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By V. L. Eardley-Wilmot

Diatomite as prepared for the market is a fluffy, white powder, remarkably light in weight-it weighs only 10 to 15 pounds per cubic foot, or one-tenth as much as sand. Being extremely porous and inert, it is in large and increasing demand for insulation and filtration purposes, as general filler, and for many other uses. Structure Structurally, diatomite is quite different from any other known commercial material. It is composed of myriads of microscopically small, siliceous shells of diatoms which belong to a group of flowerless aquatic plants called algae. When these plants die, the siliceous remains sink to the bottom of the water and form beds of diatomite. Over 8,000 species of diatoms are known, named, and tabulated. The intricate scroll-work and patterns on many of these are one of the marvels of nature, and yet so small are they that from 40 to 70 million separate diatoms may be contained in one cubic inch of material. However, the size and shape of these diatoms, which vary greatly (compare Figures 5 and 6), have an important bearing on the commercial use of the diatomite. The diatoms in the majority of the known deposits are so typical of that deposit that, after a micro-examination, an expert can usually tell not only from what part of the world, but also from what particular deposit, the sample has come.

Jan 1, 1931

By H. Kuno, H. Kobayakawa

A borehole inclinometer with FBG optical fiber sensors has been developed to clarify very slow slope movements, and the results of its application to a real slope have been shown. The main characteristics kept in mind while developing this inclinometer are as follows. Firstly, the workability must be good so that only one cable is required for taking the measurements, because the inclinometer is composed of several FBG sensor elements constructed on an optical fiber. Secondly, the minimum interval of the distorted measurements must be close, namely, within 100 mm. Thirdly, the inclinometer must excel in thunder resistance. The measurements were executed by setting up the developed borehole inclinometer on a slope where the rate of displacement is several millimeters per year. The movement of the device was developed by comparing it with that of the results of an existing borehole inclinometer. The area of the displacement concentration, 1 m in width for 4-m sections, was confirmed by the existing borehole inclinometer. The boring core, recovered using a high-quality drilling technique, was examined. Landslide clay was not permitted at the location where the displacement had concentrated as a result of comparing the measurement results with the boring core, and the rotation of gravel by the movement of the slope’s land block was allowed. These results show the slope being caught in the stage just before a primary landslide. In addition, the feature whereby the slope behavior depends on the depth was analyzed by comparing the information on the underground displacement with precipitation and earthquake records.

Jan 1, 2015

By S. Kashani-Nejad

The formation of oxides during the dehydration of MgC12,6H20, Bischofite, was studied by heating the bischofite over a range of time and temperatures in ambient atmosphere. Using a methanol-leaching technique developed by authors, the oxides that formed were isolated, identified and assayed. Three distinct regions of oxide stability were identified. The oxide produced at dehydration temperatures less than 300 °C was Mg2(OH)3C1,2H2O; at 300 °C, mixtures of MgOHC1 and Mg2(OH)3C1.2H2O were formed and at 400 °C, MgOHC1 was the only oxide produced. The presence of MgO observed in the products of the dehydration of bischofite at temperatures above 400 °C was due to the thermal decomposition of the MgOHC1 that was formed while the sample was heating to over 400 °C.

Jan 1, 2006

By R. H. Watson

A paper read by J. A. H. Church before the Northern Alberta Branch last February described a method of working thick inclined coal-seams from the dip upwards, with the view to preventing fire risk by using water for the stowage of waste workings, and extinguishing a conflagration should such break out, was favorably received; but there was some doubt as to the cost of such a method, as it involves a retreating system, which might prove too expensive for practical adoption. Let us consider a typical leasehold such as we are familiar with in the Rocky Mountains. The leasehold is crossed at one end by a mountain river, which is cut by the outcrop of a seam of coal, 30 feet in thickness, pitching as shown on the drawing herewith, which also shows the general line of the outcrop in elevation through the leasehold, which is two and a half miles long and contains 1,500 acres. The average lift is about 600 feet above river level and drilling has proved that the coalseam can be tapped at a depth of 1,500 feet, 2,000 feet down the pitch from the outcrop in the river, all as shown in the illustration, which is typical enough of our mountain conditions to serve the purposes of comparison of methods. We take up the leasehold and invest $30,000 to pay for drilling and prospecting; $30,000 more for the price of the lease to locator or holder, and say $100,000 to pay for a railway spur (it might cost twice this sum, but we are only comparing two methods in the same location) and "now we are ready to consider equipment and the cost of development.

Jan 1, 1924

By J. E. Udd, L. B. Geller

"Mine-shaft wire-rope discard regulations include, among other criteria, a limited amount of permissible loss-of-breaking-strength (LBS). Currently, this parameter is estimated on the basis of non-destrutive-testing (NDT) with electro-magnetic (EM) type instruments. This paper analyses the accuracy with which these estimates have, so far, been obtained in practice.It concludes that while certain types of testers have produced better results than others, the desired accuracy level has not been attained. Also discussed are the putative reasons for this situation, and appropriate actions that the mining industry might wish to take."

Jan 1, 1990

By Michael Hopp

The beginning of the electroforming technology dates itself on the beginning of the industrial revolution 1800 to 1820 approximately. Basis was the existence of electricity in order to be able to drive the electro-form-process. With the development of the electroforming, big names of the science-history, like Michael Faraday (1791? 1867), Sir Humphry Davy (1778?1829), Max Schlöter (1878?1946), Werner von Siemens (1816?1892), and many others. Already about 1840, the first monograph originated to electroforming (38). While in the first years the electro-forming most extensive only to the coating of art - or other usefulness-objects was used. At the beginning of the 20th century the formation of objects from pure metals became more and more, later also from alloys to application. One of the first bigger electroforming factory, the ?Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik? was working 1894 in Geislingen / Steige, Germany. In the industrial application, the electroforming-technology is to be imagined away for miscellaneous coatingtasks and the form-body-preparation no longer today (18). A little bit confusing is the german name ?galvano-technology?. It based on the Italian physiologist and naturalist Luigi Galvani (1737 ? 1798). This technically seen is however wrong, right, the name is electroforming. The physical bases were founded mainly by Michael Faraday and Sir Humphry Davy.

Oct 1, 2003

"Projections of demand for Alberta coal indicate a quadrupling of current production rates to some 70 million tonnes/year by the end of the century. About half of this output-comprised of subbituminous coal-will be required within the province, primarily for generation of electric energy. The remainder-roughly 70 per cent high-volatile bituminous (hvb) steam coal and 30 per cent medium- or low-volatile bituminous (mvb/lvb) metallurgical coal-will be exported, principally to Pacific Rim and Western European countries. Direct employment in mining and coal processing is projected to increase from the present ca. 3000 to at least 12,000 persons.This paper presents separate forecasts for subbituminous, hvb and mvb/lvb coal production in the period 1982-2000; notes a number of possible developments that could substantially modify these forecasts; and briefly discusses attendant infrastructure requirements. Attention is drawn to potential shortages of qualified manpower and to threatening inadequacies of transportation facilities.IntroductionDespite the dislocations triggered by the 1973 'oil crisis', energy budgets of Western industrial countries are mostly still in the very early stages of the anticipated transition to greater reliance on coal. Shift s to coal are still more often only talked about than being implemented; and the public policies which are essential for timely development of facilities for producing, transporting and using coal are in many instances not yet even broadly formulated, let alone enunciated.In these circumstances, long-range projections of coal demand and supply-even if restricted to internal requirements- are subject to greater uncertainties than usually afflict such forecasts.On the demand side of the equation, these uncertainties arise ultimately from linkages between a need for coal and the availability and pricing of OPEC oil. The current surplus of oil on world markets, which has recently forced substantial reductions of posted prices, is undoubtedly a transient phenomenon that is unlikely to have any long-term impact."

Jan 1, 1982

By A. Ehsani

"Seas and oceans constitute about 70% of the earth’s surface. They contain an enormous stock of various mineral resources such as sedimentary (marine placers), massive sulfide ore deposits, manganese nodules and cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts. Sea and ocean floor ore deposits could well contribute to the meeting of ever-rising demand for raw materials in the metal industry. In this regard, more research and development in science and technology appear to be required to ensure maximum benefit from the mineral resources of seas and oceans. Since the 1960s, a variety of mineral and metallurgical processes have been studied and developed to deal with marine ores and to extract metals such as gold, nickel, copper, cobalt, manganese, tin, platinum group metals (PGM), zirconium, thorium, etc.In marine environments, there are many parameters which can affect the selection of the mineral and metallurgical processes. These include the extent and grade of the deposit, mineralogical and chemical properties of the deposit, and physical properties of minerals present with particular reference to particle size distribution and mineral liberation size.In this paper, we briefly review the latest trends in processing and extraction of marine mineral resources. Mineral processing technology is mostly applied for recovery of precious metals i.e. gold and PGM, in particular, from marine placers. In general, pre-treatment (sizing, classification, dewatering), gravity concentration techniques (shaking tables, spirals, jigs, etc.,), flotation, magnetic, and electrostatic separation are the options for enrichment of marine placer ore deposits. In the case of massive sulfides, manganese nodules/cobalt-rich crusts, hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical methods (as proven technological methods) can be exploited for extraction of metals from concentrates after physical separation or directly from marine ores. The hydrometallurgical treatments involve acid (e.g., sulfurichydrochloric) and alkaline (e.g., ammonia) leaching with different reducing agents and pre-treatments such as roasting. Alternatively, pyrometallurgical treatments involve mostly smelting, chlorination and segregation processes."

Jan 1, 2016

By Keith Jones, Largo Albert

"Decelerometer testing of a rigid guide system in a mine shaft pro vides usefuI information to operating and maintenance people. High acceleration/deceleration rates can lead to high maintenance costs to bath conveyances and shaft and can also present an operating risk . Possible disastrous results in the shaft have been avoided by restricting the maximum conveyance speed until the shaft and/ or conveyance problems have been solved.The test instrument is a valuable aid especially during commissioning or updating of a hoisting installation. High acceleration/deceleration rates also lead to reduced hoist rope life. During the past fourteen years, a total of 15,000,000 feet of testing was performed in 74 assorted shaft compartments.Based on this experience, it is possible to establish acceptable conveyance maximum speeds provided that all other conditions in the shaft compartment are normal. The body of the paper will present examples of several tests made under actual operating conditions.IntroductionMore and more mine operators are recognizing the real value in the use of the decelerometer for determining the state of shaft guide alignment in their shaft compartments , not only during the initial mine start-up periods, but also on a regular basis while the mine is in production.Decelerometer testing, is a technique in which an accelerometer , commonly known as a decelerometer, is used for measuring conveyance acceleration/deceleration in a lateral plane. lts purpose is to determine the severity of shock loads produced by misaligned shaft guides. Testing is performed by mounting the instrument on the conveyance and operating the conveyance (empty and loaded) at various speeds up to and including full speed . However, full speed may not be attained due to conditions indicated by the tests. These conditions may present an operating risk to the plant."

Jan 1, 1984

By Jean-Luc Collins

"This new tool can be used as a quick guide f or the assessment of the potential economic wealth of any risky capital project. It does provide an unambiguous recommendation of the type ""go or no go"" to the decision-maker simply by comparing two different ratios profit/investment. One ratio determines the minimum value required to at least break even while the other measures a probable value based on the asymptotic theory of statistical extremes.Its application is briefly illustrated by means of an underground gold mine extension project, an oil sands mine project and a polymetallic open pit project.Once a favourable recommendation has been obtained then a detailed ""cash flow after taxes"" analysis can be carried out for the project.IntroductionMany tools are used in financial decision-making such as the payback period, the discounted cash flow, the internal rate of return and the wealth growth rate (Berry , 1971).These tools are useful and meaningful in evaluating normal projects closely related to regular business where the number of assumptions made is usually very small and where the cost of capita! is usually selected as a discount rate or a hurdle value. In situations where a significant number of assumptions have to be made,two problems can emerge, namely:I. the risk involved is underestimated leading to a potential financial disaster; or2. a good opportunity is lost because the approach used in evaluating the project is too conservative.Each assumption has its own degree of uncertainty and it is well known that combining uncertainties together can lead to a total uncertainty of critical proportion. The easiest way to account for risk is to increase the discount rate or the hurdle value, but this approach alone is quite subjective and can easily lead to the problems described above."

Jan 1, 1993

By Barry W. Schmitke, J. M. Marino

"Cigar Lake Mining Corporation is presently operating an underground test mine in northern Saskatchewan, with a view to developing a high grade uranium deposit. The mining test is intended to demonstrate that the innovative mining methods designed are safe and economical. Two vertical mining methods are considered for the test:• box hole boring from the lower level;• blind boring from the upper level.In both cases, it is anticipated to freeze the ground before excavation to ensure hole stability and limit the inflow of water. Special care will be taken to minimize radiation exposure of personnel.Remote controlled equipment will be used where applicable.The access to the orebody was an important component of the test. After shaft sinking to a depth of 500 m, development work commenced at the 420 level in fractured sandstone which was grouted to restrict the inflow of formation water. The drifting continued in a section of poorly consolidated sand, clay and sandstone; this area was frozen to allow stabilization prior to excavation. At the 480 level relatively little water was encountered in the altered basement gneiss and grouting was not necessary; however, extensive ground support was required in the soft ground areas."

Jan 1, 1992

By W. R. Gunter

"INTRODUCTIONThis article documents the current non-metallic mineral s resources of Manitoba (Fig. I), and makes comparisons with currently producing deposits in North America and elsewhere in the world. Industrial minerals may lack the glamour of gold, silver or the base metals, but they contributed approximately 20070 to the value of Manitoba's raw materials, and even out-performed our petroleum industry, except during the oil boom of the early eighties (Fig. 2). Values per tonne of industrial commodities can be as high or higher than for base metal ores. Commodity prices (Canadian), listed in the February 1988 issue of Industrial Minerals magazine, are: talc $202.00 - $306.00, sillimanite $427.00; kaolin $69.00 - $270.00; garnet $175.00 - $250.00; and mica $405.00 - $540.00. The prices are converted to Canadian dollars using the prevailing exchange rates of February I, 1988. Some commodities are not sold by weight. Building stone, for example, is sold by the cubic foot. An average rough granite block, 4 ft by 4 ft by 8 ft, is worth approximately $2000 sitting on the quarry 1100r in southeastern Manitoba (Fig. 3).Thus, not all rocks that do not contain sulphides are worthless. Some may be extracted more profitably than either the base or precious-metal bearing varieties.Industrial Mineral CommoditiesThe commodities available in Manitoba are described in two categories: (1) those already in production that have additional development or expansion potential, and (2) those not in production logical information available at this time.Current Industrial Mineral ProductionThe commodities described herein are currently in commercial production in Manitoba (Fig. 4). These mineral products also have good market expansion potential provided additional geological and market research is conducted. The use of company names in reference to sundry products and locations should not be interpreted as specific endorsement by the Government of Manitoba. The numbers following the commodity name refer to Figure 1. that have good development potential on the basis of geo-"

Jan 1, 1989

By Hamidreza Soltanzadeh

The injection of CO2 into a reservoir or aquifer can potentially result in deformation, induced fracturing and fault reactivation in the injection zone and/or the rocks that surround it. This paper reviews the data collection and geomechanical analyses performed to assess these potential hazards for the Heartland Area Redwater Project (HARP), in which CO2 sequestration is being considered in a carbonate (Leduc Formation) reef. A three-dimensional mechanical earth model (3D MEM) was developed using available geophysical log data from several wells. The geomechanical response to CO2 injection was studied using a finite element numerical model based on the 3D MEM and pore pressure distributions predicted using a reservoir simulator. The modeling results suggest that the potential for induced fracturing and fault reactivation is low and the maximum predicted ground surface heave is less than 2 cm. Sensitivity analyses conducted with a 2D geomechanical model that was extracted from the 3D model confirm that this conclusion holds true even when a reasonable measure of uncertainty in rock mechanical properties, ambient pore pressures and horizontal stress magnitudes is accounted for.

Jun 1, 2012

By David J. McDougall

"IntroductionThe production of pig iron, wrought iron bars and castings in Quebec during the 18th and 19th centuries has been so closely identified by historians with the Forges du St. Maurice on the St. Maurice River a few miles north of Trois Rivières (Three Rivers), that one is sometimes left with the impression that it was the only iron works that ever operated in the province. There were however, about twelve others, one of which was so completely re-built that it should probably be considered as a separate entity. All but two were constructed after the midpoint of the 1800s, coinciding with the growing Canadian demand for ""charcoal pig"" for railway car wheels and castings for industry, and about half of them were technically, if not economically, successful. The misconception about the Forges du St. Maurice may have come about either because of its long history of somewhat less than continuous production over a century and a half, or a tendency of Quebec historians to concentrate on events in the French-Canadian rather than the English-Canadian milieu, but whatever the reason, the other Quebec iron work s have been generally ignored. All but one of the Quebec blast furnaces could be described as ""preindustrial"" with capacities ranging between three and ten tons per day, the exception being the Radnor furnace built in 1892 with a maximum production of about 35 tons per day and an alleged capacity of 50 tons per day.Until a railway network was completed in the 1880s, the location of all the Quebec iron works except the Grantham Iron works was dictated by close proximity to adequate ore reserves because horse transport was of little use beyond a ten-mile radius. The other essentials of forest resources (mainly soft woods) for charcoal, limestone for flux and water power, were generally available except within a few miles on either side of the St. Lawrence river. Among the dozen iron works established in Quebec between 1732 and 1880, seven used bog iron ore in charcoal-fired furnaces."

Jan 1, 1983

By D. M. Morrison

"Microseismic systems at five mines in the Sudbury Basin provide the basic data for Falconbridge Limited's rockburst research. Daily and long-term analysis of this data as well as underground observations has confirmed the fault-slip mechanism of rock bursting at three mines. A detailed analysis of the complete history of Falconbridge Mine is being conducted and Distinct Element numerical models are being used to simulate both the stick-slip behaviour of faults and the dynamic effects of the induced vibrations on rock and backfill. University research includes acoustic tomographic imaging of the rock mass based on seismic wave propagation and collection of full micro seismic waveforms to allow application of advanced seismic and statistical analysis techniques. INTRODUCTIONFalconbridge Limited currently has five mines operating in the Sudbury Basin: East, Lockerby, Onaping, Fraser, and Strathcona Mines, which along with the Falconbridge open pit produced 2.8 million tonnes of ore in 1986. The underground mines range from about 600 m to 2000 m below surface and one of the consequences of mining at these depths is the occurrence of rockbursts.Research into rockburst phenomena at Falconbridge began over 25 years ago and research is continuing in an effort to avoid the problem by improved mine design, to protect mine openings from damage by design of effective support systems and to better understand the processes which precede a major fault slip rockburst. Since the early 1980s, significant progress has been made due principally to micro seismic monitoring and advances in microcomputer technology coupled with detailed underground investigations.It is now possible to identify the fault-slip mechanism as the cause of many of the rockbursts which occur at Falconbridge mines. By gaining an understanding of effect of mining-induced stresses on the pre-existing geological structures, areas which may experience rock bursting can be identified and can be protected against severe damage by appropriate support techniques."

Jan 1, 1989

By J. George Gregr

"This paper gives a brief review of grinding mills installation procedures with special emphasis on future maintenance. The importance of cooperation between the customer, construction contractor and manufacturer's representative is discussed, as well as the imparlance of complying with standards, specifications and the keeping comprehensive installation records.Fundamentals of mill maintenance are explained with the aim being to maximize the equipment availability and to minimize unscheduled downtime. The paper also includes development of wear items design, based on operating conditions, drive components and bearings, and how to keep large gears healthy thus eliminating surprise failures.Experience with installation of a large gear on a 34-foot diameter mill in Lornex and successful application of a computer program for the gear alignment on the mill are given.IntroductionSuccessful operation of a concentrator begins with the engineering of the project and continues through selecting the right equipment, its installation , start-up period, and ends with final tuning of the process. machinery and the human factor into an efficient and viable industrial complex.The following is a brief review of grinding mill installation procedures with special emphasis on future maintenance. Fundamentals of mill maintenance are discussed with the aim being to maximize the equipment availability and to minimize unscheduled downtime, with some specific points on key grinding mill components such as bearings and drives.Finally, the experience is recounted with the installation of a large ring gear on a 34-foot diameter mill at Lornex, and the successful application of a computer program for the gear alignment on the mill."

Jan 1, 1985

By A. Galip Ulsoy, K. V. S. Sastry

"This review paper is intended to provide, the mineral process engineer with an introduction to the concepts, terminology. and practice of mineral process control. It also provides an extensive sampling of the vast body of literature relevant to this topic. The topics discussed include the principles of automatic control, instrumentation, mineral processing unit operations, process modeling and simulation, and process and plant control. IntroductionEconomically accessible higher-grade ores are being rapidly depleted, and at the same time the demand for mineral raw materials continues to increase. Mineral recovery from the remaining low-grade or finely dispersed ores requires grinding for liberation. High energy consumption during grinding and poor efficiency associated with the beneficiation of fine minerals are two important problems facing the mineral industry . These problems, coupled with advances over the last 10 to 15 years in the areas of process modeling, instrumentation, computer technology and control theory, have made automatic control of mineral processing systems an important research area(23,52,66,67,120,129,152)."

Jan 1, 1981

By A. Galip Ulsoy

This review paper is intended to provide, the mineral process engineer with an introduction to the concepts, terminology and practice of mineral process control. It also provides an extensive sampling of the vast body of literature relevant to this topic. The topics discussed include the principles of automatic control, instrumentation, mineral processing unit operations, process modeling and simulation, and process and plant control.

Dec 1, 1981

By Claude Hubert, Alex C. Brown, Michel Richard, Rejean Sirois

"The Pierre Beauchemin gold deposit, situated 15 km NW of Rouyn-Noranda, produces an average of 1050 tonnes of ore a day. Reserves are 1.2 Mt grading 5.6 g/t Au. The deposit, located in a shear zone within the Flavrianpluton, in the Blake River Group, is hosted by four major rock types: meta-trondhjemite, meta-tonalite, hybrid rocks and meta-diorite (the prefu; ""meta-"" is omitted thereafter). The trondhjemite, tonalite, and metamorphic hybrid rocks are spatially distributed as a series of sub-horizontal tabular sills that form a genetically related group. Early fractures that permitted either the emplacement of pre-diorite felsic dikes or the formation of a visible alteration caused by early fluid circulation might have been developed in response to initial strain created during regional deformation. These fractures were precursors to the emplacement of diorite and the development of major shear planes. Sub-horizontal north-trending en échelon diorite lenses are observed at the mine. Together, these diorite lenses constitute larger scale diorite zones which are observed at the scale of the pluton. The diorite zones are interpreted as evidence of an episode of sub-vertical extension sustained by the layered trondhjemite, tonalite and hybrid system. The anisotropy created by the less competent sub-horizontal en échelon diorite was an important factor. In shear zone development and subsequent mineralization. The tonalite and diorite accommodated further defomation and developed the main N030°/40° ESE shears along with the spatially associated N060°/50°-60° SSE, and the N000°/10°-40° E shear zones. The N000° shears are interpreted as refracted or deflected equivalents of the N030° shears. The combined shears compose the Eldrich shear system which trends approximately N030°/40° ESE and has had a general reverse movement with a minor sinistral component.Gold mineralization occurs in all four major rock types as en échelon sigmoidal shaped lenses associated with the major N030° deformation system. The distribution of ore lenses can be divided into two categories: The first category occupies sub-horizontal diorite zones. The lenses trend N-S, dip 100 40° E, and are associated with shear zones, sub-horizontal fractures or tonalite-diorite contact planes. The second category of lenses is found in felsic granitic rocks; the lenses trend either N0300!40°ESE or N060°/50°-60° SSE. Local hydraulic breccia zones are observed near ore zones occupying felsic granitic rocks. These breccias may have resulted from high fluid pressures brought upon by confinement as a result of impermeable zones in an anisotropic tonalite-diorite system."

Jan 1, 1990

By P. V. Golde, R. A. Poole, G. R. Baiden

"INCO is committed to proceed into the next century using automation and robotics to achieve safety and productivity goals necessary to enhance its competitive position. Stobie Mine, decades old, is the first of its mines to change from labour-intensive to automationassisted techniques. This paper is a synopsis of the progress made during the transition period including overviews of some of the projects as well as some of the difficulties in the assimilation of the technology. BackgroundThe ObjectiveThis paper is an update on remote control and LHD automation installation at Stobie mine. The communications system installed at the mine and the ability to remotely control underground equipment from surface is reviewed (Poole et al., 1996, 1997). It discusses some of the experiences and processes required to further the concept to consolidate the operation of multiple machines under a single operator. It considers the communications systems requirements and their focuses, particularly on the development of systems for the tele-operation of LHDs and drilling machines from surface."

Jan 1, 1998