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By Stephen Davies

Mining at Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting's Snow Lake Division is now in the mature stage of the mines' lives. These base metal copper-zinc mines have been operating for more than 30 years. Stopes had small pillars called "crown pillars" left between them. These pillars range up to 100 m (330 ft) long by 40 m (130 ft) wide and 15 m (50 ft) thick. Hudson Bay have been successful in removing these pillars by using cable slings, electric scoops, longhole mining and diesel load-haul-dump equipment. The different shapes and sizes of these pillars has required that many innovative techniques be tried in order to find acceptable economic mining methods. An overview of the different methods will be outlined. Background Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting's Snow Lake Division is located in Manitoba some 800 km (500 miles) north of Winnipeg and 200 km (125 miles) by road from the Hudson Bay smelter complex located in Flin Flon, Manitoba (Fig. I). There are currently three producing underground mines and one open pit operating at the Snow Lake Division, producing copper and zinc concentrates. Pillar recovery is intensive and vital to continued production of these mature mines. The crown pillars are producing more than 50% of the current mine production. This figure will increase in the future. The two mines at which crown pillar recovery is taking place and that will be discussed are the 400 t/d (440 stpd) Rod Mine and the 1000 t/d (1100 stpd) Stall Lake Mine, both five-day-a-week producers. Crown pillar mining has been applied for some time at these mines. However, it was only recently that the crown pillars became vital to production. This has necessitated a number of innovative techniques to recover them.

Jan 1, 1992

By Steven R. Munts

In 1985, at the request of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Bureau of Mines studied 39,420 acres of the 60,960-acre Skedaddle Wilderness Study Area in order to evaluate its identified mineral resources. There are no known mines or mining operations in the study area. None of the prospects or claims in or within a 1 mile peripheral zone around the study area have recorded production. At least 276 recorded lode, 6 unrecorded lode, and 29 placer claims have been located in and within about 1 mile of the study area. Approximately 191 of the claims are in the study area. Four of these were current in 1985; all four are wholly or partly inside the study area. None of the study area was being explored by private industry in 1985. Metallic and nonmetallic commodities present in the study area consist of gold, mercury, perlite, basalt, pozzolan, stone, and sand and gravel. Perlite is represented by a single deposit which contains 184,000 tons of subeconomic resources in and adjacent to the study area. No other sites contained identified resources. There are no other identified nonmetallic resources in the study area. Occurrences in and near the study area contain small amounts of gold and mercury in vein-type deposits and show characteristics similar to bulk-tonnage, low-grade gold deposits. No base-metal resources were identified. The gold and mercury mineralization and perlite deposit are spatially related to a volcanic center located in the Skedaddle Mountains. Prospects in the Skedaddle Mountains may contain both precious metals and perlite resources, but additional work is required to adequately delineate these areas.

Jan 1, 1987

A study of literature on the epidiorite dykes which transgress the Broken Hill lode and its wall rocks reveals a considerable diversity of thought regarding the time of emplacement of such dykes. In this paper it is deduced that the epidiorite dykes were formed at a late stage and were probably post-ore. Detailed mapping, sampling, and correlation of data from over 100 exposures substantiates this deduction. Physical disruption of the epidiorite dykes is indicated and some interaction of the epidiorite and ore at the time of intrusion is inferred.Further petrological study may confirm this.

Jan 1, 1968

By M. B. Shongwe, G. Freemantle, M. Botha, S. Brill, J. D. Steenkamp

During steelmaking, one important factor for production efficiency is the free opening of the ladle nozzle during continuous casting. Free opening occurs when the well filler sand and the steel flow freely when the slide gate is opened. Well filler sands are used for the slide gate of a ladle to separate the slide gate refractory and the molten steel. The well filler sand is partially sintered by the heat of the molten metal, which can result in the ladle nozzle failing to open if the sand is not sintered to an appropriate extent. It is therefore of great importance that the sintering behaviour of well filler sand is understood. We studied the effect of the well filler sand chemistry on its sintering properties. Samples of well filler sand with various chemical compositions were sintered in a high-temperature chamber furnace. Quantitative X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICPOES), and wavelength dispersive spectrometry (WDS) by electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) were used to analyse the various well filler sand mixes. Points of analysis were indicated on backscattered electron (BSE) micrographs. Quantitative element mapping was undertaken by energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). Thermodynamic calculations in FactSage predicted the percentage liquid phase present for the various well filler sand compositions at equilibrium conditions. The results of this work show that the degree of sintering of chromite-silica well filler sand depends strongly on the silica content. The amount of liquid phase formed increases with increasing silica content.

Feb 2, 2022

By R. Patel, D. R. Taylor, P. M. Varley

In-situ measurements of ground stress were made from surface boreholes, using overcoring and hydrofracturing techniques, to obtain data for the detailed design of the underground works at Pergau. Unexpectedly low stresses were measured and appeared to correlate with apparent hydrofracturing observed during permeability testing. The low values of the minor principal stress had a major impact on design, particularly of the lining for the pressure tunnel and shaft. Additional hydrofracture tests were made underground during construction of the low- and high-pressure headrace tunnels and the pressure shaft, to define the vertical reduction in the minor principal stress with overburden. These data were then used to locate and design the steel and reinforced concrete linings

Jun 19, 1905

By Irvin Pritts

This report describes the design, fabrication, and testing of a prototype instrument which demonstrates the feasibility of determining respirable coal dust concentrations by light reflectance photometry. Coal dust is collected on a filter and the quantity collected is continuously monitored by reflectance-photometry. Light emission and detection is accomplished by reflective object sensors, which have both light source and detector in one chip. The use of a pulsed light source insures low drift characteristics of the measuring circuitry. The collection of the respirable coal dust on filters facilitates accurate calibration and also allows measurement verification, if desired, by well-accepted, gravimetric methods.

Jan 1, 1981

By C.P. Clingerman

The recent iastallation of a combination dust catcher, gas washer and precipitator at Carrie blast furnaces of the Homestead Steel Works has given very satisfactory results. The following description of the gas-cleaning installation is based on actual operating experience. When Carrie blast furnace No. 3 was rebuilt the decision was made to fine-clean all the gas produced by the furnace, because the management wanted fine-cleaned gas for fuel in the stoves and boilers. In order to keep the installation cost as low as possible, the gas-cleaning system was streamlined. All by-pass lines and goggle valves for bypass lines were eliminated from the system. A radical departure from the use of 8-in. tubes in the Cottrell-type precipitators was made by using 12-in. diameter tubes in a single compartment, the single compartment being divided into two units by a single partition wall in the top header. The Furnace Proper A few of the characteristic points and dimensions of the furnace proper are: Hearth diameter.............. 26 ft. o in. Bosh diameter............... 29 ft. 1 3/4 in. Stock-line diameter........... 20 ft. o in. Large-bell diameter........... 14 ft. 8 in. Small-bell diameter........... 6 ft. 6 in. Height of furnace from center of iron notch to bottom of large bell, closed............ 94 ft. 4 in. Height of furnace from center of iron notch to main platform ...................... 105 ft. o in. The furnace top is equipped with a MC-Kee revolving distributor, the operation of which is electrically interlocked with the skips, bell hoists, and coke-weighing and charging apparatus through a Freyn automatic charging control. The gas leaves the furnace first through four offtakes, 5 ft. 9 in. in diameter, then through uptakes that, are approximately 85 ft. high, which feed into a single down-comer that is 9 ft. in diameter. Dust Catcher The primary dust catcher installed (Fig. I) may be described as a single-cone type. The inlet pipe at the top of the dust catchei is 9 ft. in diameter; it is flared to a conical shape as it extends down inside the dust-catcher shell, which is 35 ft. in diameter, 37 ft. high on the straight side, and has a conical top and bottom. The slope of the bottom is so0 with the horizontal. The cone-shaped pipe inside the dust-catcher shell is 42 ft. high and is 19 ft. 7 in. in diameter at its bottom lip where it releases the gas inside the dust catcher. The ratio of the area of the inside cone at its bottom lip to the

Jan 1, 1943

By C. P. Clingerman

The recent iastallation of a combination dust catcher, gas washer and precipitator at Carrie blast furnaces of the Homestead Steel Works has given very satisfactory results. The following description of the gas-cleaning installation is based on actual operating experience. When Carrie blast furnace No. 3 was rebuilt the decision was made to fine-clean all the gas produced by the furnace, because the management wanted fine-cleaned gas for fuel in the stoves and boilers. In order to keep the installation cost as low as possible, the gas-cleaning system was streamlined. All by-pass lines and goggle valves for bypass lines were eliminated from the system. A radical departure from the use of 8-in. tubes in the Cottrell-type precipitators was made by using 12-in. diameter tubes in a single compartment, the single compartment being divided into two units by a single partition wall in the top header. The Furnace Proper A few of the characteristic points and dimensions of the furnace proper are: Hearth diameter.............. 26 ft. o in. Bosh diameter............... 29 ft. 1 3/4 in. Stock-line diameter........... 20 ft. o in. Large-bell diameter........... 14 ft. 8 in. Small-bell diameter........... 6 ft. 6 in. Height of furnace from center of iron notch to bottom of large bell, closed............ 94 ft. 4 in. Height of furnace from center of iron notch to main platform ...................... 105 ft. o in. The furnace top is equipped with a MC-Kee revolving distributor, the operation of which is electrically interlocked with the skips, bell hoists, and coke-weighing and charging apparatus through a Freyn automatic charging control. The gas leaves the furnace first through four offtakes, 5 ft. 9 in. in diameter, then through uptakes that, are approximately 85 ft. high, which feed into a single down-comer that is 9 ft. in diameter. Dust Catcher The primary dust catcher installed (Fig. I) may be described as a single-cone type. The inlet pipe at the top of the dust catchei is 9 ft. in diameter; it is flared to a conical shape as it extends down inside the dust-catcher shell, which is 35 ft. in diameter, 37 ft. high on the straight side, and has a conical top and bottom. The slope of the bottom is so0 with the horizontal. The cone-shaped pipe inside the dust-catcher shell is 42 ft. high and is 19 ft. 7 in. in diameter at its bottom lip where it releases the gas inside the dust catcher. The ratio of the area of the inside cone at its bottom lip to the

Jan 1, 1943

By David D. Rabb

A report on location, sampling, assays, mineral examination, amenability leach tests, and evaluation of certain mine dumps in Mohave County, Arizona. Extractions of greater than 30 percent of the gold and silver were achieved during simulated heap leaching of selected mine dump material. Consumption of reagents was relatively low and results suggest leaching of prepared heaps is technically viable and could be economically attractive.

Jan 1, 1980

By C. J. Fleisch, C. P. Clingerman

THE recent installation of a combination dust catcher, gas washer and precipitator at Carrie blast furnaces of the Homestead Steel Works has given very satisfactory results. The following description of the gas-cleaning installation is based on actual operating experience. When Carrie blast furnace No. 3 was rebuilt the decision was made to fine-clean all the gas produced by the furnace, because the management wanted fine-cleaned gas for fuel in the stoves and boilers. In order to keep the installation cost as low as possible, the gas-cleaning system was streamlined. All by-pass lines and goggle valves for bypass lines were eliminated from the system. A radical departure from the use of 8-in. tubes in the Cottrell-type precipitators was made by using 12-in. diameter tubes in a single compartment, the single compartment being divided into two units by a single partition wall in the top header. THE FURNACE PROPER A few of the characteristic points and dimensions of the furnace proper are: [Hearth diameter 26 ft. o in. Bosh diameter 29 ft. 1 3/4 in. Stock-line diameter 20 ft. o in. Large-bell diameter 114 ft. 8 in. Small-bell diameter 6 ft. 6 in. Height of furnace from center of iron notch to bottom of large bell, closed 94 ft. 4 in. Height of furnace from center of iron notch to main platform 105 ft. o in.] The furnace top is equipped with a McKee revolving distributor, the operation of which is electrically interlocked with the skips, bell hoists, and coke-weighing and charging apparatus through a Freyn automatic charging control. The gas leaves the furnace first through four offtakes, 5 ft. g in. in diameter, then through uptakes that are approximately 85 ft. high, which feed into a single down-comer that is 9 ft. in diameter. DUST CATCHER The primary dust catcher installed (Fig. I) may be described as a single-cone type. The inlet pipe at the top of the dust catcher is g ft. in diameter; it is flared to a conical shape as it extends down inside the dust-catcher shell, which is 35 ft. in diameter, 37 ft. high on the straight side, and has a conical top and bottom. The slope of the bottom is 50° with the horizontal. The cone-shaped pipe inside the dust-catcher shell is 42 ft. high and is 19 ft. 7 in. in diameter at its bottom lip where it releases the gas in-

Jan 1, 1943

Owing to improvements in computer capacity, it is now possible to undertake fully coupled or partially coupled, three-dimensional (3D) hydromechanical Finite Element (FE) simulation of mines, including explicit representations of large numbers of discontinuities. The analysis requires fewer assumptions than uncoupled analysis or two-dimensional (2D) analysis, but may require a change in how hydrological data is collected. The way hydrological data is incorporated in stability assessment and the approach to uncertainty in hydrological information also requires discussion. The current procedures for this type of analysis are discussed, along with some practical difficulties and teachings from early applications. A work flow for integration of 3D hydromechanical modelling with pit planning and some considerations for the management of uncertain data are also proposed.

May 1, 2010

By S. H. Ash

For several years considerable activity has been devoted to economic and social factors affecting California metal-mining operations as they relate to accidents and their cost. The reason for this intense interest is that accidents cost this industry annually over $1100,000 in industrial insurance premiums for mines insured by insurance carriers only; during 1924-32, inclusive, they amounted to $3,616,9115. There are several reasons for this high cost, the most important of w rich are the consistently .high frequency and severity rates of injuries occurring in the industry. Coordination of effort, appreciation of a mutual problem, and widespread education are essential if accidents and their cost are to be reduced.

Jan 1, 1935

By E. E. De Beer

This paper describes a method for the determination of the settlement of an individual H-bearing pile, based on the results of CPT-tests. As implied by the nature of the problem, no analysis performed on one pile can be regarded as generally valid for a whole piling foundation project because, even on one site, the pile behaviour varies from one pile to another. Consequently, no precise mathematical analysis has been established; the proposed procedure represents a simple model for the determination of the probable settlement behaviour of an H-pile under a compressive load. Prior to the settlement computations, the rupture load and the resistance distribution along the pile have to be determined. Since the method for the determination of the H-pile bearing capacity from the results of CPT tests has been described elsewhere (de Beer, 1971, 72; de Beer et al., 1982; Arbed, 1985), no details will be given in this paper. The proposed method is valid for both uniform and non-uniform H-piles. The computed results have been satisfactorely compared to the static loading tests performed on different types of piles in clayey and sandy soils during an ECSC research program on H-bearing piles (1983-1987).

Jan 1, 1987

By David J. Mack

A SURVEY and critical appraisal of published information about Young's modulus was originally made by the writer because of a complete lack of information about this very important quantity in works on mechanics, physical metallurgy, physics, and other sciences. It was felt that a comprehensive summary of such information about Young's modulus might be of general interest and may suggest new problems or lines of attack on other problems that involve E. Hence this paper has been prepared even though it is only a review, with no new ideas or experimental data. The references are only those used in assembling the paper. No attempt was made to compile a complete bibliography on the subject of Young's modulus. CALCULATION OF YOUNG'S MODULUS FROM THEORETICAL OR EMPIRICAL CONSIDERATIONS Many attempts have been made to compute E from theoretical considerations. The earliest calculations were probably those of Tomlenson (1883) and Southerland (1891), but Fessenden 41,42 made extensive calculations a few years later and arrived at the relationship: [2E = 78. 101 (_L V] where V is the atomic volume. In 1923, Peczalski,43 working from the same stand-point but with more information available on atomic structure, arrived at an identical relationship, which he expressed as: [E=B(m) 2] where B is a constant of value about 8 • 10 7, p is density and m is atomic weight; the atomic volume, of course, being m/p. Portevin44 immediately pointed out that while the equations of Fessenden and Peczalski were true of the common metals, they gave low values for the refractory metals with high moduli (Fig. I). He showed (Fig. 2) that much better concordance was obtained by means of an empirical equation of the form: [E _ KT'Vb] where K is a constant; T the absolute melting point; V, atomic volume, and a and b constants of value approximately I and 2 respectively. This constant K in the Portevin equation is not necessarily the same for all elements, as shown by Thompson.45 Other equations for E based upon theoretical considerations have been derived by Honda and Yamada49 and Lasareff. 50 The most recent calculations of elastic moduli based upon quantum mechanics are probably those of Fuchs.46-48 He extended the method of Wigner and Seitz for calculating the lattice energy and compressibility of monovalent metals and computed the elastic constants of lithium,

Jan 1, 1945

By Sanjay Kumar Singh

The mechanics of load transfer in bord-and-pillar mining is not well understood despite the evolution of the art of pillar extraction over the last 20 years via trial and error (empirical) or Rock Mass Rating (RMR), simple monitoring and pillar extraction experiences at neighboring mines. Variations in geologic conditions and pillar extraction methods, along with a lack of comprehensive instrumentation programs for monitoring ground behavior during pillar recovery, are among the factors that make it difficult to predict how strata will respond to pillar extraction. Efficient and safe use of roof supports depends on the interaction between the designed support and coal strata. Of particular interest in this study is the mechanics of strata deformation as influenced by geologic conditions, pillar extraction methods and optimum support with load-bearing capabilities in strata control during mass exploitation of underground coal deposits required detailed investigation,?. To provide a better understanding of the mechanics of strata deformation, as researchers, we have collected data and reviewed measurements of convergence and stress in one mine of South Eastern Coalfields Limited (S.E.C.L.), i. e., in North Chirimiri Pondary Hills (NCPH) and have completed numerical modeling with FLAC software for (Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua modeling, Itasca India Consulting Pvt. Ltd.) for two typical pillar extraction plans. Stress distribution in the mine roof above pairs of roof supports was calculated to demonstrate how Resin roof bolt support installed support contributed to roof block movement control. It was shown that overall stress and roof-floor convergence patterns were most influenced by the stiffness of coal measure rocks and by pillar extraction sequences and layouts. Also, resin roof bolts and other support systems play a critical role in controlling stability of both the immediate roof and the main roof for a distance of up to 18 meters (i.e., working coal seam height X three times) above the seam. Installed supports provide unique strata control advantages over other types of secondary support by significantly reducing the time between mining and installation of the secondary support. Although resin roof bolts are similar to posts in stiffness and capacity, they are more effective than posts under static loads because they can yield and still maintain loads at nearpeak capacity(Singh, et al., 2006), whereas posts fail and lose their ability to limit mine roof deformation.

Jan 1, 2012

Physical/Chemical Treatment of Mercury-Contaminated Wastes from Former Chlorine-Alkali Electrolysis Plants - Application of Flotation Technologies in Soil Washing Plants

Sep 13, 2010

By H. R. Babitzke

As part of a continuing project to develop refractory metal alloys for high-temperature structural applications, the Bureau of Mines applied solid solution and precipitation strengthening techniques to improve the properties of columbium alloys. The purpose was to investigate the effects of hafnium, tungsten, and boron on the formability, strength, and oxidation resistance of columbium. The experiment was of factorial design with two replications which called for 72 ingots of 36 basic compositions, weighing 150 grams each. Hafnium, tungsten, and boron were evaluated at 3, 3, and 4 levels, respectively. Values of alloy content are all in atomic percent. The highest strength observed was 29,000 psi at 1,200° C for alloys Cb-15Hf (No. 3), Cb-7.5Hf-5W-2B (No. 14), and Cb-15Hf-5W-2B (No. 15). At 1,200° C, the ternary alloy Cb-15Hf-5W (No. 6) which has shown good properties in previous Bureau of Mines investigations was the most resistant to oxidation For boron additions, the alloys oxidized more readily with increasing amounts of this element. The fabricability of the alloys high in boron became increasingly difficult, resulting in an inadequate number of alloys required for a complete statistical analysis for all the tests. As a result of the decrease in ductility, an insufficient quantity of tensile samples were available for a proper analysis for the high-temperature strength data.

Jan 1, 1970

I would like to thank The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy for inviting us to share with you some of our experiences in the handling, storage, and transportation of industrial minerals in North America. Cometals, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Commercial Metals Company, headquartered in Dallas, a public corporation whose shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Sales exceed one billion dollars. Cometals, Inc. is located in New York and specializes in marketing of chemicals as well as raw materials used in the manufacture of steel, refractories, abrasives, glass and ceramics. This makes us one of the larger regular shippers of industrial minerals. Many people are aware that industrial minerals need to be viewed and judged on the merits of their chemical and physical characteristics. In addition you are surely aware that close attention must be paid to the economics of these minerals to determine the appropriate value and competitiveness of the minerals or products delivered at the doorsteps of the consuming work. You may, however, not be aware that the handling and transportation of the mineral is of crucial importance, in fact, the transportation and handling costs of industrial minerals frequently are a major component of the value of the ores marketed and, therefore, it is only natural that close attention should be paid to them. Many of the industrial minerals require special handling to assure that the material reaches the consumer without being contaminated and without getting wet. I invite you to accompany me through the various steps involved in "delivering the goods" to the consumer.

Jan 1, 1989

By A Goldstone, T Maton

The Golden Cross Mine is located on the North Island of New Zealand, at the base of the Coromandel Peninsula, approximately 8 km northwest of Waihi. The project is operated as a Joint Venture with Coeur Gold New Zealand holding 800/0 and Viking Mining Limited with a 20% interest. The past open-pit and underground gold and silver producer has been in the reclamation phase of the operation for approximately 2.5 years and is now nearing completion. Although rehabilitation of the site is a regulatory requirement, the Closure Plan has been enhanced by the ongoing commitment of the Joint Venture to establish a sustainable land use for the site by commissioning engineered facilities designed to last for perpetuity. The Joint Venture identified six significant design features that were key to successful rehabilitation. These were the controlled placement of acid generating waste rock into engineered disposal sites; the design and placement of sealing layers over the waste rock disposal sites; the design and construction of diversion drains; the establishment and management of vegetation to protect the oxygen diffusion layer; a partial capping of the tailings to accelerate consolidation adjacent to the tailings dam embankment, and the implementation of a cyanide recovery circuit to recycle cyanide from the tailings prior to disposal. Another key to success for the project involved genuine consultation with all parties participating in the planning, evaluation, and consenting of the closure process at Golden Cross. The local and regulatory community has been widely represented in the Joint Venture's operating and closure plans throughout the history of the mine. Participants include: Regional and District Councillors and staff members, professional peer reviewers, environmental groups, local residents of the valley, and Iwi. This overall commitment to the project has resulted in a world-class rehabilitation program for the first modern metal-mine closure in New Zealand and we believe that collectively, the work done at Golden Cross is helping to set a standard for the success of future programs within the extractive industry.

Jan 1, 2000

By K. E. Merklin, F. D. DeVaney

Students of the modern blast furnace seem unanimously agreed that they are observing a major revolution in practice. Rather than changing construction and operation of the furnaces, most of the great advances now under way deal with the raw materials feed. Prepared burdens have gained increasing significance during recent years. Sizing, concentration, and agglomeration have all become bywords to greater production and reduced operating costs. The remarkable results with test furnaces in which self-fluxing sinter makes up part or all of the ore charge foretell even greater improvements. Other investigators have reported many of these advances, and it is enough to predict here that more and more operators will turn to the use of self-fluxing sinter. This change in the operator's requirements comes at a time when one major section of the iron ore regions, the Mesabi, is finding it difficult to maintain, let alone improve, the tonnage and grade of its shipping product. To meet the new demands with respect to quality and structure, the iron ore producers of this area turned first to screening, crushing, and concentrating intermediate ores. More recently, declining higher-grade reserves have led to multimillion-dollar investments in plants to treat the low-grade magnetic taconites.1,2 To yield a suitable concentrate, the Minnesota magnetic taconites must be ground to about 80 pct through 325 mesh, too fine to be charged directly to the blast furnace or to make acceptable feed to the sinter strand. The pelletizing process was developed to meet the structure requirements laid down by the blast furnace operators. Taconite producers are succeeding in their efforts just when the attention of the blast furnace man is being drawn to the great advantages of self-fluxing sinter.3 The taconite operators are ready with an alternative. Why not produce sclf-flus ing pellets? At the Hibbing laboratory of Pickands Mather & Co., where much of the early work was done that led to Erie Mining's 7.5-million ton taconite plant at Hoyt Lakes, Minn., preliminary investigations have been made. Present Taconite Operations: Details of this work will be clarified by a brief review of agglomeration practice in commercial taconite plants. After the taconite has been ground to about 80 pct through 325 mesh to liberate the magnetite grains, the ore is concentrated on magnetic separators, thickened, and filtered to about 10 pct moisture. This structure and moisture fit in closely with the conditions required to produce good balls. It has been found with taconite concentrates that at least 60 pct of the feed to the balling drum must be —325 mesh to obtain good ball compaction within reasonable time. The filter cake moisture usually permits a slight water addition at the balling drum, and further balling control is obtained by adding about 12 Ib of bentonite and 1 1/2 lb of soda ash per dry short ton of concentrate. These additives, and occasionally small quantities of fine coal, are thoroughly mixed with the filter cake ahead of balling. The swelling property of bentonite improves the green and dry strength of the balls so they can be handled without breakage until they are fired. Soda ash is added for pH control to insure maximum performance of the bentonite, and coal is added for more heat in the firing process when required. The balls, normally 3/8 to l-in. diam, are brought to a temperature of 2350" to 2500°F in the indurating furnace. Heat for this process comes from three sources: 1) fuel burned in the combustion chamber, 2) oxidation of the magnetite concentrates to hematite, and 3) coal added to the balls. Pellet strength is developed by grain growth and bridging and, if enough slag-forming constituents are present, by slag bonding. Conversion to hematite is usually close to 100 pct in the fired pellets. Batch Test Procedures: Initial studies of self-fluxing pellets were made by producing balls on a batch basis under carefully controlled laboratory conditions. The l-in. balls, uniform in size, were fired in an oxidizing atmosphere in a standard laboratory muffle furnace. The firing procedure consisted of

Jan 1, 1961