Abstract: A method of using the synergy of multiple depressants to improve the depression of iron sulphide without compromising the recovery of the valuable sulphide minerals in the flotation of non-ferrous metal sulphides, while reducing or eliminating the use of environmentally problematic chemicals such as polyamines. The method has significant economic and environmental benefits. The multiple depressants comprise at least one organic polymer, at least one sulphur-containing compound and/or at least one nitrogen-containing organic compound.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for bucking a magnetic field of known geometry and time variation by means of a plurality of bucking loops. It utilizes multiple loops, each of which is energized by an electric current that creates a magnetic field of the known time variation. The multi-loop field forms a bucking magnetic field that better opposes the spatial variation in the known magnetic field over a volume than can the magnetic field from a single loop. The present invention is useful in electromagnetic measurements, where the magnetic field of a controlled source transmitter must be annulled at a magnetic field sensor. It is particularly useful for cases where the magnetic sensor may move relative to the transmitter, such as in certain airborne electromagnetic measurements.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention refer to a MHP process do produce rough ferro-nickel product and that may include the steps of mixing nickel hydroxide with an iron source and slagging agents, putting the mixture in contact with a reducing agent producing a ferronickel alloy, and producing a roasted product that has disseminated ferronickel alloy inside the structure.

Abstract: A mop (1) having a handle (3) and a mop head (5) which is attached to the handle. An edge of the mop head has two parts (9, 11) that are angled relative to one another at less than 180 degrees. At least part of the mop head may be V-shaped. The mop head (5) may have a pad (22) of material intended, in use, to be brought into contact with the surface to be cleaned.

Abstract: A mop bucket (100) having a side (104) and a detachable wringer (112). Part of the side extends into the bucket to form a support (108) for the detachable wringer (112). The side may be the base (102) of the bucket. The wringer support (108) may have a cavity (111) that is accessible from the side and which is shaped to receive a corresponding support on a corresponding bucket.

Abstract: A pneumatic vibration isolating suspension is disclosed for supporting a payload on a moving carrier while suppressing the transmission of vibrations in the 1 to 50 Hz band between the carrier and the payload. The disclosed invention can be deployed in the air in a towed carrier or sonde, and operated from aircraft power, making it a suitable platform for airborne geophysical instrumentation. It also has particular application to airborne electromagnetic surveying operating in the same frequency band because the sensor vibrations that result in noise created by the modulation of the sensor coupling with the earth's magnetic field are suppressed. Furthermore, the invention can be constructed from resistive composite materials and non-magnetic metals, so it can be operated without producing significant modification to the ambient electromagnetic field being measured.

Abstract: A method for recovering base metal values from oxide ore is provided, where the ore includes a first group metal selected from nickel, cobalt and copper. The method includes reducing ore particle size to suit the latter unit operation, favoring contact for the metal elements, contacting the ore with ferric or ferrous chloride, hydrated or anhydrous, to produce a mix of ore and iron (II or III) chloride subjecting the mixture of the ore and ferric or ferrous chloride to enough energy to decompose the chlorides into hydrochloric acid and a iron oxides from the second group, forming their respective chlorides, selectively dissolve the produced base metal chlorides, leaving the metal as oxides and in the solid state, and recovering the dissolved base metal values from aqueous solution.

Abstract: A process for concentrating manganese from the tailing of a manganese-carrying mineral including removing a coarse particle size fraction from the tailing, desliming and conducting an acidic or a basic reverse cationic flotation. The manganese-carrying minerals are typically minerals with low manganese content from the lithologies “Tabular Pelite” (or PETB), Pelite Siltite (or PEST), Detritic (or DETR), Rich Pelite (or PERC) and Metallurgical Bioxide (or BXME). In another aspect, the present invention also relates to a reverse cationic flotation used to concentrate manganese which is carried out using depressor agents and collector agents as flotation reagents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for mapping of plants. Homogenous and heterogeneous flora areas called clusters are identified in remote sensing images and routes to the plant clusters are generated. The plants are classified using morphological data from foliar images of plants present in the clusters.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composite material that comprises a polymeric constituent and iron ore powder. The polymeric constituent of the present invention is preferably UHMWPE. The iron ore powder used for the purposes of the present invention is the raw iron ore tailing resulting from iron ore pelletizing processes and it is used in an amount of 3-5% (w/w). The present invention is also related to the use of iron ore tailing in the preparation of composite materials comprising UHMWPE which presents improved properties such as creep resistance, stiffness and wear resistance, as well as cost reduction and reuses tailings of industrial plant. The present invention is also related to the use of the composite material of interest in the preparation of composite polymeric sheets for use in mining companies facilities.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention relate to a process to obtain potassium chloride that includes submitting brine to concentration, separating brine after concentration, resulting in a first solid content and a first liquid content, cooling the first liquid content, separating the first liquid content after cooling, thus resulting in a second solid content and a second liquid content, enriching the second solid content, and separating the second solid content after enrichment, thus resulting in a third solid content and a third liquid content. Aspects of this process are environmentally safe, as the process includes stages using solvents and equipment which does not harm the environment. Moreover, aspects of this process present a significant energy consumption reduction.

Abstract: A method of determining the complexity of a collaborative effort which method includes receiving data via a processor, the data including identities of social actors or sets of social actors in the collaborative effort, and storing the data in a repository accessible by the processor; defining nodes, via the processor, and associating the nodes with each of the social actors of or with each of the sets of social actors in the collaborative effort to define nodes that represent each of the social actors or each of the sets of social actors; identifying, via the processor, one or more dimensions for each social actor; defining a coordination complexity (G), via the processor, and determining, for each dimension, a sum of a difference between every two of the nodes, multiplying the sum by a weight specific for that dimension, and adding each of the multiplied sums for each dimension. In another aspect, the invention includes a system of determining complexity of a collaborative effort.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention refers to a process for production of nickel carbonate including preparing a magnesium salt solution, contacting the solution with a stream of gaseous CO2, keeping pH between 4 and 10 and temperature between 0 and 100° C., during up to 5 hours to produce a first mixture, contacting the first mixture with a nickel sulphate solution to produce a second mixture, performing a separation of liquid and solid portions of the second mixture, and feeding the magnesium salt solution with the liquid portion. This process recycles the reagent used for producing nickel carbonate and yields a final product that is easy to handle and transport.

Abstract: An ECG measurement approach for any multi-touch screens comprises the following steps: 1) display ECG on the screen; 2) use two fingers to touch the screen and the two touch points have two vertically projected points on the actual ECG waves; 3) draw the horizontal and vertical baselines to show the x interval in milliseconds and y interval in microvolt; 4) move any one or both of the two fingers touch points on the screen, the projected points and the horizontal/vertical baselines updated synchronously, as well as the measurements; 5) measure the different part of the ECG waves using this approach, including the wave top points, wave beginning and ending points. This approach can be used as a measurement tool to any graphs of functions over time displayed on the multi-touch screen, like EEG.

Abstract: The present invention describes a process for removing uranium from a copper concentrate by magnetic separation (low and high field) to reduce the uranium content to commercially acceptable levels.

Abstract: A process for application of alcoholic derivative on heat treated pellets for inhibition of particulate emission is provided, and the process includes weighing the amount of heat treated pellets discharged from furnaces, measuring the temperature of the heat treated pellets discharged from furnaces, applying cooling fluid on the heat treated pellets until they reach temperatures below 140° C., and spraying the alcoholic derivative on the heat treated pellets. Also provided is a first device for applying cooling fluid that is capable of calculating a dosage of cooling fluid to be applied to the heat treated pellets, a second device for applying alcoholic derivative that is capable of calculating a dosage of alcoholic derivative to be applied to the heat treated pellets already cooled, and a carrier device that continuously communicates with the first device for applying cooling fluid and with the second device for applying alcoholic derivative.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an advantageous and effective process for the concentration of iron ores, which can be fully dry or mixed, part of the process being dry, part wet. The invention thereby improves process efficiency as a whole by increasing recovery of concentrators and increasing the useful life of the mines.

Abstract: An automatic method or the classification of the Degrees of Maturation (DM) for fired iron ore pellets, independent of human intervention, based on the digital acquisition of microscopy images of polished cross sections, and their processing, analysis and classification by a suitable software procedure.

Abstract: A mop head 2 having a body 5 to which a handle 3 may be attached, and a cleaning portion 7 extending from the body 5 and intended, in use, to clean a dirty surface. The mop head 2 has a formation 17 extending from the rest of the body 5, said formation 17 having an edge or surface 19 which is intended, in use, to clean the dirty surface. The surface may be curved. The surface 19 may comprise one or more formations 20 for cleaning the dirty surface.

Abstract: There is described a device for removing a drawer-type hopper of a railroad car, the device comprising: a first support base positioned on a platform and a second support base supported on the railroad car; and a tackle fastened on the first support base; the tackle comprising a first hook associated to the drawer-type hopper, the first hook and the drawer-type hopper being moved linearly by the tackle in the opposite direction of the railroad car.