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By S. Khoshkhooei

In this research, the effects of rare earth elements addition on thermal fatigue behaviors of AZ91 alloy were studied. Repeated heating and cooling cycles were applied on the samples at 170°C and 210 °C to develop thermal fatigue cracks, Crack growth mechanisms and microstructural influences were investigated by optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as well as energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Thermal fatigue behaviors were improved successively by addition of up to 2-wt% RE, This improvement is attributed to consummation of the aluminum of the melt by precipitation of the needle shape Al 11 RE3 phases, This process reduces the volume of Mg17Al12 phases and consequently decreases the brittle Mg/Mg17Al12 interfaces which are the main reason of weak thermal properties of the alloy at rather high temperatures, Further additions of RE, however, reduced the thermal shock resistance of samples by increasing in the mean length of the brittle needle shape phases.

Jan 1, 2005

By T. V. Simpkinson

Abstract A brief history of the electric arc furnace process of steel-making is given. The greater relative importance of this method of steel manufacture to the Canadian steel industry, as compared with its importance in the steel industry of the United States, is shown. The scope of the process is outlined and brief mention is made of the difficulty of obtaining melting stock low in alloy content. The physical chemistry of steel-making is discussed at length in simple terms, with emphasis on oxidation, de-oxidation, and the role of hydrogen. Carbide-type and silicon-type slags are described and the particular usefulness of each is outlined. The importance of various factors in the melting practice is evaluated on the basis of practical experience. Introduction Although electric furnace steels constitute only a small portion of the total weight of steel used in industrial operations, their importance is relatively much greater than is indicated by comparative tonnage figures. Tool steels, which are vital to all industry, are made almost exclusively by the basic electric arc furnace process, as are stainless steels, valve steels, and the higher alloy types of the class usually referred to as "alloy steels'. For many applications where steel other than electric furnace quality is often used, and when first cost is secondary to performance in service, the extra steel cost of electric furnace quality material is usually returned with interest by consistently longer service life. The electric furnace is pre-eminent in the quality alloy steel field because of the control that may be exercised over conditions of oxidation, de-oxidation, and temperature, the fundamental operations in steel making.

Jan 1, 1948

By Osvaldo A. Bascur, Curt Heftier

The lack of integrated information including the Energy/Utility Suppliers with sufficient detail for analysis causes inefficient operation in metallurgical complexes including the Energy/Utility Suppliers . Defining the right context for information use is essential for sustainable operations. This being said, what are we doing to enable people to act upon information and to be aligned to optimize the use of resources like raw materials, energy, water and consumables for an entire metallurgical complex? Collaboration between all company entities is a key component of improving efficiency. Evolution of web technology and object modeling of enterprise assets enables collaboration across the whole business. Operational troubleshooting occurs more quickly as the organization acts on issues to reduce wasteful operation. This paper presents a real time software infrastructure with tools that give users the ability to sift through available data, transform data into information for business continuous improvement and optimization. We will introduce a new technology for analyzing real time data, information and events using multidimensional analysis of information to detect anomalies based on the statistics of the data classified by time events to reduce the information into action. A new paradigm for collaboration at a local and strategic level is proposed to enable the enterprise to become proactive in dealing with wasted time and products. Three examples from the industry will presented and their benefits highlighted.

Jan 1, 2011

By S. D. Logan

This presentation describes a lightweight automobile body structure concept developed at DaimlerChrysler to support a high fuel-efficiency vehicle project. This body structure consisted primarily of large thin-wall magnesium castings and resulted in a more than 40% weight reduction with a minimal cost increase over a conventional steel structure while achieving significantly improved structural performance as evaluated through CAE simulations. One concept vehicle was built for the purpose of demonstrating concept feasibility. Several slides showing the prototype build process are presented. The presentation also describes several large thin-wall die casting body applications that are in current production or have been used in recent production automotive applications and identifies areas where further development could improve the chances of a magnesium intensive body structure becoming a production reality at a later time.

Jan 1, 2006

By A. Fischersworring-Bunk

The new inline six spark-ignition engine is the realization of BMW's concept of efficient dynamics at high technological level to achieve the attributes of low weight and high efficiency, The paper presents different aspects of the development and manufacturing of BMW's inline six-cylinder engine magnesium-aluminium composite crankcase, Reference will be made on the AJ magnesium alloy optimization approach to balance between mechanical properties and the high pressure die cast ability requirements, Next to this aspect some mechanical design issues will be covered, with CAE methods playing an instrumental role in the early project stage for the assessment of the compound concept, Due to the compound design chosen, the interface posed challenges to both design and productions, A set of novel techniques has been used to cope with these tasks.

Jan 1, 2006

By M. E. Holter

"Limestone-bearing strata are exposed in seven areas of Alberta, each situated adjacent to rail and road facilities. Six of these centers are located along the eastern edge of the Foothills and Front Ranges of the Rocky Mountains in western Alberta. The other is in northeastern Alberta, along the eastern margin of the Alberta Basin. High-grade limestones are present in Middle Cambrian, Upper Devonian and Mississippian strata. Middle Cambrian (Eldon Formation) limestones have been exploited only in the Exshaw area west of Calgary, where they formerly were used for lime production. Limestone beds of the Upper Devonian Palliser Formation are exploited at Exshaw and at Cadomin in west-central Alberta for the manufacture of cement. Reserves of high-grade limestone also are available in the Palliser Formation near Crowsnest Lake in southwestern Alberta and near BrUle, west of Edmonton. Upper Devonian limestones of the Waterways Formation are widespread in the Fort McMurray area of northeastern Alberta, but available data indicate they are of inferior quality to the limestone deposits of the Rocky Mountains regions. The Mississippian Livingstone Formation contains large reserves of high-grade limestone at several localities in the Rocky Mountains and Foothills. Commercial development of the unit is now underway at Crowsnest Lake and at Exshaw for lime production, and future exploitation of these beds is feasible at Blairmore and Nordegg."

Jan 1, 1973

By P. deH. Eastcott

The paper summarizes a slide presentation made during the CIM Mechanical-Electrical Operators' Conference, held at Sudbury. Ontario, January 25-27, 1977. Its scope has been limited to a few specific aspects of modern Canadian hoisting plant practice that are likely to be of interest to operating personnel. It is intended to serve as a brief review of established methods discuss in more detail the present state-of-the-art and suggest trends that will appear as products during the next few years.

Jan 1, 1977

By Yosuke Ota, Makoto Tawara, Tetsuya Kojima

"Dry-lube has been used in Europe to enhance formability of aluminum sheet for automotive applications, but it is difficult to ensure degreasing performance with lower degreasing bath temperature. However, newly developed, highly lubricating pre-coats utilizing a urethane resin, which is soluble in water, have been found to show excellent degreasing performance. Furthermore, a richer pre-coat weight coincides with a lower friction coefficient and better formability. Combined use of anti-rust liquid oil showed different friction coefficient depending on applied surface pressure.INTRODUCTION The global demand for aluminum alloy products, especially for automotive application, has been increasing because aluminum alloys can offer excellent corrosion resistance with good strength and low density compared with steel. Aluminum alloys can contribute to saving much more energy and greenhouse gas emissions over the lifetime of the product. On the other hand, the amount of aluminum alloys in vehicle architectures is still somewhat limited due to relatively low formability. As a consequence of this low formability, it is necessary to set a certain limit to the shape of an aluminum alloy panel for automotive applications. So far hot melt wax dry lubricants have been in use especially in Europe as they have been recognized to provide better lubrication than conventional rust protection oils (Meiler & Jaschke, 2005). The benefit of hot-melt wax for automotive manufacturing is associated with a more stable forming process and the possibility to avoid extra lubrication in the press shop. But because of the low poorer solubility of hot-melt wax in degreasing aqueous bath solution, a higher degreasing temperature is required so that no remnant of hot melt wax can be carried over to the next manufacturing process. This temperature control is difficult to impress upon a manufacturing degreasing bath originally designed for liquid oil, especially in Japan. The typical temperature of degreasing bath in Europe is around 60°C, while it is only around 40°C. in Japan. Various types of pre-coats other than hot-melt with high lubricity have been reported (Tawara, 1993; Ueda, Hatsuno & Totani, 2013), but a balance between sufficient degreasing performance and high lubricity has not yet been achieved for an actual production process line."

Jan 1, 2018

By R. Pressacco

"IntroductionAgrium’s history in fertilizer production and marketing goes back to 1931. Today, Agrium Inc. is a world leader in the production, distribution, and marketing of fertilizers and related products to the agricultural industry. Agrium is the largest North American producer of nitrogen fertilizers, a major producer of phosphate and potash fertilizers, and a world leader in fertilizer wholesale distribution and retail marketing. The mine at Kapuskasing is located some 40 km southwest of Kapuskasing, Ontario (Fig. 1). It has been developed to supply high-quality, low-cost phosphate rock to the company’s Redwater, Alberta facility, where it is an ingredient in ammonium phosphate fertilizer production. The Kapuskasing mine is the only phosphate mine in Canada and will rank as one of the highest-grade phosphate mines in the world (Clark and Duncan, 1999). Apatite is the principal ore mineral mined at the Kapuskasing Phosphate Operations.GeologyThe first record of exploration in the area was from a program executed by Continental Copper Mines in 1955 which evaluated the magnetic anomaly located in the Cargill and Cumming townships for its base metal potential. Intermittent exploration of the base metal potential of this magnetic anomaly continued in the following years, until the phosphate potential of the area was first examined in 1974 by International Minerals Corporation which recognized the presence of a layer of apatite sands overlying the carbonatite host rocks.The local geology consists of a core complex of multi-phased carbonatite rocks which are surrounded by a ring of pyroxenite, and have provided a U-Pb age date of 1907 Ma ± 4 (Sage, 1988). These two rock types are in turn situated within quartz diorite gneisses that form a large portion of the Kapuskasing Structural Zone (Fig. 2). The carbonatite host rock is sub-divided into two sub-types: sovite and rauhaugite. The sovite is a medium- to coarse-grained, white, banded rock in which calcite is the dominant carbonate species and it includes accessory minerals such as phlogopite, magnetite, clinohumite, apatite, olivine, pyrrhotite, and amphibole. Apatite can reach 15% abundance in this rock type (Sage, 1988). In sharp contrast to the sovite, the rauhaugite appears as a massive, fine-grained, dense, beige to tan-coloured rock in which dolomite is the dominant carbonate species. Phosphate values can range to 14% P2O5 in the rauhaugite."

Jan 1, 2001

By A. H. Lang

"The great interest taken in uranium in Canada during the past few years has resulted in the discovery of a very large number of occurrences, and in much research that has added to the knowledge of the mineralogy and geology of uranium deposits. The object of this paper is to present that information in condensed form. Some of it has been published before, but the writer has been asked to bring it together and to add more recent, unpublished data. The paper therefore contains short accounts of the mineralogy of uranium and of the types and distribution of occurrences; brief regional descriptions, including information on some of the characteristic deposits; and conclusions regarding prospecting and development possibilities.The writer has access to much confidential information supplied in compliance with regulations of the Atomic Energy Control Board. He has used this only for making broad generalizations that could not affect individual interests, and only where the owners of properties have agreed to its use.Much of the information on mineralogy and geology is derived from the work of others. The writer is particularly indebted to M. H. Haycock and S. Kaiman of the Mines Branch; H. V. Ellsworth, S. C. Robinson, E. J. Brooker, H. R. Steacy, W. E. Hale, and A. M. Christie of the Geological Survey; and E.W. Nuffield, J. S. Stevenson, and other officers of provincial Departments of Mines. For information and many courtesies he is greatly indebted to so many officers of Eldorado. Mining and Refining (1944), Limited, and owners and staffs of private properties, that it is impossible to mention them individually."

Jan 1, 1950

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 S. Aram

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions have been serving as the basis for collaborative product definition, manufacturing, and service management in many industries. They capture and provide access to product and process information and preserve integrity of information throughout the lifecycle of a product. Efficient growth in the role of Building Information Modeling (BIM) can benefit vastly from unifying solutions to acquire, manage and make use of information and processes from various project and enterprise level systems, selectively adapting functionality from PLM systems. However, there are important differences between PLM?s target industries and the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry characteristics that require modification and tailoring of some aspects of current PLM technology. In this study we examine the fundamental PLM functionalities that create synergy with the BIM-enabled AEC industry. We propose a conceptual model for the information flow and integration between BIM and PLM systems. Finally, we explore the differences between the AEC industry and traditional scope of service for PLM solutions.

Aug 1, 2013

By Ben C. McLellan, Philip J. Bangerter, Andrew Murphy, Glen D. Corder, Damien Giurco

Sustainability now forms a critical part of metallurgical plant design. In addition to compliance with requirements and corporate principles, design engineers must also consider how community and societal responses to the metallurgical industry affect the way they design and build plants. Three broad areas to consider are: the design engineer’s contribution to sustainability through the design process and the relationship to the social license to operate (SLO)—the unwritten license communities give companies to safely and responsibly operate the plant and equitably share benefits; the realization of sustainability goals through methodologies emerging in the design activities; and the integration of design frameworks into a contemporary project design context and its investment objectives. This chapter explores sustainability in metallurgical plant design in the context of SLO, design tools and frameworks, and community and societal influences.

Jan 1, 2015

By Chantale Doucet

L?utilisation du remblai en pâte dans les exploitations en vrac est de plus en plus importante. Puisque la technologie existe pour fabriquer du remblai en pâte sans construire une usine coûteuse, il est maintenant possible d?élargir le domaine d?utilisation du remblai en pâte pour y inclure des gisements filoniens où le besoin annuel de remblai est moindre. Dans certains cas, l?utilisation du remblai en pâte pourrait permettre de réaliser d?importantes économies telles que la réduction de la dilution, la stabilité des ouvertures, la récupération d?une plus grande partie du minerai par la réduction de la taille des piliers et l?entreposage de moins de résidus à la surface. L?ampleur des économies est parfois difficile à chiffrer mais il est tout de même important d?en tenir compte lors de la décision d?utiliser du remblai en pâte puisque ce sont souvent ces économies qui seront déterminantes. Différentes méthodes d?extraction avec remblai en pâte appliquées aux mines filoniennes seront présentées. Des défis et les solutions reliés à l?utilisation du remblai en pâte à la Mine Doyon seront discutés.

Oct 1, 2001

By J. M. Ríos

"Without conscious effort and understanding, a number of factors unique to mineral exploration often hinder building sustainability in host communities. These include the episodic and transitory presence of an exploration team in the community and the inherent uncertainty of outcomes— most projects fail from an exploration perspective. Experience in rural communities across Mesoamerica, however, has shown that it is possible to go beyond pragmatic philanthropy and infrastructure improvements to promote positive, sustainable outcomes in communities. Examples are provided of lessons learned and proven practices that improve quality of life and support a strong social license to operate.RÉSUMÉ Sans une compréhension et un effort réfléchis, de nombreux facteurs uniques à l’exploration minérale nuisent souvent à l’établissement d’un développement durable dans les communautés d’accueil. Ces facteurs comprennent la présence épisodique et transitoire d’une équipe d’exploration dans la communauté et l’incertitude inhérente des résultats – la plupart des projets échouent après l’étape de l’exploration. L’expérience dans les communautés rurales à travers la Méso-Amérique a toutefois démontré qu’il est possible de dépasser la philanthropie pragmatique et les améliorations des infrastructures pour promouvoir des résultats positifs et durables dans les communautés. Des exemples qui améliorent la qualité de vie et soutiennent un solide permis social d’exploitation sont présentés; ils sont tirés de leçons apprises et de pratiques éprouvées."

Jan 1, 2015

By S. K. Dimitrov

?Ellatzite Med? is one of the biggest mining companies in Bulgaria, processing about 12,000,000 t of ore per year. Waste materials left after extraction of copper concentrate are deposited in tailings dam ?Benkovski 2?. The hydraulic structure is built according to the downstream method, through hydrocyclonization where the downstream batter and the body of the wall are formed by the separated coarse sand particles of the separated tailings. In connection with the prolonged concession of Ellatzite Med and the enlarged capacity of Benkovski 2, the tailings dam has expanded on to the surrounding terrain. To guarantee a normal hydrocyclonization and build up of a tailings wall during waste deposition from the ore mill, the technological scheme of the hydraulic transport system of Benkovski 2 has been changed.

Aug 1, 2013

By D. Furrer, M. Dallaire

The arrival of Image analysis in the last 20 years has changed the world of quantitative metallography. Many standard measurement techniques which were previously manual can now be done with fully automated systems. This reduces subjectivity and operator fatigue and therefore enhances the quality of the statistical results. In many laboratories, Titanium Alloy microstructures continue to be evaluated by traditional methods, where quality of results is subject to operator fatigue and level of experience. Advances in Camera technology have tremendously improved image acquisition. One can often see clearly at 500x what can not be observed at 1000x, allowing for a larger area to be analyzed, without the inconveniences associated with very high magnification objectives. Powerful and versatile Image analysis software combined with a high precision motorized stage gives access to a multitude of applications, which were extremely challenging or impossible until now. Image Analysis tools such as Multilayer Grab, which reconstructs an uneven image into one plane of focus (ex. Observation at high magnification of texture resulting from etching) and Mosaic which builds an image from a number of fields of view (ex. Reconstruction of very large grains at low magnifications) expand even further the power and flexibility of IA systems. This presentation will describe how automated methods are applied to the point count method and grain size measurement. We will show how cameras and software work together to permit quantitative measurements of primary alpha and prior beta microstructures, as well as lamellar alpha plate thickness in titanium alloys.Automated and semi automated quantitative measurements of various Titanium microstrures have been assessed, using the Clemex Vision PE. Examples of the methods and steps used are presented.

Jan 1, 2006

By W J. Riva

This paper reviews the circumstances that led to the development and construction of a commercial-scale vertical shaft carbonizer at Conmore, Alberta. This form coking process may be regarded as having potential application in other areas. Coal pelletizing offers a promising method of decreasing coal agglomeration costs under certain circumstances. Pellets can be rolled easily from -35-mesh coal, provided that a minimum of -200-mesh coal is present. Bentonite was found to be the best binder and was most effective when added in amounts of about 2 per cent. The water content of the coal pellets was observed to vary from 18 to 23 per cent. As a by-product of this investigation, it seems possible that fine coal could be converted into stoker feed by this process. A short investigation of the effect of heating rate on the carbonization of pellets was conducted. The low maximum heating rates in certain temperature ranges, necessary to avoid crack formation in the pellets as reported by other

Jan 1, 1964

By Jorge Lema Patino

"The purpose of this paper is to determine the best techno-economic alternative for the treatment of tin ores, when comparing the various mining and metallurgical methods of preconcentration, concentration, volatilization (fuming) and up to the final stage of selling to the smelter. The study of the influence of the different parameters of cost, recovery and quoted prices has motivated the paper, which aims at determining the best process of ore treatment in terms of its techno-economic feasibility.Method of WorkOn the basis of head grades of 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0% tin, the following alternative methods of treatment are possible:1. Mining-Concentration-Smelting.2. Mining-Preconcentration-Fuming-Smelting.3. Mining-Concentration-Separation, with direct smelting and fuming/smelting of the two fractions produced.The calculations were carried out on the basis of existing information and publications concerning the various experimental recoveries in the operating mills of COMIBOL. In the case of concentrates containing less than 10% or more than 40% tin, extrapolation was required.The final grade of the tin concentrates and the gross weight of the concentrate were calculated on the basis of the estimated recovery curves. The costs of the preconcentration and the concentration stage s were determined per gross metric ton of material treated.The calculation of the cost of the smelting stage is similar for all the alternatives, the royalties and smelting charge varying with the grade of the final concentrate. In the fuming stage, a uniform recovery of 90% was taken in all cases so as to obtain a final concentrate grade of 65% tin, regardless of the head grade of the feed material.For the separation stage, the following considerations apply:a) Separation can be carried out by gravity separation or flotation methods.b) The cost of separation varies depending on the system used.c) The distribution of tin in the two fractions is 100% at this stage. In other words, there is no loss of tin during separation."

Jan 1, 1982

By Martha Gellner, Lutz Wuschke, Hans-Georg Jackel, Urs A. Peuker

"Electric vehicles are an alternative to the existing combustion engine driven cars. According to the EU Battery Directive a substantial recycling rate of at least 50 wt.-% has to be met for aged batteries since 2006. Existing recycling techniques are based on energy intensive pyro- and hydrometallurgical process, which are not able to recover all components. Aluminum and lithium for instance are slagged. The EU-Project “ABattReLife” investigated possibilities for a mechanical processing in order to create a sustainable process and a closed material loop from grave to cradle. After a sufficient liberation of the Li-ion batteries, components like the doped carbon black fraction (mainly lamination of electrode foils), the separator foil and the housing material can comparatively easily be separated from the other components by screening and air sifting. The remaining mixture consists of anode and cathode foils which have a similar free-settling ratio and are more difficult to separate from each other. A second comminution and compaction step modifies the particle size and shape as well as the degree of delamination. These changes influence the density of the electrode foils in order to improve the separation efficiency. Yield and purity of the generated metal concentrates were parameters to show if the separation was successful. The specific energy consumption for the different methods of processing was estimated in order to benchmark the cost-benefit ratio for each one.The studies have been accomplished with a zig zag sifter (model TUBAF), a hammer mill (model HM 340 Jehmlich) and with a Petkus-Sifter. Finally a process flow sheet was developed for a Li-ion battery recycling plant in pilot scale."

Jan 1, 2016