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By John F. Gartner

"Traditionally, the geologists of Canada have been occupied with the tasks of finding new mineral bodies, locating gas and oil fields or hunting for economic deposits of industrial minerals. A very minor percentage of graduate geologists have applied their skills to solution of the ""urban blight"" or employing their understanding of ""Nature"" for the optimum use of land by mankind. However, things are changing quickly. The role of the geologist in the planning process is being established. It is an exciting time! Geologists are now being consulted on a wide range of urban planning problems. These vary, tor example, from assessment of the geological environment for the new communities of Erin Mills and Meadowvale, which will have total populations in excess of 100,000 people (truly a satellite city), to a complete geological/ geohydrological assessment of the new sanitary landfill for the city of Guelph.Use of geologic techniques and methods for urban studies must be enhanced with certain skills not taught, in the past, to the geologist. These include airphoto interpretation, soil mechanics, geohydrology, municipal engineering and highway engineering to mention a few. The geologist has the unique training to assess the natural environment and to discover, warn and explain the implications of man's attempt to command his environment."

Jan 1, 1972

By Hans W. Schreiber

INTRODUCTION At the end of the day, the decision by the sponsor to proceed with a project and to seek financing, or the decision by the financier to grant financing are made on a judgmental basis. Cash flow projections, sensitivity and risk analysis, the innumerable ratios applied by the financier, the so-called feasibility study, etc. are all only tools, and the degree to which they affect decisions is as highly varied as are the personality differences and business conduct and outlooks of the persons who render the decision of "go or no-go". The independent consultant, then, is expected to provide an additional increment of credulity and/or reliability to the "tools" which others will use in reaching a decision; the consultant is really not in a position to directly recommend a "go or no-go". PROJECT FINANCE INGREDIENTS The project finance situation has basically three ingredients: - The project; - The inherent risks attendant with project failure; - The parties. The project, to be viable for financing, will have certain essential characteristics, namely: 1. Clear title or rights to the mineral; 2. Proven definition/establishment of mineral quantity; 3. Financial viability; 4. Physical access consistent with financial viability; 5. A market for the product at a price and for the quantity consistent with financial viability; 6. Transportation/shipping from the project facility to the market at a cost consistent with financial viability; 7. Availability and demonstrated expertise of the developer of the facility; 8. Demonstrated expertise of the operator of the facility; 9. Production processes do not involve unproven new technology; 10. Availability of management personnel; 11. The property and the facilities have value (and thus can be used as collateral); 12. Government approvals/support, as required, will have been obtained; 13. The political environment is essentially friendly and stable; 14. The owner(s) of the project have the financial, strength to make equity contributions consistent with total required investment capital and project risk; 15. Backing by credit support other than that of the financier (i.e. guarantees); The inherent risks of failure are (Nevitt, 2nd Edition); 1. Completion delays with consequent delays in the generation of revenue 2. Cost overruns 3. Technical failure 4. Financial failure of contractors 5. Government interference 6. Uninsured losses 7. Increased price or shortages of raw materials, supplies 8. Technical obsolescence 9. Loss of competitive position in the market place 10. Expropriation 11. Inadequate/poor management The parties directly or indirectly integral to the project financing are: - The mineral rights owner - The developer - The operator - The equity investor

Jan 1, 1985

By Maurice Hall Haycock

ONE result of the higher price of gold has been the exploitation of many low-grade deposits, the successful treatment of which depends upon obtaining high recovery of the contained gold. Modern methods have made it possible to recover gold from many ores formerly regarded as impossible to treat economically, but in order to apply these methods efficiently it has become desirable, and indeed in many cases indispensable, to gain precise information concerning their mineralogical and physical character. The most successful means of doing this is the use of the reflecting microscope. Reflecting microscopes had long been employed by metallurgists for studying polished surfaces of iron and steel when, thirty years ago, Dr. W. Campbell, of Columbia University, advanced the idea of using similar methods for studying opaque minerals (1). The immediate result was the completion of two microscopic studies, the first on Cobalt silver ores (2) and the second on Sudbury nickel ores (3). The idea was surprisingly slow in being adopted, and not until 1911 did it begin to spread through the universities of this continent. From then on, ore microscopy, or 'mineragraphy', made rapid progress, and, during the next fifteen years, research in universities of North America and Europe led to the development of somewhat specialized apparatus and technique. This phase of development, which resulted largely in contributions of a descriptive nature, furnished a mass of data from which the possibility of economic applications was soon recognized. Ore microscopy became an aid to the mining geologist in solving many problems of ore deposition. This soon led to its application in the study of ores and mill products in connection with their treatment. Its usefulness in this latter field has been very marked and has led to its widespread adoption by the mining industry.

Jan 1, 1937

By Raymond F. Mikesell

This paper evaluates the contributions of "third parties" to surplus capacity in the world metals industries in the 1980s. Special attention is given to the role of international development agencies, such as the World Bank, that have made project loans to state mining enterprises. The paper also reviews the contributions to surplus capacity of the International Monetary Fund and evaluates the large volume of credits from commercial banks to developing countries. Although the credits to Third World countries during the 1970s facilitated the expansion of mining capacity in those countries, no one source of financing can be held responsible for a significant portion of the expansion.

Jan 1, 1989

By Walter G. Perkins

T SEEMS almost sheer presumption to attempt' to discuss Russia in its present chaotic political and economic condition, and were it not that at least two certain absolute factors are continuously at work, it would be impossible to' even approach the subject with any degree of intelligence. These are the inborn love of peace of the people and the national character of the cooperative movement. The love of peace inborn in the soul of every Russian, the desire to be left alone and to- live his life among his home village surroundings, is probably one of the two greatest factors that will make the continuance of the present conditions of civil war impossible. One army or the other may sweep up and down the country. but the Russian peasant will: remain in his own village if not literally darken out. This love of peace is evidenced by the fact that there is no country where personal safety is greater than in Russia in normal times. I have traveled in many isolated parts, carrying considerable sums of money and persolial equipment that; in itself, would be a fortune to any peasant, and have never even encountered a condition in which the most wildly imaginative person looking for adventure, 01: trouble, could muster up even a suspicion of fear. This statement applies also to Southern Siberia and Northern Turkestan, which are inhabitated by the nomadic tribes of Khirghese origin.

Jan 1, 1920

The Sage Mill Project w approved by Santa Fe Pacific Gold Corporation's Board of Directors in October 1994. The Sage Mill Project included a pressure oxidation plant designed and constructed to process refractory carbonaceous ore using fine grinding/autoclaving technology developed specifically to treat Twin Creeks ore. The project was constructed in two phases. The first phase was put into operation on May 5, 1997, just hours before the transfer of ownership to Newmont Gold Company occurred. The second phase started in October 1997. This paper reviews schedule, costs, scope changes, and methodology used on the project that spanned almost five years from project definition through commercial operation.

Jan 1, 1999

By A. R. Chambers

Malagash received its name from the Indians many years ago on acco.unt of its turbid (milky) waters, although,' the red men did not appreciate the significance of this turbidity, and were, of course, entirely ignorant of the crystal beds of pure salt that lay beneath their feet. The salt lake of the Mississippian, or Lower Carboniferous period, in which these beds occur, was apparently a large one, for there is evidence of its existence at intervals all the way from Sydney, Cape Breton, to St. John, New Brunswick, 300 miles as the crow flies, and there is no knowing what its other dimensions may have been, as much of this horizon is now buried on the one side beneath the waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and on the other underneath the Atlantic ocean. About midway of the area and underlying the counties of Colchester and Cumberland, there occurs a synclinal basin of which the Malagash salt outcrop forms only a small portion of its northern limit. This basin has been described very fully by A. C. Hayes. (1) The operations carried on at Malagash since Hayes wrote his report have brought to light very little in the way of new geological data, except to confirm his pre-dictions as to the probable faulting of the salt strata, and the effect which these faults would have on mining operations.

Jan 1, 1924

By H. L. Barr

THE following report covers the history of the development of the mine, present equipment, methods and costs of mining and milling. In addition, a description of the ore deposit is given with emphasis on the origin of the fractures, mode and types of ore occurrence, and mechanics of granite emplacement. An endeavor has been made to present a complete and accurate statement of the San Mauricio mine, the highest grade gold mine in the Philippine Islands. Credit is gratefully acknowledged to the mine staff for descriptions and details regarding their particular field of work. All analyses were made by Mr. T. A. DeVore, head chemist, San Mauricio Mining Co. Messrs. Edward Wisser, J. E. Fyfe, A. F. Skerl and W. B. Meek, geol-ogists, have contributed geologic information and ideas, for which thanks are extended. The Executive Committee of Marsman and Co., Inc., Managers of the Company, has kindly given permission for publication. Mr. J. B. Stapler, Division Manager, Marsman and Co., has had the courtesy to read the manuscript and to give critical and helpful suggestions.

Jan 1, 1940

By D. L. Gardner, H. L. Barr

THE following report covers the history of the development of the mine, present equipment, methods and costs of mining and milling. In addition, a description of the ore deposit is given with emphasis on the origin of the fractures, mode and types of ore occurrence, and mechanics of granite emplacement. An endeavor has been made to present a complete and accurate statement of the San Mauricio mine, the highest grade gold mine in the Philippine Islands. Credit is gratefully acknowledged to the mine staff for descriptions and details regarding their particular field of work. All analyses were made by Mr. T. A. DeVore, head chemist, San Mauricio Mining Co. Messrs. Edward Wisser, J. E. Fyfe, A. F. Skerl and W. B. Meek, geologists, have contributed geologic information and ideas, for which thanks are extended. The Executive Committee of Marsman and Co., Inc., Managers of the Company, has kindly given permission for publication. Mr. J. B. Stapler, Division Manager, Marsman and Co., has had the courtesy to read the manuscript and to give critical and helpful suggestions. LOCATION OF AREA AND SCOPE OF WORK San Mauricio Mining Co. controls a group of 113 claims that lie immediately north of the town of Jose Pañganiban (formerly Mambulao), Camarines Norte, Luzon, P. I. (Fig. 1). Exploration work commenced in the spring of 1934; active development began in the fall of that year and has continued to the present date. Mill construction was begun Oct. 15, 1935, and production started March 10, 1936. Total production to June 1, 1939, is P10,499,105.15 ($5,249,552.57). [+]

Jan 1, 1940

By H. L. Barr

THE following report covers the history of the development of the mine, present equipment, methods and costs of mining and milling. In addition, a description of the ore deposit is given with emphasis on the origin of the fractures, mode and types of ore occurrence, and mechanics of granite emplacement. An endeavor has been made to present a complete and accurate statement of the San Mauricio mine, the highest grade gold mine in the Philippine Islands. Credit is gratefully acknowledged to the mine staff for descriptions and details regarding their particular field of work. All analyses were made by Mr. T. A. DeVore, head chemist, San Mauricio Mining Co. Messrs. Edward Wisser, J. E. Fyfe, A. F. Skerl and W. B. Meek, geol-ogists, have contributed geologic information and ideas, for which thanks are extended. The Executive Committee of Marsman and Co., Inc., Managers of the Company, has kindly given permission for publication. Mr. J. B. Stapler, Division Manager, Marsman and Co., has had the courtesy to read the manuscript and to give critical and helpful suggestions.

Jan 1, 1940

By Donald L. Brothers

"OUT IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, we have a legendary creature called ""The Sasquatch,"" a large ape-like creature which, according to those who claim to have seen it, somewhat resembles the Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas. Through the years, the legend bas been perpetuated by hunters and prospectors who return from remote wilderness areas with fantastic tales about hairy creatures, twice the height of an average human being, who leave 2-ft-long footprints in the soft forest floor. However, the existence of this creature bas never been proven and the attitude in British Columbia circles is that the whole thing constitutes either a great discovery or a giant hoax, and is about equally unbelievable either way.The Sasquatch, however, is not the only giant in British Columbia. If you find the Sasquatch story un-believable, you'll fi nd it just as hard to believe what is happening in the mining industry out west. We have opened four new mines so far this year (1967), another mine is expected to be brought into production before the end of the year and any mining man will tell you it's just the start of a mining boom which will continue for many years if metal prices are maintained and the federal government sees fit to discard the taxation changes pro-posed in the Carter Royal Commission Report regarding mining."

Jan 1, 1968

By Thomas T. Read

THE fact that certain types of ore-deposits have attained their present condition through the action of descending surface waters was, perhaps, first clearly pointed out by Posepny.1 The oxidizing effects of such waters were discussed by Penrose,2 and many papers dealing with this phase of the subject have subsequently appeared. That secondary enrichment of sulphide ores, however, might be produced by descending surface waters was not clearly understood until after the copper-bearing veins of the Butte district, Mont., had been carefully studied by the geologists of the U. S. Geological Survey, al¬though De Launay3 had suggested that sulphides might be transported from point to point and re-deposited in the zone above the level of ground-water. As a result of the study of the Butte district, two papers by geologists engaged in the work appeared within a short interval. The first by Weed,4 dealing with the enrichment of veins by later metallic sulphides: and the second by Ernmons,5 treating of the secondary enrichment of ore-deposits in general. In the latter paper it was pointed out that a typical vein of sulphide ores which has been subjected to the action of descending surface waters exhibits four zones,-an upper or surface zone, in which the changes have been mainly of removal, the products being typically oxides; a second zone of oxide enrichment, in which the less soluble metals brought from above have been precipitated as carbonates or oxides; a third zone of sulphide enrichment,

Mar 1, 1906

By D. E. G. Maschmeyer

The operation of the pilot plant for the S-C Copper Process during 1976 has provided the basic data for the design of a commercial-scale plant. This paper introduces the commercial aspects of the S-C Copper Process through the presentation of a process flow diagram, a schematic flow diagram and basic design parameters for 75,000 tonnes per year (tpy) copper rod production from chalcopyrite concentrate. Basic operating requirements are outlined and a preliminary estimate of operating and capital costs for a Western Canadian location are summarized. The results have been compared with a modern smelter/electrorefinery to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of these two alternatives and to show why the new S-C Copper Process technology should be of interest to the copper industry.

Jan 1, 1978

By W. L. Sherwood

Present conventional techniques for primary steelmaking in both integrated and non-integrated plants are outlined. 'Direct reduction' alternatives are reviewed and categorized according to the nature of the product produced, with particular emphasis on the limited number designed to yield steel as the end product. A proposed new technique, referred to as the Sherwood Process, is described in some detail as a new combination of selected features from the prior technology. This process is in-tended to realize, in integrated operations, the result of continuons steelmaking directly from the ore in a single plant and, in non-integrated operations, continuons steel-making from a metallic charge of scrap, sponge iron or pig iron. Prominent features are continuons processing in elongated, horizontal, rotary furnace equipment, controlled direct heating of each process stage and, for the over-all integrated process, a size separation for removal of excess solid reductant and other waste just prior to the melting step. Material and energy balances are presented as well as exemplary cost data. Reasons for selecting this particular combination of process elements are dis-cussed.

Jan 1, 1968

By Albert F. J. Bordeaux

INTRODUCTION. THE following general survey of the character and present condition of the silver-mines of Mexico, though not offered as a detailed treatise, has been prepared with care, is believed to he generally up-to-date, and is offered as a summary which may be found useful by mining engineers. Mexico has ranked for several centuries first among the silver-producing countries. It is now second as copper-producer, and seventh as gold-producer, with a fast-increasing output every year. The total amount of capital invested in its mining- and smelting-works is more than $250,000,000, while the yearly metallic production is $160,000,000. There are more than 20,000 recorded mining properties. The silver-mines of Mexico represent deposits of three principal classes: (1) veins and stock-works in eruptive rocks; (2) fissure-veins crossing the crystalline schists, granite, diorite, etc. ; and (3) veins and replacement-deposits in limestone. The true fissure-veins in some districts contain (in value) more gold than silver. In other deposits, the silver is decreasing in depth, leaving galena and zinc-blende as the principal ores.

Jan 9, 1908

The smoker, Monday evening, was an unusual success. It was held in the beautiful gold room of the Congress hotel, which was very elabo-rately decorated with American flags. More than 500 were present. The gallery was filled with ladies, who responded to the request of the song leader and helped in many ways to grace the occasion. The enter-tainment, was a varied one and was original with the Chicago Committee, which deserves great credit for the unusual success of the event. Al-though it was mostly funmaking, Dr. F. B. Cottrell and George S. Rice of the Bureau of Mines gave some very interesting talks, illustrated by flags and moving pictures, of their trip through Europe since the armis-tice. Mr. Rice's talk dealt particularly with the demonstrative coal and iron regions and Doctor Cottrell's was devoted almost solely to that part of his trip in Northern Italy where he was investigating the application of volcanic steam to power purposes. This steam is derived from boracic-acid springs and helium is secured as a byproduct.

Jan 11, 1919

By William R. Rumbold

WHEN I was in South Africa during the latter part of 1904, there were three known tin-fields, which may be called the Cape Town, the Bushveld and the Swaziland fields. THE. CAPE TOWN TIN-FIELD. This district is situated near Kuils river, 20 miles west of Cape Town, and 5 miles from Kuils River station on the Cape Town & Stellenbosch Railway. The deposits are in granite, intrusive in the Malmesbury beds, which are supposed to be of Silurian or Cambrian age. The granite, resisting denudation better than the surrounding shales,, has formed low-lying hills, the highest of which, the Bottlelary Berg, is 1,510 ft. above sea-level. , The rock consists of quartz, orthoclase feldspar and biotite mica; tourmaline is also present. The feldspar occurs in large crystals. The rock is generally decomposed on the surface, and the decomposition sometimes extends as deep as 100 ft. This formation-granite intrusive in Silurian shales-extends for many miles to the northeast, but so far as I know the Kuils River deposits are the only ones now known to occur in it, though probably further prospecting will reveal other deposits. This particular discovery was accidental;. alluvial tin being found in the course of boring for oil. The Kuils River Deposit. This comprises both lode and alluvial tin. The lode strikes N. and S., and dips about 30° E. into the hill. It is 5 ft. wide, and composed of dense white quartz, in which pinkish-gray cassiterite is distributed in large crystals. The vein also contains considerable quantities of wolfram. Fig. 1 is a rough plan of the relative positions of the lode and the alluvial deposit, the latter, as shown, following the course of a stream, while the lode crops out on the hillside

Jan 7, 1908

By B. D. Harden

FOR over fifty years the Spanish mine, 21 miles northeast of Nevada City, in Nevada County, California, has been one of the Bradley properties. Between 1883 and 1889 it was operated by the late Frederick W. Bradley and P. R. Bradley. The ore averaged only about $1 a ton at that time but the mine was credited with a production of about $900,000 in that period. The property was then closed down until 1922, when the Bradley interests reopened it and continued development for the next nine years, when a 50-ton mill was built. This began operation in April, 1931. This was a selective flotation plant, with the tailing treated on Wilfley tables, and operated on ore from the No. 4 and No. 16 tunnel stopes. This ran from $3 to $6 in gold, 2 to 3 oz. of silver, copper 0.6 per cent, lead 1.5,

Jan 1, 1935

By John Marsden

Despite the recent pullback in metal and mineral prices, and the associated market adjustments, the mining industry is still facing a serious issue with the declining availability of graduate expertise. This is due to a combination of an aging workforce, retirements and retrenchments, coupled with a lack of suitably qualified graduates entering the workforce. The issue has certainly improved since 2004 when the industry picked up the rates of hiring graduate engineers and mining/mineral school enrollments picked up in response. This hiring effort has helped to cover the ?gap? years from about 1985-2000, when industry demand for graduates was particularly poor. However, the recent market pullback is likely to set back this progress, as recruitment and hiring wavers as a result of cost cutting measures and economic uncertainty. A key issue for the mining industry is how to ensure the survival and growth of relevant ?core? degree programs. Such programs include mining, metallurgical, mineral processing and geological engineering. The mining industry needs a healthy, high-level education program to ensure an adequate supply of appropriately qualified graduates for the mining industry. Two-thirds of the professionals entering the minerals industry who graduated within the past 40 years graduated prior to 1985. Since 1985, we have been living off the legacy of graduation classes from the mid-1970s and early 1980s. It is estimated that we have been producing graduates at approximately 40 to 50 percent of the sustaining rate since about 1985. Further growth in the domestic industry would increase graduate requirements significantly, and the export of U.S.-graduates to other parts of the world (as is currently occurring) also impacts the total graduate requirements.

By 1980, the U.S. mining community had reached a broad consensus regarding coal pillar design. The pillar load could be estimated from tributary area theory, and the pillar strength from empirical formulas and laboratory coal strength testing. Then the growth of longwall mining required new thinking. Recently, powerful design methods have emerged from analysis of large data bases of real-world pillar successes and failures. These include the Analysis of Retreat Mining Pillar Stability (ARMPS), the Analysis of Longwall Pillar Stability (ALPS), the Mark-Bieniawski rectangular pillar strength formula, and guidelines for preventing massive pillar collapses. Sophisticated numerical models have also helped transform the pillar design landscape. In the process, our understanding of pillar mechanics has been greatly enriched. A new paradigm divides pillar failure into three categories:

Jan 1, 1999