Blogs

High zinc levels are poisoning the New River

The historic New River, which flows through central Appalachia – across North Carolina and West Virginia, in Virginia (USA) -, is showing signs of high levels of zinc that is poisoning the water and polluting the nearby land. New evidence has arisen, but the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is not acting to solve the problem. This watercourse, one of the most

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How will NASA mine an asteroid: step by step pictures

Table of ContentsStep 1Step 2Step 3Step 4 If you think that mining an asteroid is something that won’t happen for several decades, you’re probably wrong. NASA is betting so much in this possibility that they just released a small guide that explains how the process will happen. The agency recently released some new photos and even a video animation depicting its

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Canadian company uses satellites to monitor and measure mining sites from space

Did you know it’s already possible to monitor and measure mining sites from space? That’s right. Thanks to the advances in imaging satellites and data processing technology, the industry has evolved into a point where it can successfully monitor mines from thousands of miles away. Recently, the president and founder of the Canadian company PhotoSat wrote an article about this issue, which was

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Eight people arrested during Sami protest against iron mine in Sweden

The indigenous Sami population has been trying to preserve their way of life and culture by protesting against the creation of an iron mine in northern Sweden. The project belongs to the British company Beowulf Mines. The police was called last Wednesday (21) to end a blockade of around 50 people, among locals and Sami. Eight people were detained for crimes varying

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SAP wants to build a digital mining enterprise vision for the African sector

The process of automation in the African mining sector has been a hot topic for a while. Mining Examiner has published some articles about this issue, but there are new technologies out there that can help reduce the difficulties the industry is facing. The software giant SAP is working on solutions for the mining sector in Africa, which holds up to

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Itronics new technologies will update the procedures used in silver-gold and copper mines

The company Itronics Inc. has recently announced it’s updating its technology developments and plans “with a focus on potential applications for silver-gold mines that have a silver to gold ratio exceeding 4 to 1 in the ore”, it’s possible to read on the firm’s website. According to the Nevada-based business, its technology may also “prove to be applicable to certain copper-gold-silver

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The consequences of the Marikana massacre one year later

Four days ago, the world pointed the first anniversary of the police massacre that killed 34 platinum miners in the northern town of Marikana, South Africa. The disaster happened last year, on August 16, and also wounded over 75 people. “The attack reminded many people of the massacres inflicted by white supremacist forces during the apartheid era, except this time it was

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Australian software reduces coal-stockpiling hazards and increases safety

How can the mining companies effectively diminish some safety risks? Well, the firm Immersive Technologies has an idea: the SimControl 4.6, the latest version of the software used to control advanced equipment simulators released last May. The company that supplies surface and underground equipment simulator to the global mining industry updated its software to specifically address the issue of safety in

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Nautilus Minerals’ flagship Solwara 1 might be closer to dive its toes in Papua New Guinea’s sea

Nautilus Minerals has gone through some bad times over the last year. The difficulties that are affecting the firm are mainly related to a commercial dispute that started in June of 2012 and involves the company and the government of Papua New Guinea. The most affected project was Nautilus’ flagship Solwara 1, linked to a deep sea mining project in the country’s

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AngloGold Ashanti presents its new mining technology: it mines “all gold, only gold, all the time”

AngloGold Ashanti announced a new “game-changing technology” that can safely mine “all of the gold, only the gold, all the time”, said the firm’s new CEO Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan. There’s no drill and blast. Effectively it removes the seismic impact, brings a safe working environment, eliminates dilution and brings all of the gold out. AngloGold Ashanti recently announced it’s cutting 2,000 non-mining jobs. The decision

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10 Biggest write-downs of 2013 summer

Table of Contents1.  Barrick Gold Corp.2. Newcrest Mining3. AngloGold Ashanti4. Kinross Gold5. GoldCorp6. Newmont Mining7. African Barrick Gold8. Osisko Mining9. Alacer Gold10. Polymetal International Quarterly results are coming up, so it’s time to talk about some write-downs: in this case, the top ten of this summer. It’s not the best time for the mining companies, with gold hitting new record lows this past quarter and commodity prices generally dropping,

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Changes in New South Wales mining assessments can boost corruption

The Government of New South Wales, in Australia, is preparing changes for minings assessments that could attract the increase of corruption, says the NSW Greens group. The changes recently announced are more focused on the economic benefits and that is raising general concern in the country. John Kaye, NSW Greens MP, claims these alterations will re-create a Labor’s coal-development at all costs type of mentality:

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Colorado Springs Republican wants coal mining companies operating near streams

Doug Lamborn, Colorado US Rep., is fighting to lift restrictions that keep coal mining companies from operating within 100 feet of watercourses. The bill proposed by the Colorado Springs Republican, also sponsored by the Ohio Republican Bill Johnson, talks about two different kinds of waste. It wants to prevent the “waste of taxpayer resources” by cutting regulations that are meant to prevent “mining waste” from running

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Innovative technology makes its debut in Khanyisa power project

The Khanyisa power project, under development in South Africa, will be the first project of its kind in the region to use the innovative circulating fluidised-bed (CFB) technology. The news was revealed at a workshop promoted by the Fossil Fuel Foundation, attended by the project manager Julian Eslait, who works for the company Anglo American Thermal Coal (AATC). Indeed, although CFB technology has already been internationally proven,

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Roping HydroCyclone -Bad Operation

HydroCyclone Roping – Incorrect Cyclone Operation is often caused by too high a volume feeding into the cyclone. If the apex capacity is exceeded a condition known as roping may occur. Normally, the underflow sprays out of the apex. When roping occurs, the air core inside the apex collapses and the spiraling motion is almost lost. The discharge looks like a

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Hydrocyclone Efficiency Curves

The Hydrocyclone Efficiency Curves are affected by many operating factors such as feed density, apex and vortex sizes and feed pump pressure.  These factors will cause your cyclone classification to operate correctly, in roping or spraying mode.  Everyone knows or has seen an “Ideal Cyclone Efficiency Curve” VS an actual real life hydrocyclone Efficiency Curves?  I attach one here below (thanks

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Sodium Metabisulfite MBS for pH Control and Pyrite Depression in Flotation

Sodium Metabisulfite aka MBS is used for pH control in froth flotation to control Pyrite depression.  Below is a graph showing pH VS pyrite recovery at various collector addition rates. It is also used to prevent flotation of sphalerite by copper activation in the presence of Tennantite/Covellite in the ore. For pyrite flotation, you see maximum iron/pyrite depression using Sodium Metabisulfite/MBS takes

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Polyurethane Screen Panels

Deflectors Helps redirect material toward middle of panels Best suited for conventional lower open area screen panels   Cutter Panel Small surface humps situated slot against flow for static flume applications Particularly effective for dewatering and heavy media recovery. Small angled surface humps direct water down and into the apertures – slot against flow. Superior impact resistant capabilities. 30mm thick,

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SAG Mill Trommel Screen

A SAG Mill trommel screen lets you control the true discharge size of your SAG mill or the transfer size to the downstream Ball Mill circuit. A well sized trommel should not let rocks pass to the Ball Mill if they are to be more than say 5/8″ or 16mm In the image case below, strangely enough, Metso is the mill

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Disseminated Ore Deposits | Complex Polymetallic Mineralogy

You do not know what Disseminated Polymetallic Ore Deposits or Complex Mineralogy until you have seen a QEMSCAN like this: With simple main observations as crazy as these below. ***The proportion of each mineral liberated at a 56µm grind P80 was: Chalcopyrite — 36% liberated Galena — 12% liberated Sphalerite — 45% liberated Pyrite — 85% liberated ***The most abundant binary composites

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