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By C. Gerow

THIS paper is entitled "Some" problems, rather than "The" problems, met in selling coal, since the problems to be met in selling any commodity have to deal with an infinite number of circumstances and conditions. These are believed to be more varied in the case of coal than probably any other commodity. This is due, perhaps, to the fact that coal has been one of the basic materials in the guiding of industrial and national achievement for the past two hundred years. During this time its use has developed from a most haphazard one to uses involving all modern scientific methods, which, rather than simplifying matters as regards the marketing of coal, have added many fresh problems, and these vary according to the particular market served. Since the concern of this paper is primarily the selling of Nova Scotia coal, it is proposed to deal chiefly with some of the specific conditions met in the markets presently served by this coal. For the purpose of discussion, these markets may be considered as divided into three main groups, namely, the Maritime market, the Quebec market, and the Ontario market. THE MARITIME MARKET First of all, let us consider the Maritime market. This is a market which has been regularly served by Nova Scotia coal since coal mining became the first industry in Cape Breton, slightly over one hundred years ago. Conditions as applying to the use of coal have naturally tended to adjust themselves to the characteristics of the coal most readily available, and, therefore, marketing problems are fewer in the Maritimes than in districts where many coals of varied characteristics are offered. Up to recent years, the problems involved were chiefly those of providing satisfactory service insofar as de-liveries were concerned. However, with the speeding-up of manufacturing processes and the necessity of reducing costs to a minimum, users of coal have become interested in obtaining coal that will give the most economical service. It is, therefore, now of importance that the salesman should have full knowledge of the particular conditions applicable to each customer's use in order to deal to the best advantage.

Jan 1, 1936

By Gorrell. H. A.

Subsurface water data can be very valuable in .petroleum exploration and research. For the discussion of problems related to subsurface waters uniform nomenclature and classifications are required. The term 'connate water' has frequently been incorrectly used. It should .only be used in its original sense in which it is analagous to 'fossil water'. Classifications .based on origin and on sodium-chloride content are proposed. Present and possible uses of formation water analyses are briefly discussed. Since the potential uses of formation water data are not fully understood, complete analyses of selected samples should be made to insure against future requirements. The subsurface waters of Alberta show considerable regional variation in amount and proportion of dissolved salts.

Jan 1, 1958

By C. Turek, R. Henderson

Mine planning is the foundation of value for a mining company. Good mine planning requires solid understanding of the ore body, rigorous standards and processes, robust and useful information technology and skilled people. Life of mine planning is key to identifying strategic direction for any mine and short range mine planning is key to delivering forecast and budget expectations. Mine planning at Kinross has been identified as a critical success factor and initiatives are being prepared to improve the quality of our plans and to build bench strength in our teams. The Kinross Way for Mine Planning (KWMP) has been developed and implemented to establish the standards to ensure a strong business foundation. This paper briefly describes the process used to develop the KWMP and presents a selection of mine planning best practice initiatives at Kinross mines.

Jan 1, 2011

By B. E. Halbert, K. T. Himbeault, S. L. Fernandes, R. L. J. Phillips, B. J. Topp

The Beaverlodge uranium mining and milling facilities operated from 1952 to 1981 with about 94% of the ore extracted from the main underground mine and 6% from smaller satellite deposits. Decommissioning work occurred from 1982 to 1985 involving periods of shutdown, salvage and reclamation. Transition phase monitoring, leading to eventual delicencing commenced in July 1985. Over the last 15 years, discharge from the tailings management facility (TMF) and a fresh water stream, impacted during the operational phase by tailings spills, has improved in water quality for most parameters of concern. Loadings to the environment of three key contaminants (radium-226, total dissolved solids, and uranium) have consistently been less than during the operational phase with radium-226 having the greatest variability. Outstanding environmental issues associated with the recovering drainage system formerly used for tailings disposal, are being addressed in an enhanced environmental monitoring program to commence in 2000. Changes in water chemistry and the natural re-introduction of aquatic organisms are issues of concern. In the meantime, application for release from selected satellite areas commenced in 1999. This paper reviews the issues which have arisen during the transition phase, outlines how they have and are being addressed, and provides a comparison of original and current predictions of the recovery process under way at the former Beaverlodge mine site.

Jan 1, 2000

By Y. Jin, H. You, H. Pang, B. Lin

Successful application of steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) on the recovery of land facies ultra-heavy oil in Xinjiang oilfield depends largely on shortening the preheating period with the aid of the micro-fracturing technology, which is conducted through controlled water injection to a pair of horizontal wells to create homogenously distributed microcracks in the zone between the two wells. The numerical simulation of this mechanical process is yet to be investigated. Up to date, there has been research work on rock mechanics during the SAGD production period of marine deposited ultra-heavy oilsands, but the counterpart research on land facies ultra-heavy oilsands of Xinjiang oilfield is left undone. In this regard, this study is attempted to perform numerical simulation of the fracturing process on land facies unconsolidated oilsands. With this objective, the study first investigates geological and physical identification of the field collected cores, then carries out mechanical analysis on laboratory triaixal test results, based on which numerical simulation of the fractured zone is performed. The simulation is applied through a finite element platform adopting extended Drucker-Prager constitutive model, with the parameters determined by experimental work. It is verified that hydraulic fracturing of unconsolidated oilsands generates a microcrack feature in terms of a dilative zone instead of linear apertures. The extent to which the fractured zone propagates is visually demonstrated based on the magnitude distribution of equivalent plastic strain or volumetric dilation. Evaluation of the connection of injection and production wells can possibly be determined by the expansion of the saturated region around each well. Finally, the implications on the efficiency of hydraulic fracturing in stimulation of the pay zone are investigated.

Jan 1, 2015

By David A. Orava, Richard C. Swider

"The technical knowledge and practical experience accumulated by industry and others in abating acid mine drainage (AMD) is being proactively applied at every phase of the mine life cycle. This paper traces the mine life cycle from exploration to post closure monitoring and maintenance, and reviews AMD abatement measures that have become an integral component of exploration and mining activities.Attention is increasingly being given to evaluating AMD potential as part of exploration work, and studies related to project feasibility and design. Mining, mineral processing, and waste management options are selected taking into consideration their suitability to inhibit AMD. These inhibition measures are typically committed to in closure plans submit-ted at the permitting stage. Mines are operated and decommissioned, often progressively, as planned and in accordance with environ-mental protection policies."

Jan 1, 1996

By I. A. Kovalevska

Considered problems: elaboration and implementation of resource-saving technologies, low-cost support systems improvement, openings security and support, based on wallrock condition control with supreme implication into the rock pressure occurrence counteraction work. Results of analytic and underground investigations using computer simulation of the finite elements in order to calculate stressstrain state of the multivariable geomechanical systems are presented. Solutions of concrete objectives are found using spatial geomechanical model of solid motion around openings, considering real geomechanical parameters formation of support forms with proper conditions of their contact and real mechanical characteristics. Ultimate solutions of resource-saving technologies implementation based on the analysis of multivariate vertical, horizontal, and reduced stresses components calculation and also near-contour rock, support bearing components and security constructions movements are found. Results of experimental investigations of combined supports and security constructions, which increase openings' stability in difficult conditions of flat coal seams are presented.

Aug 1, 2013

By K. Woo

"With ever-increasing global demand for mineral resources, mining companies are considering developing deeper, more complex and lower grade ore bodies. Recent years have seen the transition from surface to underground mass mining operations to access deeper resources, with mass mining methods such as block and panel caving being favoured due to the tonnages and economics achievable when dealing with lower grade ore. However, the rock engineering interactions involved with such plans are complex and challenging given the significant disturbance caused to the surface environment. If not properly accounted for, the unexpected propagation of a cave breaking through to surface or the differential surface displacements otherwise produced may threaten the safety and integrity of overlying mine and civil infrastructure.This paper reports the findings of a comprehensive research programme focussed on investigating and integrating new developments in remote sensing characterization and monitoring technologies with state-of-the-art numerical modelling to better manage the challenges and geo-risk associated with the transitioning from open pit to underground mass mining. Procedures were developed to integrate discrete fracture networks (DFN) into finite-element/discrete-element analyses to simulate the influence of rock mass fabric on cave propagation and the evolution of caving-induced surface subsidence and step-path failure of large open pit slopes through the progressive failure of rock bridges. The results clearly showed that caving-induced surface deformations tend to be discontinuous and asymmetric due to large movements around the cave controlled by geologic structures, rock mass heterogeneity and topographic effects. Although parallel investigations of empirical design charts used to predict caving-induced deformations were found to be moderately sufficient for assessing the extent of macro deformations directly above the undercut (i.e. caving collapse features), numerical modelling was found to provide the only means to confidently estimate the lateral extent of smaller strain subsidence.These results were further supported by the use of high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data to monitor the ground deformations associated with block caving production, and to use these to calibrate and constrain a series of predictive 3-D numerical models focussed on Rio Tinto's Palabora mine in South Africa. The InSAR data was obtained from Canada’s recently launched RADARSAT-2. The close fit achieved between the predictive 3-D numerical model and InSAR monitoring data demonstrates the significant value of InSAR calibrated 3-D numerical models applied to subsidence prediction.Collectively, the results from this research programme have helped to further the characterization, assessment and understanding of mass mining-induced subsidence, and its evolution, by addressing existing limitations in the use of empirical and numerical design methods. The limitations and uncertainty arising from mine site data were detailed, specifically the representation of mine geology, rock mass properties, in-situ stresses and cave propagation, together with means to constrain these inputs and calibrate sophisticated 3-D numerical models through back analysis and integration with high resolution monitoring data."

Jan 1, 2015

By Oliver Hall

WITH the friendly consent both of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, for whom this paper was written, and of the author, we had the pleasure of publishing Mr. Oliver Hall's paper on Mining at Noranda in our issue of last March and of having Mr. Hall present it at the Montreal Meeting. In the following pages we now report the discussion elicited by the paper at a meeting of the Institution in London on March 18th. The report is taken from the April, 1937, issue of the Bulletin of the Institution, to whom we again tender our thanks. THE PRESIDENT (MR. ROBERT ANNAN) said that this paper was, by arrangement with the Institution and the author, also being published by the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy for approximately simultaneous discussion. He was sorry that Mr. Oliver Hall could not be present to introduce it in person, for he was sure that the author would have had many more details to give about this most interesting mine. The paper contained a very useful account of mining operations, and personally he had been pleased to see the tri-dimensional projections of the orebody in Figs. 3 and S. It was a good illustration o the value of that method in presenting the form of an orebody such as this. While he had no desire to go into technical details, he wished to call attention to a remark in Mr. Hall's introduction, in dealing with the history of the mine and the principles on which it was run. The author had given an account of the early difficulties in solving geological problems, and later of the economic difficulties of seeing this mine through a period of intense depression in metal prices. He stated that it was clear that, to maintain income, tonnage must be increased, and, to maintain profits, costs must be decreased. It would be observed that there was no question of increasing the grade of ore. Then the author went on to say: 'Having set the house in order in the years of adversity, the higher price for gold is being used to mine to still lower limits and lengthen the life of the enterprise and the welfare of those dependent on it'.

Jan 1, 1937

By J. Keith Haddock

"The Luscar Mine is a metallurgical coal mine located in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, 41 km southeast of Hinton, Alberta. The mine is operated by Cardinal River Coals Ltd., a 50/50 joint venture between Luscar Ltd. and Consolidation Coal Company of Canada. The mine produces a high quality medium volatile metallurgical coal which is sold on the export market principally to Japan and South Korea. Operations consist of a surface mine with capacity to produce 3.0 million tonnes per year and an underground mine which is currently mothballed due to market conditions.GeologyBedrock units within the Luscar minesite are of Devonian to Upper Cretaceous age. The commercial coal measures in the area are, however, confined within the Lower Luscar Formation. The Luscar Formation consists of a 460-metre thick sequence of interbedded sandstones, shales and coal seams. The sequence is primarily deltaic in origin, and is bounded to the north and south at the Luscar mine by tectonically induced thrust faulting.The only mineable coal seam at Luscar is referred to locally as the Jewel seam. Average thickness of this coal measure is usually 10.5 m to 14 m, although in some areas folding and faulting has produced ""pods"" of coal from 15 m to over 40 m thick while in others the structural deformation has thinned the coal to 3.0 m to 4.6 m. Waste within the Jewel seam seldom exceeds a metre of shale, carbonaceous shale or infrequent sandstone stringers.Reserves and Coal QualityProven surface mineable reserves, based on pit scheduling through 1996, are 50.8 million raw tonnes. An additional 19.2 million raw tonnes are contained in possible extensions to the present planned operations. These surface mineable reserves are considered to be those reserves within 155 m of the surface. Underground reserves, located within 770 m of the surface show that 25.7 million raw tonnes have been proven to date in additon to 27 .5 million indicated and 260 miIJion inferred.Coal specification at Luscar Mine is as follows:"

Jan 1, 1985

By M. Holmes, R. Molnar, E. Norton, K. Baxter, J. Riordan

The Boleo Copper-Cobalt-Zinc-Manganese Project of Baja Mining Corp. is situated adjacent to Santa Rosalia on the Baja Peninsula of Mexico. The El Boleo ore is a mixed oxide-sulfide deposit with major values in copper, cobalt, zinc and manganese. The metallurgical process designed to treat the El Boleo orebody involves a sulfuric acid leach in seawater using oxidative and then reductive leaching to maximize metal extraction. The leach solution is separated from the barren solids via counter current washing through a series of high rate thickeners. Copper is recovered using conventional SX-EW processing as cathode. Zinc and cobalt are extracted from the copper SX raffinate after iron and aluminum precipitation. The CSIRO DSX solvent system (Versatic® 10 and LIX® 63 mixture) are used in this extraction. Manganese remains in the DSX raffinate and is recovered by soda ash addition as a high quality manganese carbonate precipitate. Zinc and cobalt are acid stripped from the loaded DSX solvent. Zinc is then re-extracted away from cobalt using Cyanex® 272 extractant and stripped into a highly concentrated strip liquor (+100 g/L Zn) and directed to either a spray dryer or a granulator for production of zinc sulfate monohydrate. The zinc solvent extraction raffinate, containing cobalt, advances to another SX circuit using Cyanex® 272, for the recovery of cobalt as cobalt cathode. In this paper, the detailed results from bench and integrated pilot plant testing for zinc recovery from the El Boleo ore will be described. The results of this testing are currently being used to engineer the commercial plant at El Boleo.

Jan 1, 2008

By S. Makni, S. Koppalkar, A. Bouajila

ABSTRACT This paper briefly reviews the gravity recovery between conventional and centrifugal gravity separators. The advantages of semicontinuous gravity separators will be discussed, as will techniques for upgrading the gravity concentrates. The research efforts in optimizing semicontinuous gravity separators will be recalled. An innovative gravity circuit for eliminating or minimizing the use of complex processing schemes will be reviewed. Ongoing gold gravity research has revealed that gold particle shape transformation is one of the main factors explaining the lower recoveries of the plant units. Efforts to devise possible remedies for improving plant gravity recovery will be discussed.

Jan 1, 2013

By C. W. Eggert

This paper gives an account of the E.V.O.P. tests made at the Copper Rand mill of the Patino Mining Corporation in Chibougamau, Quebec. The runs were made to acquire an understanding of the method. A description of events, along with conclusions, observations and opinions, is out-lined.

Jan 1, 1967

By Maxime Tacher

BRP (Bombardier Recreational Products) designs and commercializes recreational vehicles such as watercrafts, sport boats, snowmobiles, ATVs... The Spyder roadster is the last product in the Can-Am product family lineup. To remain at the forefront of innovation, a hybrid motorization version of the Spyder is being developed in order to reduce fuel consumption and emission of greenhouse gases. But, the addition of electric components (e-motor, lithium-ion battery... ) raises the issue of added weight and volume. This article deals with the mass reduction of this Spyder by optimizing its frame.

Jan 1, 2011

By Tim Deans

This paper will address methods to manage hydraulic hose and coupling inventory so that parts will be available to build assemblies for the vast majority of equipment with as little inventory as possible. Topics also to be covered will include some basic hose assembly tagging techniques that will help keep equipment running by tracking problem hoses and building ?band aid? kits, having problem hoses premade in stock, and inventory usage tracking (one of the biggest problems for any inventory manager is knowing which couplings have been used so they can re-order). Cradle to grave tracking of hydraulic and industrial hoses insures reliable service of vehicles and ethical disposal of old hoses and couplings. With accountability for disposal of hose products that may contain chlorine (neoprene tube material in some hydraulic hoses) and carbon black that will be scrutinized more closely in the future, a proactive approach should be adopted in order to minimize maintenance facility problems.

Aug 1, 2013

By G. P. Gu

The in-service 90/10 cupro-nickel tubes in a water-chiller system suffered from severe corrosion damage during their relatively short service life causing unexpected down time. In addition to downtime, the environmental risk associated with losing refrigerant was also a concern that initiated this investigation, Microstructural investigation using SEM and electron microprobe indicated that pitting corrosion had resulted in local nickel depletion, During the corrosion process, copper appeared to have re-deposited around the corrosion pits accelerating the local corrosion.

Jan 1, 2005

"In flotation research, relatively little attention has been paid to understanding particle-bubble detachment phenomena compared with attachment processes. With CFD models now incorporating attachment/detachment kinetics, it is important to obtain more accurate formulations for detachment probability. The formula most often used is due to Bloom and Heindel (2002) who proposed that the rate of detachment would equal the product of detachment frequency, as previously estimated by other authors, and probability of destabilization, as estimated previously by Schulze. These two factors both account for the balance between stabilization and destabilization forces, so the product accounts for this effect twice. An integrated procedure has been followed to estimate the overall detachment rate by re-analysing the process. In this analysis, detachment rate is calculated as the frequency of eddy-aggregate interactions (or “collisions”) sufficiently energetic to cause detachment. The Bond number analysis of Schulze has been incorporated into the turbulence frequency analysis of previous authors in an integrated way. The new formulation has essentially the same type of dependencies as the previous model, but gives a lower detachment frequency. Detachment frequency has been calculated using the new formula for conditions relevant to an industrial flotation cell. INTRODUCTIONIt is well known that the effectiveness of froth flotation for separating different minerals is limited to the particle size range of approximately 10–100 mm (Trahar & Warren, 1976; Trahar, 1981). Fine particles tend to follow fluid streamlines around bubbles limiting the likelihood of bubble–particle collision, while coarse particles can be more easily detached from bubbles before collection can be achieved.Phenomenological models have been developed to quantify the physico-chemical aspects of flotation in order to better understand factors affecting these limitations, and to suggest ways of broadening the window of feasible flotation. Koh and Schwarz (2008) have incorporated these models into computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models of flotation cells, which have then been used for design and scale-up purposes (Schwarz et al., 2015). The models are based on dividing the process of bubble–particle interaction into three subprocesses: collision, adhesion and detachment. Of these, the hydrodynamics of bubble–particle collision and the probability of adhesion have been studied most extensively, while the dynamics of detachment have received relatively little attention from investigators."

Jan 1, 2016

By M. J. Slater

Ion exchange using resins is one of the few processes capable of reducing ionic contaminants in effluents to very low levels. Continuous fluidized-bed ion exchange is an advantageous technique for processing dirty effluents and thin slurries. It also reduces resin inventory and equipment cost compared to fixed packed beds. A simple continuous fluidized-bed unit has been investigated for treating effluents and its performance is described. Breakthrough curves were first obtained from static fluidized fixed beds; these data were then used to determine the required operating conditions for a periodic-flow, countercurrent fluidized-bed ion exchange system. A waste stream, containing about 56 ppm copper, was treated in the continuous system using an extraction fluidized bed depth of 203 cm and a flow rate of 1.22 cm3/ cm2s (900 gph / sq.ft) to yield an effluent containing less than 0.02 ppm copper. A generalized design method is proposed for similar chemical systems.

Jan 1, 1978

By J. Peterson

A review of blast designs and improved blasting practices at the Ekati??Diamond Mine is presented along with the results of three blast-monitoring experiments. Blast monitoring was undertaken to investigate blast damage mechanisms in the mine's well jointed rock mass. Rock mass damage caused by production, pre-shear and wall control blasts was measured. Ekati??uses 270mm holes for production blasting, and 165mm holes loaded with a decoupled charge for pre-shearing. The production blasts are loaded with bulk emulsion / ANFO blends. The mine plan involves using 30m double benches. A 30m high pre-shear is drilled and blasted prior to the production blasting that is done with sequential 15m benches. This paper summarizes the monitoring equipment and data gathered to date.

May 1, 2001

By Raju S. Sagi

This paper deals primarily with the different types of drilling methods used by the Iron. Ore Company of Canada for sampling the soft and friable hematite-limonite (secondary) iron ore deposits found in the Scheferville area. The problems associated with drilling, sampling, sample handling and sample preparation. for chemical analysis of these ores are discussed. Systematic evaluation of the various drilling methods led to the selection of an integrated drilling system. This system consists of a rotary dual- tube - reverse-circulation drill, with tricone bit, polymer mud and mechanical sample splitter, The historic al development of this drilling system is described in detail, as are the equipment , sample flow and quality control checks carried out to obtain representative samples. This integrated drilling and sampling system has been used satisfactorily on a routine basis for determining the grade and tonnage of ore for the various deposits for the last five years (1972-76) in the Schefferville area.

Jan 1, 1977