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By Alan K. Burton

Along with tires and transmission systems, engines have been a limiting factor in the growth of large off- highway trucks. The problem, primarily, has been the development of reliable, high-performance engines that are not prohibitively heavy or expensive. For many years, horsepower to overall truck weight ratios have been in the vicinity of 300 lb per hp for rear dump units up to 50 tons capacity. This ratio is obviously very poor when compared to the much lighter and smaller highway trucks, which frequently have a performance ratio of 100 lb per hp. Unfortunately, the larger mining trucks have not been able to match even the 50-ton trucks, and in some cases, ratios have dropped as low as 450 lb per hp. This results in a performance of only 67% of that achieved by the older smaller trucks. Thus, the message is clear: what is needed is more horsepower and less weight.

Jan 10, 1975

By Oscar Aguilar, Jin-ichi Nakamura, Kazuo Nakamura

Michiquillay deposit is porphyry copper type with over 500 million tons of 0.70% Cu ore. In order to reflect the true nature of the orebody as to shape and value distribution and to compensate for insufficient data in the outer perimeter and lower portion, "Triangular Interpolation Method" is used in the computation, wherein block grades are determined by "Plane Regression". The results thus obtained are compared with the data from additional investigation and are found to match well with each other. Aside of total Cu, assays of Fe, S, MoS2 and geological data such as alterations, rock types, faults, mineralogical compositions are also stored in the computer. By this system, their distribution and relation to alteration become clear and classification of ore into types affecting recovery become possible. The outputs of this system make clear the characteristics of the orebody and furnish valuable geological data on the orebody.

Jan 1, 1976

By Peter Kos

Since advances in the understanding of gravity thickening reflects the development of knowledge about suspensions themselves, the paper starts with the discussion of flocculent and nonflocculent suspensions. The properties of flocculent suspensions and their behavior in different concentration regions (zone settling, channelling, compression) are defined and discussed. In the main portion of the paper, the behavior of flocculent and nonflocculent suspensions during batch as well as continuous thickening, is presented, together with a brief review of the gravity thickening theories and sizing methods. The classical as well as the most recently developed methods are presented and their use and limitations are discussed.

Jan 1, 1980

By Thomas M. Barczak, Claude A. Goode

Principal criteria in the design and operation of longwall mining systems are examined. The decision to apply longwall mining is investigated from an economic viewpoint, and the impact of economics on system design are addressed. Geological considerations and requirements for effective long- wall mining are provided. Ground control factors determining panel design are outlined, as well as environmental considerations. Operational practices are discussed and alternatives recommended. The impact of face moves and the potential for mining wider webs are assessed. Constraints to production are identified and the potential for increasing production of longwall systems is established.

Jan 1, 1982

Improved safety, economy, and flexibility-which translate into increased productivity-promote the case for greater utilization of diesel-powered equipment in underground coal mines. On the other hand, opponents of diesel use say that the alleged health hazards are not worth it. Who's right? The continuing debate was the focus of a special "Diesels in Underground Coal Mining" session held during the SME-AIME Fall Meeting in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., last September. Looking at the record to date, there are more than 20,000 diesel-powered units operating in underground mines throughout the world; more than 1000 are in Western European coal mines and 10,000 such units are in North American mines. Surprisingly, of the 10,000 North American units, only 200 are utilized in US underground coal mines.

Jan 4, 1979

By H. L. Ames, P. H. Jennings, R. W. Stanley

A process has been developed for leaching copper, lead and calcium from molybdenite concentrate. The leachant is a solution containing an oxidizing chloride (e. g., CuC12, FeC13) and an alkaline earth metal chloride (e. g., CaC12). Cupric chloride and ferric chloride, in the presence of 20-30% calcium chloride, are effective oxidants for chalcopyrite and galena. Calcium chloride, in addition to promoting the rate of leaching, serves to lower the solution pH and raise the boiling point. Leaching for two hours at 110'~ with a 1 % CuC12-10% FeC13- 30% CaC12 solution results in the extraction of up to 98% of the copper in molybdenite, 98% of the lead, and 79% of the calcium. Less than 0. 5% of the molybdenum is dissolved. The leach solution can be rapidly and effectively regenerated with gaseous chlorine and recycled. Build-up of copper and lead in the leach solution is controlled by discarding about 30% of the leach solution each cycle.

Jan 1, 1973

By Norman Visnes

EARLY in 1954, as initial development of the Galena mine was being finished, plans for stoping operations became the foremost consideration of the operating management. The Galena is being operated under lease agreement with the owner, Vulcan Silver-Lead Corp. Started in 1947, the Galena is a deep level development of American Smelting & Refining Co. and Day Mines Inc. under the management of ASARCO, in the Coeur d'Alene mining district. Lead mineralization was found on the 3000 level in 1950. In 1953 development on the 3000 level disclosed a siderite vein, later known as the Silver vein, which contains commercial quantities of silver in Tetrahedrite. This vein was explored on the 2800 and 2400 levels and later on the 3400 level, the lowest in the mine. Work above the 2400 level to date has indicated that the vein dissipates to weak mineralization, and ore values are uncertain above the 2200 horizon.

Jan 1, 1957

By Y. Nakahiro

The removal of heavy metal compounds from a synthesized waste cyanide solution is achievable by a precipitation-flotation method. However, the differential separation of constituting metals by this method was thought to be very difficult. The present author found that addition of ferrous salt to the synthesized waste cyanide solution of cadmium and copper can modify the separation characteristics of these metals. In this paper, the separation of cadmium from copper in the synthesized waste cyanide water by the precipitation-flotation method is discussed. This differential flotation uses ferrous salt as a precipitant and sodium oleate as a collector. Based on a series of fundamental flotation tests, actual differential flotation tests were made. The separation of cadmium from copper in the synthesized waste cyanide water was found to be satisfactory. This method can be effective for the removal of difficult-to- separate colloidal precipitates from liquids by the sedimentation method, provided the applicability of this method to the separation of the other metals is promising. This consists of the intensive studies which have been conducted at author's laboratory.

Jan 1, 1980

By K. A. Natarajan, I. Iwasaki

The effect of poisoning on the behavior of platinum electrodes in redox potential measurements in metallurgical systems was studied in the presence of such inorganic surfactants as cyanide and sulfide and such organic surfactants as dodecylammonium acetate, trimethyldodecylammonium chloride, potassium ethyl xanthate, and potassium diethyl dithiophosphate (Aerofloat®). These chemical species represent, more or less, typical constituents encountered in leaching, flotation, and sewage treatment systems. Triangular wave voltammetry was used as the experimental technique to study the nature of poisoned surfaces. Among the species studied hydrogen sulfide and dodecylamine were found to form a resistant surface film affecting charge transfer. Platinum electrodes appeared to have a weaker tendency to adsorb sulfide species in alkaline pH ranges, while cyanide, xanthate, and dithiophosphate affected the normal electrode behavior differently. Possible methods of reactivation of a poisoned electrode by mechanical cleaning are suggested.

Jan 1, 1974

By D. H. Newland

CERTAIN observations from the field and laboratory suggest the need for recasting some of our ideas about gypsum as a rock-forming mineral and in relation to supplies for industrial use. Until about 25 years ago, the use of gypsum was confined almost entirely to agriculture. During the past quarter century, though, its usefulness has been greatly developed, particularly in the building trades, which now absorb most of the gypsum produced. In 1919, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, the output of crude gypsum was 2,240,163 tons, a gain of 912 per cent. in 25 years. About one-half of this production was mined in New York, Ohio, and Michigan, where the proved supplies can hardly be regarded as over-large when viewed in relation to the rapid expansion of industrial requirements. The occurrence of gypsum in the United States is treated by R. W. Stone and others.1 The deposits of Canada are described by L. H. Cole.2 Several states, including Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Michigan, and New York, have had special surveys made their of gypsum deposits, but the reports, as a rule, refer to conditions as they existed from 15 to 20 years ago.

Jan 9, 1921

During the last 15 years, the bucket wheel has become increasingly popular as a mining tool. Being a large-capacity continuous mining excavator, the machine offers low actual operating costs and low unit costs. Of German origin, the bucket wheel has now appeared on the American mining scene as well as in such other places as Australia, Northern Rhodesia, South Africa, Congo, Indonesia, and India. Patented in 1913, the first practical application waited until 1920 when a bucket wheel excavator was placed in operation at an open pit lignite mine in central Germany. This initial experiment met with little success due to difficulties in solving the technical problems of the machine's construction rather than to the design of the wheel itself.

Jan 9, 1960

By Robert Stefanko

Longwall mining which has a long history abroad, was used only on a limited scale in the United States until less than 20 years ago. Modern longwall mining in this country can be said to have begun in 1960 with the first installation of self-advancing props in a coal mine in southern West Virginia. In Europe, because of adverse natural conditions, longwall mining is frequently the only practical method, but, in the United States, the system has had to compete economically with highly productive room-and-pillar systems. However, because it is inherently continuous, it has greater productive potential than room-and-pillar systems, and, therefore, although only about 5% of the total U.S. underground production today is the result of the longwall system, its growth potential is great. As mining, by necessity, progresses deeper and must be done under poorer natural conditions, less opportunity will exist for the room- and-pillar system, and the longwall system will have to be used.

Jan 1, 1981

By C. R. Garr, A. R. Troiano

FLAKING or hair-line crack formation has been a major problem confronting the producer of large alloy steel forgings.' Today it is generally conceded that hydrogen in one or more forms in alloy steel sections is a requisite for flaking. Hence an obvious remedy is a thermal cycle that reduces the hydrogen content to some low level. In practice, this generally means holding the material at some subcritical temperature for a period of time depending on the size of the ingot or forging. Another method that will suffice in some cases is to cool large forgings slowly, i.e., bury in ashes. In practice, this hydrogen bake is sometimes accemplished inadvertently by a series

Jan 1, 1958

By William E. Ford, Edward Salisbury Dana

1. Normal Class (25) Barite Type 2. Hemimorphic Class (26) Calamine Type 3. Sphenoidal Class (27) Epsomite Type Mathematical Relations of the Orthorhombic System Crystallographic Axes. - The orthmhombic system includes all the forms which are referred to three axes at right angles to each other, all of different lengths. 296 Any one of the three axes may be taken as the vertical axis, c. Of the two horizontal axes the longer is always taken as the b or macro-axis * and when orientated is parallel to the observer. The a or brachy-axis is the shorter of the two horizontal axes and is perpendicular to the observer. The length of the b axis is taken as unity and the lengths of the other axes are expressed in terms of it. The axial ratio for barite, for instance, is a : b : c = 0'815 : 10 : 131. Fig. 296 shows the crystallographic axes for barite.

Jan 1, 1922

By Sharon Brady, Catherine O’Donoghue, John V. Beall, Paul C. Merritt

Between 1950 and 1965, more than 80% of all phosphate rock produced in the world each year was used as fertilizer, either directly applied to the soil or processed into mixed chemical fertilizers. Of the potassium salts produced, 95% followed suit. A variety of uses in industrial chemicals and consumer products absorbed the remaining percentage of each. Future trends in these two commodities will be dominated by what happens to the fertilizer market. Farming is much the same as mining the soil. Plants remove the minerals little by little. Phosphate and potash comprise two of the three primary nutrients removed in this way, the third being nitrogen. Phosphate stimulates early root formation and growth, whereas potash is a salt necessary to root strength.

Jan 10, 1966

As desirable as it may be to a geologist to have maximum detail in any geological report, the task of doing so for an area as vast as British Columbia within six average size magazine pages is clearly impossible. As a result, it has been necessary to draw a fairly broad picture of the geology on the following pages, but it is one which should be adequate to give the reader a concept of what rock is where in the Province. In preparing this horseback ride over the strata of the Province, much reliance has been placed on various reports appearing in trade and Canadian Government journals. Of these, one in particular stands out. Entitled "The Cordilleran Region", this report has been authored in three parts by H. S. Bostock, R. Mulligan and R. J. W. Douglas, respectively, and is included as a major chapter of the book Geology and Economic Minerals of Canada. Published in 1957 by the Department of Mines and Technical Surveys, the book has provided the extensive quotes, taken from each of the three authors, which appear on the following pages.

Jan 12, 1963

By W. J. Sharwood

(San Francisco Meeting, September. 1915) THE assay or estimation of the total gold content of an ore presents little difficulty, when circumstances permit of securing a thoroughly representative sample. The general practice has been fairly standardized, and such errors as occur in the results obtained are for the most part attributable to the methods of sampling rather than to those of assaying, while duplicate assays made by skilled workers usually agree closely. When it is a question of estimating the "free" or amalgamable gold of an ore, as opposed to the total gold, there is but little uniformity in the methods employed by different workers, and often equally little in the results obtained when duplicate determinations are attempted, no satisfactory standard method having been generally adopted. The methods in use are of two general types-"panning" and "amalgamation."

Jan 8, 1915

NEW, MEMBERS The following list comprises the names of those persons who became members during the period July 10, 1916; to July 31, 1916: BOYD, ROBERT RUSSELL Supt:,-Arizona -Commercial Min Co., Globe, .Ariz. BRADLEY, HENRY FRANKLIN, Chem, American Smelt & Ref. Co. Murray,:Utah: BROWN, THOMAS ELLIS, JR..:'. L .:.::..55 Hill, St;; Morristown, N. J. CARY, WEBSTER P., Expert Operator,-General Engineering. Co:, Salt Lake City, Utah. CLARK, ALONZO WEBSTER 3223_ Scottwood Ave., Toledo, Ohio. CORP, CLIFFORD Old Dominion Copper Min. & Smelt. 60., Globe, Ariz. CROMBIE, W. RANSOM, Min. Engr Detroit Copper Min. Co., Morenci, Ariz. DELANEY, EUGENE A., Chief Engr., Berwind-White. Coal Mining -Co., Windber, Pa ELBELT, WILLIAM HENRY, Dept. Foreman., Chino Copper Co., Hurley, N. Mex. FOSTER, L. JULIO, Mgr., Minas i Fundicion ; ?La Junta," San Bernardo, Chile, South America. GASKILL, JAMES PHILLIPS, Genl. Mgr.,.Ajo Cons. Copper Co., Ajo, Ariz., via Gila, Ariz. .

Jan 9, 1916

By T. Suganuma

Mitsubishi-Cominco Smelting Co. is a joint venture of Mitsubishi Metal Mining Co. Ltd. (M.M.M.) of Japan and Cominco Ltd. of Canada. The smelter, which is located alongside M.M.M.'s Naoshima copper smelter, was completed in May, 1966 and has a capacity of 36 000 metric tons per year of refined lead. The concentrate feed for the smelter from Pine Point Mines Ltd. is high grade with low impurities; particularly silver, bismuth, antimony, and arsenic, which facilitated a simple plant layout and operation. Concentrate, fluxes, recycle granulated slag and return sinter are drawn from bins by automatic control over weigh belt feeders, sintering is carried out on a 20 m2 Lurgi updraught sintering machine, furnacing in a 3.0 m x 1 ½ m water jacketed blast furnace equipped with an Asarco continuous tapper, refining in four 120 metric ton kettles and casting on a 25 metric ton/hour automatic casting machine. The S@ gas from sintering is cleaned in a high temperature baghouse utilizing glass bags and is then delivered to the M.M.M. copper smelter acid plants. The furnace gases after cleaning in a low temperature baghouse are vented to atmosphere.

Jan 1, 1970

By Wolfgang Pietsch

Pressure agglomeration using tableting machines, roll presses, punch presses, isostatic pressing equipment, extrusion presses, and other less common equipment, represents a large share among commercial applications of size enlargement by agglomeration. The paper attempts to classify and describe the equipment and technology, their development and state of the art, as well as their respective applications, advantages, and disadvantages.

Jan 1, 1977