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By J B. McConnell

The Thompson smelter has three unique features which form the basis ~f its design: fluid bed roasters which treat nickel concentrate filter cake from the mill, as well as the flux, in order to achieve partial desulphurization; the use of electric furnaces for the smelting of the partially desulphurized, preheated roaster product; and the disposal of slag by water granulation and slag slurry pumping. The installation consists of three fluid bed roasters, each feeding an electric furnace. Nickel concentrate is received at the smelter via pipe line. It is thickened and filtered, and the filter cake, together with siliceous flux, is fed through rotary bin feeders and reciprocating double-gate seals into the fluid bed roasters. Air injected into the roasters through club-head tuyeres oxidizes part of the sulphur and associated iron in the concentrate. The heat of reaction dries and heats the charge. Roaster product is recovered from the gas stream in cyclones and from the roaster bed through automatic valves.

Jan 1, 1963

By L. O. Thomas

BROADLY, Yukon is divisible into three physiographic provinces which are extensions of the similar divisions in British Columbia that are there known as the Coastal system, the Interior system, and the Rocky Mountain system. South of Yukon to about the 50th parallel of latitude, the Coastal system consists solely of the Coast range, which, in Yukon, passes behind the St. Elias range and for the remainder of its course constitutes the most easterly portion of the Coastal system. The extension, in Yukon, of the Interior system of plateaus and mountains of British Columbia is commonly referred to as the Yukon plateau, and the extension of the Rocky Mountain system as the Mackenzie Mountains system. The Coast-Range province is largely made up of granitic intrusives; the Mackenzie Mountains province of folded sediments; and the intervening Yukon Plateau province of ancient metamorphic rocks, folded sedimentary rocks, volcanics, and intrusives. Almost the entire area dealt with in this article was subjected to glaciation and, in those parts where its full effect was experienced, the valleys were invaded by vast masses of ice which transported and scattered the stream gravels, with their gold content, so that, even where gold still remains in the old stream channels, it has become so buried under boulder clay and other glacial accumulations that it is, in most places, difficult to find, and, when found, may prove very expensive to mine. Most of the present rivers have done little more than cut new channels in the glacial debris, touching only here and there upon the subjacent rocky floor. The territory in Yukon adjacent to the section of the Alaska highway between Watson and Teslin lakes is for the most part unknown both topographically and geologically. From Teslin to Kluane, the highway travels a fairly well-mapped part of Yukon, but beyond that point, until White river is reached, the geology of the adjacent country has, largely, yet to be determined, particularly on the north side of the highway.

Jan 1, 1943

By Sakellariou M., Ferentinou M.

Determination of the nonlinear behavior of multivariate dynamic systems often presents a challenging and demanding task. Therefore, complex geomechanics systems are an ideal area for the application of intelligent methods. Often the physical problem is controlled by nonlinear equations, conveying to the use of neural networks. Hudson, (1992a), aiming at efficient engineering modelling and design, introduced and developed Rock Engineering Systems (RES) approach, through the implementation of generic interaction matrix GIM. This approach has been used for a wide variety of rock engineering and other problems, resulting in many case studies available, which illustrate the application of RES to rock engineering problems. Considering the spectrum of the coding methods for the Generic Interaction Matrix, we suggest an objective coding approach. Among the five proposed coding GIM methods, the coding method according to the slope of Pi and Pj relation is relatively accurate, but it might be difficult or impossible to establish or estimate the exact relation of Pi vs Pj for most of the variables involved within a rock engineering system. Self organising maps, are a special type of unsupervised artificial neural networks, which can learn from complex, multidimensional data, and transform them to visually decipherable clusters. The proposed, coding of the GIM, is performed through the combined use of scatter plots produced through, (SOM), and the coding according Pi vs Pj slope. Naghadehi et al., (2013) constructed a database of worldwide experience, in open-pit mine slope stability, the selection of the principal factors was based on Hudson (1992a) who proposed an ‘atlas’ of factors affecting the stability of rock slopes. Slope classification was performed according to status of stability. The rating of the GIM matrix was completed, coupling scatter matrix produced by SOM training, and Pi vs Pj slope plot. Results refer to the identification of clusters, according to status of stability within the original multivariate data set, and the rating of the principal factors according to the dominance and interaction intensity within the open pit mines RES.

Jan 1, 2015

By D. J. Hains

IN this paper we shall examine the Why, Where and How concerning the agglomeration of iron ores and concentrates. Fig. l answers the questions @f why there is so much interest at the present time in the art of agglomeration. The use of sinter or pellets in the blast furnace has materially increased their rated •capacity. ':'President Hains Company Ltd. Engineering J. S. McMahon ( 1) reports an increase from 653 tons of .pig iron per day to 1140 tons of pig iron per day with the use of a 100 per cent sinter burden on one of his blast furnaces. In the United States the use of 100 per cent pellets has increased pig iron production from approximately 1800 tons per day to over 3000 tons pig iron per day (2). In our economic system the general objective is to produce more and better commodities cheaper. Fig. 2 shows the decrease in coke consumption with increased tonnages from the furnaces when using -

Jan 1, 1961

The major factors limiting the establishing of vegetation on the shale and sandstone wastes at Minto are high exchange acidity and low pH (shale pH 4-5, sandstone pH < 4). In the first revegetation program (1967-74), 3.8 million trees were planted without grading on 4,000 acres (red, jack and scots pine and black locust). White dutch and sweet clover, birds-foot trefoil and red top were established in selected areas, and ponds were stocked with brook trout. In the second phase of reclamation, beginning in 1979, a comprehensive plan will be initiated which will allow for forest production, wildlife development and recreational activities.

Jan 1, 1977

By N. V. Mel'nikov

This paper discusses the reserves of oil, natural gas and coal in the USSR, with particular attention to the future role to be played by coal in supplying the energy fuel resources of the country.

Jan 1, 1972

By L. Frost

Physical Conditions Great Britain The physical conditions in the mines investigated in Great Britain are similar to those found in the mines of the Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation, with the important difference that many of the coal seams visited were interspersed by a large number of heavy faults, making the development of a continuous face operation difficult, and in many cases the life of a unit development was exceptionally short, adding to unit cost; but in spite of these difficulties, a great deal has been accomplished in the application of mechanical loading units in a number of the mines in the areas visited. The coal-bearing measures, as in Nova Scotia, consist of shales and sandstones, and in some sections mussel bands overlie the coal seams making roof conditions difficult&apos;. In several mines, the main roof consisted of weak shale bind, being held by a coal roof of varying thickness. This shale bind had a tendency to flow when the coal roof was broken. The floor, in some cases where cutter loaders were operated successfully, consisted of weak, flaky shales with very little resistance and a tendency to disintegrate into powder when broken. The depth of cover under which these mines were operating varied from 250 feet to 2,340 feet, with an average of 1,700 feet. The coal seams varied in height from 3 feet to 8 feet 6 inches, and the gradients from level to 33 per cent. The seams vary in hardness, but all-with the exception of one seam, the &apos;Morrison Busty&apos;- presented a cutting problem similar to that found in Nova Scotia. The structure and cleavage of the coal was well defined and uniform. Some of the seams visited were gassy, ?but the temperature of the workings generally was not in excess of 70°F.

Jan 1, 1948

By J. J. . BRUMMER

Kimber/ires are intrusive rocks whose main constituenr, olivine, has been altered entirely or almosr enrirely ro serpentine. Texture usually is porphyritic, superimposed upon a brecciared one. Diamonds are found only in kimberlites, and are present in economic quantities only in about I% of all kimberlites known. Two glacial drift diamonds, one near Peterborough and one near Timmins, both in Ontario, have been found in Canada and are believed to have been eroded and rransporred from their original source by glaciers. Many more glacial drift diamonds have been found sourh of rhe Great Lakes in the United States, parricularly in Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin . There are nine known kimberlire occurrences in Canada. Diamonds have been located in rwo of rhem: on lie Bizard near Monrreal and on Somerset Island in the Northwesr Terrirories. The lie Bizard occurrence comprises three kimberlire diarremes; samples of rhe largest one revealed JO riny diamonds totalling 0.0537 carars. The Somerset Island kimberlites are rhe mosr significant yet discovered in Canada. Ar leasr 19 separare kimberlite occurrences are known on rhe island. Testing by Diapros Canada Lim ired, however, revealed only "a few small diamonds". fr is likely rhar, wirh enough time and funds, additional kimberlires, possibly bearing economic quanriries of diamonds, will be found in Canada.

Jan 1, 1984

By A. Ignatieff

This is the first in a series of Coal Technology Reviews being prepared in accordance with a recommendation voted by the Coal Division in session at the Jubilee Meeting, Vancouver, April, 1948, that the Department of Mines and Resources be requested to arrange for publication by the proper Government authority of a Quarterly Review&apos; of Coal Technology, for distribution among those concerned in the production and use of coal in Canada. This recommendation was subsequently endorsed both by the Council of the Institute and by the Dominion Coal Board. Further reviews (or digests) will appear at intervals in the Bulletin, or will be published and distributed by the Board which, meanwhile, has undertaken to distribute reprints of Mr. Ignatieff&apos;s review.-En. * * * The fields in coal mining technology which are considered to demand most attention and study at the present time are reviewed under the headings appearing below. Mechanization In the light of the growing shortage of skilled miners and the necessity of mitigating constantly increasing mining costs, interest continues to centre in mining methods and applications of mechanization chat will produce the maximum reduction of man power. The growth of strip or open-cut mining, also, is a consequence of this trend. Mechanization at the face attracts most attention and the trend is toward developing and adopting machines capable of cutting and loading the coal in one operation instead of having the separate operations of cutting, drilling, blasting, and loading. In Great Britain, where longwall mining is? the general practice, the A.B. Meco-Moore machine still receives much attention, and accounts describing its performance over reasonably long periods have appeared in the technical press.

Jan 1, 1948

By J. E. Nesset, F. Rosenblum, J. A. Finch, R. Payant

ABSTRACT Under certain conditions of moisture and oxygen, sulphides can spontaneously self-heat. We tested a hypothesis that galvanic interaction between some sulphides can promote self-heating. Galvanic interaction is controlled by the rest potential difference between sulphides and particle size. A series of binary sulphide mixtures was tested. Individual sulphides and mixtures with low rest potential difference did not self-heat, but mixtures of high rest potential difference did. When testing pyrite-sphalerite mixtures, self-heating increased inversely with particle size, with the fineness of the pyrite governing self-heating, indicating the rate-limiting step is the reduction reaction. The results support the hypothesis that galvanic interaction contributes to sulphide self-heating. A possible mechanism based on hydrogen sulphide as an intermediate product is proposed. The understanding gained will be of interest to those involved in storage, shipping, and disposal of sulphides.

Jan 1, 2012

By C. Edwards

ABSTRACT The versatility and specificity of rare earth elements (REEs) have led to their use in an everincreasing variety of applications in new technologies; consequently, demand for REEs has increased significantly. However, separating REEs safely and effectively is a complex and expensive process. This paper presents a review of REE mineral processing technologies, providing an update on current capabilities in REE mineral processing and REE extraction from the major commercially valuable REEbearing minerals such as bastnaesite, monazite, and xenotime, as well as the ion-absorption type of REE deposits.

Jan 1, 2013

By R. M. Lauer

OVER THE YEARS concentration of the Sullivan ore has become progressively more difficult as the ore has become increasingly refractory. The introduction of new reagents and changes in the flow of the concentrator have been and continue to be necessary in order to maintain and improve the efficiency of metal extraction. Prior to the completion of the pilot mill in 1957 ail new ideas were developed in laboratory equipment. If these were found to be promising, there was no alternative but to introduce them directly to the main mill flow in one step. When a major change was involved there was always the possibility of serious losses while the mill was being adjusted to the changed conditions. It proved difficult to determine whether these losses were the result of the changed procedure or of failure to adjust the flow to a change in the condition of the ore during the test. The pilot mill has provided a valuable intermediate step between the laboratory and the mill. It avoids the losses which occurred when unsuccessful full-scale tests were attempted, and conversely it provides assurance that full-scale flow changes can be made without serious hazard.

Jan 1, 1960

By P. Hickey, G. Hubert, P. Healy

"J. S. Redpath Limited, an underground contractor with a worldwide presence, has implemented innovative techniques in various projects in Canada to shorten the development cycle. Conventional methods currently used for installing primary ground support are compared with the Australian technique of bolting and meshing with jumbos equipped with twin telescopic booms, in-cycle shotcreting, and the use of two jumbos and two scissor bolters set up side by side in wide headings. Recommendations and lessons learned are presented with the aim of providing realistic expectations with regard to development advance rates in a mining environment.RÉSUMÉ J. S. Redpath Limitée, un entrepreneur minier souterrain d’envergure mondiale, a complété plusieurs projets au Canada où des techniques novatrices ont été mises en oeuvre pour raccourcir le cycle de développement. Cet article présente une comparaison entre les méthodes conventionnelles fréquemment utilisées pour le support de terrain, la technique australienne de boulonnage et d’installation de grillage au moyen de jumbos équipés de flèches télescopiques doubles, du béton projeté appliqué durant le cycle de développement et de l’utilisation de deux jumbos et deux boulonneuses côtes-à-côtes dans des galeries de grandes dimensions. Les recommandations et les leçons apprises sont présentées dans le but de fournir au lecteur des attentes réalistes quant aux taux d’avancement du développement dans un environnement minier."

Jan 1, 2016

By D. M. MacLean

THE property of Howey Gold Mines, Limited, is situated at Red Lake, Ontario, one hundred and seventy-five miles east of Winnipeg and eighty miles north of the Canadian National railway. The mine has been a continuous producer since April, 1930, and, at present writing, a total of 3,042,690 tons has been hoisted, giving a production of $6,422,858.55, for a grade of $2.32 per ton. From 1,064,477 tons mined during the past two years, however, the yield has been only $1,389,607.03, or $1.41 per ton (gold at $20.67). Present output is at the rate of about 1,470 tons. per day. THE ORE-BODY AND WALL-ROCK: The Howey ore-body is part of a quartz porphyry dyke, which has. intruded an area of greenstone. The dyke strikes north 65° east, and its dip varies from 85° to the south at the surface to practically vertical below the. 1,000-foot horizon. Both along the strike and on the dip, the width of the dyke varies from 25 to 200 feet, the widest portion occurring below the 1,000-foot level. To the east of the ore-body, the dyke increases in width and finally splits into tongues of porphyry enclosed in greenstone, diorite, and congloJ11erate. To the west, it passes into the adjoining property, its width at the boundary being 100 feet. The rock in the ore-body is hard to drill, but, because of numerous horizontal slip-planes, it breaks well when blasted. This characteristic makes it possible to break large breasts or benches with a relatively small number of holes. The ore broken in this manner is consequently quite coarse, a large part of it requiring secondary breaking.

Jan 1, 1938

By A. P. Craig

"I HAVE BEEN looking forward to addressing this particular audience about Trans-Canada Pipe Lines because you men, more than most, understand the problems of the pioneer. Trans-Canada Pipe Lines qualifies as a pioneer on two counts: it is certainly pioneering a completely new industry in Canada -the long-distance transmission of natural gas -and it has at least a few of the problems that are expected and normal to any pioneering venture.This morning, I’m going to try to give you a sketchy picture of our project and a brief report on its current status and our progress to date; and then a broad picture of Canadian markets for natural gas.The physical characteristics of the Trans-Canada Pipe Lines project have been discussed so often that I am not going to take the time today to quote a lot of statistics on pipe sizes, miles, tons of steel, etc. Suffice it to say that this project, estimated to cost approximately $350,000,000, will be the longest large-diameter gas pipe-line ever built anywhere.Let me try to paint a broad picture of this great national project, using only a few basic 'round' figures.First, it involves exploration for and development of the natural gas fields in Alberta and other provinces -the cost of which will run into hundreds of millions of dollars.Then comes the gathering, stripping, and cleaning of the gas before it can be delivered to Trans-Canada. This will cost close to $100 million.Next we have the Trans-Canada Pipe Lines project for transmission of the gas to Eastern markets -estimated to cost $350,000,000 during the first three to four years and making natural gas economically available to one-half the population of Canada."

Jan 1, 1955

By Liu Liu

In the recent 10 years the rapid development of Chinese steel industry has attracted the attention of the world. The technological progress of converter steelmaking has played an important role in this process. First of all, slag splashing has been extensively adopted by Chinese steel companies in various sizes of converters from largest to smallest ones, and even including those using special hot metal containing V and Ti. Remarkable metallurgical results have been achieved. Up to now the average converter campaign life has reached nearly 10,000 heats, and the longest exceeds 30,000 heats in three melt shops. Based on this process, the long-life combined-blowing converter steelmaking technology has been developed. Slag splashing has been used to form a gas permeable "slag mushroom" on the top of bottom nozzles to protect the nozzles. In order to keep the effective bottom blowing, furnace bottom thickness control technique has been developed to prevent the furnace bottom growth. It makes the service life of bottom nozzle the same as the converter campaign life (average 10,000 heats and longest > 30,000 heats). The complete combined blowing was ensured through out the furnace campaign. Concentration product [C][0] is in the range of 0.0023 ~ 0.0030%, the T.Fe in the slag is lowered by 4 ~ 6%, and the [0] in steel is decreased by 100 ~ 250 ppm.

Jan 1, 2004

By A. M. A. Mohamed, F. H. Samuel, S. Valtierra, H. W. Doty, A. M. Samuel

"The influence of Fe, Mn, Cu and Mg alloying additions, Sr modification and grain refinement on the microstructure of as-cast and solution heat-treated Al-10.8% Si alloys was investigated using optical microscopy and EPMA techniques. The results showed that the modification effect of Sr diminished with increasing Cu and Mg additions, due to Sr-Cu-Mg interactions. Strontium caused segregation of AlzCu in areas away from eutectic Si regions, and altered the precipitation sequence of the a-Ah5(Fe,Mn)3Siz iron intermetallic from post-dendritic to pre-dendritic, with the phase observed within the a-Al dendrites. Depending upon the alloy Fe and Mn content, a coarser variation (""sludge"") of the a-Fe phase occurred, in the form of polyhedral shaped particles. The AhCu phase dissolved almost completely during solution heat treatment, while Al5Cu2Mg8Si6, sludge, and a-Aln(Fe,Mn)3Siz phases persisted in all alloys, particularly at high Mg and Fe levels. The f3-Al5(Fe,Mn)Si phase dissolved partially in Sr-modified alloys, the dissolution becoming more pronounced after solution heat treatment."

Jan 1, 2006

By R. B. Fermor

"AbstractAttention is drawn to the ventilation problems arising from the use of diesel vehicles underground, especially in view of the fact that diesel fumes in combination with other pollutants may be more harmful than diesel fumes alone or the other pollutants alone.Means for minimizing the harmful effects of using diesels underground are listed, and the quantities of air' required in mines in which diesel-powered vehicles are used are discussed. Mines are classified in three categories on the basis of severity of ventilation problems, and statistics are given for these categories.Details of the various components contributing to total ventilation needs are given, and the ventilation needs of individual mines in the three categories are listed. A description is given of the principles according to which main ventilation coursing is planned and the selection and siting of main fans is discussed.General Considerations in the Use of Diesel-Engined Vehicles UndergroundIN ORDER to reduce physiological hazards, present and latent, to workers in mines in which extensive use is made of diesel equipment underground, it is important that mine ventilation systems reduce the concentrations of rock dust, diesel fumes and particulate matter as rapidly as possible to an acceptable level in all parts of the mine.There is some evidence that the long-term effects of a combination of the above pollutants are greater than those of anyone of them alone, which makes the problem even more pressing."

Jan 1, 1977

By A. W. Jolliffee

ANY attempt to forecast the mineral resources of a largely unknown region is hazardous and, in the case of the Northwest Territories, such a task is even more hazardous than usual. This is not merely because of the immense territory involved (over a million and a quarter square miles), only a small fraction of which has ever been explored or prospected, but also be-cause both the geology and mineral deposits thus far examined show many unique features, and, finally, because the region is being actively prospected at the present time. However, in view of the present widespread interest in Canada&apos;s mineral resources, a brief compilation of what is known regarding mineral occurrences and geology in the explored parts of the far north seems timely. From these assembled data, a few inferences are warranted as to future mineral production from this region. HISTORY The story of mineral discovery in the Canadian northwest is a fascinating one. As well, it abundantly illustrates the importance of mineral occurrences in indicating future mining possibilities. The same sequence of events has repeated itself too often to be merely fortuitous.? In most cases, the dis-covery of a mineral deposit of possible economic value has been foreshadowed by the finding of the valuable mineral or an associated mineral in the same district, generally in small quantity, by an early explorer or traveller. Thus, John Franklin reported oil seepages from the base of Bear Rock, near Nor-man, at almost the very spot where oil was struck nearly one hundred years later. Again, some would-be Klondikers, deterred by the hardships of the route, remained to prospect around Great Slave lake, and were the first to report the Pine Point lead-zinc occurrences there and the gold-bearing veins on Yellowknife bay. Sporadic prospecting followed at the latter locality for over thirty years before the recent rich strikes were made. Similarly, in 1847, Dr. John Rae picked up a boulder of copper ore south of Rankin inlet, on Hudson bay. More than eighty years later, a body of copper-nickel sulphides carrying values in platinum metals was found at this locality. Also, the report of cobalt bloom on the east coast of Great Bear lake brought back by a Geological Survey of Canada party in 1900 was a factor in the events leading to the discovery of silver and radium there in 1930.

Jan 1, 1937

By Jonathan Peck, Carl Hendricks

"Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) based positioning and navigation systems have been recently developed and implemented by AQUILA Mining Systems Ltd. on blast hole drills and electric cable shovels in Canadian open pit coal and iron ore mines. These systems enable the location of the drill bit or the shovel tracks to be accurately determined in three dimensions. The position of the drill or shovel is displayed to the operator via a real-time, Moving Map Display (MMD) on an LCD-VGA screen. The MMD allows the operator to accurately navigate the drill from blast hole to blast hole or maintain a desired shovel grade or face position, with respect to displayed bench features. The maps for the MMD are downloaded from the mine office via laptop or radio link as required or as mining plans change.To obtain reliable, accurate and real-time3D positions of mobile mining equipment, proven GPS technology has to be utilized. The GPS components need to operate reliably under the severe environmental conditions that exist on board mobile mining equipment. In addition, they have to contend with varying pit geometry’s and satellite configurations, with little or no performance degradation. These issues were initially examined in December1993 during a feasibility project between AQUILA and Gregg River Resources Ltd., in relation to implementing GPS systems on blast-hole drills.To achieve certain design objectives, AQUILA Mining Systems Ltd. has developed navigation systems for cable shovels and blast-hole drills based around off-the-shelf, high precision GPS components. These systems utilize the AQUILA Advanced Monitoring Platform (AMP), to display graphically, via the MMD, shovel grade and drill position to the operator to within ±12 inches of design coordinates. Production prototypes have been installed on a Marion 301 cable shovel and a Bucyrus-Erie49-R Series III drill at the Fording River Mine in August, 1995, at the Wabush Mine on a Bucyrus Erie 190-B shovel in June, 1995, and on a GD120 drill at Gregg River Resources Ltd. in January, 1996. All these systems have undergone field trials to test system components and functionality’s under actual production conditions. This paper will discuss these GPS-based positioning and navigation systems in subsequent sections."

Jan 1, 1997