Stages in mining and refining
Mineral occurrences
Mineral processing
Environmental impacts
Refining
100
Handover to nominated landowner
What is the final step in the closure process?
100
Kimberlite pipes
What is the major geological formation hosting diamonds?
100
Ball, rod, jaw
What are three types of crushing and milling equipment?
100
AMD, ARD
What are two acronyms for acid generated from sulphide oxidation in mine wastes and tailings (acid mine drainage, acid rock drainage)?
100
The Bayer process
What is the name for the hydrometallurgical process used in aluminium extraction?
200
Open pit/surface, underground, in situ leach
What are three types of minerals extraction processes?
200
Titanium, gold, zirconium, tin
What are the major minerals recovered from placer deposits?
200
Ferromagnetism, gravity, froth flotation
What are three processes for concentrating valuable minerals from bulk ore?
200
Tailings dam failures
What is the biggest environmental impact associated with mining and refining operations?
200
Electro-winning
What is the name of the process used to recover pure metal from dissolved cationic form in an aqueous solution?
300
The three commodities currently extracted using an in situ leach process on a commercial basis.
What are copper, uranium, and oil?
300
Gibbsite
What is the major mineral hosting aluminium in bauxite deposits?
300
Filtration, settling, solvent exchange, selective precipitation
What are four methods of solution purification during minerals extraction?
300
Topsoil stockpiling
What is a key component of a successful mine site rehabilitation strategy?
300
Activated carbon
What is the material used to adsorb gold cyanide complexes from solution?
400
CAPEX and OPEX
What are the two main expense categories associated with mine site development?
400
Red and black
What are the two colours commonly observed in banded iron formations?
400
Size reduction, froth flotation, smelting, fire-refining, electrowinning
What are the steps in copper metal extraction?
400
Stage 4: Operation
At which stage of the mining and refining process are the majority of environmental impacts realised?
400
A molten mixture of sulphides decanted after smelting
What is matte?
500
Phytoaccumulation
What is one of the methods used in the detection of geochemical anomalies?
500
Phosphate, barite, celestite
What are common minerals found in evaporitic deposits?
500
Scrubber
What is the major method to prevent SO2 emissions from mineral processing being released into the atmosphere?
500
Aerobic wetlands, permeable reactive barriers
What are two examples of passive treatment systems for the management of AMD?
500
The thermal treatment of minerals and ores
What is pyrometallurgy/What are pyrometallurgical processes?
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