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By Richard Phiri, Mike Milupi, Jackson Kapobe, Anton Lemmer, Charles Mazala

Sustainability of plant operations in a rapidly changing mining environment requires a well-trained workforce to ensure smooth running of operations. To ensure availability of trained labor, Mopani Copper Mines PLC set up a training facility in 2013. The school offers training in Engineering, Mining and Process. The engineering section enrolls grade 12 school leavers for artisan training. Mining section offers comprehensive safety induction program to employees and contractors to meet the Mopani zero tolerance accidents safety policy. The process training section offers advanced training programs for plant operating personnel and university graduates. The program includes needs analysis, theoretical metallurgical modules, practical plant training and e-learning modules. The school also offers assaying and sampling courses. All the above courses are extended to individuals and other mining houses outside Mopani wishing to have their personnel trained. The Mopani sustainable development academy ensures that contractors engaged on the Mopani sites are fully registered, comply with all relevant regulations and have undergone induction program before they can be allowed to work on the mine. INTRODUCTION “Sustainable operation of the mining industry requires a continuous supply of trained human resources” (Kapobe et al., 2018). The publication by the Asian Development Bank (2014) argued that there was a mismatch between the demand for high-level skills and the oversupply of low-level skills. Globally, the mining industry requires continued supply of skilled manpower for its complex operations and long term projects whose sustainability is absolutely necessary. Implementation of newer technologies in plant operations to ensure cost effective and efficient operations requires trained and skilled labor at various levels to handle ever-changing challenges. Dutz (2007:152–156) made three recommendations for Building Worker and Management Skills in India: Strengthen enterprise - based training. The government should help ensure that the benefits of in- service training are widely recognized by enterprises, while simultaneously providing strong financial incentives Improve vocational training - Vocational education and training systems have been unsuccessful in preparing graduates to meet market needs, particularly because of a lack of interaction with industry. Public and private vocational education and training providers should be strengthened to make them more responsive to industry demands. Curricula should be updated to reflect modern technologies. Strengthen business, management education, management of research and commercialization - business and management education should be strengthened through public-private partnerships. Innovative management courses should be introduced. Although these recommendations were made for India, they also apply to Zambia and other low and medium income nations.

Jan 1, 2019

By H. Ewaschuk

"INTRODUCTIONRio Algom's involvement with the Enviro-Clear thickener began in May 1975, when tests on a laboratory waif were carried out by our Research and Development group. Commencing in June, further tests were carried out using a 3 foot diameter pilot unit. By December, a 30 foot full-scale thickener had been installed. In the near future, 3 more Enviro-Clear thickeners will be commissioned. With in the space of a year, almost $2.5 million had been committed to liquid/ solid separation facilities using the Enviro-Clear thickener. This paper briefly traces the extent and development of this commitment.BRIEF HISTORY OF QUIRKEQuirke Mine started operating in September 1956 at a rated capacity of 3,000 TOD. Because of market conditions, Quirke was shut down in December 1960. The facilities were re-opened at an increased capacity of 4,000 TPD in July 1968, by which time the demand for uranium had returned. Also, a second shaft was sunk, and by 1970, all of the ore treated in the concentrator was coming from the new Quirke II mine. The Quirke I stopes were allowed to fill with natural seepage. As well, acidic barren solution from the concentrator was pumped underground.With increasing demand for uranium, the capacity of Quirke will be further expanded to 7,000 TPD by 1978. Studies of how this expansion could best he carried out led to the consideration of a fairly new piece of equipment, the Enviro-Clear thickener, for certain operations in the concentrator. These operations are as follows:"

Jan 1, 1977

By Dwight Newman

This paper discusses the author?s work identifying international law norms of consultation with indigenous communities and poses a potentially counterintuitive argument that corporate stakeholders? interactions with indigenous communities may have effects on the content of those norms. The claim is counterintuitive because the international law of pertinence is customary international law, which arises from consistent state practice and opinio juris (a belief by states that they are acting in a way they are legally bound to do so). Customary international law traditionally has no reference to corporate conduct per se. The paper first surveys several sources on developing international law on consultation obligations. Then it references the impact these norms can have on corporate stakeholders in industries like mining. Then, it poses an argument as to an economic ratcheting effect that can occur through various agreements between corporate stakeholders and indigenous communities that then feeds through into international law via several mechanisms. The consequences for mining companies are diverse and include the possibility that conduct by one company can have longer-term implications for the obligations of other companies and, indeed, of states. The effects will differ in the context of different competitive environments and may actually have effects on the economics of different competitive models.

Aug 1, 2013

By P. A. Selvadurai

This paper presents the results of a research investigation leading to the development of a technique for the measurement of the surface permeability of Indiana Limestone. The tests are conducted on a cuboidal block of the limestone with a flat surface that can be sealed to create a circular aperture through which water influx can take place. Computational results for Darcy flow are used to interpret the results of the experiments. The water entry area can be moved over the surface area of the block to investigate, quite conveniently, the distribution of permeability across the surface of the limestone block sample.

May 1, 2009

By Godfrey MacDonald

"The East West Caribou deposit with an underground mine, concentrator and ancillaries is located 30 km west of Bathurst, New Brunswick. The Restigouche deposit, an open pit mine is 30 km west of East West Caribou. The ore will be trucked from the Restigouche site to the East West Caribou minesite.History:The East West Caribou ore body was discovered in 1955 and the subsequent metallurgical programme focused on producing a bulk sulphide concentrate. However, in 1966 a Mr. P.G. Kihlstadt of Anaconda did float a Copper-Lead concentrate and a Zinc concentrate. He also reported that as the grind became finer the recoveries improved. In 1968 the Mines Branch in Ottawa produced a Lead concentrate of 30 percent at a 60.5 percent recovery and a 52 percent Zinc concentrate at an 83.4 percent recovery.Laboratory testwork proceed the 1988 start up of our current concentrator and underground mine facilities. The concentrator was designed to produce a Lead ""rich"" concentrate and a Zinc ""rich"" concentrate which were combined to make a marketable Bulk concentrate. In 1990 the operation was suspended because of declining base metal prices, increasing smelter treatment charges, increasing operating costs and operating difficulties.The 1997 operating plan is to produce a Lead concentrate and a Zinc concentrate.The Restigouche ore body was discovered in 1989. The subsequent testwork done at Lakefield Research recommended the production of a Copper, a Lead and a Zinc concentrate. The ore reserve could not support a stand alone concentrator so the project was put on hold.Laboratory testwork was carried out at Lakefield Research to confirm compatibility of the East West Caribou ore and the Restigouche ore in their processing."

Jan 1, 1997

By Kathleen A. Altman

"This paper supplements the information provided annually at the Canadian Mineral Processors Operators Conference regarding the education of Mineral Processors in Canada. The purpose of the paper is to provide information regarding the engineering accreditation process in the United States and the universities that offer programs in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy in the U.S.There is a critical shortage of trained Mineral Processors and Mining Engineers world wide. The Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) formed a task force to evaluate the national needs for trained engineers and to track the number of engineers who graduate from U.S. universities each year. The statistical information for Mining Engineers is well-developed. The current effort is to assemble similar information regarding students who graduate with expertise in Extractive Metallurgy and Mineral Processing as well as to explore the limitations of the accreditation system in the United States and its impact on the education of Mineral Processors. The long-term objective is to develop a data base regarding Mineral Processing programs and Mineral Processing graduates that is as complete as the one that has been maintained by the Canadian Mineral Processors.INTRODUCTIONIn the United States engineering curricula are accredited by ABET, which was formerly known as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. The objective of ABET accreditation is to ensure that educational programs in applied science, computing, engineering and technology meet quality standards set in conjunction with the professional organizations that represent professionals in the industries which hire students graduating from those educational programs. For example, the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) is the lead society for accrediting Mining Engineering programs in the U.S. For Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering programs, the lead society is The Mineral, Metals and Materials Society (TMS). SME is a cooperating society for accrediting Metallurgical Engineering programs. Cooperating societies for the accreditation of Materials Engineering include the National Institute of Ceramic Engineers (NICE), the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)."

Jan 1, 2008

By Donald Strickland, Peter Kresin, Dave Hall

"Have your parents or grandparents ever tried to share with you their wisdom and you ignored it because it did not relate to you‘? I have been ignorant and inevitably grew older and wished I had listened. The result: learning the hard way. As British Astronomer Fred Hoyle once said. “It is the true nature of mankind to learn from mistakes not from example.“ Hopefully we will continue to learn from the examples shared by our fellow mineral processors in these conference proceedings. It is the intent of this paper to share wisdom from the Musselwhite Mine that you may apply to your own operation.This paper is divided into three sections:1. Feasibility3. Operation3 . DesignKey points of the Feasibility and Design stages are summarized. followed by an analysis of actual operating statistics. An attempt is made to relate these statistics back to the feasibility and design with emphasis on areas of success and those with potential for improvement."

Jan 1, 1999

By A. P. E. Dirige

Extensive field study has been performed to assess the capabilities of thin sprayon liners (TSLs) and conventional spray-on support systems for preventing rock and support material damage that often results due to mining-induced rockbursts. Support performance was studied using field scale explosive detonation trials to simulate dynamic failure effects that are known to develop during typical rockburst events. Multiple seismic and high speed photographic monitoring techniques were used to provide detailed information concerning rock motion, surface fracturing, ejected fragment motion, and support liner survivability characteristics. Results of this study have demonstrated that TSL?s and variant layer combinations may be as effective as or better than conventional support materials for mitigating rockburst or like damage in highly stressed mine environments. In this study, field results have been verified using numerical modeling procedures to better understand the support behaviour of TSLs when subjected to highly stressed mine environments and mining-induced rockbursts, a factor that is essential when designing any rock support system. A series of numerical modeling assessments were conducted using FLAC3D modeling of a half circular TSL-lined tunnel, influenced by anisotropic stresses and simulated mining-induced rockbursts, to investigate the support potential of TSLs under prototype conditions. The effect of a mine rockburst was simulated using the three-dimensional dynamic analysis option of FLAC3D. Results of TSL-lined tunnels in highly stressed and mine rockburst conditions indicated exceptional effectiveness of TSLs for suppressing rock deterioration resulting from stresses and rockbursts. The rock support potential of TSLs on tunnel surfaces was compared with that of thin shotcrete linings, and results indicated that thin spray-on lining products currently available may be equally as effective in support as shotcrete materials.

May 1, 2009

By W. D. Gould, A. Kapoor, K. Morin, P. Bédard

This paper presents the results of a research study that is being conducted by the Mine Effluents Program, Mining and Mineral Science Laboratory (MMSL), Natural Resources Canada aimed at evaluating biotechnology processes for the treatment of nitrogen compounds such as thiocyanide (CNS) and ammonia (NH4-N) which are present in gold mill effluents. A sequencing batch reactor (SBR) technology, commonly used for the biological treatment of municipal and industrial effluents, was used in this study. In the SBR process, the micro-organisms were able to degrade CNS to NH4-N and NH4-N to nitrate (NO3-N) at operating conditions of two 12 h treatment cycles per day, with pH maintained in the 7.4 to 7.6 range, and at room temperature (approximately 21°C) and also at 12 °C. The end products of CNS and NH4-N biological oxidation were NO3-N and sulphate (SO4) that are relatively non-toxic. Partial removal of NO3-N was achieved by biological denitrification reactions in the SBR process. The SBR process effluent was measured to be non-toxic to rainbow trout based on the 96 h acute toxicity test. The microbial consortium isolated from the SBR treating a simulated effluent was able to effectively oxidize CNS and NH4-N to NO3-N in water samples (under batch conditions) collected at three mine sites located in Quebec, the Northwest Territories, and Yukon.

Jan 1, 2004

By H. R. Bullis

"Abstract- This paper discusses what appears to be a flaw in the current belief, widely held within the gold mining industry and investment community, that the creation of ever-larger gold mining companies is desirable for mining companies and investors alike. The basis of the flaw is in the underlying assumption that very large gold producers can discover or acquire new gold deposits of the size necessary to replace extracted reserves on a year-on-year basis over the intermediate to long term (i.e., five to ten years and longer). As it will be noted in this paper, deposits of the size required to replace annual production of very large gold producers (VLGPs) are relatively few in number. Although discoveries of new gold deposits continue to be made, they are predominantly in the 0.5 to 2.0 million ounce range. Data represented here suggest that, although gold production from individual VLGPs continues to increase, the change is due to merging or acquiring other companies or projects with similar reserve life profiles. Therefore, the reserve life profiles of VLGPs have remained flat or have decreased.The paper will note recent changes in the industry and the remarkable increase in gold production reported by individual mining companies over the past several years. It will provide an overview of the geographical and geological distribution of known gold deposits and the range of deposit sizes. Finally, the paper will discuss the challenges that face large gold producers in replenishing their reserves that are being depleted at an ever-increasing rate. Unless otherwise stated, all production and reserve data have been taken from company documents in the public domain or publicly available information."

Jan 1, 2001

By Dan Alexander, Ivan Crnkovic, Sarah Schwarz

"Several plant studies have been conducted at the Zinifex Century Mine over the past 5 years. For each of the plant studies, surveys of the zinc primary circuit were conducted, characterisation measurements for each operating cell taken, and the floatability components of the ore mapped to develop a model of the circuit. The floatability components and machine parameters were then used to simulate changes in circuit configuration and operating conditions, enabling further potential improvements in circuit performance to be identified.This paper reviews the current flotation practice at the mine, as well as various circuit changes and developments implemented by site. The application of the methodology and the evolution of the standard procedure are also discussed.INTRODUCTIONBase metals were first discovered in the Lawn Hill region of Queensland’s North West in 1869 and the first mining lease in this area was pegged in 1887 over what is now known as the Silver King vein deposit. The area encompassing these veins, which includes the Century deposit, was proclaimed the Burketown Mining Field in 1899. Exploration titles were granted to CRA in 1987, precisely 100 years after the initial discovery at Silver King, hence the name ‘Century’.Century was commissioned by Pasminco in late 1999, with the mine becoming fully operational on 1 March 2000 and the official opening taking place in April. Pasminco had bought the Century and Dugald River deposits from CRA in 1997 for A$345 million, and invested some A$710 million in bringing Century into production. Today, Century is the world’s second-largest zinc mine in terms of its output, having reached full capacity in 2003.The Zinifex Century Limited (“ZCL”) lead-zinc-silver deposit is located approximately 250 kms north-north west of Mt Isa in north-western Queensland. The deposit is a large flat-lying ore body covering an area of some 1.2 by 1.4 km, the 45 m-thick stratabound sulphide orebody is hosted within an 850 m-thick sequence of Proterozoic siltstone, shales and sandstone, amenable to open-cut mining methods. The mine has ramped up to full production delivering five and a half million tonnes of ore per annum, yielding approximately 900,000 tonnes of zinc concentrate and 90,000 tonnes of lead concentrate. Mine life is expected to be about 8 years"

Jan 1, 2008

By Ish Grewal

"Batch centrifugal gravity concentrators, which produce very high ratios of concentration, have become common place for recovering free gold within milling circuits. Their effectiveness has proven to be especially useful in recovering finer gold particles. The knowledge related to testing, modeling and scale-up of these systems has been well established over the recent decade mostly due to the efforts of the late Dr. Andre Laplante.Gravity separation technologies such as jigs, spirals and shaking tables can provide the increased mass yields required for minerals that occur at higher concentrations than gold, however their effectiveness tends to diminish at finer particle sizes. The development of high mass yield centrifugal concentrators has provided the opportunity to be able to recover a wide range of minerals at finer particle size classes when compared to the more traditional gravity concentration devices. These concentrators also provide additional benefits such as smaller unit footprint and automated operation.This paper discusses the background, current practices and future applications for high mass yield centrifugal concentrators in base metals, sulfides and industrial minerals. Bench scale, pilot scale and plant practice examples are also presented.INTRODUCTIONGravity concentration, one of the oldest mineral beneficiation processes, has evolved over the decades and continues to play an important role in modern mineral processing operations. The development and growth of froth flotation in the early part of the twentieth century led to a decline in the importance of gravity concentration. However, gravity concentration continued to be used for ores that are difficult to beneficiate using froth flotation; such as tin, tungsten, niobium/tantalum, iron, industrial minerals and oxidized coal. In recent decades, many operations have begun to employ a combination of both gravity concentration and froth flotation Since flotation relies on surface chemistry and gravity concentration relies on specific gravity differences, putting these techniques in series provides today’s metallurgist with unprecedented opportunities to maximize grade and recovery of many of these minerals."

Jan 1, 2009

By K. E. Barnes

"The IsaMill was developed for fine-grained ores that required at least double the grinding efficiency of ball or tower milling to be economic. This was achieved, but in practice, the benefits of using inert media (eg sand, slag, ore, ceramic) have proven to be at least as important as the higher grinding efficiency. Flotation selectivity and rate was improved for all particles, particularly fines. This allowed a dramatic simplification of the Mount Isa lead zinc flotation circuit – adding 6 MW of ultrafine grinding power reduced reagent addition and flotation volume and increased plant energy efficiency. This was quite unexpected.This paper examines four orebodies that were enabled by inert grinding – McArthur River, George Fisher and Black Star Open Cut Mines (complex fine-grained lead zinc orebodies in Australia), and the Western Limb Tailings Retreatment plant (a PGM operation in South Africa). In a unique case history, the operating performance of the Mt Isa lead zinc concentrator is explained by size-by-size mineralogical data collected over 25 years, systematically explaining the impact of declining ore quality, and the effects of additional conventional grinding, inert grinding, and circuit and reagent redesign.The mineralogical case histories are so compelling that it is argued that the advantages of inert grinding should not be confined to difficult, fine-grained orebodies. The availability of largescale efficient inert grinding mills could have profound impact on circuit design for many orebodies.INTRODUCTIONThe IsaMill was developed by MIM (now Xstrata) to enable the development of the McArthur River Orebody in the Northern Territory of Australia. This ultra-fine grained ore needed a grind size of 80% passing 7 microns to produce a saleable concentrate. Such a fine grind was not economic with conventional ball or tower milling. Below about 25 microns the low energy efficiency and high media consumption of these mills is prohibitive. Critically, the high steel consumption and associated change in pulp and surface chemistry also seriously affects flotation metallurgy."

Jan 1, 2006

By Ian Bruce

Tailings and water management facilities are essential and integral components of mine and mill operations. They must be managed for the long term in order to ensure that safe and environmentally responsible stewardship is achieved. Toward this end, in 1998, The Mining Association of Canada (MAC) published A Guide to the Management of Tailings Facilities, which recommended the implementation of a tailings management framework (Figure 1) to integrate environmental and safety considerations into each stage of the life cycle of a tailings facility, from initial site selection and design, through construction and operation, to eventual decommissioning and closure. By February 2000 it was becoming apparent that while mining companies were making significant progress toward implementing and documenting tailings management systems, and integrating them with overall environmental management systems, further effort was warranted in their application at the operational level. In particular, a need was identified for further guidance in preparing manuals that outline procedures for the safe operation, maintenance and surveillance (OMS) of tailings and water management facilities.

May 1, 2002

By A. J. Magerowski

Energy consumption is a main component of operational costs for the comminution of mineral bearing ores. Reduction of energy consumption has continually been addressed by mill operators and equipment manufacturers. Our testing over the last few years strongly indicates that the overall energy needed to comminute a mineral bearing ore can be brought down significantly, if more work is done in the crushing stages of the comminution circuit.This calls for uprating of the conventional crushing equipment into a new generation of crushing equipment to produce finer products. This will result in the emergence of new ideas in the design and application of equipment and corrnninution circuits.

Jan 1, 1986

By Don Langlois, Udo Weber

"The effect of grinding media performance on milling and operational behaviour was demonstrated under different selected milling conditions of calcium carbonate. A variety of grinding media material and bead sizes, along with 2 different stirrer tip speeds, were used in the grinding process to generate a particle size reduction of the calcium carbonate (CaCO3). To determine the optimum milling parameters the collected test data was used to calculate and evaluate specific energy as well as stress intensity under different milling conditions.INTRODUCTIONAs a result of increasing energy costs and raw material prices it is important to look at the efficiency of the manufacturing process. Wet grinding and ultrafine wet grinding in stirred media mills are now a possible cost-effective production step for the processing of industrial minerals and precious metals. The generation of smaller particle sizes (down to micrometer scale) can be advantageous for further production steps – i.e. better liberation of precious metals or improved industrial mineral qualities.In the following, the wet grinding process is investigated under different milling conditions of calcium carbonate. Different grinding media materials varying in specific weight, bead size and stirrer tip speeds are used to determine optimal energy consumption for the milling process.DESCRIPTION OF TEST CONDITIONS AND PARAMETERSMill ParametersTests were performed in a Drais Laboratory Perl Mill PML H/V with an installed electrical motor power of 3 kW. The mill chamber is silicon carbide where as the stirrer and discs are made of yttria stabilised zirconia. The mill working volume is 0.9 l. A screen cartridge with a screen size of 0.2 mm is used to separate the beads and slurry at the outlet of the mill. All tests were performed with a grinding media filling grade of 80% (Mill working volume). The stirrer tip speed was set at 6 m/s and 10 m/s."

Jan 1, 2009

By C. J. Brown

"Access to the outside world is supplied by the Alaska Highway to continental Canada and the United States, the Haines Highway, and by the White Pass & Yukon Route to Skagway and Vancouver. Communities and mining developments located along the Alaska Highway are supplied daily by truck transport with commodities originating in Whitehorse, Edmonton, and Vancouver.The average payload on the Alaska and Mayo Highway is in the order of 16 to 25 tons and is subject to government regulations. Highway haulage distances to railhead at Whitehorse vary as does the direction. The Clinton Creek asbestos development is located 395 road miles north-west of Whitehorse whereas the United Keno Hill operation is 287 miles to the north. Cassiar Asbestos is located in Northern British Columbia at a distance of 357 miles south-east of railhead at Whitehorse. In order to service these various mines multipurpose highway vehicles have been designed to allow maximum backhaul of petroleum products. The White Pass & Yukon Route was established as an integrated transportation system from 1955 when it became apparent that three non-integrated systems (ship, rail and truck), with the various paper work and rising costs, could not continue to serve the needs of Yukon. Integration became the company policy and a system was developed. A special container ship (Clifford J. Rogers) was designed and built. This was the first specially built container ship in the world. The northern container integrated system was operational in 1955.In 1965 over 8.5 million dollars were spent in upgrading the container facility and the construction of a tanker-container ship designed specifically to serve Yukon and Northern B.C. This program was based largely on experience gained with the original container concept. Two tanker-container ships handled"

Jan 1, 1973

By Tony Lipiec, Chris Fleming, Larry Urbanoski

In 2009, the Canadian Mineral Processors (CMP) became aware that Canadian securities regulators were amending the contents of National Instrument 43-101. NI 43-101 is a set of regulations which establish how ore resources and reserves are presented to the investing public. The documents produced under NI 43-101 are central to the ability of many companies to raise financing for their projects. With the increase of metallurgical complexity, and decrease of head grades encountered in new deposits, the role of the Qualified Person (QP) in determining process performance has become increasingly critical in determining the classification category of resources and reserves. Given the challenges confronted by those involved in defining the concentration and extraction of minerals and metals, there is a need to provide support to these QPs. To address these concerns, the CMP established a sub-committee in 2010 to create a set of guideline documents to assist the QP involved in process matters as to what should be included at the various levels of study supporting the establishment of resources and reserves in NI 43- 101. The results of the sub-committee work are presented and the considerations in the writing of the documents are discussed.

Jan 1, 2011

By P. H. Oliver

The current theory of how explosives fracture rock offers no explanation for the improvements in fragmentation and the reduction of fly rock and back break which occurs when an adequate inter-row delay time is used. Nor does it explain why fragmentation improves with rectangular drill patterns where the hole spacing may be as much as four times the hole burden. A new theory of rock fragmentation is proposed which builds on the existing theory. It offers rational explanations for the many blast effects which the current theory does not address and the need for adequate timing delays between rows. It improves on the design of inter-row delay timing by defining the length of free-blasted face needed in front of a hole when selecting the delay element which will provide an adequate inter-row delay time.

May 1, 2003

By A. F. Banks

"Potash processing in Canada commenced on a commercial scale in 1962. Over the last 25 years it has grown into a world-class industry with many advances in processing technology. As it is a relatively young industry, many more advances can be expected. Unlike much of the mineral production in Canada, potash is sold as a range of finished products. The processing involves potash recovery and finishing in about equal amounts in terms of the effort of processing. Environmental concerns are not insignificant and are being treated uniquely in some areas. Research and development efforts, while not carried out on a large scale, are attacking industry problems on a wide front.THE INDUSTRYThe Canadian potash industry has 12 producing mines, 10 in Saskatchewan and 2 in New Brunswick. The total productive capacity of the industry is 18,300,000 tonnes of products per year. At capacity, the industry 1•ill process the equivalent of about 53,000,000 tonnes of ore per year. Plants range in size from 8,000 tonnes to 24,000 tonnes of feed per operating day. In product terms this is from 2,500 to 3,500 tonnes of products per day.Of the 12 mines, 11 are conventional underground mining operations with potash recovery principally by flotation supplemented by crystallization and one is a solution mine where mining is achieved by dissolving the potash and salt in underground caverns and then treating the solution in an evaporator/ crystallizer circuit. In all plants there is commonality of unit operation in the product screening and compaction sections. There are three principal ores being treated in the conventional plants. These may be characterized in general terms as follows:"

Jan 1, 1987