Underground heavy media separation - who is doing it?

[Kivi]

Does anyone know of a mine that is doing heavy media separation underground? as I understand, it is when the ore is crushed down to 6mm and the waste rock is separated before it is hoisted (or pumped) to surface.
thanks,

 

[CanuckMiner]

Kivi,

I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for, but there are some Uranium mines that do this (or something like it): Cameco's McArthur River and Cigar Lake for example.

Refer to the following link for more information

http://tinyurl.com/oorxn

I read a paper a couple of years ago that described the process (underground grinding/milling, pumping to surface, etc.). You might be able to search for the paper by googling "McArthur River".

Good Luck and Cheers,
CanuckMiner

 

[andyh22]

I know of a fair bit of work done in Timmins/Sudbury (ON). You do not have to crush to 6mm unless the mineralogy dictates this - you would typically run 1/4" - 1/2" in which case it would be hoisted. You may be thinking of the fines (-2mm) which typically carries sufficient grade to be considered "conc" and would either be dewatered and hoisted, or pumped. Let me know what the ore is and I can give you some more detailed guidelines.
Cheers
Andy

 

[Kivi]

Thanks,
I'm actually in Sudbury, never heard of it here, though I'm not involved with these types of systems. Do you know which mines? I'm trying to learn more about it from the operations.

 

[CanuckMiner]

andyh22, I too would be very interested to hear of mines in Sudbury (or Timmins) that pump concentrate, or for that matter, that crush to -1/2" (cone crushers??) underground. I must have missed something on my visits of these mines.

Kivi, are the Cameco operations that I cited along the lines of what you are looking for? I was also involved in some preliminary investigations into this subject for a Placer Dome property in Nevada a few years ago (it didn't go ahead).

I think it has always been the miner's dream to do the milling underground. It cuts down on ore transportation and handling costs, and reduces surface infrastructure. However, to my knowledge, it has not proven economical for base metal mines.

Cheers,
CanuckMiner

 

[andyh22]

Sorry, I should have been a bit more specific in my post: The work done in Sudbury/Timmins has not yet resulted in actual plant. I was referring to the work completed by my chief Met. in Timmins a few years ago (as a Falco employee). The concept was not a sucess - as a result of the mineralogy. More recently, the UBC guys have been looking at U/G DMS as an option for Sudbury producers to split ore/waste from footwall-type deposits.

We've put in some reasonable-sized DMS plant in South Africa, for the platinum industry: Aquarius's Kroondaal Platinum is a good case study. Also, Lion Ore are moving ahead with a DMS plant at Tati Nickel (Botswana) -ref:

http://tsedb.globeinvestor.com/serv...x/config&date=20060306&archive=cnw&slug=C4619

 

[Kivi]

Thanks, the cameco stuff is what I was looking for, but more for base metals. What about DMS on surface? In Canada? US?
Kivi,

 

[Kivi]

Thanks for the help,
found out that Sullivan Mine in BC and Nanasivik on Baffin Island used it, but both are now closed, also that coal mines, some gypsum mines use it and the diamond mines.

 

[PBroad]

Regarding Nanasivik the metallurgist who set up the plant is Godfrey McDonald who is now in consulting at 905 820 7534. This is a Toronto area phone #