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By P. J. Mehrfert

"Recovery of mineralized coarse particles is notoriously low in conventional concentrators that treat copper porphyry ores. The application of coarse particle flotation techniques has the potential to achieve comparable metallurgical performance at significantly coarser primary grind sizings. ALS Metallurgy has been conducting both internal research and commercial test programs to investigate the potential of Eriez HydroFloatTM technology on copper sulphide ores. Test data indicates that significant improvements in the recovery of copper sulphide bearing particles between 200µm to 850µm can be achieved using Hydrofloat technology compared to conventional flotation techniques. This paper summarizes the results from a selection of test programs that includes recovery by size data from both conventional flotation and HydroFloatTM tests. An explanation of the apparatus and test procedure will be given. Mineralogical analyses of the test products and characteristics that limit metallurgical performance will be discussed.Description of Apparatus and Test ProtocolThe HydroFloatTM laboratory cell is a clear plastic column with an internal diameter of 14 cm. Water and air are introduced to the cell through a circular manifold located in the lower portion of the cell. The cell has a conical bottom which directs slurry to a pinch valve that controls the discharge of tailings. Feed solids are introduced to the upper portion of the cell in slurry form. The cell is operated in a manner such that the manifold water creates a teeter bed zone of suspended solids in the middle portion of the cell. Tailings exit the bottom of the cell at a high pulp density, and most of the introduced water overflows the top of the column and is collected in a launder. Particles with a hydrophobic surface may attach to air bubbles that percolate through the teeter bed, rendering them sufficiently buoyant to be transported to the overflow launder.Three significant features of this arrangement enhance the potential to recover coarse, low grade particles by flotation techniques. Firstly, the hindered settling conditions created by the rising column of water allow coarse particles to become buoyant once attached to a modest sized air bubble. Secondly, the flow conditions within the cell are relatively quiescent compared to a conventional flotation cell that utilizes an agitator. This allows particles that have limited hydrophobic portions of their surface, due to a low content of exposed sulphide mineral, to maintain a somewhat fragile attachment to air bubbles long enough for successful recovery to the overflow. Finally, the absence of a froth phase at the top of the cell allows particles attached to air bubbles to immediately exit the vessel, reducing the potential to drop back into the pulp phase as bubbles burst or coalesce."

Jan 1, 2017

By W. M. Scheding

"There has recently been a resurgence of interest in unit flotation of mill discharges. At the Kidd Creek concentrator, this technique has been successfully applied to silver flotation in a 3050 mtpd silver-copper-lead-zinc division. The major incentive has been improved silver payment through increased overall recovery and better distribution between the sequential copper, lead and zinc concentrates. A large, but variable fraction of the silver in the ore is present as native silver and, being dense and malleable, is susceptible to overgrinding. Grinding circuit surveys showed high concentrations of silver in both primary and secondary circulating loads. Laboratory testwork confirmed that this was selectively flotable, identified the secondary ball mill discharge as the best feed stream and optimized flotation conditions. A 10 t/h pilot plant campaign confirmed that the rate of accumulation of silver was sufficient to sustain continuous production of a silver concentrate and that flotation of the whole stream was not necessary.The present 30 t/h production circuit recovers from 5 to 50% of the silver in the ore at a concentration ratio between 25 and 250. The circuit also contributes to a better understanding of ore mineralogy, as an 'on-line' indicator of elemental silver content."

Jan 1, 1985

By T. A. Rickard

FROM AN OLD MANUSCRIPT THE text for this contribution to the history of the Patio process is a page taken from a Spanish manuscript of Bartholomé Arzaj Sanches y Uela, now in the possession of the library of Brown University (see Figure 1). I owe the photographic print to the courtesy of the librarian. The date, as will be seen, is 1577. The subject is the treatment of silver ores at Potosi, in old Peru, but in modern Bolivia. The group of drawings (see Figure 1) is entitled "Arrangement of the machines in which the ores of silver are ground on the bank of Potosi, the one of two batteries and the other of one". First, top-left, we have the sketch of a "machine of one battery" operated by a water-wheel. From this mill the water runs in part along an aqueduct supported by pillars to the two-battery mill and in part down the hillside, where men are at work with "tubs, which are called cochas, in which are washed the charges of ore and amalgam". Along the top of the page are shown the "various offices in which are stored the copper, the salt, the ucha [llama dung, used for fuel], the lime, and other materials for the re-duction of the ores". To the right of these are "apartments and warehouses in which is stored the ore brought down from the mountain"?the cerro de Potosi. Through the arched portal come the "sheep [llamas] on which is brought down the ore". To this is added a reference to "the second gate, which closes the whole works". On the level above the aqueduct are seen six men carrying skin-bags that contain water. This is being sprinkled on the ore. On the extreme right are six more of these water-carriers. Next comes the two-battery mill. The mortero, or mortar, is marked on the right. Another description says, "Stone, on which the stamps crush the ore, which is called a mortar". To the left of these are indicated "screens of wire in which the ore is sifted after it has been crushed". Farther to the left, near the ore-washers, is a "shed, in which is placed the metallurgist to test the ore of the boxes". Along the left side of the page are sundry buildings, one of which is labelled a "shed in which are placed the cones of silver". Near it, lower, to the right, is the "furnace, in which are roasted the sulphides to facilitate treatment". Farther to the right is the "place where the Indians mix the charges of sulphide ore, which is called a buitron". Alongside is a "buitron in which the charges are prepared for reduction". Inside is a container, to which are attached the words "measure, called topo" On the extreme right is "another buitron in which the Indians mix the ores with their feet, as well as the heaps for the preparation of the reduction". Near the bottom, on the extreme left, is the "chapel where the holy sacri¬fice of the mass is celebrated". Under the first buitron is the "place where they dry the moist ores, called pãpear".

Jan 1, 1935

By H. Harzer

Statistics Canada record s indicate that in recent years 70 to 80% of the entire Canadian coal production originated from Western Canadian mines, in which about 55 to 65% of the coals are bituminous. Until recently, less than 20% of the latter were extracted by underground methods , the remainder being surface-mined. However, it is estimated that within the foreseeable future up to 80 or 90% will have to be gained by underground techniques. Although Western Canadian coal resources are considerable, they are unfortunately locked in severely distorted, steeply pitching and faulted seams of variable thickness. Consequently, their economic extraction poses serious engineering problems. One possible solution to the problems is to apply hydromechanical methods to underground mining. This is a well-proven method shown to be economically viable under Western Canadian conditions. This paper endeavours to widen the scope of published data on hydraulic coal mining and is based on practical engineering and cost data gathered through contacts with West German designers and operators of hydraulic mines.

Jan 1, 1978

By D. Kachongo, Y. Cheng, A. Kashala, D. Samal, G. Mitshabu

Many copper processing flowsheets in the Democratic Republic of Congo include the leaching of oxide ores containing copper and cobalt, copper solvent extraction, copper electrowinning, and precipitation of cobalt salt. Recently, cobalt price gained momentum, driven mostly by the fast-growing electric vehicles battery market. The ore blending scenarios tend to prioritise high cobalt grade ore, whatever the content of copper and other impurities. Therefore, many copper solvent extraction circuits are running below design capacity. The variability of feed induces a variability of the leach solution with respect to copper, manganese, and silica contents. It is thus important to adjust hydrodynamic and metallurgical parameters of the solvent extraction plant to optimise metallurgical performance, production cost, and the quality of the copper electrolyte. This paper presents some results on how solvent extraction plant parameters have been managed in two solvent extraction plants running with lower than designed copper input. INTRODUCTION Referring to a report of the chamber of commerce of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) the online publication Agence Ecofin (2019) indicated that the DRC ranks in the fifth position of the world top copper producing countries with over 1.2 million tons produced in 2018. The same year, 66% of the world’s cobalt was produced in the DRC at over 106,000 tons. If the political situation remained stable and the new tax regime introduced in 2018 did not deter private investors, copper production could reach 1.4 million tons/a in 2020 as pointed out in Mining.com (2019). Forecast figures for DRC cobalt production vary widely depending on analysts. The DRC online magazine Actualité.cd (2018) referring to a ministerial source forecasts over 141,000 t cobalt/a for 2020. The reality will depend on many factors, including the selling price, the supply compared to the demand, and finally the reaction of investors to the new DRC tax regime. The growing electric vehicle batteries market has been the major key driver of the price of cobalt. The five years historical cobalt price graph in figure 1 from infomine.com (2019) shows that the price of cobalt peaked at over 40 USD/lb in the first quarter of 2018. Cited by the online Magazine Creamer Media, Smith (2019) has indicated that the long-term demand of cobalt will likely remain strong.

Jan 1, 2019

By Andy Lemay

Vale (previously known as CVRD) is: ? The second-largest mining company by market capitalization (NYSE:RIO) ? Headquartered in Brazil ? Global workforce of over 100,000 employees including outsourced workers. Vale Inco Limited is a wholly?owned subsidiary of Vale Vale Inco Limited ? is based in Toronto, Ontario Canada: ? Operations and Projects in 20 countries ? Marketing Network extending to 40 countries ? Over 12,000 employees worldwide ? Last years sales of US $8 Billion

May 1, 2008

By Jehan Rondot, Raymond Marleau

"Des quartzites trés pars ont été découverts au cours de la cartographie de la region du lac des Martres, étape de l'étude géologique de la region de Charlevoix.On distingue quatre groupes métasédimentaires, tons con tenant des niveaux de quartzite dans an mains deux domaines géologique différents, c'est à l'ouest, clans le do¬maine gneisso-charnockitique que se situent les quartzites du groupe des Martres. Quartzite et gneiss à, grenat et sillimanite, en banes épais, constituent la formation de La Galette. A Pest, dans un environnement gneisso-granitique, les deux groupes métasédimentaires de Saint-Siméon, et de La Malbaie comprennent, par contraste, des bancs pen épais et de compositions variées. Les niveaux de quartzite dépassent rarement 50 m d'épaisseur. L'autre groupe métasédimentaires, celui de Saint-Tite des Caps, recoupé de nombreuses intrusions charnockitiques et granitiques, ne possède que de minces niveaux de quartzite.La pureté et la grande épaisseur des quartzites de La Galette suppose une histoire complexe qui se termine par des depots continentaux de climat aride, par opposition aux depots marins des autres groupes. D'autre part, la presence de ces quartzites an sein de roches Presque anhy¬dres et de haute temperature que sont les charnockites leur confére des caractéristiques de fusion sans decrepitation.Parmi la multitude de depots de quartzite qui existe clans le monde, peu sont de qualité supérieure. Or, de par sa composition chimique, le quartzite de La Galette se compare avantageusement à ceux des meilleurs gisements des Etats-Unis, de l'Europe de l'Ouest et de l'Afrique du Sud. D'accès facile pour l'exploitation, les gisements ne sont qu'à une trentaine de milles de Baie Saint-Paul ou de La Malbaie, sur le Saint-Laurent.L'utilisation en metallurgic prévue pour le quartzite de La Galette comprend la production de silicium, de ferro¬silicium et d'autres alliages de silicium. La composition du quartzite est en outre appropriée pour la production de carbure de silicium et de silicate de sodium. Les fines peuvent être utilisées pour la fabrication du verre et comme matiere de charge"

Jan 1, 1977

By R. Simkus, J. K. Gowans

Polaris Operations, a Cominco Ltd. lead-zinc mine, is located on Little Cornwallis Island, Northwest Territories, at Latitude 75°23' N and Longitude 96°75' w. When the Polaris Mine went into operation in late 1981, it became the world's most northerly base metal mine.The Polaris Concentrator, housed in a unique process barge, is a basic lead-zinc concentrator where flotation is used to produce the lead and zinc concentrates.The paper describes the ""coarse lead"" flotation feature incorporated in the concentrator flowsheet and describes the start-up problems and continuing operation of this circuit.

Jan 1, 1984

By E. C. Grunsky, B. W. Smee

"The development of low-cost, rapid multielement analytical techniques has generated large geochemical databases in many exploration programs. When a sampling program consists of several thousand samples, the resulting data matrix is enormous and effective interpretation using all of the elements individually becomes burdensome. However, the application of multivariate statistical techniques can extract geochemical patterns related to the underlying geology, weathering, alteration and mineralization. Imaging the results over topography enhances the interpretation of these patterns. Examples of this approach are shown from mineral exploration programs in Canada and Mexico. IntroductionThere has been a dramatic change in the effectiveness of using geochemical survey data in the past ten years. This is mostly due to:• lower cost of geochemical analysis;• lower detection limits;• new methods of multi-element analysis;• a marked decrease in the turnaround time;and• the intelligent use of computers in presenting geochemical data.Geochemical surveys commonly have two objectives: locating abnormal concentrations of ore-forming or pathfinder elements and characterizing the underlying host lithologies. Geochemical surveys often employ a wide range of sample media that may typically include whole rock lithogeochemistry, various soil horizons, till and basal till sampling, stream sediments, lake sediments, and various forms of weathered regolith. Each of these sample media will exhibit a unique element distribution that must be factored in the interpretation phase of a geochemical survey study. This can become a cumbersome process if univariate data handling methods are employed."

Jan 1, 2003

By Iwueze Anaekperechi Rose

The International Labor Organization has declared mandatory adequate provision of safe workplace and safety for all workers in all occupations including the mining sector. Early scientists like Agricola (1559) who studied the health of Miners, found that there are peculiar health problems associated to their work and working environment. This unsafe working condition was one of the major factors that resulted to the Industrial revolution in England and eventually led to the establishment of regulations and laws guiding operations in all workplaces and workers in England and all over the world. Recent studies by Heinrich suggested chains of events of safety issues in the mining sector. Occupational injuries, accidents and ill health have huge social and economic implications on workers, their families and communities. Top mining top issues are respiratory diseases, noise, explosives, ventilation, fire, and explosion. However, one of the principal mechanisms for achieving Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) goals and mapping the future is government regulations of employers. In Nigeria, the situation is not different; mining operations are equally hazardous and have far reaching implications. In 1995 the Ministry for Solid Minerals was established to focus on the development of other categories of mineral products ranging from gold, coal, uranium, and tantalum deposited across the country. Prior to this an Act of Parliament Act Cap 121 of 1946, was in place to regulate amongst other contents mining safety. This was subsequently reviewed following the incidence of Lead poisoning resulting from small scale miners processing gold ore highly contaminated with lead in Zamfara state (northern Nigeria). Hundreds of children died as a result of exposure to lead poisoning, it was clear that the regulations were not sufficient (details to be discussed). However, advances have been achieved in mining engineering since then. A review team was constituted to provide a more stringent law to regulate mining operations in Nigeria. The strategies for mapping the future of OHS in mining engineering will employ amongst others setting and adopting ISO/ILO standards and enforcement; providing technical assistance; and establishing sustainable developmental structures as surveillance and compensation. The management systems approach was also developed as a result of cases of accidents. The accepted international standards guidelines and requirements will be proposed. Furthermore in mapping the future for Mining Engineering, it is suggested that most countries have their own management strategies and legislation to improve safety of workers through greater consistency and efficiency of OHS programs. Some American researchers came up with the Safety Engineering Model. The Australian Mining Council of mineral and petroleum resources after the Catastrophic Maura Disaster developed the National Mine and Safety Framework. In Canada, after the Hillcrest mine disaster in 1914, Allan shaft coal mine catastrophe in 1918, Westray mine explosion in 1992 and other disasters, Occupational Health and Safety Act R.R.O 1990 was sufficiently developed to provide adequate safety conditions and standards. In Nigeria after the disastrous Zamfara lead poisoning, which claimed the lives of hundreds of children due to exposure and lack of appropriate safety measures, stringent measures were developed by the federal ministry of Justice to address and regulate mining process in Nigeria.

Aug 1, 2013

By Theophile S. Yameogo

Les ressources naturelles ont en général été le moteur du développement économique et social des nations. Les pays aujourd?hui développés sont pour la plupart d?anciens eldorado, charbonniers ou pétroliers. D?autres le sont toujours. L?Afrique fait cependant figure d?exception : même en étant comblé de ressources naturelles exceptionnelles, les pays de ce continent croulent sous le poids de la pauvreté et de ses acabits que sont les maladies, la famine, la guerre et l?insurrection sociale. On reconnaît néanmoins qu?il y a des cas particuliers comme le Botswana, la Namibie, l?Afrique du Sud. Face à cette situation, beaucoup de scénarii ont été proposés sans pour autant porté les fruits espérés. Le rapport Brundtland suggère que le développement durable est la clé du succès car elle veille à la prospérité économique, à l?équité dans la société et à la pérennité dans l?environnement. Pour l?Afrique, beaucoup de facteurs doivent être considérés et les solutions se doivent d?être pratiques et éthiques. Le futur ingénieur des mines qui a écrit ce rapport, apporte sa vision de la situation non sans avoir auparavant analysé les faits. Cette démarche, qui se veut avant tout éthique, inclut les aspects sociaux, économiques et politiques. Introduction In the 40s, 50s and the 60s, many economists, among which Harold Hotelling from South Carolina University, thought that developing countries could reach socio-economical success by extracting their natural resources such as oil and minerals. The current economical disaster seems to have contradicted that belief and critics like Davis Graham (Colorado School of Mines) and Michael Ross (University of California at Los Angeles) even suggested that extractive activities stop in Africa. But the experts of the World Bank (Mining Department) and some mining and oil companies are committed to reverse the tendency by implementing a new approach. Considering the principles of sustainable development defined in the Brundtland report (1987), we decided to analyze the possibility of giving the extractive industry a catalytic role in creating a socially, economically and environmentally development in Africa. In other words, can we continue to mine and extract oil in Africa for its blossoming future under the ruling of the sustainable development? In the following, we start by explaining the African socio-economic and political context. After a brief definition of the sustainable development, we explain why, for Africa, some believe in the extractive industry and some don?t. In the end, we draw out conciliatory arguments.

Apr 1, 2005

By Steve Massman, Edward Wipf, Gary Beerkircher

"As mine size and tonnage continues to increase, material handling/processing equipment has also increased in size with 400 MT haul trucks, 2000 KW crushers, 12 M SAG/AG mills, 8.5 M ball mills, 3000 M3 flotation cells and 12.5 MW HPGR’s all with planned designs to increase in size further. Related equipment including vibrating screens have also increased in size with screens seeing feed rates of 3000 MTPH. Open circuit SAG Pre-Crush and closed circuit HPGR flowsheets are becoming more common with large screening requirements. Large multi-slope (banana) or horizontal screens are commonly used for these applications, however as the size of these screens has increased, the number and size of the brute force/overhead exciters has increased but with limitations. An example is a SAG discharge screen that will see surges of material from the SAG mill which overload the screen, reducing the screen stroke or throw causing a large reduction in screen efficiency with excessive fines & moisture in the screen oversize feed to the pebble crushing circuit. This paper will present some actual examples of the use of Two-Mass screens as a solution to these overloading problems and the advantages of Two-Mass screens in other high tonnage applications.Brute Force Drive Compared to Two Mass Drive Vibrating ScreensThe standard single mass screen as depicted by figure 1 is generally recognized in the mining industry. It is characterized by the screen body – labeled as the single mass (Mt) that is supported by isolation springs (Kiso). The stroke needed to process material is obtained by incorporating large eccentric wheels and/or drive boxes (Fb) directly mounted to the screen body via a drive tube."

Jan 1, 2017

By Changping Hu, Keqin Tan

In 1937, the Metallurgical Department of the National Resources Committee established a copper refinery plant (predecessor of the Chongqing Smelter) in Changsha, Hunan Province, China. The blister copper produced by a local copper smelter was casted as anode for electrorefining. The plant, with a capacity of one ton of electrolytic copper per day, was designed and tested in 1937. At the trial production stage, a total of 9 tons of cathode copper was produced. The plant was formally put into operation in July 1938. In the same month, more than 20 tons of electrolytic copper with purity over 99.9%Cu was produced. This was the first batch of electrolytic copper produced in China. In 1939, China’s largest non-ferrous metal smelting plant, Fengtian Gold Mine Refining (predecessor of the Shenyang smelter) was completed and put into operation in Shenyang, mainly producing nonferrous metals such as gold and silver, as well as copper and lead. In 1939, the Kunming copper smelter (predecessor of Yunnan Smelter) was completed and put into operation. The plant equipment, imported from the United Kingdom, was designed to produce 1,200 tons of electrolytic copper annually. In 1943, Jiatong smelter (predecessor of the Shanghai Smelter) became the 4th domestic cathode copper producer. Since 1949, China has gradually established a large copper industry. These developments are discussed in this paper. Today, China operates nine out of the twenty largest copper refineries in the world. With a total capacity approaching 9 million tons of copper per year, China has the world’s largest copper refining capacity. INTRODUCTION China is a country with a long history of copper mining. The earliest smelter in China in recent times was the Shanghai Smelter, which was built in 1912. From then until 1949, China successively built Chongqing Smelter, Kunming Smelter and Shenyang Smelter. The world's first copper electrorefinery was the Pembrey refinery built in the UK in 1869 (Lu, 1999). However, it was not until 69 years later that the technology was spread to Changsha, China.

Jan 1, 2019

By S. Shrestha

Magnesium-based alloys are of growing interest for many industrial applications due to their favourable strength-to-weight ratio and excellent castability. Mass reduction has advantages in many industrial sectors for example, in automotive, a reduction in mass improves fuel economy and can lead to more efficient mechanical systems by reducing the weight of moving parts like wheels, gears, pistons. However, the relatively poor corrosion and wear resistance limits the use of magnesium and its alloys in many potential applications. The patented Keronite® plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) process enables manufacturers to overcome such problems and, in its latest generation equipment has been developed to industrial realisation for high volume production. This paper presents microstructural characteristics and corrosion performance of two most widely used high pressure die-cast magnesium alloys AZ91D and AM6OB with a duplex corrosion protection coating system that comprised a thin Keronite pre-treatment followed by a subsequent automotive grade final powder coat.

Jan 1, 2006

By Michael Harley, E. Guy Charleworth

"Bedding-parallel thrust-hosted gold veins are developed in the Sabie-Pilgrim's Rest goldfield, eastern Transvaal, South Africa. The reefs display a complex history characterized by temporally and spatially overlapping events of similar mineralization and deformation. Recognition of the episodic reactivation of these low angle (5° to 10°) thrust faults implicates high fluid pressures (equalling or exceeding lithostatic pressures). Geochemical constraints limit the amount of fluid-rock interaction and the occurrence of transgressive mineralization within the Archaean granitoid basement suggests that the high pressure fluids originated at depth beneath the Transvaal Basin.Similarities exist between gold deposits of Sabie-Pilgrim's Rest and Telfer, Western Australia as well as Passagem de Mariana, Minas Gerais, Brazil. All deposits are sub-parallel to the enclosing bedding which is shallowly inclined. Furthermore, they are also hosted by contractional deformational structures and are clearly epigenetic in origin."

Jan 1, 1994

By Sam Palombo, James José Varela

"Washing can be defined as the process used to eliminate or reduce the dirt (presence of fines or slimes) of one material. It is also the basic and oldest process applied to ore preparation for further concentration. This process, in combination with commnution and screening, form the so called washing plant and in many cases produce end products. This work describes the factors that influence the performance of the washing process and main washing technologies used in the mineral processing industry.The Hydro-Clean represents, since 1998, a state of the art technology in this area and is comprised of one of the most innovative solutions developed at HAVER & BOECKER. HAVER & BOECKER design and manufacture technology for mining and related industries. Today the Hydro-Clean is manufactured and sold throughout the Haver Screening Group (HSG) which is comprised of HAVER & BOECKER Maschinenfabrik Münster, HAVER & BOECKER Latinoamericana – Brazil and W.S. Tyler Canada.The Hydro-Clean is a washing technology based on utilization of high pressure water jets. To follow we will discuss how the Hydro-Clean’s different modes of operation result in several advantages related with mine waste reduction, recovery of saleable product, lower capital costs, superior washing results, less stress for the material, a wider range of application and less maintenance cost. Aside from these positive factors, its lower operation costs related to the consumption of energy and water are presented. It is important to note that the quantities, tonnages, data and management concepts presented in the paper are accurate for the time of writing and are subject to change and modification as operations progress."

Jan 1, 2009

By D. J. Zuliani

A mass and energy balance for a modern electric arc furnace ("EAF") indicates that about 70% of the process energy losses are contained in the off-gas as chemical energy in the form of uncombusted CO and H2 and as thermal energy. Given the magnitude of the off-gas energy losses, improved EAF energy efficiency needs to focus first on controlling furnace practice to maximize "in-EAF" energy utilization and second, on recovering residual energy in the off-gas existing in the fume system. This paper focuses on the application of off-gas analyzers, sensors and process models to control and optimize "in-EAF" energy utilization efficiency. The paper will also discuss the application of heat recovery technology to EAF steelmaking.

Jan 1, 2015

By S. Kariyawasam, R. McNealy

Pipelines are subject to multiple threats often requiring quantification of pipeline risk and engineering evaluation of in-line inspection and other data to effect discovery of conditions defined by the regulation. Public concern and pressure from regulatory bodies are accelerating the need for pipeline operators to formalize and intensify their approach to integrity management. Most operators need a phased approach to progressively adopt the most relevant and needed assessments. The organized and relevant assessment steps need to be introduced according to data available and maturity of the integrity management program. Each refinement to the quantification offers distinct advantages to the user. In this paper, the progressive integrity assessment solutions using quantitative methods are presented. Methodologies for engineering evaluation of integrity in-line inspection data for immediate and future integrity are summarized. Corrosion is used as an example, but the approach is applicable to any time-dependent defect based hazard. Strategies for pipeline integrity management are discussed.

Jan 1, 2005

By James Scott

Outline Deposit Overview and Brief History ?Geologic Setting ?Local Geology ?Petrography ?Geochemistry ?Mineralization ?Geochronology ?Conclusions Deposit Overview ?Porphyry Cu-Mo-Au ?Discovered 1957 (BIK Syndicate) ?Various programs, most significant: ?Hecla(1970s) ?Teck(Late 1970s Early 1980s) ?Copper Fox Metals (2005 -Ongoing ?optioned from TeckComincoin 2002) ?Measured and Indicated Resources: ?847Mt grading: ?0.292% Cu ?0.019% Mo ?0.202g/t Au ?1.796g/t Ag ?Total ~ 0.485 % Cu Eq.

May 1, 2006

By James A. Robertson

"The Pronto Mine located at the east end of Lake Lauzon, Long Township, some 12 miles east of Blind River is of historic note being the discovery locality and the first producing mine of the Elliot Lake uranium camp. Radioactive bedrock was discovered in 1949, a commercial deposit was verified in 1953 and production commenced in 1955. Production continued to April 1960: total tons milled 2,264,404 from which 4,643,835 pounds U,O, were recovered at a recovered grade of 2.05 pounds U3O8 per short ton.The orebody is in a bed of pyritic quartz pebble conglomerate at the base of the Matinenda Formation of the Elliot Lake Group of the Huronian Supergroup. The rocks strike east and dip 15 degrees to 20 degrees south and unconformably overlie Early Precambrian granite, the upper surface of which is marked by a regolith. Several diabase dykes cut the orebody which is also affected by albite, chlorite, and carbonate-rich alterations. To the south the orebody is cut by a fault. The orebody is 6to 10 feet but locally 10 to 15 feet thick, has a strike length of 3,500 feet and extends down dip for 3,600 feet to a depth of 1,000feet. Some 300,000 tons of ore grade mineralization remain in the deeper portion of the mine.IntroductionThe Pronto Mine, (Photo I) at the east end of Lake Lauzon in Long Township some 12 miles east of Blind River, is of particular interest as being the discovery site and the first producing mine of the Elliot Lake camp.Production at the Pronto Mine commenced in 1955 and continued until 1960 when the mill was converted to treat copper ore from the nearby Pater Mine at Spragge. A description of both mines, based on material provided by the mine staff, was given in the report on ""Geology of the Spragge Area"" (Robertson, 1970).As little study has been done on Pronto geology or petrology since mine closure, the earlier description of exploration and geology is essentially repeated, but shortened, here- the main change being that the stratigraphic terminology has been amended as recommended by the Federal-Provincial Committee on Huronian Stratigraphy (Robertson et al., 1969)."

Jan 1, 1986