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By G. E. Wood

Steep Rock Resources Inc. owns a calcite quarry property at Tatlock, Ontario, and a calcite processing plant at Perth, Ontario. The Tatlock marble deposit forms part of an extensive series of carbonate rocks of the Grenville Geological Province in the Precambrian Shield of southeastern Ontario. The deposit is very unusual, if not unique, in the Grenville area in its combination of characteristics of large size, whiteness, high calcium content, low magnesium and silica contents, and scarcity of accessory minerals. A major expansion of the fine grind products capacity of the plant was undertaken in 1982 and came on stream in 1983. The expansion provides important operating benefits at the plant: greater flexibility as to the product mix and reduced dependence on the single grinding mill previously in place. The expanded facility consists of prima,y and secondary crushers, a rotary drye,~ a screenhouse producing a range of screen separator grade products, an airswept Raymond Mill, and a pebble mill with integrated air classifiers, product storage bins, bulk, semi-bulk, and bagged product shipping capabilities, road and rail access, and a substantial product warehouse. The expansion was designed to be compatible with a move into ultrafine calcite production, and is capable of supplying the anticipated sales growth within its market area during the next 5 years. Products are exceptionally white, with good chemistry, low abrasion, and consistent quality. Markets range, according to product particle size, from pre-cast concrete aggregate to fillers for coatings, plastic pipe, and compounds.

Jan 1, 1984

By Stuart J. Schofield

Introduction The study of the ore deposits of British Columbia is one of fascinating interest not only from a scientific but also from a commercial standpoint and certain wide problems in connection therewith have interested me for some years. Several of these problems have been set forth in papers presented before this Institute on previous occasions. In 1918 it was pointed out that the commercial ore deposits of British Columbia, with one exception, were associated with the granodiorite batholiths of upper Jurassic age. This was followed, in 1922, by a discussion of the ore deposits of British Columbia in which the mineral belts of the province were defined and named, showing a zonal arrangement of ores in which the Pacific coast deposits are characterized by the presence of copper, while the interior belt is marked by the presence of silver, lead, and gold. Methods Of Investigation In reading various reports on the economic geology of British Columbia one is struck with the fact that the mineral veins may be arranged as a system and further examination will show that such a system follows two main directions, one northeasterly and the other northwesterly, both related in origin to the same force.

Jan 1, 1925

By Joseph W. Mills

"The Mic Mac property comprises 994 acres held under mining concession and approximately 2,000 acres held under development licenses in Bousquet township, Abitibi county, western Quebec.Gold was first discovered in this locality by Tom Duval in June, 1936. In February, 1937, Cassels Duval Mines, Limited, was incorporated under Quebec charter to take over the property. In September, 1937, the property was examined by Agaura Explorations, Limited, and an option agreement was signed on October 6th, 1937. In June, 1938, an option for complete ownership was taken on adjoining claims belonging to Norgold Mines, Limited, and in September, 1938, a mining plant was installed and the sinking of a 3-compartment shaft begun. In June, 1939, an option was taken by Mic Mac Explorations, Limited, on seven claims of Mooshla Gold Mines Company, Limited, that adjoined the Norgold block to the east. In December, 1939, a new company, Mic Mac Mines, Limited, was formed, amalgamating the Cassels Duval, Norgold, and Mooshla claims, as well as two claim groups to the west of the mine known as the Vaughan and West Cassels groups."

Jan 1, 1954

By Balmer Neilly

FOR some reason or other, Mine Taxation has never been a popular subject for discussion in meetings of this kind, and it has never received the study and consideration its importance demanded. By way of explanation, two reasons may be suggested. In the first place, the computation, adjustment, and final payment of taxes, have been looked upon in most cases as a Head Office chore. Secondly, since taxes represent an uncontrollable cost item, they have been treated as an added rather than an inclusive factor in calculating unit costs. Perhaps because I am half Irish, and therefore resent taxation of all kinds, perhaps because I am half Scotch, and am therefore concerned with the results, I have always taken a keen interest in this subject. Moreover, by some peculiar set of circumstances, I have been a participating party in many, perhaps I can say most, of the discussions on this subject that have taken place between the Governments and the representatives of this industry during the past thirty years. Looking backward, certain very definite impressions remain. Political considerations have never had any part in these discussions. Views have been exchanged upon the frankest possible basis, and, when we disagreed on some particular detail, we agreed to disagree, and followed through in harmony and? good faith. We, as an industry, have refrained from importuning and fault finding in ways that might be considered as petty or selfish, and it is only upon occasions such as this, where conditions necessitate action, that we lay our troubles before the powers that be. The Ontario Mining Tax Act was drafted by men who were earnest and practical as to purpose, and that Act has stood the test of time. It is, in. truth, a mode! Act, for it has been copied in its general clauses by both Quebec and the Dominion of Canada. We all know that, when a machine is running smoothly, we should leave it alone. The same is true of a well designed, easily applicable, taxation measure, and our present difficulty with respect to this Act arises out of an amendment made in 1916. In that year, you will remember, the Dominion imposed a wartime Income Tax Act. It was described as a wartime necessity and it was intimated t:1 at with the end of hostilities its application would be restricted and finally cancelled. The rate of taxation was modest, and when the Ontario Government was asked that the Dominion Income Tax be allowed as a deductible item, they readily acquiesced. This was looked upon as a temporary arrangement.

Jan 1, 1943

By M. Massinaei

Recently constructed circuits have included multiple stages of columns in a variety of applications, from roughing to cleaning. The Miduk copper concentrator (in south-eastern Iran) is one of the unique mineral processing plants which use column flotation cells as rougher. As the bulk of final concentrate is produced by rougher columns, optimized metallurgical performance of these cells is crucial. This paper will present the study and optimization of, a froth washing system of columns. For this purpose, the cross-sectional area of orifices was increased and their orientation altered. Concentrate assay for copper and silica, in addition to bias rate were found to be the assessment criteria. Modification of the wash water system resulted in increasing the purity of rougher and final concentrate. Negative bias and short-circuiting of wash water into the concentrate launder were the main causes of improper froth zone washing in the former system.

Jan 1, 2007

By S. J. Cook

The system of mining statistics for Canada, as it exists today, represents the result of long years of progress, first by the Geological Survey, later and more comprehensively by the Mines Branch of the Department of Mines, and now by the Mining Branch of the Dominion Bureau of Statistics-all supplemented by the very comprehensive reports published by the several provincial departments of mines. It is the purpose of this paper briefly to state the development and present status of Canada's statistical service, more particularly in regard to information on mineral production, and to show that in its evolution continuous progress has been made in the elimination of factors tending to duplication and overlaping, with the result that the construction of an adequate statistical service has been carried out with the least possible expenditure of .public funds. For the purpose of this discussion, the subject of mineral statistics may conveniently be considered from two points of view. The technical difficulties in obtaining satisfactory and complete data from the variety of industries represented in the mining fields of Canada must be apparent to all. Methods of record-keeping are almost as numerous as mines and even the larger concerns which maintain elaborate records for their own information, often find it difficult to compile the statistical reports required of them, because the specific form of inquiry differs from the method in use in their offices.

Jan 1, 1924

By R. Clarkson

"Free gold particles occur in many base metal and precious metal mines throughout the world. Due to the high density and malleability of gold, large circulating loads of free gold particles can build up over time in grinding circuits. This gold is often deposited in unintended traps throughout the mineral processing system.These unidentified free gold deposits represent a serious security risk as well as an inaccessible inventory of gold. Deposits of free gold particles often remain undetected by mine management until they are accidentally discovered while repairing mill equipment.Nuclear tracers have been used to determine the free gold recovery efficiency of gravity recovery equipment, drills, and sampling equipment (Clarkson, 1994, 1995; Walsh and Rao, 1986; Walsh and Kelly, 1992). In November, 1993, the author inspected the grinding circuit at La Mine Doyon in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec and made recommendations to recover coarse gold and to eliminate gold traps from the circuit. In 1995, the author salted mineral processing circuits with radioactive gold particles. The gamma and X-ray radiation from gold’s nuclear isotope (Au198) were detected through steel, in pipes, and in moving equipment using scintillometers. The radiotracers proved to be a safe, rapid and accurate method of identifying gold traps and improving security.Nuclear TracersWhen particles of gold are placed in a nuclear reactor, some of the gold atoms (Au197) absorb another neutron in their nucleus to form gold’s radioactive isotope (Au198). In the process of radioactive decay, this isotope emits high energy gamma rays and X-rays which are easily detected (even through steel) with scintillometers.Radioactive gold (Au198) has a very short halflife of 2.7 days. At the relatively low activity levels used for tracing, the particles remain detectable with a small hand-held scintillometer for about 10 to 14 days. After 14 days the irradiated gold is close to background levels and within two months it is essentially non-radioactive. The radiation has no effect on the recovery characteristics of the gold particles. The gold radiotracers are very safe due to their very low level of radiation, short half-life, and their inherent physical and chemical stability. However, the use and possession of even mildly irradiated gold is strictly licensed and regulated."

Jan 1, 1997

By E. H. Rose

THE most useful guide to the role of lime in flotation is the view that the chemistry of any flotation operation is primarily a pattern in relative solubilities. We have the coming together of a number of minerals, reagents, fortuitous salts, water, and oxygen, many of which have not been previously in contact with each other, and every one of which is free, at least to some extent, to abandon old alliances and to form new ones. Of one thing the operator may be sure, and that is that, when equilibrium has been reached, those new chemical combinations will have formed which are the least soluble combinations possible to the environment. The laws of solution govern the operation, which means that relative concentrations are always a factor, and temperature frequently is. What the operator is really doing when he chooses his reagents .in the first place (empirically or otherwise) and works out their? optimum amounts, is to provide an environment in which (1) the least soluble possible compound of the mineral he desires to float is one which is also non-wettable, while at the same time (2) the least soluble compounds possible to the minerals he desires to depress are wettable. Since all metathesis is reversible, perfection is impossible to achieve, and the operator is constantly striving to establish that combination of concentrations which will drive each and every particular reaction as far as possible in the direction he desires it to go, in accordance with the law of molar concentration.

Jan 1, 1939

By D. S. Campbell

THE chief factors influencing the decision to build the Big Missouri mill underground were the topography of the country and the climate. The location underground assured certain saving in the cost of operation, such as the hearing of the mill, shovelling snow, and handling ore, which, over a period of time, would offset the greater initial cost of the mill excavation and machinery installation underground, as compared with the cost of a like plant on the surface. At Gilman, Colorado, where conditions are somewhat similar, the Empire Zinc Company, at their Eagle mine, are treating their lead-zinc ore in a mill built entirely underground. Company officials made a study of this plant before proceeding with the mill at Big Missouri. LOCATION, CLIMATE, TOPOGRAPHY The Big Missouri mine is situated on the Upper Salmon river, 22 miles north of Stewart, B.C., which is at the head of Portland canal, a narrow natural channel which penetrates 100 miles inland from the coast into the Coast Range mountains. Stewart, the distributing centre for the district, is about 600 miles north of Vancouver. The Big Missouri claims lie on and down the sides of the Big Missouri ridge, which extends north and south between the Salmon River and Cascade Creek valleys. The ridge rises to an elevation of 3,600 feet, is about half a mile wide, and to the east slopes down to the Joker flats in Cascade Creek valley. The Big Missouri camp is located on the flats at elevation 2,800 (see Figure 1). Preliminary development of the property took place from this point with an adit driven under the ridge. The western side of the ridge slopes steeply down to the Salmon glacier at elevation 1,900. Ore found on the 2,850 level extended down, and, in order further to explore the ore-body, the 2,850 level was driven through to the west side of the ridge, a surface incline tramway was built, and a lower tunnel driven at elevation 2,350, five hundred feet below the original 2,850 level, from the west side of the ridge. This tunnel development avoided the necessity of sinking, which would have been costly, as the mine makes a great deal of water (see Figures 1 and 2).

Jan 1, 1938

By G. C. Bateman

Canada is a very large country with a small population which is growing very slowly. We have great natural resources, but with our limited population we are continually looking afield for new capital to develop these resources. Our mining areas are among the most important fields offering opportunities for new capital and because of the wide-spread appeal which mining makes this industry commands a great deal of attention. While we are glad to see new capital from any source, we welcome it particularly from Great Britain, for, although we offer equal opportunities to the nationals of any country we would be glad to see the development of our natural resources financed as far as possible within the Empire. However, when we invite ne capital we must accept certain responsibilities, and while we have opportunities to offer, we should ask ourselves how these opportunities are taken advantage of and what sort of treatment the foreign investor receives.

Jan 1, 1925

By G. F. Warning

"THE H. B. Mine is situated on the north side of Sheep Creek valley, about six miles southeast of Salmo, B.C. It is the most northerly producer along a belt containing a number of zinc-lead deposits, including the Jersey mine of Canadian Exploration Limited, 3 miles to the south, and the Reeves MacDonald mine, 12 miles to the southwest. The important zinc-lead producing area around Metaline Falls, Washington, lies 23 miles to the south. Two prospectors, Horton and Benson, located and staked the oxidized outcrops in 1.907. The property was named the H.B. after the two discoverers. Exploration by a number of operators failed to locate any sulphide orebodies until 1946, when Cominco began a geological study followed by surface drilling which was successful in locating extensive sulphide mineralization. A program of underground exploration revealed sufficient ore to war-rant mill construction. A 1 ,000-ton mill was completed by 1953, but due to low metal prices production was deferred until May, 1955. To September 1, 1959, 1,900,000 tons of zinc-lead ore have been milled; present milling rate is about 1,250 tons per day. Concentrates are trucked to the Trail Smelter, a distance of 35 miles."

Jan 1, 1960

By J. A. H. Church

My paper entitled "Spontaneous Combustion of Coal in Mines;" read some time ago before this Branch, consisted chiefly of extracts from the British Blue Book dealing with the same subject. Fallowing my article, Mr. de Hart submitted a paper dealing with the application of existing methods of working in Alberta to the conditions obtaining in our bituminous mines. I must confess that the perusal of his paper did not enlighten me either as to what might be a method preferable to those in vogue or even to Mr. de Hart's ideas on the subject, nor did the ensuing discussion of Mr. de Hart's paper afford any great clarification of the problem. The outstanding idea, supplied by Mr. Dick, seemed to be that a retreating system could not be employed, as no operator would feel justified in risking the capital necessary to driving to the boundary when the whole might be jeopardized by a fire breaking out in the waste. That a fire would break out in the waste of any adit-level working seemed to be conceded by all, and with that I agree; that an ignited waste could not be safely sealed off by means of stoppings in a coal barrier-pillar appeared to be the contention of Mr. Dick, or perhaps he attributed this idea to the Mines Branch-anyhow, it seemed to loom over the discussion like a miasma. With this aspect I do not agree, as ? reliance is placed wholly on stoppings in the thick seams of South Staffordshire, even in fiery mines. In the thick coal at Exhall colliery, or elsewhere in Warwickshire (34 feet 4 inches) containing hard and soft coal in layers, a fire assuming serious proportions is sealed off. By the way, retreating long-wall methods are employed. In Fifeshire, sealing off fire in the Dysart mine has been accomplished successfully. The seam averages about 20 feet thick.

Jan 1, 1924

By Philippe Henry

HYDROMETAL is using suitable technology to reintroduce lost metal units into the industrial cycle, thereby saving resources and energy while keeping the environment cleaner. Hydrometal is treating on average 60000 t per year of complex materials through a unique hydrometallurgical recycling concept. Zn, Cu, Sn, and Pb are the most important in volume, but in the last 15 years, Hydrometal has also developed a few specific recycling treatments for the minor metals including Ge, In, Co, etc. In 2010, Hydrometal commenced the recycling of RE (Rare Earths) from wastes generated by the RE refining industry in Europe and has decided to initiate new recycling projects for the RE recovery from the magnet or glass industries. Two case studies of recycling of materials in our integrated hydrometallurgical facility (Hydrométal) in Belgium are discussed: recycling of cerium from polishing sludges; and recycling of Ni- Co from cement produced in the zinc industry.

Jan 1, 2014

By T. Richard Davies

This paper primarily deals with the application of wearfacing materials and their role within a well-established preventive maintenance welding program. Some examples are shown, as well as a synopsis of possible benefits and a compendium of methods and materials.

Jan 1, 1979

By J. Budac, R. Kofluk, S. Mankasingh

Stainless steels such as 316L or 304 are normally relatively resistant to attack by nitric acid. However research at Sherritt International’s Fort Saskatchewan Operation reveals that when the stainless steel is immersed in an aqueous system in which nitric acid is used to dissolve metals such as cobalt or nickel, the steel can be seriously corroded. Sherritt is patenting a simple process for arresting the corrosion via the use of copper. This process is expected to substantially eliminate corrosion in processes where nitric acid is used to dissolve metals attached to a stainless steel substrate.

Jan 1, 2014

By N. R. Thornton

This paper discusses the rapid growth in the application of instrumentation for metallurgical process control. It covers such methods as ultrasonics, pulp density measurements, on-stream X-ray analysis and reagent control, as well as the expanding use of computer control and data acquisition.

Jan 1, 1971

By W. L. Dam

Grand Junction, Colorado’s legacy with uranium mining and milling serves as a model attracting international interest. Access to water and central location to carnotite ore containing uranium and vanadium resulted in the World War II military creating a site in Grand Junction for developing extraction techniques; subsequently, several commercial mill sites were built in the area. Uranium mills produced ore into the 1970’s as well as tonnes of radioactive waste tailings. Tailings contain radium that emits radon gas. Despite the radiation hazard, sandy tailings were added to concrete and became incorporated into roads, schools, businesses and homes. Clean up of sites containing tailings and mill sites began in the 1970’s involving city, state, and federal officials. The Climax mill site had become an auto junk yard mixed with mill tailings. A new disposal site was built out of town and away from the river in the 1990’s. After Climax mill tailings were removed to the disposal site, the land sat vacant for two decades until citizens and city officials developed a masterplan for the riverfront property. The Las Colonias river park is being built in stages including an amphitheater, gardens, businesses and parks. One of the biggest obstacles to site remediation and reuse was overcoming public outrage, fear, and lack of trust which made funding sources scarce.

Jan 1, 2020

By M. Fairclough, B. Moldovan

Insights into uranium mining projects of the future can be gained by a careful statistical analysis of past and present deposits, as well as an examination of recent trends for uranium resource evaluation and primary uranium production. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) provides the necessary data and corresponding mechanisms as inputs for methodologies that enable strategic and scientific evaluations of long-term security of supply uranium required to sustain the demand for nuclear fuel. Sustainability of the uranium mining industry and subsequently new uranium mines of the future requires innovation and expertise to lower operating costs, maintain or improve uranium recovery while meeting the requirements of stakeholders in regard to protection of the environment and safety of the workers and general public.

Jan 1, 2020

By Jian-bin Xie, Lin-fang Shen, Zhi-liang Wang

"In order to research temperature field for construction of connecting passage in Metro using artificial freezing method, the finite difference software FLAC3D is employed to numerically simulate construction process of connecting passage. During construction, the overall distribution of temperature field around connecting passage, the relationship between soil temperature and freezing time, the distribution and variation for the thickness of freezing wall are studied from the perspective of numerical analysis. The results show as follows: after 55 days’ freezing, the soil temperature surrounding connecting passage is about -24 oC ~ -28 oC, and the minimum thickness of freezing wall is about 4.0m, which is larger than the design value 3.1m. So construction conditions have satisfied to the excavation of connecting passage and pumping station. During the excavation of connecting passage, soil temperature has almost no obvious change and the thickness of freezing wall remains constant mainly. After 45 days’ normal thawing, the temperature of freezing wall rises 12 oC approximately. And the soil temperature rises faster at the beginning of the normal thawing stage. In the whole process of construction, the frozen area is about 5m outside the edge of connecting passage, and the cooling area is about 10m outside the edge of connecting passage. INTRODUCTIONThe first recorded application of the artificial freezing method is on a mineshaft project in 1862, and it has been widely used in foundation pit engineering, subway tunnels, mine shaft engineering and so on (Wang Zhiliang, 2010; Zhang Juanxia, 2012; Qiu Fan, 2007; Zhou Xiaomin, 1999). This method has many advantages of enhancing soil strength; decreasing permeability and adopting various unstable soils (silt clay, sand, gravel, etc.). It has been applied successfully in metro engineering construction in Beijing, Shanghai and Nanjing. According to incomplete statistics, the construction of connecting passage using artificial freezing method accounted for 98% in Shanghai metro (Qiu Fan, 2007)."

Jan 1, 2015

By G. Barrasso

REACH was proposed by the EU Commission in October 2003 and stands for the Registration Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. It requires that all substances identified as persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic, whether the risk of those chemicals being released is real or perceived, require registration prior to them being allowed to be imported into the European Union. An internal investigation by the metals industry indicates that almost all primary raw materials streams would be classified as hazardous due to the potential health or environmental hazard properties of one or more of their ingredients. REACH uses a wide definition for chemicals and metals and as such its implications greatly impact the entire supply chain of the metals industry. The process of registration would require the producer/ importer to produce a dossier. Initiatives along the same lines as the EU REACH are also coming up in other parts of the world. REACH requires registration of at least four substances manufactured by the aluminium industry: aluminium metal, including powder, aluminium oxide, and aluminium hydroxide. The proposed legislation permits the affected companies to band together to form a consortium to develop certain aspects of the registration application. The aluminium industry has established a consortium and testing is currently underway.

Jan 1, 2006