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By Alex Cormode, Carlos Perucca

"Sylvinite ore from the Saskatoon area typically contains about 5% insolubles, occurring as clays and carbonates. These insoluble slimes must be removed sufficiently well to permit an efficient subsequent potassium chloride flotation, due to their high adsorptive capacity for amines used as potash collectors. The insolubles are liberated from sylvinite by high attrition scrubbing in a slurry. The liberated slimes are separated by multistage cycloning or by a selective flocculation-flotation process.An outline of the potash processing operations at Agrium Vanscoy Potash Operations is given, emphasizing the insoluble slimes froth flotation separation process. This process was originally implemented at the Agrium plant in the mid- 1970's and replaced a hydrocyclone system.IntroductionAgrium Vanscoy Potash Operations is located 40 Km southwest of Saskatoon, almost midway between the communities of Vanscoy and Delisle. Processing operations started in 1969, and the annual production capability was subsequently increased to the current 1.8 MM tonnes per year of muriate of potash.The mining operation at Agrium Potash which was described in a paper by Jones and Pruggerl , is done underground using four large continuous double rotor boring machines for the main production with development done by heliminers. Annual ore production is 5.5 MM tonnedannum. Ore is hoisted 1,100 m to surface for processing."

Jan 1, 1999

By Dave Price

"Canada is scheduled to become the 4th highest diamond revenue producing country in the world by year 2004 with the already operating Ekati Mine and the anticipated operation of the Jericho Mine in 2002 and the Diavik Mine in 2003.This paper provides an overview of worldwide diamond production statistics and a brief introduction to a diamond processing plant. The dense medium separation (DMS) extraction process is presented and this process is discussed in more detail with respect to the extraction of diamonds in terms of feed preparation, dense medium, dense medium cyclones, ferrosilicon recovery and dense medium cyclone operating efficiencies.INTRODUCTIONThe Ekati Diamond Mine in the Northwest Territories started commercial production of diamonds in the 4* quarter of 1998. At full production, the mine is anticipated to produce annually some 3 million carats of diamonds. The Jericho Mine in Nunavut Territory and the Diavik Mine in the Northwest Territories are anticipated to come into production in the 1'' quarter of 2002 and 1st half of 2003 respectively. The combined annual diamond production of these three mines will total approximately 10.34 million carats by 2004, making Canada the 4~ highest diamond revenue producing country in the world.A diamond processing plant initially utilizes crushing, scrubbing and screening in the beneficiation process to liberate diamonds from kimberlite ore and size the product for further treatment through DMS. Alluvial diamond operations do not require initial crushing and scrubbing but incorporate a feed preparation and sometimes a recrush facility with the DMS plant. The heavy sink product from the DMS, which contains diamonds, is further upgraded through x-ray separation and high intensity magnetic separation prior to producing the final diamond product.DMS is a relatively simple separating principle. A mixture of particles of different density is immersed in a dense fluid, so that particles having a density lower than that of the fluid will float while those of heavier density will sink. The translation of the float-sink principle from a laboratory method to continuous industrial practice offers the prospect of very precise mineral separations based on density differences alone."

Jan 1, 2000

By L. Bos

The availability and reliability of large grinding mills and their Gearless Mill Drives (GMDs) are of paramount importance for the grinding process. Although GMDs have been in service for decades, and are known for their operational efficiency (reliability and robustness with reduced operating cost per ton), compared to conventional drives, in the last decade due to certain reasons some failures led to serious unscheduled shutdowns and significant insurance events. The majority of these notable "insured" failures have happened on GMDs installed on relatively large mills, as the financial impact of a failure is proportional to the through-put of the mill. Despite the occurrences of these events, as mining operations are driven by lower ore grades and the ability to continue reducing operating costs per ton, the trend for having larger mills is still very present and there is no reason why this trend should not continue. It is obvious that if not handled correctly, the possibility of large value GMD loss events, coupled with the continuing increase in mill size or required availability and reliability targets, could potentially lead to major conflicts as it becomes difficult for the insurance companies to judge the risk and hence may result in hesitation to insure these grinding circuits. This paper will not only describe the conflicting situation from both an insurer's perspective and from an equipment supplier's perspective, but also how these conflicting challenges can be successfully mastered. It has to be noted that not only the mining companies themselves, but also their insurance companies and the involved equipment suppliers have a common interest: to reach the highest availability and reliability in order to avoid or at least minimize unscheduled shut down times, and most importantly prevent unplanned events that result in extended production stoppages or reductions in through-put of GMD driven mills. From the very beginning onwards, the complete service concept together with emergency plans must be integrated on every level in the design of the grinding circuit. This approach must be implemented continuously and without compromises by all involved parties during all following stages, such as basic design, detail design, manufacturing, quality inspection and testing, packing, transportation, storage, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance. The concept of formal risk analysis related to mill operations, maintenance and spare parts strategies must be an integral part of mining companies? decisions related to the selection for installation and continued use of large mills powered by GMDs. The service concept in place for operating mills shall also have a clear focus on very early detection of any abnormalities, so that the risk can be mitigated and unscheduled shutdown times avoided. However, if a major failure occurs, then procedures and tools shall already be available in order to ensure that production impact is minimized.

Jan 1, 2012

By Glenn D. Lyle

As part of an initiative to improve value in mining, CEMI is developing a handbook on best practice in mine design. Various formats were examined, and of these, the wiki was selected as being most suitable. Being web-based, its global reach and capability of being continuously updated allows the wiki to evolve as new knowledge is generated, and to capture the diversity of experience of practitioners in the mining industry. While wikis have many advantages in terms of organizing content and searching, their ability to be edited by users is often seen as a negative characteristic for quality control. To ensure reliability of information content, author attribution, specific authorship models, and a peer review process have been implemented, in addition to the standard version tracking capability of wikis. The first phase of the project concentrates on topics related to underground hard rock mine design. The scope will be expanded to cover other aspects of mining as the project matures. Strategic partnerships with various organizations, such as the CIM, and CANMET, are being formed to provide a wide range of seed material to stimulate growth of the site. www.minedesignwiki.org

May 1, 2011

By Francis Perron

The Directive 019 on mineral industry, which was officially adopted in 1989, is the main tool used by the Quebec Ministry of Environment for the environmental evaluation and control of mineral exploitation projects presented for approval. This document contain the environmental guidelines which must be met by all the mineral companies during and after exploitation. The Directive 019 also contain all the information required by the Quebec Ministry of Environment in order to fully analyse the environmental impacts caused by the mineral projects proposed to the Ministry for approval. The proposed modifications of the Directive 019 cover many new topics that were not addressed in prior editions, these include : water recirculation, groundwater protection, tailings management and post exploitation environmental controls.

Nov 1, 2002

By Robert B. Parsons

"The tax reform process marches on. The December 16, 1987 measures tabled by Finance Minister Michael Wilson represent one more step toward the objective of total reform of Canada's income and sales taxes. While the income tax changes are taking shape, much work still needs to be done on the sales tax side of the coin.IntroductionOn December 16, 1987 Finance Minister Michael Wilson tabled measures to implement the changes to Canada's income tax system that were proposed in the June 18, 1987 White Paper on Tax Reform. The measures were set out in a Notice of Ways and Means Motion; draft legislation relating to preferred shares, research and development expenditures; and draft regulations regarding capital cost allowance, certified films, flow-through shares, and the resource sector. The reaction of the government to the recommendations made by the Finance and Economic Affairs Committee Report on Tax Reform (the Blenkarn Committee), the Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce and through consultations with interested groups and organizations, business, labour and individual Canadians is set out in a booklet of supplementary information.The basic features of the reformed income tax system set out in the White Paper remain. However, a number of significant changes have been incorporated in the Notice of Ways and Means Motion and other material. The following comments address those area s where changes have been made to the original White Paper proposals."

Jan 1, 1988

By Wm Petruk

"The tungsten-bismuth-molybdenum deposit in southwestern New Brunswick occurs in greisenized and silicified tuffite * and feldspar porphyry in and adjacent to volcanic necks. The ore minerals occur as veins and veinlets and as disseminated grains in gangue. These minerals can be grouped into three assemblages. Assemblage 1 consists of oxides and phosphates of W, Ti, Fe, Nb, Sn, Ta and rare-earth elements, with the main minerals being deposited in the sequence wolframite, rutile, cassiterite. Assemblage 2 consists of arsenopyrite, molybdenite and bismuth, and assemblage 3 of sulphides with minor cassiterite and arsenopyrite. Sphalerite is the main sulphide mineral, but it contains minute inclusions of copper-tin- and indium-bearing minerals. Textural relations suggest that most of the elements can be recovered from this ore by conventional mineral beneficiation and extraction methods, but a variety of techniques must be employed. It is expected that the wolframite and molybdenite can be recovered satisfactorily, but poor recoveries are expected for bismuth and cassiterite. A sphalerite concentrate can be readily obtained by flotation, but it would contain a wide variety of elements. It is suggested that leaching be used to recover the bismuth and the elements in the sphalerite concentrate."

Jan 1, 1973

By Natasha A. Essar

Nevsun Resources Ltd. Bisha Mine Project is a gold and base metal development project in the Gash Barka region of west-central Eritrea. The project has the potential to be one of the largest industrial developments in the country, and Eritreans have no experience in modern mining. Nevsun recognized early that the success of the Bisha Project would require meaningful consultation and engagement with all levels of Eritrean society. Meaningful engagement required not only full disclosure, but also capacity building from government officials at all levels to other stakeholders who live in the nearby communities. This paper describes the approach used to develop capacity and to help introduce a modern mining culture in a country without previous experience in mining.

May 1, 2007

By Allan F. Lawrence

"I AM SURE you do not expect from me any learned dissertation on the problems and opportunities of the mining industry. Y our program committee must have recognized my limitations when issuing the invitation to speak to you, because they very thoughtfully left the subject wide open.With the leeway thus granted, I hope that you will bear with me for a few minutes while I try to clarify the impressions of the mining industry that I have gained in the very short time I have held the Mines portfolio and some of the parts that government bas or should have in furthering its development.As I see it, it is the duty of the Mines Department, as an arm of the provincial government, to balance the proprietary rights of all the people against the interests to whom the privilege of developing our resources are, in a s e n s e, leased. To strike a fair balance is not always easy, nor is it possible always to satisfy both sides. Still, under the free enterprise democratie form of government to which I think we al! subscribe, no better way of handling the problem has yet been discovered."

Jan 1, 1968

By Barbara H. Scott Smith

"During the last two decades lamproites have joined kimberlites as the only two known primary sources of economic quantities of diamonds. This paper contrasts the petrography, primary and xenocrystic mineralogy and pipe geology of these petrogenetically separate rock types. The petrographic discrimination of kimberlites and lamproites from each other, as well as other rock types found during diamond prospecting, is discussed. Kimberlites and lamproites can be classified texturally and mineralogically. Such classifications highlight the differences between, and among, lamproites and kimberlites. The implications of these differences for diamond exploration programs are discussed, with particular emphasis on the application of petrography. IntroductionKimberlite was the term coined in the late 19th century to describe the host rock of diamond at the type locality, Kimberley, South Africa (Lewis, 1887, 1888). Innumerable kimberlites are now known worldwide; some of them contain economic quantities of diamond (e.g. South Africa, Botswana and Russia) while many are barren. Jennings (1989) suggests that less than 3% of the known kimberlites can be considered to be commercial. Kimberlite was thought to be the only important primary source of diamond for approximately a century. Until the late 1970s, lamproites were thought to be only academic curiosities. Some workers (e.g. Wade and Prider, 1940), however, did comment on certain similarities between lamproites and kimberlites and, hence, inferred a potential for lamproites to carry diamonds.The term lamproite was introduced by Niggli (1923) for leucite-bearing rocks from southeast Spain and Wyoming which had some unusual geochemical characteristics. Wade and Prider (1940) used the term lamproite (as defined by Troger, 1935) to embrace rock types found in the West Kimberley area of Western Australia. All the lamproites described by Wade and Prider (1940) form distinct topographic features. Subsequently in the late 1970s, additional pipes, which have little or no relief, were discovered in the same area, but only as the result of a major diamond exploration program (Atkinson et al., 1984; Jaques et al., 1984, 1986). Some of these bodies are diamondiferous. In 1979, the Argyle pipe was discovered in the East Kimberley area which, in terms of grade, is the richest known primary diamond deposit in the world with some parts of the body having grades greater than 500 carats/100 tonnes (Madigan, 1983; Boxer et al., 1989). All the initial new discoveries in Western Australia resulted from classic stream sampling for ""kimberlite indicator minerals"" (Atkinson, 1989)."

Jan 1, 1992

By M. J. Beus

Many mines in Canada, the United States and South Africa are reaching the hoisting limit. Very little payload will be possible without compromising safety due to the excessive weight. It has been suggested (DeLorme, 2000) that one of the most attractive concepts to enable deeper hoisting is to reduce the allowable factor of safety in the wire rope. Researchers at the Spokane Research Lab are developing new technology to improve hoisting safety and productivity by providing new monitoring and analytical tools. A Shaft Conveyance Monitoring System (SCMS) has been developed which determines hoist rope end load, true conveyance position and acceleration, and rope safety factor, as well as other hoist operating parameters. This information is transmitted to the hoist operator display 20 times per second. Recent field measurements on 45 mm (13/4 in.) diameter hoist rope indicate that dynamic forces during loading of a 9000 kg (10 ton) skip could exceed the safety factor of the rope. To improve on the current understanding of the mechanical behaviour of hoist ropes, and to help interpret the results from field-testing of the SCMS, a new approach to computer modelling of stranded wire rope is also being developed. Particle Flow Code, PFC3D (Itasca, 1999), is used to simulate the structural behaviour of wire rope and the interaction between individual strands when the rope is subjected to static and dynamic end loading. Details of the SCMS, field results from the measured rope loads, and the results of numerical modelling on the wire rope will be discussed.

Jan 1, 2002

By V. S. Melamud, A. G. Bulaev

"Sulfide ore processing is characterized by significant losses of metals, for example, with flotation tailings. Therefore, flotation tailings can present an important source of metals. The treatment of flotation tailings is a technological issue due to low content of valuable metals (e.g. copper and zinc) and high iron content. The goal of the present work was to investigate extraction of base metals and gold from old flotation tailings containing 17% iron, 0.26% copper, 0.22% zinc, and 0.7 g/t gold. Chemical leaching in columns with 0.5 to 10% sulfuric acid solutions and bioleaching in air-lift percolators were used for the extraction of base metals. 1% H2SO4 provided high extraction of base metals and best selectivity. Recovery of copper and zinc reached 35% and 40%. Increasing H2SO4 concentration did not lead to significant increase in base metals extraction, but led to increased iron concentration in the pregnant solutions. The 1% H2SO4 leaching solid residues were used for further experiments. Acid leaching and bioleaching did not result in significant increase in base metals recovery. Leaching of the residue with 10% H2SO4 provided extraction of 4% copper and 20% zinc, and bioleaching for 100 days provided extraction of 16% copper and 12% zinc. The recovery of gold by cyanidation from the flotation tailings, the 1% H2SO4 leaching solid residue and residue of two-step acid leaching were 50, 49, and 65%, respectively. The results suggest that acid leaching can be effective approach for treatment of old flotation tailings.INTRODUCTIONAbout 80% of base metals (copper, nickel, zinc) are produced through pyrometallurgical treatment of sulfide ores. Mining and metallurgical treatments of sulfide ores are presently characterized by significant losses of non-ferrous and precious metals into the various wastes. For example, flotation of sulfidic ores yields formation sulfide flotation tailings. These wastes pose a problem not just because of their sheer volume, but some of them may affect local ecosystems. Nowadays, mining and metallurgical wastes can be considered as technogenical source of base metals."

Jan 1, 2016

By D. R. Jolley

"The selection of equipment for open-pit mining is an important decision which results in a considerable capital expenditure by the operator. The decision is complicated by the wide product range on the market. Certainly, equipment performance is an important criterion to consider in making the decision. Equally important, however, is the operating inter-relationship among the equipment. A poor balance increases production costs and waiting time as queues form at the bottlenecks. This inter-relationship is dependent on equipment performance, but it is also affected by management decisions (i.e. scheduling techniques).The purpose of this paper is to show how the computer is used to decide which equipment and operating decisions achieve the required production objectives at least cost. Actual mining of the pit is simulated over a period of time using different equipment and scheduling decisions. Production, waiting time and costs are evaluated for each alternative until the operator is satisfied that he has achieved the best result."

Jan 1, 1970

By C. E. Rodgers

WHEN I was asked to prepare, for presentation at the 1938 Annual Meeting of the Institute, some data concerning low-discharge grinding at the Sylvanite mill, it seemed entirely reasonable to expect to have at my disposal the results of at least four full months' operation after the last unit, as then proposed, was installed. Delays in delivery of equipment, nevertheless, shortened the interval, as will be shown herein. In submitting the data contained in this discussion, I wish distinctly to state that the intention is not to claim that final conclusions can be reached at this time concerning our operation. Test periods, in certain instances at least, have been too short for this purpose, although some, where so stated, have been extended through March and April. It is hoped, however, that an advantageous trend in practice can be shown and that the experience related may be of interest to others who are now operating, or who are considering the operation of, low-discharge grinding mills. In the plant under review, four mills are in use: one primary and three secondary. Present mill capacity (grinding, as shown by screen test, about 99 per cent through-200-mesh and approximately 88 to 89 per cent minus-325-mesh with infrasizer giving about 90 per cent of the latter) averages about 525 tons per day. A brief description of each unit will be given and comments will also be made relating to operation. This will be followed by certain test data from which, in conclusion, operating results are summarized.

Jan 1, 1938

By M. R. Campbell

"IntroductionON THE LAST DAY of December, 1951, a half-century of steel production was completed in the open hearth department of Dominion Iron & Steel, Limited, in Sydney, Nova Scotia.During that period, almost every known variation of basic steel making practice was used in working out a steel making process which would overcome the difficult metallurgical problems imposed by the use of Cape Breton coal and Wabana ore.This paper is presented as a brief review of these steel making practices, setting forth the fundamental metallurgical factors involved in their success or failure.Establishing the IndustryThe story of steel production at Sydney is closely interwoven with that of coal. The steel industry owes its inception to a desire on the part of the Dominion Coal Company, which was incorporated in 1893, to improve its marketing position by increasing sales of slack coal and providing a year-round demand for its product. Accordingly, the Dominion Iron and Steel Company, Limited, was incorporated on March 30th, 1899, with Mr. H. M. Whitney -who was President of the Dominion Coal Company -as its first President. The new Company was given powers to manufacture and process iron and steel, and to mine all minerals, including coal.A strong inducement to the industry was the bounty offered by the Dominion Government for the production of both iron and steel."

Jan 1, 1952

By Gordon W. Hines

This paper, dealing with network planning in an industrial complex, discusses the type and size of project that can be handled on a manual basis. After a review of the fundamentals of network planning, and specifically of the Critical Path Method, the author analyses several different types of projects, each with its own characteristics. Some can be handled in conjunction with a computer, but others can be dealt with equally well without one. Among the projects discussed are a blast furnace reline, the installation of a billet mill flying shear, and routine maintenance-type operations.

Jan 1, 1967

By P. B. Demarsh

"Location: - Mine village of Perron, 11 miles east of Val d’Or in northwestern Quebec.Life; - Started production 1932, ceased 1951.Ore: - Flat lying quartz tourmaline veins within granodiorite. Gold values related to coarse segregations of pyrite. Specific gravity 2. 80.Capacity: - 30 tons 1932-35; 125 tons 1935-37; 350 tons 1937-51.Assay: - Heads 0.21 to 0.34 oz. per ton. Grade obtained by mining 600 tons daily, sorting belt reject 250 tons, balance to milling; tailings loss 0.003 to 0.005 oz. per ton; extraction 9 8. 5%.Grind: - 70% minus 200 mesh. Detention time 26 hours.Treatment: - Cyanidation process.Reagents: - Per ton, aero cyanide (NaCn) 0.36; unslaked lump lime 1.50; zinc 0. 03; lead acetate 0. 006; steel consumption 2. 50.Water: - Equal mixture of swamp creek water and underground seepage.Cost: - Per ton, sorting and crushing 0.21; grinding 0.31; cyanidation 0.11; filtration 0.05; precipitation 0.02; miscellaneous 0.22; total 0.92.Power: - Hydro-electric, 25 cycle, 12, 000 volts reduced to 550 volts.Labour: - 95% Maritime and European, balance Quebec and Ontario.Tailings: - Absorbed over large swampy area on barren mining claims.Personnel: - 1 7 men including supervision.Flow sheet: - Canadian Mining Manual 1947"

Jan 1, 1966

By U. Dillon, G. Blackwell

"Geographic information systems (GIS) provide an efficient means for the recording, manipulation, revision, display and analysis of spatially referenced data. GIS are widely used at the exploration stage of mine development, and are increasingly used for reclamation planning. The ability of a GIS to perform spatial searches and query spatially referenced data make it a powerful tool for use at all stages of mine development. As the amount of data available for analysis increases, so does the power and flexibility of GIS as a planning tool.Starting from the exploration database, this paper describes how a GIS can be used for the development of mining plans based on topography, geology and mineralization information stored in a relational database. Planning decisions approaching the optimal can then be made for a wide range of parameters, including stockpile and waste dump locations, the location of potentially acid generating and neutralizing material for dump design, profitable and risk-controlled mine extraction sequencing, and haul road locations. This is made possible by the overlay and buffer analysis capabilities of a GIS which are explored and exploited to produce a continuous mine production planning program, as well as site remediation and reclamation using a successful case study. IntroductionGeographic information systems (GIS) are a relatively new tool in the mining industry. Although they have existed for a number of years, the potential of GIS for mine management and planning is only beginning to be investigated and exploited. The unique spatial capabilities of GIS make them particularly wellsuited for use in mining, where spatial information is fundamental to the processes of mineral exploration, mine development, and environmental reclamation. A number of potential applications for GIS in the mining industry have been identified, and they are widely used for exploration and reclamation. The use of a GIS as a platform for the development of mine planning routines and software remains an interesting, but as of yet unexplored, application of this technology."

Jan 1, 2003

By M. L. Jeremic

Altered and unaltered coal from the Star-Key Mine near Edmonton, Alberta has been tested under compression and under tension. The test results showed that altered coal samples have an appreciably lower strength than unaltered coal. Altered coal samples do not give a linear load-displacement curve, peak strengths are poorly defined and yielding is observed over a range of loads, so the material can be regarded as relatively plastic. However, unaltered coal samples produce a linear loading curve with a high tangential modulus and an easily distinguished peak strength at which there is a sudden brittle failure. These findings lead to important differences in the theoretical design of ribs and pillars in underground mines in the two coal types. The substantial differences in the strength properties and behaviour of the two types of coal are governed by a higher intensity of cracks in the weathered coal. Two causes of the additional cracking can be suggested-subaerial weathering and subterranean weathering of the coal.

Jan 1, 1979

By F. Daniel Rosenkranz, Peter L. Silveston

Experiments investigating the treatment of a ground wood white water waste from an Ontario pulp and paper mill by an HVCB coal are reported. Adsorption capacity for the waste, with a soluble COD contribution of 2,100 mg/I, amounted to 0.17 per cent, by weight, of the Nova Scotia coal used. Percolation of the white water waste through a coal bed indicated that soluble COD is removed. For finely ground coals, over 90 per cent of the suspended solids in the waste are retained on the coal. Plugging of the coal bed is rapid, so that any treating process using filtration would have to renew the surface of the bed frequently.

Jan 1, 1970