (i.e. more trucks, fewer loaders, change in roads, etc.), as well as in the pre- mining planning stages of a property. Many different methods have been proposed for solving this problem; some of the methods rely heavily on "rules of thumb" while others are highly mathematical and require access to a high speed digital computer. Analysis of shovel-truck systems with the use of simulation models is a widely accepted technique within the industry. Through the use of such models it is possible to account for much of the inherent variability of the system and thus produce meaningful results. However, simulation studies are expensive. Formulation and setup of the actual simulation model requires a significant commitment of time and energy. In addition, the cost of the necessary computer runs is often of considerable magnitude.

Jan 1, 1979

By Gilbert M. Farrior

The electrical resistivity the coefficient of electrical resistivity the Hall coefficient, and the absolute thermoelectric power were determined in this Bureau of Mines investigation for nine compositions of the TiB2-CrB2 sub-system. The numerical values of the electrical resistivity and the thermo-electric power were greater for the intermediate compositions than for the end members. The absolute values of the Hall coefficients and the coefficients of electrical resistivity were less for the intermediate compositions than for the end members. The electrical resistivities and Hall coefficients were about the order of magnitude of most metals--from 34 to 202 microhm-cm and from about 0 to -23.3 X 10-4 cuP/coulomb. The thermoelectric power was somewhat greater than that of most metals--up to 15.6 microvolts per 0 C.

Jan 1, 1965

By Lawrence K. Jetter, Robert F. Mehl

SOME advances have been made recently in the theory of the kinetics of precipitation from metallic solid solution despite the complexities of the problem, but there is surprisingly little quantitative information available on rates of precipitation with which to test present theory or upon which to build new theory.? Attempts to measure rates of precipitation have been beset with difficulties which originate both in the anomalies that attend the changes in the properties selected for measurement, as, for example, in electrical conductivity or mechanical properties, and also in the complexities in the structural changes in some systems, as in the aluminum-copper system. If the functional relationship between the quantity of precipitate and the value of the selected property is uncertain, measurements of that property are obviously of uncertain utility in determining absolute rates of precipitation. If the precipitating system passes through one or more transition stages, the interpretation of measured rates lacks definiteness; in such cases, it is necessary to measure the rate of reaction in each separate stage, if the rate measurements are to have any significance from the kinetic point of view.* These difficulties cannot be wholly avoided, for at least in some measure they are characteristic of the process of precipitation from solid solution, but they can be minimized both by the selection of a simple system and by the use of a method of measurement relatively free from anomalous behavior. The present paper reports dilatometric measurements on the rate of precipitation of silicon from the aluminum-rich solid solution in the aluminum-silicon system-a study that approaches the desiderata of simplicity. The aluminum-silicon system offers advantages from these points of view: there are no known anomalies in the property changes accompanying precipitation ;2,3,4 there are no known transition stages; the precipitate is an element, not a compound, and both matrix and precipitate are cubic, and while the structures are not identical (the solid solution is face-centered cubic and the precipitate is diamond cubic), the system at least approaches the ideal case of a crystal precipitating from a matrix of the same crystal type-the ideal case which Becker5 assumed in treating the precipitation process theoretically. The dilatometric method, while not free from disturbing effects, as the subsequent dis-

Jan 1, 1942

By Eric R. Jette

In order to control a chemical process by other than empirical, rule of thumb methods, two types of knowledge concerning the reactions involved must be available: (1) the thermodynamics of the reactions, and (2), by no means less important for efficient operation, the mechanisms and kinetics of the reactions. Information on the thermodynamic side enables the operator to decide upon initial and final conditions, whether heat must be added or removed from the system, whether the reactions proceed farthest in the desired direction at high pressure or low, etc. Knowledge of the mechanisms involves the determination of the individual steps by which an initial set of reactants, under given conditions, proceed to give the desired final products and kinetic studies upon which the mechanisms are based give the speed at which each of these reactions or steps take place. Thus thermodynamic studies of a reaction enable the operator to control the direction and extent to which the reaction can proceed, while kinetic studies enable him to control rates and thus the time efficiency of the operations. The thermodynamics set the limit to which the reacting system approaches; the kinetics tell how fast the system actually approaches this limit. The two types of information are complementary and not antagonistic even though in discussing the mechanism the introduction of thermodynamics is entirely needless and generally of no assistance, while in thermodynamic studies mechanism need not even be mentioned. Heterogeneous Reactions The thermodynamic side of metallurgical reactions has received much attention in the past; the mechanisms, relatively, very little. The main reason for our present lack of information on the mechanisms of these reactions lies in the fact that every one of importance is a heterogenkous reaction; i. e., the substances involved in the reaction exist in more than one phase, while, if we neglect the large amount of work which has been

Jan 1, 1931

By Jack C. Haptonstall

The Tayoltita Unit of Minas de San Luis, S. A. is situated in an isolated corner of the state of Durango, Mexico. The ore deposits in the region were first worked by Indians, but by 1757 the Spaniards had discovered them, and the first systematic exploitation of the mines commenced. By the early 1900's most of the mines had been acquired by American interests, and the San Luis Mining Company was organized. The modern period of exploitation, uninterrupted for the last 74 years, began. In 1962 the company was fully "Mexicenized" in compliance with the modification of the mining law, and the name was changed to Minas de San Luis, S. A. Tayoltita continues as one of Mexico's most important silver and gold mines. The ore is extracted in en extensive underground operation, mining epithermal fissure veins by selective methods. The ore is milled and treated in an efficient counter-current cyanide plant, where 95 % of the silver and 96 % of the gold is recovered. Current annual bullion output is 55,000 kg (1.7 million troy oz) of silver and 1000 kg (31,000 troy oz) of gold from milling 165,000 try (181,900 stpy). Rough, 33-kg (1000-troy oz) bullion bars are smelted at the mine, shipped by air to Mazatlan, Sinaloa, and are thence sold to the Met- Mex Peñoles smelter in Torreon, Coahuila. Ore reserves, blocked by very conservative methods, are currently at 540,000 tons (595,000 st). Ore reserve grade is 425 g of silver and 6 g of gold per ton (12.4 troy oz Ag and 0.18 troy oz Au per st).

Jan 1, 1976

Active and abandoned mine sites can be an irresistible- - and sometimes deadly - - draw for outdoor enthusiasts, particularly children and young adults. Despite repeated warnings, posted signs, and fencing, tragedies involving accidents on active and abandoned mine property continue to make headlines, especially with the arrival of warmer weather and the summer months ahead. Over the last few years, there have been dozens of tragic incidents involving children and adults ventur­ing onto active and abandoned mine property. They include: A 16-year-old youth suffered fatal injuries after his all-terrain vehicle became airborne in an accident at a gravel mine near Albany, New York. A young boy was electrocuted when he contacted a high-voltage power line while sliding down a stockpile at a sand and gravel mine in Grand Island, Nebraska during its off-shift hours.

Jan 1, 1999

Numerical simulation for microseismicity due to mining at one of the collieries in Australia was carried out and the results were compared to the observed microscismicity. 3-D Stress analysis showed stress concentration on the edges of the mined areas and on the coal pillars- The stress concentration ahead of the coal face was biased to the tailgate. This is similar to the observed distribution of microseismic events. Stress reduction above and below the mined area was seen. Tensile stress was observed mainly above the mined area. It was realized that compressive failure due to nearly vertical maximum principal stress and nearly horizontal minimum principal stress in retreat direction (NS) might occur ahead of the face. Tensile failure due to nearly vertical minimum principal stress above the mined area was expected. Compressive failure due to nearly horizontal maximum principal stress in EW direction and nearly vertical minimum principal stress above and below the mined area were also expected.

Jan 1, 2001