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The influence of varying amounts of magnesia, silica, and alumina in iron ore sinter on its mineralogy, reducibility index (RI), reduction disintegration index (RDI), physical breakdown (AI and TI), and production properties (coke breeze rate) were examined. It was found that the mineralogy of iron sinter can more easily be predicted from its chemical composition than from the RI, RDI, AI or TI. Anticipating the consequence that varying amounts of MgO and SiO2would have on sinter properties is complex, and not necessarily predictable. High concentrations of Al2O3in the sinter result in high concentrations of the SFCA phase, but with drastically deteriorated properties. This study also confirmed that the form in which fluxes are added to the raw material sinter mixture affects the mineralogy and properties of the produced sinter.

Jan 1, 2010

By J. T. Jordaan

Paper written on project work carried out in partial fulfilment of B. Eng (Mining Engineering) degree This paper addresses the critical parameters that need to be considered when designing a mechanized bord-and-pillar mining layout for a narrow tabular steep dipping orebody. These parameters are : ?Reef dip ?Reef width ?Geological structures within the orebody ?Physical dimensions of the selection of machines ?Gradeability of the selection of machines. The main objective in designing such a layout is to maximize machine efficiencies whilst minimizing dilution. This methodology was then applied in the design of a mechanized bord-and-pillar mining layout for a given piece of ground (Vlakpoort and Moddergat) using a given selection of machines. This piece of ground contains the PGM bearing UG2 Reef with an average thickness of 124 cm and dipping at 18°withadverse strike and dip changes. Two bord-and-pillar layouts were designed for this area. Layout 1 is characterized by the use of strike conveyors to convey ore on strike with an average LHD hauling distance of 35 m. Layout2 uses LHDs for all on strike conveyance of ore with an average hauling distance of 75 m. These two layouts were then technically and financially compared. It was concluded that layout 1 is theoretically superior but layout 2 was chosen due to its greater flexibility and probability of operational success. Layout 2 was also compared to conventional mining and it was concluded to be more economically feasible. However the latter is a proven mining method in these conditions and has a lower risk operational failure. Bord-and-pillar mining has some favourable promises such as improving labour difficulties, lowering operating costs and providing safer working conditions. The success of mechanized bord-and-pillar mining in narrow tabular steep dipping orebodies will depend on the extent of the research and development efforts which need to create and innovate technologies to overcome some of the current limitations stated in the above-mentioned parameters.

Jan 1, 2003

By R. Burger, M. Masukawa

Cato Ridge Alloys (CRA) is a joint venture company between Assmang of South Africa, Mizushima Ferro Alloy Company (MZK) and Sumitomo Corporation from Japan. Negotiations for the formation of the company started in 1992 with the joint venture agreement signed on the 19th September 1996. MZK was to supply the technical know how for the production of Medium and Low Carbon FeMn while Assmang was to manage the day to day activities of the company. Sumitomo Corporation was to act as facilitator between Assmang and MZK and, together with Ore and Metal are responsible for the marketing of the refined products. The conceptual design of the plant started in December 1996 and the first charge of molten high carbon ferromanganese metal was charged on the 19th January 1998. Problems experienced during the initial startup period were addressed resulting in substantial operational improvements. A build-up in the stock of fine metal was addressed through the development of a process to remelt the fine metal, the development of a market for fine metal and the upgrading of the crushing and screening plant to reduce the generation of fine metal. The mass yield from High Carbon Ferromanganese to Refined Ferromanganese was increased through the implementation of statistical process control, changes to the blowing patterns and the development of a sampling device for taking samples during the process. Converter refractory consumption was reduced. This was achieved on the converter by improving the cooling of the converters with the installation of cooling fans and cooling fins. The heating schedule of the converters was changed for improved refractory life. Production schedules were modified to allow cooling of the refractory between low carbon erromanganese charges. Additional changes made to improve operations were: ? Changing from mehanite casting trays to metal fines beds. ? Installation of sonic horns in the baghouse to prevent the bridging of dust. ? Improved welding on the lance tips.

Jan 1, 2004

By S. Uludag

Spontaneous combustion of coal has been studied by laboratory techniques using an apparatus in a small-scale laboratory testing. Coal?s inherent characteristics can be measured using Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) and Crossing Point Temperature (CPT) methods. The DTA curve obtained after testing is compared with actual inherent moisture and its effect on spontaneous combustion has been investigated. It has been found that the Wits-Ehac Index increases as the inherent moisture of the sample increases. Therefore it can be deduced that liability to spontaneous combustion increases with increased inherent moisture. In addition, volatiles have a catalytic affect on self heating immediately after the inherent moisture is reduced. This is identified as stage two in the thermogram. The inherent moisture has a cooling effect during the initial stages of testing and is visible in the DTA thermogram. In addition, while an increase in carbon content means an increase in Wits-Ehac Index value, an ash content decreases the likelihood of on spontaneous combustion. Keywords: Spontaneous Combustion, Differential Thermal Analysis, Crossing Point Temperature, Moisture, Coal, Laboratory Testing.

Jan 1, 2007

By C. Scheffer

This paper describes a model that can simulate the behaviour of a pneumatic intensifier that is generally referred to as an ?air pump? (AP). The AP is used in many South African underground mines, and utilizes compressed air with pressures between 0.3?0.6 MPa to pump water up to pressures of 12?18 MPa. The high pressure water is used in numerous underground mines to pressurize props and roof bolts that act as safety and roof support devices. The simulation model reproduces the intensifier's operation under various conditions and therefore can be used to investigate the AP's sensitivity towards environmental conditions, design parameters (such as spring stiffness, plunger diameter, nozzle diameter etc.) and operating conditions. Model validation by comparison with laboratory experiments showed good correlation. The model can subsequently be used to investigate design changes aimed at improving the AP's performance and reliability over a wider range of operating conditions.

Jan 1, 2005

By Martin Banda, Gift C. Chisakuta, Moses Chabinga

KCM made a major modification to the Nchanga Tailings Leach Plant (TLP) changing the circuit from feeding post leach thickeners in parallel with leach discharge for solid ?liquid separation to a Counter Current Decantation (CCD) configuration utilising most of the existing equipment. The new circuit is aimed at improving copper recovery from approximately 70% to 79% through enhanced wash efficiency. The re-introduction of CCD circuit at elevated throughput of 46 000-tpd design was made possible due to the EIMCO E-Duc technology design which is an auto-dilution system that enhances solids settling rate. Commissioning (manual operation) which accommodated on-going operational requirements was phased and completed in January 2004. The circuit stabilised in subsequent months and in March alone an all time record copper recovery of 81.8% was achieved which contributed an extra 779 tonnes copper above the plant?s projected production plans. 100% of the project cost was paid back by end of April 2004 This paper discusses the work involved and the challenges faced during the re-commission

Jan 1, 2005

By P. L. Duncanson, J. D. Toth

Since 1995, when "freeze lining" refractory systems were introduced to the ferroalloy industry, they have gained in popularity, due to the freeze lining?s reputation for reliability, safety, and the contribution it makes to profitability. As with many popular and effective technologies, however, the freeze lining has spawned low-cost pretenders that claim the "freeze lining" name. On the surface they appear to contain some of the components of the technology, such as thermally conductive materials, but they fail to incorporate all of the principles that define a true Freeze Lining. The term "freeze lining" refers to the refractory system?s ability to maintain a temperature profile that is low enough to freeze a layer of process material on its hot face, which insulates the refractory and prevents direct contact with molten metal and slag. In doing so, the common wear mechanisms found in the submerged arc furnace - chemical attack, erosion, and thermal stress - can be prevented. These wear mechanisms are all related to high temperature; thus, they are prevented by maintaining low temperatures. Certain refractory properties and design concepts are absolutely necessary for the lining system to function as a true Freeze Lining. The paper explains these requirements and why they are important - the Truth of freeze linings - and further explains why systems that ignore one or more of these requirements cannot claim to be freeze linings, thereby exposing the Myths.

Jan 1, 2004

Changes in reductant and energy inputs which are required to adjust the slag composition in anilmenite smelter to a higher or lower FeO content are calculated. The calculated changes are based on the assumption that solidification equilibrium with the freeze lining constrains the slag composition to follow a eutectic groove in the TiO2-FeO-TiO1.5phase diagram. Calculated equilibrium conditions along the eutectic groove are presented, and form the basis of the calculations. The inputs of energy and carbon need to deviate strongly from the steady-state values to adjust the slag composition. The inputs required at any given time depend on the desired rate of change of the slag composition, and the current slag composition. The steady-state relationship of a change in energy input of 5 kWh corresponding to a 1 kg change in carbon input does also hold for the changed inputs during transient changes in FeO content. Keywords: Ilmenite smelting, freeze lining, solidification, eutectic

Jan 1, 2003

By J. M. Richards

For most of the 20th century optical petrography has been the primary petrological and mineralogical tool used to characterize coal. The development of quantitative SEM-based techniques, e.g. QEMSCAN®, for coal began only about a decade ago. The application of these techniques for coal lagged behind other commodities, but they are currently being developed with the aim to provide ?one complete analysis? for coal. Quantitative SEM-based techniques are supplemented by quantitative X-ray diffraction (XRD). Recent indications are that these more modern techniques cannot replace the ?standard? petrographic and chemical evaluations, but rather complement them where and when required. The great advantage of quantitative SEM-based techniques is that they are very rapid, with the result that large volumes of samples can be processed on a routine basis. This is ideal for coal type identification, since the results can be used in the creation of ?intelligent? composites. This can lead to the more speedy evaluation of coal deposits by reducing the number of samples on which detailed metallurgical and characterization test work is required, without an increase in the overall statistical error of the resource model. Coal petrography, however, remains important for the prediction of the coking characteristics of certain coals and coal products. As a consequence it is therefore important that any coal laboratory be able to produce data with confidence. This requires strict quality control and assurance protocols that adhere to international standards. Keywords coal petrography, coking strength, scanning electron microscopy, QEMSCAN®.

Nov 1, 2013

Paper written on project work carried out in partial fulfilment of B.Sc. Eng. (Extractive Metallurgy)degree The concepts behind support vector machines are very interesting both in theory and in practice, as they are based on a universal constructive learning procedure derived from the statistical learning theory developed by Vapnik. In this paper, their application to time series modelling is considered by means of simulated data from an autocatalytic reactor. In particular, reconstruction methods from non-linear dynamics are used to define a state space model for the process. Multivariate embedding techniques are compared to scalar embedding with respect to modelling. Keywords: System identification, Support vector machines, Multilayer perceptrons, Non-linear dynamics

Jan 1, 2003

The Annual General Meeting of the Institute was held in Kelvin House, Johannesburg, on Wednesday, 22nd August, 1973. Dr J. P. Hugo (President) was in the Chair. There were also present 64 Fellows, 20 Members, 5 Associates, 3 Students, and 34 Visitors, making a total of 126. The President declared the meeting open at 4.05 p.m. OBITUARIES The President: It is my sad duty to announce the death of the following members of the Institute C. Boocock, R. J. G. Moore, M. P. Pearse, and A. I. Sussman, all Fellows, and W. T. Dalling, a Life Member. As a mark of respect to the memory of the deceased and in sympathy with the bereaved, I ask you to rise and observe a few moments' silence. MINUTES Die President: Item twee op die agenda is die bekragtiging van die notules van die jongste Algemene Vergadering van die Instituut. Daar die notules in die Augustus uitgawe van die Joernaal gepubliseer is, vra ek u toestemming dat dit as sulks bekragtig word. Toestemming verleen. WELCOME TO VISITORS The President: It is my very great pleasure to welcome all the distinguished guests who have honoured us with their presence this afternoon; in particular, a hearty word of welcome to the Honorary President of the Institute, Mr Plumbridge, the President of the Chamber of Mines. You are doubly welcome here, sir, and we thank you for your presence. Also to that old member and stalwart, the Honorary Vice-President of the Institute, Mr Tommy Gibbs, the Government Mining Engineer-you're very welcome, Mr Gibbs. Then, we are particularly privileged this afternoon to have an Honorary Member with us, the Minister of Mines for Rhodesia, Mr Dillon. You will recall that he honoured us with his company last year. Mr Dillon, we are very appreciative and hope that this is now a standing arrangement. We are also honoured by the presence of some thirteen Presidents, Vice-Presidents, or Chairmen of our sister scientific and technical organizations. I shall rapidly read their names, but they must all feel assured that they are very welcome here today. Firstly, one of our own Past Presidents and members, Mr Geoff Goode in his capacity as President of the Associated Scientific and Technical Societies of South Africa; Mr L. R. Robinson, President of the South African Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and Mrs Robinson; Mr G. Goedhals, President of the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers ; Dr Antrobus, President of the Geological Society of South Africa, and Mrs Antrobus; Mr T. V. Dean, Vice-President of the Institute of Land Surveyors of the Transvaal, and Mrs Dean; Mr R. M. Stroh, President of the Mine Ventilation Society of South Africa; Mr Ken Steele, President of the Association of Mine Managers, and Mrs Steele; Mr Mike Gericke, President of the South African Council for Professional Engineers; Mr R. G. Matthews, President of the Institute of Mine Surveyors of South Africa; Mr P. H. Pettifor, President of the Institute of Production Engineers, London, and Mrs Pettifor ; Dr Nico Stutterheim, Chairman of the South African Institute of Chemical Engineers, and Mrs Stutterheim; Professor F. A. van Duuren, Chairman of the Engineers' Liaison Committee in Pretoria; also, I haven't spotted him but I trust he is here-Mr Alex Bain, who is Chairman of this Institute's Witbank/Middelburg Branch. To one and all, ladies and gentlemen, a hearty word of welcome. Not last on our list, a word of welcome to Mr Eric Boden, the Manager of A.S. and T.S. We also have with us I trust, Dr Deist, and his good lady-Dr Deist will be figuring in our proceedings later this afternoon. Also Mr Barcza and Mrs Barcza. Mr Bareza, a former President of the Institute, also has a task to perform. Then, I hope two of our student prize winners are here-Mr Beetge and Mr Painting. Then we also have Mr Roberts, who is welcome in his capacity as co-author with Dr Deist. Then, last of all, a hearty word of welcome to Dr Helen Glen (I am not sure whether she has arrived yet, but she is certainly due to come)-the new Honorary Editor of the Institute's Journal. MEMBERSHIP The President: I have pleasure in announcing that, their names having been published in accordance with By-law 5.2.2, the following have been elected by Council to membership in the following grades Fellows: W. G. Jayes and F. K. Wright Members: D. W. Penman, A. W. Bryson, and D. L. Gibbs Graduates: R. J. Adey, J. P. Bond, R. C. Dunne, G. M. Entwhistle, J. M. Rendu, J. P. S. Turner, and A. P. van Jaarsveld Associates: A. Ellis, B. R. Hambly, A. J. Johansen, and G. W. Tregoning

Jan 10, 1973

By N. L. Ayres

Tendon support systems have been successfully used to stabilize excavations. Tendon support systems are routinely designed using the axial load-bearing capacity of tendons, namely the tensile strength. To attain tensile strength the tendon must be loaded along its length, which often does not occur in practice. Tendons should optimally be installed at 90° to the surface of the excavation to achieve maximum penetration depth, yet this is often not physically or practically possible, and installations at angles less than 90° occur. Furthermore, the intersection of geological features within the rock mass frequently results in complex loading situations on tendons. The position and angle at which loading occurs results in different combinations of tensile and shear forces acting on the tendon, which can impact on the support performance of each unit and ultimately the whole system. All factors that influence the support system should be understood and taken into account to ensure a sound support design. Combination loading situations are further investigated and tested to obtain a better understanding of the mechanisms involved and the effects on tendon load-bearing capacity. Tendon support units were tested at different installation angles to establish the tendon performance, mechanical behaviour, and load capacity during these loading situations. The results and outcomes are aimed at providing rock engineers with additional data and improved understanding of how tendons could perform under certain conditions.

Jan 1, 2014

By A. P. N. Sutherland

Pipelines for transporting high concentration slurries are often designed using methods applicable to homogeneous non-Newtonian laminar flow. Many industrial slurries though comprise coarse particles in a non-Newtonian carrier fluid, and existing experimental evidence from tests with such slurries demonstrates that they are not homogeneous. Under laminar shear conditions the coarse particles settle, even in statically stable carrier fluids. To understand this better, the Institute of Materials Science and Technology (IMST) at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) is conducting ongoing research into the flow of these high concentration non-Newtonian settling slurries. Since pressure gradient and flow rate measurements alone are insufficient to adequately model the flows, an electrical resistance tomography (ERT) instrument developed by the University of Cape Town (UCT)was incorporated into the pipe test loop to determine pipe cross-section concentration and velocity profiles. The software developed to do this is modular and allows different image reconstruction and cross-correlation algorithms to be implemented and tested without significantly changing the rest of the application. At a total frame capture rate of 566 frames/sec a 2.67 GHz Intel Celeron processor with 500 MB of RAM is fast enough to calculate and display velocity profiles in ?real-time? at an update rate of one profile every two seconds. Examples of experimental concentration and velocity profiles obtained using the system are shown and some proposed improvements/extensions to the system are listed.

Jan 1, 2008

By G. Bacon

The past decade has witnessed unprecedented growth in the development and implementation of solvent extraction technology in the extractive metallurgy of nickel and cobalt. Solvent extraction is proving to be a powerful tool, opening new opportunities for simpler, more cost efficient and environmentally sound metal refining processes. These advances, however, could not have been possible without the cooperative efforts between the nickel industry and the people and organizations involved with reagents, materials and equipment development and supply as well as solvent extraction research, aided by the accumulated knowledge and practical experience from the copper and uranium solvent extraction operations. This paper provides an overview of these developments and some of the challenges ahead.

Jan 1, 2002

1. New books Specialty steels and hard materials, edited by N. R. Comins and J. B. Clark. Oxford, Pergamon, 1983.482 pp. Hardcover £55.50. Papers presented at an international conference on advances in flow measurement techniques, edited by H. S. Stephens and B. Jarvis. BHRA Fluid Engineering (Cranfield, Bedford, MK43 OAJ, England), 1982. £36. Papers presented at Fourth European Conference on Mixing, edited by H. S. Stephens and D. Goodes. BHRA Fluid Engineering (Cranfield, Bedford, MK43 OAJ, England), 1982. £36. Papers presented at an international conference on hydrocyclones, edited by H. S. Stephens and G. Priestley. BHRA Fluid Engineering (Cranfield, Bedford, MK43, OAJ, England), 1982. 248 pp. £27. Controlled atmospheres for heat treatment, by R. Nemenyi. Oxford, Pergamon, 1983. 225 pp. Hardcover 20, flexicover £7.50. Electrochemical techniques in corrosion testing and research, edited by J. S. Scully. Oxford, Pergamon, 1983. 150 pp. Flexicover £9.45 2. Book reviews Off highway truck haulage, by the Newman Combined Group. Parkvine (Victoria), Australasian Institute of Mining and Metanurgy, 1982. Reviewer: B. J. Vorster Elsevier's mineral and rock table, compiled by P. Lof. Reviewer: A. Wedepohl Field geologists' manual, by B. A. Berkman. Monograph Series No. 9, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metanurgy, 1982.295 pp. Reviewer: R. A. G. Cuipers 3. Mintek reports Report M56 A computer programme for the evaluation of process routes in the production of ferrochromium. Report M61 An atomic-absorption programme for the Apple 11 Plus computer. Report M63 A general-purpose data logger. Report M65 A preliminary survey of the corrosivity of water in gold mines. Report M66 A review of corrosion inhibitors: theory and practice. Report M67 The determination of total cyanide in solutions containing uranium and gold. Report M68 The suitability of Doppler flowmeters for use in the minerals-processing industry. Report M70 The preparation and certification of two reference materials of South African manganese ore. Report M78 A n evaluation of the Leeds laboratory-scale flotation cell. Report M79 The determination, by X-ray-fluorescence spectrometry, of gold and uranium on resin. Report M80 The installation and commissioning of a Siemens SRS200 sequential X-ray-fluorescence spectrometer. Report M81 The application of the inductively coupled plasma system to the simultaneous determination of precious metals. Open-pit and strip mines The South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and the Mining Alumni Society of the University of Pretoria are organizing an International Conference on The Planning and Operation of Open Pit and Strip Mines in Pretoria from 9th to 13th April, 1984. Other Institutes co-sponsoring the Conference are The Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, The Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, and The Society of Mining Engineers of AIME.

Jan 1, 1983

By J. P. Piguet, Y. Wileveau

ABSTRACT : An experimental programme for damage assessment was performed in the vicinity of the main shaft of Andra’s Underground Research Laboratory, currently under construction in the East of France, when the shaft is crossing the Kimmeridgian marls between 80 and 100 m depth. The mechanical behaviour was analysed by mean of convergence and displacement measurements. The disturbance into the wall was assessed using numerous methods such as measurement of sonic velocities, permeability measurement and VSP measurement in radial boreholes. The intensity of the damaged zone is low, and its extension does not exceed 0.5 time the radius of the shaft. It does not seem to depend on blasting patterns. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG : Ein Forschungs- und Versuchsprogramm wurde aufgestellt, um die beschädigte Zone im Bereich der Kimmeridgemergel zwischen 80 und 100 Meter Tiefe beim Zugangsschacht des im Bau befindlichen Andralabors im Osten Frankreichs zu berechnen. Das mechanische Verhalten der Formationen wird auf der Grundlage von Konvergenz- und Verschiebungsmessungen ermittelt. Verschiedene Messmethoden, wie z.B. mikroseismische Geschwindigkeite Messungen, Permeabilitäs- und Beschleunigungsbestimmungen in strahlenförmigen Bohranordnungen, erlaubten die Ermittlung des Beschädigungscharakters der Schachtwand. Die Intensität der beschädigten Zone ist niedrig, ihre Ausdehnung übersteigt nicht die Hälfte des Radius des Zugangsstollens und scheint unabhängig vom Schema der Sprengstoffanordnungen zu sein. RESUME : Un programme expérimental visant à évaluer la zone endommagée autour du puits d’accès du Laboratoire de Recherche Souterrain de l’Andra actuellement en construction dans l’Est de la France a été mis en œuvre lors de la traversée des marnes du Kimméridgien entre 80 et 100 m de profondeur. Le comportement mécanique des formations est évalué à partir de mesures de convergence et de déplacements. La mise en œuvre de nombreuses méthodes, telles que des mesures microsismiques, des mesures de perméabilité et d’accélérométrie en forages radiaux, a permis de caractériser l’endommagement en paroi du puits. L’intensité de la zone endommagée est faible et son extension ne dépasse pas 0,5 fois le rayon du puits. L’endommagement semble indépendant des schémas de tirs testés.

Jan 1, 2003

By C. J. Van Niekerk

The study comprised of the investigation into the sensitization characteristics of AISI 409 titanium stabilized ferritic stainless steel during low heat input welding. AISI 409 is a fully ferritic stainless steel used in catalytic converters and tubing for automotive exhaust systems due to the supposition that sensitization does not occur during low heat input welding. Two plates of 2 and 4 mm were tested for sensitization during low heat input welding. The study confirmed that chromium carbide (M23C6) precipitation occurs on the grain boundaries in the heat-affected zone with consequent depletion of Cr adjacent to the grain boundaries during welding. In the 2 mm plate sensitization occurred in the heat input range of 0.1 kJ/mm to above 0.25 kJ/mm and in the 4 mm plate sensitization occurred in the heat input range of 0.2 to 0.9 kJ/mm. Ti stabilization is ineffective at the heat inputs used in this investigation due to the rapid cooling rate through the temperature region where TiC precipitates. The presence of N was found to be detrimental since it consumes Ti on cooling, forming TiN, effectively lowering the amount of Ti available for TiC formation during rapid cooling after welding. Annealing for 5 minutes at 725°C does not improve the sensitization characteristics of the welded plate. There is a linear increase in grain size as heat input increases. The resistance to pitting corrosion decreases in the sensitized, welded plate in theheat-affected zone adjacent to the fusion line of welding. Keywords AISI 409 ferritic stainless steel, sensitization, grain growth, resistance to pitting corrosion, low heat input welding.

Jan 1, 2011

By Onuralp Yücel, Süheyla Aydin, Erçin Ersundu

Turkish iron and steel sector, the base of which was established in the 1930?s, plays an important role in the industrialization and development of the country?s economy. In Türkiye this sector is the major consumer of ferroalloys. There had been a great improvement in Turkish Iron and Steel industry, especially after the 1980?sand as a result, 20.9 million tons of yearly crude steel production placed Türkiye 11th in the global steel output and 3rd in Europe. 15 % of steel produced in Türkiye is flat products, while the long products make the rest. The product composition and the general characteristics of steel production process led to an increase in ferroalloy consumption. Domestically consumed ferroalloys are especially ferromanganese, silicomanganese, and ferrosilicon. As of today, ferroalloy production capacity of Türkiye is 173,800 tons/year; 161,500 tons of which is ferrochrome with high and low carbon grades, 7,300 tons of ferrosilicochrome and the rest is ferrosilicon (5,000 tons/year). Türkiye is one of leading ferrochrome producers in the world considering the above mentioned production figures. However, this production is mainly exported since Türkiye?s stainless steel production level is modest requiring low amounts of ferrochrome. The products of iron and steel industry in Türkiye require large quantities of other ferroalloys, which make Türkiye a major importer and exporter of ferroalloys. The aim of this work is to present production, consumption, import and export quantities of: ferrochrome, ferromanganese, ferrosilicon, ferromolybdenum, ferrotungsten, ferrotitanium and ferrovanadium of Türkiye, between 1990 and 2006.

Jan 1, 2007

By M. Hopf

The use of water-cooled copper components as sidewall elements of submerged arc furnaces and other pyrometallurgical applications has become increasingly common. The high cooling efficiency of copper has made it possible to increase the service life of furnace refractories when compared to conventional refractory linings. However, even the self-healing effect of ?freezing? worn areas of the lining does not necessarily protect the copper coolers against wear or corrosion completely. In order to avoid furnace explosions, various methods have been used to monitor the wear of coolers. Unfortunately, these have not been able consistently to identify localized wear. Thos Begbie (South African) and SAVEWAY (German) jointly developed technology to embed a line sensor into the copper cooler during the casting process. This system allows an exhaustive monitoring of the copper cooler. A SAVELINE sensor is placed inside the copper-cooling panel between the water-cooling passage and the hot face of the panel. The sensor follows the meandering shape of the cooling water channels. In the first instance, the sensor provides analogue information as the thickness of the copper reduces. Secondly, this wear signal will be confirmed by a signal of interruption if the sensor is washed away. Because of the structure of the sensor, a self-diagnosis is possible and indications can be confirmed (double proofed).Subsequent to the manufacture of some test pieces, coolers for a large submerged arc furnace were manufactured. The sensorized coolers have been installed at the intermittent surface (slag line) where the largest amount of corrosion has been encountered. The system has been operating since December 2005 in what is considered one of the largest submerged arc furnaces in South Africa. Keywords: Pyrometallurgy, furnace, copper coolers, freeze lining, monitoring, Saveway

Jan 1, 2006

By F. T. Cawood

Inauguration of the new political dispensation in South Africa in1994 initiated a dynamic shift in the ownership, management and development of the country?s affluent mineral heritage. The process of substituting the old South African regime with a new equitable system started soon after the 1994 election of the African National Congress (ANC) to parliament. The Congress?s Freedom Charter revealed the intent of the new dispensation when it called for radical transformation of mineral development. However, since then there have been important changes affecting the rules of mineral development. These are: ?A drastic change in politics ushered in by negotiation, a spirit of reconciliation and a desire to settle disputes peacefully ?The globalization of the South African mining industry in tandem with the opening of domestic mineral resources to foreign capitalists and ?The introduction of sustainable development as a holistic approach to mineral development in order to replace traditional narrow-minded environmental management. Each of these significantly shaped the new mineral investment environment of South Africa. This paper represents a summary of the historical developments leading to the current Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act No. 28 of 2002, its regulations, the much publicised Broad-Based Socio-Economic Empowerment Charter, its associated Scorecard, and the Draft Royalty Bill.

Jan 1, 2004