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By G. C. Lipsyy

ALL mineral production? of Can11.da is transported in a mine car at some stage during its extraction. There are as many types and varieties of mine cars as there are of mines. Many of the cars in use were developed in the blacksmith shop. Others were designed by engineers and improved by the mine foremen and the mechanics. Every mine car has the ideas of miner, blacksmith, mechanic, and engineer incorporated in it. Many of these ideas are not generally known. This paper was written to make at least some of this information available to the mining industry. In drawings, tables, and notes, it gives all the important details pertaining to the cars. It .does not recommend any particular type of car for any particular piece of work, nor does it present drawings from which a car can be built. It gives the engineer or master mechanic information on many cars which he can apply to his own particular problems. It is hoped that this information will be of use to mine operators. If a few new ideas are conceived as a result of the paper, the author will feel that the effort of compiling it has been worth while. In order to obtain the data for the preparation of the paper, a questionnaire, copy of which is here reproduced, was sent to all the operating mining companies in Canada. An accompanying letter briefly explained the purpose of the paper and asked for co-operation in furnishing as complete information as possible.

Jan 1, 1945

By W. Dingley, G. R. Hoey

"Thirteen Canadian sulphide ore mines were surveyed for corrosion control. The mines visited were a small, yet representative, proportion of this segment of the Canadian mining and metallurgical industry. Information on metallic corrosion and methods used to control it in underground workings and mills was gathered (a) by discussing corrosion problems with company personnel, (b) by examining equipment and structures during under-ground and mill tours, (c) by photographing corrosion sites, and (d) by collecting and analyzing mine water samples.The corrosion survey, which is summarized in the re-port, leads to the following general conclusions. Mine environments are corrosive, particularly when the mine w1a-ter is acidic. Because of a lack of good corrosion control measures, excessive deterioration of equipment due to corrosion occurs in mines. Mill environments are also corrosive, but in some cases good preventive measures are being taken to effectively control corrosion losses.Ways to reduce corrosion losses in sulphide ore mines and mills are discussed. The main areas for more corrosion research and development are selection of materials of construction, protective coatings, cathodic protection, inhibitors, equipment design, and mining and milling practices."

Jan 1, 1971

By H. Kim

"IntroductionThe Hat Creek coal field contains low-grade coal deposits which are the thickest in the world. The diamond drilling and geophysical surveys conducted by B.C. Hydro over the last six years have indicated in excess of 2 billion tonnes of sub-bituminous to lignitic coal. The coal field is in the Interior Plateau Dry Belt, about 240 km northeast of Vancouver, and contains two explored, nearsurface coal deposits amenable to surface mining (Fig. I). The No. I deposit contains approximately 740 million tonnes of coal at 17.71 MJ / kg, or 7,600 Btu/lb, at 34.82% ash and 24% moisture. The No. 2 deposit to the south contains appreciably more coal resources at somewhat lower grade, but it has not been explored so extensively because of its higher stripping ratio. Therefore most of the exploration activities to date have been directed toward the development of the No. I deposit. The No . I coal deposit has been selected as the source of fuel for a proposed thermal powerplant to be built about 5 km east of the deposit. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the data obtained from the diamond drilling and the geophysical logging in the No. I deposit between 1974 and 1979. An attempt is made to explain the depositional environment of the Hat Creek coal measures. Because the understanding of the depositional environment in.a particular basin is essentially an evaluation of all the geologic properties of the area, the available geological information in the No. I deposit has been compiled on the basis of consistent criteria. This includes data on the lithology of the coal measures, thickness and areal distribution of the elastic sediments, and on the changes in the megascopic stratigraphic profile based on geophysical correlation. The palynopetrographic relationship and detailed sedimentological aspects are not examined in this paper. Such studies should provide important information relating the causal vegetal and chemical responses of the coals to -environmental changes. Extensive deposition of surficial materials during de-glaciation left most of the area of the Upper Hat Creek Valley devoid of bedrock exposures. Structural and stratigraphic features are hidden beneath glacial deposits and/or post-Eocene volcanics. As a result, the geological interpretation of the Hat Creek coal basin has been based primarily on drilling and geophysical data. Because of this, any explanation of the depositional environment details is tentative until the deposits are stripped for development."

Jan 1, 1985

By C. E. Rodgers

WHEN I was asked to prepare, for presentation at the 1938 Annual Meeting of the Institute, some data concerning low-discharge grinding at the Sylvanite mill, it seemed entirely reasonable to expect to have at my disposal the results of at least four full months' operation after the last unit, as then proposed, was installed. Delays in delivery of equipment, nevertheless, shortened the interval, as will be shown herein. In submitting the data contained in this discussion, I wish distinctly to state that the intention is not to claim that final conclusions can be reached at this time concerning our operation. Test periods, in certain instances at least, have been too short for this purpose, although some, where so stated, have been extended through March and April. It is hoped, however, that an advantageous trend in practice can be shown and that the experience related may be of interest to others who are now operating, or who are considering the operation of, low-discharge grinding mills. In the plant under review, four mills are in use: one primary and three secondary. Present mill capacity (grinding, as shown by screen test, about 99 per cent through-200-mesh and approximately 88 to 89 per cent minus-325-mesh with infrasizer giving about 90 per cent of the latter) averages about 525 tons per day. A brief description of each unit will be given and comments will also be made relating to operation. This will be followed by certain test data from which, in conclusion, operating results are summarized.

Jan 1, 1938

By H. Rozovsky

This paper deals with the large iron ore concentrating plant owned by the Iron Ore Company of Canada. The plant is part of the Carol Project, which is being developed in the Wabush area of western Labrador. The mining and milling operations were officially opened in July of this year. The handling of fine material has always been considered a serious operational problem. The crushing, grinding and sizing of 50,000 tons of iron ore per day, in a dry state, could present sizeable problems in maintenance and orderliness. The operation, as a whole, embraces many recent developments in the iron ore industry. Mining operations include the latest techniques of jet piercing and blasting. Primary crushing involves a single crusher, which handles the complete production. Grinding of the ore includes the latest concepts of dry autogenous grinding in air-swept mills. The actual concentration of the ore is per-formed, in the wet state, by the use of spiral concentrators, with provision for possible flotation or magnetic separation, if required. The upgraded concentrates are either stored or pelletized, prior to shipment by rail to Seven Islands.

Jan 1, 1962

By Roger J. Higgins

Papua New Guinea is a country on the cusp of development, struggling to find a balance between the demands of national and regional growth, landowner expectations and the maintenance of cultural identity. Ok Tedi Mining Limited is the single largest contributor to PNG?s economy, representing about 10 percent of the country?s GDP. OTML is demonstrating that business and country risk can be managed through effective, respectful partnerships with local communities. OTML?s relationships with the communities of PNG?s Western Province are multifaceted. Communities have borne the brunt of the mine?s environmental impact, yet have benefited enormously from the development that the mine has brought. Importantly, the PNG economy is now the ultimate beneficiary of more than four-fifths of the dividends from the mine, the majority of which are held in trust for long-term sustainable development projects. The paper describes how OTML works with the Western Province communities to create a secure operating environment that recognizes the people?s aspirations for development and self-determination.

May 1, 2002

By S. Tavani, T. Rees

The current mining operations at Newmont Boddington Gold Mine (NBG) commenced in 2008, and commissioning of the processing plant started in the latter half of 2009. Metso Process Technology and Innovation were engaged to assist NBG with commissioning and project ramp-up through the implementation of a comprehensive “Mine-to-Mill” Process Integration and Optimisation project. This methodology entailed extensive data collection which included drill and blast audits, ore characterisation, comprehensive comminution circuit surveys and review of operational data to assess the limitations within the current mining and processing operations. The results of these investigations have been used to define the operating base line of both the mining and processing areas and identify improvement opportunities. The use of modelling and simulations, utilising actual production data, has allowed for multiple scenarios to be evaluated, minimising the requirement for actual trials and thereby minimising impact on the operation. Improvements implemented to date include: the introduction of routine rock strength measurement for inclusion in block models, modifications to blast design improving ROM fragmentation and downstream comminution process performance, and changes to improve performance of secondary crushing and grinding circuits. Close cooperation between the mine and plant personnel is playing a significant role in overcoming the challenges presented to this operation and further improvements are targeted for the second full year of process plant operation.

Jan 1, 2012

By J. W. Meier

Introduction The great importance of air warfare during World War II and the introduction of large-scale air transportation and airborne operations created an immediate demand for large quantities of high quality light alloy products. Before this war, the use of magnesium, the lightest structural metal, was barely in the development stage, and considerable research work was needed to overcome difficulties in improving its properties and to attain uniform quality in mass production of magnesium alloy products. The Canadian Bureau of Mines was frequently called upon, by various agencies of the Armed Forces and of the newly established war industries, to examine magnesium alloys that had failed in fabrication or in actual service, and to advise on proper alloys and fabrication methods to be used. Failures in magnesium alloy castings were connected mainly with lack of knowledge of proper founding and surface-protecting techniques. Most of the defects were due to microporosity and faulty heat treatment. To aid the foundry industry, small-scale investigations were started on the effect of various factors in the casting technique in order to improve the quality of the products. These investigations were made in co-operation with representatives of the Armed Forces and the Canadian magnesium industry. This work was later co-ordinated into a broad research programme on magnesium alloys, comprising problems on melting, refining, various casting methods, heat treatment, and testing of properties of standard and special alloys. This research programme? is still in force, and the present paper contains some results of the first series of investigations on magnesium casting alloys carried out at the Experimental Foundry of the Bureau of Mines.

Jan 1, 1948

By William H. McCracken, William G. Holroyd

"The People's Republic of China could very well be considered the largest untapped mineral and metal resource in the world. The proven reserves of antimony, barite, bauxite, fluorspar, graphite, lithium, magnesite, mercury, molybdenum, phosphate, pyrite, rare earths, talc, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium and zinc are among the largest in the world.Any company involved in the purchase or supply of industrial raw materials has undoubtedly followed the phenomenal growth of some of the Chinese mineral commodities, where growths in production of more than 200010 have occurred during the past ten years, for commodities like barite, cement, gold, gympsum silver and talc. Others, like bauxite and phosphate, experienced production increases in one year alone of over 45%, from 1986 through 1987!A popular rationale in the United States during the past two years has been the acknowledgment by Professor David Calleo, of Johns Hopkins School of Advanced Studies, that ""America is not sinking-the rest of the world is rising"". While we recognized this rise to be that of economic power for Japan, Korea, Brazil, Taiwan and, more recently, the newly-combined Germanies, China has also successfully completed her own modern five year development binge. But with each boom there is also a bust, and the start of the 1990sfor China shows signs of economic distress. China posted a budget deficit equivalent of US$1.9 billion in 1989 coupled with official inflation at 18010. Projections for 1990 are for US$1.8 billion deficit and inflation as high as 24%. However, government spending in the first seven months of the year climbed 16.4%, outpacing an 11.6% rise in revenue. Spending increases have been related to the government policy to keep prices on domestic goods artificially low, through subsidies, and to bailout inefficient state companies."

Jan 1, 1991

By Marie-Eve Boucher

The slag in iron ore pellets allows wet sintering during firing and leads to suitable bounding. The process of slag formation differs whether it takes place in the core or in the external zone of a pellet. In the core, hematite can be reduced to secondary hematite, depending on the temperature and on the carbon monoxide/dioxide partial pressure ratio. The reaction rim that appears at the outskirts of a silica particle in contact with the FeO bearing magnetite is considered as the slag precursor in the core of the pellet. By contrast, in the external zone of a pellet, where O2 is available and CO partial pressure is very low, the first step towards slag formation is flux decomposition, mainly dolomite and limestone. The CaO liberated through this reaction will be available to react with hematite by solid diffusion to form calcioferrites, which play an active part in the slag evolution process. These two slag formation paths will be explained.

May 1, 2007

By Charlie Graham, Helen Shang, Ashley Scott, Andrew Hall

"Approaches to Energy Recovery• Upgrading for electricity generation - steam turbines• Direct extraction- process improvement or space heating- support medium for animal or plant growth– fish or microalgae• Heat pumps- space heating/coolingWater Energy Grades• High (150+ °C) - electricity Generation• Medium (26 to 121 °C) - direct extraction• Low (5 to 18 °Celsius)- use of heat pump is required• Temperatures between zones will depend on circumstances for best use."

Jan 1, 2012

By A. Dreimans

Tracing of 'float' against the latest ice-flow directions ha!' led to or assisted in discoveries of several mineral deposits in Canada at lP.ast since 1891, e.g., fluorite and corundum in eastern ?Ontario, Steeprock and Josephine iron ore in western Ontario, Malartic, Fisher-Quebec, and Lamaque gold ore, and Vendome zinc ore, in western Quebec, Sullivan zinc and lead sulphides in British Columbia, Orvan Brook or New Calumet sulphide deposit in New Brunswick, Lynn Lake nickel sulphide de-posit in Manitoba, etc. Pebbles or ore boulders whose source has not yet been found include diamonds in the Great Lakes region and ?sulphides in several localities in Ontario and Quebec. Complexity of transport of ore boulders, including non-glacial transport, may be the explanation. Tracing of ore boulders requires knowledge of the Pleistocene history of each particular area (ice flow directions, their ?changes during glacial oscillations, existence of pre-glacial lakes with ice-rafted boulders, later interference by streams, lakes, mass movements). Important also is distinction of till from similar non-glacial deposits and knowledge of the bed-rock geology. Quantitative methods, e.g., pebble counts, maybe applied while tracing magnetite, hematite, or goethite. Fragments of sulphide ores are less abundant in indicator trains, and quantitative methods are less suit-able for tracing them. Heavy-miner-al investigations may give good results for minerals resistant to weathering. Geochemical methods are of value only in the vicinity of ore deposits.

Jan 1, 1958

By J. T. Kalala

Particles for heap leaching in conventional circuits are prepared using Cone crushers. Cone crushers are used to crush the ore to the size range between 12-25 mm for heap leaching operations. Leaching from these relatively coarse particles occurs only at the surface and in subsurface regions, which are accessible from the surface by cracks and pores. Since leaching is active in accessible areas, the method of comminution that forms multiple cracks and pores would offer an advantage for heap leach. An investigation was performed in this study to assess if the HPGR forms more cracks and pores than a Cone crusher. X-ray computed tomography (CT) was used to characterize the degree of cracks and pores formed by these two comminution devices that can be used for heap leaching feed preparation. In order to compare the effect of the comminution method on crack network generation, a bulk sample of the zinc ore was crushed by the HPGR at three different pressure settings (45, 95 and 120 bar), the sample ore was also crushed with a Cone crusher for comparison purposes. Products from the Cone crusher and HPGR experiment were then screened into five size fractions ((-25 +19), (-19+16), (-16+9.5), (-9.5+5), (-5+4.75) mm), Subsamples from the ((-25 +19), (-16+9.5), (-5+4.75) mm) size fractions were analysed. The spatial distribution of the crack network of sphalerite particles was characterized using a highresolution industrial X-ray CT system. This paper describes the use of image analysis techniques including image segmentation, which uses a combination of thresholding and other methods to characterize and quantify crack and mineral dissemination in the sphalerite particles after comminution with the HPGR and Cone crusher. The results are validated with those obtained using traditional techniques such as physical gas (with N2) adsorption, mercury intrusion porosimetry, SEM and QEMSCAN.

Jan 1, 2012

By Neil R. Burns, Michael Doggett

Abstract - The Nanisivik mine offers a unique opportunity to examine the economics of a mining scenario from its original feasibility study through to closure. In the early 1970s, the Strathcona Sound project (exploration around the Nanisivik mine) had advanced to the point where a significant mineralized body had been defined and a feasibility study was initiated. The study supported development of the Nanisivik mine, with government investment in regional infrastructure, and the mine was constructed and operated for 26 years. Many elements of the feasibility study were difficult to estimate because the project was unique in its high Arctic setting. As a result, many differences were found when comparing the actual mining data to the feasibility study. The majority of these differences were the result of an actual mine life of 26 years instead of the planned 12.5 years. Most of the mining costs were higher than estimated and production occurred at a much higher extraction rate than planned. On a constant dollar basis, the metal prices were, on average, below the feasibility estimates. For the most part, these differences balanced out, with the actual mining being only slightly more profitable than anticipated in the feasibility study.

Jan 1, 2004

By C. M. Diaz, P. J. Mackey

Since its inception, in 1987, the Copper-Cobre series of conferences has established itself as the prime world forum for discussing advances in copper process metallurgy, in particular copper sulfide smelting, copper recovery by leaching and electrowinning and copper electrorefining. All copper producing countries have actively participated in the pyrometallurgy symposia held in the framework of these conferences. In 1999 and 2003, the close to 100 pyrometallurgy papers that were presented had to be accommodated in two volumes. In the present paper, the authors firstly provide a brief historical sketch of the Copper-Cobre conferences and then focus on providing a retrospective look at the dramatic changes that have taken place in copper smelting in the last few decades, primarily as discussed in the Copper-Cobre and precursor conferences pyrometallurgy proceedings. Topics include: the development of autogenous, increasingly more intensive, environmentally sound and energy efficient smelting processes; significant improvements in Peirce-Smith converting practice and at the same time the commercialization of alternative continuous converting routes; the consequent expansion and modernization of smelters; the increasing compliance with strict government environmental regulations in most copper producing regions of the world; the realignment of the copper smelting industry throughout the world; and trends in copper smelting R&D. A look at the future closes these reflections on the contribution of the Copper-Cobre conferences to the advancement of copper smelting technology.

Jan 1, 2007

By Witold J. S. Ostrowski

The shaft structure being part of an underground mine, depends on programned functional duties, and on geological and hydrological conditions. The majority of Canadian metal mine shafts are in hard competent igneous rocks, which are in an elastic state of equilibrium around the excavation. Others penetrate soft sedimentary or very weak water-bearing rock formations in which the equilibrium varies from plastic to hydrostatic. Knowledge of how to interpret the underground conditions, determine acting forces and design proper structures is essential for the production and safety of the future mine.

Jan 1, 1973

By James W. Cameron

DESPITE the fact that, after oxygen and silicon, aluminum is the most abundant and widely distributed element in the earth's crust, it is, commercially, a modern metal. Attempts were made by Sir Humphrey Davy and other chemists to decompose alumina, the oxide, into its elements, but with unsatisfactory results, and it was not until 1827 that Wohler succeeded for the first time in isolating the metal in pure form. Some thirty years later, commercial production of aluminum was started in a plant near Alais, France, using a process developed by Deville which was a modification of that of Wohler. It was not, however, until around 1886 that possibilities of low-cost production were realized. Hall and Heroult discovered, independently, the now famous process for extraction of aluminum by the electrolysis of alumina (Al,O,) dissolved in fused cryolite. This discovery, with its subsequent effect in reducing the price of the metal, was perhaps the greatest single factor contributing to the remarkable growth of the aluminum industry. But only in the years following the Great War did aluminum begin to attain equal importance in many fields with other non-ferrous metals. Numerous factors, political and economic, in the past decade have had a profound effect on the industrial history of the metal. At present, systematic substitution of aluminum for other base-metals is proceeding at a rapid rate in such countries as Germany and Italy with a view towards 'economic self-sufficiency'. Quite naturally, ?the economic depression started extensive research and experiment in various industries in an attempt to improve efficiencies and lower costs. Partial answers have been found in the extended use of aluminum and its alloys. Even against the background of tremendous technological advance that has marked the past fifty years, the rise of the aluminum industry must necessarily stand out conspicuously.

Jan 1, 1939

The Challenges in Mining _Large expensive assets that are not being utilised as well as they should _?Silo? operations plan, schedule and execute in isolation?poor visibility across the Value Chain _Disruptions or unforeseen events have serious upstream and downstream impacts _Exacerbated by multiple information systems, mostly spreadsheets _Strategic simulation (supply and demand) is often poorly Handled

Nov 1, 2011

By P. J. Lunder, R. C. Pakalnis

This paper presents the results of research that has been undertaken in order to develop an improved method of determining the strength of hard-rock mine pillars. Pillars are found in various shapes and sizes in all underground mining operations. Prudent engineering design requires that if pillars are to perform as desired, both the pillar strength and the pillar stress must be determined. A detailed pillar stability study has been combined with an extensive database of published pillar case histories (178)resulting in a new “hybrid” pillar strength formula, “The Confinement Formula”, that utilizes classic strength of rock methods combined with empirical methods. “The Confinement Formula” utilizes a “mine pillar friction term” calculated from the average minor/major stress ratio with-in the pillar core. Statistically, the new formula provides better results at predicting pillar strength for the combined database than the best empirically ft pillar methods that currently exist. “The Confinement Formula” allows for the determination of the strength of mine pillars with an increased level of confidence over previously applied methods.

Jan 1, 1997

By K. K. Dehn

This study focused on determining the stability of thin shotcrete fill fences at a hard rock mine in northwestern Ontario during increased pour rates of paste backfill. Determination of the stability of the fence is needed for both personnel safety and to avoid failure of a fence. Failure of a fill fence during backfill activities would have severe impacts on production and potential hazards to nearby workers. Approved fill fences at the mine are a slender design of 10.5 centimeters of shotcrete applied to a rebar framework with burlap lined ?bedspring? backing. Approved mine standards dictate that fill rates may not exceed 1.5 meters of paste depth per 10-hour shift when pouring behind a flat fill fence. To decrease the backfill cycle time the study looked at fence stability during increased pour rates of 2.5 meters paste depth poured within a 10-hour shift. An instrumentation design was developed including pressure cells, strain gauges, and tilt-meters that were built into experimental fences to observe the effects of increased pour rates on lateral wall pressures, strain development in the rebar and shotcrete reinforcement, and physical deformation patterns along the face of the fence. The data was analyzed for overall stability.

May 1, 2007