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By L. Freitag

"The Dollard oil field in southwestern Saskatchewan is a stratigraphic trap of irregular shaped perimeter. The reservoir is a low-angle monoclinal structure with a dip of approximately 100 feet in 5 miles from west to east across the long axis of the reservoir. Production of. 23° API gravity crude is obtained from a Jurassic sand referred to as the J-2-A, at an approximate depth of 4,500 feet. Reservoir studies and fluid analyses revealed that the crude is highly undersaturated, having a solution GOR of approximately 130 cubic feet of gas per barrel, that the reservoir has no definable water table, and that it appears to be of a closed-boundary type. Oil production was marked by a rapid pressure decline and it was soon evident that the greatest ultimate recovery would be best obtained if the natural driving energy of the reservoir were augmented by some artificial energy source. In support of a pressure maintenance programme, studies were conducted on flood-pot recoveries of large-diameter cores, and a potentiometric model study of the field was made. These studies indicated that a successful water flood would be obtained. The Dollard field was unitized in 1955 and pressure maintenance started in March 1956."

Jan 1, 1959

By John Stubbs

Sub-Surface Shaft excavation Mine development Headframes Surface Production facilities Product storage and loading Tailings area Infrastructure Discovery Lodge Utilities Operations complex Port Marine loading Rail unloading and storage

May 1, 2013

By Alan Bauer

IN RECENT PAST YEARS, the mining industry has expanded rapidly and mining engineers have not been generated in sufficient numbers to sustain this growth. Canada has not been alone with this problem, which has resulted in considerable soul-searching as to what the solution might be. Because of the unfavourable economics of running small departments such as mining, metallurgy, ceramic engineering, etc., one approach in some cases has been to put these departments together to form a department of mineral science which now has a broader base structure. Another solution has been the "conversion kit" program which has been conducted both at universities and in industry. At universities, such programs have consisted of converting graduates of other engineering disciplines into mining engineers. In some of the large mining corporations, extensive training programs have been used with the same aim.

Jan 1, 1972

By Somchet Vongpaisal

This paper presents the R&D results on the development of a new knowledge-based system for predicting stope instability and associated unplanned dilution in deep underground mining operations. A new prototype was developed based on databases generated from 3D non-linear elasto-plastic finite element stress analysis, heuristic rules, and case histories. This prototype aims to assist mine operators to make decisions on strategic mine planning and feasibility in a quick and efficient manner thereby minimizing risk on ground failure and optimizing mining costs.

Jun 1, 2012

By G. Vibert Douglas

It often happens that the field geologist encounters a fault in ground where there is little to guide him with regard to the throw, or vertical displacement, and the heave, or horizontal displacement. The following construction gives both of these components of the fault, and the writers hope that it may prove a help to others. The construction is applicable to both normal and reversed faults. Briefly the procedure is as follows: Take a point which is common to the faulted geological feature and to the fault plane and on the downthrow side of the fault. Move this point in the horizontal plane in the direction indicated by the fault striæ. Rebat the point down to the plane of the fault and obtain its throw. Next consider the other side of the fault and truncate it down by the amount of the throw just determined. Then project the line of the geological feature through to the trace of the fault-plane at the lower horizon. The result is the relative positions of the two parts of the original geological feature as severed by the fault. In Figure r, let us consider a typical normal fault, that is, a fault in which the hanging-wall has gone down relative to the footwall. This characteristic, or its alternative, the reversed fault, is determined by observation on the ground. Let AB be the line of any geological feature such as the edge of a dyke, vein, or bedded sediment. The plane of which AB is the trace may have any dip; in the present case let us say 70° right. Let FF be the trace of a fault-plane which may have any dip; let us say 35° left in this case.

Jan 1, 1928

By J. Fujioka, Y. F. Gu, C. Cui, D. Ping, A. Sato, H. Harada

"A new kind of cast & wrought (C&W) Ni-Co base superalloys named as ""TMW alloys"" are developed recently for compressor or turbine disks of gas turbine engines in High Temperature Materials 21 Project at National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) in Japan. These Ni-Co base superalloys combine the characters of two kinds of y- y' two-phase alloys (Ni-base and Co-18at%Ti alloys) and have higher tensile strength and creep resistance than C&W UNDIMET 720Li superalloy."

Jan 1, 2006

By Julian Boldy

"A review of lI5 significant volcanogenic massive sulphide discoveries in the Canadian Precambrian during the past 65 years reveals that only 7% resulted from surface exploration methods aimed at depths below the effective reach of current geotechnical systems. This has been due to the relative ease of shallow discovery, resulting in the harvesting of ore deposits within 100 m of surface. This surficial layer has been more or less effectively supersaturated by routine exploration. In view of the fact that a mining district's metal content is not likely to be confined to a surficial layer, the time has come to explore the vertical dimension, prospecting for ore at depths in excess of 150 m in productive districts.Essential to this task is an understanding of the Precambrian volcanogenic ore deposit model. The deposits generally have .a tendency to be associated with the terminal phases of felsic volcanism, and to be located along certain time-stratigraphic horizons, marked by the products of volcanic exhalation. The significant massive sulphide deposits are discrete entities, ranging from the top 5% of deposits greater than 45 million tonnes in size, with a surface area of 0.30 km2, to median-sized deposits greater than 1.2 million tonnes in size with a surface area of 0.02 km2. These significant economic ore deposits range in value from $5.5 billion for the top 5% of deposits to $125 million for median-sized deposits. In terms of their frequency of occurrence, the former group has a 4% distribution and the median-sized deposits have a 15% distribution.An historical review of many of the principal Precambrian mining districts, such as Noranda and Flin Flon, shows that major tonnages are usually discovered during the initial phase of application of each new geotechnical search system, until carried to its ultimate limit of effective depth penetration. With the exception of the Noranda district, the mean depth of ore discovery in the other districts is still generally confined to within 50 m of surface.Targeting deep ore is difficult. One effective prospecting method is the detection of fracture-controlled mercury leakage haloes in outcrop (or core) above and peripheral to blind deposits. This technique has proved to be a useful pathfinder, and focuses attention on deposits buried at depths in excess of 700 m in some instances. Down-hole EM systems also promise to be effective in locating deposits previously bypassed by drilling. In addition, trend surface analysis programs of trace element geochemistry should be used as an aid to targeting ore by directing exploratory drilling along the plane of ore-hosting stratigraphy.By definition, mining districts have a proven ""favourability"" for the occurrence of ore. Discovery probabilities in these districts will be considerably enhanced if future search efforts are concentrated below a depth of 150 m, and more use is made of ""deep"" ore search systems coupled with sound geological reasoning. Deep drilling programs to a depth of800 m should initially be designed to search for the top 25% of deposits greater than 3.3 million tonnes in size, with a surface area of0.05 kmt. :a value of$310 million and a 12% frequency of occurrence; This can be accomplished for an over-all cost approximating $40,000 per drill hole. If the search depth is limited to 400 m, the over-all cost of each drill hole is $20,000, equivalent to expenditures routinely allocated to grassroots exploration drilling in the remote greenstone belts of the Precambrian. Depending on a company's objective, prospecting for deep ore offers a stimulating challange - though risky, it has its rewards."

Jan 1, 1981

By J. E. Gill

"THE YEAR 1959 appeared to be a good one in which to attempt a summary of progress in the location and study of sulphide deposits in Canada because a temporary surplus of metals caused prices to fall and many geologists who had been working like beavers were suddenly not so hard pressed. So it was •decided to arrange a Symposium. The response to the call for contributions was excellent and the result is the interesting collection of papers that follow.Activity in the search for massive sulphide deposits has never been as intense as in Canada since 1954. That was the year when the airborne electro-magnetometer first became generally available on a contract basis. These instruments work best on massive sulphide bodies, as do most of the ground electrical survey devices, so much of the new information relates to these. It was decided, therefore, to focus attention in the preparation of symposium papers on such masses. This served also to keep the survey within reasonable limits."

Jan 1, 1960

By J. E. Dodge

Tasu, currently an open-pit operation, services the primary crusher from two areas by ore-pass raises. The problems encountered and advantages gained are discussed. Mine equipment and operating practices are covered, together with blasting practices, line drilling and the pre-shearing necessary to stahilize the pit walls.

Jan 1, 1968

By H. R. Hammond, E. Sadar

Cominco is making substantial savings in secondary breaking by replacing dynamite with a new nitrate-based explosive. Compareo with dynamite. the new explosive, known locally as "Fine NCN," is significantly cheaper, more effective and safer to use. It also works better than prilled NCN, which is unsatisfactory for secondary blasting because of inadequate sensitivity, low strength and awkward handling properties. A simple apparatus has been devised for pulverizing prilled NCN to a fineness practical for effective secondary breaking. Blasting systems using cheap detonating cord for initiation have been developed.

Jan 1, 1966

By J. Petit, P. Girard, A-M. Gilbert, D. Faucher

L&apos;annee 2000 a été une année stratégique et significative pour l&apos; Aluminerie de Bécancour dans la réduction des gaz a effets de serre. L&apos; équipe s&apos; etait donne comme defi un jour d&apos;arriver a l&apos;objectif de zero effet d&apos;anode dans les sa11es de cuve (720 cuves au total). Le cha11enge s&apos;averait tres ambitieux car la fa<;on d&apos;alimenter une cuve d&apos;electrolyse pour obtenir son maximum de rendement faraday est de travailler le plus pres possible de l&apos;effet d&apos;anode pour eviter l&apos;embourbement de ce11es-ci. Ceci signifie que techniquement nous a11ons en moyenne, quotidiennement, 12500 fois pres de l&apos;effet d&apos;anode sur !&apos;ensemble de nos 720 cuves qui produisent aujourd&apos;hui environ 405 000 tonnes d&apos;aluminium liquide annuellement. Des 695 kg equivalent en C02 par tonne d&apos;aluminium produite en moyenne annue11ement, de 1990 a 2000, nous en sommes rendus ace jour a environ 35 kg equivalent en C02 par tonne produite. Nous sommes pres d&apos; atteindre notre objectif mais les demiers gains sont plus difficiles a atteindre. Les strategies d&apos;automatisme et d&apos;informatique, incluant l&apos;aspect de !&apos;implication humaine sur les bonnes pratiques de travail sur les cuves d&apos;electrolyse, sont les cles de ces resultats.

Jan 1, 2006

By M. Piard

The scarcity of literature referring to mines in the Rockies has compelled the writer to co-ordinate information and advice taken at the very source. Help was gladly given by active inspectors and mine bosses. Although the field is unimportant at the present time, due to its distance from markets for raw coal, it is quite worthy of the attention it is receiving from two continents; for, with the commercial synthesis of liquid fuels, it would become the largest fuel laboratory in the world, provided, of course, that freight cost drops to a low comparative level. As explained below, there are no obstacles to economical and safe operation under anything like the typical outcrop shown in Figure 1. Although coal dust is probably more dangerous in the Rockies than anywhere else, the damp outcrops afford means of control. The abundant gas may be bled to the open air, and the rigid roof will settle gradually under a wide span of opened outcropping. The Panel Retreating Wall The Measures: Coal measures having an attitude similar to that shown in cross-section in Figure x are characteristic of the active coalfield on the Alberta side of the Rockies, and they are also found on large tracts of undeveloped land west of the divide. The small anticlines, not shown in the cross-section, do not affect the progress of a pillar line, provided their crests are connected to the atmosphere by drainage bore-holes.

Jan 1, 1928

By Russell F. Palmer

"THE PRACTISING MINING ENGINEER has little time for the expression of opinion on abstract questions concerning the definition and future of mining engineering. The following comments indicate some of the thoughts and suggestions of those who have found mining engineering a very satisfying field of endeavour. The future of mining engineering has been under discussion for perhaps twenty years. It is significant that the University of Saskatchewan program was in- 88 traduced at the time that some traditional mining schools were questioning the need for mining engineers. One Canadian university, and some American schools, actually abandoned the field at this time, some ten years ago.Five years ago, Mining Magazine sponsored an international debate on training for the future, and concurrently, the CIM undertook a major survey of the mineral industry's manpower needs. The current CIM discussions should prove more fruitful, as they are directed toward mining engineering alone, rather than the broad, and confusing, spectrum of all professionals and semi-professionals of the mineral industry."

Jan 1, 1972

By G. J. Kipouros, W. Judge

"The prevalent metal extraction processes for most reactive metals are fused salt electrolysis and metallothermic reduction. The feed material for both of these processes is the anhydrous chloride of the metal under consideration. Dehydration of the feed material is then a critical step in the production of most reactive metals and requires rigorous thermodynamic analysis. Thermodynamic data for most of the reactive metal chloride hydrates have not been measured. Improper dehydration of the metal chloride may lead to a prohibitive amount of hydroxychloride, oxychloride, and oxide. To prevent hydrolysis a certain pressure of hydrogen chloride is required. An estimation and prediction model is presented for the vapour pressures of reactive metal chloride hydrates in an attempt to deduce the conditions necessary for dehydration to proceed without hydrolysis. Thermodynamic data including heat capacities, standard entropies, and standard enthalpies are estimated/predicted for all conceivable intermediate hydrate compounds. Estimations are based on published data as well as trends proven in similar systems. The thermodynamic estimations and predictions are presented for the magnesium, neodymium, praseodymium, and dysprosium chloride hydrates. INTRODUCTIONThe high reactivity of metals such as the alkalis, alkaline earths, and lanthanides prevents their reduction by traditional pyro- or hydrometallurgy. In their elemental form, these metals are raw materials in the manufacture of intermediate products such as alloys and electronic components. Currently the only two viable metal production methods are fused salt electrolysis and metallothermic reduction. Various feed materials have been proposed for these processes. Using the chloride of the metal as a feed material offers advantages in separation and purity of the final product, as well as lower energy input. Chlorides, however, are hygroscopic and must be dehydrated before use. Improper dehydration will lead to a prohibitive amount of oxychloride which will lower efficiencies and contaminate the final product.Optimum conditions for proper dehydration of MgCl2•6H2O to produce pure MgCl2 without hydrolysis have been calculated from existent thermodynamic data and have been reported previously (Kipouros, 1987; 2001). Calculations were also performed for the case of production of pure anhydrous NdCl3 from NdCl3•6H2O (Roy, 1997)] and the mechanism of dehydration was elucidated. Some thermodynamic studies on the dehydration of chlorides of the rare earths have also been conducted (Sundstrom, 1997; Hong, 1997; Aschcroft, 1968; Haeseler, 1965; Ukraintseya, 1989)."

Jan 1, 2012

By Ernest A. Hodgson

WHEN excavations are made, at depth, in hard brittle rock structures, as in certain mines in India, in South Africa, and in Ontario, the pressure due to overburden, together perhaps with inherent geologic strain, tends to become concentrated in the walls of some of these openings and the rock bursts, often closing the adjacent drifts and scopes and presenting a serious menace to the miners. Where the rock is much fractured and faulted, the danger is greater, since the pressures tend to shift without warning from point to point, sometimes within a few hours. Attempts have been repeatedly made to find some physical property of the rock which will change with pressure, which can be measured for rock &apos;in place&apos; in the mine, and which will give an indication of the state of strain, thus warning of an approach to bursting conditions. Some of the properties tested have been the speed of propagation of elastic waves in the suspect rock, variations in temperature due to pressure changes, rate of closure of openings or shifts along fault planes, strain gauge measures, and others. Each of these has proved unsatisfactory for the purpose. The most promising method so far proposed has been the study of the very faint, sub-audible snaps (microseismims) which are produced in rocks under pressure. Such a study has been in progress at Lake Shore Mines since May, 1942. Instruments designed to pick up, amplify, and record the microseismims were perfected and a programme of observing, using the microseismic method, has been carried through with persistent diligence and at considerable expense. In 1943, experience with the method in a pillar section on the west side of the Lake Shore mine gave much promise of predicting bursts. A very heavy burst on January 29th of that year occurred in the exact section of the mine covered by the instruments, and the records indicated a measure of prediction. In response to repeated requests for information, a number of reports were given out, among others a radio talk by the writer over CJKL (Kirkland Lake), which was reported in full in the Northern News . Also, a detailed account of the occurrence was given in an illustrated paper by the writer (l).

Jan 1, 1945

By M. H. Ali

Codelco, a multi-process primary copper producer, is undertaking a full life cycle inventory (LCI) of all its commercial products based on copper and molybdenum. During this work, many questions have surfaced regarding the contribution of process unit design to specific aspects of a product&apos;s LCI and, more importantly, how such designs could be improved using a life cycle perspective. Management strategy efforts were undertaken to improve the LCI footprint, however it was found that the corrective actions were almost impossible to apply at the operation level in plant, given the ongoing timing pressures of extractive mining, and costs saving priorities. Additionally, it was found that most of the important comparative differences between operations had structural reasons. In this circumstance, the LCI practitioner group from 1M2, and the environmental managers from Codelco, decided to shift its efforts to place the critical LC1 aspects to the design process of future developments. Hatch Associates has developed unique tools in their Sustainable Plant Design (SPD) package that compliment and enhance LCA methods; these effectively drive sustainability into the heart of the design process. By using LCA and SPD in a project design phase, you cannot only address potential hotspots, but also decide on materials, location and size of certain facilities to optimize for energy efficiency. Moreover, you can avoid the shifting of environmental burdens upstream or downstream within the plant and finally it is extremely useful in identifying opportunities for greenhouse gas reduction.

Jan 1, 2007

By J. F. K. Brown

MR. T. L. McCALL: Planning ahead in coal-mining is essential, but the question may be raised, just how far ahead can we plan. You can overdo it: chat is, you can get in a rut. Never let planning get a hold on you to chat extent. You must be prepared to deal intelligently with any new conditions that arise, and to apply new discoveries. It may become necessary to abandon ? .your plan, make the best you can of the ground you have developed, and start again, with a new plan. So far as the submarine workings of the Dominion Steel and Coal Company are concerned, we cannot know definitely what lies ahead of us under the sea: we must ?base our tentative plans on assumptions, and, as we meet changing conditions, we must change our plans. In the case of inland mines it is possible to bore in advance, and consequently it is generally possible to set out your plans in advance, block out a section of the mine, and develop to obtain a uniform product for a whole year, or perhaps even longer. MR. J. B. MORROW: While planning in coal mining, we must bear in mind chat the consumer also is planning ahead. Some people will tell you that, in ten years time, the demand is going to be all for pulverized co al; others believe that the field for such fuel is limited. Needless to state, planning for a pulverized-coal market is quite a different matter to planning for a general grade, ore stoker, market. In planning, therefore, our endeavour must be to keep a jump ahead of the work being undertaken by the anthracite producers. This year, they are spending about two million dollars-money contributed, not by the Government, but by the industry itself-in the study and promotion of new and improved ways of burning anthracite. For example, they are perfecting small hot-water heaters, and one they have brought out weighs only about ten pounds. I feel that research of this type must be regarded as an essential part of planning in coal mining. We, in the soft-coal industry, are also planning types of more efficient burning equipment and doing other investigational work.

Jan 1, 1937

By P. L. Schwartz

The present method of shipping potash to the myriad of consumers is inefficient, not only because of the extreme and unpredictable nature of seasonal demand, but also because railway car turnaround times are very lengthy. The Floating Train system employs unit trains of potash operating from Saskatchewan mines to distribution warehouses located throughout the six corn-belt states of Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin , Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, transshipment points at Thunder Bay and the U.S. waterway network, and, where applicable , large consumers. These unit trains would "float", meaning that they would not originate at the same mine nor terminate at the same warehouse on each trip . They would " float " freely among the origins, destinations and participating railways. The potash would be shipped uniformly throughout the year and usually stored in warehouses located within the six states. It would be subsequently delivered to consumers within a 75-mile radius. Distribution warehouses and rolling stock would be provided by a new company, Potash Distribution Limited, consisting of major potash producers and the Canadian railways. Potash Distribution Limited would be responsible for the distribution of potash from the origin through the warehouses to the final consumer. The additional costs of providing warehouse space and outbound delivery will be offset by the reduction in both rail rates and "peaking" expenses.

Jan 1, 1978

By W. B. Boggs

This is a rather comprehensive subject and cannot be thoroughly covered in the short rime allowed for its presentation. This article will touch only upon a few of the chief points of the difficulties encountered in recovering copper from brass shell cases in a primary smelter which was not designed to treat scrap metals. Owing to the fact that the plant is at present (Dec., 1946) closed, and our tests were not completed, full details of the results are not available. As is well known, most primary smelters are situated near the mines in the interior of various countries and are not close to seaports or large industrial and railway centres. Consequently, iris unusual for a primary smelter to be asked to treat scrap metal of any kind. When so required, iris obvious that the primary smelter is at a great disadvantage, for the simple reason that it probably has to pay the freight on the scrap from the seaport or industrial centre to the smelter and then also pay the freight on the recoverable metal from the smelter to the refinery, or seaport or industrial centre. Another disadvantage is that a primary smelter is not equipped to sample and unload the scrap nor bas it usually the equipment adaptable for treating the scrap efficiently, as the plant bas been designed to handle large tonnages of ores and concentrates. This short paper will describe some of our difficulties> and how they were corrected. However, it might be advisable to state briefly some of the methods used in treating brass shell cases in other plants. In the first place, a brass plant producing new brass- especially those producing brass billets for extrusion to make brass tubes or rods, or to be drawn into wire, or making brass cake to roll into brass sheets- generally insists upon using new electrolytic copper and zinc and is opposed to using any scrap or secondary brass . Consequently, such a plant usually will not treat brass shell cases. Therefore, the usual procedure is to ship brass shell cases to a secondary smelter, where it is generally sorted, melted, fire-refined, and returned to the market in the form of a high or low brass ingot which can be sold to brass foundries for making brass castings. This evidently is the cheapest and simplest method. Another method is to ship to a smelter which is a combination of a primary and secondary smelter attached to or near an electrolytic refinery. In plants of both these types, that is a primary smelter with Cottrell dust collectors or a combined primary and secondary smelter with Cottrells or a bag house, the zinc may be wasted. However, if a bag house is used, some of the zinc is recovered, but it is usually contaminated with other metals and further processing is required to recover it.

Jan 1, 1947

By T. W. Wlodek, Zygmunt Kowalczyk

In the period from 1946 to 1964, the annual output of co al from Polish mines increased from 4 7.3 to 117.35 million tons. In this paper, the methods of bringing about this increase in productivity through the building of some twelve new collieries (producing some 15 million tons annually) and the modernization, reconstruction and extension of some thirty-six older collieries are discussed.

Jan 1, 1967