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By B. S. W. Buffam

"The property of Aunor Gold Mines, Limited, is in Deloro township, Ontario, about 3 miles southeast of Timmins. It consists of a group of eleven claims between the Buffalo Ankerite and Delnite mines.In the autumn of 1909, two brothers, John A. and W. S. Mitchell, joined the 'gold rush' to Porcupine. By the time they arrived the township of Tisdale, in which the Hollinger and Dome discoveries had been made, was staked solid but they managed to locate four claims in the northern part of Deloro township. Sufficient surface work was performed to bring the claims to patent in 1915. Following the Porcupine fire the Mitchells left the north to follow the oil developments in southwestern United States. In 1935 because of the rise in the price of gold and the successful development of the l3uffalo Ankerite and Delnite mines, they returned to Timmins and organized Augite Porcupine Mines, Limited, which combined the original four claims in Deloro and two adjoining claims controlled by Montreal River International Silver Mines, Limited. There were few rock exposures on the property, and as the overburden was generally deep surface exploration was impracticable. A programme of diamond drilling was, there; fore, undertaken in an endeavour to locate the western extension of the orebearing formation of the Buffalo Ankerite mine. This drilling was started in August 1936, and 5 months later ore was intersected at a depth of 500 feet on the south boundary of the property."

Jan 1, 1954

By W. T. Irvine

"The H.B. Mine, a zinc-lead operation of the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada Limited (Cominco), is in south central British Columbia, on Sheep Creek, a west-flowing branch of the Salmon River. It is 3 miles by road from B.C. highway No. 6, 30 miles south of Nelson, B.C., with an excellent highway connection to the smelter city of Trail, 35 miles from the mine. The nearest permanent settlement is the village of Salmo, 7 miles distant by road. The mine is situated along a belt containing other important zinc-lead deposits, including those of the Canadian Exploration Company, 3 miles to the south, and the Reeves MacDonald mine, 9 miles distant again to the southwest.Deeply oxidized outcrops were located in 1907 on the north side of Sheep Creek valley by two prospectors named Horton and Benson. The property was given the name H.B., after the two discoverers, and there commenced a long and intermittent series of mining operations designed mainly to develop and extract oxidized lead-zinc ore. In 1925 a determined attempt was made by a British syndicate to develop a large tonnage of sulphide ore, but this ended in failure after some 3,000 feet of lateral development had been done. In 1927 Cominco acquired the mine, but it lay idle until 1946 when a geological study was followed by a program of surface drilling which encountered extensive sulphide mineralization. An underground development program revealed more details of the deposit, and sufficient ore was found to warrant construction of a 1,000-ton mill. Mine preparation and mill construction were completed by early 1953, but production was deferred due to low metal prices. The mine was finally brought into production early in 1955."

Jan 1, 1949

By Sergio Romo, Gerardo Fuentes, Adriana Garcés

Refractory ores with gold entrapped in a sulfide matrix, must be processed in a first stage with chemical or physical treatment in order to liberate the gold for a subsequent step with cyanide. The goal of this research was to compare the refractory behavior of a gold concentrate treated using two pretreatment methods: pressure oxidation and fine grinding. Gold concentrate from Viacha Mining in Bolivia, assaying 50.11 gpt, with a P80 of 131 ?m was used. The concentrate contains arsenopyrite and pyrite as main sulphides in the matrix. A preliminary test with cyanide resulted only 13.5% of gold extraction with 4 hours of stirred leaching. Using an autoclave oxidation with sulphuric acid and 12 bar oxygen pressure at 220°C pretreatment, the cyanide gold extraction increased to 69.0% in 4 hours. When material was ground in a pulverizer, producing a P80 of 20 ?m and the product directly cyanided, stirred leaching gave a gold extraction of 65% in 4 hours. For both techniques, the effect of temperature, sulfur produced in autoclave oxidation, optimization of the cyanide and the nature of residues were also studied.

Jan 1, 2014

By Maureen A. McGuinness

Kidd Mine, an Xstrata Copper operation in Timmins, Ontario, operates a 400 t/h pastefill plant that provides paste backfill to stopes at the depth of 9000 ft. This paper will cover the operating practices of the pastefill plant both on surface and underground, highlighting tailings excavation, paste mix design and the pipe maintenance program. Kidd Mine, une opération d'Xstrata Copper à Timmins, Ontario, opère une usine de remblai d'une capacité de 400 t/h. Le réseau de distribution permet d'acheminer le remblai en pâte juste qu'à une profondeur de 9000 pi. Cet article couvrira le mode opératoire de l'usine de remblai tant à la surface que sous-terre en mettant l'emphase sur l'extraction des rejets miniers, la recette du remblai en pâte ainsi que le programme d'entretient du réseau de distribution.

Feb 1, 2008

By Mario A. Morin

Mine design, planning and scheduling is a very complex, iterative process comprising several interrelated and interdependent activities. Understanding how this process works, identifying the critical pieces of information and the decisions to be made is key to initiating business process improvements (BPI) or business process reengineering (BPR) activities. Fundamental to most BPI and BPR work is some form of systems analysis. Structured Analysis is a powerful systems analysis technique that is well suited for modeling and analyzing complex process activities. Through a series of diagrams, this paper presents a vertical slice through the analysis work performed for formally describing the underground hardrock mine design and planning process. These diagrams illustrate how simple graphic constructs can be used to decompose the most complex situations into easily understandable diagrams that facilitate understanding, communication, improvement and reengineering.

May 1, 2002

By G. C. Laurence

"This paper discusses the hazards and extensive precautions taken in Canadian uranium mines, concentrating plants and processing plants. It also outlines Canadian policy regarding the control of the sale and distribution of uranium and other nuclear materials.OVER THIRTY YEARS AGO, I spoke to The Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy here in Montreal about radioactivity and its dangers. I must have made quite an impression thirty odd years ago, because now you have asked me to do it again. Of course, the picture has changed. Then they were mining uranium ore, recovering the radium from it and throwing away the uranium. Now they are still mining uranium ore, but are throwing the radium out on the tailings dumps. Thirty years ago, most people did not know what ""radioactivity"" meant. Nowadays, they have beard that it is dangerous, and some of them, recently, be-came worried about the radium in the tailings dumps and what becomes of it."

Jan 1, 1969

By G. C. Bateman

THE cause of silicosis and its prevention have held the attention of medical men and mine operators for many years and at the present rime the study of this disease is more than ever to the fore, even though a considerable abatement in the incidence of silicosis has been noted of late. This abatement is due to individual and collective efforts. The Industry is keenly alive to the situation and much research is being carried on. Silica dust is assumed to be a contributing factor in the cause of silicosis. How it acts progressively in the early silicoric is nor fully understood. As the study advances, more effective measures of control may be evolved. At present the Industry has three known methods of reducing the incidence: 1. By thorough X-ray examination of all applicants, with special reference to chest conditions. Those who are considered to be susceptible to the disease are prevented from entering the industry. 2. Thorough ventilation of the mine. 3. Control of tuberculosis in mining centres and removal of miners when first symptoms of tuberculosis become apparent. In 1934, the Ontario Mining Association formed a Committee, known as the Technical Silicosis Research Committee, to study and supervise work on problems related to silicosis. This Committee obtained the full-rime services of a mining engineer to carry our research work at the mines in the Province of Ontario. The Ontario Mining Association has also provided funds for the purpose of carrying on research work along pathological and biological lines. This work is being done in the Department of Medical Research of the University of Toronto, in the Banting Institute, under the supervision of Sir Frederick Banting. The Silicosis Committee work in full cooperation with the doctors in the Banting Institute and provide material from the mines for the it use.

Jan 1, 1936

By T. I. Urbancic, C-I. Trifu

"ABSTRACTSeveral case studies are presented on the use of seismic techniques to map active structures, evaluate changes in stress levels, and identify the conditions leading to large magnitude seismic events and the generation of rock-bursts in Canadian mines. The results suggest that microseismicity can be used to identify the orientation of active fractures; define regions of relatively high and low stress, and those most likely to host a rockburst; determine the role of local stress on observed shear failures; and identify the path of stress transfer associated with the remote triggering of rockbursts. Additionally, the conditions leading to rock-bursts can be characterized by a significant increase in the clustering of microseismic events along the fault plane orientation of an impending event, and an increase in the effective stress levels. It is concluded that the analysis of microseismicity provides the means for remotely monitoring rock mass behaviour as a result of mining."

Jan 1, 1997

By J. F. K. Brown

WHEN I first received the kind invitation extended to me by the Mining Society of Nova Scotia, I read over very carefully the suggested title-"The importance of long-distance planning and budgetting in modern methods of mining, and the advisability of working to some definite plan". I came to the conclusion that I might as well confess my inability to handle properly such a vast and intricate subject within the scope of any one paper. More properly, I think a round-table discussion should be indulged in-a sort' of symposium carried on in similar fashion to the World Power and Coal Conferences- you know, a committee for this, a committee for that, and, finally, a committee to see what the committees are doing. Weil, your Secretary's suggestion is just like that- much too comprehensive for any half-hour's presentation. As a paper, also, it either becomes too general and therefore uninteresting, or i.t descends into detail and describes means and methods to the end desired, which have little attraction because they were designed to meet quite different conditions than those my audience would mentally be considering. Of the two evils facing me, I have chosen the one that sticks to the generalities. Your Secretary's query almost automatically divides itself into two distinct phases: First, the importance, and second, the advisability, of planning. Let us dwell for the moment on the second, because, if we can prove advisability, that leads to desirability and, finally, to doing. Proving is the difficult part of the little problem. Here was something I, personally and as a mining engineer, had been battling for all my corporate life without being able to prove it to anybody. Then I saw the way out of that. I perceived I could put that little question of advisability on another basis altogether-:put it in the class of "coming- some day- soon" whether you or l or anybody else liked it or not; call it, if you please, mandatory, certain, necessary, enforceable planning. All of which means that the problem of advisability has rather suddenly become the very practical one of "how to do it". Why?

Jan 1, 1937

By S. Harvey

The McArthur River deposit is a structurally-controlled unconformity-related uranium deposit. The mineralization is situated at the intersection of a pronounced fault zone, referred to as the P2 fault zone, and the unconformity between Paleoproterozoic Wollaston Group metasedimentary rock and Paleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic Athabasca Group. Mineralization is variably hosted within the Athabasca Group fault wedge and the faulted basement, consisting of twelve zones covering a strike length of 2,700 m. The main P2 fault zone consists of several reactivated foliation-parallel faults containing narrow seams of graphitic clay gouge that are separated by highly cleaved, graphitic wall rock. The mine grid east-dipping P2 fault zone is characterized by reverse offset of the unconformity surface. It varies from a single discrete fault to splay offsets consisting of two to three individual splays. The combined vertical offset along the P2 fault zone is a maximum of about 80 m. The fault has emplaced a wedge-shaped sequence of Wollaston Group metasedimentary rocks into the Athabasca Group. Foliation-oblique faults occur throughout the McArthur deposit trend. Steep east-northeast trending faults generally exhibit apparent oblique dextral sense of shear. Less common, and possibly conjugate, are steep faults trending east-southeast with an apparent sinistral sense of shear. Offsets are generally less than 10 m on these structures. South-trending and shallow west-dipping brittle faults with offsets less than 1 m are also observed while rare steep, north-trending faults are also noted locally and played a critical role in development of the Zone 2 basement-hosted mineralization.

Jan 1, 2020

By A. W. Chan

"An interactive computer simulation model of conveyor systems used in oil sands mining has been developed to aid in the selection of mining equipment and the evaluation of operating policies. The materials handling links between supply points, such as bucket-wheel excavators and draglines, and demand points such as bins and extraction plants are modelled in such a way that the conveyor model can be interfaced with any combination of these equipment submodels. Detailed calculations of the power demand of each conveyor section based on operating characteristics and conveyor design parameters are included to permit the close monitoring of energy requirements. Various interactive features are incorporated so that an operator can not only monitor, but also control, the mining operations in the model and experiment with different operating strategies.IntroductionThe interactive simulation model of conveyor systems described in this paper is one of a number of detailed computer models being jointly developed by the National Research Council and Canstar Oil Sands Ltd. on the mining equipment and operations used in oil sands mining. Reference I presents an overview of this whole series of models, their interrelationships and the underlying motivation for their development.A network of conveyors constitutes one of the practical ways for transporting mined material in an oil sands plant. The materials handling links between supply points, such as bucket-wheel excavators, bucket-wheel reclaimers and bins, and demand points such as dumps, bins and extraction plants can be represented by a series of interconnected conveyor sections. For example, the fluctuations of the feed rate at the bucket-wheel excavator, the flow of ore material through the conveyor network and the arrival of this material at the extraction plant can be simulated."

Jan 1, 1982

By Lionel Roberge, Borge J. G. Fredriksson

"Late in 1981, a six-rope friction hoist was installed in the Number 2 shaft at Les Mines Seleine Inc. on the Madeleine Islands in Quebec. This paper deals with the reasoning behind the selection of hoisting equipment from the economical point of view, safety point of view, future needs point of view, etc.After establishing the basic parameters for the hoisting system, features of the most common types of hoists (i.e. single-drum hoist, double-drum hoist, Koepe hoist) are briefly laid out. The reasons for selecting a friction (Koepe) hoist are summarized. However, why go for a six-rope hoist rather than the (in North America) more common four-rope hoist? As the subject hoist is the first six-rope hoist in Canada, this question is studied in more detail, covering initial cost, maintenance cost, etc., as well as practical aspects, such as safety, physical dimensions, etc.In summary, experiences from other multi-rope hoist installations world-wide are presented.BackgroundIn 1980, Seleine Mines Inc. was established as a subsidiary of SOQUEM. The new mining company was to develop and operate a salt mine and associated harbour on the Madeleine Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The Madeleine Islands form part of the Province of Quebec. The mine has a planned annual output of 1.2 million metric tonnes of salt, with reserves in sight for over 20 years. Mining will be by room and pillar, with an underground primary crusher and treatment plant. From the underground treatment plant, the salt will be transferred via conveyors to a 5.5-metre-diameter circular shaft and hoisted to the surface. Surface transportation to the warehouse will again be via conveyor, and a conveyor will also transport the salt from the warehouse to the point of shiploading."

Jan 1, 1983

By P. E. Cavanagh

Abstract Many investigators have been interested in developing some non-destructive method for detecting or determining the changes in physical properties in steel occurring during endurance tests or normal service life of a part which fails in fatigue. This paper presents a broad discussion of some of this work and the possibilities of developing useful test procedures based on some of the information obtained in the past. Changes in magnetic properties, electrical resistance, damping capacity, X-ray diffraction patterns, and remaining fatigue life at load different from service load have all been investigated as possible means for following the sequence of events during fatigue failure. In some special instances, tests such as these may be used to predict fatigue failure. As an in stance of practical application of the continuous determination of changes in magnetic properties during fatigue, a brief account is given of work done in non-destructive inspection of mine hoist-rope. As a result of extensive experiments and field crisis, it has been found possible to detect the beginnings of failure in a wire rope in service. The test method used will detect plastic deformation in a wire rope, no matter what its cause. There is no possibility of determining the remaining useful life of a rope by calibrating changes in magnetic properties in terms of remaining fatigue life. A change in magnetic properties at a point in a rope may indicate a decrease or increase in fatigue life, depending on the overload history of the rope. A continuing change in magnetic properties ac a point, however, does reliably indicate a developing weak point which will eventually lead to failure. The important point about any change in magnetic properties is not the magnitude of the change, but whether or not it continues.

Jan 1, 1947

By C Jincheng, L. Liang, L. Wenjun

"Considering overgrinding in a grinding process, the grinding characteristics of comminuted hematite products using a HPGR and a conventional CC were comparatively studied. The major properties including particle size, grinding kinetics and grinding technical efficiency (Et) were investigated. Individual size distributions (ISDs) of -2.0mm in a HPGR product showed a more significant “double-peak” characteristic than a CC product. As a result, HPGR products were finer and had a wider full-size distribution because of the greater proportion of fines. The parameters m and zi in m-th order grinding kinetics were analyzed by the partial-derivative method and the critical time tc(tc = exp (1/ zi)) was obtained. zi mainly affected the breakage rate when t < tc; otherwise, m mainly affected the breakage rate. In these tests, tc was considerably higher than the grinding times, and HPGR products yielded a higher zi-value than the CC product for the same sieve size. This indicated that HPGR products had a higher breakage rate and needed a shorter grinding time for a certain grinding fineness. Et was calculated by simulating the size distributions of batch grinding products. HPGR products gave a lower Et at a decreasing rate than the CC products for -2.0 mm feed and -0.5mm feed, and then showed a slightly higher Et for -2.0+0.5 mm feed. This indicated that overginding in HPGR full-size products was more serious under the condition of coarse grinding, whereas the efficiency was higher and overgrinding weakened significantly in HPGR coarse products because of screening-out fines. Based on the above research, a new process of “ultra-crushing in HPGR – classified grinding” was advanced, reducing ores tonnage into first stage ball mill significantly, improving grinding efficient and weakening overgrinding in the whole grinding process.INTRODUCTIONIn mineral processing, comminution accounts for a substantial portion (approximately 60~70%) of the energy consumed in plants. As an ultra-fine crushing equipment,the application of the HPGR for industrial comminution has been paid close attention because of its low specific energy, low steel consumption, high capacity and high ratio of reduction, among others (Schonert, 1998; Norgate & Weller, 1994; Fuerstenau & Kapur, 1995). HPGRs comprise two counter-rotating rolls that draw feed material into the roll gap. One roll is fixed to the mainframe, while the other movable roll is mounted on slides and positioned by hydraulic rams. The specific pressing force (SPF) (i.e., total force divided by projected roller area) is typically in the range of 3~9 N/mm2 depending on the application, while pressures of up to 1000 N/mm2 have been measured within the operating gap (Maxton , Morley, & Bearman , 2003)."

Jan 1, 2016

By K. H. March

In the present very highly competitive condition of the bituminous coal business, it is becoming increasingly apparent that coal mines which do not lend themselves to efficient mechanization cannot long survive. It would seem that those mining operations best fitted to survive the struggle for existence are burdened with the considerable capital and maintenance cast of carefully selected mechanical and electrical mining equipment. The ever changing conditions of coal mine operations require equipment which is adaptable to a variety of uses; and investigation of the mechanical and electrical equipment in most mines will show that the operating duty of much of this equipment is considerably different from that duty for which it was originally selected. And it would appear that one of the essential qualifications for a successful mine management is a marked ability to get satisfactory operating results from equipment which has been transferred from some other operation, rebuilt, rearranged, or in some way adapted to the job at hand. As a striking example of such mechanical ingenuity, many of us recall that the first longwall jigging conveyor used in Nova Scotia was built in Sydney Mines from odds and ends in the scrap pile at a total cost of less than $50.

Jan 1, 1930

AGENDA ? Company Overview ? Industry Direction ? Technology to support maintenance ? data access, connectivity, process historian, downtime & production reporting. ? Case Studies Company Overview Corporate Offices Client Base ?16 consecutive years of growth & profitability ?#39 of Top 50 Control Companies (Worldwide) ?470 employees ?TSX: MTK Industry Direction Improved visibility into the business so they can: ? Reduce cost through better understanding of where costs are being incurred and making timely decisions. ? Optimize operations while leveraging existing assets. ? Have a single version of the ?truth? ? Deliver reliably to stakeholders on the demand for increased accountability (safety, environmental, regulatory performance etc?). ? Respond quicker to market conditions in order to out perform the competition ? Best in Class approach. Web is becoming the standard user interface.

Apr 1, 2005

By Bob Butler

Brunswick Mine has been involved in a comprehensive research program investigating site specific aspects of thiosalt management to eliminate its adverse environmental effects. Minimum annual reagent cost estimates for thiosalt treatment using hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypochlorite are $400K and $1.5 million respectively. Also, minimum costs for the use of bicarbonate to buffer the pH depression associated with thiosalt oxidation in the receiving environment is in the order of $400K annually. A design of experiment (DOE) research program identified that natural UV radiation, temperature, DO and water chemistry are key factors influencing the natural oxidation rate of thiosalts within Brunswick?s water management system. A DOE surface response model was used to describe the thiosalt oxidation kinetics, which were then used to develop a predictive oxidation model for thiosalt and pH control of the mill?s reclaim water system.

Nov 1, 2002

By Yongqiang Liu

Background For refractory gold ores with high carbonate contents ! Acid pressure oxidation ! High acid consumption (if low sulfur content) ! Low oxidation efficiency due to CO2 in autoclave ! Problems with slimy precipitates (gypsum, etc.) ! Alkaline pressure oxidation ! Difficulty in fixing arsenic ! Low gold dissolution due to iron hydroxides/oxides coating ! High reagent costs Summary ! Carbonate and sulfide minerals had similar floatability across the pH range tested (5 - 12) using sodium oleate as a collector; ! Thioglycollic acid or citric acid depressed the flotation of pyrite but could not depress chalcopyrite when used alone; ! Combination of thioglycollic acid and citric acid had a much stronger depressive effect, and the mixture depressed chalcopyrite as well as pyrite between pH 8 and 11 without affecting the flotation of calcite and dolomite; ! Calcite could be separated from chalcopyrite and pyrite; dolomite could be separated from pyrite but not from chalcopyrite under the tested conditions.

Apr 1, 2005

By A. L. Mackie

Mine water from base metal mines is generally characterized as having high concentrations of heavy metals and low pH, resulting in the need for treatment prior to discharge to receiving waters. In this study, two high-rate clarification processes were evaluated at bench-scale: the high density sludge (HDS) process and sand-ballasted flocculation. High-rate clarification processes generate larger, denser flocs which settle more quickly than those formed in conventional flocculation processes. The HDS process uses recirculated sludge in order to seed floc formation, whereas ballasted flocculation uses microsand. Both of these high-rate processes require the addition of quicklime or hydrated lime to increase pH and allow for the formation of insoluble metal hydroxides, which can then be removed in the clarification stage. Previous research has shown that cement kiln dust (CKD) can effectively replace quicklime in conventional sedimentation processes for metals and acidity reduction to meet discharge guidelines (Mackie & Walsh 2012). CKD is an alkaline by-product of cement manufacture that has fine particle sizes and varying free lime concentrations depending on the manufacturing process. The lower solubility (i.e., free lime content) of CKD requires larger doses of material to be added to reach treatment pH targets for metals precipitation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the treatment efficacy of high-rate clarification processes for mine water treatment, compared with conventional sedimentation, at bench-scale with conventional (i.e., lime) and novel (i.e., CKD) pH adjustment additives. Results of the study showed that all treatment processes (i.e., HDS, ballasted flocculation, and conventional sedimentation) were able to reduce target metal concentrations to well below Canadian guidelines (i.e., total zinc and total nickel < 0.5 mg/L, total copper < 0.3 mg/L) using either CKD or lime. Additionally, mine water samples treated with CKD generated lower sludge volumes than those treated with lime (i.e., 50 versus 100 mL for conventional sedimentation and 100 versus 200 mL for HDS) even with increased concentrations of solids introduced during treatment. This is most likely due to slower neutralization rates when using CKD, due to its lower solubility, as well as finer particle size. The sand-ballasted flocculation process was able to reduce final turbidity in CKD-treated samples while the HDS process did not when compared to conventional sedimentation, making the ballasted flocculation process preferable for reducing final solids concentrations in CKD-treated mine water.

Aug 1, 2013

By A. M. Simons

Cyanide destruction by Caro’s acid is one process commonly employed by gold operations to meet regulatory requirements and/or the International Cyanide Management Code compliance for weak acid dissociable (WAD) cyanide in cyanidation tails or waste water from such operations. Typically smallscale bench tests to evaluate and assess the suitability of the Caro’s acid destruction process are conducted. Additionally, the experimental procedure used during these preliminary investigations may also differ from that implemented at the full-scale. This paper presents the results from a fundamental investigation of the Caro’s acid process to establish a more detailed understanding of the impact that the experimental procedure has on the destruction of cyanide. In particular, it was found that the control of pH was important to avoid copper(I) cyanide precipitation at low pH and maximise WAD cyanide destruction. Residual peroxide in the preparation of Caro’s acid has the potential for subsequent cyanide destruction and could be exploited.

Jan 1, 2014