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By John Tribe

"This paper gives the organizational history of Luscar Ltd. and its various coal producing operations. Each 0/ the operations is then described individually. They include the Bienfait Mine, the Boundary Dam Mine, the Diplomat Mine, the Luscar Mine and the Coal Valley Mine. The company's plans/or expansion are also discussed. IntroductionLuscar Ltd. is an Edmonton-based energy company formed in 1967 through an amalgamation of two pioneer coal companies-Mountain Park Collieries and Luscar Coals Ltd. In 1912, Mountain Park Collieries initiated the development of an underground mine in the Coal Branch area of Alberta. This mine necessitated the establishment of a townsite and the provision of rail access. The second operation, Luscar Coals Ltd., was established in 1921 at Luscar, Alberta. This was also an underground operation and required the development of a rail spur and townsite. The product from both mines was used to fuel railway steam locomotives until the 1950's. The market demand for coal decreased as the use of the diesel locomotive increased, so that these operations were finally closed in 1954. Through the amalgamation of the two companies in 1967, however, Luscar Ltd. was formed to become an active participant in the revival of coal operations. Western Canadian Luscar Ltd. is involved in the exploration, development, production and marketing of coal, coal products, oil and gas. Luscar Ltd. is currently participating in five producing mines (Fig. I). The Diplomat Mine, approximately 125 miles southeast of Edmonton, was in production when it was acquired in 1949 by Luscar Coals Ltd. In 1966, the Bienfait Mine and char plant were added. The Luscar Mine, which is a 50/50 joint venture of Luscar Ltd. and the Consolidation Coal Company of Canada, and is operated by Cardinal River Coals Limited, started production in 1969 on the original Luscar Coals Ltd. mine site. The Boundary Dam Mine was opened in 1974. Both the Bienfait and Boundary Dam operations are located in the lignite coal fields of southeastern Saskatchewan. The most recent addition to the group is the Coal Valley Mine, 40 miles southwest of Edson, Alberta. It commenced commercial production in July, 1978 under the operation of Luscar Stereo (1977) Limited."

Jan 1, 1980

By D. O. DeGagné, J. F. Archibald

Spray-on polymer linings, as partial or full replacement for traditional forms of area rock support, have seen rapid growth in interest within Canada. A wide variety of lining types, ranging from polymer chemical to water-based cementitious materials, have been developed and commercially introduced to the underground mining market. Following approximately one decade of development work, several general conclusions have been reached regarding the performance of this class of area support media, these being that: health and safety assessment of the broad range of materials has shown the majority of them to be acceptable and safe for underground use; significant ground support potential can be offered by them, being equivalent to or better than capabilities offered by traditional support forms such as bolt-and-screen or shotcrete, and; their abilities to be rapidly deployed and provide near instantaneous support restraint offer considerable operational and cost benefits to underground operators. A review of currently available liner materials, their historic development within the Canadian mining industry, and overviews of support, health and safety, operational considerations and cost benefits are provided in this paper.

Jan 1, 2001

By M. Tadie, J. Wiese, K. Corin

The use of potential control in the flotation of ores has been applied in a variety of operations and presents an opportunity for improvement of selectivity and recovery of valuable minerals. Although it is possible to vary the redox potential (Eh) using chemical additives such as sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide this is more commonly done by varying the pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration. The present study involves an investigation into the effect of varying dissolved oxygen concentration, ionic strength (IS) and pH on the flotation response with the aim of application to a South African lead-zinc ore. In all cases the Eh is measured as a function of the different DO, IS and pH values. The main objective was to achieve selective flotation of galena from sphalerite. The first part of the work was micro-flotation tests conducted on single minerals with galena used as the basis for effect of the factors studied on redox potential and ultimately recovery. The DO was varied by alternating between the use of air and nitrogen as the gas source to the micro-flotation cell. PH was varied between pH 9.2 and pH 11.8 using sodium hydroxide. In the first part of this study a factorial design approach was used to determine the interactive effects of the variables tested, viz. DO, ionic strength and pH, on the Eh and on the recovery. Redox potential was measured using a combination electrode made up of platinum wire and Ag/AgCl reference combination. Recoveries indicated that pH had the most significant effect on recovery and Eh. The influence of redox potential on recovery was found to be of relevance to the condition of high dissolved oxygen concentration and less so at low dissolved oxygen concentrations. It was also noted that that the combined interaction between ionic strength and dissolved oxygen concentration had a positive effect on recoveries, however this was not so with Eh. The chemistry of the ions in solution was observed to play a dominant role on the recovery due to changes in solubility arising to pH modification. The longer term objective of this work is to determine the optimal Eh conditions for the separation of galena from sphalerite.

Jan 1, 2016

By William C. Browning

An economic drilling programme is one which costs the !east in chemicals, equipment, and time. The basis for such a programme with rotary drilling techniques is a drilling fluid in which bentonites do not swell. This is recognized in the growing trend toward gyp and other inhibited mud systems. Therefore, even though the mechanism of thinner action is a subject of applied colloid ,chemistry, the understanding of this mechanism is of economic importance in controlling the flow properties of inhibited muds. In phosphate, or sodium tannate, conditioned muds that are relative-!y free of contaminating-electrolytes, the thinner, or dispersing agent, is adsor.bed, ?creating an electrical double layer about the clay particles. The mutual repulsion of these charged particles effects colloidal stabilization, or deflocculation of the suspended clays, as discussed by Norton and others. In inhibited muds, however, the electrolyte concentration in the filtrate is sufficient to collapse the double layer and flocculation of the mud solids occurs, as evidenced by increased viscosity and gel values. Chemicals to control the flow properties of inhibited muds, therefore, are vital to the successful use of these systems as it is not always economical to adjust flow properties by watering back. Flocculation of suspended particles, as indicated in the work of Vervey, Overbeek, and others, is due primarily to gravity-like, long-range Van der Waals forces. Prevention of flocculation may, therefore, be secured by the interposition of any barrier between the particles, the thickness of which approximates the extension of the Van der Waals at-traction. Organic polyelectrolytes, such as Kembreak, Rayf!o, and Q-Broxin, may act to increase the double layer charge when used in small amounts in fresh-water muds. More important, however, is the fact that in inhibited muds an increase in concentration of the polyelecholyte permits the formation of a condensed film adsorption layer of the polyelectrolyte about the clay particle. When this occurs, the extremely viscous condensed adsorption layer creates a mechanical. barrier that prevents flocculation of clays, even in the presence of inhibiting concentrations of elecholytes. Rheological evaluation of the degree of deflocculation, or colloidal stability, may be made by utilizing the known effects of particle inter-action and volume concentration on the flow properties of suspensions. Rheological evaluation should be supplemented by direct microscopic or ultra-microscopic observation.

Jan 1, 1958

By F. R. Erick Mulder

"AbstractTwo bottom-hole samples have been taken from two new completions in the Turner Valley field, Royalite Lowery No. 8 on the west flank and Royalite No. 73, which was deepened into a lower fault block, on the northeast flank. From the bottom-hole oil of Royalite Lowary No. 8 a synthetic sample was prepared to simulate the original fluid in the reservoir, saturated at the gas-oil contact conditions. The sample from Royalite Lewery No. 8 has been shown to be the original fluid present at this well and represents the oil phase near the oil-water contact in• the reservoir. Complete chemical analysis, P.V.T., and viscosity data have been obtained on these reservoir fluids, which represent the range of saturation from the gas-oil to the oil-water contact in the Turner Valley oil structures. Sampling techniques and the application of the analytical data to reservoir conditions and field operations are discussed. Super-compressibility curves for an average separator tail gas have also been prepared. These data have not been available before. They will be of fundamental value in futu.re reservoir engineering studies of this field and will also serve as a guide in determining operating practices."

Jan 1, 1950

By David A. Edgecombre

This paper discusses modern practices in the extrusion of steel. Particular emphasis is given to a description of the Ugine Sejournet method of extrusion, involving the use of glass as a hot work lubricant. Other methods are also mentioned. A brief history of extrusion is presented; present practices in the quality extrusion of tubing and solids are described; and the future potentials of the) process as a tonnage producer are briefly discussed. The advantages of extrusion and the reasons for the use of a glass lubricant, as well as the various methods of using glass, are given. The process, as described, is being used in the manufacture of large commercial quantities of stainless steel tubing and sections. This extrusion process is an essential and unique means of forming such atomic-age materials as titanium, zirconium, molybdenum and other super alloys all of which are materials required in the creation of nuclear installations.

Jan 1, 1963

By J. M. Ortiz, J. P. Bertini

"In mineral resource and ore reserve estimation, several sources of information are generally available, such as diamond drillholes, reversed-circulation drillholes, and blastholes, and originate from one or more sampling campaigns and are analyzed by one or more laboratories. In such a situation, the grade measurements may not have the same precision and one should distinguish between hard and imprecise data.This work aims at studying the impact of data imprecision in resource/reserve evaluation through two case studies on simulated deposits: a porphyry copper deposit conditioned to real exploration and production data, and a gold deposit simulated without any conditioning data. Several geostatistical techniques are used to estimate the grades of selective mining units from exploration samples, including kriging, cokriging, lognormal and indicator kriging. Two types of imprecision are examined— measurements with multiplicative errors and measurements defined as intervals. The results are compared to the simulated grades of the selective mining units from a statistical and economic viewpoint.The study concludes that imprecise measurements should never be discarded because they help to improve the estimates, and that simple methods such as kriging are as efficient as more sophisticated ones for resource/reserve assessment. Finally, a few indications on how to diagnose and model the data imprecision are given."

Jan 1, 2005

By J. Lammers, D. Adams

Most pressure oxidation operations introduce oxygen through a large multi-use nozzle in the vapour space of the autoclave. Sparge pipes extend inside the vessel to the point of discharge below the compartment agitator. However, two zinc pressure leach operations have successfully used a bottom entry oxygen sparge system for a number of years. Recently, the concept has been used in a whole ore gold pressure oxidation operation as well as a copper pressure leach plant. Both of the latter operations also introduce cooling water for temperature control through the same sparge pipe. This paper addresses the benefits of the bottom entry system with regards to autoclave performance and the positive effects on agitator performance.

Jan 1, 2004

By W H. Poole, E. R. W. Neale

A new style of tectonic map based on age of folding has been prepared for the Canadian Appalachian region as part of the Tectonic Map of Canada Project. This style of map pro-vides a clearer picture of the tectonic history of the region than any meth-od hitherto attempted. Precambrian blocks that were relatively unaffected by Palaeozoic de-formation are distinguished on the Great Northern Peninsula and in the Conception Bay region of Newfound-land. K/ A age determinations suggest that these blocks were intruded and metamorphosed during Grenville orogeny. Other Grenville-like rocks, on Cape Breton Island and in New Brunswick, were more actively involved in subsequent Palaeozoic orogeny. Taconic orogeny, the first phase of Palaeozoic deformation, took place in Middle and/or Late Ordovician time and was accompanied by intrusion of ultrabasic rocks. Evidence of the -

Jan 1, 1961

By P. C. Benedict, J. A. Titcomb

"The following description of the geology of the Northern Empire mine is recorded by the senior author, but is based on the observations and complementary mapping of both authors.The Northern Empire mine is a mile east of Beardmore, and 100 miles northeast of Port Arthur, Thunder Bay district, Ontario.Production started in March, 1934, and terminated in September, 1941. The total number of tons milled was 425,866, from which 153,103 oz. gold was recovered. The lowest level from which ore was mined was the 1,900- foot, but considerable drifting was performed on the 2,075-foot and 800 feet on the 2,415-foot, the deepest level,The vein strikes about N.72°E. and has an average dip of80°S. In stoped sections the quartz averaged about 2 feet wide. On the 1,725-foot level it was drifted on continuously for more than 7,000 feet. In the mine as a whole, practically no commercial ore was found beyond points 1,400 feet west and 1,800 feet east of the shaft. Conspicuous wall-rock alteration extended throughout this section, but not much beyond these limits. There was some splitting of the vein and widening of the alteration halo on the lower levels. The average general colour of the quartz changes with depth .The vein is in 'Keewatin' lava flows, to which it is almost conformable. It lies only a short distance south from the 'Timiskaming-Keewatin' contact ( Fig. 2). This contact is marked by a black graphitic fault. So far as is known the fault is parallel, or nearly parallel, with the flows in strike, but dips at 72°S., which is 5° flatter than the average dip of the overturned flows. A post-vein, almost flat sheet of diabase about 550 feet thick cuts outthe vein from about the 650- to the 1,200-foot level ( Figs . 1 and 3). If it was intruded along a fault, the fault had only minor displacement. A strong alteration halo extends to 200 feet above and below the diabase. The vein was conspicuous but in large part it was below ore grade for 100 feet or more above and below the diabase.-"

Jan 1, 1954

By C. I. Godwin

"The relative-value (R-value), discrimination-factor (D-factor), and vector-ratio (V-ratio) method (RDVM) provides a geological knowledge-based statistical and geological-genetic interpretation scheme for geochemical data that enhances discovery in geochemical exploration. The practical advantage of RDVM is that it synthesizes geochemical features geologically related to ore-deposit discovery in three steps: reclassifying element concentrations using log-probability plots into R-values; calculating geologically defined D-factors from R-values; and determining V-ratios. D-factors are the sum of R-values, divided by the number of R-values summed. Based on the analyses selected, D-factors mimic rock or mineral deposit signatures. V-ratios refine interpretations of rock type and vector to orebody locations.RÉSUMÉ La méthode de la valeur relative (valeur R), du facteur de discrimination (facteur D) et du rapport de vecteurs (rapport V) (RDVM), fournit un schéma d’interprétation des données géochimiques basé sur les statistiques et les connaissances géologiques et la génétique géologique; ce schéma contribue aux découvertes en exploration géochimique. L’avantage pratique de la RDVM est qu’elle fait la synthèse des caractéristiques géochimiques reliées géologiquement à des découvertes de gisements de minerais en trois étapes : une reclassification des concentrations des éléments au moyen de courbes de probabilité logarithmique en valeurs R; un calcul des facteurs D définis géologiquement à partir des valeurs R et la détermination des rapports V. Les facteurs D sont la somme des valeurs R divisés par le nombre de valeurs R additionnées. Selon les analyses choisies, les facteurs D imitent les signatures de la roche ou des gisements minéraux. Les rapports V peaufinent les interprétations des types de roches et dirigent vers des emplacements de gisements."

Jan 1, 2016

By E. R. Lea

The B. M. & S. orebodies, consisting of the No. 6 (Brunswick) and the No. 12 (Anacn Leadridgz, have the distinction of being the first major 1base metal ore deposits to be found in the Province of New Brunswick. They are massive sulphide de-posits consisting of pyrite (pre-dominantly) and base metal sulphides, and they carry values in lead, zinc, copper, and silver. These orebodies are localized within favourable drag fold structures believed to be related in their origin to external forces set up in the area subsequent to the primary regional folding. Both orebodies are characterized by the presence of magnetite 'iron formation' which, in certain 'Portions of each orebody, may be found as relics within the massive sulphides. Studies show the magnetite to be the first metallic mineral within the ore ?zones, followed by pyrite, Sphalerite, galena, and finally chakopyrite. The shape of these massive pyritk orebod:es as well as the distribution of values within them is controlled to a large degree by the ore-ore drag fold structures. A possible relationship is discussed between the basic intrusives in the area ?and the magnetite deposits. It is suggested that a large portion of ?the iron content of the massive suplhedes has been derived from the earlier magnetite. Intermittent movements in the area during the sulphide mineralization are believed to belong to the last stages of deformation in the area. These late movements may have been caused by the intrusion of the granite into the area. The granite may have a genetic relationship to the B. M. & S. orebodies.

Jan 1, 1958

By Margaret Armstrong, Chris Roth

Abstract -Estimating ore reserves for vein type deposits is a two-stage procedure: first, calculate the geometry of the vein system, and second, estimate the grades within this system. The grade estimation can only be consistently performed if the vein geometry - its size, shape and orientation - has been correctly characterized. Getting the size and shape of the different veins right means that the ore tonnages will not be artificially inflated, e.g., by falsely classifying host rock as veins. Similarly, correctly estimating their orientation and location helps mine management decide on the appropriate mining technique, selective or not. When applying geostatistics to estimate the vein geometry all available information needs to be used and not just the standard lithologic indicator of being or not being in a vein.

Jan 1, 1998

By Unknown

Diesel locomotives for underground haulage have been used in coal mines in Continental Europe for twenty-five years or more. In Great Britain, it was not until 1935 that permission was granted to use them in gassy coal mines, but since that time they have been employed in increasing numbers both in gassy and non-gassy coal mines and in metal mines. Their use underground in coal mines in the United States is still prohibited and the same was the case in Canada until 1946, when permission was granted to operate a Diesel underground in the Adanac mine of West Canadian Collieries, Limited, at Bellevue, Alberta. The locomotive used here is a 50 h.p. Hunslet Mark II. More recently, a 100 h.p. Diesel was placed in operation for underground haulage at No. 18 Colliery of the Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation, in the Sydney coalfield, N. S. Thus, on this continent, Canada has been a pioneer in the use of these locomotives underground in coal mines and there is no doubt that more and more of them will be employed as time goes on. We feel, therefore, that the following notes concerning their design and performance, which we have received from the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom, will be of interest to our members.

Jan 1, 1949

By G. Bourque

One of the design criteria for the Mount Wright facilities was to incorporate the latest proven automation techniques and devices for the new crushing, grinding and concentrating plant. The heart of the centralized control system is a Fox 1 process computer, located in the central control room in the administration building. The entire operation, i.e. crushing, conveying, storing, grinding and concentrating, is monitored and controlled, through the process computer , by one operator via a CRT console. In case of computer failure, the control is automatically, and without process interruption, transferred to manual back-up panels. One of the newest management tools, the process computer is programmed to collect and automatically print out shift. daily and monthly reports on tonnage, metallurgy and equipment operating time, for better planning of operations and preventative maintenance.

Jan 1, 1977

By W. G. Scott

IT IS APPROPRIATE that your Institute should have chosen, for its 1956 Annual General Meeting, the Capital City of a province which is making such rapid advances in mining. The railway industry is proud to be playing an active role in this development, expenditures on equipment and railway construction in the Province of Quebec alone in recent years being in ?excess of a quarter of a billion dollars. In looking up some background material for this address I ran across a definition of a mine by Mark Twain, the great American humorist, which I thought might amuse you. He said that a mine was "a hole in the ground owned by a liar". I am sure that if he were alive to witness the enormous value attached to Canada's mineral resources today he would quickly change his definition. Canada's postwar record of mining development has been staggering in its variety and enormity. Historically, only the ?construction of our transcontinental rail ways outranks the largest of three of these development projects - the aluminum undertaking at Kitimat; the Quebec-Labrador iron ore deposits ; and the petroleum and natural gas developments in Wes tern Canada.

Jan 1, 1956

By G. M. Furnival

A PROGRAMME of structure drilling was commenced in the Southern Alberta Plains in June, 1943, for the purpose of determining the geological structure of the underlying sediments. More than 270 holes have been drilled throughout an area of some 1,800 square miles or 1,000,000 acres (see Figure 1). The Southern Plains of Alberta are covered by a mantle of glacial drift,' at places exceeding 200 feet in thickness. Only where this mantle has been dissected by deep drainage channels is bed-rock exposed to any great extent. Along such channels, surface geological mapping can be conducted to ad- vantage. Accordingly, geological mapping was commenced _in 1942 and continued each season to the present. To supplement this information, a survey of the water wells was carried on in conjunction with the mapping. However, to obtain more positive and evenly distributed structural control throughout the area as a whole and to define more adequately structural trends indicated by the preliminary mapping, it was necessary to resort to the use of drills to penetrate the glacial mantle. Various types of light drills are commonly used for this purpose and provide geological information in the form of drill cuttings, cores, drilling time rates, etc. Correlation of information is generally obtained through comparison of cored sections, drill cuttings, micro-fossils, and drilling time rates. However, in this case the holes were electrologged and correlations were made chiefly by comparison of such logs. The data so obtained is plotted and portrayed in the form of structure contour maps on recognizable stratigraphic horizons and in the form of isopach maps of the recognizable stratigraphic intervals penetrated in the holes. This method had not been widely used in Alberta previously and the technique employed was necessarily developed after the project began.

Jan 1, 1945

By Denni Hoffmann

"Banded iron formation rocks associated with massive sulfide lenses in the Broken Hill Pb-Zn-Cu-Ag deposit in the Namaqualand Metamorphic Complex, South Africa, were investigated with respect to the geochemistry of manganiferous silicate-rich bands. Two common varieties of these are: amphibole- and garnet-rich iron formation bands. The results reveal that the former are enriched in Fe, Mg, Cu, Co and S. The garnet-rich bands are enriched in Mn, Ca, P, Pb and Ba with significant detrital contamination of Ti, AI, Zr, Cr, Y, V, Ni and Nd.The silicate-rich bands have compositions, in terms of, Si/AI, SilFe, FelMn, LalCe and Co/Zn, comparable to submarine chemical sediments which precipitated from hydrothermal fluids. The garnetand amphibole-rich bands are interpreted as ""evolved"" and ""immature"" hydrothermal sediments, respectively. The latter resulted from rapid precipitation after exhalation, whereas the former had a longer residence within sea water. The silicate-rich bands both exhibit increasing Mn/(Mn+Fe) fractions, which are consistent with a variation expected from proximal to distal depositional settings. The prevalence of garnet-rich bands over amphibole-rich bands is interpreted as the result of injection of hydrothermal fluids from a single vent situated along the northwest margin of the Broken Hill deposit."

Jan 1, 1994

By Ralph J. Holmes, David McCallum, Alan Roberts, Rolando Orense, University of Auckland, Tobias Krull, Tom Honeyands, Kenneth Williams

"The safe ocean transport of bulk commodities like iron ore, coal, nickel ore, manganese ore and bauxite by large bulk ships is vitally dependent on the stability of the cargo under the influence of wave induced ship motion. Safety standards are set by such bodies as the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) with recommended tests for the assessment of bulk commodities. Since the 1960s, the bulk cargo code (BC Code) commenced defining methods to determine the Transportable Moisture Limit (TML) for transportation of bulk commodities. By the latter part of the 1960s, three TML test methods were defined, namely the Flow Table, Proctor-Fagerberg and Penetration tests. All three tests were predominantly aimed at determining TML values for mineral concentrates.More recently, bulk commodity producers, Maritime Organisations and Port Authorities worldwide have been investigating whether commodity based TML methods better reflect realistic safe ship transportation than the current concentrate based TML test methods. In these investigations, the relationship between the mineralogical and particulate parameters of specific commodities with respect to cargo stability and moisture retention has provided insights into the development of tailored TML test methods. To this end, an AMIRA International project (P1097) undertaken by CSIRO, TUNRA Bulk Solids, the University of Newcastle and the University of Auckland assisted the IMO Technical Working group to investigate the relationship between iron ore fines characteristics and a new TML test specific for iron ore fines bulk cargoes.A review of the three standard concentrate based TML methods and characterisation studies of iron ore fines, as well as cyclic triaxial testing to determine liquefaction resistance, resulted in the development of a modified Proctor-Fagerberg method for determining the TML of iron ore fines. Of particular importance in determining TML is mineral composition, porosity, particle density and allowing time for moisture equilibration."

Jan 1, 2016

By H. R. Oliveira, C. R. Aragonez de Vasconcellos

Pipeline operation and maintenance necessarily involves geotechnical studies at points and areas with deflagrated instabilities or still to map and monitor areas prone to geotechnical problems. Landslides, erosions and debris flows are some examples of natural hazards, that not rarely, can bring high consequences to pipelines, sometimes leading them to high stresses levels and ruptures. Bolivia-Brazil Natural Gas Pipeline has 2.593 kilometers since Rio Grande City in Bolivia until Canoas City, in south Brazil. The pipeline crosses a lot of types of geological fields and difficult topography. The south spread of the pipeline has the most prone areas to geotechnical hazards because of its hard topography combined with the variety of geological materials, such as, colluvium deposits and debris flow areas. The aim of this paper is to present the right-of-way geotechnical risks that affect pipelines, presenting some practical remedial works done by TBG at Bolivia-Brazil Natural Gas Pipeline as well as the integrity plan and the adopted actions in way to prevent geotechnical accidents.

Jan 1, 2005