Abstract: An apparatus and a method are disclosed for use with Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) systems that can be applied to the real time analysis of molten materials or liquid. Since it is difficult to prepare a surface representative of the bulk when dealing with high temperature molten material, the invention, in one aspect, uses a forced gas flow through a tube insertable inside the molten material to generate a bubble. The inner surface of the bubble is a representative of the composition of the material. LIBS performed on such a surface produces an accurate real time analysis of material, even when other processing of material, e.g., copper smelting, etc., is being conducted.

Abstract: An apparatus and a process for producing zinc oxide from a zinc-bearing material are provided. The process comprises the steps of leaching the complex sulfide material with hydrochloric acid, ferric chloride, and oxygen; precipitating iron from the leach solution using lime and oxygen; removing copper, silver, cadmium, cobalt and lead from the leach solution by cementation with zinc dust; precipitating zinc oxide from the leach solution using lime; and regenerating HCl from a calcium chloride leach filtrate solution to regenerate hydrochloric acid and precipitate gypsum. Related processes for recovering copper, silver, lead, and iron from complex sulfide materials and for recovering lead from residue by solubilizing lead chloride and precipitating it with lime are also provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for spectrochemical analysis of liquids, including molten materials, using laser-induced plasma spectroscopy. The apparatus preferably comprises a high power pulsed laser focused on the surface of a liquid stream flowing in a measurement cell, and an optical spectrometer-detector assembly, which receives, detects and analyzes the radiation emitted by the high temperature plasma thereby excited. The measurement cell, and optional pump, establish a steady flow of liquid, thereby permitting the laser to repeatedly sample a fresh unperturbed surface, representative of the liquid volume, while also ensuring that bubbles and waves formed in the liquid are removed from the focal volume. Gas (usually air) blown above the liquid prevents aerosols and matter ejected from the sample responsive to the incident energy from interacting with subsequent laser pulses, and from accumulating on the optics.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a technique of prospecting for deep massive sulphide ore bodies, comprising the steps of selecting a geologic region which is substantially acoustically transparent; directing seismic waves at the region and collecting reflected or diffracted waves therefrom; and analyzing the collected waves for the presence of the massive sulphide ore bodies.

Abstract: An improvement to a cathode used in an electrorefining or electrowinning of copper. The cathode has a solid copper head bar with a horizontal groove on its undersurface. The upper edge of a stainless steel flat sheet has several holes along its width and is vertically inserted into the groove. The stainless steel sheet is then mechanically attached to the copper head bar by pressing the copper head bar against the stainless steel at the perforated points along the head bar. To increase the joint strength, the stainless steel sheet may be welded to the copper head bar at its upper edges at the underside of the head bar.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a process for producing zinc oxide from a zinc-bearing material. The process according to the present invention comprises the steps of leaching the complex sulfide material with hydrochloric acid and oxygen; precipitating iron from the leach solution using magnesium oxide and oxygen; removing copper, silver, cadmium, cobalt and lead from the leach solution by cementation with zinc dust; precipitating zinc oxide from the leach solution using magnesium oxide; and spray roasting the remaining magnesium chloride leach solution to regenerate hydrochloric acid and magnesium oxide. The present invention further relates to processes for recovering copper, silver, lead, and iron from complex sulfide materials.

Abstract: A novel process for refining high or low impurity blister copper containing S, As, Sb, Pb, Ni, Bi, Se, and/or Te to anode quality by means of a solution containing sulphates and alkali oxides is provided. More specifically, the process comprises the steps of (1) injecting air/O2 gas mixtures in the presence of an alkali source, over a period of time sufficient to complete the sulphur removal stage, with the innovation of removing the SO2 in situ, thereby forming an effective amount of a molten alkali sulphate on top of the copper bath, the temperature in the bath being maintained between 1100-1300° C.; (2) adding and/or injecting molten or solid alkali sulphates together with basic oxides or carbonates into the copper bath to promote the in situ scrubbing of As and Sb into a solution containing sulphates, while the dissolved oxygen in copper increases from 0.1 to 0.

Abstract: Apparatus, method, and a kit for a yieldable tendon mine support rock anchor include structure and/or steps including the provision of a metal support member having an outside diameter which is less than a diameter of the rock hole. Preferably, resin cartridges are disposed inside the rock hole. A wedge anchor is provided and is disposed at a distal end of the metal support member and has a narrow portion disposed uphole from a wider base portion thereof. The wedge anchor base portion is narrower than the diameter of the rock hole to permit un-solidified resin to pass from downhole to uphole of the wedge anchor base portion. The wedge anchor is dimensioned to crush solidified uphole resin and permit downhole movement of the crushed solidified resin when a yielding tension is applied to the metal support member and the wedge anchor moves uphole.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for precipitating manganese from acidic sulfate solutions, and more specifically from zinc leach solutions, without removing zinc. A zinc- and manganese-containing solution is treated with an SO2—O2 gas mixture at the appropriate pH and temperature, thereby causing manganese to precipitate as a trivalent and/or tetravalent manganese hydroxides and/or oxides that report to the leach residue or are removed separately from solution by solid/liquid separation. These trivalent and/or tetravalent manganese compounds may be used as oxidants in other parts of the leach circuit.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a method for the production of fine and ultrafine powders of various materials such as metals, alloys, ceramics, composites etc., through a transferred arc plasma system. The method comprises vaporizing or decomposing the material in the plasma reactor, condensing the vapor in a quench tube comprising two sections, the first one for indirectly cooling or heating the vapor, and the second one for directly cooling the vapor. The powder is recovered in a conventional collection unit. The two step condensation in the quench tube allows a substantial control of powder properties like crystallinity, size distribution and mean particle size.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a technique of prospecting for deep massive sulfide ore bodies, comprising the steps of selecting a geologic region which is substantially acoustically transparent; directing seismic waves at the region and collecting reflected or diffracted waves therefrom; and analyzing the collected waves for the presence of the massive sulfide ore bodies.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for removing volatile impurities such as mercury and selenium from a weak acid solution resulting from scrubbing gases created in the production of sulfuric acid by roasting of sulfide concentrates. The apparatus comprises a calcine filtering unit for removing calcine from the weak acid solution, a sodium sulfide mixing unit for precipitating mercury from the weak acid solution, a sodium dithionite mixing unit for precipitating selenium from the weak acid solution, and a mercury-selenium filtering unit for filtering the precipitated mercury and selenium from the weak acid solution. The present invention further relates to a treatment plant utilizing such an apparatus, a process for removing volatile impurities from a weak acid solution, and a selenium cake obtained by utilizing the resent invention.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a moisture sensor for measuring the moisture content of particulate material like ore concentrates. The sensor comprises a body having one end to be buried within the bulk of the particulate material and the other end coupled to a force transducer. The force transducer itself is coupled to display means, so that when a conveyor containing the ore concentrate is in operation, a signal is generated from the force transducer and displayed as a result of the drag force exerted by the particulate material on the body. The moisture content may therefore be determined either by means of a calibration chart, or by the output of a calibration computer.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a system and method for monitoring the exhaust emissions of combustion engines such as diesel engines equipment used in underground mining operations. The system comprises a gas analyzer capable of measuring the concentration of at least one exhaust gas from the exhaust emissions, the analyzer being coupled to a computer that processes the data collected from the gas analyzer. The processed data is then displayed to the operator on a computer screen, so that the monitoring is carried out in real time.

Abstract: Automated bucking loading is achieved through the use of sensor feedback provided by pressure and extension sensors on hydraulic cylinder(s) to control the trajectory of the bucket to be loaded by a computer algorithm. Additional sensors may be used to provide further control of the loading cycle and of the vehicle operation. The structure and steps can be integrated with existing machinery or used on new loaders equipped with suitable control interfaces capable of taking computerized control of the vehicle's actions.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a system for the filtration of molten material. The system is particularly useful for removing MgO impurities present in molten magnesium chloride electrolyte. The invention also comprises a method for removing solid particles from molten materials. Preferred molten materials include magnesium, aluminum, magnesium chloride electrolyte and aluminum electrolyte. The concentration of solid remaining in the molten material is less than 0.05 wt %.

Abstract: A magnetic testing device for obtaining a damaged index of an elongated magnetically-permeable object in real time includes a permanent magnet assembly with spaced-apart poles, a tubular pole piece adapted to surround the object, Hall effect devices placed in the magnetic flux path, a leakage flux sensor installed between the pole pieces, and a real time signal processing unit. The signal processing unit provides local fault (LF) signals generated by the leakage flux sensor, and loss of metallic area (LMA) signals generated by the Hall effect devices. The standard deviations of the LF signals are summed, the root-mean-square of the LF signals is summed, the absolute values of the LF signals are integrated, and the LMA signal is multiplied by a coefficient which is dependent on the object construction. The damage index is then determined using the thus-calculated values. Preferably, when a wire rope is passed through the monitoring device, the damage index is given to the user in a hand-held display means.

Abstract: A process information and maintenance system for monitoring, visualizing, triaging and maintaining all control loops of a distributed control system gives the users the number of control loops in the plant, the number of loops that are routinely in manual mode, which loops are frequently in alarm, which loops need tuning, etc.

Abstract: A spline for joining wood boards or panels with a groove extending throughout their longitudinal sections. The spline has a body with an upper surface and a lower surface, and central concave ridges on the at least one of upper and lower surfaces for draining water. The ridge extends throughout the length of the spline so that when two adjacent boards or panels are joined by the spline, the space between the boards or panels or equal to the width of the ridge. The spline has been designed to provided efficient drainage of water, thus preventing and substantially limiting swelling, if any, of the boards. The spline of the present invention provides a joint with mechanical and resistance properties comparable to conventional tongue and groove boards.

Abstract: A method of increasing the near-wellbore permeability of porous formation comprises exposing formation to an elevated temperature of .?.400.degree..!. .Iadd.600.degree. .Iaddend.C. or greater to cause dehydration of the clay lattices, vaporization of any blocked water, mud filtrate or other fluids, and/or destruction of the clay structure.