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"The asbestos mining industry in the Eastern Townships of Quebec has early recognized the undesirable side-effects associated with mineral production, such as air pollution, noise and unsightly waste dumps. In order to efficiently achieve the industry's aim of eliminating or minimizing these objectionable features of mining, all of the asbestos producers in Quebec interchange information, knowledge and design dealing with the environmental control measures through the Environmental Committee of the Quebec Asbestos Mining Association.The paper describes what has been done and what is planned for the future in the various problem areas, such as control of dust emitted during the open-pit drilling operation, control of dryer stack emissions, control of the environment in ore, fibre and tailings handling operations, rehabilitation of the countryside covered by waste dumps, and many others."

Jan 1, 1971

By J. F. Wright

INTRODUCTION Eighteen years ago about half a dozen experienced prospectors moved from northern Ontario to northwest Manitoba to prospect 'greenstone' areas shown on geological maps of .parts of northern Manitoba prepared by J. B. Tyrrell, D. B. Dowling, and Wm. Mclnnes. Gold-bearing quartz was soon discovered by these men in this new field, and in succeeding years many more prospectors entered the district. A number of the pioneers are still prospecting, and since 1913 mineral deposits have been discovered each year in widely separated areas of the large district extending 150 miles eastward from the 102nd meridian and 60 miles north of latitude 54°30'. The majority of the discoveries, however, have been made near Schist, Elbow, Wekusko, and Kississing lakes. One hundred or more mineral occurrences of some merit are known, the main types being sulphide replacement bodies containing nickel-copper or copper-zinc and gold-bearing quartz veins. Some underground exploration or diamond drilling has been completed on 25 or more of the prospects. Up to the present, three ore-bodies, namely, Flin Flon, Sherritt-Gordon, and Mandy, have been proved. Of these, Flin Flon, the largest, is estimated to contain from 16,000,000 o 19,000,000 tons of copper-zinc ore carrying some gold, silver, and lead. Next in importance in regard to tonnage is Sherritt-Gordon, with a calculated reserve of nearly 5,250,000 tons of copper-zinc ore carrying less than $1.00 combined gold and silver.

Jan 1, 1931

By T. Rigg, J. N. Stone

"The process described has been developed to utilize low-grade scrap -turnings, borings, tin cans and other types of ferrons scrap which currently has been of limited or no use in conventional steelmaking processes. If scrap of this type can be converted into high-purity iron by chemical means then there is a potential saving of several million tons of metal annually in North America.The process is chemically quite simple and consists of dissolving ferrons scrap in hydrochloric acid, followed by evaporation and crystallization of the resultant solution to yield ferrons chloride crystal.s. These crystals are dries, briquetted and converted to non sponge by reduction in hot hydrogen. The HCl produced from the reduction step. is absorbed in water and the hydrochloric acid so produced is returned to the dissolver circuit. The hydrogen produced from the initial dissolution of the scrap is used to reduce the ferrons chloride. Purity is maintained by bleeding off impure chloride solutions from the evaporator-crystallizer circuit, and converting these chlorides to oxides and HCI in a high-temperature spray roaster. The HCl produced in the roaster is absorbed in water and the hydrochloric acid returned to the dissolver."

Jan 1, 1970

By R. Yost

"This paper describes a case study that illustrates how detailed geological engineering results were communicated to address a range of stability challenges in a producing mining environment. Instead of using standard geological engineering terminology, findings and recommendations were communicated as mine design options and mining responses to accommodate possible slope instabilities and associated risk. The resulting medium- to long-range mine plan integrated the potential slope instabilities and associated mining responses to provide a higher probability of planned resource extraction. It also reduced the potential for long-lasting production and processing delays.RÉSUMÉ Cet article décrit une étude de cas illustrant l’intérêt de la communication de résultats détaillés de géologie appliquée pour résoudre un éventail de difficultés relatives à la stabilité dans un environnement minier en production. Plutôt que d’utiliser une terminologie classique de géologie appliquée, les résultats et les recommandations ont été communiqués sous forme d’options pour la conception d’une mine et de réponses dans le contexte minier permettant de surmonter les éventuelles instabilités des pentes et les risques associés. Le plan de mine sur le moyen à long terme qui a résulté intégrait les instabilités potentielles des pentes ainsi que les réponses connexes dans le contexte minier afin de renforcer la probabilité de l’extraction des ressources prévue. Il réduisait également la possibilité de retards durables dans la production et le traitement.INTRODUCTIONSlope failures in an active mining operation are unscheduled but expected events, in the sense that the geotechnical design often assumes the potential for slope failure but cannot predict exactly when a failure will occur. Unfortunately, the geotechnical engineering cycle—characterization, slope design, displacement monitoring, instability management, and failure remediation—that is necessary to manage slope-failure risk is not always well known or understood outside the geotechnical engineering profession. The first introduction many personnel have to geotechnical engineering is when a slope failure starts to develop and appears to threaten the safety and livelihood of their workplace.At that point, the task of communicating the risk management of slope failure falls to the geotechnical engineer, who must summarize analytical methodology, design concepts, monitoring trends, and analysis results, frequently to an audience with limited exposure to the geotechnical field. All too often, the response has been to present a risk-management plan in the vernacular of geological engineering— using terms such as factor of safety (FOS), pore-pressure reduction, and slope unloading—instead of expressing the problem and solution in more readily understood mine production terms."

Jan 1, 2017

By H. D. Goodfellow, R. A. Elliott

"This paper covers the evolution of large mills and autogenous grinding and compares grinding practice in the iron ore industry with that in the base metal industries. Comments on novel methods of grinding are presented for discussion. Recent developments in the field of classification are briefly reviewed. A systems analysis approach to grinding circuits is discussed. Finally, a point is made for establishing a group within the industry with the purpose of developing a comprehensive evaluation of grinding research and development."

Jan 1, 1971

By George Brien, O&apos

The history of the lighting of mine workings dates back to the early part of the 18th century, when small candles known as tallow dips, were used. These were set or held in a lump of wet clay. When looking for gas the flame of. the candle was reduced to a mere glimmer by surrounding the wick below the flame with clay. The candle was then very cautiously raised from the floor toward the roof, the observer screening the brighter portion of the flame with his hand and watching for the first appearance of the pale blue cap above the flame, even at that time, known to indicate the presence of gas. When this appeared the candle was lowered quietly and its flame extinguished before attempting to drive out the gas. A very common and dangerous practice adopted at that time was to get rid of the gas by firing it. This was done by a person selected for his nerve rather than for his caution. Dressed in a? suit of dampened sackcloth or leather, this man well termed a "fireman", would lie prone on the floor of the roadway and light the gas above him by raising his candle fastened to the end of a long stick. If he survived, which was not always the case, he would withdraw promptly to fresh air after the flame had passed over him.

Jan 1, 1924

By J. P. Wiser

THIS paper discusses testing and quality control of milled asbestos fibre. It has been composed with the intention of: (I) Summarizing past, present and probable future methods of testing and classifying the various grades of commercial asbestos produced by the Quebec asbestos industry. (2) Acquainting those unfamiliar with the methods used for evaluating, testing and controlling the grading and the quality of Quebec chrysotile asbestos fibres with some of the physical and chemical procedures currently used for that purpose. (3) Discussing some of the complications facing the producers, such as variations in the orebody and special requirements of asbestos manufacturers. ( 4) Detailing some of the present quality control methods. SUMMARY OF PAST, PRESENT AND PROBABLE FUTURE TESTING METHODS Past During the first years of production of commercial asbestos in the Province of Quebec, fibre testing and quality control were based principally on dry screen analysis and visual inspection. These methods were gradually expanded during the period from 18, 90 to 1932. In 1932, standardization

Jan 1, 1962

By G. S. Hume

Research thrives on ideas, and the theoretical considerations of today are either the discarded notions or the proven facts of tomorrow. The progress made in the past fifty years in the acquisition of knowledge of petroleum geology is no less astounding than is the tremendous increase in the production of oil on the North American continent from 61 million barrels in 1897 to 1,917 million barrels in 1947, an increase of 3,300 per cent, with production of natural gas expanding from less than 400,000 Mcf in 1897 to approximately 4,500,000,000 Mcf, or an increase of 11,000 fold in the same period. In the search for and discovery of the oil and gas fields that have yielded such prolific wealth, no idea has had a more profound effect than has the ?anticlinal? theory of oil accumulation, propounded in 1844 by Sir William Logan, the founder of the Geological Survey of Canada, after noting the position of oil seepages on the crests of anticlines in Gaspe peninsula. Sir William apparently was not much impressed with his own idea at this time, but after the Drake well discovery in 1859 and the publication by Henry D. Rogers, of Glasgow University, formerly of the Pennsylvania Geological Survey, of a paper in which he pointed out that the seepages in Pennsylvania were on anticlines, T. Sterry Hunt, an associate of Sir William Logan on the Geological Survey of Canada, published a reasonably comprehensive statement of the anticlina theory in the Montreal Gazette on March 1st, 1861. Hunt recognized the fact that the oil ?being lighter than the water which everywhere penetrates the rocks below the water level, naturally rises and accumulates along the crown of these anticlines". This was a recognition of the fact that gas, oil, and water in an anticlinal structure separate according to buoyancy or specific gravity. For some years the anticlinal theory does not seem to have attracted much attention, but when I. C. White in 1883 revived it and put it to practical use by prospecting for 'anticlinal' oil an gas structures in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Kentucky, its real value not as a theory but as a fact became widely recognized. Even today, the search for anticlines as oil and gas structures is being vigorously continued. In the past fifty years, however, it has become widely recognized that petroleum and natural gas collect in many different types of structures, and these have become known by the general name of 'traps'. About 1890, terrace structures were highly regarded because it was thought certain oil fields in Pennsylvania, New York, and Ohio were directly related to them. However, as Wilson (2, p. 437) has pointed out, it is recognized to day that ?'wherever the surface evidence is complete and dependable, other factors (than the terrace structure) are found to be in control'.

Jan 1, 1948

By O. Worku, J. H. Masliyah, Z. A. Zhou

ABSTRACT The viscosity of concentrated kaolinite or illite clay in aqueous suspensions was measured in the presence and absence of a small amount of montmorillonite (<1 wt%). To avoid solids settling and to increase the sensitivity of the suspension viscosity measurements, solids concentrations higher than 38 wt% were used. The pH of the suspensions and the concentration of calcium and bicarbonate ions were found to significantly impact the viscosity of the clay suspensions. The results showed a significant increase in the viscosity of kaolinite suspensions with the addition of as low as 0.25 wt% of montmorillonite on a solids weight basis. In addition to illustrating the role of water chemistry in modifying slurry rheological properties, our study demonstrated that viscosity measurement could be a simple, yet sensitive technique for determining the content of smectite clays, such as montmorillonite, in a complex mix of various types of clay.

Jan 1, 2012

By R. J. Chase, C. Davies

"Abstract- The Merelani graphite-tanzanite deposit is located in northeast Tanzania, 14 kilometers south of Kilirnajaro International Airport and in close proximity to the towns of Moshi and Arusha . The graphite mineralization is hosted by relatively undeformed linear Proterowic metasedimentary gneisses, several of which have been subjected to hydrothermal alteration resulting in tanzanite mineralization. Exploration work comprised detailed geological mapping coupled with pit and trench channel sampling and a subsequent 1500 meters of diamond drilling. In addition, metallurgical tests have shown the graphite to be of unusually coarse flake size, crystallinity and high purity.Feasibility studies have shown the economic viability of a major coarse flake graphite deposit with the measured resource to 50 meters in excess of 9 million tonnes assaying over 8o/o graphitic carbon . Production is due to start by the end of the first quarter of 1994 with the processing plant design capacity initially set at 15 000 tonnes per annum.ln addition to graphite production, tanzanite will be produced through selective mining within the graphite open pit in the upper horizon and from underground workings within the lower horizon.The Merelani graphite-tanzanite deposit will be the first major orebody to be exploited through means of private funding since Tanzania gained independence."

Jan 1, 1994

By N. R. Paterson

"More than a dozen AEM systems are currently being used in the routine exploration for massive sulphides. The systems differ from one another in minor respects, but fall into four main categories: rigid-coupled in-phase/quadrature systems; towed-bird, single-component systems; differential systems; and passive systems.Although field tests are important in demonstrating the performance characteristics of the AEM/airframe assembly (noise-levels, coupling effects, etc.), more meaningful evaluations can be made through physical or computer modelling. The latter approach has been used to compare the response of twelve AEM systems to both vertical and horizontal sheets, simulating a large orebody and a con-ductive overburden respectively. The effects of height changes are also studied.The results demonstrate that each AEM system has its own particular advantages and disadvantages. The relative importance of these is a matter for the geophysicist to judge, on the basis of specific geological and environ-mental information. Data currently available on AEM systems are adequate to permit an objective evaluation of the systems for a particular exploration program."

Jan 1, 1971

By N. C. Carter, Wm. H. White, J. E. Harakal

"Of twenty-one ore deposits in British Columbia which are either in production or advanced stages of exploration, five have potassium-argon ages in a range of 165-205 m.y., eight are in a range of 44-55 m.y. and the remainder are either ca. 140 m.y. or ca. 100 m.y. old. Deposits of the oldest group have generally similar geological environments and radiometrically indistinguishable ages of magmatic and hydrothermal minerals. Deposits of the youngest group also have similar geological environments, with successive magmatic and hydrothermal events closely intermingled in time and place. Such deposits find no comfortable home in existing classifications of ore deposits. 1t is suggested, therefore, that those epigenetic deposits which can be shown by radiometrie and/or geologie means to be coeval with genetically related magmatism be designated as ""paramagmatic deposits."""

Jan 1, 1968

By Wm. T. Bray

SYNOPSIS Canadian Refractories, Limited, produce a wide range of basic refractories. The chief raw material use in their manufacture is the magnesite which is mined, and beneficiated in a heavy media separation plant, at Kilmar, Que. This paper describes the underground operation and the plant and explains how the gravity separation of light, siliceous gangue from the ore has changed the mining practice, increased the ore reserves, and improved the chemical uniformity of the crushed ore. HISTORY REFRACTORIES are essential in the production of steel and base metals and in other high-temperature processes. Basic refractories, chiefly composed of magnesia which is obtained by burning magnesite, are used to line and repair basic furnaces. When World War I cut? off the importation of Austrian magnesite, upon which North American industry had depended, domestic sources bad to be found. In Quebec, work was begun on deposits of magnesite at Kilmar, half way between Ottawa and Montreal and about ten miles north of the Ottawa river. By the end of the war substantial tonnages were being quarried and calcined, but, when Austrian magnesite again became available, the industry declined rapidly. In 1925, the National Research Council, in co-operation with the Federal Department of Mines, began an investigation of the industry&apos;s technical problems. The result of this research work, which was taken over fully by the Company in 1943 and is actively continued, is that the single product of the early 1920&apos;s has been supplemented by more than forty specialized products serving the metallurgical and chemical industries across Canada and in more than thirty other countries.

Jan 1, 1951

By N. Pajunen, R. Mäkikoskela

"The current state of environment has been achieved by acting linearly. At the same time, we know that transition towards circular economy cannot be made the same way that we have used to, trusting only a market economy and economic growth. Environmental improvements have been promoted, some progress has been made, but major steps towards sustainability have not been taken. Industry is now facing significant change, from process related environmental thinking to product-based environmental thinking.Engineers make decisions which have lifelong influence and even longer on environment and society. Material engineers in case of saving natural resources and increasing material cycle, have an important role to play in the transition towards sustainability. Best knowledge of minerals and materials is in the material development phase. If we want to increase the cycle of different materials, it is vital to make decisions towards circular economy in early phase of product´s life cycle.The target of this study is to promote circular economy; to increase material efficiency; to save natural resources; and to extend product lifecycles in process industry via product design and material development. In this study we have a new kind of cooperation. We combine two disciplines, engineering science and fine arts. We promote sustainability via breaking out the silos. We bring the cyclic artistic thinking into engineering science and environmental research. The new research combination makes the existing information visible in a new way, and it will change attitudes and ways to act by means other than traditional linear rationality.We have tested the new working method via the industrial case study with the chosen product: the sandwich panel of construction industry. The target of the study was to create something new from the chosen product with artistic thinking. The working method will be presented in this paper."

Jan 1, 2016

By R. E. Hamilton

"The requirements for effective optimization of a mineral dressing operation are discussed, with specific reference to a flotation system . Also considered are the relation-ships between automatic control and optimization pro-grams. Variables are classified into the following groups, and the significance of the classification is discussed: (a) Directly measurable (b) Directly manipulable (c) Uncontrollable (d) Calculable from measurable variables (e) Affected by changes in manipulable or uncontrol-lable variables. New sensors for measuring variables not normally measured are described."

Jan 1, 1967

By Nicholas J. Welham

"The effect of extended ball milling has been studied for two industrial processes: (1) the processing of metal sulphide concentrates; and (2) the carbothermic reduction of ilmenite to synthetic rutile. The plant concentrates were a gold ore with 128 g/t Au of which 8% was non-refractory and a zinc concentrate with copper impurities.The gold concentrate showed complete dissolution of the gold bearing minerals after milling giving almost complete gold liberation. The zinc concentrate showed almost all of the sulphides had solubilized leaving the gangue and elemental sulphur. A study of pure pyrite and arsenopyrite shows that selective dissolution should be possible by a simple leaching process directly after milling.The milling of ilmenite and coal together results in a temperature decrease of 150°C in the subsequent carbothermic reduction of ilmenite, in addition to improving both the rate of reaction and the selectivity of reduction to rutile. IntroductionAlmost all mineral processing plants use mills for the size reduction of particles prior to physical and chemical processing. When continuing beyond size reduction the energy transferred causes deformation, breakage and realloying of particles giving a steady-state particle size. The breaking also causes increasing damage to the crystal structure by formation of smaller grains giving an increasing number of grain boundaries and increasing crystalline defects due to deformation. The increasing number of grain boundaries and defects leads to increased reactivity, which can be seen directly by a reaction within the mill, or indirectly, via a decrease in the subsequent annealing temperature required for reaction."

Jan 1, 1997

By David Runnels

The Mount Wright iron are mine and upgrading plant were brought on line in the fall of 1975. The mine is located near the Quebec - Labrador border some six hundred miles northeast of Montreal. This paper describes the crushing, grinding and concentrating facilities at Mount Wright, and some design: criteria used in equipment selection and flow sheet design. Also mentioned are some "asbuilt" modifications. A brief description of the over-all flowsheet is also included. Introduction IN SEPTEMBER 1970, the Quebec Cartier Mining Company started development of the Mount Wright iron ore mine. The estimated are reserve is in excess of 1,000,000 ,000 long tons of concentrates, with an average crude are grade of 31.5% Fe. The run-of-mine ore is crushed, ground and concentrated to a product having 66% Fe and 5% silica at an annual concentrate production r ate of 18.4 million long tons. The daily production rate of over 50,000 long tons of concentrate necessitates a daily mine output of approximately 250,000 long tons of material, of which 50% is waste.

Jan 1, 1977

By Ham. Y. M.

The corrosion behaviour of Al-B4C metal matrix composites immersed in 2500 ppm boron-containing H3B03, 0.5 M K2SO4, and 3.5% NaC1 solutions was investigated. Effects of B4C particle volume fraction on the corrosion behaviour of composites were studied using potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to study the surface morphology of the material before and after corrosion. Results show that all materials investigated are more corrosion resistant in 2500 ppm boron-containing H3B03 than in other solutions. No appreciable corrosion was observed in boric acid and sulfate solutions in contrast to an obvious pitting in NaC1 solution for both base alloy and composites. The preferential pitting sites are the interfaces of Al/Fe intermetallics for the base alloy, and the A1/B4C interfaces for the composites. Increasing the volume fraction of B4C particles in the composite decreases its corrosion resistance of Al-B4C composites.

Jan 1, 2011

Despite the claims of energy efficiency and the considerable development that has gone into dramatically extending rolls? life and facilitating rolls? change-out, in the six years since the last SAG conference, only a few HPGR operations have entered the realm of mineral processing. Risk barriers to the take-up of new equipment or processes are: a massive increase in materials handling issues as well as in the number of pieces of equipment required, low total circuit potential energy savings, and similar or higher capital costs. An alternative route is to make use of the complementary strengths of the HPGR and SAG in hybrid circuits. Minimising materials handling issues, providing an ideal balanced feed to the AG or SAG mill, and improving controllability through shifting grinding load as the RoM feed changes, are all potential major advantages to this approach. Conceptual circuit layouts, based on real measured ore and equipment data, are presented here to illustrate the potential production upside, the reduction in operating costs and the reduction in the physical and energy footprints.

Jan 1, 2012

By J. A. Russell

IT IS the purpose of this paper to show how the design of the larger slope hoists in use in the mines of the Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation has tended to evolve ta suit the particular conditions of operation. These hoists are all used for hauling coal in trains or trips of pit tubs up the mine slopes, which usually follow the dip of the seam . As the mine is developed to the dip and the slope grows in length, the length of the rope and the size of the hoist required to handle it rends to become extremely cumbersome. It has been found that the best economic conditions of hoisting are obtained when the length of the slope is limited to about seven or eight thousand feet. Beyond this length it is necessary to offset to one side of the line of slope and start a second or auxiliary slope, which will be served by its own hoist installed underground. With this hoisting distance as a basis, we find that we can economically hoist the outputs required, usually about 1,500 tans per eight hours per slope, by hoisting the coal in trips of about twenty boxes. This, on the grades obtaining, will require a rope of about l 1/4in. diameter, running at a speed of 1,200 ta 1,800 feet per minute, and requiring from 1,200 to 1,800 h.p. at the hoist shaft. The tendency is for the rope speeds of the surface hoists to be a little higher than the underground hoists which relay to them, so that the surface hoist has a small margin of time in hand. The oldest surface hoists were steam-driven, but, with few exceptions, these have given place to electric hoists. With the exception of one hoist, which was altered in design, the steam hoists have not had the opportunity of evolving in the same way as the electric hoists, and will not be mentioned any further.

Jan 1, 1944