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There are new comments added to the following blog postings since the last comments alert:

Is this scientific suicide?
Return to Chingola
Return to Nchanga, Zambia's greatest mine
Flotation of chalcocite at very low pH
The IMPC is only 4 weeks away
Modeling and simulation of mineral processing systems
Chinese translation of Mineral Processing Technology

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Chinese translation of Mineral Processing Technology

We had welcome visitors today, Prof. Tim Napier-Munn and his wife Georgie, who are on a 2-month 'Grand Tour' of Europe.

It was an opportune time for Tim to call into Falmouth, as last night I received a surprise package by courier- the Chinese translation of the 7th edition of Mineral Processing Technology. The English version was published in 2006, edited by Tim, who was then Director of Australia's JKMRC, his staff, and me.

I had no idea that the book was being translated, and the Chinese edition is published by Metallurgical Industry Press, ISBN 978-7-5024-5437-1, and comes 25 years after the first foreign translation, of the 1st edition, into Spanish in 1987.

It was great to see Tim and Georgie, and to lunch with them at Falmouth's excellent The Cove Restaurant.

Integrating Biohydrometallurgy in Contemporary Mine Production

For some years now biohydrometallurgy has been one of the process options evaluated by the mining industry for base metal sulfide and sulfidic-refractory precious metal projects. However, the difficulties of process selection are increasing substantially, because of declining ore grades, complex mineralogy, deep deposits, and environmental and societal pressures.

Biohydrometallurgy is likely to play an increasing role in future mines, because the technology offers various processing methods and there is opportunity for innovation. This will be the subject of a keynote address at Biohydromet ’14, to be given by Dr. Corale Brierley. She will address how advances in biohydrometallurgical processing might be commercially used in mines of the future.

Dr. Brierley of Brierley Consultancy LLC, USA, provides consultation to the mining and chemical industries and government agencies, offering expertise and experience in minerals bioleaching, metal-bearing waste management, market analyses and business development related to metals extraction, and minerals and energy policy research.

In an internationally recognized career of over 30 years, she has spent 20 years as an international consultant; two years with Newmont Mining Corporation as Head of Environmental Process Development; eight years of managing Advanced Minerals Technology Inc., a metal's biotechnology company; and 10 years of applied research and development at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. She was inducted in 1999 into the U.S. National Academy of Engineering for "innovations applying biotechnology to mine production and remediation". Dr. Brierley is the 2008 recipient of AIME’s James Douglas Gold Medal Award, which recognizes distinguished achievement in nonferrous metallurgy, and at the 2011 SME Meeting, was the recipient of the  Milton E. Wadsworth Award, which recognizes distinguished contributions that advance our understanding of the science and technology of non-ferrous chemical metallurgy.

The other keynote lecture at Biohydromet ’14 will be given by Prof. Barrie Johnson, of Bangor University, UK.

Modeling and Simulation of Mineral Processing Systems

Peter and Ellen King

One of the great names in mineral processing was Prof. Peter King, who sadly passed away six years ago, only three years after being awarded the IMPC’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2003 IMPC in Cape Town.

Peter was Professor of Metallurgical Engineering at the University of Utah for 17 years, and prior to that was Professor of Metallurgy at Wits University, South Africa. He made major contributions to flotation modelling and liberation analysis, was the editor of International Journal of Mineral Processing, and authored a number of state of the art books.

One of these was Modeling and Simulation of Mineral Processing Systems, published by Butterworth-Heinemann in 2001 (see MEI Online). As this edition became out of print and the publisher wished only to produce an electronic version, the SME decided to produce a 2nd edition in printed form, edited by Claudio Schneider, of CETEM, Brazil, and Peter’s widow Ellen King.

This edition builds on Peter’s notes from the first edition, and on correspondence with many people who offered significant contributions towards a further edition. This second edition also includes new installations for the accompanying software and a more recent student version of ModSim.

Modeling and Simulation of Mineral Processing Systems
2nd Edition, 2012, by R.P. King, edited by C.L. Scheider and E.A. King
ISBN-13: 978-0-87335-345-8
is available from the publisher, SME.

MEI Consultant Markus Reuter’s Aalto appointment

It was good to hear that Outotec's expert in recycling and sustainable technologies, Professor Markus Reuter has been appointed Adjunct Professor at Aalto University, Finland (full story on MEI Online).

He may not remember, but I was external examiner for his PhD thesis at the University of Stellenbosch back in 1991. Markus has been a long-standing member of the Minerals Engineering editorial board, and is MEI Consultant to the Sustainability through Mineral Resource Conservation and Recycling (SRCR) series of conferences.

After academic posts at Stellenbosch, Delft and Melbourne Universities, he moved into industry and is now Outotec’s Director for Technology Management as well as being Professorial Fellow of Sustainable Technology at the University of Melbourne.

It is always a pleasure to work with Markus, and we at MEI look forward to seeing him in Falmouth again in 2014 for SRCR ’14, which this time has the added bonus of running back to back with Biohydromet ’14.

Boscastle to Tintagel

Last week’s walk between Looe and Polperro was rather disappointing, but this weekend we were in north-east Cornwall, and walked one of the most interesting and dramatic sections of the coast-path, the 5-mile stretch between the villages of Boscastle and Tintagel. If you are attending an MEI Conference in Falmouth, and you have a car, then I would highly recommend the 50 mile drive to Tintagel, where you can leave your car and take the short bus journey to Boscastle to undertake this stunning, moderately graded walk.

The River Valency, Boscastle

Boscastle August 2004

Boscastle is a picturesque harbour village at the mouth of the River Valency. It is hard to believe, as you wander down the bank of the river to the harbour, that eight years ago the village suffered extensive damage after an exceptional amount of rain that caused the river to burst its banks. The ensuing flash flood was filmed and extensively reported, being the worst in local memory. Although, miraculously, nobody was badly injured, the destruction was vast. When the waters receded the following day the streets were strewn with cars, boulders and uprooted trees, shops were torn in half and many houses were uninhabitable.

Boscastle Harbour

The harbour in 2004

From the harbour, there is a very steep climb to the top of the cliff, from where the tortuous channel leading into the little harbour can be seen, a route which must have been nightmarish in the days of sail.

The entrance to Boscastle Harbour

This is very much slate country, and all around is the evidence of the unimaginable tectonic forces which laid the foundations for the rugged beauty of Cornwall over 300 million years ago.

Approaching Tintagel, the famous island castle comes into view.

Tintagel Island and its ruined medieval castle

This is one of Cornwall’s busiest tourist destinations, being associated with the mythical King Arthur, whose legend has only the most tenuous links with real historical evidence. The 12th century castle was built by Reginald de Cornwall, illegitimate son of Henry I, and was extended in the early 14th century by the Black Prince, and it was in ruins by the 16th century. Nevertheless it is well worth a visit and the views from the top of nearby Glebe Cliff are impressive.

From the castle there is a steep walk up to Tintagel Village, which has little to recommend it apart from its host of souvenir shops, which exploit to the full the Arthurian legend.

More Cornish Walks
More on Cornwall