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Thermal Processing of Petroleum Fly Ash for Vanadium Recovery

Sep 13, 2010

The Prospect to Pipehead Tunnel is a component of the Sydney Water Board's multi-million dollar Drinking Water Quality Program to improve the quality of Sydney's potable water supply to meet revised national health guidelines. The tunnel project involves the construction of seven kilometres of 3.9 metre diameter machine bored tunnel which is to be lined with a three-metre diameter steel liner. The paper describes the fully integrated planning and design approach and management technique used to enable this major project to proceed to meet the requirements of a tight construction program.

Jan 1, 1993

By Blain CF

For all mineral resource-based companies, it is important to reach the right balance of investment between acquisition and exploration to allow the best chance of achieving long-term corporate goals. The Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited (BHP) provides an excellent example of success from generative exploration and supports the belief that exploration can be justified, not only in terms of investment criteria, but also because it is essential to a company wishing to build a dynamic profitable growth path based on world-class deposits as cheaply as possible. BHP was incorporated in 1885 to mine a lead/zinc/silver discovery at Broken Hill. The Company has since gone through a steel development phase (1911-1965) and is now in a major phase of growth partly based on exploration success. This third phase was marked by decisions taken in the 1950's to search actively for mineral and energy resources above and beyond the requirements of the steel industry. The commercial successes of this period have been Bass Strait oil and gas, Groote Eylandt manganese, Deepdale iron ore, Gregory coal and Carnilya East nickel. In total at least 22 new resource discoveries have been made in the last 25 years, of which 11 have been developed and several are undergoing feasibility studies. A financial analysis shows that the real value of the returns seeded by discovery covers the real exploration cost many times over. Moreover, the major discoveries have had a spectacular impact on the growth and development of the Company. BHP's present exploration effort is directed towards geological targets which most frequently meet attractive financial criteria and also promote diversification from steel-related earnings.

Jan 1, 1986

By Smith R. N

The Olympic Dam copper-uranium-gold-silver deposit is located approximately 520km north-northwest of Adelaide, South Australia. The deposit was discovered in 1975 by the Exploration Division of Western Mining Corporation (WMC). A joint venture, to facilitate development of the deposit was formed in mid 1979 between WMC (51%) and the British Petroleum Group (BP) (49%).

Jan 1, 1990

By DAVID C LAURENCE

The richer, shallower sapphire deposits of the New England region of New South Wales which have been traditionally mined by the small miner are almost worked out. Larger mining and exploration companies are replacing the small miner and exploring for the primary source of sapphire or lower grade alluvial deposits.Although in recent years considerable exploration effort has been directed at locating the primary source, commercial exploitation of sapphire is still restricted to the working of alluvial deposits.If the Australian industry is to compete against Asian and African producers it must use cost effective exploration, mining, processing and marketing methods.

Jan 1, 1990

By Jones A

Today there is a vast amount of information available relative to the performance of tunnel boring machines, and associated systems. The data referred to here consists of project reports, manufacturer's equipment literature and papers concerning almost every aspect of the excavation process. Why is it then, that many projects that employ full face tunnel boring machines (TBMs), on average perform significantly less than the peak performances reported in this industry?

Jan 1, 1993

The present Pacific Ocean arose from rapid sea-floor spreading that commenced in the late Mesozoic, and continues to the present day. It started within what is here called the Medusa complex of seaways, basins and troughs with spreading ridges and volcanic arcs, that girdled the earth, including the Palaeotethys and Neotethys of Eurasia between Gondwanaland and Laurasia. Detailed mapping and analysis of palaeofaunas and volcanic arcs indicate that several seaways, rather than one or two, extended throughout Tethys, and into areas now occupied by the Pacific Ocean. The Medusa complex developed under a long sustained wrench regime, right lateral at least from New Zealand to Eur.ope, and saw the origin, maturation and closure of elongate and oval basins under erratic sea-floor spreading, in which no Eulerian pole of rotation remained fixed for long. The name Medusa stems from the analogy of snake-like writhing hair to the constantly shifting development of basins and orogens within the complex. The Indian Ocean split and opened up Gondwanaland concomitant with the later development and deformation of the Tethyan segment- of Medusa, whereas, to the east, the Pacific Ocean opened within Medusa itself, and dispersed Medusa around the rim of the Pacific through sea-floor spreading and strike-slip faulting.

Jan 1, 1987

By Stanton G

The Department of Mapping and Surveying (DMS), the Australian Key Centre in Land Information Studies (AKCLIS), the Department of Industry Development (DID) and the State Government Computer Centre (SGCC) are testing a regional information network in northern Queensland. Several study sites have been chosen by different groups of participants. The members of each common-interest group share their data for the site. They can also access datasets supplied by other organisations that are not directly involved in the particular study being undertaken. The participants include state government departments, local authorities, fed- eral organisations and the private sector. The participants communicate with computer systems in Brisbane via Q-Net. Q-Net is a pilot State government tele- communications network, established by the Department of Industry Development. Q-Net uses the communications sat- ellite AUSSAT 1 as the primary instrument of data transfer. The Q-Net network is a star system, with a Master Earth Station in Brisbane acting as a hub for radial earth stations, located throughout Queensland.

Jan 1, 1987

Rheology is the science which deals with the deformation and flow of matter. Thus rheology is concerned with the flow of any material. The mining industry is concerned with digging things out of the ground, extracting the good stuff and throwing away the bad stuff. In the upgrading processes associated with mining, ie mineral processing, wet techniques are used where the primary material being handled is a particulate fluid, ie a suspension. After the processing operation, with the concentrates extracted, what is left behind generally is a wet material in suspension form, which may or may not contain reagents harmful to the environment. The amount of waste generated in any of the mining processes is large, in fact, the mining industry is the largest generator of solid waste in Australia. In order to minimise the waste generated within the industry it has become of interest to handle the particulate fluid wastes, or suspensions, at high concentrations, thus removing water and some of the reagents which may be harmful to the environment. The resultant highly concentrated suspension is a non-Newtonian fluid. Rheology deals with the flow of non-Newtonian fluids; therefore a combination of rheological understanding of high density suspensions, in conjunction with an understanding of the environmental problems being faced by the mining industry, can and has led to improved methods of waste disposal in the industry, ie waste minimisation. This paper describes the progress that has been made in the development of dry disposal technology in the mining and minerals industry in Australia.

Jan 1, 1998

THE filter-press, which has done so much for the successful-treatment of the sulpho-telluride ores of Kalgoorlie, has a serious rival in the vacuum process, and this paper is written with a view to arousing more interest in the cheaper working of the press, it being doubtful whether its efficiency in extraction can be improved upon. Before proceeding with the actual working of the press, it may be as well to make brief mention of the character of the ore treated at the Associated Northern Blocks, where these notes were compiled. A sample from several weeks' run was taken of the raw ore, with the following analysis...

Jan 1, 1911

By Dredge K, Becker G

The successful dissolution of the valuable metal components of a solid phase is often a basic requirement for a successful hydrometallurgical treatment process. Sulphide concentrates are often an intermediate product in the production of refined metals. These concentrates need to be further processed to realise the contained metal values in a useful form. Pyrometallurgical techniques have tended to dominate, at least the initial treatment of metal sulphide concentrates. The technology described, Activox«, has been developed specifically for the hydrometallurgical treatment of these sulphide mineral concentrates, in particular those containing copper, nickel or gold. The Activox« dissolution technology coupled with the use of existing, or newly developed, downstream processing techniques, offers alternative processing options for the recovery of full value, saleable metal products. The technology is suitable for application down to relatively small scales opening up the opportunity for on-site production of metals even at modest scale mining Operations.

Jan 1, 1995

By Stewart R, Manson RA, Haig DW, Perembo RCB, Kruman B

Since the advent of plate tectonic modelling, the Ramu-Markham valley has been thought the site of a classical island-arc/conti- nent collision zone. In this interpretation the units south of the Markham Valley are held to be island are / micrcontinental mate- rial accreted to Australia and those north of the valley are thought to represent a separate Finisterre island-arc terrane. Recent remapping by the Geological Survey of Papua New Guinea shows: (1) there is no terrane boundary along the Ramu-Markham valley (2) the Finisterre Volcanics are probably part of either a fore-arc sequence or oceanic plateau obducted onto a microcontinent/ volcanic-arc composite terrane, accreted to the continental Australian plate. A new tectonic model is proposed for northern PNG and involves: (I) Eocene to Late Oligocene subduction below a microcontinent remote from Australia to produce the Sepik are and related intrusives, the Finisterre Volcanics (fore-arc or possible oce- anic plateau), together with the Alife blueschist. (2) obduction of the Sepik arc in Late Oligocene-Early Miocene times over the advancing Australian plate. This resulted in crustal melting, some of the products of which are the Mid- dle to Late Miocene Akuna and Bismarck intrusive complexes of the Maramuni arc. (3) obduction of the Finisterre Volcanics began in Early Pliocene times and continues today. (4) post-Middle Miocene mineralisation is the result of melting after obduction of the Sepik microcontinent.

Jan 1, 1997

By Ritchie IM

The Parker Centre was formally established by the Australian Government's Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) Program in 1992 and is one of over 60 such centres encompassing a wide-range of applied scientific and resource based disciplines. Government funding for the CRC Program is currently around $A140 million per annum and the Parker Centre receives $A1.8 million per annum to support its core research and education activities.

Jan 1, 1997

By M Fylak, R Wenda

Advanced preparation techniques open new ways for SEM and X-ray diffraction (XRD) investigations on hydrating cementitious systems. In this paper the early time hydration of Portland cement is studied with advanced cryo scanning electron microscopy techniques in combination with in situ X-ray diffraction and heat-flow calorimetry. The application of preparation techniques and analytical methods to Portland cement hydration are presented and discussed. Some aspects of hydration reactions are focused. The reaction products of the first minutes, changes in ettringite morphology, AFm formation during the deceleration period and the visualisation of C-S-H microstructures were special points of interest. X-ray diffraction analyses and Cryo-SEM images gave essential information about phase development, reaction kinetics, microstructure and morphology of hydration products. Portlandite, AFt and AFm phases were detected by in situ XRD. Cryo-SEM analyses enabled high resolution imaging and EDX-analyses of cement particles and reaction products. The results of the different analytical methods were compared to obtain detailed information about crystallisation processes and microstructural development during the first three days of Portland cement hydration.

Jan 1, 2008

By Stewart A. M, Price D

This paper presents recent findings concerning longwall caving mechanisms relating to Australian mining conditions and their effect upon longwall support requirements and behaviour. The findings are based on a program of intensive hydraulic support monitoring in a variety of Australian mining conditions coupled with geotechnical observations.

Jan 1, 1992

By Pietrobon M. C, Ralston J, Smart St C R

In an on-going study of the chemistry of base metal sulphide flotation, the effect of the inclusion of cyanide in the reagents suite has been studied, with special reference to ore from Pasminco Mining's Elura mine. Cyanide has been variously described as an iron sulphide depressant, a preventor of sphalerite activation and as an activator of galena. In the case described here, the cyanide appeared to act as an enhancer of the galena flotation performance, raising the lead recoveries by 25 per cent but leaving the sphalerite and pyrite responses unaffected. The lead rougher flotation performance with and without cyanide was investigated over a wide range of redox potentials (0 mV to 400 mV SHE). In all cases, the inclusion of the cyanide brought about an increase in the galena recovery and was responsible for a faster rate of galena flotation during the initial stages of the beneficiation. A surface characterisation study (XPS) of the lead flotation stage, with and without cyanide, indicated that the reagent interacted specifically with the galena and pyrite minerals. It was possible to correlate the surface absorption of the cyanide on the lead and iron sulphides with improvements to the flotation performance using the combination of surface spectroscopy and laboratory flotation Testwork.

Jan 1, 1991

The orebodies at Kambalda are complexly faulted, folded and intruded. It is realized that the ore reserve calculations will be wrong and steps are taken to minimise the errors. The calculations are a combination of computer data handling and manual input. Initially Geological Ore Reserves are calculated and then production data and experience are used to produce a Planned Mining Reserve. At all stages maximum professional judgement is incorporated. The basis of the calculation is the polygonal method of area estimation, and production reconciliations together with the style of data available indicate that it is a most suitable technique. It is also a tech- nique that is easily communicated to all levels from operators to management.

Jan 1, 1979

The effect of accurate detonator delay timing on blast results can now be studied with the development of the ICI Electronic Detonator. This detonator has an accuracy and precision orders of magnitude greater than the current range of pyrotechnic delay detonators. A series of field trials have been conducted to quantify the effect of delay accuracy and timing on blast performance. These trials have demon- strated that delay timing can have a marked influence on blast fragmen- tation, muckpile displacement, blast vibration and airblast.

Jan 1, 1989

This paper reviews the issues of mining machinery automation with special emphasis on underground applications. Automation is desirable because it offers the following advantages: ò increased safety by reducing human exposure to hazards of underground mining; ò higher productivity; and ò reduced wear of equipment. In spite of these advantages and in spite of numerous attempts over the past several decades, mining automation has been a difficult proposition, partly because no two mining operations are exactly alike and these operations are carried out in an unpredictable environment. This is the main difference between automation in factories and in mines and that is why mining automation has been lagging so far behind factory automation. Automation is possible only when the machine 'knows' its workspace. In a factory, this workspace can be 'described' to the machine because it is sufficiently controlled. In a mine, the environment undergoes continuous change and the only way the machine can 'know' its workspace is through real-time sensing.

Jan 1, 1995

By B P. Wrench, N R. Steward, C Wu

A gold mine in southern China has transitioned from an open pit operation to a fully underground mine. An overhand mining method is used which requires the mined stopes to be filled with backfill having an unconfined compressive strength of at least 0.35MPa. Tailings from the process plant is deposited into separate flotation and Carbon in Leach (CIL) tailings storage facilities. The tailings has a high fines content and the thickener on site could only produce a dilute flotation tailings at a solids content of about 30 wt%. This resulted in two undesirable outcomes: the density of flotation tailings in the Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) was significantly lower than planned so that the TSF could not store the life of mine tailings and that the backfill product had to include a high percentage of manufactured aggregate and increased cement content to achieve the required strength. This paper presents results of a tailings study which identified that the flotation TSF would be capable of storing the remaining life of mine tailings if an amended backfill product made up of 100% of flotation tailings could be introduced. A 100% tailings backfill with the addition of 8% cement was developed by classifying the tailings and using the coarser fraction in the backfill. This backfill allowed 60% of the flotation tailings to be placed underground and only the remaining 40% in the flotation TSF. A new thickener was designed and installed to thicken the tailings and rheological testing of the tailings, using a closed loop pilot plant, provided parameters to upgrade the underground reticulation system to deliver cemented backfill to stopes throughout the mine and to deliver thickened tailings to the TSF. The revised design was implemented and has resulted in considerable cost savings. CITATION:Steward, N R, Wrench, B P and Wu, C, 2018. Optimisation of surface tailings storage and tailings backfill – a case study, in Proceedings Mine Waste and Tailings Stewardship Conference 2018, pp 454–464 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 23, 2018