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By L. A. Melis, K. S. Fraser

"This paper describes the development of a milling circuit for the complex Midwest orebody, containing a high-arsenic uranium ore typical of that found in northern Saskatchewan. The results of preliminary bench-scale test work are summarized. Data from a pilot-plant program carried out at the Ontario Research Foundation are provided for the selected mill flowsheet. Also described are waste circuits which have been established to produce effluents of acceptable quality. Pilot-plant testing of sub-aerial tailings deposition is also described. The applicability of manufacturers' equipment for the various circuits in the flowsheet is discussed.IntroductionThe Midwest uranium deposit is in northern Saskatchewan, 700 km north of Saskatoon, near the eastern edge of the Athabasca BasinDevelopment work on the project is directed by Canada Wide Mines Ltd., a subsidiary of Esso Resources Canada Limited. Participants in the project are Esso Resources Canada Limited, Numac Oil and Gas Ltd., Bow Valley Industries Ltd ., Mink Mining Corporation and Midwest Mining Corporation.The deposit consists of a series of flat lenses of massive ore overlain by a halo of lower-grade sandstone ore. The massive ore is formed of pitchblende and nickel arsenides, along with clay, and averages about 10% U and 9% Ni, The principal minerals are pitchblende (UO2-UO3), coffinite (U(SiO4)1-x(OH)4x), gersdorffite (NiAsS), niccolite (NiAs) and rammelsbergite (NiAs2). The sandstone ore, a friable clay-rich sandstone with sooty pitchblende, averages about 0.4% U and 0.6% Ni. Typical expected mill feed analyses are given in Table I.A bench-scale development program ore was carried out during the period from August 1978 to May 1981 in the laboratories of Lakefield Research of Canada Ltd. (Lakefield), (Lakefield, Ontario), the Colorado School of Mines Research Institute (CSMRI), (Golden, Colorado) and, to a lesser extent, the Ontario Research Foundation (ORF), (Mississauga, Ontario) and the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC), (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan). Direction of the development studies was shared by Canada Wide Mines Ltd. and its metallurgical consultants, A.H. Ross and Associates. Input was received from Envirotech, Enviroclear, Interox America, and Knight and Piesold Ltd."

Jan 1, 1983

By Andrew Cormier

"The Early YearsThe Grand Lake coal fields in New Brunswick undoubtedly can claim the distinction of being the first part of North America from which coal was mined and exported. The diaries of the Governor of Massachusetts during the first half of the 17th century clearly establish this fact. There is also a reference in the Massachusetts Colonial Records which indicate that coal exports to New England were carried on as early as 1639.It has generally been believed that Cape Breton mined and exported the first coal; but no account has yet been found to show that this took place earlier than 1676. Both at Grand Lake and Cape Breton the coal was near the surface and removed by hand.When the country passed entirely into British control, Joseph Garrison, a grantee of Maugerville in 1765 moved to Jemseg. While surveying the north side of Grand Lake he discovered outcroppings of coal on the shore of the lake and further inland along the banks of streams. It was he who named Newcastle Creek in reference to Newcastle in England, which was widely known for its coal mines. Joseph Garrison died in 1783, the same year that an influx of United Empire Loyalists increased settlement in Newcastle Creek in the area now known as Minto. Many Loyalists also settled on the shores on both sides of Grand Lake.At a number of points where streams cut channels through the overlying strata, the coal seams were exposed and it was at such outcroppings that the early operations were carried on. A tunnel was driven in the seam from the foot of the bank, affording both an outlet for the coal and natural drainage from the workings. The coal was loaded into boxes and wheeled over wooden tracks to a point on the surface where it could be dumped into wagons and hauled either direct to destination or to where it could be loaded into boats and conveyed via Grand Lake, Jemseg and Saint John river to points of distribution.In the latter part of the 18th century and first years of the 19th century, farmers were undisturbed by mining the coal found on their lands. This was soon to change and resulted in many years of contention between landowners and the Legislative Assembly.New Brunswick became a separate province from Nova Scotia in 1784 and the seat of government moved from Saint John to Fredericton in 1788. The new province had its first priorities; the establishment of counties, the building of roads, and the development of its natural resources. From 1805, records of coal and land development are fairly complete. These records show the increasing interest of the Province in developing the coal fields. This interest resulted in the granting of coal leases to many friends of the government, without any regard for the wishes of the farmers who owned and had occupied the land for many years. The farmers fought back with lawsuits and other forms of dissension but with little success. By the end of the 19th century there were very few farm operators left in the area."

Jan 1, 1992

By R. Frank Chiappetta, E. B. Wilson

"The maintenance records for AL-60 airlegs at Falconbridge Ltd. are used to demonstrate some of the procedures for the analysis of such data.The data are not representative of pure failure s of one type or another. In fact, the records are for the undefined pseudo-failures which are usually found in industrial operations. However, because the machines are brought to the shop only when inoperative, the individual recorded components are treated as failures. Manual calculations are conducted to show the analysis of variance (ANO VA) approach to determine whether certain data can be combined; only a limited number of the 206 machines being considered. The manual procedures continue with the weighting of the suspensions; i.e. terminations f or reasons other than the failure of the given component. After the data are sequenced in the proper order, the nature or pattern of the data is determined using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) test.It is recognized that these manual examples must be replaced by compute r methods 10 process voluminous data of this nature. Such programs are developed and available. However, a program called RELCODE is used in this case to correspond to the manual examples and to take into account the suspensions. These analytical procedures form the basis for those studies required for good maintenance management."

Jan 1, 1985

By G. Shen, W. R. Tyson

In most fracture toughness test standards, such as ASTM E 1290 and BS 7448, crack-tip opening displacement (CTOD) is measured by using three-point bend (SE(B)) or compact (C(T)) samples with deep cracks. The loading mode and crack depth in these tests sometimes are different from that of pipelines. Pipelines usually have shallow defects and experience tensile loading when the supporting ground moves. As a result, the CTOD measured by these samples is lower than that of pipeline in tension. Recent researches suggest using single-edge-notch tension (SE(T)) samples to measure fracture toughness for pipelines. In the present study, shallow and deep SE(T) samples under fixed grip loading were analyzed by using the finite element technique. An equation to relate the CTOD to the area of the load/plastic crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD) is proposed. With this equation, the CTOD of a SE(T) sample can be evaluated by measuring the area under the load/plastic CMOD curve of a SE(T) sample.

Jan 1, 2005

By Friedrich Benthaus

"The natural and man-made realities on either side of the Atlantic are different. Therefore, a large part of the other side' s knowledge and experience cannot be transferred easily. In the following, the author will attempt to describe some of those developments in the German hard coal industry which may be of particular interest to readers on this side of the Atlantic.The area of the Federal Republic is quite small, especially if compared with a country as large as Canada. On a territory the size of the maritime provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Germany holds coal reserves roughly corresponding to the total Canadian reserves. More than 20 billion tons of hard coal down to a depth of 1500 m, and more than 30 billion ton s of brown coal of lignite are technically and economically extractable acording to current technology.However, not only are Germany's coal resources more concentrated; the country is also densely populated, and there are dense networks of railroads and highways All components of the so-called infra-structure are available everywhere, be it electricity, any machinery or personnel. Public opinion is likely in favour of an increased utilization of coal.The coal industry is well developed through a long evolution covering centuries. As a consequence, there is an effective and intensive cooperation of numerous bodies and institutions concerned with coal mining, from government agencies including the inspectorate to suppliers, trade union s, producing companies, to jointly operated management and research organizations. In the Federal Republic, hard coal is mined in deep mines only, and lignite in general, only from open-cast pits. There is a complete organizational and geographic separation of hard and brown coal in Germany. Because the Federal Republic holds only insignificant mineral oil and very little natural gas deposits, coal is essentially the only and consequently the most valuable source of energy."

Jan 1, 1984

By Lionel Roberge, Borge J. G. Fredriksson

"Late in 1981, a six-rope friction hoist was installed in the Number 2 shaft at Les Mines Seleine Inc. on the Madeleine Islands in Quebec. This paper deals with the reasoning behind the selection of hoisting equipment from the economical point of view, safety point of view, future needs point of view, etc.After establishing the basic parameters for the hoisting system, features of the most common types of hoists (i.e. single-drum hoist, double-drum hoist, Koepe hoist) are briefly laid out. The reasons for selecting a friction (Koepe) hoist are summarized. However, why go for a six-rope hoist rather than the (in North America) more common four-rope hoist? As the subject hoist is the first six-rope hoist in Canada, this question is studied in more detail, covering initial cost, maintenance cost, etc., as well as practical aspects, such as safety, physical dimensions, etc.In summary, experiences from other multi-rope hoist installations world-wide are presented.BackgroundIn 1980, Seleine Mines Inc. was established as a subsidiary of SOQUEM. The new mining company was to develop and operate a salt mine and associated harbour on the Madeleine Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The Madeleine Islands form part of the Province of Quebec. The mine has a planned annual output of 1.2 million metric tonnes of salt, with reserves in sight for over 20 years. Mining will be by room and pillar, with an underground primary crusher and treatment plant. From the underground treatment plant, the salt will be transferred via conveyors to a 5.5-metre-diameter circular shaft and hoisted to the surface. Surface transportation to the warehouse will again be via conveyor, and a conveyor will also transport the salt from the warehouse to the point of shiploading."

Jan 1, 1983

By L. A. Homeniuk, R. Bonnar

"The Fond-du-Lac uranium deposit is located on the northern rim of the Athabasca Basin. The uranium mineralization is, for the most part, confined to the Athabasca Group, which is underlain by pre-Helikian metamorphic rocks of the Western Craton.The deposit is characterized by a remarkable train of mineralized glacial erratics which led to the original discovery. The mineralization is present as a ""high-grade"" core and a diffuse ""low-grade"" aureole. The ""high-grade"" core occurs as a stockwork of steeply dipping pitchblende veins which strike N 50°E. Hematite, siderite and secondary silicate are also abundant. The ""low-grade"" aureole contains uraniferous goethite, argillaceous material and rare carbon buttons. Recent alteration to coffinite has taken place along the margins of pre-existing ore minerals.The ""high-grade"" core is 390 m long and 10 to 40 m wide, and is surrounded by an irregularly shaped zone of ""low-grade"" mineralization with a similar length and a width of up to 350 m.Comparing the Fond-du-Lac deposit to other unconformity-type deposits, several important differences can be noted:1. Ninety per cent of the ore is above the unconformity, in the Athabasca sandstone.2. The deposit is not associated with underlying graphitic rocks or a major structure.3. The clay-rich alteration zone is not extensive around the Fond-du-Lac deposit.Although there are differences with other Athabasca unconformity-type deposits, the high-grade portion below the unconformity suggests a common origin.The ore deposit is postulated to have been formed from uranium-bearing solutions which entered the stockwork of fractures. Following the reduction in part of these solutions by pre-existing carbonaceous matter and pyrite and/or chemical reaction with pre-existing hematite, deposition continued as a result of decreasing temperature and pressure. Subsequently, minor supergene redistribution of the uranium has taken place."

Jan 1, 1982

By W. B. Morrey

"In recent years, the major effort in detonator development has been concentrated on ""non-electric"" systems. Existing types all involve some form of explosive reaction to transfer ignition energy from outside the borehole to the pyrotechnic delay element contained within the detonator. These may be based on low-energy detonating cords having grained or plasticized explosive cores, shock tube energy transmission principals and explosive gas ignition systems. Each has properties of internal and external effects not present in electric conductors.The MAGNADET System introduces transformer coupling into electric blasting circuits. Safety features with respect to current leakage, stray currents of AC or DC source, electrostatic energy and radio-frequency radiation are comparable to ""non-electric"" systems, with advantages in simplicity, speed of hook-up and range of application.The transformer device used is a small ferrite ring or toroid which is an integral part of each specialized detonator. The detonator legwires form the secondary side of the transformer winding. The primary side is a single wire loop common to all units within the circuit. Power is supplied from a frequency-tuned portable exploder with unique circuit-sensing features.The MAGNADET System is expected to have particular application to shaft sinking, raising and tunnelling where the protective features as well as speed and efficiency are critical factors. Applications of the 'MAGNA' booster in quarries, open pits and longhole deck charges offer control over vibration problems and elimination of surface noise.IntroductionFor many years, electric detonators and electric blasting systems dominated surface and underground applications where controlled delay times were required. Control over the instant of detonation by blasting machines or power-line switches is the major safety feature.Electrical energy exists in many forms. It may originate from many sources. Electrical energy can be difficult to contain. It may enter or escape through a variety of conductive paths. It may fluctuate, concentrate or dissipate to pose a most elusive potential hazard."

Jan 1, 1982

By Robert B. Parsons

"A study recently completed by the Prospectors and Developers Association, assisted by the author and computerized mine models he developed, presents a strong case that present tax rules severely handicap the junior exploration company relative to the established producer. This month, Tax Notes briefly summarizes the highlights of the study and some of the Association's ideas which came out of the study.IntroductionIn the case of any industry, a particular project or investment will generally generate a more attractive after-tax rate of return to a tax paying entity than to a non-tax paying entity: the ability to shelter current taxable income with tax deductions related to the project or investment can present a definite advantage as compared to shielding taxable income in the future with the same deductions. But, this advantage is probably seen nowhere more clearly than in the mining industry where the tax rules allow for substantial up-front write-off's. Studies show that the junior mining company which is earning no taxable income currently can be seriously disadvantaged, compared to the mining company which is currently generating taxable profit and paying taxes. This is particularly disturbing when one considers the importance of the junior segment of the mining industry. One might well ask where the equity is, in a tax system which causes the junior company to look at a deposit and see rock in the ground, when at the same time the deposit represents a viable mine to an operating company. This inequity and the importance of the junior mining company have been recognized to some extent in the income tax legislation. In recent years, the expansion of the rules for deducting certain earned depletion allowances against any source of income, and changes to improve the flow-through share rules, have gone part way in helping to put the junior on a more equal footing with the operating company. But it is questionable whether or not these helpful changes to the tax rules have done enough to alleviate the apparent inequities in the income tax legislation."

Jan 1, 1985

By Robert J-M Ethier

"Sequential blasting has been introduced at Mines Gaspe to reduce the harmful effects associated with the instantaneously primed blasting method. Three stages of modifications had been tried to improve this method: trials of a rectangular pattern instead of the square one, trials of lengthened hole collars at the perimeter of the blast and trials of increased inter-row delay intervals from 35 to 50 ms. Results showed that improvements to the instantaneously primed blasting method were limited by the probability of increasing the number of bootlegs.Doing these modifications allowed the definition of a general approach to improvements before the sequential blasting method was introduced. This general approach included: planning of the mining sequence, following up on the drilling, loading and tying-in of each blast, compiling and evaluating blast results, comparing results from one bench to the other and moving along with one change at a time. This approach has permitted the successful introduction of the sequential blasting method in two steps: trials of blast by rows of delayed holes and trials of hole-by-hole blasts. The optimum result has been analyzed by high-speed camera and by computer blast simulations, The actual optimum sequential blast is obtained with a CORDLINE priming system using period 15, permitted in a large drilling pattern, with an intersequences delay interval of 230 ms and an inner-sequences delay interval of 50 ms.While these modifications were being introduced, a careful study of the drilling and blasting costs was made, which showed a sharp reduction of drilling cost per tonne. Even though there was an increased use of packaged slurry the blasting cost per tonne also dropped. The reduction in cost per tonne was explained by the fact that the average energy factor was maintained while the blasting pattern was expanded.The sequential blasting method, successfully introduced at Mines Gaspe, permits blasts of better quality, reduces the drilling requirements by more than 30% and helps to achieve improved productivity while minimizing costs."

Jan 1, 1984

By P. Farsangi, A. Hara

"Kidd Creek Mines places approximately 10 000 tonnes of consolidated rockfill on a daily basis. Consolidated rockfill is comprised of sized aggregate mixed with different ratio and amounts of binders. Consolidated rockfill, with closely controlled specification, is employed for subsequent pillar recovery and improved passive active/ ground support. With the same amount of cementing agents consolidated rockfill mass yields a higher, compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, cohesion, and angle of friction compared to a typical cemented hydraulic fill mass.The consolidated rockfill at Kidd Creek Mines is designed to sustain not only the gravitational loading of the overlaying fill material, but also to some extent the dynamic loading applied during blasting of the adjacent stopes and/or pillars.The quality control of materials used in Kidd Creek's rockfill system could be effected in three stages of handling: (1) at the surface backfill plant; (2) during transportation; and (3) placement of the fill.The emphasis in this paper is placed on individual stope backfill design and quality control measures at Kidd Creek Mines to place fill in large-scale open stopes which eventually could be exposed on all four walls during pillar recoveries."

Jan 1, 1993

By M. P. Du Plessis

"The paper discusses coal research in relation to the special needs of Western Canada, with its large resources of lignite and subbituminous coals. Research programs are presented under the following headings: Coal Liquefaction, Pyrolysis, Fluidized-Bed Technology, Underground Coal Gasification and Supporting Investigations. Typical processes are presented and their relevance to Canadian coals is described. The longterm plan of the Alberta Research Council for coal research and the steps taken for its implementation are discussed. Finally, some innovative concepts arising from basic research in coal chemistry are discussed.Canada's Coal ResourcesCanada is richly endowed with coal reserves. With estimated ultimate reserves of 600 billion tons in O.76-m (2.5-ft) thick seams under less than 762 m (2500 ft) of overburden, Canada rank s fourth after the USSR, the USA and Chinatu (see Table I) . Canada's reserves are incompletely explored and estimates are constantly being upgraded. Preliminary information from deeper test-hole logs suggest that similar , if not larger, tonnages occur at depths greater than 762 m (2500 ft).The types of Canadian coals and their regional Distribution(2) is shown in Figure 2. Alberta's subbituminous Plains coal represents about 70% of estimated national reserves. A large portion of the coal can be mined at relatively low cost by surface mining techniques, and it is currently being used exclusively for power generation in conventional thermal plants. This coal, however , also represents a large potential .source of liquid fuels which could equal or exceed that of oilsands and heavy oil. Table 3 compares Federal Government estimates for resources and reserves of fossil fuels in Canada and their recoverable oil content or equivalent.A conservation estimate of only the reserves of thermal coal represents an oil equivalent of 27.6 billion barrels , which equals the recoverable reserves of oil-sand bitumen and heavy oil. A more realistic estimate is probably several times this amount. Although coal can be converted to many other end products, such as fuel gas and synthesis gas for hydrogen and ammonia production, liquid fuels remain the most desirable product mainly because they can be transported more cheaply over long distances and their high energy density makes them uniquely suitable as fuels for transport and agriculture."

Jan 1, 1981

By John Smith

"The RTZ Corporation PLCFrom a company's point-of-view, a good investment decision is one which results in the purchase of an asset that is worth more than it costs. Thus, in order to judge the merit of an investment opportunity, it is necessary to estimate the value of the assets to be acquired.Discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis has become widely adopted by companies in assessing potential new investments. The principle is a simple one: invest in projects which have a positive net present value, and reject those which do not. However, perhaps because of its apparent simplicity, DCF analysis is frequently misused. Good practice in the use of the technique is discussed, together with several common misconceptions.Sound analysis requires sound data; thus, the valuation process relies heavily upon a wide range of specialists to provide the basic input from which cash flow forecasts can be built up. The analyst must maintain close liaison with these specialists from the outset in order to ensure that the data provided is indeed relevant and complete.IntroductionBefore turning to the main subject of this paper ""How Companies Value Properties"", it is of interest to consider first a slightly different question ""Why do Companies value Properties""? In other words, for what purposes are such valuations prepared? Certainly the commonest, and probably the most important circumstance in which a valuation is required is when the company is considering an investment opportunity. This may be the direct purchase of a property or group of properties from a third party, but could also be the opportunity to develop a new operation or expand an existing one.A very simple objective in making any kind of investment is to make our shareholders richer than they would otherwise have been. That is, to make investments whose value to shareholders exceeds the consideration required to acquire them. Thus the investment decision focusses on the difference between an asset's value and its cost.This distinction between ""value"" and ""cost"" is an important one. Study of a company's balance sheet may tell a lot about the cost of this company's assets, but very little about their value. Then again, it is sometimes argued that a business should be bought because this will result in assets being acquired for less than their replacement cost. This merely compares one cost with another, it says nothing about value."

Jan 1, 1991

By L. A. Homeniuk, R. Bonnar

"The Fond-du-Lac uranium deposit is located on the northern rim of the Athabasca Basin. The uranium mineralization is, for the most part, confined to the Athabasca Group, which is underlain by pre-Helikian metamorphic rocks of the Western Craton.The deposit is characterized by a remarkable train of mineralized glacial erratics which led to the original discovery. The mineralization is present as a ""high-grade"" core and a diffuse ""low-grade"" aureole. The ""high-grade"" core occurs as a stockwork of steeply dipping pitchblende veins which strike N 50°E. Hematite, siderite and secondary silicate are also abundant. The ""low-grade"" aureole contains uraniferous goethite, argillaceous material and rare carbon buttons. Recent alteration to coffinite has taken place along the margins of pre-existing ore minerals.The ""high-grade"" core is 390 m long and 10 to 40 m wide, and is surrounded by an irregularly shaped zone of ""low-grade"" mineralization with a similar length and a width of up to 350 m.Comparing the Fond-du-Lac deposit to other unconformity-type deposits, several important differences can be noted:1. Ninety per cent of the ore is above the unconformity, in the Athabasca sandstone.2. The deposit is not associated with underlying graphitic rocks or a major structure.3. The clay-rich alteration zone is not extensive around the Fond-du-Lac deposit.Although there are differences with other Athabasca unconformity-type deposits, the high-grade portion below the unconformity suggests a common origin.The ore deposit is postulated to have been formed from uranium-bearing solutions which entered the stockwork of fractures. Following the reduction in part of these solutions by pre-existing carbonaceous matter and pyrite and/or chemical reaction with pre-existing hematite, deposition continued as a result of decreasing temperature and pressure. Subsequently, minor supergene redistribution of the uranium has taken place."

Jan 1, 1982

By Victor Rudenno

"Previous methods have employed statistical analysis to model future mineral resources. The method presented in this paper uses Zipj's Law to determine the size and grade of tin deposits still to be discovered. The law is applied independently to both known deposit tonnage and grades. A probability distribution for both 'tonnage and grade is computed/or those deposits still to be located and then, by applying a correlation between tonnage and grade, a distribution of the probability of metal content discovery is obtained.By considering an economic cut-off in metal contained in a deposit, the probability of economic success for the next tin discovery is computed, both for a world discovery and for the special case of Tasmania, Australia. The results indicate a probability of 11-37% on a world-wide basis and 18% chance of economic success in Tasmania.IntroductionIn the past , most attempts to determine the probability of success in finding an economic mineral deposit have relied on the accumulation of statistical data. These data are then used to predict a suitable frequency distribution to assess the probability of finding a deposit of a given size and grade (Singer,1975).The method not only relies on one having sufficient data, but also on the assumption that the data are not biased and that the distribution (usually log-normal) is a correct one. The method presented in this paper, to analyze tin deposits, uses Zipf's Law, which has been recently applied to oil, uranium, lead-zinc and gold deposits by Folinsbee (1977) and to Western Australian gold deposits by Rowlands and Sampey (1977). Tapp and Koniuszko (1978) have applied Zipf's Law to mineral distribution patterns in the Northern Australian orogenic provinces, which has enabled them to make predictions with a relatively small data source."

Jan 1, 1981

By Antonio Fontana

"Environmental problems encountered with the use of diesel equipment in underground mining operations are discussed. The concept and procedure o implementing the Health Effects Index equation as a means of quantitatively assessing an underground working environment is outlined and sample calculations are present ed. Advantages and disadvantages of utilizing this method are also discussed.IntroductionWith the introduction of diesel-powered mining equipment in the 1960s there arose several question s for the environmental engineer to consider. These included: 1. What are the constituents of diesel exhaust and how can they be detected and evaluated?2. What are the toxicities and long-term health effects of these constituents?3. What is the ventilating volume required to maintain the concentration of these constituents below toxic levels?Diesel engines are a class of reciprocating, internal combustion engines in which relatively high compression ratios are used to generate high air-charge temperatures, which cause ignition of fuel to occur spontaneously. Ideally, perfect combustion of the fuel would produce an exhaust consisting solely of nitrogen (N2), water (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2). However, because no combustion process is perfect, relatively small quantities of imperfect-combustion products, or pollutants, are also generated. These include hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon (C) or soot, and sulphur dioxide (SO2).Currently, the Regulations for Mines and Mining Plants, made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Section 176), stipulate that weekly tests shall be made to determine the carbon monoxide (CO) concentration in the undiluted exhaust and at the operator's position, and the nitrogent dioxide (NO2) concentration at the operator's position. Also, the aldehyde (as HCHO) concentration in the atmosphere, at the operator's position, is to be measured at least every three months. Threshold limit values (TLVs) have been established for each of the three combustion products, and each is regarded as a separate entity. Consequently, this does not allow for consideration of interactions and possible synergistic effects between the various exhaust components."

Jan 1, 1982

By G. R. Heffernan

"In the early 1970ssteelmakers worldwide were looking forward to many years of expansion and profitability. Huge government investments in Europe, the United Kingdom, Japan, Brazil, and Venezuela were committed in anticipation of growing market s based on long-term OECD forecasts. In 1973 the first OPEC oil shock occurred. Steel demand shrank. Restructuring became the buzz word of the day as billions of dollars in taxpayers' money was poured into eliminating excess capacity and labour. In the United States, where government help was not available, inefficient companies went bankrupt; capacity was cut to 100 million tons from 155 million tons. The industry throughout the industrialized world shrank. By 1979the world economy seemed back on track and a modest degree of optimism could be detected in the international steel fraternity. Then came the second oil shock. By 1982 the industry was in the midst of another shakeout. More bankruptcies, more rationalization, and fewer jobs resulted. In Canada some well-known companies came close to the brink as low prices and high interest rates took their toll. In the light of the turmoil in the steel market over the past 20 years an attempt to forecast the trends through to 2001 is intimidating.However, there are good reasons to be optimistic today about both markets and technology.An economic super power is emerging in western Europe as 1992 draws near. The creation of a single market of 320 million well educated and economically ambitious people has major positive implications for steel demand. The mega projects of the channel tunnel, a European network of high speed railways, and the London docklands are the forerunners of greater things. Still to come is another $200 to $300 billion by the year 2001 in identifiable major projects for highways, railways, airports, water and sewage systems. Add to that the demands of an increasingly affluent population for automobiles, appliances and housing. On top of all that place large increasing demands for electric power and you have a potential beyond anything seen during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1988 the EEC steel industry operated at 90% and in 1989 at 92% of effective capacity. A surge in spot prices indicated that 92% was close to the ceiling. This pace moderated in early 1990 but any slack will probably be taken up rather quickly."

Jan 1, 1990

By K. Sun, S. A. Argyropoulos

The assimilation and the exothermic behavior of Zn-Zr metallic powder compacts into molten aluminum was studied by measuring simultaneously the temperatures inside at the centerline of the compact, at its surface, and inside the molten aluminum bath, as well as the net downward force acting on the compact. In addition, the exothermic behavior of these compacts was also investigated in an argon protected atmosphere. The temperature rise inside the compact increases significantly with the mass ratio of zirconium in the compact and to a lesser degree with the aluminum bath temperature. Experimental results on the recovery of these compacts in molten aluminum will also be presented.

Jan 1, 2008

By T. D. Traubert, J. T. Dietz, D. Catena

"Canadian process industry experts have often observed the strong trend for U.S. industrial safety and environmental laws to creep across the border. These experts will be interested in new United States (OSHA) regulations (29 CFR 1910.119), and anticipated new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations that will require over 28 000 U.S. refineries and chemical plants employing more than three million workers, to begin a comprehensive Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) of these complex plants immediately. Impending EPA regulations are expected to expand these efforts and add process Hazard Frequency and process Hazard Consequence reviews for many additional industrial locations.These regulations were created to reduce catastrophic industrial accidents, and emergency releases of hazardous chemicals which endanger employees, the public, and the environment.Accurate, and field verified Piping and Instrument Diagrams (P&IDs) are essential to permit a meaningful Process Hazard Analysis or emission release to be done. Today accurate P&IDs often do not exist. Many companies that have started to update their old P&IDs have found the process to be far more difficult, time-consuming,and expensive than they ever thought.This paper describes a new technique of computer drawn ""Intelligent"" P&IDs that can make a Process Hazard Analysis less expensive, more accurate, easier to perform, and provides lasting benefits to the plant owner long after the PHA has been completed."

Jan 1, 1993

By J. W. Hendry

"This paper will discuss the application of tools and the evolution of computer-assisted procedures in the production planning process at Quintett e Coal Limited (QCL). In 1986, QCL produced 5.3 Mt of clean coal from their surface mining operation located in north eastern British Columbia. The structural complexity of the sedimentary deposit and high rate of mining necessitate the consideration of large amounts of geological information which continually updates the interpretation. There are multiple unit operations required during the process of mining through a given multi-seam sequence, which results in many interdependent faces, and multiple iterations of scheduling sequences in order to satisfy a given set of objectives. In order to facilitate these activities in a timely fashion, it was recognized that a computer systems' capability needed to be developed which could increase the efficiency of information input, manipulation and output. IntroductionQuintette Coal Limited (QCL) has been operating a large metallurgical open pit coal mine in northeastern British Columbia, since 1982. The mine produced 5.3 Mt of clean coal in 1986 for export to Japan. Throughout the start-up period and the subsequent build -up of production levels, it became evident that the primary producing area was comprised of extremely complex faulted structures. This has resulted in development and modification of specialized mining methods employed to effectively recover the resource. Similarly, the planning and engineering techniques employed have been evolved over the same period of time. The implementation of computerized methods has been one of the major developments in this process, including geology interpretation, modelling, reserve definition, quantification, production planning and scheduling, and graphical plan presentation. These capabilities have been employed, in various forms, for project scale feasibility work and long range planning for some time, however, the use of computer tools for short-term, detailed production planning of a complex mining environment presents a different set of problems. It is hoped that a presentation of the current state of evolution and future plan s for development will be of interest to organizations considering implementation of a similar system."

Jan 1, 1988