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By Dale R. Ralston, Roy E. Williams, Gerry V. Winter, George L. Bloomsburg

GENERAL STATEMENT Data frequently can be collected by several dif¬ferent methods. The method required for the nec¬essary precision for inflow prediction to mines should be selected and other methods avoided. Pre¬cision monitoring or measuring techniques fre¬quently require more time, expertise, and expense in their implementation that may not be justifiable. The temporal distribution of the data needs also may dictate the method used for data collection. Continuous recording devices may be required for time sensitive data whereas point measurements of other parameters may be adequate. Data needs will vary as the hydrologic investigation proceeds. In¬itial data needs may require only a qualitative col¬lection of data such as the areal distribution of precipitation. Subsequent data needs may require the measurement of ground water levels to the near¬est hundredth of a foot. Data requirements can be difficult to fulfill for ground water systems. This is particularly true for anisotropic, heterogeneous hydrostratigraphic units since the hydrogeologic parameters vary both ver¬tically and areally. Techniques exist for determining the storage characteristics of both unconfined and confined hydrostratigraphic units but these pro¬cedures require the installation of multiple wells in the same unit which may be impractical. Specific tests are discussed subsequently that permit the determination of vertical hydraulic conductivity. Data collected from field procedures or tests are generally preferred to laboratory derived data. This is especially true for hydrogeologic parameters such as hydraulic conductivity. SURFACE WATER SYSTEMS Precipitation Precipitation data can be collected from sources that maintain a historical record. The US Depart¬ment of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmos¬pheric Administration (NOAA), maintains weather observation stations across the country. Such a sta¬tion frequently can be found near a proposed mine site but the type of weather data collected varies from station to station. Fortunately, precipitation data are collected ubiquitously. The data collected by NOAA can be purchased for the area of interest in the form of monthly and annual tabulations. Private weather stations constitute a second source of precipitation data. Existing data usually are analyzed by one of three methods. The station average method merely sums the depth of precipitation at each station and divides the sum by the number of stations as fol¬lows: [ ] where Pavg is the average precipitation (L), P, is the depth of precipitation at station i (L), and N is the total number of stations. This method is applicable where there are a relatively large number of stations uniformly distributed across the area (Hjelnfelt and Cassidy, 1975, pp. 71-72). The second method, called the Thiessen poly¬gon method, weights the precipitation at each sta¬tion in direct proportion to the area it represents without consideration of topography. The stations are plotted on a map and perpendicular bisectors are drawn on the lines connecting the stations. The polygons formed by these bisectors constitute the area that the precipitation for that station repre¬sents. The overall precipitation can be calculated with the following equation:

Jan 1, 1986

By M. J. Humenick, K. Garwacka

A laboratory experimental research project was conducted to evaluate the use of chlorine for the oxidative destruction of residual ammonia that may remain in ground water after in-situ uranium solution mining operations. The work tested the idea of injecting high strength calcium hypochlorite solution into the mining zone to convert ammonia to nitrogen gas as a final cleanup process for ammonia removal from the ground water system. This paper details ammonia removal efficiency as a function of chlorine dose, reactant, and product material balances, and how the concept may be used as a final ground water restoration process.

Jan 1, 1985

By W. M. McKewan

Magnetite pellets were reduced in flowing hydrogen at pressures up to 40 atm over a temperature range of 350° to 500°C. The rate of weight loss of oxygen per unit area of the reaction surface was found to be constant with time at each temperature and pressure. The reaction rate was found to be directly proportional to hydrogen pressure up to 1 atm and to approach a maximum rate at high pressures. The results can be explained by considering the reaction surface to be sparsely occupied by adsorbed hydrogen at low pressures and saturated at high pressures. PREVIOUS investigation1,2 have shown that the reduction of iron oxides in hydrogen is controlled at the reaction interface. Under fixed conditions of temperature, hydrogen pressure, and gas composition, the reduction rate is constant with time, per unit surface area of residual oxide, and is directly proportional to the hydrogen pressure up to one atmosphere. The reduction rate of a sphere of iron oxide can be described3 by the following equation which takes into account the changing reaction surface area: where ro and do are the initial radius and density of the sphere; t is time; R is the fractional reduction; and R, is the reduction rate constant with units mass per area per time. The quantityis actually the fractional thickness of the reduced layer in terms of fractional reduction R. It was found in a previous investigation2 of the reduction of magnetite pellets in H2-H,O-N, mixtures, that the reaction rate was directly proportional to the hydrogen partial pressure up to 1 atm at a constant ratio of water vapor to hydrogen. Water vapor poisoned the oxide surface by an oxidizing reaction and markedly slowed the reduction. The enthalpy of activation was found to be + 13,600 cal per mole. It was also found that the magnetite reduced to meta-stable wüstite before proceeding to iron metal. The following equation was derived from absolute reaction-rate theory4,8 to expfain the experimental data: where Ro is the reduction rate in mg cm-2 min-'; KO contains the conversion units; Ph2 and PH2O are the hydrogen and water vapor partial pressures in atmospheres; Ke is the equilibrium constant for the Fe,O,/FeO equilibrium; Kp is the equilibrium constant for the poisoning reaction of water vapor; L is the total number of active sites; k and h are Boltzmann's and Planck's constants; and AF is the free energy of activation. Tenenbaum zind Joseph5 studied the reduction of iron ore by hydrogen at pressures over 1 atm. They showed that increasing the hydrogen pressure materially increased the rate of reduction. This is in accordance with the work of Diepschlag,6 who found that the rate of reduction of iron ores by either carbon monoxide or hydrogen was much greater at higher pressures. He used pressures as high as 7 atm. In order to further understand the mechanism of the reduction of iron oxide by hydrogen it was decided to study the effect of increasing the hydrogen pressure on rebduction rates of magnetite pellets. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The dense magnetite pellets used in these experiments were made in the following manner. Reagent-grade ferric oxide was moistened with water and hand-rolled into spherical pellets. The pellets were heated slowly to 550°C in an atmosphere of 10 pct H2-90 pct CO, and held for 1 hr. They were then heated slowly to 1370°C in an atmosphere of 2 pct H2-98 pct CO, then cooled slowly in the same atmosphere. The sintered pellets were crystalline magnetite with an apparent density of about 4.9 gm per cm3. They were about 0.9 cm in diam. The porosity of the pellets, which was discontinuous in nature, was akrout 6 pct. The pellets were suspended from a quartz spring balance in a vertical tube furnace. The equipment is shown in Fig. 1. Essentially the furnace consists of a 12-in. OD stainless steel outer shell and a 3-in. ID inconel inner shell. The kanthal wound 22 in. long, 1 1/2, in. ID alumina reaction tube is inside the inconel inner shell. Prepurified hydrogen sweeps the reaction tube to remove the water vapor formed during the reaction. The hydrogen is static in the rest of the furnace. The sample is placed at the bottom of the furnace in a nickel wire mesh basket suspended by nickel wire from the quartz spring. The furnace is then sealed, evacuated, and refilled with argon several times to remove all traces of oxygen. It is then evacuated, filled with

Jan 1, 1962

By E. D. Attanasi, J. H. DeYoung

Several factors contributed to continued declines in mineral-exploration activity in the US in 1985. Low metal prices and, what appears to be worldwide chronic excess capacity in copper, molybdenum, lead, and uranium, have resulted in mineral-exploration expenditures remaining anemic. Economic recovery could result in a healthier mining industry and more cash flow to fund exploration. This is because general economic activity and US mining industry activity have historically been closely linked. However, as the worldwide economic recovery has expanded, the mining sector has continued its downward slide. New cuts in industry exploration budgets in 1985 shocked those who thought the exploration situation could not become worse. Some personnel and equipment had been redirected from base metals exploration to precious metals in the past few years. Last year, continued reductions in exploration sent many professionals out of the mining industry. Recent staff reductions or consolidations of operations were made by Noranda, Chevron, Molycorp, and other exploration companies. The latest data from the Society of Economic Geologists (SEG) summary of exploration statistics show that professional staff at year end in major US exploration companies (domestic and foreign operations) fell from 2355 in 1981 to 1868 in 1983 and 1277 in 1984. By the end of 1985, two economic trends were established that could improve the future profitability of mining and hence exploration. First, the price of crude oil began a decline. If sharply reduced energy prices increase worldwide economic expansion, the substantial excess capacity in some of the base metals industries could disappear, and prices could improve. Furthermore, if energy price declines reduce mining and processing costs significantly, metals may recapture some lost markets. The decline in oil revenues has already encouraged some oil-producing countries, such as Venezuela, to look toward development of mineral resources to earn foreign exchange for debt repayment. Second, the decline of the dollar by 21% during 1985 could also help US producers meet foreign competition. During 1985, industry restructuring continued as many oil companies sold off mining subsidiaries and minerals properties. Gold, silver in new discoveries Precious metals continued to dominate the announcement of new discoveries and exploration projects in 1985. A review of domestic exploration and development activities reported in several industry journals shows that 60% to 80% of these projects were directed primarily at precious metals, particularly gold. Base metals exploration activities frequently involved polymetallic deposits with gold or silver values. Because much of this exploration was done on identified targets (on-property exploration), the decrease in wildcat or grassroots (off-property) exploration may be more substantial than indicated by reductions in total exploration activity. Significant gold discoveries in 1985 included several in Nevada, among them the Genesis property of Newmont (near the Carlin mine), Goldfields' discovery of the Chimney deposit in Humboldt Co., and Freeport's discovery of two mineralized sites near Jerritt Canyon. Gold exploration continued to be focused in the western US and Alaska, but gold production starts at the Haile mine in South Carolina, and the Ropes mine in Michigan as well as Amselco's feasibility studies on deposits near Ridgeway, SC, are evidence that gold exploration is not limited to the West. The dominance of gold projects in exploration is not limited to the US, as demonstrated by gold dis¬coveries and exploration projects in Australia, Brazil, Canada, the Caribbean region, China, Guinea, Ivory Coast, South Africa, the South Pacific islands, and Thailand. From the standpoint of US metal miners, it is perplexing that worldwide exploration and development is also taking place in copper, zinc, tungsten, and other metals with depressed prices. During 1985, the US Geological Survey's efforts to map the sea floor of the Exclusive Economic Zone shifted from the Pacific Coast to the deep water areas of the Gulf of Mexico and to areas off the coast of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. An atlas containing sea-floor maps of the west coast area was published as US Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map 1-1792. Results of the 1985 surveys are expected to be published by January 1987. Exploration trends - Statistical evidence Data from the SEG showed continued decline in the US mining industry's exploration expenditures through 1984. The share of US companies' domestic exploration expenditures directed toward base and precious metals has increased from 51% to 84% from 1980 to 1983 and to 86% in 1984. US mining companies spent about $0.67 of each exploration dollar in 1984 in the US. However, this represents an increase from earlier years. The 1983 data also show that firms spending more than $5 million on exploration accounted for 77% of exploration expenditures. Since 1981, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has been assembling data on claims and an-

Jan 5, 1986

Crushing and grinding The Crushing and Grinding Technical Committee There was substantial activity in the area of crushing and grinding with the improved outlook in the industry. The Crushing and Grinding Committee's theme of 1987's Annual Meeting in Denver was Fundamentals of Mechanical Design for Crushing and Grinding Mills. At the meeting, the concept of gearless sag mill variable speed drives was taken out of the closet, dusted off, and a wraparound motor was put on hard copy with the ordering of a 9.7- x 4.5-m, 8.2-MW (32- x 15-ft, 11,000-) sag mill. Additionally, comparisons were provided to the mill design of the gearless drive sag mill and the twin 4.5 MW (6000 hp) do variable speed drives placed on the drawing board for the Kennecott UCD Expansions. This involved a 10- x 4.5m, 8.9 MW (34- x 15 ft, 12,000 hp) sag mill. Differing opinions were also expressed in technical presentations pertaining to the need for quality mill specifications in design and manufacturing. J. Berney-Ficklin of Bechtel presented a paper outlining the need for quality design and manufacturing specifications in large scale grinding mills, and the overall cost reduction in capital and operating costs. Others presented differing specific views, but all emphasized a central theme. Quality and reliable designs in large mills should not be compromised. In-pit crushing applications continue to increase, overseas and in the US, in both mining and quarrying. Different in-pit crushing units have been classified as mobile, with integral transport systems; semi-mobile, typically modular systems that use separate transporters for repositioning; semi-stationary plants that must be dismantled before transporting and typically require earthwork and concrete foundation work; and stationary in-pit crushing plants, which remain in place for the life of the pit. The majority of equipment sales of conventional crushing and grinding circuits in 1987 were to gold mining operations. There have been two areas of end use: • conventional jaw/gyratory or impact crushing circuits preparing low grade ores for heap leaching; and • small scale sag/ball mill circuits preparing higher grade ores for classical cyanide leach/ recovery circuits. There was also continued interest in ABC and SABC circuits for both base and precious metals plants. High pressure roll crushers continue to attract considerable interest in the cement industry. There, they are used to prepare raw materials or clinker for subsequent ball/tube milling. However, they have apparently been less successful in the mineral industry where the energy savings/ capacity gains have been much less dramatic. Several papers covering the theory and application of these machines were presented in an industrial minerals session on cement at the SME Annual Meeting. The Third International Conference on Hydrocylones, held in England in October produced several papers of interest on classification and screening to the mining industry. In particular, a new cyclone apex, developed by Mt. Newman Mining, shows promise of reducing water flow to the cyclone underflow stream and, therefore, increased underflow pulp densities and reduced fines recycle in grinding circuits. A twin vortex hydrocyclone was also described and shown to give a sharper split than conventional units. Similar double cyclones were introduced in the 1950's, but failed to achieve widespread acceptance. This was due mainly to a proneness to blockage in the transitional zone. It will be interesting to see whether this latest variant can overcome this problem in the typical operation. A number of North American iron ore plants installed the capability to produce fluxed iron ore pellets. Most chose to grind the stone on site with circuits designed to grind taconite ore. Methods employed to grind this material included single-stage ball mills closed with fine screens, rod and ball mill circuits - both open and closed with cyclones - and semiautogenous mills, followed by ball mills closed with screens or cyclones. Dewatering and tailings disposal B.M. Moudgil and D.L. Sober, University of Florida Due to tightened environmental regulations and the need for more efficient land use, a greater interest in dewatering and waste disposal has developed. As a result, research efforts in flocculation, surface chemistry, and polymers science have focused on the problems related to the dewatering of solid mineral wastes. A few studies have been conducted to examine the flocculation process. Hogg et al., (1987) discussed the formation and growth of flocs. They determined the size and density of flocs was controlled by the physical conditions of the system (e.g. agitation,

Jan 5, 1988

By J. E. McDonald, J. G. Eberhart

A model is discussed from which the work of adhcslon .tor liquid transition metals on aluminum oxide surfaces can he calculated, A close-packed (00011 oxygen surface on A12O3 is assumed with two different types of surface sites: one type involving metal-oxygen bonds and the other man der Waals into actions. The work of adhesion is thus expressed as the sum of these two bonsding free energies. Calculated works of adhesion for nickel, titanium, chromium, and zirconium on sapphire agree well with the experimentally determined quantities. The model is extentled to the calculation of the work of adhesion and shear stress required to remove a thin metal film from a sapphire substrate and is in good agreement with experimental values. The obsewed dependence of the work of adhesion on the free energy of oxide formation of the metal is shown to also provide an interpretation of the tittle dependence of thin-film adhesion. THIS paper presents a model for the type of bonding which occurs across a metal-A12O3 interface. The model is used to explain the results of two types of experiments in which such an interface exists: 1) the adhesion of thin metal films on Al2O3 substrates and 2) the wetting of A12O3 by liquid metal drops. The adhesion of thin films to various substrates has been the subject of a variety of investigations.'-' Benjamin and weaver3 and Bowie,6 using the scratch test developed by Heavens,10 studied the adhesion of metallic films to glass substrates. Their observations for noble-metal film adhesion agree well with an adhesion model involving a van der Waals type of bonding between the film and the substrate. For films of metals whose free energy of oxide formation. ?F°f, has a negative value. Benjamin and weaver3 and Bowie6 found a time-dependent adhesion with an initial value that can be interpreted in terms of van der Waals interactions but a larger terminal value which was related to ?F°f, Karnow-sky and Estill7 deposited films on sapphire at elevated temperatures and noticed no time dependence of film adhesion but a similar correlation with ?F°f. Because of the kinetic problems associated with thin-film adhesion it is desirable to examine adhesion in an equilibrium system. The wetting behavior of liquid-metal drops on Al2O3 provides such a system. Systems of this metal-ceramic type have been studied extensively.11 Humenik and Kingeryl2 have measured the wetting of A12O3 (and other substrates) by several metals and have pointed out that the wetting ability of these metals increases with increasing values of -?F°f. It is thus seen that thin-film adhesion and metal wetting on A12O3 are both related to the tendency of the metal to react with the surface oxide ions of the Al2O3 substrate and, because of this, both phenomena should be explainable by an appropriate model for the metal-Al2O3 interfacial bonding. In the sections that follow, wetting and adhesion data on A2O3 are reviewed and a model is presented by which these phenomena can be interpreted. ANALYSIS OF WETTING EXPERIMENTS In an equilibrium system involving a liquid-metal drop on a solid Al2O3 substrate, the work of adhesion, WAD, is defined by the Dupre, equation as WAD = ?s + ?L -?sL [1] where ?s and ?L are the surface free energies of the solid substrate and the liquid drop, respectively, and ?sL is the interfacial free energy. The work of adhesion is the work required to separate a unit area of the solid-liquid interface into two surfaces. The work of adhesion is usually determined from a sessile-drop experiment in which yL and the contact angle, ?, are measured. The Young-Dupr6 equation is then used to calculate WAD Wad = ?L (1+ cos ?) [2] The literature of this subject has been examined and Table I shows work of adhesion data for various liquid metals as measured on A12O3 substrates. The standard free energy of oxide formation of the metal at the temperature of the wetting experiment, ?F°f . is also tabulated in kcal per g-atom of oxygen. The data is grouped according to the gaseous atmos-

Jan 1, 1965

By M. J. Marcinkowski, A. S. Sastri

A detailed compressive stress-strain analysis and transmission electron microscopy investigation has been made of the deformation behavior occurring in a 50 at. pct Ni-Ti (hypoeutectoid) alloy and a 54.5 at. pct Ni-Ti (hypereutectoid) alloy. In the case of the hypoeutectoid alloy, three stages of work hardening are observed. Stage I occurs at a very low stress and is associated with plastic deformation via martensite formation. Stage 11 is characterized by very rapid work hardening and is due to difficulties in causing further deformation in the fine martensite aggregate produced in Stage I. Stage III which occurs at very high stress levels is characterized by smaller work hardening rates and is due to the plastic deformation arising from alternate reconversions of the original martensites to martensites of varying orientation. Rapid quenching of the hypereutectoid alloy leads to very high yield strengths and is related to a fine precipitate dispersion that such treatment brings about. The present investigation represents the final phase of a three-part study directed toward an understanding of the solid-state transformations in near equi-atomic Ni-Ti alloys as well as the deformation mechanisms associated with these alloys. In the first part,"2 to be henceforth referred to as I, it was found that alternate simple shears on {112} planes and in (111) directions convert the parent B2 structure in the equiatomic NiTi alloy into two distinct close-packed monoclinic martensites. All of the marten-sites were of this type, whether they were formed by cooling or by plastic deformation, whether induced to form in bulk samples or in thin foils, or whether examined in the electron microscope at room temperature or below. On the other hand, in the second part of this investigation,3 to be reffered to as 11, it was shown that upon slow cooling to about 640°C. alloys in the neighborhood of NiTi which possess the B2 structure transform eutectoidally into their equilibrium phases Ti2Ni and TiNi3. However, preceding the formation of these equilibrium phases a series of metastable intermediate phases are formed. This paper will set as its goal the elucidation of the remarkable deformation behavior exhibited by NiTi. In particular, Buehler and Wiley4 have found equiatomic NiTi to be surprisingly soft, while Buehler et al.5 have shown this alloy to possess a memory effect: i.e., upon bending at room temperature it will revert to its original shape when heated to above about 50°C. In I it was shown that NiTi was soft in the sense that the yield stress was low; nevertheless, the alloy work-hardened at an extremely rapid rate to very high stress levels. On the other hand, the hypereutectoid alloys with somewhat higher nickel, say 54.5 at. pct (60 wt pct) have enormously increased yield strengths compared to those of the equiatomic alloys. In order to determine the atomistic processes giving rise to the above behavior, it was decided to examine samples that were wafered from bulk specimens deformed in compression to various strains using the techniques of transmission electron microscopy. EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUE All of the alloys used in the present investigation contained either 50 at. pct Ni (55.06 wt pct) or 54.5 at. pct Ni (60 wt pct) and were arc-melted in the form of a finger using the same techniques described in I and II. The finger was capsulated in a stainless-steel jacket and swaged at 850°C into rods. Compression specimens 0.300 in, long and 0.200 in. in diam were machined from these rods. In order to completely re-crystallize the samples and remove residual stresses, all of them were capsulated in evacuated quartz, annealed for 1/2 at 1050°C. and then furnace-cooled. Compression tests were carried out in an Instron tensile testing machine covering a range of temperatures from —196° to 200°C using procedures described previously.6'7 In all cases crosshead speed was 0.02 in. per min. Wafers 0.015 in. thick were spark-cut from the cylindrical samples at 45 deg to the compression axes after they had been deformed to the desired strain. These specimens were then spark-planed to about 0.005 in. and then electrochemically thinned for examination by transmission electron microscopy as described in I.

Jan 1, 1969

By F. Weinberg

The relative concentration of 1" at grain boundaries in controlled orientation bicrystals has been examined by autoradiographic techniques, and by activity measurements of grain boundary surfaces exposed by preferential ,melting. The autoradio-graphs indicate that thallium is concentrated at grain boundaries in as-grown bicrystals, but not in zcell-annealed bicrystals. They also indicate that the solute concentration and the distribution on as-grown bicrystal surfaces are markedly different than that of the bulk material. The boundary surface measurements are in agreement with the autovadiographic evidence. On the basis of these measurements, as-grown bicrystals containing approximately 100 ppm of Tl, solidified at rates between 5 and 30 cm per hr and with tilt boundaries greater than 10 deg, exhibited grain boundary segregation equivalent to roughly 10 atomic planes of pure solute. Higher solute concentrations (equivalent to 140 atomic planes of pure solute) were obtained in bicrystals solidified slowly (0.6 cm per hr); slightly higher values were obtained in specimens containing a large angle nantilt boundary. Annealing for various times over a range of temperatures eliminated grain boundary segregation within the experimental uncertainty of the results (equivalent to 1 atomic Plane of pure thallium at the boundary). The results for the as-grown bicrystals can be qualitatively accounted for by assuming the presence of a groove on the solid-1iq;id interface, at the grain boundary. SOLUTE segregation at grain boundaries may be considered in two parts, namely, nonequilibrium segregation associated with the solidification process, and equilibrium segregation in fully annealed materials.' There is much indirect evidence for nonequilibrium segregation, based on preferential etching at grain boundaries and the mechanical properties of as-cast alloys. In addition, some direct observations have been reported in which radioactive tracers were used as solute additions and segregation detected at the grain boundaries by autoradiographic techniques. However, there is little detailed quantitative data on solute concentrations related to grain boundaries, particularly for different freezing conditions and grain boundary configurations. Equilibrium segregation at grain boundaries has been considered both theoretically and experimentally. cean' has made an estimate of the maximum equilibrium solute concentration that might be expected at a grain boundary, based on the lattice distortions in the boundary region. He arrived at a concentration which was equivalent t a monatomic layer of pure solute. A similar value, based on thermodynamic arguments, was calculated by Cahn and Hilliard for the segregation of phosphorus in iron. Experimentally, much higher values of solute concentration at grain boundaries have been reported recently by both Inman and iler' for phosphorus in iron, and Ainslie et 1.' for sulfur in iron. They observed concentrations equivalent to as much as 20 to 100 atomic layers of pure solute at the grain boundaries. However, in both cases it was shown that the observed segregation was not due solely to equilibrium segregation at the grain boundary. In the former case, precipitation effectss due to trace impurities in the material were believed to account for the large amount of solute present at the grain boundary. In the latter case it was shown that a high density of dislocations in the boundary region could provide a large number of additional sites for solute atoms, other than at the grain boundary. Thomas and chalmera have reported on the equilibrium segregation of po210 in grain boundaries of Pb-5 pct Bi alloys. Using autoradiographic techniques, they observed a concentration of polonium along the boundary trace on the surface of annealed bicrystal specimens grown from the melt. The concentration only appeared after annealing, and varied with boundary angle, increasing as the boundary angle increased. Their conclusions have been questioned by Ward," who pointed out that the segregation they observed along the boundary trace was much too wide to be compatible with the usual concepts of the thickness of a grain boundary of several lattice spacings. Also, Maroun et al.,l1 with specimens similar to those of Thomas and Chalmers, found that segregation could only be detected on the specimen surface, suggesting that Thomas and Chalmers' results were associated with an oxidation effect of polonium, and not equilibrium segregation. Thomas and Chalmers replied12 that they did observed segregation at the grain boundary in the bulk material and suggested further experiments were necessary to resolve the difference. The purpose of the present investigation was to examine both nonequilibrium and equilibrium grain boundary segregation in melt grown bicrystal specimens as a function of boundary angle, growth rate, and solute concentration, and to de-

Jan 1, 1963

By David D. Rabb

Leaching or solution mining, a relatively simple and economical process for beneficiating metallic ores, is likely to find increasing application in the treatment of low-grade ores that are impractical to mine by any other means. This process may be carried out in two different ways: 1) dump leaching, where the ore is moved from its original location to be leached at another site; and 2) In-situ leaching, where the ore is leached in place by introducing the leach solution at the top, letting it flow down through the ore under gravity, and then recovering it plus the dissolved metals it contains. Whichever leaching method is used, it is almost always necessary to break up the ore before leaching. In this paper a study is reported which indicates that rock broken by an explosion-in particular, an underground nuclear explosion-is significantly more amenable to leaching then is rock broken by other methods. These results suggest that the leaching speed and efficiency could be increased by nuclear fracturing of the ore. Not only would the leach time be shortened, but the resulting increase in strength or richness of the solutions would decrease plant installation expense as well as reduce pumping and processing costs. A considerable fund of experience has been accumulated in the course of several hundred experimental underground nuclear explosions, so that the gross results of any given nuclear explosion can now be predicted with a fair degree of confidence.' From this knowledge it seems clear that, under the proper conditions, large ore bodies can be fractured much more economically-macroscopically speaking-by nuclear explosions than by other methods. The present study concentrates on smaller scale effects that is, the cracks in the chunks of rock broken by the explosion-and shows that here too, in the microscopic domain, there are important advantages to nuclear fracturing. The intense shock produced by the very fast acting, high-brisance nuclear explosive fractures the rock in a way that should significantly improve its leachability. Experimental Procedure This study compared rocks broken by nuclear explosives with rocks produced by conventional mining, quarrying, or core drilling. The test samples, granite chunks 6 to 8 in. on a side, plus core sections, came from the area of the Hardhat*2 nuclear explosion and were taken both before and after the explosion. For comparison, several samples of quarried granite were obtained from a local gravestone monument company. The general procedure was to soak the test samples in leaching solution and then determine the extent of penetration. A standard commercial copper leaching solution was used (10 gpl Cu, 10 gpl H2SO4, 5 gpl ferric Fe, 15 gpl total Fe, pH about 1.5), to which a water-soluble penetrant dye, Zyglo 1-c, had been added. Details of the procedure were as follows: 1) Sample leached in solution containing Zyglo penetrant dye. 2) Washed with water. 3) Air-dried. 4) Cut with granite wire saw. 5) One face polished with granite monument polish. 6) Sent directly to be photographed, or heated at 110°C for 2 hr and then sent to be photographed. 7) Photographed under ultraviolet light to show crack patterns. Results After 10 days of leaching at 70-75°F, the samples were removed from the solution, washed, dried, and cut in half with a granite wire saw to study the penetration of the leach solution. Since the Zyglo dye in the leach is visible under ultraviolet light, the degree of penetration of the leach (and hence the cracks in the samples) can be studied on photographs of the crosscut samples made under ultraviolet light. The photos in [Fig. 1] show how the leach solution penetrated various representative samples. Of the 71 rock samples examined, fractures were most frequent and prominent in samples from the rubble produced by the nuclear explosion [(Fig. 1D)]. Fracturing was less apparent in shaft-mined rock [(Fig. 1B)], still less evident in drift-mined rock [(Fig. 1C)], and practically nonexistent in cored or quarried specimens [(Fig. 1A)]. The samples in [Fig. lA-C] were from the same general area as the nuclear explosion, but they were obtained before the explosion. Results of the crack studies are summarized in [Table 1]. The Zyglo-treated leach solution penetrated the test samples at the rate of about 1/2 mm during the first hour, 1 mm by the end of 4 hr, 2 to 3 mm in 12 hr, and 4 to 6 mm in 10 days, showing a progressively slower rate with time.

Jan 1, 1972

By G. H. Bishop

The kinetics of the inter granular penetration and embrittlement of [100] tilt boundaries in 99.998 pct pure nickel upon exposure to bismuth-rich Ni-Bi liquids have been determined in the temperature range from 700° to 900°C. The kinetics of penetration are parabolic in time at constant temperature over most of the temperature range. In a series of 43-deg bicrystals the rate of penetration is anisotropic with respect to the direction of penetration into the grain boundaries. In lower-angle bicrystals the penetration rate is isotropic. The rate of penetration decreases with tilt angle at 700°C. The activation energy for penetration in the 43-deg bicrystals is 42 kcal per g-atom independent of direction. It is concluded that the intergranular penetration and embrittlement in the presence of the liquid proceeds by a grain boundary diffusion process and not by the intrusion of a liquid film. This was confirmed by a determination that the kinetics of penetration and embrittlement were the same in the 43-deg bicrystals upon exposure to bismuth vapor under conditions such that no bulk liquid phase would be thermodynamically stable. WhEN solid metals are exposed to a corrosive liquid-metal environment, the grain boundaries are sites of preferential attack. Depending on the temperature, the composition of the liquid, and the composition, structure, and state of stress of the solid, a number of modes of attack are possible. This paper reports a study of the kinetics of intergranular penetration and embrittlement of high-purity nickel bicrystals upon exposure to bismuth which, together with an earlier study by Cheney, Hochgraf, and Spencer,&apos; demonstrates that there are at least two modes of intergranular attack possible in the Ni-Bi system. In the study by Cheney et al., columnar-grain specimens of 99.5 pct pure nickel were exposed to liquid bismuth presaturated with nickel in the temperature range 670" to 1050°C. They found that the majority of the boundaries, which were predominantely high-angle boundaries, were penetrated by capillary liquid films, the attack proceeding by a process which will be termed grain boundary wetting. This process occurs in a stress-free solid when twice the liquid-solid surface tension is less than the surface tension of the grain boundary,* i.e., when 2yLs < YGB In this case the penetration of the grain boundary by the liquid occurs at a relatively rapid rate, resulting in the severe embrittlement of a polycrystalline solid. Grain boundary wetting is a common mode of intergranular attack in systems in which the lower melting component is relatively insoluble in the solid, but the solid has an appreciable solubility in the liquid, for example, the Ni-Bi system, Fig. 1. In systems of this type at temperatures above the range of stability of any intermetallic phases, once the liquid is saturated with respect to the solid so that no gross solution occurs, chemical gradients are small, and surface tensions become major driving forces for attack, provided the solid is stress-free. The results of Cheney et al. appear to be typical of those encountered when grain boundary wetting occurs.&apos; Capillary films were observed in the boundaries after quenching from the exposure temperature. The mean depth of penetration increased linearly with time, and the activation energy for the process was found to be 22 kcal per g-atom. In a study of the Cu-Bi system Yukawa and sinott4 found that the depth of penetration of bismuth into high-purity copper bicrystals of orientations from 22 to 63 deg of tilt about (100) at 649°C ranged from 0.05 to 0.25 in. after a 12-hr anneal. This corresponds to a linear rate of 6 to 15 X 10~6 cm per sec. At the same reduced temperature of 0.68 the rate for the Ni-Bi system&apos; was 7 x lo-&apos; cm per sec. In another study of the Cu-Bi system, Scheil and schess15 determined the kinetics of grain boundary wetting in hot-worked commercial rod. While there were several complicating factors present in this study, there is general agreement with the above results. The kinetics of penetration were linear, the activation energy was 20 kcal per g-atom, and at 650°C the rate of wetting was 2 to 5 x 10-6 cm per sec. The rate of wetting in the A1-Ga system6 is somewhat

Jan 1, 1969

By Susan T. Bagley, Kenneth L. Rubow, David H. Carlson, Bruce K. Cantrell, Winthrop F. Watts

Permissible exposure limits (PELs) have been established for gaseous pollutants, carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and some gas-phase hydrocarbons emitted in diesel exhaust. There is, as yet, no PEL recommended for diesel exhaust aerosol (DEA), nor is there a standard method for sampling this aerosol. The University of Minnesota and the U.S. Bureau of Mines have collaborated to develop a personal diesel exhaust aerosol sampler (PDEAS) which utilizes size-selective inertial impaction and gravimetric analysis. During the field tests of this sampler, numerous air quality measurements were made in underground coal mines that use diesel equipment. The mine mean DEA concentrations for the five mines surveyed, determined with the PDEAS in the haulageway, was 0.89 mg/m3 with a standard deviation of 0.44 mg/m3. DEA contributed 52 % of the respirable aerosol at this location. In three of the mines filter samples were collected for DEAassociated polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and biological activity determinations. Two of the mines were also monitored for the major gaseous constituents found in diesel exhaust. In general, the PAH and biological activity levels were similar for all three mines, and indicate that up to 25 % of the haulageway concentrations may be contributed by outby diesel vehicles. Measured concentrations of CO, C02, NO, NO2, and SO2, were well below regulated levels. INTRODUCTION Diesel exhaust contains pollutant gases, such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, and gas-phase hydrocarbons, as well as DEA. Much of the health-related concern focuses on DEA and associated organic compounds (Watts, 1992a). A wide variety of these PAHs have been identified and some are known carcinogens and/or mutagens. The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has proposed new PELs for these and other contaminants (MSHA, 1989). MSHA has also published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to establish a separate PEL for diesel particulate (MSHA, 1992). The U.S. Bureau of Mines has collaborated with the University of Minnesota to develop and field test a PDEAS. The PDEAS is a three stage sampler based on the MSA&apos; personal respirable dust sampler. It utilizes a respirable cyclone preclassifier followed by a 0.8 µm cut point impactor and afterfilter operating at a flow rate of 2 L/min. Respirable aerosol greater than 0.8, µm in size is collected by the impactor while DEA, less than 0.8 µm in size, is collected by the afterfilter. Hence, gravimetric analysis of the afterfilter permits measurement of DEA concentrations. This development and laboratory evaluation of the PDEAS were described previously by Cantrell (1990) and Rubow (1990). During field tests of the sampler, numerous air quality measurements were made in continuous miner sections of five underground coal mines that use diesel haulage equipment. These air quality measurements included levels of selected PAH and biological activity associated with DEA collected in the intake and haulageway areas of three of the five underground mines, and CO, CO2, NO, and NO2 in two of the mines. The objectives of this paper are to present the DEA and associated pollutant concentrations measured in these mines and to assess the impact of diesel face-haulage equipment on underground mine air quality. MINE DESCRIPTIONS The mines used for the PDEAS evaluation were designated J, K, L, N, and 0. Mines K, N, and 0 are located in the Western United States, while mines J and L are located in the East. Each mine produces high volatile, bituminous coal with shift production levels varying from 500 to 2000 tons/section. Seam heights varied from 1.5 to 3.0 m. Mines K and N use continuous mining to develop longwall panels. The others are strictly room-and-pillar operations using continuous miners. The number and types of diesel-powered vehicles used at these mines were described by Watts (1992b). Mines J, K, N, and 0 use diesel power to assist in a wide range of activities in addition to coal haulage. These included road maintenance, personnel and materials transport, lubrication, and welding. Mine L used only three diesel-powered shuttle cars to haul coal. SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS METHODS Aerosol Measurements Aerosol samples were collected in the mine portal area, the clean air intake to the continuous miner section, the haulageway one crosscut inby from the feeder breaker and belt, in the return airway, and on selected personnel. The haulageway sampling site was located near the point where the diesel-powered shuttle cars turn around to dump their loads. Additional respirable and DEA samples were collected and have been reported by Haney (1990).

Jan 1, 1993

By L. H. Munson, D. E. Hadlock, L. F. Munson, R. L. Gilchrist, P. D. Robinson

All uranium mills are required to perform sampling and analysis for radioactive particulates in their gaseous effluent streams and in the environment. Pacific Northwest Laboratory was requested by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to provide technical assistance to them for their Uranium Mill Health Physics Appraisal Program. In conducting appraisals, air sampling methods used at NRC-licensed mills were reviewed and several deficiencies noted. This paper includes only environmental and effluent particulate sampling although much of the information is applicable to both in-plant and environmental samples. First, the components of a proper sampling program are discussed: program objectives, program design, sampler design, analyses, quality assurance, and data handling. Then the specific deficiencies, or the "pitfalls" from the first 8 mill appraisals are discussed. The first consideration in establishing an air sampling program is defining the objectives of the program. What is air sampling suppose to accomplish? Many of the deficiencies we have observed have resulted because the desired objectives were not clearly established in the minds of the radiation safety staff. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES An environmental air sampling program ought to fulfill the following seven objectives. The first is to: 1) [demonstrate regulatory compliance]. Although a goal of most programs, regulatory compliance, is not well understood. One has not only to comply with the conditions of the source materials licensee, but one must also demonstrate compliance with 10CFR20 and 40CFR190. For example, 10CFR20.106 states: "A licensee shall not possess, use, or transfer licensed material so as to release to an unrestricted area radioactive material in concentrations which exceed the limits specified in Appendix B, Table II of this part .... For purposes of this section, concentrations may be averaged over a period not greater than one year." Even if a mill&apos;s license does not require sampling at the site boundary of maximum concentration, a sample may be necessary to demonstrate compliance with 10CFR20. Most mill personnel are painfully familiar with 40CFRl90.10, which states: "Operations.... shall be conducted in such a manner as to provide reasonable assurance that: (a) The annual dose equivalent does not exceed 25 millirems to the whole body.... of any member of the public as the result of exposures to planned discharges of radioactive materials, radon and its daughters excepted... from uranium fuel cycle operations..." This means a licensee&apos;s sampling program must give "reasonable assurance" that the member of the general public receiving in the most exposure gets no more than 25 millirems per year. The sampling program necessary to provide that assurance may or may not be a license requirement. However, merely meeting the license requirements and the explicit regulatory requirements does not necessariarly ensure an adequate effluent and environmental air sampling program. The second objective of the environmental air sampling program, is to 2) [identify the source(s) of contaminants]. This will include not only the routine program, but special sampling for verification of sources and nonsources. Only after sampling can a mill operator be assured that roof vents, laboratory hoods, and other localized ventilation systems are not making a significant contribution to environmental releases. An environmental sampling program should also allow the mill operator to fulfill the third objective, to 3) [estimate exposures]. Even before 40CFR190, a sampling program should have provided the mill operator with the information necessary to determine the dose to the "fence post" person, or at least to determine if doses were well below the 10CFR20 limits previously allowed. The program should 4) [detect and measure unplanned releases]. If there is a fire, a scrubber failure, or if a drum of yellowcake breaks open, measured releases will almost always be lower than conservative estimates. Whether or not a system to provide sampling during accidents is needed is almost always a cost-benefit decision. In general, uranium operations do not sample just in case an accident may occur. Yet they may decide on continuous air sampling in lieu of intermittant sampling partially because of the potential for accidents. Another objective of air sampling is 5) [to provide information on the effectiveness of control systems]. This is always a concern with new or modified equipment and may dictate sampling frequency in other situations as well. For instance, if a small leak in a bag filter cannot be detected by other means, then more frequent stack sampling may be indicated. A routine effluent and environmental monitoring program should also fulfill the sixth objective,

Jan 1, 1981

By D. E. Spiller

Introduction Precious metals recovery from ore can generally be accomplished using gravity concentration, flotation, and/or hydrometallurgical (leaching) techniques. The objective of this paper is to show why gravity concentration can be an important part of recovery systems that employ leaching as the primary unit operation. A brief discussion of modem gravity concentration equipment is also presented. Discussion Gravity concentration of ores has generated increasing interest in recent years. Reasons for this interest include: • Gravity concentration is environmentally attractive. There is little or no use of reagents. Hence, it is relatively nonpolluting. • The cost of cyanide has continued to increase. Therefore, cost savings may be realized whenever leaching feed tonnage can be reduced by preconcentration. • Compared to flotation and leaching, gravity equipment costs are low per processed ton. Field installation costs for gravity circuits usually are less because many&apos; units are supplied as self-contained modules. Also, the cost required to supply services, particularly power, to a gravity plant site are also less. In situations where preconcentration at coarse particle size is applicable, significant grinding equipment savings may be possible. • Gravity circuit operating costs are also relatively low compared to typical flotation and leaching circuits. Reagents, power, maintenance, and manpower savings in a well-engineered gravity plant may be realized. Again, if grinding is reduced, significant power and steel (media and liners) savings are possible. •In recent years, more efficient gravity concentrating devices have been developed. Benefits to Precious Metal Leaching Gravity beneficiation can complement precious metal leaching in two ways. First, the recovery of coarse liberated values before leaching may reduce leach time requirements and may reduce reagent consumption. Second, gravity preconcentration can reduce the size of a leach plant by decreasing the quantity of material to be leached. Coarse gold and silver have been shown to leach rather slowly. Kameda (1949) and Habashi (1967) have investigated the kinetics of cyanide leaching systems. They concur that in a heterogeneous reaction, the rate of gold and silver dissolution is directly proportional to the surface area. Thus, the instantaneous rate of dissolution for spherical 0.37 mm (400 mesh) gold is theoretically -25 times faster than for the same amount of gold at .841 mm (20 mesh), based on data from Fuerstenau, Chander, and Abouzeid (1979). Conversely, coarse liberated, +.841 mm (20 mesh), gold is more readily recovered by gravity concentration than is fine, -.037 mm (400 mesh) gold. Therefore, it is apparent that the two recovery systems complement one another. Figure 1 data demonstrates the potential synergism. A sample of - 3.327 mm (6 mesh) Nevada gold-bearing ore was cyanide leached using conventional bottle-roll test procedures. Gold extraction was determined as a function of leaching time. A second sample split from the same leach feed material was hand jigged to remove a coarse heavy mineral fraction, including virtually all of the +.210 mm (65 mesh) liberated free gold. This second sample, with the coarse gold and heavy minerals removed, was subjected to an identical cyanide leach procedure. Figure 1 presents the resulting comparative extraction data. Note that the percent gold extraction for the sample containing no +.210 mm (65 mesh) free gold includes the coarse gold recovered by gravity. The data show that the sample containing coarse gold required about 72 hours of leaching time to achieve 80% extraction. This compared to about 22 hours of leaching time for 80% gold recovery from the sample that contained only -.210 mm (65 mesh) free gold. Thus, there was a 69% reduction in leaching time. The improved extraction data is not wholly attributable to coarse gold removal, but rather it was the combination of gold removal and rejection of other heavy mineral cyanide consumers or leach retardants. Further investigation was not warranted at this time. Preconcentration is the second manner in which leaching systems can benefit from gravity concentration. The premise is that preconcentration can reduce the quantity of leach feed, which, in turn, may reduce leaching costs. Figure 2 presents preliminary data developed by CSMRI for US Minerals Exploration (USMX). Centennial Exploration Inc., in agreement with USMX, is proceeding with evaluations to determine the suitability of various processing schemes for recovery of gold values from the Montana Tunnels property. The data shows how the ore can be preconcentrated by gravity techniques to result in a reduced feed tonnage to secondary extraction techniques, presumably flotation or cyanide leaching. Testing has shown that Reichert cones, followed by treating the cone concentrate on spirals, can deliver about 88% gold recovery in about 13% weight, that is, 87% weight rejection. Consequently, fine grinding and reagent costs are attributable to only 13% of the plant feed rate. Cost data is not yet available, but the potential exists for significant cost savings.

Jan 1, 1985

By J. N. Hilton, D. Moffett, E. Barnes

"A recent pilot-plant program carried out at Rio Algom&apos;s Quirke uranium mine at Elliot Lake, Ontario is described. The goal of the research was the production of tailings basin effluents which were low in total radium-226. The process tested involved precipitation of radium with barium chloride and sedimentation in plastic-lined settling ponds. Adjustment of the tailings basin overflow from its normal value of pH 9.5 by addition of sulphuric acid to about pH 7.5 was found to give approximately a five-fold improvement in total radium-226 removal. A five-month demonstration test resulted in an effluent with a mean total radium-226 activity of44 pCi/L after 2.5 days settling time and 29 pCi/L after 5 days. The results from the demonstration program are used to propose a schedule of achievable total radium-226 activities where precipitation and sedimentation are employed. The maximum suggested values for 5 days nominal settling time are: 30 pCi/L in an annual mean, 45 pCi/L in a monthly mean. 60pCiIL in a weekly mean and 80 pCi/L in any single grab sample.IntroductionRadium-226 has been removed from effluents at the Elliot Lake uranium mines since the introduction of the first barium chloride treatment system in 1965. Current practice, which has changed little over the years, consists of radium-barium sulphate precipitation by the addition of a low do se of barium chloride to the clear overflow from the tailings basin(l·2l. Provision is made for the precipitate to settle in large natural or constructed ponds and lagoons. The residence time in these ponds, which depends on the site, ranges from 3 to 35 days, with varying degrees of efficiency being achieved."

Jan 1, 1981

Aspiring to be excellent makes you a good leader as it shows a capability for strategic thought, defining and implementing a vision, making a job easier, more efficient and effective. Every great business leader can generate additional revenue or cost savings for their company. Becoming excellent requires the desire and action to follow it through. There are many established methods of excellence: benchmarking, target setting, supply chain and market analysis, employee suggestions and knowledge sharing forums. In BHP Billiton, practices benchmarking is a key tool in generating improvements for functional areas such as processing, mine operations and mine planning. Practices Benchmarking involves organisational and technical questions that allow the site to self-assess their maturity and generate a prioritised improvement path. Not only does it benchmark and identify gaps, but the approach also facilitates networking, education and team building. For new leaders it is important to remember that you are not alone. Chances are your problem has been solved before. Networks û internal, external, formal and informal can get you started and often save you time and effort. Any leader can achieve success in excellence through a proper process of problem formulation, data and analysis. Again, using key players can make the process more effective. It is important to remember that the people side of the solution is the key to success and that monitoring will ensure the solution will work. In the words of BHP BillitionÆs CEO, Chip Goodyear: Excellence is a mind set. ItÆs something that comes when people get rewarded forthinking outside the box and applying their skill and knowledge. It happens, not in$50 million chunks, but in hundred thousand and million and $2 million chunks.When you get 35 000 people thinking that way, then youÆve really got somethinggoing.

Jan 1, 2005

By Tim Mann

"Like other operating mine sites, Placer Dome Inc. - Campbell Mine has taken important steps over the last few years to address environmental issues.This paper will provide specific insights into the implementation of an environmental management system at Campbell. In particular, it will focus on how Campbell developed its plan of action; the lessons that have been learned; the over-all steps that are being taken to enhance environmental stewardship and effectively manage relationships with key stakeholders.IntroductionThe development of an Environmental Management System at Campbell Mine has been part of a general development in management practices which has taken place at the mine during 1990. This paper will discuss the components of the management system in the topic areas of: direction setting; environmental organization; issue assessment; emergency response plan; training ; monitoring/verification; reporting and data management; and relationship management.Although this paper focuses on environmental management systems, the development of this system has partly been a function of responses to other issues which have been addressed concurrently with environmental concerns. These other issues include development of operations management, human resources practices, and safety management practices at the mine. As the Environmental Management System developed, various stakeholders associated with local environmental concerns were identified. This group of stakeholders include the local community; municipal, provincial and federal governments; government agencies; Campbell employees; and the Placer Dome Inc. Corporation."

Jan 1, 1991

By P. Gray

Process and engineering development of the Warner Zinc Process over the past two decades has proceeded alongside the world-wide collection and analysis of operating and cost data of current processing practices from sulphide ores to refined metals. Study of these data shows that recoveries are dependent on mineralogical characteristics of the sulphide matrix and point to the inadequacy of differential flotation as a tool for preparing feed for smelters. The paid-for return at the mine on the combined metal values in zinc rich sulphide ores rarely exceeds 80% and increasingly runs as low as 50-60%. Surveying the possible alternative ways of improving these performances leads to the conclusion that the Warner Process is the only technology in sight that could meet a target of 90% paid-for recovery and that its development has now reached a point where it can be a fully practicable process for all mixed sulphide ores.

Jan 1, 2000

By L. Hutton, S. W. Colley

"The release of soluble salts of base metals from acid mine pits and in the waste water from metal refiners is an avoidable source local pollution and contamination. Tightening of the regulations controlling natural resource extraction and industrial wastewater discharge is mandating the removal and recovery of metals from waste streams, and the remediation of contaminated sites. There is an economic incentive in recovering the valuable copper and nickel, as the value of the recovered metal can offset remediation costs and for high flow waste streams can be a source of income. Extraction of metals from waste streams by conventional Ion Exchange and chelation resins is widely practised, but has limitations on applicability in complex and dilute feeds due to the structure and properties of polymeric resin beads. Composite Advanced Ion Exchange (AIX) materials have been developed for the recovery and purification of base metals from base metal mining and metal processing industries. A silica-composite based resin has been developed for the selective extraction of copper from high iron containing feeds. This resin can be eluted with sulfuric acid yielding a copper stream suitable for return to solvent extraction or to electrowinning. We describe the development and application of the resin and process to two acid mine drain feeds of varying copper and iron concentrations, and show that the copper concentration can be considerably upgraded even at small scale with a final metal content of >95% copper.INTRODUCTIONWaste water with high sulphate concentrations, low pH and containing complex and variable mixtures of metals is an inevitable product in the mining, extraction and metal refining industries. One problematical water source is Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) which in addition to the metals of interest also contains a wide range of contaminating elements. Purge streams from metal refining are less complex in composition but contain significant quantities of the value metals. The typical treatment of such waste streams is treatment with lime to increase the pH of the water, precipitating the dissolved metals and sulphate as a sludge of mixed metal oxides/hydroxides and sulphates. The process is effective in producing a water stream that can be safely discharged but if there are significant concentrations of value metals such as copper, nickel, zinc then there can be a considerable loss of metal value."

Jan 1, 2016

By J. B. Stubbins, R. A. Blais

Extensive geological work was initiated — and continues — when operations of the Iron Ore Co. of Canada commenced in the Labrador-New Quebec area. Such geological operations include: mapping, test pitting, drilling, underground workings, volume factor and structure tests, and the calculation of ore grades and tonnages. Details of such work are given. Development is carried sufficiently ahead of mining to provide reliable tonnage and grade estimates and allow final mine planning. In order to make full use of geology in mining operations, the pit engineer combines the duties of geologist and mining engineer. The iron deposits of the Knob Lake range are located in the central part of the Labrador peninsula, a territory nearly twice the size of Texas, which is bounded by Hudson Bay on the west, Hudson Strait on the north, the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the south. The mining district proper is about 1000 miles northeast of Toronto. A 360-mile railroad links this mining area to the port of Sept-Iles on the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Schef-ferville, which is only a few miles from the open-pit mines, is the center of operations of the Iron Ore Co. of Canada. It has a population of nearly 5000. The nearest settlement is Labrador City, some 120 miles to the south, where this company is erecting a large plant for beneficiating its huge reserves of local low-grade iron ores. HISTORY The mineral possibilities of the area were recognized as early as the end of the last century, when A.P. LOW&apos; of the Geological Survey of Canada made his famous trek across the Labrador Peninsula. After mapping several belts of iron formation, Lovr recommended that the area be thoroughly prospected for iron. In 1929, two well known Canadian geologists, J.E. Gill and U&apos;.F. James, led a private expedition in central Labrador and discovered the first deposit of high-grade iron ore near what is now the Ruth Lake Mine. In 1936 the Labrador Mining and Exploration Co. was formed to 11ake over a prospecting concession of over 20,000 sq miles in central Labrador. An adjoining concession of 3900 sq miles in New Quebec was obtained in 1942 by Hollinger Consolidated Gold Mines, which had just Purchased the Labrador Co. The same year the M.A. Hanna Co. Purchased an interest in both exploration companies. From 1942 to 1950 extensive exploration was conducted by the Hollinger-Hanna technical staff to systematically appraise these vast concessions. More than 40 deposits of high grade ore were found and, by the end of 1950, the total ore reserves reached 418 million tons. In 1949 five American steel companies joined the Hollinger-Hanna interests and formed the Iron Ore Co. of Canada. Financing and full-scale construction were decided upon in 1950. This included the construction of a 360-mile railroad through very difficult terrain, the erection of two hydroelectric plants, the installation of terminal port facilities at Sept-IIes, the building of a modern town-site at Schefferville, the construction of crushing and screening plants, and the preparation of deposits for mining. Ore was first shipped in July 1954. Total open-pit mine production to date is 66 million long tons of direct-shipping ore. GEOLOGICAL ENGINEERING The above achievements would not have been possible without irtegrated teamwork of people of diverse skills and extensive use of geology. In their paper on the role of geologists in the development of this iron ore field, (Gustafson and Moss1 rightly emphasized the difficulties facing the early workers in the area. In an uninhabited land with no roads or railroads and no navigable rivers leading to the interior, everything had to be flown in. It was not until 1948 that aerial photographs and adequate base maps became available. In spite of these and other difficulties, an impressive amount of field work has been done since 1942. Nearly all this work has been directed by geological engineers and geologists. About 15,000 :sq miles have been geologically

Jan 1, 1962

By R. I. Jaffee, F. C. Holden, H. R. Ogden

Alpha solutes increase the strengths of Ti-Mn alloys through solid-solution strengthening. The substitutional a addition, aluminum, decreases, and the interstitial solutes, carbon and nitrogen, increase the rate of nucleation and growth of a from ß. The best combinations of properties of a-ß alloys are obtained when there is a sufficient quantity of a phase in the structure to dissolve the a solutes. OF the many different titanium-base alloy systems, the predominant alloy type is the a-ß alloy. The properties of the a-ß alloys are dependent on solid-solution strengthening and heat-treatment effects involving the a-ß ratio and transformation reactions. Another variable which influences the mechanical properties of a-ß alloys is the a-stabilizer content of the alloy. An a solute may be present as an intentional addition, such as aluminum, or as an impurity element, such as carbon, oxygen, or nitrogen. It is known that these a stabilizers, when added to titanium, form single-phase alloys which are not heat treatable but which obtain their strength from solid-solution strengthening. Thus, it would be expected that a additions to a-ß alloys would increase the strength of the alloys by solid-solution strengthening of the a phase. In addition, they would affect the transformation kinetics of the ß-to-a reactions and other processes based on the instability of the ß phase. The effects of heat treatment and structure on the mechanical properties of Ti-Mn alloys have been shown in a previous paper.6 This system offers a good base to demonstrate the effects of typical a solutes on the properties of a-ß alloys. The three a solutes described in this work are aluminum, representative of a substitutional a solute, nitrogen, representative of an interstitial a solute, and carbon, representative of an interstitial compound-forming element. The effects of heat treatment and microstructure on the properties of a alloys containing these three elements are described in concurrent publications. Some of these data are used for base-line points in several of the curves used for illustration herein. Experimental Procedures Iodide titanium was used as the base for all of the alloys studied in this work. The alloys were prepared as ½ lb ingots by double arc melting in an argon atmosphere. The ingots were forged to ¾ in. rounds, vacuum annealed for 6 hr at 900°C at a pressure of 10 &apos; to 10-5 mm of Hg to remove hydrogen, and hot swaged to 1/4 in. diam rod. After me- chanical descaling, test specimens were prepared for heat treatment. The alloys used in this study together with the fabrication temperatures are given in Table I. Heat treatments were done in argon. For the most part, the specimens were sealed in Vyeor capsules under a partial pressure of argon. Quenching was accomplished by breaking the capsule under water. Other cooling methods used included oil quench, argon cool (simulated air cool in an argon atmosphere), and furnace cool. The times for the various heat-treating temperatures are given in Table 11. The tests performed on the alloys consisted of tensile tests on ? in. diam specimens, hardness tests, and microimpact tests. Specimen sizes have been adequately described in a previous publication.&apos; The micrographs presented in this paper were taken from specimens cut from the shoulders of broken tensile specimens. Final polishing was done with Linde B on a slow-speed wheel, and the specimens were etched with a 1½ HF — 3½ HNO, solution. Ti-N-Mn Alloys The transformation diagram and microstructures of the Ti-0.1 pct N-Mn alloys used in this investigation are given in Fig. 1. The effect of small nitrogen additions on the binary Ti-Mn diagram is to raise the ß-transus temperature with little effect on the a solubility of manganese. Also, as has been noted previously,&apos; high manganese-content alloys containing nitrogen, when quenched from temperatures high in the ß field, contain a subgrain boundary phase which appears to be nitrogen-rich a. Marten-site is formed when alloys containing less than about

Jan 1, 1956