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By Collins BJ

Basic principles of stack injection are outlined and supported by calculations of thermal, chemical and aerodynamic requirements of an ideal 4000 tpd furnace. Calculated results show that these requirements vary with conversion of FeO, and that best performance may be expected with XFeO = 1.0 for which calculated production is 6919 tpd and coke rate is only 211 kg/thm. Calculations are also presented for a cycled injection. Discussions show that stack injection is a good way of overcoming softening problems and meeting the demand for iron in a fluctuating demand situation when it exceeds the maximum capacity of a furnace.

Jan 1, 1975

Operation of the tankhouse at the Electro lytic Refining and Smelting Company's works has been improved, but further automation is re- quired to cut the labour intensive nature of the routine tasks. Anode quality, both chemical and physical, plays an important role in efficient refinery practice, and impurities such as lead, antimony and nickel have required careful monitoring for smooth operation. The gradual replacement of copper blanks by titanium has markedly improved the quality of starting sheets, but problems have been ex- perienced with surface preconditioning of the titanium blanks. Polishing with emery paper proved to be a successful technique.

Jan 1, 1976

R F Johnston 1 ABSTRACT The possibilities for bacterial leaching of refractory gold ores found in the Central Victorian region of Australia are examined. The behaviour of bacteria, especially 77iobacillus ferroaridans is outlined and the effects of these when they are exposed to pyrite, arsenopyrite and stibnite are examined. The factors which are particular to Central Victoria are outlined and the possibility of adapting a bacterial culture to suit the conditions is discussed. It is concluded that a bacterial leaching system is a feasible proposition and that it could enhance leaching rates and yields.

Jan 1, 1994

One major aim of the operation of Aberfoyle's matte fuming pilot plant was to assess refractories performance in the process working vessel, a SIROSMELT furnace. High wear rates were expected and whether these could be tolerated was an important question. During operations a range of refractory types was evaluated in both insulated and water cooled furnace designs. Furnace operations enabled lining wear measurements to be made. Results confirm that existing technology can solve any expected refractory problems. Design aspects that should be included in commercial furnaces are shown.

Jan 1, 1984

By Morland R, Peck R

The Joint Committee of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) and the Australian Mining Industry Council (AMIC) have published a Code for the Reporting of Identified Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves. The Code is the result of an initiative begun in 1971 to achieve industry self regulation of Resources and Ore Reserves reporting which resulted first in guidelines for reporting standards but which have now been incorporated in ASX Listing Rules as a Code with significant sanctions ensuring compliance. This paper describes the background to the Code, its key provisions, and comments on practical aspects of working with the Code and compliance issues.

Jan 1, 1990

Its two years since we have presented at this conference and since that time we have made significant progress with our coal developments in New Zealand. In 2005 we held the Whareatea West exploration permit and had just completed the purchase of the Cascade mine. Today, in addition to Cascade and Whareatea we now have the Takitimu Mine, Eastern Coal Supplies, our coal blending and distribution facility in Timaru, prospecting permits at Ohai and Orepuki and an established customer base underpinned by the contract to supply FonterraÆs Clandeboye plant commencing in September 08. For this presentation I would like to take you through our purchase and development of the Takitimu mine.

Jan 1, 2007

Synthetic hollow microspheres have demonstrated reliable sensitization and detonation characteristics in industrial explosives for almost two decades. During that time, water gel formulations and use conditions have changed. The introduction of emulsion explosives has also dictated technical improvements in microsphere sensitizers. In contrast to microspheres, gassing or other sensitizing techniques often cannot satisfy the manufacturing and blasting characteristics required of today's explosives. This paper discusses the sensitizing properties of microspheres, formulating guidelines and quality considerations. Packaging, sampling, transfer, metering, mixing and pumping information is also provided.

Jan 1, 1990

By P Vasconcelos, M-F Zhou, X-F Zhao

The eastern part of the Yangtze craton (eastern China ) is marked by a number of medium to small size porphyry Cu-(Au-Mo) deposits. A detailed geochronological study and existing data suggest that these deposits were emplaced in the 144 - 136 Ma interval. They are spatially and temporally related to voluminous mafic and alkaline magmatic rocks ranging in composition from gabbros, syenites, A-type granites and their volcanic counterparts. This indicates that the porphyry Cu-(Au-Mo) deposits in the eastern Yangtze craton were generated in an intra-craton extensional tectonic setting, which is distinctly different from the compressive environment of oceanic or continental arcs of the Pacific Rim where numerous giant porphyry Cu deposits were formed. An EXTENDED ABSTRACT is available for download. A full-length paper was not prepared for this presentation.

Jan 1, 2008

Haematite Recovery from a Tailings Stream Laboratory and pilot scale testing were carried out in 1999 on a tailing sample from a North American iron ore plant using gravity, magnetic and flotation techniques. The ore contained 16 per cent iron mainly in the fine (-38 ¦m) size fraction. Two methods of evaluating the separation efficiency were used; Selectivity Index and Z factor analysis. Tabling and magnetic separation produced poor results, with flotation testing showing some promise, generating concentrates assaying more than 40 per cent Fe. High grade concentrates containing more than 67 per cent Fe were generated using the Kelsey Centrifugal Jig, and it was recommended that this technique be pursued at a larger scale to verify the results obtained.

Sep 13, 2010

Twenty years of effort in developing the use of computers in the design and control of mineral treatment circuits has resulted in a sound base for future widespread application of the techniques.. The intent of this paper is to speculate to some extent about future applications of computer related techniques in the mineral extraction industries. The use of simulation methods for the analysis and design of circuits is discussed. In the area of process control, computers have been largely devoted to process monitoring and reporting tasks. The application of computers for the total control and optimization of complete plants is considered. Finally, the role of computer based modelling studies for definitions of optimum treatment flowsheets is suggested.

Jan 1, 1985

By Welch B. J

Results obtained from linear sweep voltammetry at a graphite anode in cryolite-alumina melts are presented, together with those obtained from a chronopotentiometric investigation of the influence of dissolved metal. The results, consistent with both production information and other fundamental studies, showed that the following two reactions occur at the anode.Equation 1Al (dissolved) ? Al3+ + 3eThe latter accounted for some of the loss in currentefficiency.The rate of the former reaction is limited by the slow desorption of the CO from the electrode surface. Mass transfer conditions, and hence cell design, influence the importance of the second reaction.

Jan 1, 1976

Indonesia remains relatively unexplored by modern methods. The great expectations created by the rush of companies taking up Contracts of Work over large areas during the epithermal gold/ring-of-fire boom (1985-7) have not been fulfilled. This is not necessarily a reflection on the prospectivity of Indonesia; on the contrary, many of the hopeful companies were,, under-staffed and under-financed to overcome the physical and logistic problems of exploring virgin jungle.After the stock market crash of 19th October, 1987, many of the weaker companies were unable to sustain their programs or to arrange farm-outs, and they have subsequently relinquished their tenements. In some cases, little or no field work has been carried out so that many areas remain untested. This poor performance will ensure much more rigorous scrutiny of future applications by the Indonesian authorities.

Jan 1, 1990

This session comprises six papers: One paper is specifically on advances in drilling techniques, a paper presents a classification for water inrush rich with corresponding guidelines for protection, two papers are concerned with mining impacts in integrated catchment management - one from the quality viewpoint and the other from the quality viewpoint, and the final two papers are case studies of mine dewatering - one for an underground mine threatened by a karst limestone aquifer and the other of an open-cut mine threatened by interbedded sand aquifers. The paper entitled, Practical mine dewatering by means of surface drilled wells by Sides is innovative in presenting the case for wells as cost effective and appropriate for a number of purposes including exploration, re-opening old mines, dewatering, grout emplacement and monitoring.

Jan 1, 1988

By West R

Since its introduction in 1989, the Australasian Joint Ore Reserves Code (the JORC Code or the Code) has been one of the success stories of the informational interface between the mining industry and investors. This is due variously to the user-friendly nature of the Code itself, to its practical approach to this complex subject, and to the way in which its requirements have been implemented in practice. Recognition of its utility and effectiveness has influenced a significant number of mining countries to re-assess their reporting standards with the positive outcome being that for the first time, a set of standard international definitions for reporting of mineral resources and reserves is a realistic possibility.

Jan 1, 1996

By J S. Simmons, J G. Skousen

This project evaluated the performance of nine passive treatment methods by studying 137 treatment units in eight eastern states. Performance was normalised according to construction cost, projected service life and kilograms of acid load treated. Results were dimensioned as $/kg of acid load treated/year. These costs were then compared to those of chemical treatment. Sites that achieved acid load reductions at costs below those of chemical treatment were considered successful. In addition to evaluating the performance of the treatment methods, this paper describes the various passive treatment systems, their applications and performance data for individual treatment units.

Jan 1, 2003

Largely inherited from the past and from strictly internal laboratory use, the certification of reference material using round-robin assaying is often insufficient for the use made today for external assay laboratory control by client parties. Certification often needs to be revisited on the basis of existing round-robin data, especially to derive reproducibility parameters to the end of establishing probabilistic performance gates for operational error detection on a batch per batch basis (ie batch-ærejectionÆ). The most common difficulty arises when only a few certification samples have been analysed in one single batch by each laboratory, so that the round-robin data do not contain the full variability that needs to be quantified. Existing certification data sets from properly submitted round-robin samples were studied using analysis of variance to derive a remedial method, leading to the proposal of default correction factors to restore full variability estimates when no other avenue is available.

Jan 1, 2008

In a stipulated hard rock situation, drilling and blasting costs per tonne in open cutting or underground operations are comparable. In open cuts the drilling and blasting costs per tonne of ore are multiplied by the waste ratio.Conventional underground loading and haulage practices are so batch-oriented that the cost per tonne of ore handled is a large integral multiplier of open out costs per tonne loaded and hauled.If underground costs are to be reduced to compare favourably with open out costs then loading and hauling practices underground must be converted to a non-batch continuous system. This can be achieved by utilising gravity to control ore to mobile crushers feeding conveyors running direct to surface.

Jan 1, 1985

By R A. Bearman

Recent demand pressures for iron ore should not distract from the longer term view that intense competition in the industry has demanded technological innovation of a high order. There is a long track record of successful innovation underpinned by a solid base of scientific research and knowledge. By comment on recent developments in trucks, comminution and direct smelting, this paper suggests that innovation is still a key attribute of the industry. The spending of the minerals industry on underlying science, however, is not particularly high. By looking at other industries we can ascertain that for step change technologies, it is particularly advantageous to have a solid base of science and technology underpinning developments.

Jan 1, 2005

By M Maslowski, J B. Gemmell, D R. Cooke, C Zesati, J Castorena

The Palmarejo, Guadalupe and La Patria Silver-Gold epithermal vein deposits occur in south-westernChihuahua state, Mexico. The veins are hosted in a volcano-sedimentary sequence that comprises andesitic to basaltic resedimented volcaniclastic rocks, together with less abundant coherent and pyroclastic facies and minor red-beds. The host sequence is part of the Lower Volcanic Series, and formed in a magmatic arc environment during the Late Cretaceous to Early Tertiary Laramide Orogeny. The Lower Volcanic Series is overlain unconformably by an extensive sequence of Miocene rhyolitic ignimbrites, known as the Upper Volcanic Series. At this time, it is uncertain whether epithermal mineralisation was related to andesitic intrusions (85 Ma) and/or Oligocene rhyolitic dykes (25 Ma). An EXTENDED ABSTRACT is available for download. A full-length paper was not prepared for this presentation.

Jan 1, 2008

After 15 years of operation Australian Mineral Foundation is at the cross-roads: Affected significantly in its last 21 years by Australian dollar devaluation, lower mineral industry activity and severe cut backs in the petroleum industry due to the low oil price, a re-evaluation of its goals and industry support is urgently needed. Industry support, strong at the start, has not kept pace with inflation and expectations of a totally self supporting organisation have proved impossible to sustain. Nevertheless, with a change in emphasis in education programmes, continued creative development of information services and more particularly greater awareness by industry of the services available and hence greater use of the services, industry support is expected to increase. Indeed, industry, it is believed, will accept its responsibility.

Jan 1, 1986