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By T. B. Counselman

C. G. McLachlan—In the foregoing paper the author has presented a very neat method for calculating the solution recovery for a countercurrent flowsheet. He has, however, based his calculations, as he states, on the assumption that "the concentration of dissolved value must be exactly the same in the overflow and underflow of any thickener." This assumption, which is usually made regardless of the type of calculation used, is "not strictly correct because diffusion of the dissolved gold in the solution associated with the solids as it progresses through the countercurrent system is far from being instantaneous, with the result that on a ton for ton basis, the assay of the solution in the thickener underflow is higher than in the corresponding thickener overflow. An agitator introduced into the flowsheet between thickeners will reduce, but not entirely eliminate, this difference. In practice we have found that the best way to take care of this condition— in addition to the use of one or more intermediate agitators—is to circulate 20 pct or 25 pct more solution than called for by the cheoretical calculation. This presents no difficulty provided that adequate thickener capacity is provided in the original design of the countercurrent circuit.

Jan 1, 1951

By T. B. Counselman

C. G. McLachlan—In the foregoing paper the author has presented a very neat method for calculating the solution recovery for a countercurrent flowsheet. He has, however, based his calculations, as he states, on the assumption that "the concentration of dissolved value must be exactly the same in the overflow and underflow of any thickener." This assumption, which is usually made regardless of the type of calculation used, is "not strictly correct because diffusion of the dissolved gold in the solution associated with the solids as it progresses through the countercurrent system is far from being instantaneous, with the result that on a ton for ton basis, the assay of the solution in the thickener underflow is higher than in the corresponding thickener overflow. An agitator introduced into the flowsheet between thickeners will reduce, but not entirely eliminate, this difference. In practice we have found that the best way to take care of this condition— in addition to the use of one or more intermediate agitators—is to circulate 20 pct or 25 pct more solution than called for by the cheoretical calculation. This presents no difficulty provided that adequate thickener capacity is provided in the original design of the countercurrent circuit.

Jan 1, 1951

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Jan 1, 1942

By J. Nolan, B. Ande’n, E. Lindgren

Field testing was conducted at the Strassa Iron Ore Processing Plant to evaluate high-gradient magnetic recovery of iron from the plant's tailings. The installation is the first commercial application of the Sala Continuous High-Gradient Magnetic Separator (HGMS) Model 480 Carousel. The objectives of the five-month testing program included optimization of the operating parameters using SSDEVOP techniques to maximize iron recovery, along with establishing a long-term operating history for the SALA 480 HGMS Carousel. The effectiveness of the optimization procedure, the net benefit in term of iron recovery, and equipment performance are discussed in the paper.

Jan 1, 1983

By Robert Glass Cleland

THE DEVELOPMENT of the Phelps Dodge copper and railroad interests began in one era of the company's history and continued unbroken into the next. Yet the two eras themselves were strikingly dissimilar and represented marked differences in the company's activities, corporate structure, and personnel. From its organization in 1834 almost to the end of the first decade of the twentieth century, the partnership known as Phelps Dodge was directed, managed, and controlled by the family dynasty established by Anson Greene Phelps. The last two directing partners of this three-generation-old regime assumed control of the company's affairs in 1879 when the economic revolution that followed the Civil War was well under way.' They lived in an age of gigantic undertakings, gigantic enterprises, gigantic combinations, gi- .

Jan 1, 1952

By Wayne Anderson

Regarding the technical paper by Thomas E. Finch and Edward L. Fidler, "Recovery of Stray (Thin) Seams in Western Coal Mining." I would like to comment on this subject. In western Canada, most strip mines encounter thin seam coal or rider seams. Although the paper addresses the problems and costs associated with the recovery of this coal, it does not take into account what the savings are. Without looking at the savings, the "Total Objective" is of course not clear. I feel that in a stripping operation the mine can spend per ton (of the thin seam) up to their dragline stripping costs per ton to recover a rider seam or thin seam. The reasoning behind this is simply that this is the price the mine will have to pay to expose an equivalent amount of coal without the recovery of these thin seams. If the mine can recover a rider seam or thin seam for less than the dragline operating costs per ton, a savings will be realized. By recovering a thin seam or rider seam, the life of an ore body is extended by that amount of coal not thrown away. In addition, the cost of land acquisition, associated permits, capital, and reclamation will be reduced as more coal is delivered for a given area. When the above points are considered, the recovery of these thin seams can be very profitable and indeed worth recovering.

Jan 1, 1983

By John D. MacFadyen

Subject paper unfortunately has some serious flaws negating the usefulness of the paper. The authors claim that sulfur is the major source of production problems in cement kilns. This is not the case. Sulfur is not a problem as long as the mole ratio of sulfur to alkali oxides is less than, or equal to, 1. This is attributed to the sulfur preferentially combining with the alkali oxides and not acting as a clogging agent due to the nature of the pre-heater vessels. Where the mole ratio exceeds 1, many methods are avail- able to eliminate or reduce the clogging problems such as using the preheater bypass or a precalciner with up to 100% kiln gas bypass. In non-preheater kilns, the presence of sulfates is hardly ever a problem anyhow. Thus, the level of sulfur in the fuel and raw material that might cause problems is not a fixed amount, but is predictable. The purpose of the paper is to discuss the economics of conversion of kilns in the Indonesian and Phillippine cement industries from oil firing to coal firing. This economic analysis has very little to do with the sulfur levels. Thus, the section of the paper on sulfates is actually rather meaningless. The economic analysis is also rather meaningless because the authors have failed to follow accepted economic analysis procedures by including interest charges. They have fallen into the trap of confusing financing with economic evaluation. When the accepted methods of economic evaluation are used, the return on investment increases to about 35%. In conclusion, the paper is not a meaningful contribution, and sadly, quite erroneous.

Jan 1, 1983

By C. L. Berrien

BEFORE the present company was formed, in 1916, each group of mines comprising the old organizations made its detailed daily and monthly mine cost records along the lines used before the consolidation; that is, there was no attempt made to standardize and compare the stope costs of all mines. The general cost sheets for all mines, however, were standardized, and cumulative labor cost sheets were compiled in the general superintendent's office. At most of the mines, a daily record or distribution sheet for each working place was kept, showing the number of men, hours of drilling, hours of timbering, hours of tramming, cars of ore, cars of waste, sticks of powder and feet of fuse. This information was kept by each shift boss and entered on the distribution sheet by him or, at some mines, by a tram boss. The superintendent solved his own problems under the direction of the general superintendent, but without coming in touch with other superintendents, either through records or general conferences. Probably 95 per cent. of the stopes were square-set worked by day's pay; there were some back-filling and shrinkage stopes. Many of the development places, such as shaft sinking, station cutting, drifting and raises had always been run by contract. These contracts were given, for no definite period, at so much per linear foot and were measured monthly, or when completed; the men being paid monthly. In some cases, fairness to the employee, was not maintained. On the whole, there was no standardization. There were no stope contracts, because of the objections of the Western Federation of Miners to general contracting in the mines.

Jan 2, 1922

By A. J. Brown

The causes that have formed fissures in the earth's crust, and the agencies that have converted them into metallic beds, are amongst the most important and interesting subjects that can engage the attention of the mining engineer or the scientist. They lie at the very base of the whole system of vein geology, and until something like a correct theory can be arrived at with regard to them, the science as such is necessarily very incomplete. he data for such a theory, owing to a lack of careful and systematic observations in countries pre-eminently metalliferous, like Mexico and the States of Central and South America, are almost entirely wanting. Doubtless there has been abundant speculation on the subject, from the earliest times down to the present, in every country where mining has been one of the leading industries of the inhabitants. Perhaps the theory of Elie de Beaumont more nearly approaches a satisfactory explanation than that of any contemporary authority. The most recent investigations, both in Europe and on this continent, tend to produce the conviction that the phenomena of metallic fissure lodes are in some way connected with, and dependent upon, plutonic agencies— not, however, as the direct product of volcanic activity, but rather as the result of chemical agencies called into play through its aid. Active volcanoes generally produce only the well-known types of volcanic rocks, though, perhaps, well-marked cases can be shown where these contain ores of copper, etc., evidently derived from the same deepseated source as their hypogene gangue. To prove that there is a connection between metallic lodes and plutonic rocks, it is not necessary that the ores should in all cases occupy fissures within the limits of masses of propylite, rhyolite, or other like rocks, or be

By D. Torrey

Considering the two great interests of to-day, in iron upon the one hand and steel upon the other, and recognizing with measurable distinctness the peculiar fitness of each for special services to which they are applied, the proposition to unite the two metals in combination, to bring into simultaneous use the peculiar advantages which each offers, has great attractions. The limited success which has been attained by trying to bring about such combinations of the two metals through the use of fluxes in welding, has led to the general adoption of the opinion that an effective union of the two metals is impracticable, or to the view that if practicable it would have but limited commercial value. Such opinions are, I think, premature and erroneous, and having gained some knowledge of the character and value of the "Wheeler process" for welding iron and steel without the use of fluxes, I submit the following observations and opinions of the matter for your information, with the hope of eliciting such a discussion of the subject as it may require. The principle of the invention is to bring the two metals simultaneously to a welding heat in one pile, and then to manipulate it.

Jan 1, 1879

By J. W. Harden

AT our meeting in October last we saw in operation at Pittsburgh, the comparatively modern process of the utilization of small coal by washing, by an arrangement similar to that of Berard or Morrison. The small coal washed was that of an old pile, the refuse of the mining of the Pittsburgh bed, and which had long lain uncared for. Value was thereby restored to it when it was converted into a very good coke. This circumstance led to comments on the mountains of broken coal lying wasted, and in its present condition worse than useless, in the neighborhood of the mines of the Wyoming Valley, though they are not confined to that district. Some things were said condemning the course which produced it, some were left unsaid. Of a system that destroys one-half the coal-bed in producing the other half there can, however, be but one opinion. Schemes have been suggested for the utilization of present accumulations which, if successfully applied, would in so Far be beneficial. More than ordinary attention is now being given to the same subject in England ; a Mr. Barker has invented a means by which he amalgamates the "dust," too fine to burn in ordinary grates, with a composition he calls "diamond cement," producing blocks of coal said to resist water, both hot and cold, and which a smart blow will only break to pieces, not cause to crumble. But any scheme less than the one which will prevent the wasting of coal, which still goes on, though that involves the aban- donment of the breaker, will only be one of expediency; and the latter can only be done by the aid of the consumer. But the wasting of coal is not alone with the breaker; much is made in the mine. The cause is not far to seek ; the remedy is with capitalist and owner. Owners and consumers then are alike interested, and they have it in their power, in the one case, to mitigate, in the other, almost entirely to remove the cause of the evil. Of consumers there is one in every

For the convenience of members who may be traveling from place to place, the Secretary has compiled a list of libraries or other places in the United States and foreign countries where MINING AND METALLURGY or the Transactions may be consulted. This list will be sent to members if they so request. LIST OF THE MEETINGS OF THE INSTITUTE AND THEIR LOCALITIES FROM ITS ORGANIZATION TO MARCH, 1920 [ ]

Jan 1, 1925

For the convenience of members who may be traveling from place to place, the Secretary has compiled a list of libraries or other places in the United States and foreign countries where MINING AND METALLURGY or the Transactions may be consulted. This list will be. sent to members if they so request. LIST OF THE MEETINGS OF THE INSTITUTE AND THEIR LOCALITIES FROM ITS ORGANIZATION TO MARCH, 1920

Jan 1, 1925

By P. H. Dudley

IN giving a brief account of the experiments in progress to inquire into some of the facts in regard to "railway resistances," recently commenced upon the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, with the dynagraph (which is essentially an instrument recording upon paper the force required to draw a train, at all speeds, marking the time in short intervals, so that the force absorbed due to any

Jan 1, 1876

Mining Methods J. MURRAY RIDDELL, Chairman Guy N. BJORGE, Vice -chairman Alluvial Mining CLINTON BERNARD BENERE H. GRANT H. R. NORSWORTHY

Jan 1, 1937

By J. E. Lawver, B. J. Clingan, R. E. Snow

Response surface methodology is a well-known and powerful technique for determining optimum conditions in flotation systems. One disadvantage is the onerous task of the numerical calculations and curve plotting. This paper describes a system in which the investigator simply selects the range of several flotation variables after which the design of the experiment, data analysis, generation of response surface equations, and response surface plots are automatically carried out using a digital computer and a computer-driven curve plotter. Several typical response surfaces of important variables in phosphate flotation are presented as examples.

Jan 8, 1979

Jan 1, 1939

THE Institute conducts jointly with the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers and American Institute of Electrical Engineers, certain activities as listed below, and is joint owner with them of certain properties situated at 29 West 39th Street in New York City.

Jan 1, 1946

By H. S. Ten Eyck

Fertilizer normally is spoken of as having three main components: nitrogen, phosphorus and pot- ash. Certainly, however sulfur must also be considered a basic component of fertilizers, even though in many instances it does not end up as a part of the end product. In addition, with heavier cropping and the resultant drain of plant foods from the soil, we have now reached a point where the minor elements necessary for plant growth have become a major factor in the fertilizer industry.

Jan 7, 1967