Search Documents

By R. G. Johnston

Minerals have many uses in paint systems. These roles include use as primary and extender pigments, sheen control, film durability enhancement, and rheology control. These and other uses of minerals in paints, and the effects of mineral quality variations on coatings performance are discussed. As coatings performance requirements become more demanding, tighter consistency of important mineral properties, such as particle size distribution and purity, is becoming increasingly vital. Future directions of mineral use to meet projected environmental restrictions and performance demands on coatings, including the use of advanced minerals technologies, are examined.

Jan 1, 1993

By P. Bhakta

The U.S. Bureau of Mines developed an alkaline oxidative pretreatment leaching procedure to increase the recovery of gold from arsenopyrite (FeAsS) ores. The best solution compositions for arsenopyrite dissolution were determined using cyclic voltammetry and chronocoulometry. Initial arsenopyrite dissolution occurred at -0.20 V versus standard hydrogen electrode (SHE) in a sodium hydroxide (Na0H) solution. Leaching of a high-grade arsenopyritic ore containing, in percent, 28.2 As, 25.3 Fe, 19.9 total S, and 1.0 Sb and, in troy ounces per short ton, 1.6 Au and 5.5 Ag resulted in >90 pct As extraction at 1000 C, 40 psig O2,4 h, and 2M NaOH solution in a 2-L autoclave. Cyanidation of the leach residues resulted in 90 to 93 pct Au and 60 to 80 pct Ag extractions, compared with only 5 and 15 pct, respectively, without the pretreatment. The procedure was further tested by leaching a low-grade gold ore and a bulk sulfide flotation concentrate prepared from it. Cyanidation of the leach residues resulted in 70 pct Au and 31 pct Ag extraction. The NaOH leachate was partially regenerated by precipitating the arsenate as calcium arsenate [Ca3As04)2] and the sulfate as barium sulfate (BaS04).

Jan 1, 1989

By K. R. Griffin

Explosions in underground coal mines have been a serious safety concern since the advent of mining; despite significant technological advances, they are still occurring. Parameters such as barometric pressure, geological changes, and changes in ventilation can contribute to an explosion. These factors can be monitored with available and developing technologies to create algorithms that predict when explosions are more likely to occur. This paper reviews current underground atmospheric monitoring systems and related regulations around the world. In addition, suggestions for improvement and implications for explosion prevention are discussed.

Jan 1, 2011

By H. F. Yancey, M. R. Geer, C. L. Allyn, R. H. Eckhouse

W. M. Bertholf—This is an excellent report of a well-conducted investigation, of sufficient scope to provide generally useful information. Some years ago we had occasion to test the Humphreys spiral on the middling from our table plant. The conclusions reached in this investigation come as no surprise to us. In certain applications it is virtually impossible to improve on the spiral from the monetary returns point of view even though its "efficiency" may be low. We have noted that in all successful applications of the spiral the feed is "classified," hence we were somewhat disappointed in the showing the spiral made on the Poplar Ridge coal, the only one of the four which could really be considered the equivalent of a classified feed. As was noted in the paper, however, this coal contained a considerable amount of middle and high-gravity material, apparently more than enough to make up for the theoretical advantage of small particles in these categories. A comparison of particle size in the various specific gravity classes of the four coals is given in table XXV. Table XXV. Comparison of Particle Size in Various Specific Gravity Classes. (Unit size, 150 m to 0.105 mm) Black Eagle Clements Poplar Ridge Rosly,n 1.3 Float 7.47 10.60 8.68 9.66 1.3 x 1.4 7.89 7.96 7.58 8.20 1.4x1.6 7.24 8.36 5.58 6.85 1.6 x 1.8 7.98 8.31 3.42 7.33 Sink 1.8 7.85 7.13 5.09 7.41 Avg 7.69 10.08 7.15 8.38 This tabulation indicates that there was very little difference in the size of the various gravity fractions for three of the coals, Poplar Ridge varying the most. Examination of figs. 3, 6, 7, and 8 reveals a general similarity of behavior for all coals except Black Eagle. Would the authors care to speculate on the reasons for the difference in the distribution curve for the sink 1.60 material in the washed coal of fig. 3 as compared to the others? This difference is particularly noticeable in the 8xl4-mesh size. Was there a "shape effect"? J. D. Price and W. M. Bertholf—The performance data on three of the coals studied appear to be typical, but there are certain departures from the general pattern in the case of the Poplar Ridge coal which are large enough to deserve special consideration. For example: 1. Despite the high proportion of sink 1.60 material in the feed, it was not possible to make a corresponding proportion of high-ash reject. (See table XVI.) 2. Even though approximately 70 pct of the feed was 1.40 float with an ash content of 6.6 pct, and this

Jan 1, 1951

By R. H. Eckhouse, M. R. Geer, H. F. Yancey, C. L. Allyn

W. M. Bertholf—This is an excellent report of a well-conducted investigation, of sufficient scope to provide generally useful information. Some years ago we had occasion to test the Humphreys spiral on the middling from our table plant. The conclusions reached in this investigation come as no surprise to us. In certain applications it is virtually impossible to improve on the spiral from the monetary returns point of view even though its "efficiency" may be low. We have noted that in all successful applications of the spiral the feed is "classified," hence we were somewhat disappointed in the showing the spiral made on the Poplar Ridge coal, the only one of the four which could really be considered the equivalent of a classified feed. As was noted in the paper, however, this coal contained a considerable amount of middle and high-gravity material, apparently more than enough to make up for the theoretical advantage of small particles in these categories. A comparison of particle size in the various specific gravity classes of the four coals is given in table XXV. Table XXV. Comparison of Particle Size in Various Specific Gravity Classes. (Unit size, 150 m to 0.105 mm) Black Eagle Clements Poplar Ridge Rosly,n 1.3 Float 7.47 10.60 8.68 9.66 1.3 x 1.4 7.89 7.96 7.58 8.20 1.4x1.6 7.24 8.36 5.58 6.85 1.6 x 1.8 7.98 8.31 3.42 7.33 Sink 1.8 7.85 7.13 5.09 7.41 Avg 7.69 10.08 7.15 8.38 This tabulation indicates that there was very little difference in the size of the various gravity fractions for three of the coals, Poplar Ridge varying the most. Examination of figs. 3, 6, 7, and 8 reveals a general similarity of behavior for all coals except Black Eagle. Would the authors care to speculate on the reasons for the difference in the distribution curve for the sink 1.60 material in the washed coal of fig. 3 as compared to the others? This difference is particularly noticeable in the 8xl4-mesh size. Was there a "shape effect"? J. D. Price and W. M. Bertholf—The performance data on three of the coals studied appear to be typical, but there are certain departures from the general pattern in the case of the Poplar Ridge coal which are large enough to deserve special consideration. For example: 1. Despite the high proportion of sink 1.60 material in the feed, it was not possible to make a corresponding proportion of high-ash reject. (See table XVI.) 2. Even though approximately 70 pct of the feed was 1.40 float with an ash content of 6.6 pct, and this

Jan 1, 1951

By F. W. Glaser, Benjamin Post

A LTHOUGH most transition metals form a wide variety of boride compounds, the existence of only one zirconium boride, ZrB2, had been established prior to this investigation.' The crystal structure and some properties of a hitherto unreported zirconium boride, ZrB12, are described in this paper. Only one other dodecaboride of a transition metal, UB12, has been reported up to the present.' Chemical analysis of the new compound showed 44 pct Zr and 56 pct B, compared with 41 pct Zr and 59 pct B computed for ZrB12. The difference is within the range of error of the analytical method employed. ZrB12 shows marked metallic properties. It is obtained as a fine black powder. Measurements of electrical resistivity were made at —79°C, + 22°C and +64°C. At 22°C the electrical resistivity is approximately 60 microhm-cm. Over this range the temperature coefficient of resistivity is +0.00162. The thermal conductivity at room temperature is 0.122 watts per cm per "C. The product of the electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity is therefore 8.05, which is not far from the normal Wiedemann-Franz ratio (approximately 7.5 at room temperature). These measurements were made on hot pressed samples which were not always high density specimens. The hardness of ZrB12 on the Rockwell A scale varies between 92 and 92.5. Crystal Structure Determination Single crystals of ZrB12 of a size suitable for X-ray diffraction analysis could not be obtained and powder samples had to be used. Filtered Cu radiation was used throughout. Powder diagrams were indexed on the basis of a face-centered cubic unit cell. After correction for film shrinkage, a Bradley and Jay extrapolation³ to ? = 90" indicated that a, = 7.408 ±0.002A. The volume of the unit cell is 406.5A.V he assumption that there are four "molecules" of ZrB12 per unit cell leads to an X-ray density of 3.63 g per cc. The measured density is 3.7 g per cc (as measured by the immersion method). Relative intensities of reflections were determined by integrating the intensities of diffraction peaks using the count register of a North American Philips wide range spectrometer. Intensities measured in this way showed good agreement with photographic intensities estimated visually using multiple film techniques. The usual Lorentz, polarization, and multiplicity corrections were applied to the observed intensity measurements. There are striking similarities between ZrB12, and UB12. The unit cell of the latter is also face-centered cubic and contains four molecules. a, = 7.473, compared with 7.408 for ZrB12. The radius ratio rB/rU is 0.57; rB/rZr is 0.54. In both ZrB12, and UB12 the four metal atoms in each unit cell are in special positions; only the boron positions need be determined. The latter may be inferred from the extent to which diffraction of X-rays by the 48 boron atoms reinforces or weakens the diffraction by the metal atoms. This effect is relatively much greater in the case of the zirconium compound. In their determination of the crystal structure of UB12, Berthaut and Blum' assumed holohedral symmetry (space group Oh5 , Fm3m) and reported that the U atoms are in positions 4(a): 000; 01/2 1/2; ½ 0 ½ ; ½ ½; the boron atoms were reported to be in positions 48(i) with x = 1/6: ½xx; ½xx; x½x; x½x; xx½; xx½; ½xx; ½xx; x½x; x½x; xx½; xx½

Jan 1, 1953

Mining and oil industry representatives are scheduled to testify May 15 at hearings on the Simpson bill to extend the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act, Several Congressmen have introduced bills to extend present trade agreements without modification. Price of copper appears to be stabilizing at 30[] per lb, after a period where market price ranged from 27 to 34[]. Copper offerings from abroad were finding no takers at 30.24[] per lb late in April.

Jan 5, 1953

By E. R. Brownscombe, Francis Collins

The pressure distribution in a reservoir producing an incompressible fluid by radial flow in a horizontal structure is a simple logarithmic function' used daily by reservoir engineers. The assumption of an incompressible liquid is equivalent to assuming that pressure is maintained constant at the well radius and at some external "radius of drainage," or, in other words, that the entire flow into the well passes across the external radius. In most cases a well is surrounded by other wells draining adjoining areas so that the "radius of drainage" is not a line of constant pressure with flow equal to the flow into the well but rather a contour of zero pressure gradient across which no flow occurs, production being due to the expansion of the liquid within the area. The radial flow steady state pressure distribution for this case does not seem to be extensively used despite the fact that the mathematical analysis has been given in detail' and the results are simple and generally applicable. 'The object of this discussion is to develop this result from a physical rather than a mathematical viewpoint, thereby aiding intuition in judging circumstances to which it may be applicable. If the production rate at a well in an unsaturated reservoir is maintained constant while no flow occurs across the outer radius a steady state will soon be reached in which the flow rate or pressure gradient is constant with time at all points in the reservoir. To preserve such a condition it is necessary that the pressure decline at the same rate at all points in the reservoir, that is, the curves of pressure versus radial distance at successive times are all parallel. Then each unit volume of oil is expanding at the same rate and contributing an equal share to the production. The rate of flow q across any circle r is thus proportional to the volume of the reservoir between r and the external radius re, or q = qw (I-r2/r2e) ......(1) where q, is the production from the well and it is assumed that rw is very small compared with re. This equation can be combined with the differential form of Darcy's law for radial flow, 2phkr dp q =—— ........(2) aµß dr ( where q is not a constant as in the incompressible flow case but is a function of r given by Equation (1). If Equation (1) is substituted in Equation (2) the variables p and r can be separated and the result integrated to obtain the pressure distribution p = pw +--------In------------- 2pkh[ rw 2re2] ......(3) This equation differs from the incompressible case only in the addition of the term proportional to the square of the radius

Jan 1, 1950

By Robert L. Akright

LOCATION AND HISTORY The Candelaria silver mine is located in an arid, isolated desert setting in Sections 3 and 4, T.3N., R.35E., and Section 33, T.4N., R.35E., Mineral County, Nevada (Fig. 1). Silver was discovered in 1863 by Mexican explorers, and high grade silver veins were mined from the early 1870s through the 1880s. Essentially all mining had ended by 1890. The veins were mined by underground methods typical of the period. As is the case in many mining districts, Candelaria was studied and explored by a number of companies. All these efforts were terminated short of mine development because of low silver prices and difficult metallurgy. On March 1, 1976, Occidental Minerals (Oxymin) entered into a Limited Partnership agreement, known as Candelaria Partners, as General Partner with Congdon and Carey Ltd. No. 4. Prior to the agreement, Congdon and Carey had acquired the candelaria properties as part of a bullish silver program and did considerable exploration which indicated the possibility of a large reserve of shallow silver mineralization. GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS Silver and gold mineralization in the Candelaria district occurs in high-grade fissure veins with silver values ranging from 0.6 to 7.8 kg/t (20 to 250 oz per st). These veins, combined with the low grade disseminated mineralization in the intervening material between the veins, form Manto- like deposits 15 to 46 m (50 to 150 ft) thick. Three such deposits are found in the Candelaria district: the Lucky Hill, Mount Diablo, and Northern Belle deposits (Figs. 2 and 3). The average ore grade of the Lucky Hill and Mount Diablo [ ]

Jan 1, 1985

[University of Alabama University, Alabama Mining and Metallurgical Society Meets first and third Mondays each month WILLIAM L. ALLMAN, President L. M. LOTOTZIY, Secretary J. R. CUDWORTH, Faculty Sponsor RICHARD L. BOWRON, Counselor University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona Miners' Society HARRY GARRETT, President AL WALLACH, Secretary A. J. THOMPSON, Faculty Sponsor E. D. GARDNER, Counselor Birmingham-Southern College Birmingham, Alabama Geology Journal Club WALTER WOLF, President LELAND CULLIGAN, Secretary R. S. POOR, Faculty Sponsor A. J. BLAIR, Counselor]

Jan 1, 1940

By Jean-François Lessard

The performance of rock pass systems has a significant contribution to the economics of underground mines. Operational concerns include hang-ups due to arching of material, blockage and degradation of the rock pass. This papers presents the preliminary results of a comprehensive rock pass database on the engineering and operation of rock pass systems in Quebec underground mines.

May 1, 2002

With the launch of Immersive Technologies' next generation of Advanced Equipment Simulators for the mining industry, correlating and influencing safety, productivity and maintenance with operator competency improvements is now made even more effective. In early 2008, Immersive assembled a project team to investigate the potential linkages between operator competency and performance. Advanced Equipment Simulator Users with a range of sophistication were interviewed and consulted. The result was new and enhanced 'value realisation' programs to directly assist mine sites to deliver the expected return on investment (ROI) from simulators and operator competency development. In just over one year, 29 mine sites around the world have benefited from 34 completed programs. Case studies have been compiled to demonstrate the impact of the implementation of this approach, including at the following operations: Anglo Coal - Callide (Australia), Freeport McMoRAN - Grasburg (Indonesia), Equinox Minerals - Lumwana (Zambia), Peabody Energy - Cabllo (USA), and Xstrata - Lomas Bayas (Chile). Significant performance improvements have been achieved including: reductions of 47 per cent in gear shifting and 37 per cent in over speed errors, improvements of 68 per cent in park break errors and 12 per cent in spotting time, and increase of 54 per cent in passing emergency fire handling competency tests. This presentation draws on these case studies to clearly demonstrate the linkage between improved operator competency through the implementation of training programs tailored around Advanced Equipment Simulators and production performace measured by a range of standard metrics at mines around the world.

May 1, 2010

By C. Dirscherl

"Declining ore grade, leading to increased material transport and plant throughput requirements, is one of the major challenges in the current mining environment. This is accompanied by rising energy and labor costs, decreasing plant productivity and the requirement for highest plant availability. Siemens’ answer is the latest gearless drive technology for grinding and conveying. Gearless drive solutions are surpassing the mechanical limits of conventional drive systems serving to utilize the principle of economies of scale. By elimination of various components of the drive train, the maintenance activities and spare parts inventories are reduced. The advantages are culminating in the incomparable availability of the Siemens’ gearless drive technology of 99.46 to 99.71 percent — as confirmed by real operational data from the Antapaccay Mine in Peru. It was the first plant worldwide to use gearless drives for both applications.The gearless principleThe principal idea behind a gearless drive system is to reduce the number of components and diversity of parts, especially those components that are at the edge of current manufacturing or power limits are eliminated. The used equipment provides the possibility to scale up and increase the power transmitted to the driven machine. This finally results in a possible increase of throughput respectively transported or processed material.In order to apply this principle of simplification, the components of a conventional drive system are examined. They consist of:• Driven equipment (mill, conveyor, slurry pump).• Components altering the rated speed (gearboxes, girth gear/pinion).• The electric motor.• Starting devices for the motor (VSD, CCV, LRS, clutch), which are necessary because a direct across-the-line start of high power motors with load would result in a significant drop in the line supply voltage.• Alternatively a variable speed drive (VSD) or cycloconverter (CCV) to utilize the possibility of speed variation during operation.• The electrical supply system (cables, switchgear, transformers, protection equipment)."

Jan 1, 2015

Coal Division Industrial Minerals Division Minerals Beneficiation Division Mineral Economics Division Mineral Industry Education Division Mining, Geology and Geophysics Division MINING BRANCH AND DIVISIONS OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES Council Ralph E Kirk, '55, Chairman (Coal). C M Cooley, Secretary, M D Cooper, '56 (Coal), Harold Bannennan. '55 (Ind Min Div ). R C Stephenson, '56 (Ind Min Div ) , E P Pfleider, '55 (MGGD) . J D Forrester. '56 (MGGD) , Donald W Scott, '55 (MBD). S D Michaelson, '56 (MBD). J K Richardson (MED). J R Van Pelt, Jr (MIED) COAL DIVISION Established as a Division September 20, 1929 M D Cooper. Chairman H F Yancey, Chairman-elect David R Mitchell, Secretary-Treasurer Professor of Mining The Pennsylvania State University State College. Pennsylvania

Jan 1, 1954

By Harold Roast

THE object of this investigation was to compare the arsenical antimony-lead alloy with some of the regular bearing-metal alloys. With this end in view, the following tests were made: 1. Chemical analyses to show the composition. 2. Thermal analyses. 3. Macroscopic examination of fractures. 4. Microscopic examination. 5. Tensile tests. 6. Crushing tests. 7. Scleroscope tests. 8. Brinell tests, at temperatures from 80° to 400° F. Tests 3 to 8 were conducted on both sand-cast and chill-cast specimens. For the purposes of this paper the alloys have been numbered from 1 to 6; their composition is as follows: LEAD, ANTIMONY, TIN, COPPER, ARSENIC, NUMBER PER CENT. PER CENT. PER CENT. PER CENT. PER CENT. 1 82.64 12.95 4.40 0.01 none 2 27.54 9.94 59.87 2.65 none 3 77.65 20.75 none 0.13 1.47 4 82.95 16.85 none 0.20 none 5 83.78 15.35 none 0.05 0.82 6 0.15 7.87 84.13 7.85 none The analysis, in the case of the antimony, was made by solution in sulfuric acid and titrated with permanganate. For tin, the ferric-chloride method was used; for copper, the alkaline separations, and the thiocyanate methods; for arsenic, volatilization of arsenic and titration with iodine. The lead, with the exception of alloy 6, was taken by difference.

Jan 2, 1922

By V. E. May

Has your organization adopted Six Sigma as part of their Performance Improvement strategy? What about Lean manufacturing or Lean Six Sigma? If you already have any of these business process improvements in place where will you go next? In this article we will focus on transforming your organization beyond Lean Six Sigma to the next level of performance. In the future companies can take another quantum step forward by combining Lean Six Sigma with advanced Root Cause Analysis (RCA). The value of taking this natural progression on the way to achieving new levels of organizational excellence is presented.

Jan 1, 2011

By W. J. Birch, A. Wetherelt

The scaled-distance model for blast vibration analysis is the standard method employed throughout the surface mining and quarrying industries to model Peak Particle Velocity (PPV) data. Although empirical, the method is widely accepted and through the simplicity of its application and ease of graphical verification is set to remain a popular option. The validity of the technique relies principally on the fundamental parametric assumption that blasting data is normally distributed. Throughout the evolution of scaled-distance modelling, this is an issue that has most often been presumed rather than proven (most likely due to the tediousness of the calculations involved). In the few cases when normality has been given some degree of consideration, the result has been the product of a simple visual inspection of frequency distributions: clearly unsatisfactory. However recently the soundness of this assumption has been brought into question, with obvious connotations for blast modelling in general. This paper considers this fundamental issue and seeks to investigate the normality hypothesis within the blasting context through an in-depth statistical analysis of what possibly can be described as an ‘ideal’ blasting dataset. This being a rare case study concerning an opencast coal site in England, where for the entire life of the site every single blast was monitored and recorded through the use of permanent monitoring stations. This has provided a unique ‘total population’ dataset of considerable size from which the assumptions of normality are put to the test.

Jan 1, 2005

By R. Hamilton

"Louvicourt mine began operation in 1994. It is located in northwestern Quebec, 20 km east of Val d’Or. The mine is owned by Aur Resources (30%), which operates the mine, Teck/Cominco (25%) and Novicourt (45%). By the end of 2002 there were approximately 280 employees working on the site, including contractors. Production averages 4300 tons per day, working a massive sulphide body located between 415 m and 920 m underground.Maintenance expenses represent 27% to 29% of the operating costs, and the maintenance personnel represents 34% of the total workforce (including electrical, mechanical and concentrator maintenance staff). Considering these figures, in addition to capital costs and indirect costs, such as energy (electricity, fuel, gas, etc.), it is worthwhile to pay attention to how things are done in order to protect such investment. Every task performed to help understand the impact of Louvicourt’s practices must to be seen as an investment in the reliability of its operation."

Jan 1, 2003

By H. Nan

Using the case of Qianqiu Mine, Yima Coal Mining Administration, theoretical analysis, laboratory physical simulation, and underground observation were performed to study the major parameters for fully mechanized sublevel caving mining method, including drawing spacing, drawing sequence, drawing numbers, and number of shields performing simultaneous drawing. The effects of those parameters on coal recovery and amount of waste rocks were also investigated. The optimal coal drawing technology for this case was obtained.

Jan 1, 2006

By Mason K. Banks

A process has been developed which produces spodumene concentrates assaying 6.0 pct Li2O and 0.45 pct Fe2O3, with 70 to 75 pct recovery of spodumene. Two flotation separations are required: the simultaneous removal of mica, feldspar, and quartz as a froth product using a cationic collector, and the subsequent removal of iron-bearing minerals as a froth product while spodumene is depressed as a tailing. SINCE the close of World War II there have been numerous developments resulting in the increased use of lithium by industry. Notable among these has been the development of an industrial lubricant, based on lithium stearate, which is fluid at low temperatures, stable at high temperature, and insoluble in water. A new bleaching agent, lithium hypo-chlorite, has also been developed recently.' Other well-known uses are listed below: 1—Lithium oxide in ceramics reduces firing time, lowers melting temperatures, lowers thermal expansion, raises refractive index, and improves chemical resistivity. 2—Lithium carbonate and lithium strontium nitrate are used in pyrotechnics for their brilliant red color.' 3—Lithium chlorides and fluorides are used as fluxes for welding aluminum and magnesium.' 4—The affinity of lithium for nitrogen is the basis for a process used in purifying helium." 5— Lithium chlorides and bromides are used in air conditioning for their powers to absorb organic amines, ammonia, and smoke.6-—Lithium hydride has been used as a source of hydrogen to inflate life rafts and balloons used by the Air Forces and Navy.' 7— Lithium metal and lithium hydride are useful in the atomic energy program in connection with the production of the isotopes of hydrogen." During the 1942-45 period of World War 11, Solvay Process Co. operated a flotation plant with a daily capacity of 300 tons of ore for the production of spodumene concentrate near Kings Mountain, North Carolina. The operation was shut down upon reduction of wartime demand for lithium chemicals, and until recently there has been no production from the Carolinas. In April 1950 an investigation of the problem of spodumene flotation from North Carolina ores was begun at North Carolina State College Minerals Research Laboratory at Asheville, N. C. This laboratory, operating under the combined auspices of North Carolina State College, North Carolina Department of Conservation and Development, and the Tennessee Valley Authority, undertook the spodumene project at the request of Foote Mineral Co. of Philadelphia. The work, involving a period of 15 months of intensive batch and pilot plant investigation, was completed in June 1951 and resulted in development of a process for concentration of spodumene by flotation which has been hereto unrecorded in the literature. A similar approach has been used before on iron, ilmenite, and other minerals, but the literature shows no record of its having been applied to spodumene. Parts of the process are now being used on a commercial scale at the Foote Mineral Co. plant near Kings Mountain, N. C., which has been in production since July 1951. It is the purpose of this paper to describe some of the results of the investigation. The Orebodies Spodumene-bearing pegmatites occur in a narrow belt 24.5 miles long and 1.8 miles wide extending southwestward from Lincolnton to Grover, N. C. According to statements judged to be conservative, the tin-spodumene belt of the Carolinas contains an estimated 4,300,000 tons of pegmatite ore averaging 15 pct spodumene. This amounts to "a reserve of at least 650,000 tons of spodumene (more than 20,000 tons of metallic lithium) to a depth of 100 ft."' This figure includes only bodies having an average thickness of 35 ft and length of 550 ft. There are hundreds of pegmatites in the belt, many of which are less than 10 ft wide. The largest pegmatite in the area has a maximum thickness of 395 ft and maximum length of 3250 ft.' These larger pegmatites are composed principally

Jan 1, 1954