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By D. R. Wright

"The modest thermal efficiency of the steam turbine cycle essentially determines the heat required and, therefore, the coal consumption and ash production of pulverized-coal-fired powerplants. This paper emphasizes how some properties of coal and its ash can crucially affect the operation of a steam generator and its flue gas cleaning equipment. A brief reference to some siting factors and economics reaffirms the all-pervasive influence of the properties of coal and ash and establishes the importance of a firm supply of cooling water. The economics of scale remains a compelling factor in selecting the size of units, despite disappointing performances by some of the larger units. Environmental considerations suggest that smaller units still have a role to play. IntroductionCoal fuelled one industrial and economic revolution, beginning two hundred year s ago . It was the precursor of competing fuels, notably natural gas, oil and uranium, which eclipsed it in terms of convenience and rate of growth.The turmoil that now exists because of rapidly dwindling supplies of no-longer-cheap oil and the concerns about nuclear energy-justified or unjustified-exacerbated by an operating incident at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Powerplant, prompt speculation for a resurgence of coal, especially where it cangenerate electricity to replace energy from imported oil.The world's reserves of coal are not inexhaustible, although they are ample for several decades. Of greater import is the fact that the world's coal reserve s are more widely distributed than its oil reserves, and they appear less convenient as instruments of economic and political persuasion by opportunist powers. The crux is whether or not the world will accept all that a massive, if temporary, return to coal implies.Combustion of pulverized coal in steam generators to pro duce electricity is a 50-year-old, well-understood technique; it is undergoing continuous refinement to meet evolving environmental and economic criteria and is not found wanting. It is certainly the only technique available and technologically advanced enough to replace oil immediately on a large scale. Although it may take a decade to bring a new coal-fired powerplant into service, this delay is a reflection on nontechnical and administrative processes. Capital and operating costs of coal-fired powerplants are significant and subject to inflation, but, because of the accumulated experience in this field, the ability to control costs is better than for those energy processes which are less mature or still in embryo form. More exotic, soft energy systems, touted as the panacea for world energy problems, have still to prove themselves on the scale they are needed and under the stringent climatic and operating conditions coal-fired powerplants have already mastered."

Jan 1, 1980

By Sandeep Singh Sandhu, Karanvir Singh Ghuman, Manjit Singh

"Cobalt based super alloy stellite 6 was weld cladded on AISI 304 L stainless steel using SMAW process in order to improve the wear resistance for tyre crusher blades. Microstructure characterization and micro hardness testing was performed on stellite 6 cladding. The suitable parameters viz. 80 Amp current with arc weaving technique was selected by performing bead on plate experiment were further used for depositing multipass multilayer cladding to achieve full filler chemistry at the top surface. Further GTAW process was used for re-melting the top surface of the cladding. Comparative evaluation of the claddings showed that TIG re-melting resulted in increased microhardness and wear resistance in comparison to as cladded specimens even with lesser deposition of material. It was observed that TIG re-melting improved the hardness from 603 HV0.5 kg to 712 HV0.5 kg. Micro structures of stellite 6 contained cobalt solid solution matrix along with inter dendrite chromium carbides which resulted in the increased micro hardness values. Pin on disc abrasion tests were carried out at room temperature and the worn out surfaces were characterized using SEM and EDS.INTRODUCTIONThe crusher blades are used in many industries for crushing various types of material and its wider applications in tyre rubber crushing mills, metal-powder crushers industries etc. Most of the crusher blades are damaged by the wear and impact loading conditions. It is because of metal to metal abrasion and the temperature also plays a vital role in blunting the cutting edges of these blades. The wear is the major cause which leads to loss of material and thus the productivity that can never be recovered (Kotechi et al., 1992). The wear can be reduced by coating of various super alloys which could reduce the behavior of metal degradation even in aggressive environments. Cladding of cheaper low alloyed material with expensive superalloys to enhance the performance of components at low cost has been investigated by many scholars (Deng et al., 2010, Kennametal, 2007, Lolla et al., 2014, Singhet al., 2014, J.N et al., 2003, Ramkumar et al., 2012). Many researchers have reported that cladding is an application of build-up deposits of specialized alloys to resist abrasion, high temperature corrosion and impact loadings. Cladding is used for providing required mechanical strength properties as well as inhibition of oxidation and other corrosive degradation. Coatings are used to protect the heat affected areas like tubes of fluidized bed combustor etc. (Kirchbner et al., 2008, Wang et al., 1994, Hocking et al., 1993, Ananthapadmanabhan et al., 1991, Staia et al., 2001). Coating techniques are widely used for the protection of turbine engine and boiler tubes against high temperature corrosion attack, power generation equipment, chemical process equipment, aircraft engines, pulp and paper processing equipment, bridges, rollers and concrete reinforcements, orthopedics and dental, land-based and marine turbines, ships. Coatings of stellite 6 are widely used in steam turbine blades and boiler tubes for power generation because of an excellent combination of impact, wear and other properties. It can maintain its properties even at high temperature and in harsh environments (Kobayashiet al., 1999, Alam et al., 2009, Munehru et al., 2009). The loading and unloading conditions experienced by the material may induce the surface cracks which lead to its breakage and leaving large pits in the surface (Meng et al., 1995). Many researchers have reported that the properties of cladded layers can be increased by various techniques such as controlling the current variations, dilution, heat input, laser and other re-melting processes, addition of special alloying elements, speed of weldingetc(C.M Anaet al., 2002, Kumaret al., 1999, Luo et al., 2012, et al., Madadi et al., 2011, Shin et al., 2003, Kuzucu et al., 1997, Sudha et al., 2008, Sawant et al., 2017, Houdkova et al., 2016, Ciubo"

Jan 1, 2017

By B. Karnath, K. Guha, S. Tandon

At Jhagadia Copper Ltd (India), Copper is produced through secondary route using Top Blown Rotary Converter (Kaldo Furnace). The basic raw material being treated includes Matte-slag Reverts, Copper Cakes, dross & Cement, Oxide Ore, Low S bearing Concentrates & various metallics along with high grade copper scraps. The plant has capability to refine & produce Blister grade copper from Kaldo furnace as well as PS Converter . Blister is fire refined in Anode furnace & electro refined in Refinery to produce cathode copper. Our product , Copper Cathode , has already been established in the market as its quality is better than 'LME Gr'. The paper deals with the experiences encountered during commissioning & stabilization of the plant.

Jan 1, 2007

By J. J. Jonas

The categories of interpass time encountered in hot rolling are characterized. These are shown to fall into three broad categories: short (in rod rolling); intermediate (in strip processing); and long (in plate schedules). The effects of interpass time on recrystallization and carbonitride precipitation are described, and particularly on the interaction between these two mechanisms. The interactions, in turn, determine the final microstructure produced as well as the mechanical properties.

Jan 1, 2005

By L. Vollert

"The application of pneumatically-assisted fluidized bed flotation, specifically the ERIEZ HydroFloatTM technology, has found widespread use in non-sulphide processing (particularly phosphate, potash and coal) for the recovery of coarse particles. In gold processing, centrifugal gravity circuits and flash flotation cells are typically employed for the recovery of coarse and near-size liberated gold which tends to accumulate in recycled grinding streams due to bypass to the classifying cyclone underflow streams owing to the higher specific gravity of these gold particles. Early removal of this gold from the grinding circuits contributes toward the reduction of downstream processing losses as a result of overgrinding and particle shape deformation in the case of flotation processing, longer leach residence times in the case of extractive processing, and surface occlusions in the case of both flotation and extractive processing. Furthermore, recovery to bullion attracts higher payment terms by way of comparison to concentrate sales in the case of copper-gold concentrators. This paper assesses the application of pneumatically assisted fluidized bed flotation for the recovery of coarse liberated gold through the analysis of piloting data generated from the operation of a continuously operated 16 inch ERIEZ HydroFloatTM unit treating a sized coarse grinding circuit stream. The paper presents the stage recovery by size performance of the ERIEZ HydroFloatTM unit together with quantitative gold deportment analysis to demonstrate the efficiency with which gold was recovered during this pilot campaign and then compared to more conventional processing units – centrifugal gravity and conventional flotation.INTRODUCTION Newcrest Mining Limited (NML) has identified that an opportunity exists for improving the recovery of coarse composite particles at its current operations, both as a means for improving overall recovery and as an opportunity for early gangue rejection. As such, Newcrest Mining Limited has taken an interest in the application of pneumatically-assisted, fluidized-bed flotation i.e. ERIEZ HydroFloatTM technology. This interest dates back to 2011 with sighter testwork carried out on their Australian-held ore bodies (Kohmuench et al, 2013). Newcrest continues to assess ERIEZ HydroFloatTM potential for coarse composite recovery and, in the case of the topic of this paper, coarse gold recovery based on examples in the literature which demonstrate the efficiency of this technology in this regard (Carmona Franco et al., (2015); Miller et al., (2016); and Kohmuench et al, 2013)."

Jan 1, 2017

By L Tafaghodi Khajavi, M. Barati

The distribution of phosphorus between solid silicon and iron-silicon melt was determined to investigate the degree of phosphorus removal from silicon by solvent refining with iron-silicon alloys. The distribution coefficient which is the ratio of the mole fraction of phosphorus in solid to that of liquid is as follows: 0.22±0.02 (1310°C), 0.29±0.02 (1260°C) and 0.33±0.02 (1210°C). The removal percentage of phosphorus is: 84.2% (1310°C), 72.5% (1260°C), and 63.7% (1210°C). The average phosphorus content of produced silicon in the proposed solvent refining process would be over two times less than that of the conventional directional solidification. The values of interaction coefficient of phosphorus on iron at different temperatures were obtained as -3460±155 (1310°C), -3595±159 (1260°C) and -3694±119 (1210°C). Self interaction parameter of phosphorus at different temperatures are as follows: 68±4 (1310 ?C), 78±10 (1260 ?C) and 103±19 (1210 ?C). The calculated values for distribution coefficient of phosphorus at infinite dilution are: 0.22±0.00 (1310°C), 0.30±0.00 (1260°C) and 0.34±0.00 (1210 °C).

Jan 1, 2015

By S. W. Marcuson, P. J. Mackey

The 1973 Oil Embargo and succeeding disruptions in supply had a profound effect on energy costs and consumption patterns in the developed world. This was especially true in the USA where post World War II growth, fueled by low-cost imported oil, left the country dependent on uninterrupted oil shipments from the volatile Middle East. In this atmosphere, Professor H.H. Kellogg of Columbia University, convinced of the necessity of good environmental stewardship by the writings of the era’s leading environmentalists, developed a methodology for evaluating energy and process efficiency of metallurgical processes and wrote a series of papers describing and applying the techniques. One of these, "Energy Use in Sulfide Smelting of Copper" is recognized as a seminal work which both described the state of energy usage in copper smelting in the mid-1970’s and portended future developments. The background to these papers is examined and the current and past Cu-Ni matte smelting practices in Canada are examined in the context of the results. Data from early 20th century publications describing reverberatory and blast furnace operation is employed to show that energy consumption for much of the century was several multiples higher than that calculated for best reverberatory operation in the 1970’s.

Jan 1, 2015

By L. R. P. de Andrade Lima, D. Hodouin

The paper presents a survey of the possibilities of the simulation techniques for improving the design and operation of gold processing plants. The procedure to construct kinetic models that are used in simulators is first reviewed, and examples are given for cyanide gold dissolution and gold adsorption on carbon. Then, an overview of the structures of the plant simulators is proposed, and the simulation equations formulated for a carbon-in-leach process. Finally, the potential of simulation methods is illustrated by four examples. The first one shows how it is possible to use a simulator to design a cascade of leaching tanks while optimizing an economic performance criterion. The second one illustrates the role of simulators for optimal tuning of the cyanide addition strategy in a leaching circuit. The third example focuses on the power of simulation to design carbon transfer strategies in a carbon-in-pulp process. Finally, the last example shows the role of on-line simulators for optimally supervising the automatic control of cyanide addition into leaching tanks.

Jan 1, 2005

By R. B. Nourse, S. F. Gwynn-Jones, S. Nikolic, M. L. Bakker, I. McDougall, H. Joubert

"Tenova Pyromet’s core furnace knowhow and expertise has been built within the ferroalloy and nickel/platinum group metal (PGM) industries with the supply of electric furnaces for a number of nickel/PGM operators, including Eastplats, Lonmin, and Anglo-Platinum in South Africa, Mineraçào Serra Da Fortaleza in Brazil, and Norilsk Nickel in Russia. Tenova Pyromet has also supplied the electrode columns and associated electrode equipment – the heart of the electric furnace technology – for cobalt recovery in furnaces in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The quantity and size of projects undertaken by Tenova Pyromet has provided the opportunity to continuously improve furnace designs and the scope of supply, culminating in the most recent nickel/PGM project currently under construction at Northam Platinum. Through this innovative culture, the Tenova Pyromet Base Metals Initiative was formed in 2015 to develop the Novasmelt™ Furnace; a next generation optimised Top Submerged Lance (TSL) furnace design. The combination of Tenova Pyromet’s advanced Novasmelt™ product with our industry leading electric furnace technology are discussed with reference to applications for nickel and cobalt production. Flowsheet arrangements are compared summarising potential capital savings, operating requirements and achievement of downstream product quality.INTRODUCTION Tenova Pyromet is a leading player in the field of smelting technology development and equipment supply. Tenova Pyromet is the result of the union of three furnace suppliers under the Tenova banner: Techint Technologies (Tagliaferri), Core Furnace Systems Corp (Lectromelt) and Pyromet Technologies. The furnace experience of the combined groups dates back over a century with the earliest Lectromelt going into production in the early 1900s. Throughout the modern era, Tenova Pyromet has developed a reputation for providing dependable innovative smelting technology, high quality equipment and sound project execution to a worldwide client base with customer plants operating in Europe, Southern Africa, North America, South America, Russia, Kazakhstan, the Middle East, South Korea, and India. Tenova Pyromet’s core knowledge and expertise was developed in the South African ferroalloy, base metals, and platinum group metals (PGM) smelting industries. Tenova Pyromet has spent considerable effort on development and has contributed significantly to improve the state of the smelting industry. Tenova Pyromet’s electrode columns have become widely renowned and are now providing significant benefits, especially in increased furnace availability, to many smelting furnace operators. The electrode column is the heart of the furnace as it delivers a controlled amount of electrical energy, at an optimum depth in the burden/bath, to the smelting process. Every furnace is custom designed to the specific operating range and optimal operating point of that furnace and process"

Jan 1, 2017

By Pierre Labrecque

Dispatch systems have been used for open pit mining since the early 1980?s but similar systems do not widely exist for underground mining. There is a need for developing dispatch systems for underground mines, particularly highly automated operations such as block caving. An innovative method, Agent Based Modeling (ABM) for a dispatch system for a block caving operation, is proposed in this paper. The model is based on a particular behaviour observed in social insects. The focus of the ABM dispatch system is adaptability with respect to changing operational conditions and effective integration of maintenance modules with the operation. The paper will show the advantages of this innovative method compared to existing similar systems. Furthermore, the preliminary approaches for developing an agent based modeling system for block caving operations are highlighted and discussed in this paper. 1. Introduction In social

May 1, 2008

By Ainul Akhtar, Steve Cockcroft, Jixiang Xu, Daan Maijer, Lu Yao

"Nitrogen rich Ti-N inclusions are one of the more difficult inclusions to remove during liquid metal refining of titanium. If present in the final component, they can significantly decrease the mechanical performance of titanium and its alloys in applications involving cyclic loading. Understanding the kinetics of dissolution of Ti-N particles during consolidation/melting of titanium can help us better operate and design the melting processes to minimize their occurrence in Premium Quality Titanium production. A numerical model based on finite difference method has been developed to calculate the dissolution of a spherical Ti-N particles in molten titanium. Analytical solutions were used to verify the finite difference code for calculation of concentration profile and the dissolution of spherical solids. Taking into account the limitations in these approaches for the different cases examined, the invariant field approximation showed good agreement with the results from the numerical analysis. Evolution of the size of a spherical Ti-N particle during dissolution was predicted by the numerical model and the particle dissolves in 163 s.INTRODUCTION Properties like low density, high specific strength and excellent corrosion resistance make titanium attractive for a variety of applications. Key characteristics in the processing of titanium and its alloys include its high sensitivity to impurities, especially atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen and its high reactivity in the molten state. Nitrogen rich inclusions Ti-N, also known as Type ? or hard alpha defects, usually have substantially higher hardness and lower ductility than the surrounding material. Because they can act as fatigue initiation sites, Ti-N inclusions can significantly decrease the mechanical performance of titanium and its alloys in applications involving cyclic loading, even in minor amounts (tenth of a percent) (Lampman, 1990; Moiseyev, 2005; Lütjering & Williams, 2007). Ti-N encompasses as a broad range of nitrogen contents from a few wt% up to stoichiometric TiN. The liquidus temperature of Ti-N titanium increases substantially with increasing nitrogen content. Consequently, depending on the concentration of nitrogen, the melting point of Ti-N inclusions can be above bulk liquid metal temperatures during melt processing. Thus, removal of Ti-N defects hinges on dissolution and not melting."

Jan 1, 2017

By Linlin Zhang

Rare earth elements (REEs) are a group of lanthanides elements which have been widely used in the electronic, petrochemistry, metallurgy, and defense industries. Their demand has increased sharply in the past decade with the boom in electronic device production. Some countries now consider them strategic metals for the future and it has been forecasted that REEs may become a dominant contributor to global economy. In the wake of REE exploration, mining and processing, concern has grown over occupational and community health issues and risks. A portion of available literature on this topic however is written in the Chinese language, and thus research information related to health and REE mining is not readily accessible to mineral development planners in countries such as Canada, where REE mining is now evolving. As REEs also represent an important commodity, primarily stemming from Chinese production, it is important to begin to understand the potential health costs related to this mining sector. There are two main objectives of this paper. The first is to present an overview of REE mining with a focus on geological characteristics, global production and uses with particular attention to the main producer: China. The second is to present the results of a literature review (using both Chinese and English sources) on REE mining and health and identifies key occupational and community health issues that require consideration. This paper concludes by identifying some critical issues this sector needs to address to ensure the sustainable development of this mining activity.

Aug 1, 2013

By Xuehui Xia

Abstract -There are a number of sedimentary exhalative massive sulfide (SEDEX) deposits in the Proterozoic Langshan-Zhaertai rift at the western segment of the northern margin of the North China platform in China, including more than ten large, medium and small deposits located in a belt of 300 km EW by 50 km to 100 km NS, with large Cu, Pb, Zn, Ag, and S reserves. In several representative SEDEX deposits in the rift, the mineralizing elements are prominently zoned, horizontally or vertically, with Cu decreasing but Pb increasing from west to east, Cu decreasing but Zn increasing from bottom to top, and Zn restricted to the bottom half. The ore-hosting rocks, characterized by a clear manganese halo, have developed a polymetallic mineralization in positive relation with their carbon contents. Their isotopic aspects are: ?34S has relatively large positive values, fluctuating between +5‰ and +35‰, compared with Pb isotopic compositions which are less variable, with a model age of 1600 Ma to 1800 Ma, showing that they are mantle-derived. The mineralizing materials were associated undoubtedly with the contemporaneously faulting events in the rift. The deposits owe their origin to seafloor exhalation, with sedimentary rocks as their hosts.

Jan 1, 1999

By G. V. Lewis

"INTRODUCTORY REMARKS""I believe we need to communicate as much as possible with the industry. I don't think that we should be a body that just goes around doing dust surveys and writing nasty letters. We should get together on these problems and try and solve them as a group. I've only been with the Department a little over 12 months. I haven't visited all of your plants. I've visited most of the major open pits and I have had a chance to observe a lot of problems that you have encountered and a lot of the problems that you have brought up this morning. I thought the best thing I could do is perhaps mention a few of the approaches to the problems that my superior has suggested to me and we have discussed in the Department, and then perhaps go over a few of the evaluating problems and what we are trying to do with our dust surveys and perhaps ways and means of improving the present setup."""

Jan 1, 1976

"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

By F. Henríquez, V. Iriarte, L. Vinnett, J. Yianatos, F. Díaz

Metallurgical characterizations of the collective (Cu/Mo) and selective flotation plants were carried out in Minera Los Pelambres, Chile. The selective plant allows the valuable minerals of Cu and Mo to be separated. The evaluation involved two surveys consisting of metallurgical sampling as well as residence time distribution (RTD) measurements to determine load distribution. The RTD data were obtained in real-time by means of the radioactive tracer technique. In addition, metallurgical data was reconciled and supported by effective residence times. In the collective plant, a performance comparison of parallel rougher circuits was carried out, which included a bank of six mechanical cells of 250 m3 and banks of nine mechanical cells of 130 m3. In the selective plant, the Cu and Mo evolution along the plant was evaluated. The results in the selective plant allowed for performance evaluation of mechanical and pneumatic cells in primary flotation. In both plants, mineral losses were evaluated and their relationship with circuit configuration (cell types and circuit layout) was determined. The metallurgical characterization was a powerful tool to evaluate circuit performance and to detect improvement opportunities at industrial scale.

Jan 1, 2015

By M. Sukhram

In the year 1992, T.A. Utigard published a paper titled "The measurement of the heat-transfer coefficient between high temperature liquids and solid surfaces." In that work, he instrumented an agglomerate of materials with thermocouples to infer the heat transfer coefficient of a high temperature liquid on a solid. The purpose of that research was to help in the design and operation of metallurgical reactors. Since that time there have been many researchers that have worked to characterize heat, mass, and momentum transfer phenomena in high temperature metallurgical processing operations. This paper presents results from the author’s experience with instrumenting thermocouples in copper elements coated with carbon to infer velocity of high temperature liquid metals. It also presents a methodology to determine velocity of a high temperature liquid by inferring the local heat transfer coefficient at a solid-liquid interface

Jan 1, 2015

By L. Callele, C. DiGiovanni, L. Li, R. Driver

"Hot-dip galvanizing is a common procedure used to protect structural steels from corrosive environments. However, in a construction project involving welded structural steel platforms by a Canadian steel structures company, numerous connections were found with large cracks in the welded corner joints and T-joints after galvanizing. Historically, in other similar projects by the same industry partner, cracking did not occur making this an unforeseen and new phenomenon. The project explored the mechanical properties of the base material, the thermal stresses induced by the hot-dip galvanizing, and the fracture surface of the cracks. A key feature to note, the fracture surface showed intergranular cracking with no plastic deformation. Lab testing showed the base material exhibited intergranular brittle behavior when heated and fractured at the galvanizing temperature. The transition to a brittle fracture mode is due to temper embrittlement and the segregation of elements in the grain boundaries.INTRODUCTION Galvanization is a common practice for protecting steel structures from the corrosive environment. Hot-dip galvanizing is the most common approach to bonding the zinc layer to the steel, and it is highly cost effective. In the case of welded structures, it is common to do the hot-dip galvanizing process after welding. This is so the protective layer can be applied to the structure as a whole and over the welds. In a recent construction project carried out in industry, a steel frame platform structure measuring approximately 3 m x 7 m was galvanized after welding fabrication. The structure was built of CSA G40.21 350W and CSA G40.20/G40.21 300W plain carbon steels and welded using a metal core arc welding process for the flanges and a flux core arc welding process for the webs of the beams. Due to their size, the platforms underwent a double-dip galvanizing process meaning half of the structures were submerged in the molten zinc path while the other half was exposed to the ambient air. This was repeated for the remaining side. Shortly after the galvanizing process was completed, numerous large cracks were found in the welded joints. Given there was no history of weld cracks after galvanizing in previous similar frames that were double dipped, this failure posed a new and curious problem."

Jan 1, 2017

By Erik Spiller

"Water and cyanide are highly contentious and conflict issues that many gold mining companies encounter worldwide when dealing with local farming communities, industries and cities competing for water as well as non-government and government organizations. Historically, the gold industry has used processes that required minimum amounts of water to treat and recover gold at locations around the world. Examples are dry grinding for refractory gold treatment in the late 1800s and early 1900s and dry blowing in arid/desert regions to recover alluvial gold. In recent times, new dry processing equipment has been developed and include equipment such as air tables and jigs. Researchers have also modified a Knelson concentrator to concentrate gold from dry solids. High pressure grinding rolls (HPGR) with air classifiers are used to treat industrial minerals and pilot trials have shown that the technology can be applied to comminute refractory gold ores ahead of roasting. Dry stacked tailings is being applied on gold mines to reduce overall water consumption This paper will review the available technologies that in combination may be able to substantially reduce the quantity of water used in the processing of gold ores.INTRODUCTION Water makes up most of the world: the planet is 75% water. Some 97.5% is saline water largely in the oceans, so that only 2.5% is fresh water and useful for human needs. The demand for water is driven primarily by population and concomitant economic growth. Overall, some 70% of the water withdrawn from the environment is used in agriculture, 20% by industry, 7% by households and 3% for mining (Brown, 2003: Maupin et al., 2010). Whilst the water needs of the mining industry are minor compared to those of agriculture, an operating mine requires a relatively large quantity of water on a daily basis to carry out operations. Mining activities are often located in remote, arid environments, with limited access to water. There are a multitude of water resources available to the mining industry for its needs. However, much of this water is saline and over the last two decades there has been a continual decline in water quality (i.e. salinity has increased). In today‘s world, there are enormous internal and external pressures to reduce water consumption at a mine, and/or alternatively use water not considered a resource by the local community. Strategies to meet these objectives can be achieved by implementing good water management practices, by recycling process water, reducing water losses by evaporation and seepage (i.e. by increasing and improving dewatering practices) and employing new technologies such as dry stacking and dry processing (Dunne, 2010)."

Jan 1, 2017

By D. Mark Richards

Highland Valley Copper is a large open pit copper mine in the southern interior of British Columbia. Machine guidance technology using the Global Positioning System (GPS), was first implemented at the mine in late 1996 for blast hole drill navigation. The purchase of a third BE49R drill in 1998 completed the change to GPS navigation for all the mine?s drilling. The acceptance of this technology was almost immediate at both the operator and management levels. With the purchase of a new P&H 2800 shovel in 1997, the opportunity was taken to extend GPS navigation to a shovel. Due to communication restrictions, this was not as successful as envisaged. In late 1999, following a cost benefit analysis, a three-shovel trial of Caterpillar?s Computer Aided Earthmoving System (CAES), was initiated. The trial was successfully concluded in June 2000 and a further two shovels were equipped. Acceptance of this system has been very good at all levels, which has undoubtedly contributed to its success. In September 2000, CAES was extended to the dozer fleet with the purchase of a new track dozer. The CAES equipped dozer is used for pit production and project work. It is planned to extend CAES to the rest of the shovel fleet in 2001, along with a production front-end loader and one or two more track dozers.

May 1, 2001