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By J. F. Henderson

"IntroductionTHE National Advisory Committee on Research in the Geological Sciences was set up by the Privy Council of Canada in 1949. It was set up because you, the Geology Division of the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, asked that it be set up. The Committee is, therefore, to a consider-able degree, your offspring. In the role of good parents you, of the Geological Division of the C.I.M., should be interested in the progress of your progeny. How is the Committee organized? What has it recommended? What has it accomplished? On behalf of the National Advisory Committee, that is what I want to tell you about this afternoon.HistoryYou will remember that, in 1946, the Geology Division of the C.I.M. set up a Committee on Geological Research. This Committee, under the Chairmanship of Dr. J. E. HAWLEY, found ""that there is no national organization interested in surveying, co-ordinating, and implementing with financial help, fundamental and much needed geological research. Accordingly, the first and most necessary step to put the geological sciences in Canada on a proper footing .is the recommendation that a National Advisory Committee on Research in the Geological Sciences be formed"" (l).This recommendation was endorsed •by the President and Council of the C.I.M. in 1947 and submitted to the Minister of Mines and Resources."

Jan 1, 1952

By L. A. Clark, G. H. R. Burrill

"Most unconformity-type uranium deposits in Saskatchewan occur within a few tens of metres above and/or below the basal unconformity of the 1,45-b.y. Athabasca Sandstone. Graphitic basement rocks coincident with post-Athabasca faulting or brecciation at or near the unconformity are important in localizing uranium deposits which form as tabular, ribbon-like bodies with grades averaging over 2 per cent uranium and containing up to 50,000 tonnes UJOs. Some of these deposits have similar contents of nickel and arsenic.In the genetic model proposed to explain these deposits, traces of uranium were leached from the sandstone and weathered basement rocks by oxidized formation waters sweeping through the sandstone and along brecciated faults. Over basement meta-petites, a thick clay regolith adsorbed uranium from the solution. Thus fixed, the uranium was reduced through an indirect reaction with graphite, possibly involving methane. The clay mineral surfaces were thus continuously cleared to allow further adsorption. Basement faults localized along weak graphitic units were re-activated, offsetting the sandstone formation, probably at the time of an early uranium deposition about 1.2 b.y. ago, and served as vents for spent ore solutions. Fluid convection was induced by topographic relief and/or crustal heating from radioactive decay in basement plutons or mantled Archean domes with uranium and/or thorium contents a few ppm above those of adjacent rocks. Heat from radioactive decay within the incipient uranium deposit would develop in about a million years. The self-generating convection cell would continue uranium deposition until all permeability was plugged by minerals. In some instances, convection was re-initiated after subsequent faulting and brecciation. While some deposits were further enriched, heavy flows of oxidized fluids re-dissolved and partially depleted other uranium deposits.The East Alligator Rivers uranium deposits in Northern Territory, Australia, occur within Middle Proterozoic quartzchlorite and quartz-muscovite schists overlain by sandstone. Highest grades occur in silicified breccias where carbonate beds were leached out. Mineralization ages are both pre- and post-Kombolgie Sandstone, but, to date, no significant uranium mineralization has been encountered in the sandstone. There are many general similarities with Saskatchewan deposits, but important differences in detail."

Jan 1, 1981

By John C. Luck Jr.

"DEVELOPMENT of oil emulsion mud dates back to the early days of rotary drilling when oil was added to the drilling mud solely for the purpose of freeing stuck drill pipe. After the drill pipe was freed, and drilling resumed, this oil was considered a contaminant. Efforts were made to remove the oil but some of it remained and was emulsified with the drilling mud, thus forming a mechanical emulsion.During the late 1930's, operators found that adding crude oil to drilling muds seemed to alleviate 'sticky-hole' problems and so oil was allowed to remain in the mud. This practice was adopted when it was found that faster drilling rates and longer bit life were obtained. These observations led to the development of emulsion drilling muds. During the past five years their application has become more widespread because of the lower fluid losses obtained, greater lubrication qualities, faster penetration rates, and generally better hole conditions.An emulsion may be defined as a two-phase system consisting of a mixture of either finely divided oil droplets in water or of finely divided water droplets in oil. The surrounding liquid is known as the continuous phase. The emulsifiers reduce the interfacial tension, making the droplets tend to repel each other so that they remain dispersed and stabilized. These emulsions are classified as oil-in-water or as water-in-oil, depending upon whether water or oil, respectively, is the continuous phase. Briefly, close inspection shows that they consist essentially of globules of• the one liquid suspended in a continuous mass of the other liquid. Oil emulsion muds are usually of the oil-in-water type. Two basic types of emulsifiers •commonly used in Canadian muds are soaps and lignites."

Jan 1, 1954

By F. Ebbutt

The copper-bearing waters now treated successfully at Britannia for the recovery of their copper content are almost entirely derived from what is known as the Fairview mine; this was the first extensive copper producer of the Britannia ore-bodies, and consisted of a number of almost parallel veins, carrying good copper values, the ore consisting of chalcopyrite and pyrite in a quartz gangue. These veins occur in what is known as the ?Britannia shear zone' (Schofield, S. J., G.S.C. Sum. Rept., 1918, Pt. B), developed for roughly five miles in a roof-pendant in the well-known Coast Range batholith. This .pendant is made up of Palxozoic rocks known as the 'Britannia Formation' (LeRoy, O.E., Portion of Main Coast of B.C. and Adjacent Islands; G.S.C. Memoir No. 996, 1908). These consist of dark carbonaceous slates, quartzites; and tuffs or basic flows, and within them are large quartz porphyry siJls. These Britannia rocks are sheared and altered, the resultant rock being a fissile quartz-sericite or quartz-chlorite schist. The mineralization invariably occurs in this chlorite schist, which in the more productive areas has mottles or blobs of chlorite developed. A narrow, though persistent, band of grey slate forms the footwall of the productive portions of the shear zone.

Jan 1, 1928

By J. L. Blaylock

Normally, the hydraulic system and structures are considered to be unrelated items. In reality, the two cannot be separated because one affects and depends on the other to function properly. This paper explores the potential failure areas of hydraulic cylinders, and suggests possible methods to prevent failures from occurring. The use of high-strength low-alloy steel in frames is reviewed and the benefits discussed. Fabrication techniques and handling of material are noted in the hope that this knowledge will aid in the repair of frames in the field.

Jan 1, 1979

By Kevin C. Milne

"The solution of problems associated with development of a sour gas reserve will be of increasing importance in tl1e next few years if gas export is approved •by the National Energy Board. The purpose of this paper is to review briefly the history of the Carstairs gas field, and tCI describe in a general manner the reservoir, and the producing and processing facilities.HISTORYThe Carstairs gas field was discovered in April 1958 when the discovery well, Home Carstairs 10-17, was successfully completed as a gas well in the Elkton member of the Turner Valley formation. Geo-graphic location of the field is shown in Figure No. 1. Note that the field is about five miles west of the town of Carstairs, Alberta, which in turn is about 40 miles north of Calgary. Drilling subsequent to the discovery well resulted in three addition-al producing wells and one dry hole during I.958; two producing wells during 1959; and one producing well and one dry hole during 1960. Thus, seven producing wells and two dry holes have been drilled in the Carstairs field to date.In November 1959 a 12-section block in the Carstairs field was unitized on a surface acre basis. Mean-while, in June 1959, operators in the field executed an ""Interim Plant Agreement"" that provided the money needed to start construction of a joint venture processing plant and gathering system. Construction of the plant and gathering system was completed in February 1960."

Jan 1, 1960

By A. Mular, T. Bond, G. D. Farnell, J. F. Kingston

"ABSTRACT:-A 60—cm semiautogenous grinding-(SAG) mill was designed -for continuous wet operation in closed circuit with a vibrating screen. The circuit is fully instrumented and automated. Part of the control system incorporates Foxboro SPEC 200 controllers around the pump box to maintain level. The rest of the control system involves an ACTION model BC2 basic direct digital controller that handles all other inputs/outputs and contact closure sensing:·The success of the control system is attributed to the uniqueness of specially designed mass flow metering systems. Various control strategies are possible. Employed to date has been control of a mill load set-point by cascading the deviation from load set-point as the set-point to the fresh feed rate ""controller"". Mill feed water is ratioed to total flow rate of solids fed to the mill. The performance of the circuit is being correlated with the performance of full scale SAG circuits in British Columbia to develop models, to assess the feasibility of scale up and to investigate the effects of design variables on responses such as circuit throughput. 1 INTRODUCTIONWhere ore types are appropriate, semiautogenous grinding and/or autogenous grinding (AG) has replaced conventional grinding. Secondary/Tertiary crushing plants are thereby eliminated so that capital expenditures are less and overall comminution costs can be lower (Barratt 1982). To establish the suitability of an ore for SAG circuits, pilot scale tests with 1.7 to 1.8 M diameter mills are often conducted. At least one test per ore type in a deposit has been necessary. Often, each test involves a large amount (up to 50 tonne) of sample, so that the testwork can be expensive and may discourage the use of SAG or AG circuits. However, MacPherson (1977) has employed a continuous 45 cm dry Aerofall mill circuit closed with screens and an air classifier to determine whether ores are suitable for SAG milling. The amount of sample per ore type is of the order of 60 kg or less. Thus an established SAG mill scale up procedure that employs small circuits is highly desirable.The purpose of this paper is to describe a small 60 cm wet continuous SAG/ AG mill pilot circuit assembled at the University of British Columbia to study the feasibility of scale up, to assess the influence of design variables, to develop mathematical models and to evaluate the effects of alternative control strategies on circuit performance"

Jan 1, 1988

By B. Courtaud, L. Donati, V. Weigel

As a growing mining company, ERAMET is looking for new positions in the strategic metals market. In this context, the Gabonese Maboumine pyrochlore deposit is currently being studied for the recovery of niobium, tantalum, rare earths and uranium. This ore shows mineralogical and chemical characteristics that make it challenging to process by existing practices, from both technical and economic points of view. ERAMET has developed since 2008 an innovative hydrometallurgical process, which has been successfully operated at a pilot plant scale (more than 35 weeks in continuous). The upstream part of the process aims to dissolve valuable elements in sulphuric acid. The first step is dedicated to dissolve the ore matrix, leaving the pyrochlore unleached. The second step consists in chemically breaking down pyrochlores in order to form soluble species of the valuable elements. After dissolution, the valuable elements are separated into different flows: niobium and tantalum are recovered and transformed as commercial ferroniobium on one side, and rare earths and uranium remain in the solution to be recovered in the downstream part of the process. The main goal of this paper is to discuss the upstream part of the process, which has given successful results.

Jan 1, 2014

By G. D. Markland

The Moose Mountain mine is located in a belt of Precambrian volcanic rocks situated 20 miles north of Sudbury, Ontario. It was the first iron mining operation in the Archean iron-formations of the Canadian Shield. The ore is believed to have been formed in an environment of active volcanism, being part of a pyroclastic and volcanic series where only the iron-formation and chert qualify as chemical sediments. The volcanic environment, subsequent regional tectonics and metamorphism produced orebodies which differ from the main sedimentary iron ranges of the world in such features as continuity, grade, structure and metallurgical characteristics. The orebodies occur as relatively small lenses which have been complexly folded, faulted and intruded by acidic and basic dykes.

Feb 1, 1966

By G. D. Markland

"The Moose Mountain mine is located in a belt of Precambrian volcanic rocks situated 20 miles north of Sudbury, Ontario. It was the first iron mining operation in the Archean iron-formations of the Canadian Shield.The ore is believed to have been formed in an environment of active volcanism, being part of a pyroclastic and volcanic series where only the iron-formation and chert qualify as chemical sediments. The volcanic environment, subsequent regional tectonics and metamorphism produced orebodies which differ from the main sedimentary iron ranges of the world in such features as continuity, grade, structure and metallurgical characteristics. The orebodies occur as relatively small lenses which have been complexly folded, faulted and intruded by acidic and basic dykesAlthough the basic mining and beneficiation methods are simple, detailed geological control in exploration, planning and operation has been necessary to apply detailed selective techniques to the large-scale open-pit methods necessary in profitable iron mining.The milling and pelletizing processes are sensitive to minor variations in ore grade, grain size, fabric and mineralogy. Although detailed correlations of geological information and mill performance are still not entirely satisfactory, general working relationships have been determined with simple testing procedures. These are of in-creasing use in forecasting production and in ore-blending processes.The application of geology to mining and milling operations at Moose Mountain represents a departure from general practice in iron ore operations."

Jan 1, 1966

By A J. Kyle

After a brief description of the shaft and surface facilities, this paper describes the planning for the mining operation, the selection of equipment the general method of mining and the sequence of operation. All of the major items of equipment are described, including the components of the power system. The detailed planning is reviewed -from the shaft sinking to the three-shift mining operation. Excavation and equipment changes, as well as long-range planning, are al o di cussed. Introduction THE successful completion of the Yarbo No. 1 shaft of International Minerals & Chemical Corporation (Canada) Limited in July, 1962, added a new type of mine to Canada&apos;s many producing operations. IMC Esterhazy is a unique mining operation in Canada; in fact, it is unique to potash mining in general. Not only is thi&apos;3 a trackless operation utilizing shuttle cars and belt conveyors in its material handling systems, but it excavates all of the ore with continuous boring machine<:;.

Jan 1, 1964

By Andrew Popko

Introducing EnCana ?? A leading North American Oil and Gas company ?? Focused on natural gas and oil sands development in 12 key resource play areas across North America ?? In 2007, over 4300 wells drilled, producing about Enterprise value of approximately $50 billion ?? Invest between $5.8 Billion in 2007 ?? Over 7500 employees ?? Headquarters ? Calgary, AB

May 1, 2008

By Frederick J. Browne

Water, water everywhere, but not a drop (fit) to drink! Trite, but how often only too true? What is there met with in mining which, under various circumstances, may be said to be the most sought-for and highly-prized and also the most objectionable and most feared? Water! What visions that combination of five letters brings to all thoughtful minds? Up to near the end of the eighteenth century water was thought lo be an element but was then discovered to be the result of the combustion of two volumes of hydrogen with one volume of oxygen, and water so produced is chemically pure. Pure water is a clear and colourless liquid when seen under ordinary conditions, but appears bluish when seen through a long tube, and this same bluish tint may be observed in many lakes, especially those of glacial origin. A story often told describes a prospector in the desert who, failing to find water to replenish his canteen, suffers torture and death under fearful circumstances. Then again we may recall the flooding of mines, where water poured in so quickly that there was no opportunity of saving the unfortunate workmen. Instances might be multiplied without number showing that either the lack or excess of this essential fluid has taken heavy toll of human life. In all branches of mining and associated industries water must be dealt with to a larger extent, from an economic point of view, than any other substance, and very often the purity of the water is a matter of considerable importance.

Jan 1, 1925

By C. E. White

The depletion of higher grade mineral reserves will accelerate the trend toward production from progressively larger and lower grade deposits. The discovery of adequate reserves of leaner ores will require the development of improved exploration techniques with a greater depth range. The principal challenges to the Canadian mining industry are to find the mineral resources required to meet fast growing world demand and to develop mining methods and equipment to ensure production costs which will strengthen our position in export markets in the face of in-creasing world competition. The challenges cannot be met without intensive efforts to attract more technical men to the industry and to improve their training.

Jan 1, 1967

By M. H. Cullender

THE determination of the flow characteristics of gas wells depends upon the analysis of pressure data obtained under shut-in conditions and under one or more known flow conditions. These data are commonly referred to as back-pres-sure test data, and I know you are all familiar with the back-pressure equation where, Q rate of flow, Mcfd @ standard conditions C coefficient of the back-pres-sure curve P 1 formation pressure, psia P • sand face flowing pressure, psia P2 (psia)2/1000 n exponent of the back-pres-sure curve Figure 1 is a graphical presentation of the back-pressure equation; the coefficient is the rate of flow at a difference in squared pressures of 1, in this case 2250 Mcfd, and the exponent defines the manner in which the rate of flow changes with a change in the difference in squared pressures. In Figure 1, the exponent of the back-pressure curve is 0.554 which means that for a 10-fold change in the difference in squared pressures, there will be a 3.58-fold (10 raised to the 0.554 power) change in the rate of flow.

Jan 1, 1961

By Lionel C. Kilburn

"This geological engineering method is based on jour main characteristics of mineral properties, viz; location: inclusion of valuable mineralization; inclusion of geophysical and/or geochemical targets; and inclusion of geological targets. These are subdivided into a total of 19 subcategories, which are used to determine the value of the property.The nineteen subcategories are prioritized and assigned relative value factors from 1.3 to 10. Value of each mineral claim unit is determined by applying the appropriate subcategory factors to a base value of $400per 16.2 hectare unit. Property value is calculated by totalling the values of such individual claim-units.The boundary between ore grade and sub-ore grade must be estimated for each property under valuation, thereby making the method sensitive to mineral commodity prices.A clear and disciplined sequence of decisions based on personal experience forms the basis of this method. The method utilizes all factors normally used to value a mineral property.IntroductionIt is generally accepted in the exploration industry that valuation of exploration properties is a subjective rather than objective process (Roscoe, 1986; Lawrence, 1988; Lawrence, 1989; Woodcock, 1985), and that it is greatly influenced by the experience and qualifications of the person who is doing the valuation. However, the significantly low degree of objectivity in mineral property valuation at this point in time invites effort to achieve a more quantitative engineering basis.Value of a mineral property depends basically upon metal prices, recoverable grades, mining and metallurgical practices, commodity supply and demand , and political-economic conditions, all of which vary with time. Therefore, any valuation is valid for only that point in time when it is made. Mineral deposits can decrease as well as increase in technical value with time."

Jan 1, 1990

By R. H. Duthie

As at any other mine in Canada, grade control procedures are used at Steep Rock Iron Mines (1) in order to ensure that concentrator and pellet-plant operator s have a uniform feed so that they can manufacture a pellet to suit buyers&apos; specifications and (2) to maximize ore recovery so that as little as possible finds its way to the waste dump or is downgraded by contamination. At Steep Rock, material grading 40% to 66 % Fe is considered ore. The ore may contain up to 10% sulphur. These ranges create six different stock pile types, with the possibility of more if large concentrations of arsenic are encountered. Although grading and mining techniques used to accomplish these ends are fairly standard, there is an appreciation and willingness by hourly and staff pit personnel to make grade control effective. This produces vertical and horizontal communication, which is necessary for success in this field. At Steep Rock, the waste-to-ore ratio is greater than at any other iron ore mine in Canada. Also, a high percentage of the ore mined is direct pellet feed. For these reasons, .grade control is very important.

Jan 1, 1977

By G. O. Prickett, P. Somasundaran

An application of the statistical and computer techniques in basic mineral processing research is illustrated by means of a case history involving the study of starch adsorption on calcite. Multi-factorial experimental designs and computer techniques were used for determining the effect of different system variables, such as solution pH, sodium oleate concentration and starch concentration, and to obtain a mathematical model of the response. Response maps enabled the investigators to see the effects clearly and to predict the results of changes in factor levels within the design region. Use of time-shared computers and plotters made data processing and analysis efficient and relatively inexpensive.

Jan 1, 1973

By T. K. Akopyan, E. A. Naumova, V. V. Doroshenko, N. A. Belov

"A qualitative and quantitative analysis of the new Al-Ca-Mn-Fe phase diagram in the region of the aluminium corner is carried out using both thermodynamic calculations and experimental methods. Using the obtained data, the principal possibility of creating both cast and wrought sparingly alloyed aluminium alloys with calcium, manganese, scandium and zirconium at allowable iron contents of up to 0.4% that do not require solution treatment and quenching is justified. At the selected concentrations, the entire amount of manganese (1%) is practically included in the aluminium matrix, while calcium (~2%) and iron are in the multiphase eutectic, which has a fine structure. The joint introduction of 0.25% Zr and 0.1% Sc into the alloy leads to precipitation hardening due to the formation of the L12-Al3(Zr,Sc) phase during annealing. Based on the experimental data for the model multicomponent Al2CaMnFeZrSc alloy, it is shown that such alloys can combine high mechanical properties and good manufacturability during both casting and metal forming. This is due to the combination of a narrow temperature range of solidification with a fine eutectic structure.INTRODUCTION Hardening in branded aluminium alloys (both cast and wrought) is generally achieved by heat treatment of the T6 type, including quenching and artificial aging (Zolotorevskiy, 2007; Kaufman, 2004; Mondolfo, 1976). Heat treatment significantly increases the cost of the final products. Therefore, industrial companies are interested in developing alloys that can be hardened to the desired level without quenching. To solve this problem, alloys with scandium are the most suitable (Toropova, 1998; RØyset, 2005). This element (usually in an amount of ~0.3%) is one of the most effective hardeners in aluminium alloys, due to the formation of Al3Sc (L12) phase secondary precipitates, the size of which is less than 10 nm (Knipling, 2010; Fuller, 2005). These nanoparticles are formed during the annealing via decomposition of the supersaturated aluminium solid solution (hereinafter referred to as (Al)). This feature allows us to significantly increase the strength of aluminium alloys by simple annealing (at ~300°C), i.e., without heat treatment, including quenching. However, scandium is a very expensive metal, so its use as an additive is severely limited. The most effective method is the introduction of scandium together with zirconium (Lefebvre, 2009; Booth-Morrison, 2012). The optimal combination is the introduction of ~0.1% Sc together with 0.20–0.25% Zr, which, according to (Belov, 2006), gives approximately the same strengthening effect as the introduction of 0.3% Sc."

Jan 1, 2018

By Elmer Palmer

As part of the Goldcorp Inc growth plan Minera Peñasquito SA de CV has developed its polymetallic deposit with a large ?state of the art? concentrator to process lead and zinc ores. The plant consists of two grinding lines including 38ft diameter SAG mills and 24ft diameter ball mills. During mid to late 2009 concentrator commissioning activities commenced. First concentrates were produced in October 2009 and now the plant is meeting its design basis of 65,000 mtpd per line. This paper describes the design and operational experience to date for its grinding circuit design, together with the recently commissioned HPGR crushing circuit.

Jan 1, 2012