Search Documents

By John W. Kopp

Stemming is used in blasting operations to help contain explosive gases as long as possible. Stemming can reduce airblast, improve fragmentation, and reduce the chances of hot explosive gases igniting methane and dust explosions in underground mines. Stemming is required in underground coal mines but is generally not used in underground metal and nonmetal mines. Some underground metal and nonmetal mines are classified as gassy and can require special blasting procedures such as the use of stemming to minsure the safety of miners. The types and amounts of stemming material that are desirable in underground metal and nonmetal mine blasting to ensure good or improved fragmentation while containing the hot gases are largely unknown. This Bureau of Mines research examined the effectiveness of differing lengths of stemming by measuring stemming ejection times as related to burden movement. With properly stemmed blasts, stemming is contained until some burden movement has occurred. Test blasts at two surface limestone quarries were evaluated using high-speed photography. For the conditions of these tests, a stemming length of at least 26 charge diameters was found to prevent premature stemming ejection. In tests with stemming lengths of 16 charge diameters, the stemming was effective but there was early venting of hot gases through fractures in the rock. Further testing with other rock types, hole diameters, explosive types, and stemming materials as they affect incendivity is recommended.

Jan 1, 1987

Deformation of the lithosphere by tectonic forces is investigated from both observational and theoretical standpoints. Global and regional geophysical data bases, coupled with the means for their rapid display and analysis, facilitate recognition of areas of the con- tinents and oceans where the response of the lithosphere to these deforming processes might fruitfully be studied. Gravity anomalies, from Seasat altimeter data and from land and shipboard measurements, provide critical infor- mation on the isostatic state of deformed lithosphere and therefore on its thermal and mechanical properties.

Jan 1, 1987

By Víctor Cobeña

El presente trabajo señala el desarrollo de la simulación de disparos por computadora -en tanto está diseñado para solucionar problemas de voladuras en las minas, canteras y obras civiles. El programa elimina el costo invertido en los métodos convencionales de "ensayo y error" de pruebas de campo y optimiza las operaciones de voladuras.

Jan 1, 1987

By Cutler JL

At the present stage of the Rundle oil shale project planning, with depressed world oil prices, early development of the resource is unlikely. However, this postponement is being used to carry out technical studies required to evaluate alternative rehabilitation strategies and establish a sound environmental planning basis. Major technical data from the following studies are reviewed: Resource: - mine planning; material characterisation; retorting; geology; Environmental: - meteorology; surface water management; laboratory and field leachates; revegetation; waste characterisation; hydraulic and chemical modelling; dust suppression; plant/water interactions; and impact evaluation. These studies have shown that topsoil replacement, seeding mixtures, fertilizer application rates, subsoil quality and handling, waste pile slope and most importantly soil water storage are key factors in successful rehabilitation.

Jan 1, 1987

By M. Leroux, S. R. Rao, J. A. Finch

"Poor Pb-Zn selectivity during Pb flotation in laboratory tests on a Mississippi Valley-type Pb-Zn ore was traced to apH effect. In the pH range, 9.5 to 11.0 sphalerite floated readily without copper activation. Compared to sphalerite flotation with copper activation this procedure gave equivalent selectivity but reduced flotation rate.Possible mechanisms of this sphalerite flotation without copper activation are discussed. Activation by Fe(OH)2 is suggested, the Fe- + ions being derived from superficial oxidation of pyrite in the ore. IntroductionGalena and sphalerite commonly occur together. A typical procedure, using xanthate collectors, is to float the galena first, at pH - 8, followed by flotation of sphalerite after activation with copper (II) sulphate at pH - 10 (to depress pyrite).Flotation tests following this procedure in an undergraduate laboratory course with a Pb-Zn ore from Polaris failed to achieve consistent selective flotation of galena. Occasionally a considerable amount of sphalerite, even though unactivated with CUSO4, floated. This was traced to accidentally high pH. A systematic study was carried out which revealed that sphalerite floated readily in the pH range 9.5 to 11.0 without activation by CuSO4 This paper describes the results of the study and discusses a possible mechanism of this flotation of sphalerite."

Jan 1, 1987

By T. Y. Yan

An effective elution technique has been developed for recovering uranium from ion exchange resins loaded in the carbonate leaching process. The procedure employs direct elution with acid. In comparison with conventional base elution, the procedure yields eluate of higher uranium concentration, results in a more complete elution, keeps the performance of the ion exchange resin at the fresh stage, reduces acid consumption, eliminates carbonate consumption, and reduces waste for disposal. The technique has been successfully demonstrated in the field and patented. It lends itself to commercialization.

Jan 1, 1987

By B. A. Hancock

It is not at all surprising that causticized potato and potato derived amylopectin starch solutions performed much better than their parent starches. Some preparation is required to rupture the starch granules to effect the polymeric adsorption and interparticle bridging necessary for selective flocculation. In laboratory work comparing the deslime performance of causticized and autoclave cooked laboratory corn starch solution preparations, it was found that higher deslime weight rejections, with attendant proportionally greater iron unit losses, occurred with the causticized starch. These results may be specific to the ore involved but they do suggest that cooking and causticizing cause different starch granule rup- ture and/or starch breakdown, which have an effect on desliming response. I calculated from the data in the article that the slimes product grades were high - 24.3% and 20.3% Fe when 53.7% and 54.5% Fe concentrate products were obtained, respectively, in Table 4, and 21% Fe with a 62.6% Fe concentrate in Table 5 - using the natural tailings sample, which had a head of 34.3% Fe. It may be advisable for the authors to consider different starch preparations in future investigations. The combination of upgrading and selectivity results presented in Table 4 are not as good as the authors suggest. The authors' claim that a system has been developed to produce saleable concentrates from the Kudremukh tailings is quite disconcerting. There are many hurdles yet to be crossed before commercial application of selective flocculation becomes possible because differ- ences between the very small-scale laboratory tests conducted and commercial application are rather large. Among the many differences are varying circuit feed grades that will occur from use of tailings, the apparent face that much lower tailings grades will be encountered in practice (it is much easier to achieve a high concentrate grade with reasonable recoveries using 34.3% Fe tailings as in the study rather than 25.3% Fe tailings grades that the plant apparently averages), the hydraulic nature of the thickeners used in operations compared to the static system used in laboratory tests, the different size distributions that will be obtained from a plant closed grinding- classification circuit, and differences in water used in a plant operation and the laboratory. The authors wrote that it was necessary to overgrind to be sure that the coarse gangue would not settle with the iron oxide floccules. This situation is likely to be exaggerated in commercial operations where it is assumed cyclones would be used for classification. Because cyclone classification is greatly influenced by particle densities, there will probably be an even greater difference in size between the iron and gangue particles in the plant, which would make the gangue slightly coarser still in relation to the iron. This would make the selective flocculation-desliming separations using the procedure employed by the authors even more difficult and, using the dispersant system the authors employed, greater overgrinding would be required. To grind finer to minimize the coarse gangue in the flocculated iron oxides is quite inefficient and appears not to broach the problem. The actual problem appears to be insufficient dispersion of the ground pulp. In this situation, addition of a dispersant would likely be required to attain a sufficiently high pulp dispersion level to efficiently effect a selective flocculation-desliming separation. Although the very coarse particles would still have a tendency to settle with the floccules, it probably would be found unnecessary to overgrind as much as indicated. Use of an optimum combination of dispersant and pH modifying reagents may also significantly improve the selectivity of desliming. Additionally, although it is possible that sufficient dispersion may be obtained by pH control alone in some situations, it is quite probable that added dispersity was obtained in the reported work from using distilled water. It is research experience that distilled water enhances dispersion. In commercial operations it may not be expected that sufficient dispersion will be obtained by pH control alone, unless the water used in the process is by nature quite dispersive. Overall, a change in the Kudremukh tailings dispersant scheme appears necessary where a dispersant is used in conjunction with a pH modifying reagent. With this change, different dispersion-flocculation responses will result that would have to be further evaluated. Therefore, it is still an open question whether an efficient and effective selective floccula- tion separation using Kudremukh tailings may be obtained that will produce saleable concentrates.

Jan 1, 1987

By M. Thérien, M. Rémillard

"Data from two industrial plants are treated by mass balance package BILMAT. The first application concerned a base metals/precious metals (PM) producer and the second, implementation of a hydrocyclone for the recovery of iron chips in the granite industry. Also LOTUS 123 software can easily be adapted for laboratory test mass balances using an IBM-PC computer. INTRODUCTIONThe present paper deals with two different BILMAT program applications. The first application concerns a copper-zinc-gol d-sil Yer producer based in North-western Quebec and the second, concerns the iriplementation of a hydrocyclone for the recovery of iron chips in Quebec granite company.Afterwards, we deal with some LOTUS 123 software applications for laboratory test mass balances using an IBM-PC.1. Base metal and P.M. producerNoranda Inc, Mattagami division, which operates mines in North Western Quebec, produces copper and zinc concentrates from a sulphide ore. Small amounts of gold (0,34 g/t) and silver (20 g/tl are present. At the time of the study, only 30% of the silver content was recovered in the copper concentrate. The main objective of this study is, to evaluate the metallurgical behaviour of silver in the flotation circuits, to increase its recovery in the copper concentrate and therefore to improve its final economic value. It is then worthwhile to identify the silver bearing minerals and to determine the critical flotation stages where they are lost. The methodology proposed is based on the coupling of a mineralogical study and a detailed mass balance ca1cu1ation in the flotation circuit performed using the BILMAT mass balance package (1, 2, 3).The results are discussed with respect to the distribution of silver in the circuit. The recoveries obtained at the various separation stages for the minerals present in the ore are also discussed."

Jan 1, 1987

The Northland region of New Zealand has a complex geological history which has long been the subject of considerable controversy. Small mineral deposits have been discovered in the past, and some have been mined. Except for aggregates and very high quality china clay, mining is virtually nonexistent at present. Mercury mining is proposed from small deposits in the Kaeo area. Intensive exploration for epithermal precious metals deposits in the past seven years, combined with some recent geological mapping undertaken by the Geological Survey and University thesis students has added greatly to an understanding of Northland's geology. Mapping of the Whangaroa-Kaikohe map sheet at a scale of 1:100 000 by Brown and Laurenson Limited has enabled new geological information to be collated for the first time since 1961, when the last geological map was published. The 'Northland Allochthon' is now observed to be a series of four or more thrust sheets each containing predictable formations. High angle faulting contemporaneous with overthrusting has modified the thrust sheets, and established a series of horsts and grabens. The Pirau Fault is considered to be a major earth fracture.

Jan 1, 1987

By D. A. Larson

This is the second in a series of Bureau of Mines reports which de-scribe experiments designed to devise an efficient, economic mechanical fragmentation technique for hard rock. The previous study described the development of the ripper cutting technique to successfully cut hard rock with 3-to 6-in-wide drag cutters. This study was conducted to test the ripper cutting technique at full scale using 9-in-wide drag cutters. The experiments were conducted with a special test device that cut shallow, 6-by 6-ft openings in 9,200-lbf/in2 compressive-strength concrete blocks. The tests showed that ripper cutting can excavate large-scale openings of the type required by the mining industry at a production rate that outperforms the conventional drill-blast technique. Moreover, the system can produce openings of various sizes and shapes, is simple to oper-ate and maintain, and produces very little dust or noise during operation. The system appears to meet all of the criteria for a successful hard-rock mining machine.

Jan 1, 1987

By D. A. Norrgran, J. N. Orlich

Described is the application of high- intensity magnetic separation throughout the spectrum of industrial minerals. Performed either wet or dry, the separation has application in both the recovery and concentration of value minerals and in removing deleterious mineral constituents. The various types of magnetic separators along with the design and operating parameters relative to separation response are characterized. The characteristics of specific minerals to magnetic collection and the production of high-grade concentrates are described. Laboratory, pilot-scale, and plant studies carried out on a variety of industrial minerals have demonstrated the effectiveness of magnetic separation as either a primary or a secondary unit operation to achieve product quality.

Jan 1, 1987

By René Winand

A new process was studied at large laboratory scale at Université Libre de Bruxelles, under contract with Metallurgie Hoboken-Overpelt. A two cathodes (1m long ; 0.2 m high) channel cell was used at 2000 A/m2, with an electrolyte flow rate up to 1.8 m/sec. The main results may be summarized as follows : cathodes are electro¬refined grade in analysis ; metallographic structure and surface roughness are kept under control up to 1.3 cm (one side deposits) ; silver in cathode is controlled by CI and Br ions in solution ; organics must be used at very low concentrations (in the range of 0.1 mg/1, with a consumption of about 0.01 mg/lh).

Jan 1, 1987

By G. C. Knutsen

The Post deposit is located in Eureka County, Nevada, about 37 km (23 miles) northwest of the town of Carlin. Post occurs on the Carlin Trend, a northwest alignment of 14 major gold deposits, each containing more than three tonnes (t) (100 000 ounces) of gold. Deposits of the Carlin Trend are epithermal, sediment-hosted, disseminated gold occurrences, collectively containing more than 622 t (20 million ounces) of gold. Three major gold producers active on the Carlin Trend are Newmont Gold Company (NGC) (12.4 t/400 000 ounces of gold per year), Western States Minerals Corporation (WSMC) and Pancana Minerals joint venture (1.56 t/50 000 ounces of gold per year), and Dee Gold Mining Company (1.4 t/45 000 ounces of gold per year). The Carlin Trend has also been referred to as the Lynn-Railroad Mineral Belt. This district is characterized by open-pit mineable, micron-sized gold, hosted in Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. Six geological subdistricts comprise the Carlin Trend, each characterized by differences in host lithology, structural controls, alteration assemblage, or style of mineralization. The six geologic subdistricts include, from south to north, Bullion (Railroad), Rain, Maggie Creek, Lynn, Bluestar-Goldstrike, and Bootstrap. With the exception of the Bullion subdistrict, which was primarily a producer of base metals, each sub-district contained mineable reserves in excess of 31 t (one million ounces) of gold.

Jan 1, 1987

By N. J. Peberdy, C. N. Moreton, K. C. Garner

Introduction During the past decade a major objective of the process industry has been to use digital computer technology to improve plant operating efficiencies. This objective implied some form of optimization, a concept that has various interpretations depending on the view of the prospective user. For the purpose of this paper, optimization of a process plant is defined as the establishment and setting of plant operating conditions that maximize some mathematical yield function, i.e. maximum profit, minimum residue, etc. Analysis of these objectives and the available design and implementation techniques led to the conclusion that digital computer and optimization techniques are not the stumbling blocks, but rather the development and derivation of the mathematical models of the unit operations and process plants to be optimized. Such models should not only describe the optimized (steady-state) objective, but also how one steers to this state (control algorithm). Due to the multidisciplinary nature of the skills associated with the design and operation of process plants, the development of suitable models by a single discipline, such as the process control engineer, was found to be not only difficult but often impossible, due to budget and human resource limitations. To over-come these limitations, a computer aided design (CAD) tool has been developed. It aims to provide a productivity tool to the various disciplines, at the same time coordinating the technical input from each. The system described is but the starting point in an evolutionary development of a tool that, with use, is becoming more efficient and cost effective to use. Development has become an application engineering activity rather than the preserve of the computer specialist. Project phasing The development of a mathematical description of a process plant requires coordination of information from conceptual design to operation management. The activities required to build and operate a process plant are divided into four basic chronological activities or phases. These activities are often undertaken by different organizations and disciplines. As a result, continuity is often lost with the resultant loss of critical design data. The major activities are considered to be: conceptual and flowsheeting; detailing around the P & ID; building and commissioning; and plant operation. The CAD system described provides a design tool to be used for each of these activities, as well as providing continuity between the activities and the disciplines involved. The heart of the system is the dynamic simulation of the flowsheet. Each of the activities will be discussed, leading to two simple examples that demonstrate the use of the simulator. Figure 1 shows a schematic format of the various activities and the path followed by the dynamic flowsheet simulator in the life of a project. Flowsheet development The prime requirements in the design and develop¬ment of a process flowsheet are • selection of the correct unit operations to achieve the most economic (capital and operating) beneficiation of the specified reserve ; • the sizing of the unit operations to achieve the desired results, as a function of the projected feed rates etc., to handle the time related (dynamics) of the process; and • the production of a set of engineering documents showing the drawn and labeled flowsheet with an equipment list and process specification for each of the unit operations. The question may well be asked at this stage why dynamic flowsheet simulation should be considered when steady state modeling has been found to be adequate to date. With the increases encountered in the cost of capital, one often cannot afford the luxury of designing around the compounding worst case technique. Further, a more accurate design of the control surges can be achieved. No information is lost in that the steady state solution is in fact a subset of the dynamic model. In generalized state space modeling, the differential equations describing the process dynamics are illustrated in the following matrix notation: XDOT=A.X+B.U(1) Y =C.X+D.U(2) where XDOT describes the set of first order derivatives of the system state Vector, and X- is the system state Vector; A - is the system matrix operator which in the general nonlinear case is both a function of X and time ; U- is the process input vector; B - is the input mapping matrix; Y - is the set of observations; C - is the output mapping matrix which maps X - onto Y; and D- maps the input onto the observations. Thus, by time integration of the system dynamic equations, described in (1), the dynamic trajectory away from any set of initial conditions can be deter¬mined. Further, by finding the conditions at which XDOT = 0, the steady state solution can be determined.

Jan 1, 1987

By L. R. Plitt, A. A. Turak, B. C. Flintoff

"Since the publication of empirical cyclone models by Lynch and Rao in 1975 and by Plitt in 1976, the technical literature on this subject has consisted primarily of reports of applications, with only a few articles discussing basic modifications or enhancements in model form. In fact, most of the modelling eff ort in this period has been concerned with theoretical models based on the hydrodynamics of multiphase flow. (Preliminary resutls have been encouraging, however, it will be some time before this approach reaches the practical application stage.) This paper presents a review of empirical cyclone modelling technology, with an emphasis on developments since the mid 1970s. The topics addressed include homogeneous and heterogeneous ores, parameter estimation techniques, parameter confidence intervals, and the introduction of a new conceptual model of cyclone operation.IntroductionSince their first reported application in the mineral industry by Driessen (1939), cyclones have become a common unit operation in all of the process industries. The widespread use of the cyclone stems from its relative low cost and its versatility. It can be employed to carry out liquid-liquid, solid-liquid and solid-solid separations. It is the area of solid-solid separation which is of greatest interest to a mineral processing engineer. Historically, this area was divided into two application categories: (I) Separation according to density, the cyclone washer, and, (2) Classification according to particle size, the cyclone ciassifier. (When water is the carrier fluid, the cyclone is more often called the hydrocyclone. For the purposes of this paper the two names are used interchangeably). Classification is the principal application in mineral processing circuit s. Within this category, the cyclone is most commonly employed to provide some positive control over the size distribution of product from a grinding circuit. Other uses include sand-slime separation prior to froth flotation and mill tailings treatment, either for dam construction or in backfill preparation."

Jan 1, 1987

By Carter LC

Following the perception by the Groote Eylandt Mining Company of a need to further beneficiate a fines product, and preliminary metallurgical testing to demonstrate the feasibility of such beneficiation, a comparison was made of the various configurations of cyclonic heavy medium separators available. This comparison consisted of (i) a pilot plant test in which a dynawhirlpool (DWP) and a pump fed cyclone were compared, and (ii) a survey of operating plants using the systems under consideration. Little metallurgical difference was found-between the different systems. The gravity fed cyclone configuration was finally chosen based on a particular need to minimise degradation of ore and on a desire, in so isolated a location, to use established and locally supported technology.

Jan 1, 1987

By C. Bazin, D. Hodouin

Dynamic experiments were performed in a continuous open-circuit 40x40-cm ball mill using a pseudo-random binary sequence of the feed rate and measuring the variations of the discharge particle-size distribution. The impulse response is calculated by a cross-correlation technique. Then a model involving a discrete transferfunction and a time-series stochastic equation is calibrated using maximum likelihood methods. Based on this empirical model, a minimum variance controller with constrained input is designed and its performances are compared, by simulation, to the performances of a conventional PID regulator.

Jan 1, 1987

By E. F. Loros, T. J. Smolik, V. G. Lofftus

Since plant start-up in January 1983, Golden Sunlight Mines Inc. has implemented several process changes and improvements. Among these are a pulp preaeration circuit and a sand tailing retreatment circuit. The preaeration circuit reduces reagent consumption during gold dissolution. The sand tailing retreatment circuit was added to recover and process separately pyrite concentrate to maintain acceptable overall gold recoveries with the more refractory sulfide ores. Research and plant operating data along with process and improvement descriptions are presented.

Jan 1, 1987

By J. B. Gwiazda

S.S. Peng The highlights of this paper are: The shield supports with lemniscate links will exert a tangential force on the roof strata, causing unnecessary and harmful roof movements, thus damaging the roof structure. The principal source of the tangential force is the horizontal movement of the point O, the pivotal joint between the canopy and the caving shield. When the support height is changed during setting, the point O will move along a curve upward and rearward toward the gob. As a result, it produces a vertical movement, causing the roof to move up a distance of t d, and a horizontal movement toward the gob, creating vertical fractures in the roof. The major purpose for employing the lemniscate- link system is to protect the hydraulic legs against the action of the bending moments induced by the tangential force that causes deformation or destruction of the legs. Based on these two points, the author suggested that, in order to eliminate the harmful effects of the lemniscate-link system and strengthen its advantageous features, a shield support with a new design of that mechanism has been developed. With the new design, the conventional rigid lemniscate links are replaced by hydraulic rams. When the pressure inside the rams reaches a certain level, the ram will yield.

Jan 1, 1987

By G. R. Struble, J. R. Marks, A. B. Brown

The center of mining at the Homestake gold mine in Lead, SD, is moving deeper every year. As a result, it has become necessary to upgrade the ventilation system. This paper describes the first phase of a scheduled two-phase upgrade - installation of a 2.2-MW (3000-hp) centrifugal fan. The higher pressure fan is required to route larger airflows into the deeper production levels. Selection of the fan began by specifying the necessary operating point to provide these larger airflows. Special site work had to be done on the surface to accommodate the new fan structure as well as underground to reroute airflows.

Jan 1, 1987