13. Slimes from Underground

Question 1

What are 3 sources of fines (slimes) in water?

Answer 1

1. drilling
2. mine backfill
3. blasting

Question 2

Backfill

Answer 2

material placed underground in stopes in the place of ore

Question 3

What are 4 reasons to back/mine fill?

Answer 3

1. prevents caving
2. adds wall support/confines fractures
3. creates a working floor
4. improves pillar recovery

Question 4

What are 4 problems caused by slimes?

Answer 4

1. interfere with flotation decreasing recovery
2. increases the consumption of reagents
3. entrainment causes low concentrate grades
4. causes low flotation rates and poor separation

Question 5

Flocculation

Answer 5

fines accumulating together and settling faster

Question 6

Marcy Scale

Answer 6

scale used to measure the percentage of solids IF the SG of the dry solids is known

Question 7

Pulp Density

Answer 7

the amount of solids in a pulp

Question 8

Sumps

Answer 8

underground excavations used to store water

Question 9

Sump Rules of Thumb

Answer 9

dilution is the solution to pollution