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By Gary Raymond

The Similkameen Division of Newmont Mines Limited operates a low-grade open-pit copper mine in southern British Columbia. The copper mineralization is extremely erratic.As a result, over seven years of operation, ore control methods have evolved from standard flagging based on blast-hole assays, through an in-pit grab sampling system, to the present method of mining to computer-determined ore-waste boundaries based on geostatistics. These improved ore control methods have resulted in a gain of at least 25% on ore tonnage miffed, at the same grade as obtained using earlier techniques. At the same time, geostatistical ore reserve estimates are now within 7% of milled ore tonnage and grade on a yearly basis, whereas the original polygon ore reserves under-estimated mineable ore tonnage by 15% to 45% and over-estimated grade by about 20%. The author discusses why traditional ore estimation methods give poor results in erratically mineralized orebodies and describes the geostatistical approach to the problem.

Jan 1, 1979

By T. Loos

The Norddeutsche Affinerie operates an Outokumpu-Flash-Furnace as a smelting unit. The pyrometallurgical slag cleaning process is based on the slag reduction and settling in the electric furnace. Since 1972 when the slag cleaning furnace was built the throughput could be increased fourfold. However, an extensive optimisation effort is required in order to keep the copper loss low. A parameter study with a neuronal network model based on real process data was conducted to identify parameters impacting on the copper loss in the slag. It could be demonstrated that the main parameters responsible for copper loss in the final slag are fixed parameters of the flash furnace. For a better understanding of the copper loss in the electric furnace microscopic analyses of the slag structure and viscosity measurements were performed. Based on these results the reduction and settling of the copper containing droplets could be increased in both pilot plant studies and industrial scale. 4

Jan 1, 2007

By Alfred E. Pugsley

PAYMASTER CONSOLIDATED MINES, LIMITED, began an investigation into the economy and use of detachable bit drill-steel in June, 1937. This investigation has continued to the present time, and was made necessary by transportation and distribution difficulties that had arisen through the use of standard steel in three widely separated mine areas serviced by a central steel-sharpening shop. Detachable bit drill-steel performance was first studied in the workings of No. 2 mine, where the rock being drilled was composed mainly of porphyry or tourmaline, and where standard drill-steel transportation costs had been excessive. The results obtained in this early work definitely established the economy of detachable bit drill-steel at No. 2 mine. This conclusion was reached when the 're-grind' system of re-sharpening dulled detachable bits was 1n use. Preliminary observations on the performance of detachable bit drill-steel in the quartz-carbonate veins of No. S and No. 6 mines gave encouraging results, and warranted a large-scale investigation under practical mining conditions. All drilling operations were gradually changed over to use of detachable bit drill-steel. This change was completed by February, 1938.

Jan 1, 1939

By Frank Mucciardi, Zhongsen Yuan

A new heat transfer technology --- termed Thermopump technology has been developed. This technology originates from conventional heat pipe configurations but has now evolved into its own class of heat transfer units, which we refer to as `Thermopumps (TP)'. A key feature is that Thermopump technology can be applied to high temperature / high heat flux environments where conventional heat pipe technology fails. Moreover, when implemented in less demanding applications where heat pipes appear to operate, Thermopump units have been found to function more smoothly and reliably. This paper will introduce Thermopump technology and several applications of this technology in steelmaking and refining will also be discussed. In addition, this paper will focus on three classes of applications: 1) waterless, non-consumable, high efficiency Thermopump oxygen lance and/or burner for EAF's, 2) Thermopump ladle lance for the desulfurization process, and 3) Thermopump cooling panels for furnace walls and roofs. Facilities equipped with Thermopump technology are expected to he better than the current corresponding ones in terms of increasing productivity and energy efficiency while at the same time lowering operating costs.

Jan 1, 2004

By J. Jung, W. Keller, A. Zucht

"The agitator design for nickel high pressure acid leach autoclaves (HPAL) is critical with regard to the process result, i.e., the recovery rate. Further considerations during the design phase are the avoidance of acid hot spots which reduce the lifetime, due to corrosion of the wetted parts, including components manufactured from titanium. Besides the process knowledge to design HPAL autoclaves, tools such as, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) supplemented by lab testing allow the design of optimized agitation systems. This paper describes the effect that different feed point locations have on instantaneous blending of the reactants. Furthermore, experiments and CFD show where abrasion issues might occur and how to obtain information about the static and dynamic forces acting on internals. We show how simulations can be validated by lab testing to ensure that the CFD models are applied in an appropriate way.INTRODUCTIONAgitated systems in hydrometallurgical processes have to comply with multiple process tasks and in many cases have to withstand extreme operation conditions such as pressure up to 50 bar, elevated temperatures of up to 250°C and exposure to very acidic or alkaline environments and abrasive ores. The process tasks range from instantaneous mixing of reactants, homogeneous suspensions of up to 65% wt. solids with coarse and heavy particles, enhancing the solid-liquid mass transfer for leaching, dispersing large volumes of reactants (gas-liquid, liquid-liquid mass transfer) and moreover to transport generated heat e.g., from exothermic reactions through the vessel walls or internal heat exchangers if required. For economies of scale, agitator systems have reached sizes of 5000 m³ for large open leach tanks with impeller diameters of approx. 6 m, while autoclaves nowadays have exceeded 5.5 meters in diameter with a power demand for a single compartment drive between 300 - 400 kW. In parallel all process industries require a more efficient use of resources, to generate less by-products and higher yields, while ore-bodies tend to be less qualitative and new process routes (e.g. direct leach) are developed. Besides all these facts the mixing solution must be robust and economic. In this paper we want to address our approach in the development and designing of HPAL agitation equipment."

Jan 1, 2012

By A. J. Petrina

"At Craigmont Mines Limited, Merritt, B.C., tests were begun in March, 1965 to evaluate the use of shotcrete as a method of ground support m development headings; previously, ail drifts had. required support, which was accomplished mainly by timber and occasionally by the use of rockbolts. The tests demonstrated conclusively the effectiveness of shotcrete for supporting Craigmont's ground. Gradually, the use of timber for ground support was virtually eliminated in favour of shotcrete. This paper describes the equipment used, the operation of the equipment, pertinent cast data and opera ting details. Also discussed are other uses developed for the shot-creting equipment, the use of reinforcing bar rockbolts, and a method used at Craigmont for lining long vertical ore passes with steel plate and concrete as part of the raising cycle."

Jan 1, 1968

By A. S. H. Kabir, I-H. Jung, J. Su, Yue. S., M. Sanjari

One of the major problems associated with conventional wrought magnesium alloys is the unwanted basal texture that forms during plastic deformation which generally does not change markedly after post-deformation annealing. Formation of precipitates on the recrystallized grain boundaries during annealing may affect the usual rotation of grains towards preferred basal direction resulting in texture weakening. In this study, Mg-Al-Sn alloy was hot compressed at 250°C and annealed at 350°C for various times. The initial as-deformed microstructure was partially dynamic recrystallized with dynamic precipitates on the grain boundaries. After annealing at 350°C, static recrystallization of the bimodal microstructure took place where at this temperature no static precipitates formed. The goal of this work was to study the effect of dynamic precipitation on the texture evolution during the annealing process. Texture evolution was studied during annealing by electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) technique through a microstructure tracking process. It was found that precipitates on the recrystallized grain boundaries have significant effect on the usual rotation of the grains towards the basal direction, meaning significant texture weakening, which is beneficial for final mechanical properties.

Jan 1, 2015

By D. M. Maijer, S. M. Mohseni, A. B. Phillion

The microstructure evolution kinetics of aluminum alloy B206 during artificial aging has been investigated using non-isothermal calorimetry. A combination of differential-scanning calorimetry (DSC) and tensile tests have been utilized to develop an Avrami model to predict the precipitation kinetics as a function of the thermal processing parameters. The Avrami coefficients, found based on a Kissinger analysis, compare well against those reported in the literature for aluminum-copper alloys. The rapid precipitation kinetics predicted by the Avrami model at temperatures higher than 200°C were assessed through a qualitative comparison against hardness measurement results. In contrast to the continuous hardening observed at 150°C, the material softens with continuing heat treatment at 250°C resulting in an overaged state. This can be attributed to the rapid precipitation kinetics at this temperature, leading to the termination of the precipitation-hardening effects at early stages of artificial aging.

Jan 1, 2015

By Ainul Akhtar, Steve Cockcroft, Jixiang Xu, Daan Maijer, Lu Yao

"Nitrogen rich Ti-N inclusions are one of the more difficult inclusions to remove during liquid metal refining of titanium. If present in the final component, they can significantly decrease the mechanical performance of titanium and its alloys in applications involving cyclic loading. Understanding the kinetics of dissolution of Ti-N particles during consolidation/melting of titanium can help us better operate and design the melting processes to minimize their occurrence in Premium Quality Titanium production. A numerical model based on finite difference method has been developed to calculate the dissolution of a spherical Ti-N particles in molten titanium. Analytical solutions were used to verify the finite difference code for calculation of concentration profile and the dissolution of spherical solids. Taking into account the limitations in these approaches for the different cases examined, the invariant field approximation showed good agreement with the results from the numerical analysis. Evolution of the size of a spherical Ti-N particle during dissolution was predicted by the numerical model and the particle dissolves in 163 s.INTRODUCTION Properties like low density, high specific strength and excellent corrosion resistance make titanium attractive for a variety of applications. Key characteristics in the processing of titanium and its alloys include its high sensitivity to impurities, especially atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen and its high reactivity in the molten state. Nitrogen rich inclusions Ti-N, also known as Type ? or hard alpha defects, usually have substantially higher hardness and lower ductility than the surrounding material. Because they can act as fatigue initiation sites, Ti-N inclusions can significantly decrease the mechanical performance of titanium and its alloys in applications involving cyclic loading, even in minor amounts (tenth of a percent) (Lampman, 1990; Moiseyev, 2005; Lütjering & Williams, 2007). Ti-N encompasses as a broad range of nitrogen contents from a few wt% up to stoichiometric TiN. The liquidus temperature of Ti-N titanium increases substantially with increasing nitrogen content. Consequently, depending on the concentration of nitrogen, the melting point of Ti-N inclusions can be above bulk liquid metal temperatures during melt processing. Thus, removal of Ti-N defects hinges on dissolution and not melting."

Jan 1, 2017

By E. D. Kindle

"The Duthie mine is on the southwest slope of Hudson Bay mountain 7 1/2 miles west of Smithers, British Columbia. A good motor road about 15 miles long connects the mine with the Canadian National railway at Smithers. The principal workings are on the Henderson group of claims between elevations of 3,200 and 4,000 feet above sea-level. Silver, lead, and zinc were produced from this mine between 1924 and 1930.Three adit drifts known as the Compressor, McPherson, and Thompson levels were driven along the Henderson vein-lode in 1922, and the following year the operating company, known as Duthie Mines, Limited, shipped some high-grade silver-lead-zinc ore. Further shipments of high-grade, handsorted ore were made in 1926, and in 1927 a modern flotation-type mill was built, having a capacity of 50 tons of ore a day. Mining operations were suspended in March 1930."

Jan 1, 1954

By Z. Ren, M. Tomlinson, E. Asselin

"Organic carbon blinding is a common, yet often partial, solution to the reduction of preg-robbing. A quantitative method to assess the extent of adsorption of a given blinding agent is presented herein. The adsorption of several blinding reagents on various carbon samples is quantified using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). EIS results showed that kerosene is more strongly adsorbed on carbon than sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), while SLS can hinder the charge transfer process of the oxygen reduction reaction on the carbon surface more effectively. The effectiveness of SLS is pronounced when its concentration is higher than 100 ppm. Raman spectra are presented for selected carbon samples: as the area ratio of the disordered peak to the graphitic peak increases, blinding agent adsorption increases.INTRODUCTION The presence of naturally occurring constituents in gold ores may adversely affect the extraction of gold in cyanide leaching since the gold cyanide complex, Au(CN)2–, can be adsorbed by these constituents (M. Adams & Fleming, 1989; Afenya, 1991; Miller, Wan, & Díaz, 2005). Such ores are known as “preg-robbing”. Preg-robbing behavior may arise from natural carbonaceous materials in the ore (M. Adams & Burger, 1998). In the past decades, a number of pre-treating methods have been developed for refractory carbonaceous ores (Arriagada & Osseo-Asare, 1984; Beer, 1994; Dunne et al., 2007; Jiang, Liu, Xiao, & Yang, 2012; Kohr, 1997; Kulpa & Brierley, 1993; Menne, 1992; Menne & Revy, 1994; Moyes & Houllis, 2010; Petrie, Craw, & Ryan, 2005; Simmons, 1996). The method known as blinding is one of the most effective and economical pre-treatment methods (M. D. Adams & Burger, 1998; Albert, 1923; Darrow, 1924; McQuiston & Shoemaker, 1975; Van den Berg, 2000). Blinding, also referred to as blanking or passivation, uses a chemical reagent to passivate the preg-robbing carbon by selective absorption or wetting (Bas, Altinkaya, Yazici, & Deveci, 2012; Brierley & Kulpa Jr, 1993; Dunne et al., 2012; Van den Berg, 2000; Yang, Qian, Song, & Dong, 2013; Yen, Amankwah, & Choi, 2008; Zhou, Jiang, & Choi, 2014). Organic reagents, which selectively adsorb on the surfaces of activated carbon and “smother” the surface, have been used for blinding carbonaceous matter in gold ores prior to cyanidation. Two comprehensive studies by Abotsi and Osseo-Asare and Adams and Burger have been published on this topic (Abotsi & Osseo-Asare, 1986; M. D. Adams & Burger, 1998)."

Jan 1, 2017

By John G. McCamis

The Maritimes Carboniferous Basin is the largest intermontane basin in the Appalachian Mountain System, occupying a total area of 57,200 square miles and containing up to 30,000 feet of late Devonian through Permian .sediments. Deposition began with continental elastics in late Devonian and early Mississippian. Marine deposition is represented by a limestone-evaporite sequence of late Mississippian age. Pennsylvanian and Permian continental rocks deposited largely in flood-plain and swamp environments complete the succession. Marine seismic data disclose several varieties of structure, both halokinetic and tectonic in origin. Recent exploratory drilling in the offshore part of the Basin encountered good reservoir rocks in the Riversdale sandstones, which also provided encouraging shows. The most likely source rocks of hydro~ arbons in the Maritimes Basin are shales in the Horton and Riversdale groups. Potential recoverable reserves of the Maritimes Basin are estimated to be 400 million barrels of oil or 7.8 trillion cubic feet of gas, based on the volume-of-sediment method of calculation.

Jan 1, 1973

By D. Ofstie, B. Kargutkar

BIM, or Building Information Modeling, is transforming the way metallurgical facilities are built, operated and maintained. BIM provides a digital representation of the facility, complete with all physical and functional characteristics - enabling collaborative planning, concurrent design, construction simulation, sustainable operations and predictive maintenance through a connected information model. Building on experience gained in other industries, Hatch is aggressively applying the BIM process to the mining & minerals processing industry to address inefficiencies inherent in traditional document-based information management. Intelligent 3D models support real-time quantity forecasting and cost trending by commodity type and construction work package. By linking procurement and schedule data, material availability and constructability reviews are visualized to verify construction critical path, ensure work front safety and minimize craft downtime. The BIM digital information model connects engineering, construction, commissioning and vendor data, aiding timely asset-centric handover to plant operating and maintenance systems.

Jan 1, 2015

By A. Ghahreman, M. Oliazadeh

"Heap leaching is an attractive process for low grade deposits where the metal content of ore does not justify the high cost of milling and agitated leaching. In general, the heap leaching capital cost is low, construction is rapid, and production costs are low. The primary disadvantage of heap leaching is low recoveries (typically 65% of agitated leach recovery); thus, recovery improvements could convert more lower-grade deposits into minable reserves. This will also allow to process primary sulfide ores and result in a dramatic expansion of the technology, as ~80% of total ore types are sulfidic in nature. The old gold operations tailings are another massive source of low-grade gold material that can be retreated by the heap leach process. The major parameters affecting the recovery rates are ore characteristics (mineralogy, particles size of metal and host minerals, ore permeability), and operational conditions (segregation of ore, compaction, leach cycle time, lift height, and solution application rates). The design of a percolation leach process is based on a limited number of coarse ore bottle roll and/or column tests under ideal conditions. The economics of the projects and engineering design of the process facilities are developed based on the bench scale test work results and the application of the conventional engineering scale up factors. This paper will deal with the parameters affecting the HL efficiencies and focus on the potential improvement of gold heap leach recoveries. This would include design of heap leach operation and evaluation of processes such as fine crushing and bioleaching.INTRODUCTION Gold heap leaching is a hydrometallurgical process designed to treat amenable low-grade gold ores that contain typically 0.5 to 1.5 g/t gold (Marsden and House, 2006; Wong Wai Leong and Mujumdar, 2010). Ore is stacked by various types of equipment on an impermeable barrier, and a sodium cyanide solution is applied to the surface of the stacked ore. Gold, silver, and other metals contained in the ore are dissolved to various degrees by the cyanide application, as it percolates downward through the stack of the ore. The pregnant leach solution (PLS) is then collected at the bottom of the heap. The PLS is then sent to the gold recovery plant where the metals are extracted. The barren leach solution (BLS) is then reapplied to the top of the pad. Ore is placed on a pad or previously leached lift by various means, including ramp conveyor belts, radial-arm and self-leveling stackers, and trucks. Once trucks are used to construct the pads, the pad can be compacted and hence the pad should be graded and ripped or scarified (roughened up) with wheeled or tracked equipment to produce shallow cuts to increase surface area exposure to the leachate."

Jan 1, 2019

By G. T. Lapidus, A. Garcés, O. J. Restrepo

"Colombian nickel laterites have historically been processed by pyrometallurgy. However, due to the depletion in ore grades, alternative processes are required. Hydrometallurgical processes, such as pressure acid leaching, have been proposed as alternatives to extract nickel from deposits with suitable characteristics. Such a leaching process requires high concentrations of acid to achieve acceptable extractions, and is not selective. In this study, an alternative aqueous alkaline glycine system has been employed to evaluate the leaching behaviour of a Colombian nickel laterite which contains 1.15% Ni, 0.12% Co and 41.1% Fe. Additionally, the effect of the addition of chloride ions, the use of a reducing agent and the application of a pre-treatment to improve the extraction of nickel were evaluated. Extractions of 4.63% Ni, 42.16% Co and 0.33% Fe were obtained using a 1M solution of glycine at pH 9. In addition, an increase in nickel extraction from 4.63% to 25.68% was achieved by applying a pre-treatment to the sample. The results show that even though nickel dissolution was much slower than in acid leaching, it was selective over other metals such as iron, proving the proposed method to have potential as a process for the extraction of nickel from Colombian laterites.INTRODUCTION Before 2010, most of the industrial operations used pyrometallurgical processes for the extraction of nickel, mainly in saprolitic regions of deposits, with greater contents of the metal. Nevertheless, due to the gradual depletion of such deposits, different hydrometallurgical processes have been studied as alternatives to process those nickel laterites with low grade and those which present problems of refractoriness due to the presence of acid consuming materials (McDonald & Whittington, 2008; Oxley & Barcza, 2013; Wang et al., 2012). However, such leaching processes require high concentrations of acid to achieve acceptable extractions and they are not selective. Facing lateritic nickel ore deposits containing high levels of acid consuming materials, an alkaline leaching medium becomes an advantageous alternative over acidic media, due to the increase in selectivity and decreased corrosiveness and reagent consumption (Tanda, Eksteen, & Oraby, 2017). Unlike conventional acidic reagents used for metal recovery, alkaline reagents can selectively dissolve the desired metal, leaving in the solid residue other elements such as iron, magnesium and aluminum, which are problematic in subsequent stages of metals separation and recovery. Furthermore, there are no serious corrosion problems associated with alkaline leaching, even at higher reagent concentrations, or at elevated temperature and pressure (Ntumba Malenga, Mulaba-Bafubiandi, & Nheta, 2015)."

Jan 1, 2017

By H. G. Harper, R. C. Hart

"The Mississagi quartzite is the basal formation of the Quirke Lake trough. As it is traced around the rim, a gradual change in dip is observed, as follows:Northwest corner 50 degrees south.Algom Quirke mine 34 degrees south.Quirke Lake 25 degrees south.Whiskey Lake 22 degrees west.Pecors Lake 25 degrees north.Algom Nordic mine 18 degrees north.Elliot Lake 11 degrees north.Pistol Lake 5-7 degrees west.Thus the apparent synclinal axis is a curving east-west line lying closer to the north limb than to the south. The axis appears to plunge west at about 5 degrees.The Huronian sediments lie on a basement of granites, gabbros, and volcanics. Diamond drill evidence indicates that this basement has a surface of peneplanation, and that the areas of soft basic rock have a smoother topography than the granite. For the most part the orebodies at the Quirke and Nordic mines overlie a basement of soft basic rock.The Mississagi formation is the host rock of the deposits, and its primary structures are suggestive of the conditions under which the conglomerate beds were deposited. Cross-bedding is common, although normal bedding varies from thick to thin to essentially lacking. Grain gradation is not common. Where coarse and fine grains occur together, the coarse tend to be more rounded than the fine. These features are characteristic of shallow-water deposits, laid down above the lower limit of wave action. Therefore, the quartz-pebble conglomerates probably represent ancient water courses, bays, beaches, and bars.The causes governing the creation of the trough can only be conjectured, but there is evidence that both subsidence and compressive stresses played active roles. Drag-folds in argillite beds near Whiskey Lake indicate compressive stress. On the other hand, gentle crumpling in thin-bedded limestones on Quirke Lake is probably due to pre-induration slumping and folding. If strong compression had been widespread within the trough, one would expect drag-folding and shearing of the incompetent beds to be more general. Two large-scale, fold-like structures were mapped by Collins, but their axes do not parallel the trough axis, and they are therefore not related to the major structure."

Jan 1, 1949

By R. S. Boorman, H. G. Ansell

"Poor separation of lead from a copper concentrate of a major base metal producer was thought to have resulted from copper (0.2-0.4%) in the galena which caused it to float with chalcopyrite. No inclusions of copper mineral were detected which could account for the flotation of galena. The tendency for copper-bearing galena to float with chalcopyrite was confirmed by Hallimond-tube experiments in which the floatability of copper-doped synthetic galena (0.1-0.4% Cu) was approximately four times as high as copper-free galena. The difference in the cell edge (5.9338 ± 0.0003 A, Cudoped galena; 5.9361 ± 0.0002 A, Cu-free galena) indicated that the copper was lattice-bound and did not occur as submicroscopic mineral inclusions."

Jan 1, 1973

By I. A. Kovalevska

Considered problems: elaboration and implementation of resource-saving technologies, low-cost support systems improvement, openings security and support, based on wallrock condition control with supreme implication into the rock pressure occurrence counteraction work. Results of analytic and underground investigations using computer simulation of the finite elements in order to calculate stressstrain state of the multivariable geomechanical systems are presented. Solutions of concrete objectives are found using spatial geomechanical model of solid motion around openings, considering real geomechanical parameters formation of support forms with proper conditions of their contact and real mechanical characteristics. Ultimate solutions of resource-saving technologies implementation based on the analysis of multivariate vertical, horizontal, and reduced stresses components calculation and also near-contour rock, support bearing components and security constructions movements are found. Results of experimental investigations of combined supports and security constructions, which increase openings' stability in difficult conditions of flat coal seams are presented.

Aug 1, 2013

By J. A. Beesley

This paper reviews contemporary international law concerning the seabed, current developments in the United Nations on the seabed, and the main outstanding problems. It emphasizes the importance that the Canadian government attaches to this area.

Jan 1, 1969

"Some of the tools developed for the processing of nickel laterite ore by resin-in-pulp (RIP) may be applicable to the remediation of metalliferous mine drainage (MMD). In both cases, recovery of metal value and production of a stable waste stream appropriate for long term storage is desired. MMD typically has the additional challenge of management of toxic low-value metals. Seen in this light, innovations in RIP reactor configuration, selective elution strategies and novel synthetic ion exchange resins become useful tools for taking on the MMD challenge in a way that maximizes both environmental and economic benefit. INTRODUCTIONAcid mine drainage (AMD) is a common problem in any country with significant past mining activity. When sulphide containing minerals, tailings or slag are exposed to water, oxygen and sulphur oxidizing bacteria, AMD will result. Abundant and reactive iron sulphide minerals leach first, providing acidity and the ferrous/ferric couple that can enhance the oxidation kinetics of other minerals. If this runoff contacts encounters acid consuming carbonates or silicates, the acidity may be neutralized, but certain heavy metals remain in solution and can continue to be an environmental hazard (Gray, 1997). For this reason, the remainder of this paper will refer to the broader term metalliferous mine drainage (MMD) rather than acid mine drainage. In either case, such drainage, containing high heavy metal concentrations and often significant acidity, is toxic to aquatic life and can lead to significant damage to ecosystems and to public watercourses. MMD is a problem most commonly associated with now defunct sulphide mineral mines, but similarly toxic streams can result from many types of waste, such as poorly stabilized leach tailings, slag heaps, and coal flotation tailings (Johnson and Hallberg, 2005; Lee et al., 2002; Sainz et al., 2002; Schüring et al., 1997). In any case, the management and remediation of MMD is an important ongoing problem for the resource industry, particularly for the many mines in Canada closed before the advent of more stringent environmental standards. MMD remediation represents a significant long term expense for the resource industry. Multi-disciplinary efforts to understand and mitigate this problem range from creation of artificial wetlands (Poulin and Lawrence, 1996; Sheoran and Sheoran, 2006) to sophisticated biochemical reactors and precipitation processes (Hatami, 2010). Certain remediation technologies such as ion exchange offer methods to make a saleable product by recovering valuable dissolved metals. This paper will show how these technologies can help defray the cost of remediation, and offer potential to turn a dangerous waste stream into a useful product."

Jan 1, 2012