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By Engin Burak Anil

Objective, accurate, and fast assessment of damage to buildings after an earthquake is crucial for timely remediation of material losses and safety of occupants of buildings. Laser scanners are promising sensors for collecting geometrical data regarding the damaged states of buildings, as they are able to provide high coverage and accuracy at long ranges. Yet, we have limited knowledge on the performance of laser scanners for detecting earthquake damage, and requirements of such data collection. This paper focuses on characterizing the performance of laser scanners for detecting thin cracks for damage assessment of reinforced concrete frames. We identified a series of crack parameters based on the state-of-the-art damage assessment codes and standards. Similarly, we identified parameters, which affect the performance of laser scanners for detecting cracks, based on prior research in this area. We studied the width, depth, and orientation of cracks; sampling interval of the scanner, and the range of the laser beam from the surface. Effects of these parameters on the detection of the minimum crack size were determined in an experimental setting. An automated algorithm was used to analyze the data. The results show that it is possible to detect as small as ~1mm cracks.

Aug 1, 2013

By K. Robertson, K. A. Scalise, K. C. Kocsis, M. B. Teixeira

"Many deep and highly mechanized underground metal mines require cooling. In many cases, appropriate working conditions might be fulfilled by ventilation alone, but some require the implementation of cooling systems. The most common cooling systems are bulk air cooling and localized cooling. These systems are effective, but they use considerable amounts of electricity. Ground source heat pumps (GSHP) can supplement existing cooling and heating systems, while geothermal systems can cool the mines in their entirety if there are significant sources of geothermal energy are present. A major advantage of geothermal and GSHP systems are their renewability, which reduces the carbon footprint of the mine.INTRODUCTIONThe western United States has abundant alternative energy sources including a high potential for geothermal energy. Geothermal utilization is a viable energy alternative that many areas throughout the world have access to because high geothermal potentials are located near areas of volcanic activity such as along plate boundaries, mid-oceanic ridges, rift valleys and hot spots (IRENA, 2017). There is significant potential to use geothermal energy for many applications. With constantly evolving and innovative technologies being developed, an increasing number of geothermal applications are becoming feasible. The western United States is an ideal candidate for alternative energy applications due to the geothermal availability and the emergence of modern technology. This paper investigates the incorporation of renewable methods and the alternative energy possibilities of Barrick Goldstrike, located in northern Eureka County, NV and Rio Tinto/BHP Billiton’s Resolution Copper mine located in Superior, AZ.RENEWABLE SYSTEMSGeothermal SystemsGeothermal temperatures are typically defined as either high or low temperature systems(Shengjun, Huaixian, & Tao, 2011). The high-temperature reservoirs (>220°C / 428°F) are feasible forlarge, commercial production of electricity with dry stream and flash stream systems (Shengjun, Huaixian, & Tao, 2011). Low temperature systems, below 220°C (428°F) (Shengjun, Huaixian, & Tao, 2011), aremuch more difficult to use for energy production. Low-temperature reservoir heat can be harnessedthrough the implementation of a binary cycle plant. The working fluid for a binary cycle plant is eitherorganic (Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC)) or an ammonia-water mixture (Kalina cycle). Organic fluids andammonia-water mixtures have low boiling points that allow for the recovery of heat from low-temperaturesources (Eymel Campos Rodriguez, et al., 2013). The efficiency of the binary cycle plant varies depending upon the fluid, thus the proper selection of the fluid is critical for maximum energy output"

Jan 1, 2019

By A. McGrath, M. Trovant, M. Haque

Minimizing energy consumption is a priority for many industrial facilities. Metallurgical and gasification processes produce dirty syngas (CO and H2), which offers the potential for energy recovery. However, syngas handling can pose an explosion risk and even minor leaks can result in poor workplace hygiene. Furthermore, many jurisdictions around the world now discourage wet syngas handling due to limited water availability and secondary pollution. Hatch has developed a 100% positive pressure gas handling system that targets these safety hazards without using fresh water. The implementation of a system for calcium carbide smelters at Qinghai Salt Lake Industry Co. (QSLIC) in China is profiled as a case study.

Jan 1, 2015

By Charles G. Kemsley

IN January, 1939, Dome Mines, Limited, purchased a few bars of an alloy drill-steel for the purpose of testing its fatigue resisting qualities as compared with those of a straight carbon-steel then in general use at the mine. A steel of the following analysis was selected: Carbon 1.00% Sulphur 0.022 Chromium 1.26 Silicon 0.17% Phosphorus 0.028 Vanadium 0.1 Manganese 0.32% Molybdenum 0.30 This steel has a tensile strength of 180,000 lb. per square inch and a Brinell hardness of 380, as compared with a tensile strength of 114,000 lb. per square inch and a Brinell hardness of 230 for the standard carbon drill steels, in the as rolled' condition. The result of this test showed that about five times as many runs could be obtained from the alloy steel before failure from fatigue. It was therefore decided to replace gradually the one-inch quarter-octagon carbon steel, then in use, with seven-eighths quarter-octagon alloy steel. In January, 1940, six machines was placed on the seven-eighths steel and this was gradually increased until now (March 15th, 1941) fifty per cent of the steel being used is alloy steel. An O'Donovan furnace is used at the Dome for heat-treating their carbon drill-steel. In this furnace, a magnet withdraws the steel when the critical temperature has been reached, and the operator then places the steel in the quenching tank. Not being able to use this furnace for the alloy steel, the management felt that some means should be developed to determine the quenching temperature without depending upon the operator's judgment of the correct 'colour'. With the assistance of the Canadian General Electric Company, a radiation-type vacuum thermocouple pyrometer was adapted to this purpose, with excellent results; in fact, with this instrument no previous experience in hardening is necessary and results are remarkably uniform.

Jan 1, 1941

By C. Prévost, V. Leclerc, R. Pinto, M. Ruel

"A buffer’s ability to dampen production variations is directly related to its size. Small buffers cannot handle large variations in production, resulting in production losses when their inventory is depleted or saturated. This paper presents a predictive control algorithm used to regulate the inventory in a buffer of limited size, subject to large production variations caused by an upstream batch process. The algorithm was designed to manage the acid flow rates in an acid regeneration process, servicing batch leach reactors at Rio Tinto Fer et Titane, in Sorel-Tracy, Québec. The objective was to increase production by reducing equipment downtime caused by imbalances in the acid tanks servicing the leach reactors. The controller attempts to maintain acceptable acid tank volumes by optimizing the leach reactors acid/slag ratio and reaction time as a function of anticipated acid needs, all while maintaining product quality.INTRODUCTION Some beneficiation processes in extractive metallurgy require processing bulk material in batches. Typical examples of metallurgical beneficiation batch processes are smelting, leaching, electrowinning, elution and carbon-in-pulp. These processes are often situated midstream in an ore beneficiation flow sheet and either receive or transfer ore to continuous processes. Batch processes, by their very nature, introduce large variability in the flow sheet, because they process large finite quantities of material at nearly periodic time intervals. In order to dampen variations in production, various buffers–tanks and stockpiles–are utilized to accumulate ore upstream and downstream of batch processes. A buffer’s ability to dampen production variations is directly related to its size (Phillis & Gumede, 2011). Small buffers cannot handle large production variations, resulting in equipment downtime when their inventory is depleted or saturated (Everett, 2010, Berton et al., 2013). Consequently, the batch equipment production rates must be adequately managed to minimize production losses, attributed to depleted or saturated inventories, while maintaining product quality. Algorithms that anticipate or predict future production variations are often utilized to regulate buffer inventories, subject to large flow rate variations (Salvo et al., 2002; Bonvin, 2013). This paper presents a predictive control algorithm used to maintain an acceptable volume in a spent acid tank servicing several batch leach reactors. The algorithm is implemented at the acid leach plant of Rio Tinto Fer et Titane, in Sorel-Tracy, Québec."

Jan 1, 2017

By C. Tissot, R. Palmer

"Due to the low concentrations of gold, direct measurement of gold concentration in ore on belt has not been seriously considered to now. Pre-concentration or sorting strategies have largely consisted of particle sorting based on secondary characteristics such as colour, which can be successful in select cases. CSIRO has produced sample measurement results using gamma activation analysis of ~300 gm samples with accuracies of around 30 ppb at best. With this encouragement, a feasibility study into gold ore measurement on belt for the purpose of sorting pods of gold ore has been undertaken. The study described here included, prototype design options with existing industrial Linacs, extensive Monte Carlo modelling of measurement sensitivity and shielding, further sample measurement, a study of the interaction of target measurement accuracy and sorting efficiency, and a rough estimation of potential economic benefit. The projected model sensitivity of around 0.1-0.15 ppm (1 standard deviation) in 10 seconds for 1 ppm average feed result in good bulk sorting performance and intriguing economic potential.INTRODUCTION Pre-concentration or sorting strategies for gold ores have largely consisted of particle sorting based on secondary characteristics such as colour or density, which can be successful in select cases (Klein, 2010). No method is available to measure gold content for sorting in particles or even in bulk on belt, principally due to the low concentrations of gold present. In fact, in many cases it is difficult to do rapid bulk grade measurements of base metal ores with concentrations many orders of magnitude higher. By a fortunate quirk of nature gold is particularly amenable to gamma activation analysis (GAA). CSIRO has performed extensive work in GAA of samples of crushed ore (Tickner, 2017). This has resulted in the Photon AssayTM technique that is currently being commercialised through the CSIRO spinoff company Chrysos. The technique relies on the recent availability of industrial high intensity X-ray sources such as Linacs which are currently being used in industry for security, medical and sterilisation applications. This development has led to CRC ORE funding a feasibility study to determine whether on-belt measurement of gold concentration is possible at a rate and accuracy sufficient to be useful for bulk sorting, where pods of ore are diverted rather than individual rocks. The study in the first instance is based on Monte Carlo modelling that has successfully predicted the performance of the sample based gold measurements. As well as the measurement feasibility consideration was also given to the likely heterogeneity of gold ores and hence the degree to which useful separation could be achieved. This is then tied to a back of the envelope evaluation of the order of magnitude economics of bulk sorting in an example deposit."

Jan 1, 2017

By H. Henao, F. Canales

The present work evaluated the use of copper ore flotation tails as flux in the process of smelting copper concentrates. For this purpose, experimental and simulated liquidus lines were obtained at different ratios of tail/flux. Experimental variables included temperature, partial pressure of oxygen and sulfur dioxide and the conditions of tridymite or spinel saturation. The results indicate the feasibility of replacing the flux by increasing the temperature of the smelting process by 20°C. Results of simulation using FactSage and HSC confirm that the required increase in temperature can be achieved by increasing the flow of concentrate, enrichment of oxygen or increasing the matte grade. INTRODUCTION In the pyro-metallurgical process of copper production, the smelting stage produces two liquid phases, a sulphide phase rich in copper and another composed mainly of oxides called slag. The slag phase is the product of oxidation of the iron contained in the flotation concentrate. The smelting process which is carried out at temperatures of 1250°C, require the addition of silica as a flux and the injection of air enriched in oxygen (Schlesinger 2011). Currently, one of the most important aspects of the mining industry is the minimization of costs, the optimization of the use of available resources and the reduction of environmental impact. Under this context, the use of flotation tails from as a flux in the copper smelting process has the potential of reduced production costs and generate an environmental benefit by reduce the disposal amount of this waste material Regarding the use of copper tails as flux in the copper smelting process, a thermodynamic simulation study using the FactSage software had been reported in the literature (Parra et al., 2011). The results indicated an increase of 35°C in the temperature the liquidus for the equilibrium matte/spinel and a subsequent requirement of energy in the process of approximately 350 [MJ/ton slag]. Given that the calculated viscosity remains in the same order of magnitude, the melting temperature is a more relevant parameter for the evaluation of the use of tailings as flux.

Jan 1, 2019

By Dr. Ralph W. Edie

The limestone reef reservoir at Swan Hills consists essentially of a "buildup" of successively smaller atoll-like layers. Precipitation of calcium carbonate within the lagoonal area of each layer essentially kept pace with growth of the outer organic lattice. Within the reef mass, six de-positional environments characterized by specific suites of fossils (or fossil fragments) and associated limestone textures are recognized as follows: ( 1) Aerated moderately agitated water of normal marine salinity (widespread shelf or submerged reef-built platform). Thamnopora-type corals, Amphipora, "pancake" stroma-toporoids, crinoids, articulate bra-chiopods, rare rugose cup corals, and ostracods occurs in light gray-buff skeletal microgranular limestone of low permeability. (2) Semi-stagnant quiet water of normal marine salinity (leeward side of reef). Crinoids, articulate brachio-pods, rare thamnopora-type corals, Amphipora, pancake and bulbous stromatoporoids, rugose cup corals, ostracods and gastropods occur in impermeable dark brown argillaceous skeletal calcilutite with thin black bituminous shale beds and rare dark chert nodules.

Jan 1, 1961

By R. R. Culbert

Several thousand parts per billion of uranium are present in some alkaline lake and ground waters of the Okanagan region, British Columbia. To a major extent the uranium content of these highly anomalous waters is controlled by their levels of dissolved bicarbonate. In lakes, dissolved bicarbonate and the organic content of the sediment largely control the partitioning of uranium between sediment and water. This relationship is found to a lesser extent in alkaline creeks, and transported geochemical anomalies in soils appear where uranium-bearing alkaline ground waters have encountered organic materials. There is a possibility that young, near-surface deposits (with very low radioactivity) are forming from these uraniferous waters.

Jan 1, 1978

By B. K. Choi, G. E. Kim, S. Noh, T. K. Kim

Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steel has been developed as the most prospective core structural material for next-generation nuclear systems because of its excellent high strength and irradiation resistance. In ODS steel, finely dispersed nano-oxide particles with a high number density in the homogeneous grains can be very attractive to achieve superior mechanical properties at high temperatures, and these favorable microstructures can be significantly changed using process parameters during the mechanical alloying procedures. In this study, the effects of mechanical alloying times on the microstructure of 10Cr-1Mo ODS martensitic steel were investigated. Pre-alloyed powders with Y2O3 powder were mechanically alloyed for various milling times using a high energy horizontal ball-mill apparatus (model: symoloyer CM20). Powder properties such as the mean particle size, size distribution, and crystallite size were evaluated. Uniaxial hot pressing was employed to consolidate the milled powders. The results of a microstructural observation after the MA and UHP processes indicated that the homogeneity of the martensitic structures was considerably increased with the longer milling time. It is thus concluded that the mechanical properties of the ODS martensitic steel are greatly dependent on the mechanical alloying times.

Jan 1, 2015

By S. Dessureault, M. Yildirim

More mining companies are now investing in IT, including updating one of the traditional IT process control tools used in the mining industry: real time in-pit truck allocation control and monitoring systems, or fleet management systems (FMS). These systems have been used to maximize the overall mine production by improving equipment utilization and reducing production costs. Most modern operations monitor the in-pit operations using GPS and wireless communications to produce data. Improvements in bandwidth, sensors, and computing power are causing modern systems to become more complex and generate more data. However, human analysis by simple regression or table generation in spreadsheets of the data is becoming impossible. Data mining solves this data management problem. Data mining finds patterns and relationships in very large data sets. This paper describes the application of modern data mining techniques on truck dispatching systems in a real open pit hard-rock copper mine. The analyses conducted included determining how the trucks performed under particular conditions and allocation systems. The long-term benefits of this work are to identify strengths and improvement opportunities in truck assignment systems and establish the skill sets and IT infrastructure needed in undertaking more complex datadriven technology such as a truck dispatcher trainer.

Jan 1, 2007

By S. M. Chentouf, M. Jahazi, N. Bombardier, T. Belhadj

The main limiting factor in the commercial expansion of superplastic forming (SPF) of thin sheet aluminum alloys is the extent of cavitation phenomenon that takes place during the processing. The severity of the cavitation process is mainly dependent on the uniformity of deformation (i.e. level of local thinning) during processing. In the present paper, correlations are made between thickness variations in several formed sheets and the characteristics of the cavities observed in the material. The 1.4 mm thick 5083 aluminum alloy sheets were hot pre-formed at around 450°C for 4 min and then air-cooled. Opto-digital and Scanning Electron Microscopy were used to examine the microstructure and analyse the cavities. Also, grain size measurements were carried out for different location in the SPF formed piece. The surface and volume fractions of the cavities were measured with the aid of metallography image processing (MIPTM) on as-polished samples prior to etching. The results are analyzed in terms of the influence of applied strain and microstructure conditions on the propensity to cavitation of the alloy.

Jan 1, 2015

By Edouard Asselin, Tasawar Javed

The precipitation of hematite from ferric sulphate - cupric sulphate - lithium chloride acidic solutions was studied in a batch reactor. The effect of several variables on the extent of hematite precipitation as well as on its crystallinity and purity was investigated. The variables studied include: initial ferric concentration (1.5 - 30 g/L), retention time (0 - 12 h), initial sulphuric acid concentration (0 - 30 g/L), temperature (150 - 220 °C) and chloride concentration (0 - 25 g/L). The results show that hematite is preferentially precipitated at lower initial iron concentrations. Longer retention times increased the fraction of hematite in the precipitates but did not affect its crystallinity to a significant extent. On the other hand, higher temperatures increased the purity and crystallinity of the hematite. At lower acid concentrations hematite and goethite were precipitated. However, only hematite was precipitated when the initial acid concentration was > 12.5 g/L. Better crystalline hematite was formed at lower acidities. Increasing chloride concentration increased the amount of hematite and decreased the amount of iron sulphate hydroxide phases, but did not affect the crystallinity of the hematite.

Jan 1, 2015

By G. Forté, R. Girard

The Alcan Bayer Process Experimental Centre (BEC) is an essential development tool for the Bauxite & Alumina researchers at the Alcan Arvida Research and Development Centre in Jonquiere, Quebec. Between the laboratory tests and the industrial prototypes or the industrial applications, the BEC is a key element for technology transfers. The Bayer process is the extraction of aluminium oxide (or alumina) from the bauxite ore. The Bayer Experimental Centre's history and flowsheet are presented. The major pieces of equipment are described. Safety and design considerations are presented. Finally, examples of applications, double digestion and pressure decantation, are briefly described.

Jan 1, 2004

By L. Magne, M. Maldonado, R. Varela

Real-time optimization of flotation circuits demands for accurate and reliable measurements to support the decision making process. The collection zone gas holdup is an important variable in this context as integrates the effect of machine and chemical factors on the bubble size and velocity distributions. It has been demonstrated that gas holdup not only correlates with bubble surface area flux, which defines the particle collection rate and recovery in the collection zone, but also with water overflow, a variable which has been related to the froth zone recovery. Therefore, on-line gas holdup measurements provide a reliable alternative to judge efforts leading to the optimization of flotation cells and columns. Estimation of gas holdup in flotation from electrical conductivity measurements has been proposed and extensively used in lab and industrial installations. The approach is based on the application of Maxwell's model, which relates the concentration of a dispersed phase in a continuous medium to measurements of the conductivity of the liquid medium and of the mineral pulp with and without air bubbles included. These measurements require a conductivity cell which covers a representative volume of the flotation cell, and creates a homogeneous electric field throughout this volume that ideally is not affected by the conductivity of the medium. The development of such a cell in the limiting space and geometry of a laboratory flotation cell has been problematic, but a multi-electrode arrangement offers a promising alternative. Electrodes were installed in the flotation cell of a Denver unit; the results of preliminary testing are discussed with a focus on its performance in the measurement of two- and three-phase dispersion conductivity.

Jan 1, 2015

By W. R. Bacon

"The Canam property is in southern British Columbia, 24 miles southeast of Hope. It is reached by 5 miles of road from Mile 26 on the Hope-Princeton Highway.Between the years 1930, when the property was discovered, and I 938 development work by The Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada, Limited included some open-cuts and six adits totalling 2,700 feet in length. Canam Copper Company Ltd. explored the property intermittently from 1947 to 1955 by diamond drilling and underground work, including driving No. 10 adit. From surface down to the level of No. 10 adit, about 1,250,000 tons of ore has been outlined with an approximate grade of 1.25 per cent copper, 0.8 ounce silver per ton, and 0.01 ounce gold per ton. The ore in the upper part of the deposit also contains a little molybdenum and a little uranium.In June, 1955 Canam Copper Company Ltd. made arrangements to have the property brought into production under the direction of Mogul Mining Corporation Ltd. of Toronto, and a new low level adit has been started.GENERAL GEOLOGYThe principal rocks on the Canam property are chert, cherty argillite, and argillite. They are considered to be Jurassic or Lower Cretaceous in age. Although massive bands to 150 feet in thickness occur, these rocks are in general thinly bedded. Conformable bands of pyrrhotite, a fraction of an inch in thickness, are not uncommon in the well-bedded rocks, and fine tourmaline can be observed in various places.The sediments strike slightly west of north and dip quite steeply, generally eastward; however, sharp divergences from this general attitude are fairly common.Dark grey dioritic sills, in which slender prismatic crystals are conspicuous, are fairly common in the sediments. In general the sills are less than 25 feet in thickness, but a few are as much as 100 feet thick. Under the microscope the sills are seen to consist largely of amphibole (pargasite) and plagioclase (near An50)."

Jan 1, 1949

By J. S. Kirkaldy, W. J. Slater, G. R. Mason

Activation analysis for copper and manganese in 10 mg samples machined from aluminum-base diffusion couples has been used in the study of ternary diffusion in the Al-Cu-Mn system. The accuracy, economy and convenience of the method are considered to be very competitive with other methods for analysis of such small samples. Neutron-activated aluminum-zinc alloys in the range from 10 per cent to 100 per cent zinc have been equilibrated with a known volume and the vapors subsequently condensed and collected. The vapor pressures relative to pure zinc (the thermodynamic activities) have been determined at 550°C' by recording the relative count of /'-rays from zn65 in the collected samples. The method is a sensitive one, although subject to serious obstacles to experimental accuracy.

Jan 1, 1961

By John Shirokoff, Ladan Khaksar

"Cyclic polarization technique and also potentiodynamic measurements were applied to study corrosion behavior of 13% chromium steels in chloride containing environment. Potentiodynamic measurements were performed at 25 and 75 °C with 0, 10 and 20 g/l NaCl in 0.01 M hydrochloric acid solution. At the same time, the significant pitting parameters such as corrosion potential (Ecorr), pitting potential (Epit), protection potential (Epro) and passive current (Ipass) of cyclic polarization curves with various NaCl concentration were analyzed and compared to describe the corrosion behavior of 13% chromium stainless steel. Surface measurement techniques such as SEM and EDS were used for morphology and analysis of corrosion products. The results showed that both temperature and Cl- concentration had significant effects on corrosion behavior of 13% chromium stainless steel in acidic solution.INTRODUCTION Of all the corrosion resistant alloys (CRA) used in oil and gas developments, martensitic stainless steels (MSS) are some of the most common ones these days. These steels not only have the advantages of normal steels: high strength, cost-effective, easy to manufacture, available in a wide variety of product forms, but they also have good CO2 corrosion resistance at higher temperatures as a result of their 11% minimum chromium content. One of the most common types of MSS used in the oil and gas industry is 13% chromium steel. NACE and API standards both reference several different varieties of 13% chromium steels for use in oil and gas projects(“Corrosion Resistant High Cr Steel for Oil and Gas Wells,” 2013). All types of 13% chromium steels have about 12 to 14% chromium and other minor alloying additions, and can be placed into two general groups: conventional and modified. Conventional 13% Cr steels (13Cr) are those most common in oil and gas, some of which are CA6NM (UNS J91150), AISI 410(UNS S41000), and AISI 420 (UNS S42000). These alloys have excellent corrosion resistance when compared to carbon steels up to about 300°F (150°C) and are used for a variety of wellhead, tubular, and downhole components however they have very limited resistance to cracking in H2S (Vallourec Group, 2015). Modified 13% Cr (M13Cr) steels came from the need for increased corrosion resistance at higher temperatures, increased H2S cracking resistance, and increased yield strength above 85 ksi (586 Mpa) primarily for tubular goods and other downhole equipment. These features were developed by taking a conventional 13Cr steel and adding nickel (Ni), molybdenum (Mo), copper (Cu), and other alloying elements. M13Cr provides better corrosion resistance than 13Cr up to about 350°F (177°C), yield strengths up to 110 ksi (758 Mpa), and also improved H2S cracking resistance(“Corrosion Resistant High Cr Steel for Oil and Gas Wells,” 2013)."

Jan 1, 2017

By E. C. Payne

"IntroductionTHE SMALLER industrial and commercial steam generating plants in the United States are suffering from an ‘engineering deficiency' which, if allowed to continue, will probably result in the extinction of the species• that now burn •approximately 75 million tons of coal. We will classify as 'small' those plants which should require not more than one operating man per shift, including those in which as little .as thirty minutes per day should be adequate for .all service attention. These are the small steam plants that need the most, and get the least, expert attention for fuel :planning, equipment selection, design layout, .and proper operating technique. Dissatisfaction with bituminous coal is usually caused by one or more preventable weaknesses such as excessive or burdensome labour •for firing, .coal or ash handling and manual operation, smoke and fly ash emission above nuisance levels:, high maintenance and premium coal application for acceptable operation, and .finally, overall steam costs which are not .competitive. These 'deficiencies', so .common in the small coal-fired steam plants, can be readily eliminated by competent engineering and modern equipment with automatic controls."

Jan 1, 1953

"Real-time, on belt analysis of minerals is becoming increasingly important and critical in modern operations, especially in the mine-to-mill. Prompt gamma neutron activation analysis has long been utilised for real-time elemental analysis in bulk materials, with Scantech's GEOSCAN being the instrument of choice in the minerals sector. Working in the minerals space for 15 years, the GEOSCAN has been successfully implemented in a wide range of minerals applications including iron, copper, lead-zinc, manganese, phosphate and more, and it caters for the very high demands and increasing requirements of a contemporary processing facility. An area of focus has been on increasing the analysis frequency to allow for rapid analysis results with the same high degree of accuracy typically expected of the GEOSCAN. This paper discusses the underlying research and technology that has enabled such rapid analysis and presents a range of examples using a thorough statistical approach on real production material, demonstrating achievable accuracy over a short analysis time, and dispelling common myths about the speed of the technique. Potential applications are discussed to conclude the paper.INTRODUCTION Technology and the information it can provide plays a critical role in the evolving modern mineral processing landscape. The importance of technology to analyse various features of ores and concentrates being processed is obvious, and recent years has seen the advance of numerous technologies to provide a variety of real-time measurements on conveyed material flows. From sampling apparatus to particle size analysis to weight and density meters to full elemental analysis, the availability of information enables a variety of improvements in the process leading to improved efficiency and increased revenue. To maximise the potential benefits, access to real-time information is imperative, and rapid updates of information become necessary to make appropriate process control decisions based on the most relevant and up-to-date information."

Jan 1, 2017