Tailings Pond Seepage Control
During operation of tailings impoundments, water is lost through decanting, evaporation and seepage. Techniques have been developed to regulate or control each of these components. Collectively implemented, these techniques form the basis of tailings impoundment management. Regulation of the rate and level of decanting influences the size of a free water pond, and, thereby, the […]
Agglomerating Gold Ores
The Haile Gold Mine was the largest gold producer east of the Mississippi River prior to 1942. It is currently the only producing gold mine in the Southeastern United States. Current development involves the mining and heap leaching of some 1000 TPD. Carbon is employed as a recovery medium. Due to its clayey nature and […]
Coal Bioleaching
A new approach is emerging that deals with desulfurization of coals by bio-mediated reactions. Desulfurization of coal involves oxidation of pyrite and elemental sulfur inclusions by the bacteria The organisms, ferrooxidans and thiooxidans, were the most frequently cited to be associated with the formation of acid in coal mine drainage and sediments as well as in […]
Particle Size Distribution
The use of sieves to separate particulate material into fractions of various sizes has occurred throughout the period of recorded history. Sieving is one of the simplest methods of determining particle size distributions, and is probably used in industrial laboratories more than any other method. It is generally overlooked when carrying out fundamental research, which […]
Tailings Belt Filter Press
Crushed ore is reclaimed in a 3.7 m (12′) diameter tunnel with, two variable speed slot feeders. Mill feed is conveyed to a 3.7 m x 1.2 m (12′ x 4′) 250 hp semi-autogenous (SAG) mill. Lime is screw fed onto the conveyor inside the reclaim tunnel. The SAG mill discharge enters a common sump shared […]
Sizing and Metallurgical Testing
Size is crucial to virtually all mineral processing A size range in a standard series is generally identified by the bottom size in the range A single size parameter is not enough to define a size distribution Narrow size ranges are generally best for following separation processes Sizes are usually arranged in a ratio series […]
Electromagnetic Separation of Copper Iron Sulphides
Chalcopyrite, sp. gr. 4.15 to 4.3, is too feebly magnetic to be separated raw, and must be roasted to either the magnetic sulphide or the magnetic oxide, these changes taking place in a manner similar to the behavior of pyrite. A one-minute roast at a red heat is sufficient to impart magnetism to chalcopyrite through […]
Electromagnetic Separation Siderite & Blende
The specific gravities of blende (3.9 to 4.2) and siderite (3.7 to 3.9) are almost identical, and they may not be separated by any method based on this property. The most important application of magnetic separation in Europe has been the separation of siderite, or carbonate of iron, from blende. Many important ore bodies carrying […]
Separating Pyrite & Blende Magnetism
The co-occurrence of the sulphides of zinc and iron is frequent; blende and pyrite, or marcasite, are found together in important ore bodies which are worked for the value of the contained zinc, and many lead deposits in their lower horizons carry zinc and iron sulphides. Galena may be separated in the wet way from […]
ASSAYING CYANOGEN BY MERCURIC CHLORIDE
Apparatus, Reagents.—Apparatus as before. For the standard solution, pure HgCl2 is required. For analysis the student may take further portions of the materials used in the last estimation. Method, Reactions.—If to an ammoniaeal solution of KCN a solution of HgCl2, be slowly added, Hg(CN)2, is formed and is soluble in water. When this reaction is […]