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By W. J. Garmoe

The Carr Fork mine is located approximately 50 kilometers southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah, in the Bingham or West Mountain District, adjacent to the Bingham open pit copper mine. Applied geology at Carr Fork, by Anaconda Minerals Company personnel includes detailed geologic mapping and sampling of underground workings, logging and sampling of drill core and cuttings, and the preparation and posting of geologic maps and cross sections for geologic interpretation, ore reserve calculation, mine operations, and long range planning. Accurate and easily understood graphic recording of Carr Fork geology is essential for optimum use by operating and engineering personnel. The design and implementation of exploration, development and definition drilling programs, research into geological spatial relationships, and analysis of structural complexities of the Carr Fork deposit are a1 so integral parts of the applied geology program.

Jan 1, 1984

By W. J. Garmoe

The Carr Fork mine is located approximately 50 kilometers southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah, in the Bingham or West Mountain District, adjacent to the Bingham open pit copper mine. Applied geology at Carr Fork, by Anaconda Minerals Company personnel, includes detailed geologic mapping and sampling of underground workings, logging and sampling of drill core and cuttings, and the preparation and posting of geologic maps and cross sections for geologic interpretation, ore reserve calculation, mine operations, and long range planning. Accurate and easily understood graphic recording of Carr Fork geology is essential for optimum use by operating and engineering personnel. The design and implementation of exploration, development and definition drilling programs, research into geological spatial relationships, and analysis of structural complexities of the Carr Fork deposit are also integral parts of the applied geology program.

Jan 1, 1992

By Frank Linforth

THE object of this paper is to present a brief outline of the methods of geologic mapping employed in the Geological Department of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co., at Butte, and to show by means of a few typical examples the practical nature of the results obtained. The extremely complicated geological conditions early encountered in Butte mining led mine operators to realize the necessity of accurate detailed geologic mapping as an aid to successful development of the ore bodies. The organization of the Anaconda Geological Department was undertaken in 1900 by H. V. Winchell, who, in conjunction with D. W. Brunton, worked out the essential methods of procedure which are, in the main, followed at the present time. Since the year 1906 the geologic work has been under the direction of Reno H. Sales, and in some respects the scope of the work has been slightly enlarged. Au excellent article describing the general equipment of the geological department was presented by D. W. Brunton at the British Columbia meeting of the Institute in 1905.1 His idea, that data collected underground and recorded should be put to practical use and not remain a mere " inventory of the company's underground possessions," is the keynote to the success of applied geology in Butte. The geologic notes are taken as soon as possible after the ground is broken so that any mistake in the mining may be corrected at once, or any particularly advantageous procedure may be suggested before any useless work is done. Taking the notes underground is a comparatively simple matter, but a few necessary precautions may be pointed out. The essential to success is that the notes shall show exactly what geological facts are disclosed. The observer must discriminate carefully between important and unimportant exposures in making the record, especially as regards the relation between veins and stringers, between faults and minor slips, or between the characteristics of veins of different ages. A simple color scheme has been adopted for making this record: Red pencils are used to indicate.

Jan 11, 1913

By W. C. Peters

Geologists take the role of mine geologist when they apply their science to the design and operation of a specific minerals project. In doing so, they use the entire spectrum of procedures in economic geology and engineering geology to deal with a specific system of orebodies and associated environment. The objectives are established by stages in the life cycle of a mining operation as it goes from a prospect to a development project and on to a mine. This paper summarizes the elements of a mining geologist's role, with examples highlighted from the preceding papers.

Jan 1, 1992

By R. G. Hite, R. G. Rowe

The Crandon deposit, located in northern Wisconsin, is a 65.8 million ton Precambrian volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit which averages 1.4% copper and 5.8% zinc. The deposit is classic in origin, mineralogy and shape. Comprehensive understanding of the geology of both the deposit and the project site has been fundamental to the credibility and success of project feasibility studies and regulatory permit preparation. Mine development in the current investment and regulatory climate requires thorough and timely application of geologic tools. From 1977-1980 geologic activities were focused on the typical objectives of orebody delineation, reserve estimation, depositional geology, and general site investigation. Results from these programs formed the basis for the project's preliminary feasibility studies. Since 1981 further geologic investigations have provided criteria for project design, site management, and operational permitting. Activities have included mine entry position definition drilling, developing geostatistical reserve modeling, large diameter (150 mm) core drilling for mill pilot samples, rock mechanics testing, and evaluation of the glacial overburden/deposit geohydrology for computer simulation.

Jan 1, 1984

By R. G. Hite, R. G. Rowe

The Crandon deposit, located in northern Wisconsin, is a 65.8 million ton Precambrian volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit which averages 1.4% copper and 5.8% zinc. The deposit is classic in origin, mineralogy and shape. Comprehensive understanding of the geology of both the deposit and the project site has been fundamental to the credibility and success of project feasibility studies and regulatory permit preparation. Mine development in the current investment and regulatory climate requires thorough and timely application of geologic tools. From 1977-1980 geologic activities were focused on the typical objectives of orebody delineation, reserve estimation, depositional geology, and general site investigation. Results from these programs formed the basis for the project's preliminary feasibility studies. Since 1981 further geologic investigations have provided criteria for project design, site management, and operational permitting. Activities have included mine entry position definition drilling, devel reserve modeling, large diameter (150 mm) core drilling for mill pilot samples, rock mechanics testing, and evaluation of the glacial overburden/deposit geohydrology for computer simulation.

Jan 1, 1992

By Roger G. Rowe

The Crandon deposit, located in northern Wisconsin, is a 65.8 million ton Precambrian volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit which averages 1.4% copper and 5.8% zinc. The deposit is classic in origin, mineralogy and shape. Comprehensive understanding of the geology of both the deposit and the project site has been fundamental to the credibility and success of Project feasibility studies and regulatory permit preparation. Mine development in the current investment and regulatory climate requires thorough and timely application of geologic tools. From 1977-1980 geologic activities were focused on the typical objectives of orebody delineation, reserve estimation, depositional geology, and general site investigation. Results from these programs formed the basis for the Project's preliminary feasibility studies. Since 1981 further geologic investigations have provided criteria for project design, site management, and operational permitting. Activities have included mine entry position definition drilling, developing geostatistical reserve modeling, large diameter (150 mm) core drilling for mill pilot samples, rock mecha¬nics testing, and evaluation of the glacial overburden/deposit geohydrology for computer simulation.

Jan 1, 1983

By Holger Witthaus

Beside the traditional geomechanical evaluation methods the geotechnical parameters are recognized as important facts of the planning work for multiple seam mining. Standards for applied monitoring and investigation methods for geotechnical determination of drill cores, laboratory rock-tests and observation of roadheadings are the basics for rock mechanics classification and support design. The geomechanical classification is in this context an essential element. The planning procedure, as it is becoming more and more detailed, beginning with the panel layout up to the technical instructions of roadway development and design of roadheading machinery, nowadays uses a lot of geotechnical information that also are expanding to include quantitative determination of more parameters. The current monitoring system includes the description of separation planes using drill cores and roadheading observation as well as laboratory tests of rock-strength and geophysical borehole examinations. This information is analyzed within the geomechanical standard-classification. The re-engineering process of comparison the predicted support success to the actual monitoring results provides the opportunity for continuous optimization of the planning work und support design. This way of empirical analysis is used for basic planning work in Germany for decades. But using the technical standard of information technology and a centralized database now it is possible to reach quick-win effects in implementing research results on the one hand and actual experiences on the other hand.

Jan 1, 2006

By Michael M. Maier, Charles B. Brumleve

The Henderson mine uses the panel caving method to extract molybdenum ore from a deep ore body in an igneous intrusive. Research into caving mechanics and its related problems has yielded fundamental relationships concerning the response of a stressed rock mass to the caving method. The relationships studied through a variety of programs include the following: the evaluation of time and distance related stress fields; the monitoring of the deformation of underground openings and the design implications; ground and mining sequence classifications compared to past support requirements; the response of finite rock masses to zones of high stress concentrations; the evaluation of the subsidence induced by caving; and the microseismic monitoring of cave growth. The cumulative objective of this research is to better understand, predict, and control rock mass response.

Jan 1, 1981

By Corby G. Anderson

Laboratory testing, interpretation and application of metallurgical technologies can be tedious, time consuming and costly. This paper outlines the use of proven statistical design of experimentation software for rapid optimization of laboratory testing and operating plants with limited representative sample utilization. This results in less costly required testing, a more thorough understanding of results and the ability to simultaneously optimize several variables and outcomes at once. At the Center for Advanced Mineral and Metallurgical Processing, this testing methodology has been used successfully in many metallurgical development and plant optimization projects thereby confirming its real world utility and application. Accordingly, several applied examples in flotation and hydrometallurgy will be outlined in this paper. This will include flotation testing of a copper gold ore, flotation testing of a copper, cobalt and gold ore, optimization of an industrial hydrometallurgical jarosite circuit and optimization of industrial nitrogen species catalyzed pressure leaching of a copper enargite concentrate.

Jan 1, 2006

By Clara María Lamus Molina

The following minerals found in the residual black sands from gold mining in El Bagre Antioquia (Colombia) were identified as having major economic interest: Ilmenite (FeTiO3), with an average of 49% of TiO2, frequently altered presenting crowns; lamellaes of rutile and alteration textures; titanomagnetite with up to 25% of TiO2; magnetite (Fe3O4) in individual grains or associated with others minerals as hematite and ferromagnesian silicates rutile (TiO2) with considerable quantities of Nb2O5(0.1-3.7%Wt); zircon (ZrSiO4) with 66%Wt of ZrO2 and monazite with an average of 63.43%Wt of REE, this frequently associated to xenotime and thorite forming textures as little drops. Analysis in EPMA and SEM/EDS showed percentages of minor elements and traces, thereby clearly establishing the applications of these minerals in diverse industries. Furthermore, a detailed granumetric study of the different minerals and textural relationships among them also allowed for establishing the basis for possible processing and exploitation.

Jan 1, 2006

By W. H. Yong

The molybdenum ores currently utilized in China are mostly molybdenum sulfide ores, whereas oxidized molybdenum ores have not been exploited and utilized efficiently. The aim of this article is to study the applied mineralogy of an intergrown iron-molybdenum oxidized ore in order to provide a mineralogical basis for the ore beneficiation research. The ore occurred in a surface oxidized zone seam and contained 23.65% Fe2O3 and 1.58% Mo. Various characterization techniques were employed to study the chemical composition and mineral composition of the ore, the particle size distribution of the minerals in the ore, and the tex-ture and structure of the ore. The results showed that the iron-molybdenum ore occurred in a wet, soft and earthy state. The ore was composed mainly of several oxidized minerals and colloidal min-erals, including wulfenite, barite, limonite and quartz. Wulfenite was one of the major and stable components in the ore and occurred as a separate mineral. Wulfenite, barite and quartz were granu-lar minerals with particle size ranging from fine to coarse but mainly in the fine particle range. Li-monite showed a crust and honeycomb-like colloidal state and composed the framework in the ore for the formation of the other minerals. They filled the pores in the framework and the size of the pores affected the size of the minerals formed in the pores and hence the recovery of wulfenite in ore beneficiation. According to the applied mineralogical properties of the oxidized molybdenum ore, a promising ore beneficiation process was proposed as follow Magnetic separation should be carried out first to separate the magnetic iron minerals and then the molybdenum mineral will be recovered by gravity concentration or a combination process of gravity concentration and flotation, depending on the distribution of the molybdenum mineral in the product of the magnetic separation.

Jan 1, 2014

By Bojcevski D

The deportment and textural relationships of silver bearing phases are key characteristics in understanding the behaviour of silver ores in flotation tests or processing plants. These characteristics are however difficult to define and quantif

Jan 1, 1997

By F. M. Nakla

Various methods of Applied Mineralogy were used for determining the nature and composition of products yielded by flotation tests for Maghara coal beneficiation. Coal samples obtained from the Sa fa mine in Northern Sinai, Egypt, were crushed, sieved, &apos;and <32 mesh size fraction was cleaned by froth flotation. Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of certain parameters on beneficiation of Maghara coal by flotation. The investigated factors included nature of frothing and/or collecting reagents, pH value of the medium, particle size distribution in the head sample, and pulp density of the coal slurry. The quality of head samples, coal concentrates, and tailing products were determined by chemical analysis, microscopic study, x-ray diffraction analysis, and occasionally by infrared (IR) absorption spectroscopy.

Jan 1, 1989

By S Meffre, A E. Fallick, K Zaw, I T. Graham, G Giuliani

Dispersed gem corundum is mined from placers, commonly from basalt fields, as occurs along eastern Australian and Asian continental margins. New laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis (LA-ICP-MS) of Australian corundum allows genetic distinctions among these suites and gives clues to their primary lithospheric sources prior to basaltic delivery. Bimodal corundum suites at Barrington Tops, Cudgegong-Gulgong-Macquarie River and Yarrowitch, New South Wales (NSW), include lower Ga, higher Mg æmetamorphicÆ and higher Ga, lower Mg æmagmaticÆ groups. The Barrington Tops æmetamorphicÆ corundum is more Fe-rich (av 4500 - 7100 ppm) than Cudgegong- Macquarie River equivalents (av Fe 1800 - 2100 ppm). Yarrowitch corundum is relatively low in Fe, Ti and Cr. Along with other eastern Australian data (north-east Tasmania; New England, NSW) and from gem fields elsewhere, the combined trace element and O isotope data, reveal considerable geographic and genetic variations within the corundum suites. A few corundum groups contain noticeable Be, Sn, Ta, Nb, a particular genetic message that also precludes easy distinction of treated corundum in the gem trade. Expanding geochemical, inclusion and geochronological data on gem corundum hold promise for characterising derivative gem corundum on both geographic and genetic features.

Jan 1, 2008

By Panagiota Tsolis-Katagas, Basilios Tsikouras, Tassos A. Grammatikopoulos, C. Katagas

"Mineralogical techniques including microscopic methods, reflected and transmitted light microscopy, Cathodoluminescence (CL) and Scanning Electron Microscopy equipped with an Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (SEM-EDS), are useful in determining the quality of industrial minerals. They are essential for studying ores and metallurgical products including the evaluation of physical characteristics of the mineral, paragenetic relationships, associations with possible deleterious contaminants (e.g., sulphides), spatial distribution within the ore zones and liberation characteristics. The methods are inexpensive, and provide quick identification and distinction among the industrial minerals and the gangue minerals in a section. Additionally, SEM is necessary to reveal complex textural sequences and 3-D measurements of minerals and quick semi-quantitative analysis.Common analytical methods include Electron Microprobe Analyses (EMPA) and Whole Rock Analysis (WRA) (commonly with XRF and ICP) for major and trace elements. The EMPA analyses of industrial minerals provide information on the purity of the analyzed grains as opposed to the bulk chemical analyses that may be misleading due to contamination by other associated common “gangue” minerals. These techniques have been implemented for the case studies of wollastonite, V-magnetite and muscovite. Therefore, these methods can provide extremely useful information and lead to the implementation of a successful pilot-testing programme.MINERALOGICAL EVALUATION OF DEPOSITSDespite their considerable and increasing economic importance, industrial mineral deposits have traditionally been neglected by economic geologists, and are only rarely the subject of the detailed analysis widely lavished on metallic mineralization. Moreover, in that they generally represent concentrations of “normal” rock-forming minerals, albeit commonly with particular textural and/or geochemical features, they have tended to fall between the mainstream of petrogenetic studies and mineral deposit research (Grammatikopoulos 1999). For many industrial minerals, little attention has been paid to the factors responsible for their local concentration as large and high-grade bodies. This comparative neglect has particularly been the case for minerals such as talc and wollastonite, widespread in metamorphic rocks, in which they are reasonably interpreted as components of assemblages derived, respectively, from pelitic sediments, ultramafic igneous rocks and siliceous limestones."

Jan 1, 2003

Australia contains a variety of iron ores, differing in grade, chemistry, size distribution and genesis. While a proportion of this ore is used world-wide as blast furnace lump, much of the material mined is high grade fines, requiring agglomeration (usually sintering) before blast furnace reduction. Sintering studies initially concentrated on the production of ferrous material of high iron content, coarse size and sufficient cold strength. In recent years research involving pilot plant sintering, precise test procedures and mineralogical analyses has focussed on the additional sinter properties of hot strength and reducibility. Aspects of mineralogical studies applied to iron ore sintering are described.

Jan 1, 1989

By Susanne Pignolet-Brandom

Reflected light microscopy scanning electron microscope energy dispersive spectroscopic analysis and backscatter electron image and electron microprobe chemical analysis have been used to study lead sinter and lead blast furnace slag. These studies provide invaluable information on the phases present their intergrowths, and their chemical composition. Such information increases the understanding of the nature of pyrometallurgical processes and the behavior of minor elements during these metallurgical processes.

Jan 1, 1987

By A M. Hagni

Certain copper ores from the Nchanga Copper Mine in the northern Zambia Copperbelt are refractory with respect to conventional beneficiation techniques. This paper reviews recent study of those ores to determine their mineralogy, textures and nature of copper occurrence. Two suites of refractory ores were selected for study: 1.&nbsp; samples of stockpiled ores from an open pit, and 2.&nbsp; drill core samples from copper ores. Both sample suites are from the upper orebody at Nchanga and contain about 0.3 - 1.4 per cent copper as determined by atomic absorption, but they represent separate stratigraphic, mineralogical and beneficiation problems. Ore microscopic examination showed that fine-grained copper sulfides are totally lacking from both suites of refractory ores. Petrographic study found malachite in the refractory ores from the open pit, but that malachite probably is post-mine. The opaque mineralogy of the open pit refractory ores is dominated by goethite that occurs mostly as pseudomorphic grains after pyritohedral pyrite crystals that average 200 - 250 ¦m across. Haematite occurs as bands within or as outer shells of the goethite grains. Additional goethite occurs locally as finer-grained areas of exotic goethite. The opaque minerals in the drill core refractory ores are dominated by euhedral ilmenite crystals about 50 - 175 ¦m long. Anatase is the dominant opaque mineral in some drill core samples where it is largely pseudomorphic after ilmenite crystals. Goethite accompanies malachite in unusual drill core refractory ores that have experienced intense hydrothermal alteration. Thus, ore microscopy and petrography showed that fine-grained chalcopyrite and bornite and pre-mine malachite were not the causes of the refractory nature of the ores studied. Electron microprobe revealed that most of the copper occurred in solid solution within micas. Application of automated SEM techniques has provided a detailed understanding of the distribution of copper in these refractory ores.

Jan 1, 2008

By F Gervilla, J Laukkanen

The Kevitsa Ni-Cu-PGE deposit in northern Finland contains disseminated Ni-Cu-Fe sulfides, and platinum-group minerals (PGM). The 2.05 Ga-old ultramafic-mafic, funnel-shaped intrusion is intruded into a volcanosedimentary sequence. The major ore minerals are pentlandite, hexagonal pyrrhotite and troilite, chalcopyrite, cubanite and magnetite. Pyrrhotite and pentlandite are replaced by pyrite, millerite and heazelwoodite near the surface. Nickeline, maucherite and gersdorffite are locally abundant. A pilot feed sample of 575 t of the main orebody at Kevitsa had average grades 0.45 per cent Cu, 0.36 per cent Ni, 1.85 per cent S, 0.33 g/t Pt, 0.34 g/t Pd and 0.19 g/t Au, with 0.06 per cent Ni contained in silicates. Higher PGE contents (2 - 27 ppm) occur in a vertical N-S bearing fault zone. The PGM (n = 6022) mapped in specimens of four drill holes, consist of sperrylite 34.7 vol per cent, braggite and cooperite 18.5 vol per cent, geversite 17.2 vol per cent, moncheite 14.7 vol per cent, merenskyite 6.7 vol per cent, stibiopalladinite 4.3 vol per cent, sobolevskite 1.9 vol per cent, kotulskite 0.7 vol per cent, michenerite 0.6 vol per cent, keithconnite 0.3 vol per cent, rustenburgite 0.1 vol per cent, melonite, froodite, laurite together 0.1 vol per cent and only a few grains of sudburyite, irarsite, vysotskite, erlichmanite, hongishiite, Pt-Cu-alloys, three undefined Pd and Pt bismuthinides and antimonides and a Pd-Cu-bearing Pt-Ni-Fe sulfide. Most of the PGM, 62 per cent, are enclosed in silicates, 29 per cent are intergrown with sulfides, nine per cent are within sulfides. A portion of the PGE occurs in solid solution in sulfides and arsenides. Ni flotation yielded smelter-grade concentrates averaging 12.2 per cent nickel. The average sulfide Ni recovery is 78.8 per cent and total Ni recovery is 65.3 per cent. The average Pt is 10 g/t at 55 per cent recovery, Pd 7.7 g/t at 38 per cent recovery and Au 1.6 g/t at ten per cent recovery. Cu concentrates averaged 28.6 per cent Cu with an average recovery of 78 per cent and further 11 per cent in the nickel concentrate. The copper concentrate contains 4 g/t Au at 24 per cent recovery. The average Fe to MgO ratio 17.9 is well above the targeted minimum of 4.5. The pilot results show that the previously used TETA (triethylene tetramine) can be avoided and good quality, smelter-grade concentrates can be produced from the Kevitsa ore at economical levels of recovery by conventional flotation methods.

Jan 1, 2008