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By Peter R. Sanford

Cyanides are present as a dilute constituent of streams from a variety of metallurgical and mineral-processing operations. In addition, a cyanide concentration in excess of approximately 100ppb is toxic to aquatic life, and consequently these operations require a waste-treatment process to reduce the already dilute cyanide species by several orders of magnitude. Furthermore, the waste streams may have flowrates in excess of a million gallons per day. The paper reports on research conducted with a laboratory?scale electrochemical porous (graphite felt) electrode (anode) flow-reactor, which was conducted in conjunction with a computer-aided simulation of a mathematical model describing the intrinsic rate-phenomena associate with the electrode processes. The laboratory-scale cell, of rectilinear geometry, was found to be capable of reducing a feed-stream anolyte (KCN-KOH and supporting electrolyte of a single salt ? K2SO4) with a cyanide concentration of 10ppm, to less than 100ppb, at current efficiencies in the neighborhood of 50%. The computer simulation of the cell performance based on the mathematical model (and constraints imposed for tractability) was found to provide only for qualitative agreement.

Jan 1, 1998

By Robert Roggenthen

In 1994, ASARCO's Mission Complex Mine Planning Department designed a new stripping schedule to take advantage of reserve opportunities. Based upon the new stripping design, overburden removal exceeded available hauling capacity. This increased hauling capacity requirement required that ASARCO consider alternative technologies for material transport. In 1997, ASARCO Mission Complex completed the purchase and installation of a 3.5 km, 8,600-tph conveyor system to transport waste material. The conveyor system is composed of two apron feeder/sizer units manufactured by Mining Machine Development LTD. and a conveyor system manufactured by Krupp-Robbins. This paper will review the option of truck haulage versus conveyor transport for overburden removal by (1) describing engineering studies contributing to the solution, (2) researching proactive options to create alternative management decisions, and (3) revealing final results of the project.

Jan 1, 1998

By K. L. Azinger

Successful relationships between mining companies and local stakeholders are now an essential part of the social contract of “doing business” (Prescott, 1995). The methodology presented in this paper is designed to assist mining companies in understanding and building relationships with diverse stakeholder groups. The methodology starts by recognizing that mining projects have a natural life cycle which can be used to identify when new external affairs strategies are required. In designing an external affairs strategy, the first step is to set objectives that are compatible with the overall objectives of the mining project. The management team then identifies the main stakeholder groups and seeks to understand the priorities and inter-relationships of the individual stakeholders. The result of this stakeholder analysis is an understanding of the Degrees of Influence of each of the stakeholder groups along with a relationship map which illustrates the strong interactions between stakeholders. The company is then prepared to take a proactive approach to building relationships with the primary stakeholders. This methodology was developed by BHP to assist with the federal government environmental approval process for the development of Canada’s first diamond mine. BHP has successfully used the methodology in three different phases of the NWT Diamonds Project and is now applying the methodology to mining and development projects around the world.

Jan 1, 1998

By J. A. Chermak, D. D. Runnells

Sulfide-bearing waste rock, ore and tailings have the potential for generating acid rock drainage (ARD) when exposed to an oxidizing environment. The possibility exists of utilizing the acid produced to react with lime and/or limestone to form a self-sealing cap on the reactive waste rock and tailings. Laboratory column experiments were conducted using acid-generating waste rock with a surface amendment of limestone and/or lime. Artificial rainwater was introduced and allowed to drain through the columns. Results demonstrated that the limestone and lime reacted with the acidic rock, resulting in the precipitation of a hardpan layer of gypsum and amorphous iron oxyhydroxide at the surface. The hardpan layer significantly reduced the effective permeability of the column. Based on the results of this study, it should be possible to create hardpan layers as chemical caps to significantly reduce the infiltration of rainwater and snowmelt into acidic waste rock or tailings material in the field. Unlike traditional capping methods, e.g., clay and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) covers, chemical caps should be self-healing.

Jan 1, 1998

By J. B. Hiskey, P. H. Qi

Activated carbon loaded with gold from different halide solutions was characterized by thermal analysis (TA) techniques. The mechanism of gold uptake by carbon varies from predominately adsorption for gold iodide to predominately reduction for gold chloride. Thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) measurements confirm the existence of adsorbed gold-halide species within the micropore structure of carbon. These results suggest that the ratio of reduced to adsorbed gold increases for gold halides in the following order: Au-I < Au-Br < Au-Cl. In the case of Au-I, TA results for the loaded carbon were compared with pure compounds of 12, Aul and Aul3.

Jan 1, 1998

By J. A. Brierley, R. Y. Wan

Newmont Gold has advantageously used the capabilities of mineral oxidizing bacteria to develop a process for the pretreatment of low-grade sulfidic and carbonaceous-sulfidic refractory gold ores. The biooxidation process results in the oxidation of the sulfidic minerals with increased exposure of gold for subsequent gold recovery. The biooxidized carbonaceous-sulfidic ores cannot be heap leached with cyanide because of the preg-robbing characteristics of the carbonaceous matter in the ores. Therefore, an alternative heapleach process using ammonium thiosulfate was developed to extract gold from these preg-robbing biooxidized ores. The ammonium thiosulfate leach process was successfully applied in both laboratory and pilot plant tests. Satisfactory test results were achieved, encouraging the continuation of process development.

Jan 1, 1998

By Charles I. Richman

Aquispirillum magnetotacticum (AM) is gram-negative hetrotrophic bacteria that belongs to a class ,of magnetotactic bacteria that have an ecological niche in marine marches and fresh water swamp sediments. Thiobacillus Ferrooxidans (TF) is a Gram-negative, acidophillic chemoliths that may have similar chemical conditions within the cytoplasmic membrane as Aquaspirillum M. to support growth of Magnetosomes. Magnetosomes are cellular bodies that accumulate under slightly aerobic conditions. Magnetotactic motion occurs in an external magnetic field and depends on the medium viscosity. The Atomic Force Microscope equipped with a magnetic tip shows the presence of Magnetosomes in these bacteria strains. The size, shape of magnetosomes in AM and TF strains are characterized.

Jan 1, 1998

By Coombes J, Richards W. L

The objective of this paper is to illustrate, in a practical way, how both geologists and mining engineers can use conditional simulation to add value to their decisions. Inherent assumptions, requirements and essential components of condition

Jan 1, 1998

Isometric strength is defined as the capacity to produce force or torque with a voluntary isometric (muscle[s] maintain[s] a constant length) contraction. The key thing to understand about this type of contraction and strength measurement is that no body movement occurs during the measurement period. The tested person&apos;s body angles and posture remain the same throughout the test. Isometric strength has historically been the type most studied and measured. It is probably the easiest to measure and to understand. Some strength researchers feel that isometric strength data may be difficult to apply to some "real life" situations because in most real circumstances people are moving - they are not static. Other researchers counter that it is equally difficult to determine the speed of movement of a person or group of persons doing a job (each moves in his or her unique manner and speed across the links and joints of the body). Thus, dynamic strength test data collected on persons moving at a different speed and/or in a different posture from the "real world" condition will be just as hard to apply. In truth, neither is better - they are different measurements. Both researchers and users should collect and use data that they understand and that fits their application. Workplace Assessment When a worker is called on to perform a physically demanding lifting task, the external load produces moments - tendencies to produce motion, also called torques - about various joints of the body.(1) Often these moments are augmented by the force of gravity acting on the mass of various body segments. For example, in a biceps curl exercise, the moment produced by the forearm flexors must counteract the moment of the weight held in the hands as well as the moment caused by gravity acting on the forearm&apos;s center of mass. To perform the task successfully, the muscles responsible for moving the joint must develop a greater moment than the combined moments of the external load and body segment. It should be clear that, at each joint of the body, there is a limit to the strength that the muscle can produce to move ever-increasing external loads. This concept forms the basis of isometric muscle strength prediction modeling.(1) The following procedures are generally used with this biomechanical analysis technique. First, workers are observed (and usually photographed or video-taped) as they perform physically demanding tasks. For each task the posture of the torso and the extremities are documented at the time of peak exertion. The postures are then re-created using a computerized software package, which calculates the load moments produced at various joints of the body as the task is performed. The values obtained during this analysis are then compared to population norms for isometric strength obtained from a population of industrial workers. In this manner, the model estimates the proportion of the population

Jan 1, 1998

By Józef Czemecki

Polish copper concentrates are characterized by high levels of impurities, particularly Pb and As. Two technologies are being used for copper concentrate smelting at KGHM Polska Meidz S.A., namely the shaft furnace process (Legnica Copper Smelter, Glogów I Copper Smelter) and a single-stage process for direct to blister concentrate smelting in a flash furnace (Glogów II Copper Smelter). Both technologies are used at different physical and chemical conditions which results, in different impurities behavior. The paper presents flow sheets for copper production in a plant using the shaft furnace process and in another in which a single stage flash process is used. The metals distribution in particular semi-products is given as well as a method for elimination of impurities from the copper production cycle. Methods are also discussed for alloy and matte converting and copper refining to obtain low Pb and As concentrations in anode copper (0.3% Pb and 1500 ppm As maximum) that are being used in the KGHM Polska Meidz plants. Useful co-operation between the plants using different technologies, aimed at the limiting the effect of undesired impurities on the quality of blister copper produced, is also described.

Jan 1, 1998

By Stephan K. Schwank

In mid 1993, Bauer Spezialtiefbau GmbH, based in Germany got the order to develop a sampling tool capable of penetrating all different types of seabed sediments including cobbles and boulders and into bedrock. BHP and their partners Benguela Concessions Ltd., had been convinced by the Bauer Trench Cutter Technology and a large scale test in Germany that this system will be the right one to fulfill their expectations for sampling the diamond area off the coast of Namibia. The technique of the tool is based on Bauer&apos;s standard cutter technology, which is widely used for the installation of cut-off and diaphragm walls all around the world. The two counterrotating cutter wheels with 12.1 tom torque each cut an area of 3 x 1.2 m (up to 3 x 3 m are possible). The material mixed with seawater was then pumped to the separation plant on board the vessel Geomaster with a capacity of approximately 700 m3/h. Cutter wheels and mud pump were mounted on a special cutter frame and connected by wire ropes and hydraulic hoses to the vessel. An outer frame with four telescopic legs supported the cutter vertically on the uneven seabed and allowed a controlled penetration of the tool up to 6 m into the diamond bearing ground. The tool required a total power installed of approximately 800 kW. All hoses, the 6-inch mud hoses as well as the hydraulic hoses, were stored and compensated on drums on board suitable for a water depth of up to 200 m. Launch and recovery of the tool was effected through the moon pool of the vessel and the 25 m high, special designed drill tower. The 65? to sampling tool had been commissioned in early 1994 in Cape Town. After intensive testing the sampling programme of more than 4000 holes could be successfully completed by January 1995.

Jan 1, 1998

"The last thirty years have seen enormous changes in all aspects of the gold industry, from the technologies of mining and extracting gold to the role it has played in the fiscal policies of nations. In this time, the market price of gold has increased ten fold and mine production has more than doubled. However, the cost of mining and extracting gold has also increased exponentially, and the industry has struggled with declining ore grades and increasingly refractory ore bodies.With the major economic powers of the world shrugging off the uncertainties of the post cold war era and moving into a period of unprecedented political stability, economic growth and low inflation, gold is also losing its lustre as a hedge against inflation and a backing for national currencies. Consequently, countries that had accumulated and hoarded gold for decades are now disposing of these non-performing assets, resulting in major swings in supply of the metal. Fortunately, this has coincided with the end of communism in many parts of the world and a tentative move to free market economies in most of the developing nations. As a result, people are becoming wealthier, and this is creating more demand for gold, principally in the form of jewelry.On balance, the shift in the role of gold, from one in which a significant portion of new gold production lay dormant in bank vaults as insurance against political or fiscal instability, to one in which most new gold is now freely traded as an industrial commodity, responding to normal market forces of supply and demand, has had a negative impact on the price of gold over the last fifteen years. In that time, the gold price has declined from a peak of $850/oz in 1980 to an average price of about $400 through the rest of the l 980's, to a price of -$320/oz today (1997). In large measure, this has been due to the enormous inventory of gold metal that was held by central government banks in vaults around the world, and which has been dumped on the market as soon as the price has started to trend upwards. Even today, after ten years of fairly steady selling by central banks, about 3 0, 000 tons of gold (or -8 years' supply at the present rate of consumption) is still retained in vaults (Murray et al., 1997).The downward pressure on the price of gold has created exciting opportunities for the development and implementation of new technology. Increasing the efficiency of gold recovery from more and more refractory ore bodies, whilst at the same time lowering production costs, have become critical to survival in this industry. These challenges have been met by the development and implementation of new technologies such as heap leaching, carbon in pulp, resin in pulp and the sulphide ore pre-treatment process of pressure leaching, bacterial leaching and fluid bed roasting. For an industry that saw very little technological change in the first seventy years of the twentieth century, the pace of change over the last thirty years must have seemed bewildering at times."

Jan 1, 1998

By Saghafi A

Spoil piles are produced routinely in open cut coal mines. Spoil piles may contain waste coal and other carbonaceous horizons. Coal and carbonaceous materials react with oxygen in the atmosphere, producing heat. If the rate at which heat is generated is greater than the rate at which heat can be dissipated, the temperature of the spoil pile rises. If the heating remains unchecked, spontaneous combustion can occur. Spontaneous combustion poses significant safety, environmental and economic problems if it should become established in spoil piles. Using the basic features of self heating in spoil, the use of model is directed toward developing quantitative prediction of spontaneous combustion in open cut coal mine spoil Piles.

Jan 1, 1998

By T Amiconi

Ernest Henry Mining commenced operations on its copper-gold project in August 1997, some two months ahead of schedule and ten per cent ($35 million) under budget. The mine is located in the highly prospective Mount Isa/Cloncurry mineral district in north-west Queensland, approximately 38 km north-east of Cloncurry. The developer and operator of the project is Ernest Henry Mining Pty Ltd (EHM), an incorporated joint venture between MIM Holdings Limited (51 per cent) and Savage Resources Limited (49 per cent). The deposit is located approximately 40 km north of Cloncurry in North West Queensland and lies beneath a featureless black soil plain with no significant creeks or gullies cutting across the site. Vegetation is sparse and consists essentially of Mitchell grass with occasional low shrubs and trees. Up to nine million tonnes of ore and over 43 million tonnes of waste will be extracted each year from an open pit operation to produce approximately 350 000 tonnes of concentrate when in full production.

Jan 1, 1998

By M. J. Hrebar

A study was conducted to evaluate the applicability of large wheel loaders (Caterpillar 994 Class) for use as primary loading equipment in open-pit iron-ore operations. Field visits were made to taconite and gold mines that used large wheel loaders. Information was gathered on loader selection rationale; operation and maintenance experience; and production, availability and costs. Brief time studies were conducted to indicate machine performance and utilization. This paper summarizes the field data that was collected, including an economic comparison of wheel loaders and cable shovels in an iron-ore application.

Jan 1, 1998

By Pate W. T

This paper describes the development of a dynamic flowsheet simulator for comminution operations. Object oriented software design allows the handling of multiple ore types, blended into multicomponent feed streams. Software objects have been c

Jan 1, 1998

By B. Mather

Discussion by B. Mather I was very glad to see an article on alkali-silica reactivity of concrete aggregate in Mining Engineering. It is a topic that should be reexamined every 45 or 50 years. The last paper (that I am aware of) that examined this topic in Mining Engineering was Rexford (1950), who, at the time, was chief of the Petrography Section, South Pacific Division Laboratory, Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles, CA. The paper was presented at the AIME meeting in Los Angeles in October 1948. Professor Leming&apos;s discussion generally reflects the current state-of-the-art; but it provides no references for more detailed information. I wrote a paper titled "How to avoid excessive expansion of concrete due to alkali-aggregate reaction," which was included in the Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Alkali-Aggregate Reactions in Hydroelectric Plants and Dams (Mather, 1995). In it, I emphasized that it was the hydroxide ion (not the alkali ion) that caused the pore fluid in the concrete to dissolve reactive silica, producing alkali-silica gel capable of taking up water, thereby, causing swelling and rupturing of the concrete. Excessive expansion will not occur unless there is a sufficient amount of potentially expansive alkali-silica reaction product and water. However, this will not occur unless there is a sufficient quantity of reactive aggregate and unless there is a mechanism by which the pH of the pore fluid can get well above the normal value of about 12.6. In many cases it is sufficient that the cementitious medium not only contains portland cement but also contains ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) or a pozzolan such as fly ash, silica fume, metakaolin, volcanic glass or calcined shale - any of which may have been included for economic reasons. If, however, the person selecting the ingredients for concrete knows that the aggregate is reactive (with no alternate nonreactive aggregate available) and if the person knows that the only available portland cement has a high alkali content (i.e., more than 0.6% Na2Oe; Na2Oe = % Na2O + 0.658 x % K20), then it becomes irresponsible not to establish what reasonable precaution one should take. Professor Leming suggests using one of the following: 30% Class F fly ash, 50% GGBFS or 7% to 10% silica fume. My view is that one should prepare test specimens with the cement and aggregate to be used and then expose these both with and without at least two dosages of each of the various alternative materials (slag, pozzolan and lithium salts), so that the required dosage to control the expansion is established. Then, economic considerations can dictate the final selection. I would point out to the author that GGBFS is not a pozzolan and is not an admixture, but, rather, it is a latent hydraulic cement. An admixture is, by definition, a material other than hydraulic cement. I commend him for suggesting that aggregate producers should become more active in knowing about the reactivity of their products and the precautions needed to permit those products to be safely used in concrete. ? References Mather, B., 1995. "How to avoid excessive expansion of concrete due to alkali-aggregate reaction," Proceedings, Second International Conference on Alkali-Aggregate Reactions in Hydroelectric Plants and Dams, US Committee on Large Dams, Denver, CO, pp. 421-439. Rexford, E.P, 1950, "Some factors in the selection and testing of concrete aggregates for large structures," Mining Engineering, Trans. AIME, Vol. 187, pp. 395-402. Reply by M.L. Lerning Mr. Mather has once again provided a cogent and useful discussion. I am grateful to him for bringing these issues to my attention, as well as to the readers, and I am grateful for his discussion of several important factors in alkali-silica reactivity. Mr. Mather&apos;s discussion of the mechanism of alkali-silica reactivity (ASR) notes the critical role of the hydroxide ion. While the alkali hydroxides are highly soluble (reducing the solubility of the other primary hydroxide in pore solution, i.e., calcium hydroxide, and providing hydroxide ions that initiate alkali-silica reactivity), it is, as Mr. Mather quite correctly notes, the hydroxide ion that attacks the silica structure. This point was not clearly stated in my original article. As noted in the text, the requirements for mineral admixtures to mitigate or control ASR vary widely depending on the specific characteristics of the materials

Jan 1, 1998

Atlas Copco Construction and Mining Australia identified a number of issues in regard to the skill levels, labour turnover and productivity of our service technicians. In 1994 we were experiencing a labour turnover rate of 42 per cent per annum amongst our technicians. Exit interviews were held with each individual and one of the major areas of dissatisfaction was the degree of product training provided on our equipment, compared to what is required to be competent across the range of our products. These tradespersons were prepared to accept the reduced remuneration that an OEM offers, for the benefit of comprehensive, professional training that, in theory, could be provided. The truth is that we were achieving approximately 40 per cent of our target for training hours because of the demands of field service, pre-deliveries, etc. So, the summary was the same as the industry was experiencing at that time because of skilled labour shortages, production demands, etc people were employed and thrown in at the deep end. A recipe for failure that will be successful every time.

Jan 1, 1998

By K. A. Natarajan, Namita Deo

The interaction of Bacillus polymyxa and minerals such as hematite, corundum and quartz resulted in significant surface chemical changes, both on the cell surfaces and on the interacted oxide minerals. After such treatment, quartz was rendered relatively more hydrophobic, while hematite and corundum were rendered more hydrophilic. Biopretreatment was observed to be beneficial in the separation of silica from hematite and alumina by both selective flocculation and flotation. The possible role of bacterial adhesion and metabilites in the biobeneficiation process is illustrated.

Jan 1, 1998

By S. A. Shuey

The present industrial practice used to separate aqueous cobalt from nickel is multistage solvent extraction processing. This paper describes a different but simpler treatment technology. The proposed technology has been applied to cobalt/nickel hydroxide intermediate solids produced from the treatment of Electrochemical Machining (ECM) waste sludge, The process consists of dissolving the cobalt/nickel hydroxides in basic cyanide solutions. Cobalt and nickel form aqueous .solution metal cyanide complexes. Nickel can be selectively precipitated from the solution as a nickellic hydroxide solid. Cobalt can be recovered from the leach solution by precipitation of a cobaltous/cobaltic cyanide double salt. The double salt product can then be subsequently treated to produce an appropriate cobalt product. The process chemistry, proposed fiowsheet and preliminary reagent costs are presented and discussed.

Jan 1, 1998