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By James H. Savory

"In recent years, there has become a growing interest toward a better understanding of balance rope behaviour. With this in mind, the auth or will present a comprehensive summary of field experience, as well as conclusions. In presenting this overview, it is the intent to stimulate further interest as well as provide a framework from which further in-depth investigation can be initiated.Topics which will be covered include rope cores, lubrication practices, loop dividers, rope failures, etc.IntroductionThe first friction hoist was designed in Belgium in J862 by Lemielle. However, it was not until 1877 when Carl Frederich Koepe installed a friction winder sheave at the Hanover Colliery in Germany, that the design was given serious consideration. The winder consisted of a motor-powered sheave over which a single rope was installed, and the end s attached to two conveyance s. Beneath the conveyances a rope was connected, designed to reduce the chance of slip. This was the first balance rope.This earl y mod el is a far cry from the modern tower or ground mounted Koepe winders employed throughout the mining industry today. There have been vast improvements in all aspects of the Koepe winders. One such improvement is in the balance ropes used. This particular area will be concentrated on, with emphasis on selection, maintenance and field experience.SelectionThe sale purpose o f a balance rope is to counter the head rope weight. Obviously then, in selection o f balance ropes, weight is of primary concern. Usually the head and balance ropes are equal in weight. However, sometimes balance ropes which are 5 to 10070 heavier than the head ropes are employed. These reduce horsepower demands during peak acceleration periods, and assist in overcoming inertia during retardation periods. As well, it is sometimes preferred to reduce the balance rope weight, in order to compensate for the eventual weight buildup of lubricant, dirt and debris."

Jan 1, 1983

By Gilles Carrière

"The Huntingdon mine of Quebec Copper Corporation is situated 3 miles south of the village of Eastman, in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. The copper deposit consists of several pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite replacement bodies or bands.The first mining operations on the conspicuous surface gossan of the Huntingdon deposit started in 1865. They were suspended in 1883. The .mine was again active from 1890 to 1893 and from 1912 to 1924. These operations were carried to a depth of 500 feet, and it is estimated that some 150,000 tons of ore were extracted, of a grade reported as varying between 3 Yi and 7 per cent copper.In 1950 a program of exploration was initiated in the area of the old mine, and resulted in the finding of 500,000 tons of ore with a grade of 2 per cent copper. A new shaft was sunk to a depth of 1,160 feet, and by February 1954 the mine was extracting 800 tons of ore daily.General Geology and StructureThe mineralized zones are on the west side of a band of altered volcanic rock, locally called andesite, adjacent to a sill-like body of serpentinized peridotite which lies west of the andesite. The bands of andesite and serpentine extend several miles north and south of the mine. Their strike is generally north 15 degrees east, and they dip steeply east. Their widths vary very considerably along the strike, but in the mine area each is about 450 feet wide on surface. They are enclosed in sediments of the Caldwell series, consisting of greywackes, quartzites, slates, and shales. The andesite belongs to the same series, which is thought to be of Cambrian age (1). The ultrabasic intrusive is post-Ordovician.At p\aces along the serpentine contact the andesite shows a pronounced schistosity; it is parallel to the contact and rarely extends farther than a hundred feet from it. No evidence of strong folding or faulting has been found so far in the mine workings. Some apparent distortions and irregularities in the strike of the contact may all be due to the intrusive nature of the serpentine. In the mine area, transgressive tongues of serpentine point southward in the andesite.A few vertical lamprophyre dykes, not more than five feet thick, cut the other formations at right angles."

Jan 1, 1949

By William James Kempson

This paper discusses ore handling systems in shafts. These are considered from the loading facility at shaft bottom all the way through to the discharge mechanism in the headframe. These systems will be discussed from the following perspective: i. Intrinsic safety of the systems ii. The efficacy of the systems to perform consistently iii. The maintainability of the systems iv. Overall system cycle times Particular emphasis is placed on the following specific areas: 1. The Shaft Bottom Loading Facilities The various shaft loading systems currently in use are discussed, the selection parameters surrounding these are quantified and the specific selection criteria are outlined. 2. The Various Skip Configurations In this section the various skip configurations in use around the world will be described and the specific design details associated with these will be highlighted. The advantages and disadvantages of these systems will be compared and the overall efficacy of these will be discussed. 3. The effect of the loading and skip configurations on the Load Cycle Times. The overall cycle time which can be achieved by a shaft system is strongly dependant by the speed and efficiency with which the ore can be loaded and transported out of the mine. The potential of the various systems to be optimized will be discussed. The emphasis of this paper is to highlight the lessons which have been learned with respect to ore transport system design and provide a common basis against which these can be compared in future applications.

May 1, 2013

By D. W. I. Griffiths, J. C. Bélanger

"La Division Matagami de Minéraux Noranda inc. a profité de la construction de sa nouvelle mine (Isle-Dieu) pour continuer sa modernisation.L'utilisation d'automates programmables (PLC) s'est intensifiée pour contrôler et automatiser de plus en plus d'équipement dans ses minessouterraines, au concentrateur, dans les atelierset bureaux.Tous les PLC comrnuniquent entre eux et les IBM PC sont utilisespour exterioriser l'information et faire Ie lien entre Ie personnel et les automates. Le système Central IBM 36 emmagasine les donnees traitees par lesPLC (a travers les PC). Ces donnees sont transmisesau programme d'entretien de chaque equipement et compile les heures, cycles, tonnes, etc., fait imprimer automatiquement les feuilles d'entretien préventif ', etc.Les principales realisations adate et en progrès pour la mine Isle-Dieu sont:• automation complète du système de remblayage du concentrateur ala mine Isle-Dieu situee a2 km de la mine principale;• automation du fonctionnnement des ventilateurs qui comprendra la position des portes de ventilation, Ie chauffage, Ie débit, etc.;• automation des pompes, surveillance des sous stat ions électriques, concentration des gas (CO, SO2) à chaque niveau en tout temps et du propane à l'entree d'air frais;• tonnage et cycles par Ie treuil; et• contrôle d'autres équipernents à differénts niveaux. D'autres travaux furent egalement effectues par les employes, tels que:• la conversion d'un Scooptram ST5A de diesel à électrique;• I'installation complete de systèmes de depoussierage a I'eau (scrubber) pour le concassage secondaire;• I'installation d'un marteau hydraulique avant les concasseurs coniques;• la rénovation des cellules de flottation ; et• l'installation d'un système de gardiennage par caméra. D'autres projets seront effectués ou étudiés:• automation d'un Scooptram"";• automation d'un marteau hydraulique;• récupération de Scooptrarn; téléguidé:• gestion de l'énergie, contrôle de la demande, surveillance et contrôle de l'équipernent de machines fixes(compresseurs, boulloires, pompes à vide, génératrices, débits et pression d'air, eau pour diagnostiquer les problémes, analyser les coûts;• concasseur portatif pour fabriquer de la pierre concassée pour utiliser dans les chemins sous-terre, et• utilisation de micro-ondes pour transmettre les images captées par camera."

Jan 1, 1990

By R. M. Giegerich

"This paper begins with a brief history of Madawaska Mines, a brief description of the geology, mining methods and equipment, and the historical development of 7/8-in. tapered drilling equipment. It then outlines the performance characteristics and inherent problems of the traditional 12-degree, tapered connection, blade-type insert bits. Service-free (Unipass) button-type insert bits are presented as a possible solution to these problems. The paper concludes with an analysis of button bit performance to date.Brief History of Madawaska MinesMadawaska Mines Limited, near Bancroft, Ontario, is in Faraday Township, Hastings County, approximately 100 miles northeast of Toronto and 100 miles west of Ottawa.The mine re-opened in 1976committed to 1,500 tons per day to provide approximately 600,000 pounds of yellowcake (U3O8) per year to A.G.I.P. (an Italian government agency) under the joint ownership of Federal Resources Corporation, Salt Lake City (51%), and Consolidated Canadian Faraday Limited (49%). At present, the mine is producing approximately 2 pounds per ton (.1% U3O8) at the rate of 60,000 pounds per month. The mine employs about 400 employees.Brief Description of Geology, Mining Methods and EquipmentGeologyThe Grenville metasediments of the mine area are chiefly paragneiss, amphobolite and some carbonate (marble) rocks, which were intruded by a basic rock, altered to a metagabbrometadiorite. These formations are generally concordant, striking east to northeast and dipping 45 to 60 degrees to the south. Locally, the metagabbro is often discordant. The above group of rocks (mixed hybrid gneisses) forms the hanging wall of the south-dipping Faraday granite sheet and was intruded by nepheline syenite, syenite and granite. The ore occurs in the granite-syenite-pegmatite dykes that are probably genetically related to the Faraday granite. The ore shoots are erratically distributed within the pegmatite bodies, mainly on the hanging or footwalls but also medially. Their size varies from 50 to 350 feet in length, 5 to 40 feet in width and 50 to 200 feet in height. The ore occurs most frequently in a medium-grained granite or syenite, well hematized with 10 to 30% mafic crystals of pyroxene, amphibole and/or relics of the host rock."

Jan 1, 1982

By Sobczyk

The article will present a comparison of classifications of resources according to the JORC Code System with Polish classification, basing on system used in Eastern Europe. The differences between these classifications are significant. The information about mineral resources in Poland is not comparable to the main international system of reporting reserves like JORC, SAMREC, and PERC. Although comparisons between these systems are used, the transfer of particular categories of resources from the Polish system into a JORC category is not simple. Basing on the examples of privatization of Polish coal companies through initial public offering on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, the current practices providing guidelines how to convert resources from the Polish classification to the JORC system are described. Such independent assessment of resources is necessary for development of Mineral Expert?s Report (MER or CPR) which is an integral attachment to the prospectus.

Aug 1, 2013

By Fadi Layyous Gedeon, David Hatton, Solomon Mogashoa, Tuhin Banerjee, Faisal Aljohani

The adoption of innovative technologies in mineral processing often raises concerns about complexity and integration. However, Woodgrove’s Direct Flotation Reactor (DFR) technology at Barrick’s Jabal Sayid copper concentrator provides a different perspective. This paper outlines the smooth integration of DFR technology from piloting to full-scale commissioning, showcasing how easily the cells were brought online. Installed in a cleaner scalper role, DFR cells at Jabal Sayid upgrade re-ground rougher concentrate to final concentrate in one stage. Despite processing challenging ore, the DFR cells delivered concentrate grades that consistently exceeded expectations. The commissioning process was straightforward with minimal hurdles, highlighting the technology's user-friendly nature. This paper advocates for a shift in perceptions about new technologies in mineral processing. The success of DFR technology at Jabal Sayid demonstrates that “different” doesn’t mean “difficult.” By focusing on ease of commissioning and operational integration, innovative solutions can enhance processes, improving efficiency and productivity in the mining industry.

May 4, 2025

By J. D. Gillaspie, D. T. White

"Sulphuric acid atmospheric leaching of nickel saprolite / garnierite ores was proposed in the early twentieth century, prior to the development of the pressure acid leaching process for limonite ores. Sulphuric acid leaching with alkali addition for iron precipitation as jarosite has been considered periodically since the early 1970s, shortly after the development of the jarosite process for iron control in zinc refining. In the late 1990’s a series of flowsheets were proposed and tested involving simultaneous atmospheric leaching, iron precipitation and acid regeneration. These were considered particularly suited to sequential leaching of limonite and saprolite ores. A number of laterite sulphuric acid leaching processes utilising this chemistry have been put into commercial operation. Similar sequential leaching flow sheets involving precipitation of iron as goethite were also developed and piloted. This paper will firstly describe some of the important historical developments of both the jarosite and goethite processes. It will then provide descriptions of the commercialised processes involving alkali jarosite/alunite precipitation, with special emphasis on the downstream impurity removal requirements necessary for efficient recovery of nickel and cobalt from solution.INTRODUCTION This paper is a summary and extension of previous works with which the authors have been involved, on the subject of sulphuric acid leaching of nickel laterites (Adams, et al., 2004), (Liu H. , Gillaspie, Lewis, Neudorf, & Barnett, 2004), (White, Miller, & Napier, 2006), (White, 2009), (White & Gillaspie, 2013), (White & Gillaspie, 2015). Some of the historical developments of both the jarosite and goethite leaching-precipitation processes will be described, followed by a description of the commercialised sequential nickel laterite leaching processes, involving alkali jarosite/alunite precipitation and acid regeneration, with a comparison to the equivalent goethite based processes. These will include Jarosite Atmospheric Leaching (JAL), Goethite Atmospheric Leaching (GAL) and combined Pressure Acid Leaching – Atmospheric Leaching, termed EPAL®. There will also be an explanation of the downstream impurity removal requirements necessary for efficient recovery of nickel and cobalt from solution."

Jan 1, 2016

By A. A. Nourbakhsha

During the last few years, low cement castable refractories found more application in industry, because of good low and high temperature mechanical properties.In the case of alumina based castables ,usually fume silica or reactive alumina are used as superfines in the matrix to form mullite at high temperature which depends to source of alumina . Mullite network formation improves the hot mechanical properties and thermal shock resistance of bodies. The mullitisation of andalusite (so called primary mullite) also produces a certain amount of rich silica glass, part of it being expelled out of the grain. This phenomenon restrict the application of andalusite low cement castable in pig iron ladle. In this research, firstly 8 pig iron ladles from ESC(esfahan Steel company) with different conditions selected and monitored during usage to determine of main factors affecting on corrosion of refractories. Results showed that tap to tap time and undischarged pig iron are the main ones.Therefore monolithic refractories such as castables which increase thermal shock resistance could be substituted. Regarding to ternary phase diagram of Al2O3-SiO2-CaO ,fumed silica was selected as fine particle.After optimization of particle size distribution by using of modified andreasen equation and rehological properties ,different mixture were composed with andalusite ,fume silica, reactive alumina,secar 71 ,SiC and kyanite.All aggregates system components were mixed dry for 1 min in hobart mixer .After water addition wet mixing was continued until getting flowing about 4 min.The ready mixes were poured in the moulds of of 25mm X 25mm X 140mm with vibrations .After demoulding the samples were cured for 24 hrs and dried at 110OC/18hrsand then fired at 1100-1500OC. Physical ,mechanical ,phase analysis(XRD) and microstructure studies (SEM)were carried out according to ASTM standards. Results showed that by addition of kyanite ,more mullite phase formed through the matrix but,because of expansion occured during this phase transformoration, some cracks formed and mechanical properties decreased.By SiC addition the silica film on the surface of SiC lead to improvement of mechanical properties at high temperature

Oct 1, 2011

By J. Kang

There is increasing demand to utilize aluminium alloy sheets and their spot welds by the automotive industry. While traditional uniaxial tensile tests only determine mechanical properties to small strain, direct measurement of the constitutive behaviour of aluminium alloy spot welds at large strain remains a challenge. A technique was successfully developed using digital image correlation coupled with shear tests to directly measure the constitutive behaviour of an AA6022-T4 spot weld to large strains. The results show that the spot welding process not only decreases the yield strength but also lowers the work hardening rate of the nugget versus the base material. Details of sample preparation, experimental approach and results will be discussed.

Jan 1, 2011

By John E. Udd

In early 2000, CANMET-MMSL was engaged by the Ontario Ministry of Labour (OMOL) to conduct an international study of the practices, in several key mining jurisdictions, of determining the criteria that are used to decide when the wire ropes used in mine hoisting are to be retired from service. Subsequently, the writer visited key officials and institutions in Canada, the USA, the Republic of South Africa, the United Kingdom, Germany and Poland. Material from the Australian province of New South Wales and Hungary was also included. The report that resulted included, among other sections; (1) the history of wire rope and trends in manufacturing technology; (2) a review of mine hoisting practices; (3) the requirements as regards safety factors; (4) a review of the players and the inspection practices; (5) the criteria for rope replacement; (6) a look into the future to outline the developments that could take place in both hoisting and rope inspection practices in Canada; (7) recommendations. Subsequently, the report was issued as a book by OMOL, and as a CD-ROM by the Mining and Mineral Sciences Laboratories, Natural Resources Canada. In this paper the author presents the key findings and the recommendations made in the study.

May 1, 2003

By Greg Collins

BUCKO EXPLORATION HISTORY ??1964-Discovery ??1970?s -114 holes totaling 34,000 metres drilled -vertical shaft excavated to a depth of 300 metres (1000 Level) plus 800 metres of underground development -Exploration program cancelled due to Falconbridge economic issues ??1990?S-19 holes drilled totaling 9,600 metres ??2000 -13 hole 4,600 metre exploration program by Nuinsco Res.

May 1, 2006

By P. O. Rag, Daniel E. Walsh

"Gravity concentrators are evaluated either in closed or open circuit. The process developed by MIRL employs the use of neutron activated gold (/98Au) and radiation detection circuits which monitor the concentrator's product pulp streams. Concentrator recovery is determined from the ratio of the number of gold particles detected as passing into the concentrate to the total number of gold particles detected over all monitored pulp streams. This system eliminates the experimental errors introduced by sampling, sample reduction, and assaying and allows recovery to be evaluated for gold particles of specific sizes, shapes, and flatness. In addition to allowing for a more accurate and detailed recovery analysis, this process significantly reduces the time and cost required for unit evaluation when compared to other gold recovery analysis procedures. This system enjoys its greatest utility where a large number of tests are to be run in order to evaluate a concentrator over a variety of operational settings, i.e. factorial designs, and allows accurate testing of concentrators operated in closed circuit systems.IntroductionThe surge in gold prices of the late 1970s and early 1980s was followed closely by a renewed interest in gravity concentration processes, especially in concentrators claiming efficient recovery of fine placer gold. Cones, spirals, spinning bowls, jigs and cyclones are all considered potential fine gold concentrators. Fine gold, in this context, is defined as not only that gold finer than 250 um (60 mesh""), but also coarser gold, whose low shape factor may decrease its recovery by conventional, large-scale sluicing operations.Adoption of fine gold concentrators by the Alaskan placer milling industry was retarded by the lack of reliable, accurate, and reproducible data on concentrator efficiency with respect to fine placer gold recovery. In most cases, concentrator performance was based on a limited number of tests run on placer material, about which only slight knowledge of gold size and shape characteristics existed. In order to be prepared for the resurgence of interest in fine gold concentrators, which will follow the next upturn in gold prices, a detailed study of the fine gold recovery characteristics of gravity concentrators needs to be conducted."

Jan 1, 1986

By M. Tanaka, H. Narita, T. Fuchikami, K. Morisaku, K. Nagao, T. Yoshida, K. Kuroda

The effect of various N-substituents on the performance of amide-containing tertiary amine compounds in the extraction of Rh(III) from HCl solutions was investigated to optimize the structure of these compounds for industrial use. It was found that N-2-ethylhexyl-bis(N-di-2-ethylhexyl-ethylamide)amine and tris(N-di-2-ethylhexyl-ethylamide)amine, which have long, branched alkyl chains, were suitable for Rh extraction, because they were soluble in a practical diluent (80 vol% n-dodecane?20 vol% 2-ethylhexanol) and stable against highly concentrated HCl/Rh solutions, and showed high selectivity for Rh(III) over Pd(II) and Pt(IV).

Jan 1, 2014

By Jörgen Appelgren

Atlas Copco, a leading supplier of equipment and services to the mining and construction industries, is consistently pursuing its strategy to offer the most productive and economical solutions by continuously offering new innovative products. These are in most cases developed and tested in close cooperation with demanding end users before being officially launched on the international market. The demands for higher productivity and improved overall economy have resulted in systems for automation of the drilling cycle and also tools for integrating the Drilling equipment to the production control system used by the customer. In terms of improving the blasted material quality, Atlas Copco has placed emphasis on hole straightness and the need for hole logging and positioning. By applying state of the art technology to today?s computerized drilling rigs, major steps in improving overall drilling and blasting performance have been achieved. This paper will give some examples derived from the latest development of solutions for the Rotary drilling product line.

Oct 1, 2009

By A. J. Russell

"This paper investigates why it is critical for a mine to accurately determine thermal rock properties and virgin rock temperatures. Theoretical simulations of deep mining production zones have demonstrated that thermal conductivity (k), virgin rock temperatures and specific heat (cp) significantly impact rock heat predictions which can be the dominant component of a mine’s heat load. Natural variability in these factors showed that realistic errors can have a significant effect on mine heat loads. This can ultimately affect miner safety and introduces risk to the viability and sustainability of a project. INTRODUCTION Accurate heat load determinations are critical to ensure that underground working conditions are maintained within legislated and mine specific parameters to safeguard the safety and productivity of employees. Underpredicting mine heat loads will result in hot underground conditions, which risk the health and safety of employees, reduce the productivity of employees or stop production if legislated temperatures in working areas are exceeded. Overestimating mine heat loads will result in increased capital and operating costs reducing the viability of the project. Over- or under- predicting the heat load for a project will increase the project risk. Heat sources in a mine can broadly be broken into two categories. These two categories are defined by Hemp and Rawlins (2014) as natural and artificial heat sources. Those sources which depend on the size, location and depth of the mining areas are defined as natural heat sources, whereas those heat sources which are a result of the actual mining activities are defined as artificial heat sources. Autocompression, or the conversion of potential energy, to enthalpy is an important consideration when determining the air temperature in the mine and its interaction with natural and artificial heat sources. It is documented by Jones (1985) and Hemp and Rawlins (2014), that the heat flow from rock in deep mines can dominate other heat sources; information from BBE’s archives show that this is between 40% and 60% of the total heat load. They also point out the importance of accurately measuring both the thermal rock properties and virgin rock temperatures (VRTs) for determining and planning the ventilation and refrigeration requirements for a mine. Both of these texts cite multiple methods for calculating the heat-flux and ultimately the heat load for the different working areas in a mine. All of these methods demonstrate that the heat flux and heat load will increase proportionally with increased thermal conductivity (k), specific heat (cp) of the rock or mineral, and VRT depending the area of the mine or mining method."

Jan 1, 2019

By Sadough vanini Ali

Charpy impact energy of functionally graded steels produced by electroslag remelting in crack divider configuration has been modeled in various strain rates. It has been well known that majority of materials indicate different behaviors under different strain rates and temperatures. Therefore, modifying the elastic-plastic model considering the effects of strain rates and temperature gives us an acceptable prediction of these composites behaviors in impact test. In this investigation, graded steel was divided in to several layers in which the layers have the same strains under the impact. Constitutive equation describing the flow stress variations as a function of strain rates and temperatures, have been used to express the stressstrain behavior of layers. The parameter values of constitutive equation determined for all the layers via using the boundary conditions based on composite graded behaviors which were the characterized ferrite, austenite, bainite and martensitte phases. Consequently by applying the rule of phase mixtures and ascribing the impact energy of each layer to the area of stress-strain curve of the same layer, the whole impact energy of composite is the sum of layers impact energy with considering the layers volume fraction.

Oct 1, 2011

Post--Crunch Financial Management -An Overview A. The Industry and the Capital Markets B. .The SME -De-risking the Current and New Assets Followed by: C. The Lender?s Perspective on Re-financing?Jeff Stufsky, BNPParibas, NYCD D. .The Agency/Export Credit Lender Perspective?Doug Macaulay, EDC, Ottawa E. The Foreign Political Insurance Perspective?Pierre Vieillescazes, Carrick-Bend, Washington, DC ?Four Fundamental Metal Models No Longer Prevail. ?Mining is in new ?waters?: so be prepared (next page). ?Capital markets are uncertain-so be your own financier first ?If tight capital may remain, prepare to triage based on cash-flow production (not oz, lbs, tonnes, etc) ?Know your banker/financier(and it should know mining) ?In the past, it was ?know your borrower? ?The climbing team can fall if one climber carries too much ?Constantly re-assess the risk matrix (and j/v?s), and ?De-risk/diversify both the asset and the capital base

May 1, 2010

By R. S. Jr. Stronach

"IntroductionThe property of Campbell Red Lake Mines, Limited, is in Balmer township, Red Lake area, Patricia portion of Kenora district, Ontario. It consists of a group of twelve claims which had been staked and re-staked a number of times before George W. and Colin A. Campbell staked them in 1944. Messrs. Brewis and White incorporated Campbell Red Lake Mines, Limited, in July, 1944, to acquire these claims from the Campbell brothers, and in November of the same year re-assigned their option on the controlling interest of the treasury shares to the Dome Exploration Company (Quebec), Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dome Mines, Limited.A long known exposure of sulphides on the northeasterly portion of the property, which returned low gold assays, on sampling, was the only showing of interest at this time. However, Dr. H. C. Horwood's report and map of the district had recently been published and favourable structure W3.S indicated in Balmer township. It was on the strength of this showing and Dr. Horwood's report that Dome Exploration became interested in the property.Between. January, 1945, and April, 1946, a diamond drilling programme was carried out, with completion of sixty-one holes. Five holes proved the surface showing to hold no commercial interest, so routine cross-sectioning of the property from north to south was started. The fourth hole of the series returned excellent ore intersections and from that time on the programme changed to one of extending these values. The final results of the drilling showed that what is now known as the A zone has a continuous length of some 1,200 feet, a width of 4½ feet, and an overall grade of about 0.5 oz. gold per ton. There were many other intersections of ore grade outside this A zone which could not be successfully correlated .at that time, but underground work has opened many of them. It may be said here that practically all the work to date has been confined to the southeast claims of the property."

Jan 1, 1950

By Ali Bunjaku, Lauri Pesonen, Hannu Johto

It is well known that there are many ways to process copper concentrates into copper anodes using the pyrometallurgical route. All modern copper smelting technologies are fundamentally energy efficient and environmentally safe options, and therefore choosing one depends on the desired capacity range, feed impurity levels, plant location, flexibility needs, overall energy use, and of course smelter economics in both the short and long term. This paper focuses on comparing different solutions which have potentially the lowest variable opex (operational expense), meaning in practice finding out which technology offers the best chances for profit maximization under certain scenarios. For the comparison, we chose to have a closer look at Outotec Flash Smelting (FSF) – Peirce-Smith Converting (PSC), Outotec Flash Smelting (FSF) – Outotec- Kennecott Flash Converting (FCF), Outotec Ausmelt TSL Smelting (ASF) - Peirce-Smith Converting (PSC), Outotec Ausmelt TSL Smelting (ASF) - Outotec Ausmelt TSL Converting (ACF), Mitsubishi Smelting Process (MIT), Bottom Blowing Reactor (BBR) – Bottom Blowing Continuous Converting (BCC), and Side Blowing Furnace (SBF) - Top Blowing Converting (TBC) since these seem to be the main state-of-art technologies now being applied in many recent copper smelter projects around the world. The work was carried out by modelling each smelting route by using the new HSC SIM 9 simulation software and applying operation time, energy, and consumables consumption numbers for each unit process and stream. Combined with cost data, the exercise produced a rich set of information which will be shown in detail for each area per scenario. The authors’ goal here was to provide a fair comparison where each technology can be evaluated from various perspectives such as electricity use or refractory consumption. INTRODUCTION Copper can be produced either pyrometallurgically or hydrometallurgically. The hydrometallurgical route is used only for a limited amount of the world’s copper production (~20%) and is normally only considered in connection with in-situ leaching of copper ores. On the other hand, most of the copper extraction from Cu-Fe-S minerals is pyrometallurgical (~80%) (Schlesinger 2011, ICSG 2017). Thus, several different processes can be applied for copper production, including the following state-of-the-art technologies: Outotec Flash Smelting (FSF) – Outotec-Kennecott Flash Converting (FCF) Outotec Flash Smelting (FSF) – Peirce-Smith Converting (PSC) Outotec Ausmelt TSL Smelting (ASF) - Peirce-Smith Converting (PSC) Outotec Ausmelt TSL Smelting (ASF) - Outotec Ausmelt TSL Converting (ACF) Mitsubishi Smelting Process (MIT) Bottom Blowing Reactor (BBR) – Bottom Blowing Continuous Converting (BCC) Side Blowing Furnace (SBF) - Top Blowing Converting (TBC)

Jan 1, 2019