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By Schwartz M.

Madagascar's democratic election has led to a return to its position as a preferred trade partner with the USA and a priority market with Canada. Michael Schwartz takes a look at two key mining projects in this recently reinvigorated country

Feb 1, 2015

By J. P. Rees

Describes methods of dust-sampling such as weighing the dust caught on cotton-wool, the sugar tube, konimeter, circular konimeter and the thermal precipitator. Covers the work of mine dust inspectors, the Miners' Phthisis Prevention Committee and the Chamber of Mines Dust Department.

Jan 1, 1947

By B. H. Smith

"Most of the discoveries of nickel sulphide deposits in Western Australia have followed the search for gossans. The chances of further discoveries depend on improving our understanding of the cover of strongly leached and transported materials that obscure approximately 85% of the area of the Yilgarn Block that has nickel sulphide mineralization potential. The lateritic profiles that are observed on the Yilgarn Block today were formed over a period of more than 100 m.y. of warm and humid climates. This lateritized land surface has been preserved by induration during subsequent arid climates as well as by the structural stability of the Yilgarn Block.In geochemical surveys of lateritied terrain samples have to be taken from at least the saprolite zone usually by drilling so that confident predictions can be made of the significance of analytical data. Account must be taken of the mineralogy of samples, as well as the nature of the horizon of a laterite profile that is being sampled, owing to the concentrating effects on trace elements of Fe and Mn oxides.Multivariate techniques have been applied successfully to analytical data in gossan recognition when textural evidence is ambiguous. Pathfinder geochemistry has also been used in gossan recognition and the most significant recent advance has come from studies of platinum group metals in nickel sulphides and their dispersion during weathering."

Jan 1, 1984

Jan 1, 1947

By C. E. Dunn

Paper presented at the 28th International Geological Congress held in Washington DC, July 1989 (International geochemical mapping sessions). Evidence is accumulating that reconnaissance-level biogeochemical sampling can provide valuable insight into the chemistry of the substrate. Problems such as seasonal variations in plant chemistry and the lack of a universal biogeochemical sample medium may be circumvented by adopting normalising procedures. The planet can be divided into a few climatic zones, each of which is characterised by one or two common plant genera. If it can be demonstrated that the chemical differences between certain species of a single genus are small - as is suggested by studies of boreal forests - it would seem feasible to apply biogeochemistry as a low-density geochemical mapping tool. The technique could prove particularly useful for assessing the substrate chemistry of areas of dense forest, rugged terrain and difficult access by employing airborne sampling of trees from helicopters

Jul 1, 1991

By P. Danson, D. A. White, S. Bashir

Composite ion exchange materials made of SnO2, TiO2 and MnO2 can be used to remove radioactive contaminants from nuclear waste streams. In several cases their selectivity and capacity are enhanced by mixing hydrous silica into the matrix. MnO2-SiO2 materials are especially useful for a number of reasons, such as their selection of heavy elements over caesium. Distribution constants and determinations of exchange capacities show that in many instances the properties of the composites are better than those of the oxides alone, while the presence of a chelating agent has been found to reduce the uptake of nuclides considerably. Methods are being developed for the bulk manufacture of the materials. Further work on sorption mechanisms is required to explain anomalous results, particularly the variation in exchange capacity for different elements and the ability of the oxides to sorb colloidal material in alkaline solution.

Jan 8, 1992

By R. P. Foster, ed.

The short selection of papers in the special issue provides an insight into the level of exploration activity in Africa and the science and technology that are underpinning it. A country-by-country survey is followed by discussion of geochemical exploration in tropical soils, the Liptako region of Niger, structural styles of deposits in Zimbabwe's Bulawayo-Bubi greenstone belt, structural controls in Zimbabwe's Eldorado shear zone, the regional framework for deposits in the Odzi-Mutare-Manica greenstone belt of Zimbabwe and Mozambique, and the Iperindo deposit in Nigeria's Ilesha schist belt

Apr 1, 1996

By G. Mellgren, O. Mellgren

The conductivity of a solution is often used industrially to control the salt concentrations of reacting systems, normally using electrodes made of glass fitted with platinised platinum electrodes. When a standard platinum conductivity electrode was used to control the acid fed to the leaching circuit for an ilmenite flotation concentrate at Titania, Norway, a deposit of calcium sulphate (containing some calcium phosphate) covered both the platinum electrode and the external glass fitting, rendering the electrode inefficient in the course of a few minutes. A new electrode consisting of a casing, two measuring tubes and an electrode stem is described and illustrated. A significant advantage of its design is that the useful range of conductivity measurement can be adjusted by adjusting the concentration of the electrolyte in the electrode. It has been in use at Titania for about four years with an electrolyte consisting of 0-1 n HCI. It is robust and demands little maintenance.

Dec 1, 1971

By Mohammed Ali Shah, Martin Waller

The mining industry depends to a large extent on the availability of high performance equipment. For drilling this means a requirement for well engineered, reliable machines with mechanised handling and widespread utilisation of automatic control. Such machines enable performance optimisation of drilling operations and integration into a high productivity mining system. A review is presented of the current status of drilling technology as applied to the mining and minerals industry. This covers developments in: drill bit materials and design; drilling techniques; machine design; mechanisation; automation; and drilling control. It also covers the ways in which current and future mining methods and practices will influence the applications and demands placed on drilling activities. The probable impact of current research on the industry is discussed.

Jan 12, 1992

Jan 1, 1947

By J. A. Franklin, E. Broch, G. Walton

To make the best use of rock core, the mechanical character of the rock should be evaluated concurrently with conventional geological observations. The advent of simple techniques, such as the point load 'nutcracker' test, makes field logging of mechanical properties competitive with sampling and testing in the laboratory

Dec 1, 1971

By K. M. Kinealy, A. R. Ramsden, D. H. French

A negative correlation exists between sphalerite composition and gold content when gold is transported as Au(HS)2(-); however, there are spatial and temporal differences within a single deposit. A previous model for the formation of volcanogenic massive-sulphide deposits within thermally intensifying and waning hydrothermal sytems in much the same way as is observed around modern sea-floor vents is supported. The results also emphasise that recognition of the mechanisms of gold transport in ancient deposits depends critically on an understanding of their mineralogy and stratigraphy

Jan 1, 1991

By R. G. Jones

At its peak in the 1970s, South Africa was responsible for around 80% of global gold production and, according to the US Geological Survey, it still has the largest share of gold reserves - as well as 90% of the world's platinum. But, in January 2015, gold production reached a new monthly low, generating 87% less than it did in January 1980, and South Africa is now the world's sixth ranked gold producer. What next for African gold?

Jun 1, 2015

By M. Schwartz

Hosting copper, gold, oil and liquefied natural gas, the country is an interesting target for miners. However, remote locations in inhospitable, unusual and difficult terrain cause problems. The government has worked to create a Sovereign Wealth Fund to manage government surpluses from minerals and energy but PNG scores very low among many criteria, including land dispute resolution, as revealed by the 2014 Canadian Fraser Institute in its survey of senior mining personnel.

May 1, 2015

It was intended to show a film on Dust Suppression in the South Wales Coal-mines. Unfortunately, owing to a breakdown, only a small portion of the film was shown.

Jan 1, 1947

Jan 1, 1947

By P. Beauvais

Philip Beauvais, from the Met Office's International Mining and Agriculture Department, explains the need to understand the impact of the weather and climate when developing future mine sites.

Mar 1, 2015

Jan 1, 1984

By G. R. Chaudhury

Many base metals, such as copper, lead and zinc, are commercially extracted by thermal processing of sulphide concentrates. However, owing to the depletion of high grade sulphide ore reserves and to environmental legislation, efforts have been in progress for some years to develop methods for the extraction of metals from lower-grade oxide ores and secondary resources, and there are now examples of commercial-scale operations.

Dec 1, 1995

By Black J.

Further discussion at the Mining Institute of Scotland's general meeting held in Edinburgh, 12 February 1916, with D.W. Mowat, president, in the chair, of a paper published in Trans. Inst. Min. Engrs., 1915, vol. L, p.449 included written contributions by Dron R.W., Riddell W., Hamilton J. and Mowat D.W.

Dec 1, 1916