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By M. Sukhram

This paper presents a technique to determine the direction of velocity in liquid aluminum (Al) by measuring the temperature distribution within a cylindrical rod while it is inserted into the flow. The heating pattern of the rod is a result of the interaction of the thermal fields of the rod with the liquid Al. This interaction freezes aluminum onto the cylinder in a characteristic pattern and as a result the temperature response within the rod also follows a distinctive heating pattern. Monitoring the temperature within the cylindrical rod as a function of spatial and temporal coordinates, the direction of velocity can be inferred. Experimental research work involving liquid Al was conducted at the University of Toronto using the Revolving Liquid Metal Tank (RLMT). The RLMT is a resistance furnace which can hold up to 50kg of liquid Al. In this RLMT tangential velocities up to 0.35m1s can be generated. Experimental data for different superheat and magnitude of velocity demonstrate that the sensor records different heating patterns under different fluid flow conditions. Using the transient temperature information, the direction of velocity of the molten Al flow field can be detected.

Jan 1, 2011

By Keith Spence

"The notion of ""value"" has always been a subjective and contentious issue. Indeed, Value is in the eye of the beholder. There are varied methods and practices for valuing property, as there are industries in which they are applied. For example, there are ""replacement value"", ""insurance value, ""salvage value"", ""appraised value"", ""book value"" and ""fair market value"", to name a few, although in the mining industry, valuations usually refer to fair market value.In the Canadian mining industry, at present, there are no comprehensive regulations or guidelines that specify which approaches or methods are appropriate for use in the valuation of mineral projects. In January 1999, The Mining Standards Task Force of the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Ontario Securities Commission recommended that the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum establish a committee to review and advise on approaches and methodologies for the valuation of mineral properties. Among the approaches to be considered, are included the following: the Discounted Cash Flow Approach, the Cost Approach, the Option Pricing Approach and Market Comparables Approach. In addition, methodologies differ depending on whether the project is at the exploration stage or the producing stage.The CIMVal committee expects that its final report will form the basis for a standard Canadian Code for the valuation of mineral properties."

Jan 1, 2003

Abstract - A method to extract certain types of error variance information from paired data is presented, which constitutes an important tool for the calibration of Gy’s formula for variance predictions in the sampling of broken ores. The research summarized here complements publications by others on geochemical precision. The model and method proposed for treating duplicate data provide a practical means of deriving separate estimates of the purely analytical and aliquot sampling variances, from a unique set of duplicate assays, and, hence, proposes a new avenue for estimating effective mineral grain size.

Jan 1, 1998

By E. L. Martheleur

A general expression for the electric power generated or consumed in a direct-current circuit is obtained by multiplying the reading of a suitable voltmeter connected across the terminals by the reading of an ammeter connected in the circuit. by the reading of an ammeter connected in the circuit. When alternating currents are considered, the product of the volts and amperes as obtained for direct currents does not generally represent the true energy involved; it is greater than this true energy and should be multiplied by a certain factor which may have any value between zero and unity, according to the conditions of the circuit. This factor is called the power-factor of the system, and expresses the ratio of the true energy over the apparent energy. For a three-phase system the expression of the apparent energy is [\/ 3 x E x I; ] while the expression of the true energy, that is, energy suitable for mechanical work, is [v? 3 x E x I x cos A.] The total current of a circuit corresponds to the reading of an ammeter connected in the circuit; it is the resultant of two currents. The first of these is in phase with the voltage, and is that portion which really produces mechanical work; the second is always in quadrature with the voltage, that is it may lead or lag the voltage by 90° according to the condition of the circuit. This second current does not produce any sensible work, and for this reason is sometimes called wattless current or reactive current.

Jan 1, 1924

By R. L. Alexander

"Madawaska Mines Limited, incorporated in 1975 is the successor to Faraday Uranium Mines Limited. The history of the latter's mine development and corporate changes are outlined. This paper describes the geology of the Bancroft area and the rock types found in the mine, particularly the pegmatite which is the host rock for the uranium. The structure, mineralogy and distribution of the ore shoots are described with the method of grade control and mine development. The paper concludes with a summary of the production and mineral reserves.Location, Access, and PropertyMadawaska Mines Limited is located in Faraday Township, Hastings County, Ontario. The mine is in the N.T.S. quadrant 31 F/ 4, Bancroft sheet and near 46 degrees 01 minute latitude, 77 degrees 46 minutes longitude. The mine is one-half mile north of Highway 28, five miles (8 km) west of Bancroft, and is accessible by various highways from Toronto, Ottawa, Peterborough, and Belleville. (Fig. 1). A landing strip for small aircraft is located at the northwestern edge of Bancroft. Bancroft is a modern community with a population of 2,400. The company has the mineral rights to 2982 acres (1207 hectares) surrounding the mine workings and plant which are situated in the north parts of Lots 16 and 17, Concession XI, Faraday Township."

Jan 1, 1986

By R. E. Phelan

Introduction The Flin Flon deposit was discovered by Tom Creighton, an experienced prospector and trapper, who in 1914 made his headquarters at The Pas, Manitoba, and still lives there. The discovery was made in the fall of 1914, and Creighton and his associates spent the next summer in investigating the find. In August of 1915 the first claims were located. The property was optioned to Hayden Stone & Company, and in the spring of 1916 they started a diamond-drill campaign. Hayden Stone spent $50,000 on the property and, among other things, completed over 7,500 feet of diamond drilling. The ore not being as high grade as expected, and also being complex in character, Hayden Stone then abandoned their option. In the spring of 1917, Messrs. Earle, Faskin and associates took an option on the property and started an extensive drilling campaign. This campaign accomplished approximately 18,000 feet of drilling and secured for the Faskin interests a 32 per cent interest in the property. In 1920, W. B. Thompson and The Mining Corporation of Canada secured an option, and, while this option was in force, sunk two shafts in the ore-zone and did a considerable amount of drifting and cross-cutting in the ore to study the manner in which it occurred in place, and, by actual channel sampling, to check the grade indicated by the previously accomplished diamond drilling. All of this work had indicated that an ore-body existed on the property containing at least 18,000,000 tons of ore, assaying as follows: gold, 0.074 oz./ton; silver, 1.06 oz./ton; copper, 1.71 per cent; and zinc, ). 45 per cent (1). Complete analyses of composites from the drill holes showed that the ore was very complex in character. It contained the above values in gold, silver, copper, and zinc, as well as large amounts of sulphur and iron, and traces of lead, arsenic, antimony, cobalt, and various other metals. Although the ore was obviously pyritic in character, pyritic smelting, the usual method of treating this class of ore, could not be used to beneficiate the ore with any reasonable expectation of making such a venture a financial success, since coke and coal landed at Flin Flon would be expensive, and siliceous flux was known to be scarce locally and low in grade. The property therefore lay idle until 1925.

Jan 1, 1935

By G. Itoh, S. Fukasawa

The Al-Zn-Mg alloys have been known to be susceptible to stress corrosion cracking (SCC), which is based on intergranular cracking arisen from hydrogen embrittlement (HE). The mechanism of HE has not been fully understood yet. In order to elucidate the mechanism of HE, we need to investigate the behavior of hydrogen in the alloys. In this paper, behavior of hydrogen in an Al-5.8%Zn-2.4Mg alloy was investigated by means of hydrogen microprint technique, a method to visualize location of hydrogen emission from specimen surface as silver particles. One side of the tensile test pieces was electrolytically polished and then covered with photographic emulsion. Hydrogen was pre-introduced into the test pieces from opposite side by cathodic electrolytic charging for 30min. Then, the test pieces were stretched with continuing the charging. After that, the specimen was fixed, rinsed, dried and observed with a scanning electron microscope. As a result, silver particles were observed on some grain boundaries.

Jan 1, 2015

By Laurence D. Burke

The electrocatalytic behaviour of gold in aqueous media is surprisingly complex and a novel view of gold electrode surfaces is proposed to explain the observed electrochemical responses. The metal surface is considered as a chemically (or redox) modified electrode, with equilibrated, low energy, surface gold atoms functioning as a relatively inert support and low coverage, high energy, protruding gold atoms (or minute clusters of same) functioning as electrocatalytic redox mediators. The protruding atoms are viewed as surface active sites and the complex electrocatalytic behaviour is attributed to the basic instability of the mediators, the diversity (and poor control) of same, and the acid/base (or hydrolysis) behaviour of the oxidized states of the mediators. It is assumed that major advances in the application of gold in the heterogeneous catalysis of gas phase reactions will be accompanied by similar advances in the use of gold in the electrocatalysis area; however, this will require considerable work of both a practical and theoretical nature.

Oct 1, 2003

By D. C. Fraser

"Geophysical Engineering and Surveys Limited of the Keevil Mining Group have routinely conducted ground surveys with VLF-EM receivers for the past two years. Both Crone's Radem and Ronka's EM16 have been used.VLF-EM dip-angle data often yield complex patterns which require considerable study for a proper interpretation. A method was developed which allows field operators to transform the noncontourable dip angles into contourable data, producing conductor patterns which are immediately apparent to exploration personnel untrained in VLF-EM interpretation.VLF-EM contoured data generally peak very close to the top of a conductor, thereby allowing drill holes to be spotted accurately. However, the data generally should not be used alone to select drill targets because structures may be sufficiently conductive to yield strong anomalies. Thus, magnetic and/or vertical-loop EM correlations may be considered as necessary criteria for drilling.VLF-EM surveys can replace IP surveys in certain environments. For example, the Restigouche orebody in the Bathurst camp of New Brunswick yielded a VLF-EM anomaly as distinct as that obtained by IP, although the body did not respond to vertical-or horizontal-loop EM. However, the cupriferous breccia pipes of the Triba mine near Batchawana, Ontario yield strong IP anomalies but not VLF-EM anomalies, illustrating that disseminated ore targets should be sought with IP rather than with VLF-EM."

Jan 1, 1971

By Jeffrey S. Loen

"Abstract - The size, morphology, surface texture, per cent mineral inclusions, and bulk chemistry (Ag and trace elements) of placer gold particles vary systematically according to transport distance from source rocks, as indicated by a case study from the Pioneer district in Montana, and data from the literature.Placer gold samples show a rapid decrease in mean and maximum particle length, and a gradual increase in flatness index (F.I. = length + breadth/2 X thickness) from about F.I. = 2 in bedrock deposits, to as much as F.I. = 45 over transport distances of several tens of kilometers. Primary mineral inclusions (mainly quartz, sulfide minerals, and iron oxides) are mostly lost within 10 km to 20 km of fluvial transport; this loss of quartz and trace metals causes a major change in bulk chemistry of placer gold samples. Following the loss of inclusions and the development of flakes, edges of flakes are folded and the mean number of folded edges in a sample increases with distance. When viewed under the electron microscope, surface textures of placer gold particles also become progressively more pitted with distance.Analysis of placer gold particles can be used to help evaluate placer source-area problems (placers with no known hard-rock gold deposits). For example, coarse placer gold containing abundant inclusions indicates a proximal source. On the other hand, an abundance of thin flakes is evidence of a long transport distance and possible reworking from older gravels. Placer gold characteristics can therefore provide information on distance to mineralized source rocks."

Jan 1, 1995

By J. G. Ross

A DESCRIPTION of the block-caving system of mining as practised at the King mine of Asbestos Corporation, Limited, Thetford Mines, Que., was presented. at the Annual Meeting of the Institute held in Quebec city, in April, 1934. The paper was published in the Transactions of the Institute for 1934. There has now been recovered, by this method, one million tons of ore, and a review of experience indicates that the method was well planned and has been executed smoothly. In approaching the problem of selecting the type of mining best adapted to this deposit, the method had to be one which would be low in cost, use no wood, and not disturb the surface immediately bounding the ore-body on two sides. Prior to 1931, block-caving had been considered but rejected, as it en-tailed disturbance of the surface area which lay within a 45° angle of the lowest contemplated workings, if the practice of such mines as Ray, Miami, Inspiration, and Morency, where this type of mining has been used extensively, was followed. At these properties there have been mined large tannages at outstanding low costs, but an extensive surface area has been disturbed in each case. In some instances, townsites in the mining area have had to be abandoned, and dwellings, not considered worth moving, have been allowed to fall into the depression. A study was made of the principles involved in the various types of block-caving, the existing information on ground movement, subsidence, etc., also being carefully analysed. Toward the end of 1931, a plan was conceived whereby the country adjoining ground being caved might be held permanently in place and undisturbed. The success of such a scheme was essential to the application of block-caving at the King mine on account of property boundaries, the Quebec Central Railway right-of-way, and expense of moving buildings. Study of existing data on caving and movement of rock, caused by sub-surface excavations of sufficient unsupported area to result in failure of the backs, indicated, in practically every instance, that such movements followed certain definite laws of mechanics.

Jan 1, 1936

By Jeffrey S. Loen

"The size, morphology, surface texture, per cent mineral inclusions, and bulk chemistry (Ag and trace elements) of placer gold particles vary systematically according to transport distance from source rocks, as indicated by a case study from the Pioneer district in Montana, and data from the literature.Placer gold samples show a rapid decrease in mean and maximum particle length, and a gradual increase in flatness index (F.I. = length + breadth/2 x thickness) from about F.I. = 2 in bedrock deposits, to as much as F.I. = 45 over transport distances of several tens of kilometers. Primary mineral inclusions (mainly quartz, sulfide minerals, and iron oxides) are mostly lost within 10 km to 20 km of fluvial transport; this loss of quartz and trace metals causes a major change in bulk chemistry of placer gold samples. Following the loss of inclusions and the development of flakes, edges of flakes are folded and the mean number of folded edges in a sample increases with distance. When viewed under the electron microscope, surface textures of placer gold particles also become progressively more pitted with distance.Analysis of placer gold particles can be used to help evaluate placer source-area problems (placers with no known hard-rock gold deposits). For example, coarse placer gold containing abundant inclusions indicates a proximal source. On the other hand, an abundance of thin flakes is evidence of a long transport distance and possible reworking from older gravels. Placer gold characteristics can therefore provide information on distance to mineralized source rocks."

Jan 1, 1995

By F. E. Lee

The following outline gives a brief account of some of the ways in which microscopy is applied to the problems arising from the various operations of the Tadanac reduction works, at Trail, B. C. The Sullivan ore is a very fine-grained mixture of galena, marmatite, pyrite and pyrrhotite. The separation of minerals associated so intimately is a difficult task and requires careful control. Various oils and reagents are used in the process as developed, and it is essential that the operators have a means of control which shall be rapid, and at the same time, approximately correct. This result is obtained by microscopic analysis in the following manner: The operator places a quantity of the material upon a slide, a drop of water is added, and it is covered with a cover glass. Upon examination with transmitted light, the zinc mineral particles appear reddish, the ordinary gangue colorless, the lead and iron sulphides opaque. This method has proved of great assistance both in the development and in the operation of the present method for concentrating Sullivan ore. The miscroscope has thus become as much a part of the metallurgical equipment as the balance and burette. The microscope used in the laboratory is a Fuess "petrographic" with a specially-made vertical "illuminator" by Bausch & Lomb, with the usual accessories.

Jan 1, 1924

By W. L. Uglow

In recent years, the microscope has come to be recognized as a valuable aid to engineers whose business is the discovery, development, concentration or reduction of metallic ores. In many of the large treatment plants microscopical research has already an important status; and in the hands of efficient operators the microscope has indicated methods of solving ore problems resulting in the saving of thousands of dollars that otherwise might have been lost in tailings, or expended in freight rates or smelter charges. Failure to procure all the information that the microscope can supply concerning the physical and mineralogical characteristics of complex ores has in many cases led to the construction of unsuitable concentrators, just as the failure to investigate in detail the geological conditions of an ore deposit has often results in the squandering of money on shaft sinking, and mechanical installations which subsequent development of the deposit failed to justify. The great progress recently made in the selective separation of minerals by means of the various processes of flotation and leaching brings strongly to our attention, the scope of the field in which microscopical methods may be advantageously employed. The microscope enables one to observe the minute details of rock, ore, gangue, concentrate, tailing, matte, slag and metal, that are invisible to the naked eye. Furthermore, the technique of microscopal research has been so highly developed that a microscopist can not only observe, but deter-mine the compositions and measure the diameters of the mineral constituents in the ore to be treated. Magnifications of these constituents up to 3,000 diameters may be produced by the proper combination of eyepiece, objective, and projection apparatus, and the images thus viewed may be photographed through the microscope, and permanent records made of them.

Jan 1, 1924

By R. D. Brown

In view of the many changes which have taken place since 1950 in the rules of the Income Tax Act concerning the deduction of exploration and development expenses, many corporate taxpayers each year face the tedious task of determining which particular rules their unclaimed exploration and development expenses are subject to and in what sequence these expenses are to be claimed. Recent amendments to the Act have cleared up some of the mystery of the "ordering" of these deductions. This article examines the sequence in which various categories of exploration and development expenses are to be deducted in accordance with the terms of the Act as amended by Bill C-11.

Jan 1, 1978

By E. Swartzman

"IntroductionGENERALLY, the necessity for mining coals of higher impurity content, the drive for lower costs by intensive mine mechanization, changing market requirements, and the increasing competition of oil and natural gas, have continued to result in an upward rise in coal preparation, and have necessitated a more intensive study of coal preparation problems.Increasing adoption of •continuous mining equipment, for example, is introducing new problems in coal preparation. Limited experimental work in the United States (1) shows that the effect of the continuous miner on size distribution varies with the characteristics of the seam. In some seams, the fines problem is lessened, in others it is greatly aggravated. Generally there is a decrease in the relative amount of the top sizes (plus 2 in.) and a substantial increase in the intermediate sizes (down to about 1/8 in.). Contrary to expected results•, where continuous miners with vertical-moving cutting heads are used, an increase in impurities in the slack sizes does not necessarily occur where draw-slate is taken. This is because the draw-slate tends to be kicked out in lump form. However, if a seam contains bands •and lenses of impurities they are bound to be in the mined product."

Jan 1, 1952

By J. R. Bradfield

THOSE familiar with the development of the Horne mine can readily appreciate that more and more accommodation bas been required for underground labour as the mine has grown. A permanent fire-proof change house, 30ft. by 75 ft., was built in 1927 to accommodate 194 men. This was extended ro 30 ft. by 92 ft. in 1928 to accommodate 296 men, and to 30ft. by 110 ft. in 1930 to accommodate 398 men. By 1933 this building was again overcrowded and tentative plans for a new change house were drawn up. However, it was realized that future operations would be centred around No. 4 shaft and a proposed new shaft, and the decision as to the location of the new change house had to be deferred until the area which seemed most suitable for the new shaft had been thoroughly explored underground. In the spring of 1934, the basic idea was accepted of drying the wet clothes in open mesh compartments or baskets located between rows of standard steel street-clothes lockers and built so that the covers or lids would serve as seats or benches.

Jan 1, 1935

By W. G. Schultz

"Sylvite's potash mine, which produces 8,000 tons of ore per day, probably ranks as one of the most highly mechanized and automated mining operations in the world. Employing, on a normal 10-hour production shift, one supervisor and a crew of seven operators, Sylvite is able to mine at an average rate in excess of 600 tons per hour. The ore is produced by two Marietta miners weighing 258 tons, the largest and heaviest pieces of equipment ever taken underground. The ore produced by these two Marietta miners is conveyed to the shaft area, cycled through a 15,000-ton storage system and hoisted to surface completely automatically. The operation of all equipment in the mine can be monitored and controlled from a central control panel located underground. Because Sylvite's mine is a new operation with equipment of a new design, the full potential of the operation has not yet been realized. The ultimate capability is clearly evident from the success Sylvite has had over the past year as the average mining capability has risen from 100 tons per hour to 600 tons per hour."

Jan 1, 1973

By J. Zhang, T. Oleniuk

It is well-known that Saskatchewan has the world’s richest uranium deposits and advanced processing technologies. Unlike the Saskatchewan deposits, complicated mineralogy is common for other places in the world. Mineralogy dictates the process. Mineral Processing at the Saskatchewan Research Council has been working with the uranium industry worldwide since its inception to develop effective processing technologies to suit the unique mineralogy of each deposit. This paper reviews the research and development of uranium processing technologies in the current major uranium production areas such as Canada, as well as the potential development regions like Argentina and Sweden. Acidic and alkaline leaching processes, as well as by-product recovery technologies are discussed based on mineralogy.

Jan 1, 2020

By F. O. Verret, A. McKen, G. Chiasson

Several grindability tests were developed over the years to design grinding circuits or optimize existing operations. Each test has its own strengths and weaknesses and it is imperative to select the proper test procedure(s) to meet project deliverables and minimize the risk of a project. Pilot plant testing of large bulk samples historically constituted the traditional approach for AG or SAG design, but was gradually replaced by small-scale tests. Nowadays, conducting grindability tests requiring only a few kilos of material on several samples is a more typical approach to grinding mill design. This paper summarises the requirements and deliverables of various bench-scale test procedures, their strengths and weaknesses, and cases where AG/SAG pilot testing should still be performed.

Jan 1, 2012