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By J. L. Jambor, T. C. Birkett, W. D. Sinclair

Abstract -The rare-earth elements (REE) form a significant part of the group of so-called "high­ technology" metals whose glamour has attracted both the scientific community and the mining industry. Despite this attraction, world production of REE declined abruptly in 1985 and only recently has begun to approach production levels of 1984. The decline in 1985 was primarily due to decreased demand for light REE used as catalysts in the production of lead-bearing gasoline. Incorporated within the current trend toward increased production of REE is an increasing demand for higher value elements such as yttrium and other members of the heavy REE group, and for specific REE rather than mixed products . The former demand has made some Canadian deposits and prospects economically attractive despite a surplus of REE reserves on a world scale. The chief attractions of Canadian deposits such as Strange Lake, Labrador-Quebec, Thor Lake, Northwest Territories, and Kipawa, Quebec, are that they are relatively rich in yttrium and other heavy REE compared to light REE, and that they offer a potential security of supply to counterbalance the rapidly escalating dominance of China in the world market.

Jan 1, 1992

By U. Storck

"Shaft sinking for exploitation of the deep potash beds in Saskatchewan involved great difficulties from the very first because of the need to exclude from the shaft the high-pressure water encountered in the overburden. Control of the troublesome Blairmore quicksands was achieved relatively quickly by use of the freezing method and by lining with cast iron tubbing. The unsolved problem remained, however, of sealing the water-bearing Devonian where the formations had extremely low permeability and were thus hard to grout. Long experience in German potash mines had shown that the permanency of the whole mine would be seriously endangered if large amounts of unsaturated salt water were allowed to flow in from the shaft wall and merely removed by pumping. The prevention of water movement and the resulting dissolution of salt in the overburden were known to be most important. In the Alwinsal shaft, water flow from the Devonian has been prevented by the use of a steel and concrete sandwich lining similar in principle to a kind of lining introduced a few years earlier, and for another reason, in German coal shafts. As its installation is neither more expensive nor more time consuming than that of cast iron tubbing lining, this same lining was also chosen as protection against the Blairmore quicksands. The great advantage of the steel lining, in addition to its relatively high strength, is the fact that it is possible to make the joints of the individual segments absolutely and permanently water-tight by means of tested welds. The virtual dryness of the Alwinsal shaft will also result in lower costs because significant corrosion of all its steel installations, including skips, cage and ropes, will be prevented."

Jan 1, 1968

By R. B. Ellestad

Introduction Lithium has been known since 1817, when it was discovered by the Swedish chemist, Arfvedson, while working in the laboratory of Berzelius on the chemical analysis of the mineral petalite, LiAl(Si205)2. Development of the chemistry of lithium proceeded slowly, following the early work of Davy, Gmelin, Bunsen, and Matthiessen. Approximately seventy years elapsed before lithium products assumed any commercial importance, and for a considerable period it was a' very minor industry. Their chief early use seems to have been in medicine, and in the production of lithiated water. Other more important uses were gradually discovered, and the industry has had a slow but steady growth. Chemistry Lithium is classified as an alkali metal, along with sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cæsium. Like these, it is a silvery-white metal, which can be cut with a knife; it is harder than sodium, but softer than lead" It is remarkable in having a density of only 0.53 gram per cubic centimeter, which makes it the lightest metal. On ignition in air, it burns intensely to form chiefly lithium monoxide, Li2O. Like the other alkali metals, lithium reacts vigorously with water to form hydrogen and lithium hydroxide. The later is a strong base, and reacts with acids to form salts. The salts of lithium are in general analogous to those of the -other alkalies, but many of them have unique properties. For example, lithium chloride and bromide are extremely hygroscopic, and have a very high water solubility. Lithium fluoride, phosphate, and carbonate, on the other hand, are all relatively insoluble, unlike the corresponding sodium and potassium compounds. In this instance, lithium exhibits its frequent tendency to resemble the alkaline-earth group of elements (calcium, strontium, and barium). Many of the special and valuable properties of lithium are related to the extremely small size of the lithium ion.

Jan 1, 1948

By M. E. Coleman, G. Money

Pneumatic Conveying and Process Injection Technologies have been implemented in the metals markets for the last 40 years and have considerably improved the productivity and the performance of many processes. There have been many steps forward in handling technology and this paper seeks to consider those now offered by Clyde Materials Handling who as an established customer-driven solutions provider has turned its attention to supporting the Metals Market. Clyde seeks to utilise its knowledge, expertise and technologies to transform the production processes of its customers, who operate in the ferrous and non-ferrous metals industries.

Jan 1, 2008

By Yves Gratton

The International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) is a non-governmental International Organization which provides a forum for the exchange of knowledge and experience in dam engineering. It is the world's leading professional organization dedicated to advancing the technology of dam engineering and supporting socially and environmentally responsible development and management of the world's water resources. ICOLD was founded in 1928 and has National Committees in 82 countries with approximately 7,000 individual members who are engineers, geologists and scientists from governmental and private organizations, consulting firms universities, laboratories and construction companies. Its original aim was to encourage progession in planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of large dams and associated civil works by collecting and disseminating relevant information and by studying related technical questions. Since the late sixties, focus was put on subjects of current concern such as dam safety, monitoring of performance, reanalysis of older dams and spillways, effects of ageing and environmental impacts. More recently, additional subjects have included cost studies at the planning and construction stages, harnessing international rivers, information for the public at large, and financing.

May 1, 2002

By D. Mark Richards

Highland Valley Copper (HVC) is a large open pit copper mine in the southern interior of British Columbia. Machine guidance technology using GPS has been utilized at the mine since 1996 for blast hole drill navigation and since 2000 for shovel and dozer navigation. Since 1997, rock recognition has been part of the drilling process. This allowed the mine to develop a Mine to Mill strategy using the rock hardness information from drill monitoring systems to both refine drilling and blasting parameters as well as downstream crushing and grinding strategies. Although this preliminary effort has been very successful at HVC, the current intent is to gain further benefits through better use of existing information while also deriving an enhanced data set from monitoring production drills. In the latter case, the objective is to acquire and process drill variables in such a manner as to permit more detailed definition of rock mass characteristics. The subsequent focus will be to use the derived geotechnical and geological information as part of a practical process to more prescriptively blast the rock mass. Through the definition of domains based on drill monitored derived rock mass properties, the intent will be to enhance blast outcomes that lead to optimized downstream (from blasting through to concentration) processes in a more proactive and timely manner. This paper examines a proposed approach to be able to derive more accurate and consistent rock mass properties from production drilling. In addition, the discussion will identify potential benefits to be gained from process improvements that result in enhanced productivities, and crushing and grinding optimisation due to blasting strategies that are more closely matched to identify rock mass characteristics.

May 1, 2007

By Adam Chrzanowski, Eugene E. Derenyi, Peter Wilson

"The rapid growth of the mining industry in Canada necessitates a reevaluation of existing mining surveying techniques and the development of new methods. In this connection, the Department of Surveying Engineering at the University of New Brunswick initiated a research program, and the major points of investigation conducted to date are as follows: 1. Based on practical experience and theoretical studies, all factors influencing classical shaft-plumbing procedures were analyzed. Refined methods were developed to increase accuracy. 2. The performance of electronic and optical distance-measuring instruments in underground conditions were investigated. In this connection, test measurements were made in various mines, employing four types of Tellurometers, two models of Geodimeters and a proto-type optical range-finder. 3. Tests were conducted and methods developed for the mapping of large underground chambers by photo-grammetric means. The aforementioned points are discussed at some length in the paper. The authors have also indicated areas where further research is needed and suggested ways and means to improve and modernize mining surveying as a whole throughout Canada."

Jan 1, 1967

By Roger K. M. Bellows

The last coal-fired power plant to be built in Canada came into operation in 1994. Since then, Canada?s electricity requirements have grown substantially but no new coal-burning plants have been built. This country has abundant resources of coal from coast to coast, but in recent years, this has not affected our choice of fuel. In many other countries this is not the case, and the use of coal is growing rapidly. Although this presentation covers the topic from an Alberta perspective, some of the conclusions can be extrapolated to the rest of the country, and perhaps even to other countries. The coal found in the Alberta plains is particularly attractive because of its low cost and low sulphur content. Yet coal is no longer the fuel of choice, and a long-standing provincial government policy to favour coal for electricity generation has been ignored for more than a decade. Considering the lack of good alternatives, it seems obvious that we should look to coal as our primary energy source in the generation of electricity and for other industrial applications. This paper discusses some of the reasons that coal has fallen out of favour, particularly with respect to electricity generation. The significance of the deregulation of the electricity industry will not be ignored. In addition, the author will offer his opinion on the question of what it will take in order for coal to once again become the favoured fuel.

May 1, 2001

By G G. Suffel

T HESE remarks on the occurrence of strata-bound massive sulphide deposits are submitted be-cause the writer recently visited the principal Cyprus deposits (in January, 1965) and has also a back-ground of many years spent largely in detailed observation and map-ping of the Horne and Amulet ore-bodies, now largely inaccessible. They are particularly related to the Symposium papers (September Bulletin) by Hutchinson and by Roscoe. Some comments are offered on the cupriferous pyrite deposits of Cyprus. As the writer is currently reviewing the published literature on the related deposits in Turkey, a brief account of some characteristic Anatolian sulphide occurrences is given. The discussion is closed with some thoughts on the relationship between these Mediterranean sulphide deposits and those of northwestern Quebec and the Superior province in general. The geology of Cyprus, as it relates to the sulphide deposits, is well summarized by Hutchinson (1965). After visiting Mavrovouni, Skouriotissa and Limni and after much thought on the possible ge-nesis of these ores, it seems quite logical to me that he is right. They are indeed closely related to late-stage submarine volcanism.

Jan 1, 1965

By F. J. Reichhardt

Abstract -The Molopo Farms Complex is a major, layered ultramafic/mafic, early Proterozoic intrusion which is totally covered by sediments of the Karoo and Kalahari Formations and situated in southern Botswana and northeastern South Africa. The approximately 3000 m thick, generally fine- to medium-grained ultramafic and mafic cumulates are intrusive into equivalents of Transvaal Supergroup sediments and lavas. Multiphase deformation resulted in tilting and segmentation of the Complex into individual tectonic blocks. Sr isotopes document at least two chemically distinct parental liquids which interacted in a complex manner to form an approximately 1000 m thick rhythmically layered succession which straddles the ultramafic/mafic boundary. Repeated mixing resulted in a complex cryptic layering pattern and numerous sulfide-enriched layers which contain significant PGE +Au concentrations.

Jan 1, 1994

By W. H. White, A. J. Sinclair

"Unaltered biotites from three samples of monzonite and gabbro from the Copper Mountain stock and a single sample from a pegmatic biotite-chalcopyrite vein cutting the Triassic Wolf Creek formation have a mean K-A age of 193±7 m.y. These data support a suggestion based on geological evidence that Copper Mountain ore deposits are related genetically to the Copper Mountain stock.A cogenetic mineral pair (biotite and clinopyroxene) from a sample of sericitized and chloritized monzonite of the Copper Mountain stock have identical K-A ages of 150 m.y., which probably represents a time of wide-spread, post-ore, hydrothermal alteration. This alteration is believed to be related genetically to a group of post-ore intrusions known as the ""mine dykes,"" suggesting that they also have an age of 150 m.y."

Jan 1, 1968

By J. A. Bos, Z. Dai, P. Quinn, A. Lee

A flowsheet is being developed for processing Thompson ultramafic low-grade nickel ores. This type of ore is characterized by high content of serpentinized magnesium silicates which generate slimes during comminution. Flotation of this type of ore proves difficult due to problems associated with the slimes. The flowsheet, based on extensive laboratory and miniplant flotation tests, consists of two key components: desliming by hydrocyclones prior to flotation and using soda ash for pH control in flotation. Satisfactory metallurgical results have consistently been achieved in laboratory full circuit simulation and miniplant tests.

Jan 1, 2009

By Louise Corriveau, Bronwyn Azar, Valerie A. Jackson, Luke Ootes, Jeff Harris

We use the results of new bedrock mapping, combined with geochemical point data and airborne radiometric data (in particular equivalent uranium concentrations) to help determine which geological units in the Paleoproterozoic Great Bear magmatic zone (GBmz) contain elevated uranium. The data collectively indicate that the highest primary uranium concentrations are in equigranular granites and subvolcanic/volcanic porphyries. Notably, these rocks host the majority of known uranium-bearing deposits and/or prospects in the GBmz. We speculate that the uranium in these deposits/prospects was derived from nearby, uranium-enriched rocks and was mobilized by much younger, circulating hydrothermal fluids. Sedimentary rocks of the Thelon and Dismal Lakes groups unconformably overlie the GBmz and are known to host unconformity-type and sandstone-hosted uranium prospects. Most likely, the uraniumenriched rocks of the GBmz acted as a uranium donor to these overlying sedimentary basins. The method of investigation employed in this study may be applicable to other ‘granitic’ terrains in order to identify regions with favourable rocks for uranium exploration.

Jan 1, 2013

By H. R. Banks

"AbstractThe rod mill introduced into the Sullivan Concentrator flow in September, 1948, replaced two sets of 74 in. by 20 in. rolls and their accompanying screens. In addition to the work formerly done by the rolls, the rod mill is producing a finer product and one which provides more suitable feed for the primary ball mills. The object of the finer discharge from the •primary mills is to make possible a feed directly from the mills to a series of flotation machines where a large portion of the galena can be withdrawn from the circuit while the galena is still coarsely granular. The interposing of classifiers between grinding and flotation means the selective grinding of the galena.The author summarizes the work of •the rod mill through the first 5,000,000 tons and shows that the wear of lifters, liners, and rods is definitely below normal for the type and size of rock being handled. The rod mill, driven through a fluid coupling, has been subject to a range of speeds from 13.5 to 19. A pinion in the speed reducer was changed to allow the extending of the normal speed range of the fluid drive of approximately 4 r.p.m.Since the critical speed inside the liners •is 23.4, the range •in per cent of criticial is 57.7 to 81.2 per cent.The capacity of the mill increases with increasing speed but the character of the product remains approximately the same except when the feed rate is too high.Consumption of steel, power, and other operating data are presented.The author introduces certain fundamental observations on the principles involved •in comminution in order to support the special design and operation of the rod mill."

Jan 1, 1952

By A. C. A. Howe, J. C. Rowntree

"The Bernie Lake pegmatite near Lac Du Bonnet in southern Manitoba is a complexly zoned pegmatite containing several lithium-bearing units in addition to the western world's largest known reserve of cesium. The pegmatite forms a flat-lying ellipsoidal body within an east-west-trending Precambrian amphibolite. The pegmatite enclosed by this vertically schistose amphibolite lies near the eastern tip of a granitic intrusive. The relationship of this intrusive to the pegmatite is obscured by Bernie lake. To date, the pegmatite body has been delineated aver an area of approximately 80 acres; it attains a maximum thickness of 280 feet. Several distinct zones, including three assemblages of economic importance, comprise the pegmatite itself. The combined spodumene and lepidolite assemblages provide a recoverable defined lithium ore reserve of almost 5 million tons averaging more than 2 per cent lithium oxide. The recoverable cesium ore of the pollucite assemblage provides 300,000 tons averaging more than 20 per cent cesium oxide; this represents more than half of the western world's pollucite reserve. The Bernie Lake pegmatite deposit, owned by Chemalloy Minerals Limited, is well located with respect to the growing United States markets, and its reserves of cesium are large enough to enable it, under favourable economic circumstances, to become the major producer of this metal in North America."

Jan 1, 1967

A series of field and laboratory evaluations were conducted in order to characterize the effects of a Mann+Hummel SMF-AR® diesel particulate filter (DPF) system on the aerosols and criteria gases emitted by diesel engines. This system, with a durable sintered metal filter media and available active regeneration via an on-board electrical heater, has been considered for retrofitting diesel engines used in light- and medium-duty underground mining applications. Two DPF systems were installed on a forklift and locomotive from the underground mining fleet of the Vale?s Creighton Mine and evaluated over a 1,500-hour trial. This evaluation was complemented with field and laboratory emissions tests. The field tests were performed on the vehicles while at the Creighton Mine surface shop. During those tests, the emissions were assessed for the engines operated at hydraulic stall, high idle, and low idle conditions. The laboratory tests were executed at the diesel engine emissions laboratory at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), here the DPF removed from the forklift was further evaluated at four steady-state engine operating conditions as well as at transient conditions using a custom-designed duty cycle. Very similar methodologies were used during field and laboratory tests to measure concentrations of aerosols and criteria gases in the diesel exhaust, both upstream and downstream of the DPF system. The concentrations and size distributions of aerosols were measured using a fast mobility particle sizer spectrometer, in exhaust diluted by a partial flow dilution system. The concentrations of CO2, CO, NO, and NO2 were measured in the raw exhaust using a Fourier transform infra-red spectrometer. Both field and laboratory emissions tests showed that the evaluated DPF systems were very effective in reducing aerosol emissions from all tested engines, and for all test conditions. The systems were found to have minor effects on gaseous emissions from those engines. The findings from this study should help the mining industry to better understand the benefits and challenges of using DPF systems to control the exposure of underground miners to diesel aerosols.

Aug 1, 2013

By H. S. Price, F. N. Kissell, R. C. McCulloch, J. C. Edwards

"The methane em1ss10n from deep coalbeds which are actively mined is a serious problem facing the mining industry today. Pinpointing the source of methane and predicting the emission of this gas from these coalbeds is necessary if preventive techniques are to be effectively used to control methane emission. In general, because most coalbeds have water associated with them, the system to be studied may be either single-phase (methane gas) or two-phase (methane and water). Because coal mine geometry is complex and the fluids have variable properties as functions of pressure and methane concentration, the differential equations describing the flow of methane and water are not amenable to analytic solution, but must be solved numerically using high-speed computers. This paper presents the development of such a complex mathematical model along with some preliminary applications of the model to methane emission from one- and two-dimensional coalbeds with and without water present."

Jan 1, 1973

By Karl J. C. Harries

"4.1. INTRODUCTIONThis chapter, although divided into four parts, deals with only two principal topics. The first briefly describes and discusses some common types of property interests and considerations relating to them and the second deals with entering upon privately owned lands and obtaining the consent to do so.It should be noted that the terms “mining rights” and “mineral rights” are used interchangeably. As so used, they include the right to exploit the minerals and dispose of them for the benefit of the owner/lessee. This is relatively common in common law jurisdictions. In some jurisdictions, the two terms have distinct meanings, with “mining rights” referring to the right to work or exploit the minerals and “mineral rights” referring to the minerals themselves.Finally, it must be mentioned that the comments in the Introduction and §§ 4.2., 4.3. and 4.4. are based primarily upon Ontario law and Ontario’s mining and real property systems of registration. They have been included for illustrative purposes.4.2. LICENCES, CLAIMS, AND LEASESIn most jurisdictions, there are several basic types of interests that can be obtained from the state for mining purposes and that are of interest to the explorationist, as opposed to the operator. Different jurisdictions will have variations of these and possibly some extra ones that will address special purposes or local concerns. In virtually every jurisdiction, privately owned property rights are obtained through negotiation between owner and acquiror.Exploration or prospecting licence. This licence grants to the holder the right to prospect over a large tract of land and the exclusive right to acquire mining claims within that tract for the term of the licence. Such licences are usually negotiated documents requiring a minimum expenditure during the first year (often secured by a deposit or surety bond) and minimum annual expenditures thereafter to continue the licence in force up to its full term. The term will rarely exceed four years. The number of claims permitted to be staked will be limited in some way, possibly as to a maximum aggregate area or a maximum number of claims per annum. It is normal for the holder to have to drop part of the licensed area each year, so that the area shrinks annually, although exploration expenditure requirements will usually increase.These types of licences are usually used by governments to encourage exploration of otherwise unattractive or remote areas, such as the far northern parts of some of Canada’s provinces. They do not grant any real property interest in the area for which they are issued, and they will be subject to any claims or property rights that exist in the area. They are contracts with the state that grant certain exclusive rights in return for commitments to carry out work. They may or may not be specifically authorized by statute."

Jan 1, 2003

By R. P. D. Graham

It is almost exactly two hundred years since the foundations of the mining and metallurgical industries in Canada were laid. There '."'as nothing spectacular about this early start. It had to do with the most basic phases of these industries-the mining of coal and iron ore, and the manufacture of cast and wrought iron. At several points along the coast of Cape Breton island, coal seams may be seen outcropping quite conspicuously, and it is probable that they had been observed, and possibly worked in a small way, in very early times. However that may be, these coal seams have the distinction of being the first in North America of which there is any printed record, reference to them appearing in a volume by Nicolas Denys which was published in Paris in 1672. Regular coal mining in the district did not commence until about fifty years later, however. The metallurgists started their operations along the north shore of the St. Lawrence river. Here, at many points between Montreal and Quebec, are to be found deposits of bog iron ore, and in 1 730 a furnace for smelting such ore was established on the St. Maurice river. The St. Maurice forges continued in operation until 1880, and throughout that long period they were famed for the fine quality of castings produced, and also for a-superior wrought iron.

Jan 1, 1924

By C. H. Wright

Introduction The rapidly expanding and increasingly complex Canadian industrial structure, with the mining, metallurgical, and chemical industries as a large integral part, has, in recent years, brought greatly increased importance and value to our industrial minerals. In the modern economy of our mineral industry the importance which is due the non-metallics has been somewhat overshadowed by the great value of our large metal production and, in addition, by the glamour and fascination usually associated with the mining and treatment of gold ores. The term 'Industrial Mineral' is used in this paper in its usual sense and refers to non-metallics other than fuels. Coal and petroleum products, including natural gas, are considered as industrial minerals in those applications in which they are used for strictly chemical process purposes. Certain reduction metallurgical industries are so closely allied to chemical industries that for purposes been of this discussion no attempt has made to differentiate between them. Chemical industry in Canada today is a fairly large factor in our national economy, whereas in 1898, when the Canadian Mining Institute was born, it was very small indeed. Chemical concerns are largely dependent on industrial minerals for raw materials and process supplies and, as the country has developed industrially, so have the demands for non-metallics increased, not only by chemical industry but also by other large consumers, such as the construction and metallurgical industries. At the present time there is a greater than normal incentive prevailing for new discoveries, due to the serious lack of balance that exists in our import and export trade. This fact has resulted in intensive efforts to rectify the situation by locating new deposits and re-assessing those already known in an effort to enlarge and improve our home production of raw materials and also to extend their processing in Canada for our own needs and for export. The rapid advances in science and technology that have taken place since 1900 have also resulted in many cases of beneficiation and utilization of otherwise too low grade materials in order to satisfy current demands. The purpose of this paper is to indicate the history and the trends of the utilization of industrial minerals in established industry and to indicate the important part played by non-metallics in connection with the opening up of new industries. Some consideration has been given to the continual competition between natural and 'synthetic products and to the general tendency towards more rigid specifications.

Jan 1, 1948