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By S. Kamalpour

It has been observed that the productivity of ferromanganese furnaces, and the stability of metal and slag compositions, vary considerably according to the type of coke used as reductant. However, the desired properties of coke for optimum furnace performance are not well understood. In this investigation, the behaviour of four cokes, which exhibited a wide range of performance in ferromanganese production, was investigated by means of laboratory simulations of reducing conditions in the furnace. The Stationary Charge in Controlled Environment (SCICE) technique was used to simulate the conditions in the furnace shaft. Batches of raw materials, mixed in the same proportions as used in practice, were heated at fixed rates to 900, 1100 and 1300°C then cooled. The mass loss was used as a measure of the degree of reduction. Conditions in the lower part of the furnace were simulated by means of melt-reduction experiments in which lumps of coke were drilled out to form crucibles in which enriched ferromanganese slags were reduced at 1500 and 1550°C then cooled. An examination of the raw materials and the cooled, reacted charges using a variety of analytical and characterization techniques enabled the sequence of reaction and changes in morphology of the raw materials to be followed. This enabled an understanding of the behaviour of the cokes during reduction to be developed, which was then used to explain the observed performance of the cokes in practice. By relating the observed behaviour of the cokes in the laboratory tests to measurable properties of the unreacted cokes and to their observed performance in practice, it was shown that to achieve high productivity and good furnace performance, cokes should be selected to have moderately high reactivity towards CO2 (Boudouard reactivity) relative to conventional iron blast furnace cokes.

Jan 1, 2004

By Wojciech Szczepiński, Dominik Gächter

In early 2020, the construction phase began for the new complex of buildings for Radium Hospital in Oslo – the leading facility for cancer treatment in Norway. Settlements in the surrounding area, caused by pore pressure changes, allowed for the introduction of an alternative solution for the construction of the excavation pit. The presence of solid bedrock and sensitive clay – the same material that causes major landslides in the Scandinavia – in the excavation pit, lead to a combination of techniques, which were never applied in Norway before. For the stabilization of the clay Dry Deep Soil Mixing was applied to allow safe execution of the geotechnical works. Interlocking Bored Piles with footbolts and Jet Grouting columns, in combination with anchors, provided the retaining structure for the excavation pit. Rock injections were performed to avoid any ground water ingress into the pit. Underpinning of fully operational, adjacent buildings was carried out with jet grouting columns. These works were performed from the basement of the hospital and the ‘ACI – Acoustic Column Inspector’ was used to ensure proper installation of 2 m diameter columns to a maximum depth of 25 m. The buildings were later founded on Steel Core Piles, the most common pile type in Scandinavia.

Oct 1, 2021

By Dominik Gächter, Wojciech Szczepiñski

In early 2020, the construction phase began for the new complex of buildings for Radium Hospital in Oslo – the leading facility for cancer treatment in Norway. Settlements in the surrounding area, caused by pore pressure changes, allowed for the introduction of an alternative solution for the construction of the excavation pit. The presence of solid bedrock and sensitive clay – the same material that causes major landslides in the Scandinavia – in the excavation pit, lead to a combination of techniques, which were never applied in Norway before. For the stabilization of the clay Dry Deep Soil Mixing was applied to allow safe execution of the geotechnical works. Interlocking Bored Piles with footbolts and Jet Grouting columns, in combination with anchors, provided the retaining structure for the excavation pit. Rock injections were performed to avoid any ground water ingress into the pit. Underpinning of fully operational, adjacent buildings was carried out with jet grouting columns. These works were performed from the basement of the hospital and the ‘ACI – Acoustic Column Inspector’ was used to ensure proper installation of 2 m diameter columns to a maximum depth of 25 m. The buildings were later founded on Steel Core Piles, the most common pile type in Scandinavia.

Sep 8, 2021

By P. Mbele

Iron ore concentrate is not easily transported to, or processed in, ironmaking plants, therefore it is necessary to agglomerate. This paper will determine the possibility of agglomerating Sishen concentrate into suitable ironmaking feedstock. Pelletizing is one of the conventional and preferred agglomeration processes for iron ore concentrate investigated at Kumba Value-In-Use Laboratories. Sishen concentrate was mixed with binder, and then pelletized using a laboratory pelletizing disc; afterwards the green pellets were indurated at high temperatures to give strength high enough to survive handling and lessen disintegration in the shaft during ironmaking. Sishen pellets have satisfactory physical and metallurgical properties which make them suitable feedstock for the direct reduction processes. These were tested under Midrex shaft operational conditions and performed well, with a metallization of 94.47% being attained.

Jan 1, 2012

By A. S. Macfarlane

This paper describes how knowledge of the orebody morphology and ore morphology can be used to optimize the planning, mining, and metallurgical output from an open pit copper mining operation, such as to significantly increase the stability of the whole value chain process, and increase the reliability and value of the process outputs. In the case under consideration, the orebody contains both copper and cobalt. This in itself provides a challenge, in that the two metals do not occur in consistent ratios across the orebody as a whole. Furthermore, mineralogical differences within the orebody have a significant impact on plant performance in terms of throughput rates, acid consumption, and recoveries. In order to stabilize and optimize the plant performance, it is necessary to firstly have a complete understanding of the geometallurgical factors that affect performance, and then to have a sound knowledge of how these are distributed within the orebody. These models then inform the mine planning strategy that optimizes cash flow and NPV, and also allow the development of a stockpiling strategy that not only stabilizes the plant, but also allows variations in the plant feed according to ore type and grade in volatile price scenarios. Integral to the realization of these opportunities is the establishment of an appropriate measuring, control, and reconciliation system, customized to the optimization objectives. The paper describes how all of these factors and strategies can be integrated to produce optimal value from the orebody through to final dispatched product. It also shows the significant value that can be released through such an approach.

Jan 1, 2014

By D. Potter

In 1990, Freeport Exploration began regional reconnaissance exploration programs in Irian Jaya, the easternmost province of the republic of Indonesia (Fig. 1). Irian Jaya occupies the western half of the island of New Guinea. Freeport was awarded an initial contract of work that totaled 2.6 million hm2 (6.4 million acres). The company was subsequently awarded additional concessions that added 1 million hm2 (2.5 million acres). The concessions require work commitments and periodic relinquishments. Due to these relinquishments, Freeport’s current land position totals 1.9 million hm2 (4.7 million acres). Freeport began the exploration program to locate additional Grasberg deposits, the largest deposit in the Ertsberg district. But the company recognized that other types of deposits could be present in the largely unexplored area of Irian Jaya.

Jan 1, 1999

By M. Massinaei, M. R. Yarahmadi, S. Zeidabadi, M. Oliazadeh

"Although the majority of new flotation column installations continue to be for cleaning or recleaning, an increasing number of flotation projects are specifying columns for roughing or scavenging duties. NICICO has recently installed flotation columns operating in rougher, cleaner and re-cleaner circuits at three new copper concentrators; Miduk, Sungun and Sarcheshmeh. Miduk is probably one of the unique operations that use flotation columns in a rougher circuit. The Miduk rougher circuit comprises five CISA parallel columns. The rougher concentrate constitutes 88% of final concentrate and reports to concentrate thickener. The rougher tailings are scavenged with ten 50 m3 mechanical cells. The scavenger concentrate is then reground and cleaned in three 3.2 m columns in parallel. The cleaner tailings are scavenged in six 50 m37mechanical cells. The cleaner tailings along with the rougher scavenger constitute final tailings.In Sarcheshmeh, the cleaner concentrate is re-cleaned in a column. The column tailings are sent back to the cleaning circuit and the concentrate is reported to the concentrate thickener.This paper reviews performance details of the flotation columns utilized in rougher circuits at Miduk and compares their metallurgical performances in an industrial scale with columns at cleaning circuits for copper flotation. Practical limitations for applying the flotation columns in rougher circuits will be discussed in details.INTRODUCTIONThe use of flotation columns has grown rapidly since the first successful commercial application at Mines Gaspe, where columns were used in a cleaning circuit to float molybdenite. Early applications of columns were restricted to replacing or adding final cleaning stages in existing circuits. Columns can achieve superior cleaning as compared to conventional cells due to their ability to support a large froth depth and the use of water for washing froth. Wash water travels down through the froth and crosses the pulp/froth interface, replaces the entrained particles reporting to the froth from pulp and improve the concentrate grade."

Jan 1, 2011

By Pullen G, Rose M

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is not just a catch-cry. It is an essential component of every-day life in many professions, including accountancy, law and public administration. Without realising it, many other professions are undertaking CPD activities in an un-structured way, including mining, metallurgy and geology. Examples include Annual and technical conferences of The Institute, Branch-level technical meetings and in-company training and development programmes and technical exchanges. Whilst approaches to date have undoubtedly helped keep the Australian mining industry at the forefront of mining technology, one cannot presume that technological development will stand still. To meet this challenge, human resource development must keep pace, not only to optimize utilization of technological developments, but more importantly to develop firm bases from which new products, processes and technologies can be developed within Australia.

Jan 1, 1989

Geophysical methods are useful non-invasive means of collecting subsurface information on the environmental impacts of resource developments. Techniques such as seismic refraction, ground probing radar and magnetics are well established tools for environmental studies of waste disposal sites. Repeat resistivity surveys, gravity surveys, and infrared or multispectral remote sensing hold great promise for monitoring environmental changes. Examples from New Zealand include geothermal field monitoring, which may involve the use of geophysics for .detecting changes of surface thermal activity, hydrothermal eruptions, induced earthquakes, contamination or depletion of shallow groundwater, and subsurface fluid recharge. Other examples include resistivity monitoring of contained effluent disposal ponds, tailings dams and landfills. Experience has shown that care is necessary to identify the natural variability of the parameter measured before drawing conclusions regarding an observed change.

Jan 1, 1994

By Ernie Doell, Trung Nguyen

"In early 1995 Cluff Mining commissioned a newly constructed high density tailings thickener at its Cluff Lake uranium mill. The 85 ft diameter high density thickener is one of the first of its kind in North America, and incorporates the novel paste technology in its design to produce densified (in the range of 60 -65% solids) mill tailings suitable for stable deposition in the tailings management area. This paper discusses the impetus behind the installation of such an unconventional thickener, and the many trying experiences in making it operational.IntroductionCluff Mining, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cogema Resources Inc., is the operator of a uranium mine and mill complex at Cluff Lake which is located in northern Saskatchewan. Since 1980, the company has developed and mined out several different ore bodies within the Cluff Lake region for the production of uranium concentrates, commonly known as yellow cake. Based on the known ore reserves, the Cluff Lake operations are projected to last till the early 2000's.Tailings from the Cluff Lake mill have been discharged to a tailings management area consisting of a tailings pond and two facilities for primary and secondary treatment systems. The tailings pond has an impervious bentonite lined dam, and it is divided into a solids and a liquids holding areas. Until the beginning of 1995, the mill tailings were discharged in two separate lines to the solids pond; one line carried the slurry residue of 45-50% solids (w/w) from the CCD circuit, and the other discharged raffinate tails containing less than 1 % (w/w) gypsum precipitate. Supernatant in the solids pond is treated in the primary treatment system prior to discharging to the liquids pond. Figure 1 shows the site plan of Cluff Lake tailings management area.It has been estimated that by the end of 1995 the solids pond would be filled to about 60% of its design capacity, and probably would be full before the year 2000. Therefore, Cluff Mining had to consider a more efficient tailings disposal method that could extend the service life of the existing Cluff Lake tailings management area. A high density tailings thickener was believed to be the most practical and economical system for tailings disposal at Cluff Lake mine."

Jan 1, 1996

By R. T. Jones

"Technical publications in the field of mining and metallurgy have existed for a long time. Recent developments in electronic publishing on websites make it possible to disseminate information more widely and cost effectively than before. Professional societies have an opportunity to serve their members and their industry by publishing high-quality peer-reviewed papers on their websites as well as in printed form. Older publications can be scanned, and optical character recognition can be used to provide searchable text. Various business models exist around this process. This paper outlines the approach used by the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) to provide free open access to their journal papers and conference proceedings, as well as the work being done by OneMine.org to collect technical papers from a number of international societies and make them available to subscribers via a large database. An approach is outlined that should be of benefit to authors, readers, and society at large.INTRODUCTIONGeorgius Agricola (1494-1555) was not the first writer on the subjects of mining and metallurgy, but is well known as the author of De Re Metallica (‘of things metallic’ or ‘on the nature of metals’), a book that documents and illustrates the observations he made in the course of his extensive travels in the 1500s. Agricola wrote extensively about mining methods and metallurgical processes that were in place in the Middle Ages. The original Latin version of De Re Metallica was published in 1556, the year after Agricola died. It was translated into English by Herbert Hoover, a mining engineer and later President of the United States, and his wife Lou Henry Hoover, a geologist and classicist. The English version of De Re Metallica was published in 1912."

Jan 1, 2012

By Z. G. Lin

In Xian, China, compaction by means of soil (or lime-soil) piles is one of the effective methods widely used for densifying loess and eliminating its collapsibility. However, as a result of groundwater table rising, it is no longer applicable in many areas. This paper is the summary of the first-time use in Xian of sand-gravel compaction piles aimed at densifying the miscellaneous fill (already partially under water) and saturated loess at a certain project site. In-situ tests, conducted before and after the treatment and including several kinds of penetration tests backed up and confirmed by a set of plate loading tests, yielded very satisfactory results, strongly testifying to the viability of the method.

Jan 1, 2010

By J. Kretschmann

Around the world, mining has been done for thousands of years for the benefit of humankind. The winning process in mining operations ends with the depletion of the deposit or its closure if the operation becomes economically unprofitable. After that, a period of post-mining follows which may last for a very long time and which is generally regarded as a period of hazards, risk and high cost. In the USA alone, approximately 500,000 abandoned mines do exist; worldwide, there are millions. In Germany, too, we have had to deal with abandoned mines for a considerable period of time now.

Jan 1, 2012

The compilation of the sampling nomogram is an essential tool in the optimization of a sampling protocol and allows the operator to track the change in relative variance of the sampling error (the Fundamental sampling error) during steps of comminution and mass reduction in the process of recovery of the aliquot for analysis. The data required for the compilation of the nomogram are centred on the sampling constant K and the exponent, alpha (a) of the nominal fragment size. Five methods for establishing K have been identified, but two of them, the duplicate sampling analysis method and the heterogeneity test method purport to provide such constant. The step by step procedure for each of these two methods was examined using broken ores from three mines, Mponeng mine, Kloof mine, and Lily mine. Two of these mines (Mponeng and Kloof) are typical Witwatersrand-type gold mines, and the third is an Archaean-type shear related gold deposit situated in the Barberton Greenstone belt. The results suggest that the factor K derived using the heterogeneity test is very accurate, but applies only to a single size fraction in the spectrum of comminuted materials. The calculation of gold grain sizes using this method appear to be too small and do not conform with the results from detailed mineralogical studies. The factors K and alpha derived using the duplicate series analysis are appropriate for use across a wide spectrum of comminution sizes and also provide realistic gold grain sizes, comparable with the equivalent circular diameter of gold grains identified in mineralogical studies of the ores.

Jan 1, 2010

By Bruce Clements

The Bagdad mill, located near Bagdad, AZ, was built in 1977 with a designed mill capacity of 36.3 kt/d (40,000 stpd). An autogenous mill-ball mill crusher (ABC) grinding circuit was chosen. The original mill contained three independent grinding circuits. Each contained one 9.75m-diam x 4-m-long (32-ft-diam x 13-ft-long) fixed-speed autogenous mill, a4.7-m-diam x 6.7-m- long (15.5ft-diam x 22-ft-long) ball mill and one 2. 1-m-diam (7-ft-diam) short head cone crusher. Total installed power per grinding circuit was about 8.4 MW (11,350 hp), with 5.9 MW (8000 hp) in the autogenous mill, 2.2 MW (3000 hp) in the ball mill and 261 kW (350 hp) in the crusher (Fig. 1). The autogenous mills were designed to be able to operate semi-autogenously. However, they were never converted to semiautogenous grinding (SAG) mills. As a result of this design, only about 4.1 MW (5450 hp) of the designed power is used in the autogenous mills. The grinding circuits are closed, with 2.4 x 6 m (8 x 20 ft) double-deck vibrating screens. A series of conveyors re- turn screen oversize underneath the mill coarse ore stockpile to feed the crushers. Variable speed belts feed the crushers and control power draw. Crusher product reports directly to the tail end of the autogenous mill feed belt (Fig. 2). A magnetic sensor detects tramp iron in the autogenous mill-crusher circuit.

Jan 1, 1992

At the exploration stage for new mining projects or for medium- and long-term areas of existing mines (typical of South African gold mines), drilling data is on a relatively large grid. This grid is normally larger than the selective mining units (SMUs). Direct estimates for the SMUs and also of much larger block units will then be smoothed due to the information effect and the high error variance. Any capital-intensive project decisions made on the basis of any of the smoothed estimates will tend to misrepresent the economic value of the project or operation, i.e. the average grade of blocks above cut-off will be underestimated and the tonnage overestimated for cut-off grades below the mean grade of the orebody. This paper presents a direct approach technique for deriving recoverable resources, referred to as localized direct conditioning (LDC), designed to correct smoothing effects and also to provide support corrections.

Jan 1, 2014

By Faruk Oksuz, Dave Schiemann, Matt Trotter, Mike Padilla, Carmen Scalise, Miquel Sanchez

"The McCook Main Tunnel system consists of a 10-m (33-ft) finished diameter, 490-m (1,600-ft) long, hard rock tunnel constructed from a 27.5-m (90- ft) diameter and 92-m (300-ft) deep main gate and tunnel construction access shaft. The gate shaft houses six, high-head 4.4 m by 9 m (14.5 ft by 29.5 ft) wheel gates to be installed in the bifurcated and steellined section of the tunnel. The tunnel also includes portal and energy dissipation structures as it daylights into the reservoir.The construction of the tunnel system has been divided into two contracts. The gate and construction access shaft was completed in August 2011. The tunnel excavation and concrete and steel lining was completed in September 2014. The remaining and undergoing construction include the tunnel connections to the reservoir and the Mainstream Tunnel and installation of gates and hydraulic cylinders. This article focuses on the live connection of the McCook Main Tunnel to the Mainstream Tunnel that was initiated in November 2014 and will continue through the seasonal drier weather conditions in Chicago approximately from October through April. Chicago TARP systemThe MWRD has been addressing combined sewer overflows (CSO) and flooding in Chicagoland since the late 1960s and formally adopted the tunnel and reservoir plan in 1972 to protect the region’s most precious drinking water supply, Lake Michigan. Phase I of TARP, which included construction of 175 km (109 miles) of deep storage and conveyance tunnels with diameters up to 10 m (33 ft), was completed in 2006. In addition to protection of Lake Michigan from CSO discharges, Phase I resulted in substantial improvements in surface water quality as well as the quality of life for lake and riverfront communities in Chicago. Water quality improvements and flooding mitigation will be further enhanced as Phase II reservoirs are placed in service, including the three large reservoir systems, McCook, Thornton and Majewski (Fig. 1).The McCook Reservoir is the largest reservoir in the TARP system. Once completed, this $700-million reservoir facility will receive 38 billion L (10 billion gal) of CSO and flood water via the McCook Main Tunnel, which connects the TARP Mainstream Tunnel to the McCook Reservoir, and from distribution and Des Plaines inflow tunnels which will bring flow from the Des Plaines Tunnel of TARP."

Sep 1, 2016

A study was made of zircon powders bonded with phosphoric acid or aluminium orthophosphate. The influence of strength of solution of the phosphatic binders on the modulus of rupture over a temperature range was investigated. Physical properties of three grades of zircon powder bonded with phosphatic binders were studied at various temperatures. Examination of x-ray diffraction data indicated that phosphates ofzirconia are preferentially formed to phosphates of silica. However, zircon in the presence of excess phosphoric acid also forms phosphates of silica upon heating.Resistance to attack by slags from blast and open hearth furnaces was determined on phosphate-bonded zircon mortars in a cup test with industrially made ladle bricks. Zircon powders bonded with phosphates proved to have high P.C.E. values. The first satisfactory results of a plant trial with phosphate-bonded zircon mortar, used in a steel ladle, are now being assessed in larger scale industrial tests prior to accepting the mortar as a steel plant refractory.

Jan 1, 1972

By D. R. Cook

This paper is a case history of an exploration venture for base metals, begun by the Rocky Mountain District of Bear Creek Mining Company in 1952 and completed in 1954. The project was based on the idea of W. S. Burbank, U. S. Geological Survey, that commercial deposits of base metals might occur in Paleozoic sediments beneath hydrothermally altered volcanic rocks in the Southern Bonanza mining district, Colorado. Here, an area of andesitic rocks, four square miles in extent, has been argillized, pyritized, chloritized and silicified. Geological, geophysical and geochemical studies were followed by the diamond drilling of three holes totalling 6,220 feet. Further alteration ang geochemical studies were made on the cores from these holes. A brief review of the alteration and geologic mapping, colored aerial photograph interpretation, geochemical soil and rock sampling, magnetic, gravity and radio-metric surveys are presented together with some conclusions regarding this work. This paper is a case history of an exploration venture for base metals, begun by the Rocky Mountain District of Bear Creek Mining Company in 1952 and completed in 1954. Important contributions were made to the project by personnel of the Rocky Mountain District and the Geophysics Division. Individual acknowledgements to these people are made at the end of the paper. BASIS FOR THE PROJECT The project was based on the idea of W. S. Burbank (1947, p. 444) that commercial deposits of base metals might occur in Paleozoic sediments beneath hydrothermally altered volcanic rocks in the Southern Bonanza mining district, Colorado. Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, including the favorable Leadville limestone, are exposed three miles south of the altered area, and reason exists to believe that they might underlie it within a reasonable depth. Alteration of pre-mineral volcanic rocks has been used successfully as a guide to concealed orebodies in the Main Tintic and East Tin tic mining districts, Utah (Bill-ingsley, 1933, p. 120-122; Lovering et al, 1949; Howd, 1957, p. 124-134; Cook, 1957, p. 73) and could be a useful guide here. GENERAL GEOLOGY AND STRUCTURE The Northern and Southern Bonanza mining districts are northwest of the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado, just within the northeastern edge of the San Juan volcanic province. The districts are1ocated on the southern extension of the Sawatch uplift, a prorninent northwest-trending structural high. The highly productive mining camp. of Leadville, Gilman and Aspen are on the northeastern and northwestern flanks of this uplift where Paleozoic limestones have

Jan 1, 1961

By David M. Langlais, Krystle Pelham

"Explosives used in blasting operations, natural and anthropogenic sources such as septic systems,fertilizers, and decomposing vegetation can potentially contaminate groundwater with nitrate in thevicinity of construction sites and make identification of blasting impacts difficult. Blasting operationsfor a private construction project in Windham, New Hampshire were indicated as the source of water quality impacts to private drinking water wells prompting the New Hampshire Department ofTransportation (NHDOT) to implement a proactive approach to limit the potential for impacts fromblasting for ongoing NHDOT projects. NHDOT has developed a baseline drinking water monitoringprogram designed to detect potential impacts and to ensure alternative drinking water is providedthroughout the construction phase of projects. In 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) andNHDOT began a study to determine the source and fate of nitrogen compounds near blasting sites using a combination of isotopic, time series, geochemical, hydrologic, and geologic data. Approximately 1.75 million cubic yards (1.33 cubic meters) of rock were removed by blasting in several locations for roadway construction at a major highway construction site in southern New Hampshire."

Jan 1, 2016