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By E. Keskinkilic

Drying, calcination, prereduction, and smelting are the main steps in conventional crude ferronickel production. Industrially, these steps are conducted using the rotary kiln-electric arc furnace (RKEF) process. In this paper, calcination characteristics of Sivrihisar laterite ores from the Central Anatolia region are investigated. The extent of elimination of chemically bound water and other volatiles was studied by experiments conducted at various temperatures in the 250?800°C range. Phase changes were examined using X-ray diffractometry. For the particle size used in the study, 300°C was determined to be almost sufficient for complete transformation of goethite to haematite, and 700°C was required for effective elimination of all volatiles in the ore.

Jan 1, 2012

This paper describes the extraction of gold, as the anionic aurocyanide complex, from solution by strong- and weakbase anion-exchange resins. The effects, on the rate of extraction and the loading capacity for gold, of parameters such as pH, temperature, ionic strength, agitation, and the presence of competing anions are reported. The elution and regeneration of strong- and weak-base resins will be examined in a second paper. A third paper in this series will present the results of several smallscale pilot-plant investigations carried out with strong- and weakbase resins In cyanide pulps from various South African gold mines, and will compare the metallurgical performance of resin-In-pulp with that of the carbon-in-pulp process.

Jan 1, 1984

By M. H. Moys, J. Engelbrecht, N. Terblanche

Interface levels in flotation columns are generally measured with the aid of a pressure-sensitive Instrument, e.g. a differential-pressure cell. This paper criticizes the use of this type of measurement, and discusses other methods that are claimed to give more accurate measures of interface levels. The paper focuses on the development of methods based on the measurement of conductivity across the froth-slurry interface. These are often sabotaged by variations in the conductivity of the feed slurry, particularly when the pH of the slurry IS being controlled, e.g. In sulphide flotation. Methods of improving the accuracy and reliability of this technique are described. The result IS a robust, easy-to maintain level-control scheme that successfully rejects large disturbances in plant operation (including a 5:1 change in slurry conductivity) while controlling levels to an accuracy of I 4 cm.

Jan 1, 1992

By M. M. Makhofane

Anhydrous zirconium tetrafluoride can be used as a precursor for the manufacturing of nuclear-grade zirconium metal. This can be done by fluorinating plasma-dissociated zircon with ammonium bifluoride in a batch reactor. This paper describes the batch process. It was proved that anhydrous zirconium tetrafluoride can be manufactured by this route as confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The process shows potential for scaling up to the kilogram scale and possibly the tonnage scale.

Jan 1, 2012

By D. Gregurek

The complexity of metallurgical processes in the non-ferrous metals industry. especially changes in the process conditions in combination with a diversity of metal processing furnaces, requires a precise knowledge of the system for the selection of refractory products. However, particular importance is still focused on the specific refractory consumption being as low as possible. The addition of recycling material with a high amount of impurities and the increase of low-grade ore concentrates used in the base-metals industry also entails a significant change of slag chemistries, process temperatures, etc., which influence the performance of already approved linings. This acknowledgement of process changes with decreased brick lifetimes provided the motivation for RHI AG to develop high-performance refractory bricks especially for non-ferrous metals applications. The internal laboratory tests with fayalitic slag showed very promising results compared with our approved magnesia-chromite bricks for this application. In order to identify suitable refractory products and to improve the life of the refractory lining, innovative product development has to be undertaken. In addition, the practical corrosion testing methods and facilities available within the RHI Technology Center, such as the induction furnace and the rotary kiln test equipment, allows the best possible understanding of brick wear at a laboratory scale. Based on the results of the test work, the optimal refractory solution can be recommended for a field trial at the customer?s site.

Jan 1, 2012

By L. Gutierrez, R. Yepsena

Enargite in porphyry copper deposits is an important mineral as it displays good floatability under the presence of the collectors usually used in the flotation of copper sulfides. As a result, copper concentrates grades are reduced. As scarcity of water resources is a problem relevant to Chilean mining, the use of seawater is a feasible solution. The behaviour of copper sulfides and molybdenite in the process of flotation in seawater was previously studied but not for enargite. The objective of this research is to study the behaviour of the enargite in different conditions of electrochemical potential during the process of flotation using seawater. The study was carried through micro-flotation tests using pure samples of enargite, at Eh values ranging from -300 to 500 mV(SHE), both in seawater and aqueous solutions containing calcium and magnesium. The results show that at pH 10.5 in seawater, the enargite and chalcopyrite recoveries are reduced throughout the whole range of Eh studied. At pH 9 in seawater, enargite and chalcopyrite are depressed under reducing and slightly oxidising conditions. The recovery of both minerals drastically decreases at Eh values lower than -100 mV and greater than 400 mV. The behaviour of enargite in seawater flotation differs from that observed in conventional water, since in the latter case the recovery of enargite decreases at higher potentials close to 500 mV. Keywords: Enargite, flotation, seawater, redox potential

Jan 1, 2020

A General Meeting and Colloquium on 'Motivation and productivity in the mining industry' was held on May 22nd, 1974, at Kelvin House, Johannesburg. Mr P. W. J. van Rensburg (President) was in the chair. The Colloquium was attended by 170 delegates and was opened by the President at 09h25.

Jan 8, 1974

By K. Esmeli, A. Ozkan

The enhancement of shear flocculation of a galena suspension by ultrasound in the presence of sodium isopropyl xanthate and potassium ethyl xanthate was investigated by studying the effects of surfactant concentration on flocculation efficiency, contact angle, and zeta potential. Strong flocculation was obtained under alkaline conditions (pH > 9) and a high ultrasound power level (150 W). Although the ultrasonic treatment increased the negativity of the zeta potential of the galena particles, this did not decrease the flocculation efficiency, thereby showing that the hydrophobic interactions between the particle were stronger than the electrical double-layer repulsion resulting from xanthate adsorption. The findings indicate that the ultrasonic treatment promoted the adsorption of surfactants onto the mineral surfaces.

Jul 5, 2023

By F. S. Hoseinian, B. Rezai, E. Kowsari, M. Safari

In order to remove heavy metal ions from a large volume of wastewater with a low ion concentration, ion flotation appears to be promisingly effective. In the ion flotation process, because of the high ion removal percentage, the amount of water recovery percentage is a very important factor which determines the process efficiency. However, ion flotation suffers from relatively high collector concentration to achieve the high removal percentage to the desired limit, which subsequently increases the water recovery. In this study, functionalised graphene oxide (FGO) was synthesised, using a chemical method in the ion flotation process, applied as a collector for increasing process efficiency by reducing the collector consumption and water recovery. The high ion removal was achieved with both collectors of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and FGO, while the water recovery with a collector of SDS was 3.4% higher than that with a collector of FGO. The results indicated that the FGO could be effectively used for high ion removal and low water recovery in the ion flotation process. Keywords: Ion flotation, synthesised collector, ion removal, wastewater, water recovery

Jan 1, 2020

By S. Mohanty, K. Sarangi, S. Dash, P. P. Patra

Industrial effluent from various industries contains heavy metals that are a serious threat to humans, flora and fauna in water bodies, and the environment. The heavy metals are dumped after precipitation, which has serious environmental consequences. In this paper, a 2D axi-symmetry CFD model has been developed to study the extraction of chromium ion from industrial effluent, in a hollow fibre membrane, using Alamine 336 as the carrier and kerosene as the diluent. The Navier Stokes equation was used to predict the velocity profile of the aqueous and organic phases, and species transport equation, which considers both convective and diffusive mass transfer, was used to predict the concentration profile of the chromium ion in the computational domain. The distribution coefficient was experimentally determined at a pH 4, which was found to be the optimum pH. Numerical simulations were performed considering 11.11 mol/m3 of initial feed concentration for chromium ions and extractant concentration of 0.2 M. Simulations were carried out with various aqueous and organic flow rates, and validated with experimental data. Keywords: CFD, metal extraction, hollow fibre membrane, heavy metals

Jan 1, 2020

By El-Sayed M. Sherif, J. D. Comins, Erasmus R. M.

Corrosion of copper in aerated acidic chloride pickling (0.5 M HCl) solutions and its inhibition by 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole-5-thiol (ATT) have been investigated using electrochemical techniques and weight-loss measurements, along with Raman spectroscopy. Electrochemical measurements for copper after varied immersion periods of 0, 24 and 48h showed that the presence of ATT and the increase of its concentration significantly decrease cathodic, anodic, corrosion (jCorr) currents and corrosion rates (KCorr), as well as the dissolution currents at 300 mV vs. Ag/AgCl, while increase polarization resistance (Rp), degree of surface coverage (?) and inhibition efficiency (IE%) to a great extent. Weight-loss measurements after different immersion periods of 6 ~ 48h revealed that the dissolution of copper decreased to a minimum and the corresponding IE% increased with ATT concentration increases. The detection of ATT molecules on the copper surface by Raman spectroscopy indicated that inhibition of copper corrosion is achieved by strong adsorption of ATT molecules onto the copper surface. Aerated acidic pickling solutions; 3-Amino-1,2,4-triazole-5-thiol; Copper corrosion; Corrosion inhibition; Raman spectroscopy

Jan 1, 2006

The optimization of sample spacing In South African gold mines by J. M. RENDU*, Eng. Se.D., M.S. (Min.) U.S.A. (Graduate Member) A first attempt is made at optimization of sample spacing in South African gold mines. The De Wijs model, which is shown to give a good representation of the geostatistical properties of gold values, is used to analyse the influence of the distance between samples along a stope face on the error of estimation of the stope value. The influence of other factors such as the face advance before resampling, the sample density, and the stope size, is also considered. Practical conclusions are drawn concerning the optimum sampling policy to be followed in various situations, and it is shown that sampling on a regular grid does not necessarily give the best results.

Jan 4, 1976

The case for national research in mineral processing PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS given by R. E. Robinson*, Ph.D., B.Sc. (Eng.) (Wits.) Some of you have only raised your eyebrows, some have made tactful comments, and a few of you have been fairly outspoken, but all of you in industry are concerned at the high level of State expenditure by bodies such as the National Institute for Metallurgy. The case for a national research organization in mineral processing is not clear-cut and in fairness I must present both cases - for and against. Competition for student members Each year the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy offers a prize (or prizes should the entries warrant it) of up to Rl00 for the best paper or dissertation on a topic appropriate to the interests of the Institute.

Jan 10, 1975

By A. J. Jager, J. A. Ryder, M. U. Ozbay

This paper deals with procedures used for designing pillar systems in hard-rock tabular mines operating at shallow depths, typically less than 1000 m. A comprehensive review if current practice identifies four types if pillars, namely non-yield, yield, crush and barrier pillars, and the main principles for designing these pillars are outlined. It is shown that the current design methods for pillar systems in South Africa are mainly empirical, each mine developing its pillar-design methods based largely on practical experience. This results in varying pillar layouts, even between neighbouring mines, despite similarities in geology, and depth if mining. It is suggested that some current layouts may fall short if being the best as regards safety, the maximum safe extraction percentages, or flexibility in accommodating future mining scenarios in deeper or otherwise different geological conditions.

Jan 1, 1995

By A. L. Hinde, A. A. Bradley, P. J. Lloyd

The results of slow crushing tests in a stiff testing machine for both small and large step reductions of particle size are given. The energy consumption required to produce a given weight of minus 74 um material was determined when both single-crystal quartz and Witwatersrand reef were crushed. For comparison the two materials tested were also comminuted in a ball mill under optimum conditions. There are indications that slow crushing under stiff conditions is the most efficient method of breakage that can be devised. The comparison with ball milling results thus yields a value for the efficiency of ball milling of approximately 80 per cent. These results confirm that the best current estimates of milling efficiency, which are based on the free boundary surface energy of the material being milled, are probably too low by at least one order of magnitude.

By L. Cornish, P. A. Olubambi, J. H. Potgieter

Four 22%Cr series duplex stainless steels alloys containing varying nickel contents of approximately 5, 7, 9 and 13% were melted in a vacuum induction furnace, hot rolled, solution annealed and water quenched. Their corrosion behaviour was investigated in sulphuric acid and sodium chloride solutions using a potentiodynamic polarization technique. Increasing nickel contents have appreciable influence on their corrosion behaviour. Polarization curves show similarities in the uniform corrosion behaviour of the alloys in the solutions and a significant difference in their pitting behaviour in chloride environments. Alloy 2209 generally exhibited highest resistance to uniform corrosion while 2213 displayed distinct and best pitting corrosion resistance. Their corrosion behaviour were attributed to the influence of nickel on phase modification, microstructural refinement, and the probably types of films formed in different environments. Keywords: Duplex stainless steel; Nickel; Microstructure; Phase modification; Corrosion

Jan 1, 2006

By R. Kumar, N. R. Mandre

"The beneficiation of iron ore slimes by selective flocculation was studied. Polyacrylamide (PAM) and guar gum were used as flocculant, along with sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) as a dispersant. The samples collected were initially subjected for chemical and mineralogical studies. The mineralogical studies indicated the presence of haematite and goethite as the principal iron-bearing minerals, with quartz and kaolinite as gangue minerals. The selective flocculation tests showed that the Fe grade can be enhanced from 58.24% to 64.60% Fe at a recovery of 66.33% using polyacrylamide as the flocculant. A Fe grade of 63.20% at a recovery of 68.04% was obtained using guar gum as flocculant. The efficacy of the studies was analysed using a separation index, which indicated that the higher separation index was obtained with the tests employing polyacrylamide as the flocculant. IntroductionIndia is endowed with huge reserves of highgrade iron ore and is one of the prominent producers in the world. As the high-grade iron ores have been exhaustively mined, it has become imperative to use low-grade iron ores, fines, and slimes to meet the growing demand. Also, generation of fines and slimes during mining and processing contributes to loss of minerals to the extent of 30% of the total value (Mandre and Panigrahi, 1997). These fines/slimes are often discarded as waste into tailing ponds, containing considerable amounts of iron. Therefore beneficiation of tailings/slimes has become necessary for optimal utilization of the resources.In recent years, interest in recovery of valuable minerals from low-grade ores, slimes, and tailings has increased worldwide. These activities are initiated not only to recover minerals but also to address various environmental issues associated with fine particle treatment. The literature reveals that several technologies have been employed in this regard, including flotation, advanced gravity separation, and high-intensity magnetic separation. However, these processes are found to be ineffective for fine particle treatment due to lower collision probability in flotation, decreased gravitational effect in gravity separation, and reduced drag force in magnetic separation, among other factors (Batisteli and Peres, 2008; Das et al., 2007; Dworzanowski, 2012; Rocha, Caneado, and Peres, 2010). Therefore, it is in this regard that selective flocculation has gained importance in treating slimes in recent years."

Jan 1, 2017

By N. V. Nemchinova, A. A. Kozlov, A. V. Epiforov

The gold dissolution in sulfuric acid media during industrial oxidative leaching test of sulfide gold-copper flotation concentrates has been achieved. The reason for this was using technological water containing thiocyanates and cyanides, which can dissolve gold under these conditions. The carbon in column (CIC) process for gold recovery from these solutions was proposed. However, significant amounts of copper and iron were adsorbed onto the carbon during CIC technology industrial tests. This resulted in a decrease of the gold content in the loaded carbon up to 0.5 kg/t. Further development of the technology was conducted by optimisation of gold and impurities stripping and implementation of carbon reactivation. It was shown, that the copper extraction from the loaded carbon during cyanide treatment was about 95%. The copper content in the stripped carbon after cyanide treatment was 1.76 kg/t. The gold recovery during high-pressure elution by caustic solution was 98%. The hydrochloric acidic treatment with thermal pre-treatment (reactivation) for removing iron and calcium from gold-free carbon was proposed. In this case, the iron and calcium extractions from carbon were 40-45 and 50-55% respectively. These tests showed that for carbon recycling the sequence operations of ‘cyanide treatment, gold elution, thermal pre-treatment, hydrochloric acidic treatment’ can be used. Keywords: Thiocyanate leaching, recovery of gold, carbon adsorption, gold elution, copper stripping, thermal reactivation of carbon, activated carbon, carbon-in-column

Jan 1, 2020

By D. Kok

A challenge in mine planning is the optimal allocation of resources to the appropriate workplaces within the shift cycle (labour, equipment type, and other resources) in order to carry out the shift cycle activities, achieve planned production targets, and ultimately maximize production within all infrastructure constraints. Generally, detailed mine planning is done on a monthly basis at a workplace level in order to determine the production targets. The production supervisor, mine overseer, or equivalent production manager must then make the appropriate resource allocation trade-off decisions on a daily basis per shift to try and deliver to the plan and required production target. Due to the complexity and number of permutations of possible resource allocation decisions, it is impossible for a human brain to make the appropriate and optimal allocation decisions that will result in achieving the maximum or target production. These allocation decision permutations must deal with the current status of workplaces (availability, position in the cycle etc.), the status of equipment availability (available, planned maintenance, or breakdown etc.), distance between the workplaces (traveling time of equipment between workplaces, etc.) and equipment type required for that shift cycle activity. All these factors need to be taken into account in resource allocation to plan for the shift, and even during the shift if a major piece of equipment becomes unavailable or a workplace activity is not progressing as planned. This paper is a case study on how an optimization algorithm can be used to create a production planning system for optimization of resource allocation in a mechanized underground platinum operation. A business case for optimal allocation of resources is demonstrated and compared to the current manual planned allocation.

Jan 1, 2012

By D. G. Krige

The problem of a realistic investment analysis for a new mining venture that sells its products on the international metal markets IS studied against the background factors, firstly, of different inflation rates between the countries hosting the mines and those. hosting the metal markets; and, secondly, of the changing pattern of currency exchange rates between such countries. The purchasing-power parity theory is used to establish a pattern of relationship between these two factors, and to develop a more logical approach to the long-term forecasting of metal prices in the currency of the country in which the mine is situated.

Jan 1, 1979