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By P. J. D. Lloyd

The Witwatersrand reefs contain gold, uranium, and pyrite in the following average concentrations: 0,001 per cent, 0,02 per cent, and 1,7 per cent respectively. The paper discusses the flotation of pyrite to produce a s,ulphide concentrate, reviews work done on the production of gold concentrates, discusses attempts to produce maximum concentrates, and closes with a review of processes for the simultaneous flotation of these three species. It is concluded that high recoveries of all three species can be achieved only if a rougher concentrate of perhaps 20 per cent of the feed (by mass) IS produced, and it is suggested that reverse leaching (leaching before cyanidation) of this concentrate, followed by a cleaning flotation step for the recovery of the pyrite, would be more efficient than the routes employed at present.

Jan 1, 1981

By David B. Plumeau

The Cayuga Mine, a deep rock salt mining, operation, changed from a standard room and pillar mine design to a yielding pillar/pressure arch design five years ago. In general the roof conditions improved. However, entries adjacent to the abutment pillars continued to fail. It was noticed that where abutment pillars were accidentally "notched" (by driving cross- cuts one cut into the pillars), the abutment entries had better roof conditions than where there were no "notches". Experiments with intentionally notched abutment pillars showed that notching did improve abutment entry conditions. During the past four years notch configuration has been varied to suit local ground conditions. Recently, "pre-cutting" of notches has proven itself as a means of protecting abutment entries under severe ground conditions. As an added bonus, the notches improve productivity by providing more places to work and reduce costs because it is not necessary to bolt the notches.

Jan 1, 1981

By G. A. Wells

The consumption of barytes in certain paints, polyurethane foams, seamless flooring, glass, brake linings, plastisol gaskets for food containers, and in fluids used for gastrointestinal X-ray examinations relies on the unique properties of barium sulfate. There are no readily available mineral substitutes. Barytes are also the essential raw material for the manufacture of industrially important barium chemicals. High quality barite ore has become scarce throughout the world. Processing ore into quality end products is both capital and energy intensive. These factors have tended to limit availability and increase Prices which have encouraged the use of alternative or competitive materials and restricted market growth.

Jan 1, 1981

By Khamis Y. Haramy

This Bureau of Mines paper describes the use of the borehole shear tester (BST) In mines. Assembly and procedure sections explain how the equipment is assembled and used properly. Schematics of the BST, limitations, test hole specifications, data recording and calculations are all explained briefly, and an example of the data collecting and calculations is given to assist understanding.

Jan 1, 1981

By deur R. Dippenaar

'n Kort kursus oar die teorie en praktyk van hittebehandeling is vanaf 29 Junie 1981 tot 3 Julie 1981 in die departement Materiaalkunde en Metallurgiese Ingenieurswese aan die Universiteit van Pretoria aangebied. Die kursus is dour dosente van die departement opgestel en in samewerking met 'n aantal gassprekers aDder beskerming van die Suid-Afrikaanse Instituut vir Mynbou en Metallurgie aangebied. Tunnelling The Third International Symposium on Tunnelling is to be held in Brighton from 7th to 11th June, 1982. Professional development seminars The Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering of McGill University is to hold the following seminars during 1981-1982.

Jan 1, 1981

By P. R. Jochens

It is interesting to note that, when the Technical Programme Committee-Mining first decided on this particular topic for a colloquium, the proposed title was different in that it used the words 'rising price of gold'. The very fact that the title was reworded to use the words 'fluctuating gold price' highlights the problem that faces the South African gold-mining industry.

Jan 1, 1981

By Toshio Fujiwara, Sumikichi Ito, Masao Kitamura

The Tennohji-Benten Giant Trunk Sewer Project has been under construction since 1974 in the eastern part of Osaka, the second largest city in Japan. The entire project is divided into 7 blocks, some of which have already been completed. This 8.8-km sewer tunnel, being driven through a densely populated area, was planned to be constructed by the shield tunneling method. This paper described shield tunneling performances and ground behaviors during the construction of Blocks 2 and 3. An earth pressure shield (dia., 6,750 mm) was employed in Block 3 tunneling. The ground was generally soft and the cover over the tunnel varied from 13 m to only 4.5 m, so that a considerable amount of chemicals was injected to stabilize the ground. A hand-digging type shield (dia., 7,250 mm) was used in Block 2 tunneling under compressed air. For 85 m of the total length of 1.6 km, the soil at the face was extremely soft, and therefore, the ground freezing method was additionally employed.

Jan 1, 1981

By David R. Jessey

An ore microscopic and geochemical study of the nickel-cobalt occurrence in the Southeast Missouri Mining District has revealed several significant relationships. Siegenite [(Ni,Co)3S4] is the dominant nickel-cobalt sulfide in the ores, however, several other members of the thiospi¬nel group (AB2S4) occur: carrollite (CuCo2S4), nickelean carrollite [(Co,Ni,Cu)3S4], fletcherite [Cu(Ni,Co)2S4] and polydymite (Ni 3S4). In addition, bravoite [(Ni,Fe)S2], vaesite (NiS2), millerite (NiS) and gersdorffite (NiAsS) are present. Thiospinel composition varies dramatically within the district. Paragenetic studies have shown that the stratigraphically lowest thiospinels are the most cobalt-copper-rich. A detailed ore microscopic study of the AMAX Lead Company Buick mine has also shown significant changes in mineralogical association, texture and grain size of the siegenite along the north-south strike of the major ore bodies. Siegenite commonly replaces and veins chalcopyrite and is subsequently replaced by sphalerite. Less commonly, siegenite and chalcopyrite are observed to form linear replacements along sphalerite grain boundaries. The grain size of the siegenite varies markedly, but in a predictable north-south pattern that is consistent with a genetic model formulated from geo-chemical data. The compositional as well as textural trends displayed by the thiospinel mineralization could be exploited to optimize recovery of any or all thiospinels of economic interest.

Jan 1, 1981

By K. W. Grubaugh, L. W. Saperstein

The recently enacted federal surface mine law (P. L. 95-87) increases further the complexity of securing a reclamation permit This law intensifies the need to present the required reclamation plan in a thorough and comprehensive manner. One plan format, that used in construction performance contracts, offers promise of filling this need. Reasons for using the format of expressed, bilateral, negotiated contracts common to the construction industry, and the salient aspects of an application which uses this format are reviewed. Advantages of this procedure are seen to be improved mine planning, awareness of the total design job, potential for improved speed of permit acceptance, and improved cost control.

Jan 1, 1981

By James K. Grunig

As the real price of uranium increases, deposits of lower and lower grade will be treated. The various occurrences of uranium ore are described and the chemical aspects of extraction are detailed.

Jan 1, 1981

By K. Thirumalai, D. P. Schlick

Longwall Technology has a potential of resulting in safety and productivity improvements of U.S. underground coal mining similar to those experienced by the introduction of continuous miner systems. The study presents a comprehensive national evaluation of longwall technology to assess the potential of longwalls to improve health and safety and coal productivity. The study was conducted by the authors during the spring of 1980 as part of MSHA New Technology Coordination activities and with a view to examine the factors that may limit the acceptance of longwall technology in the U.S. coal mining operations. The study points out areas where adjustments need to be made in MSHA regulations and enforcement to help Longwalls. A two-entry longwall system appears to offer a practical method of improving underground coal productivity and safety. Applying regulations that are primarily designed for room and pillar methods to longwall mining, in some instances, reduces the effectiveness and productivity benefits feasible by new technology application. Controlling dust is the single predominant problem in the design and operation of longwalls in the United States. The results of this study points out a need for a coordinated program between government and industries on dust control technologies for examining acceptable technological options to control dust in longwalls without restraining the production capability of the system.

Jan 1, 1981

By H J. MacDonald

An Exploding Bridgewire Detonator (EBW) is an explosive initiator which contains only secondary explosives such as PETN and RDX. It is safer than the normal blasting cap because it requires both high electrical energy and a very fast application of that energy to function

Jan 1, 1981

By Calvin J. Konya

Overloaded blastholes and insufficient stemming are major factors in flyrock accidents at surface metal and non-metal mines, Accurate measurement of blasthole depth, stemming height, and water depth would reduce the overload and the probability of blow-out, flyrock, excessive ground vibration, and airblast. Problems result because current measuring systems are inaccurate and often difficult to used A literature survey determined measurement techniques and blasting parameters prior to 1970. Similar data were gathered for current practices in 11 iron mines, 30 copper mines, and 92 quarries. Most operations used a cloth tape to measure borehole depth and stemming height; approximately 10% of the operations had dry blastholes. Alternate measurement techniques were evaluated and discussed. Candidate measuring techniques with best potential for improvement over the present weighted tape method are disposable tapes or string chains, automated readout tapes, modified sludge level indicators and acoustic resonance methods.

Jan 1, 1981

By F. P. Agterberg

It can be useful to model the mean grade values for a metal in mineral deposits containing that metal as representing the extreme value tail of a lognormal frequency distribution for the concentration values of the metal in common rocks of all types. Results for copper and zinc in the Abitibi area of the Canadian Shield are compared to results previously obtained for the Canadian Appalachian region. The lognormal model is also applied to a set of 162 large gold deposits in the Abitibi area. In the second part of the paper, 1311 large and small gold deposits in the Abitibi area are modeled as discrete events. By means of a newly developed spatial clustering model it is possible to predict the variances of random variables for frequencies of deposits in cells of different sizes.

Jan 1, 1981

By Everett M. (Original by) White

Numerous articles have been written about the coal mine ; he has been compared with brave men who have gone out to conquer some unknown hazard throughout the ages. Now, however, modern mining is no longer something to be avoided, but a vocation that anyone can be proud of, with remuneration equal to or above that of almost any industry. A concerted effort is being made each day by both the operators of most mines as well as the state and federal inspectors to see that coal mines are as safe or safer than work places in any other industry. How- ever, it is true that mine fires and explosions have occurred in the mining industry since its inception. One of the earliest accurate references to such an occurrence is found in the transactions of the Royal Society of London. In the Colliery Managers' Handbook, 1898, Caleb Pamely writes of an explosion that occurred at Fatfield, England in August 1708, resulting in the deaths of 69 persons. He states: "Three of them, viz, two men and a woman, were blown quite up from the bottom of the shaft, fifty-seven fathoms deep, into the air, to a considerable distance from the mouth of the pit." It is interesting to note that women were employed as miners in England during that period. In the United States, the first record of coal mined was in 1702 by the Jamestown colonists. In 1786, about 20 years after Pittsburgh, PA was first settled, a charter was granted by William Penn to mine coal on the banks of the Monongahela River. Then in 1803, the first important coal company, the Lehigh Coal Co., was established. From this beginning, the mining industry continued to grow in importance and the first state mining law was formulated in 1870. The Pennsylvania state mining law was followed in 1873 by Ohio's, and in 1876 by Maryland's. A mine explosion at Avondale, PA in 1869 stimulated state legislatures to formulate these early laws. In 1907 near the town of Fairmont, WV, there were, within three days, two explosions resulting in a total of 597 deaths. Because of this, the federal government took action and by 1910, the US Bureau of Mines had been established. This was perhaps the most significant change in health and safety for miners during the first half of the 20th century as the USBM concentrated its entire efforts in the study, research, and testing of methods totally directed towards improvement of the health and safety of the miner. After a mine disaster in Illinois, a federal law was passed in 1940 calling for federal coal mine inspectors. Then in 1969, Congress enacted the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act following a mine explosion near Farmington, WV. In 1977, the law was revised and included noncoal mining operations.

Jan 1, 1981

By Norman Schapiro

Future ore bodies will, most likely, be more costly to find, mine and process than those now in production because most of them will be of lower grade or found deeper. To evaluate an ore deposit for extraction of metal values it is important to select the optimum economic process from among the many available options. The physical and chemical behavior of the minerals present should govern the process selection. Process mineralogy which combines mineralogy and petrography with process development engineering generates the data on mineralogy, composition and texture of gangue and valuable minerals from which the optimum process steps can be selected in the commercial design of the ore processing plant. These insights also help in solving operating problems caused by changes in the ore body

Jan 1, 1981

By P. J. L. Nel

The paper describes several successful concepts used in the sinking of shafts on the Elandsrand Gold Mine. The concepts enabled the shaft sinking time to be reduced as well as the period in which development would normally take place to establish initial ore reserves.

Jan 1, 1981

By T. O. Llewellyn

The Bureau of Mines, as part of its goal to develop technology that can conserve domestic mineral resources investigated beneficiation methods for recovering phosphate minerals from two Southern Florida deposits with high magnesium content. Chemical analyses of sized fractions indicated that no coarse pebble concentrate could be produced from either deposit. Conventional fatty acid-fuel oil batch flotation tests on two phosphate samples, analyzing 6.8 and 8.5 pct P205, yielded concentrates containing 28.97 to 29.80 pct P20S at recoveries ranging from 72.4 to 76.9 pct of the flotation feed. The MgO content ranged from 1.20 to 1.36 pct. Bubbling S02 gas through an aqueous concentrate slurry, further reduced the MgO content of these phosphate concentrates to 0.5 and 0.8 pct, but with a concomitant loss in the phosphate recovery. Settling characteristics of slimes from both phosphate samples showed a slow settling rate, which is a typical characteristic of other slimes in the region.

Jan 1, 1981

By Z. T. Bieniawski

This paper presents the results of a survey of room and pillar dimensions and design practice in U.S. coal mines aimed at improving the design procedures in room and pillar mining. A review is given of the current pillar strength formulas and suggestions are made for better utilization of research results in engineering practice.

Jan 1, 1981

By R. Hogg, F. F. Aplan, P. B. Bradley

The mineralogy of the solids contained in the black-water effluent from coal preparation plants has been investigated. Samples were obtained from 13 locations, representing major coal seam in the Appalachian, mid-continent, and western regions of the United States. On the average, the samples were found to contain 60% carbonaceous material with the balance as mineral matter. The mineral fractions from all of the samples from the eastern half of the United States were found to be remarkably similar, consisting of over 50% illitic clays; about 10-15% each of kaolinite, calcite, and quartz; and lesser amounts of chlorite and pyrite. The western samples were somewhat different, generally containing significant quantities of montmorillonite clay. Flotation may be wed to recover additional clean coal contained in the black-water discharge.

Jan 1, 1981