MINE 292 Introduction to Mineral Processing Lecture 2

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MINE 292Introduction to Mineral
ProcessingLecture 2

• Overview of the Mining Industry
• How a Mineral Processor may end up running a mine
  
• and how a Miner may end up running a Mill

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Komatsu's Autonomous Haulage System
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How Komatsu's AHS Works
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The Canadian Mining Industry

• B.C.
• copper
• metallurgical coal
• gold
• silver
• lead/zinc (Trail Smelter)
• aluminum (Kitimat Smelter)
• Alberta
• - thermal coal
• - oil sands
• - gold
• - nickel refining (Ft. Saskatchewan)

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The Canadian Mining Industry

• Saskatchewan
• Potash
• Uranium
• Manitoba
• nickel (Thompson Smelter)
• gold
• copper

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The Canadian Mining Industry

• Ontario
• Platinum and PGMs
• Gold and Silver
• Iron ore (steel-making Hamilton Sault St.
  Marie
• Lead and Zinc
• Ni Cu (Falconbridge)Xstrata / (Inco)Vale
  smelters
• Salt

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The Canadian Mining Industry

• Quebec
• Copper (Noranda)Xstrata smelter - Rouyn-Noranda
• Gold and Silver
• Nickel
• Asbestos
• Iron ore (steel-making - Sorel and Montreal
• Lead and Zinc - Varennes refinery - S. of
  Montreal)

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The Canadian Mining Industry

• New Brunswick
• Copper
• Lead/Zinc (Pb/Zn smelting at Belledune)
• Potash
• Nova Scotia
• Tin
• Coal
• Gold
• Copper

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The Canadian Mining Industry

• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Nickel
• Copper
• Gold
• Iron ore

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The Canadian Mining Industry

• Yukon
• Gold
• Copper
• Zinc/Lead
• Northwest Territories
• Diamonds
• Gold/Silver
• Uranium
• Tungsten

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Metal Prices

• Producer Price (most base metals)
• Long term Contracts (iron ore and coal)
• Metal Exchange Price (N.Y. and London)
• - stocks are important factors (most precious
  metals)
• www.kitco.com (9/8/09)
• Can U.S. 0.93
• Gold /oz 1009
• Silver /oz 16.80
• Platinum /oz 1295
• Palladium /oz 303
• Nickel /lb 8.15
• Copper /lb 2.90
• Lead /lb 1.09
• Zinc /lb 0.88
• Aluminum /lb 0.83

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Price Trends

• 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
  2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
• Aluminum /lb 72.5 61.6 61.7 70.3 66.5
  61.2 64.9 77.8 86.1 116.5 119.6 69.0 83.0
• Copper /lb 103.6 75.1 72.1 84.0 73.7
  71.7 81.1 129.0 168.2 308.9 322.2 138.0 290.0
• Zinc /lb 60.0 46.5 48.8 51.2 45.2
  38.6 40.6 52.5 67.1 145.2 147.0 48.0 88.0
• Lead /lb 28.3 24.0 22.8 20.6 21.3
  20.5 23.3 40.2 44.3 58.5 117.0 45.0 109.0
• Nickel /lb 3.22 2.18 2.75 3.99 2.83
  3.10 4.45 6.34 6.81 10.98 16.91 4.00 8.15
• Moly /lb 4.17 3.31 2.59 2.50 2.31
  3.67 5.21 15.92 31.39 24.38 29.91 10.50 15.00
• Gold /oz 331 294 278 279 270
  310 364 409 445 604 697 748 1009
• Silver /oz 4.89 5.53 5.25 5.00 4.41
  4.63 4.91 6.69 7.34 11.57 13.42 8.25 16.80
• Platinum, /oz 395 372 377 544 546
  540 692 845 897 1,142 1,305 795 1295
• Palladium /oz 177 285 358 681 651
  337 200 231 202 320 355 175 303

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Leading Canadian Production - 2007

• Commodity of World
  RANK
• Production
• Uranium 23.0 1
• Potash 33.0 1
• Nickel 15.9 2
• Cobalt 13.3 2
• Titanium Conc. 14.6 3
• PGMs 4.4 3
• Aluminum 8.1 3
• Gypsum 7.5 4
• Asbestos 8.1 5
• Zinc 5.6 5
• Molybdenum 3.7 5
• Salt 6.0 5

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Gold price from 1950 to 2000
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Gold price since 1344 constant dollars
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Mining Information News

• www.infomine.com - Vancouver
• www.mining.com - London
• www.miningweekly.com - South Africa

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Fundamentals of Mineral Processing

• Mining
• Transportation (trucks/conveyors/shafts/pipeline)
  
• Comminution
• Liberation
• Separation
• Transportation (conveyors/trains/ships/pipelines)
  
• Extraction
• Transportation (trucks/trains/ships)
• Manufacturing
• Transportation to End Customers
  (trucks/trains/ships)

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Canadian Mining Clusters
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Capital Expenditures in the Canadian Mining
Industry 2003-2005
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Survey of Selected Production Costs
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Value of Production
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Worldwide Exploration Spending
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Trends in Canadian Exploration Expenditures
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Exploration in Canada Juniors vs. Seniors
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Exploration Spending by Target
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Top Ten Countries by Exploration Budget in 2005
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Global Mining Financings - 2005
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Mining Equity Raised role of the TSX
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Geographic Reach of TSX-Listed Companies - 2005
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Government Investment in Geoscience
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Employment in the Minerals Industry
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Employment in the Minerals Industry
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Energy and GHG Intensity Trends in Smelting and
Refining in Canada
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The Environment
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UBC-CERM3 and Britannia Mine

• The Millennium Plug Project
• Exhibits for the Museum of Mining
• The Water-Treatment-Plant
• Architectural Design Charrette
• District Heating System
• Bricks from Sludge

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UBC - Britannia Mine Collaboration

• for over 26 years, gt 9000 tonnes of heavy metals
  have spewed into Howe Sound with no one
  assuming responsibility to correct the problem
• UBC had a need for a research facility to conduct
  testwork into the design of bulkheads to seal
  tunnels
• by placing this laboratory at the 2200 level
  portal of Britannia Mine, two synergistic
  events occurred
• - UBC got its research lab at a full-scale
  field site
• - Britannia Mine closure plan moved nearer
  to fulfillment

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Problems at Britannia
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Water Quality in1995
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Project Supervisor - Rimas Pakalnis
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Corrosion of Concrete by ARD at Britannia Mine
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After 2200 Level was Plugged
1974-Present
Mining 1902-1974
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Mine History
Mine operated between 1902 and 1963 by Britannia
Mining and Smelting Co. and between 1963-1974 by
Anaconda Mining Company - 47 million tonnes of
ore mined - 80 km of underground development - 5
open pits (glory holes)
Britannia Concentrator
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Jane Creek before it drains into Britannia Creek
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Cleaning up Britannia Creek

• In 2001 CBEL in cooperation with UBC/CERM3,
  constructed a concrete plug in the 2200 Level of
  Britannia.
• Plug diverts water to lower part of the mine and
  is discharged to Howe Sound at 23 m depth.
• Concrete plug facilitates construction of
  experimental Millennium Plug

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The Millennium Plug Project Results
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Millennium Plug

• Built in much the same way as an earth dam
• Impervious clay core
• Layers of sand, gravel, cobble, rip rap
• Resistant to acidic conditions
• Cheaper to build
• Uses locally available materials
• Generates a walk-away solution

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Installation of the UBC Soil-Testing
Laboratory in the 2200 Level Portal at Britannia
Mine
Quartzite Rock/Sand
Clay Seal
Pressurized Chamber
Contact Grouting
Concrete Plug
Sand and Gravel
Rabble
Longitudinal Section
Pressurized Pipeline
Throttled Pipeline
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HDS Treatment System Features

• Sized to handle all but highest peak flows
• Lime-based HDS represents proven conventional
  technology implemented on a world-wide basis to
  meet stringent effluent and sludge disposal
  criteria.
• High effluent quality (ppb range) and non-toxic
• Produces minimum sludge volumes - sludges are
  chemically physically stable - comply with
  industrial landfill requirements.
• Can be designed with high level of automation to
  facilitate remote operation and advanced control
  and monitoring.

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HDS Plant Process Flow Diagram
Recycle Water
Flocculant
Lime Paste
Flocculant
Acidic Feed Water
Lime Tank
Lime Reactor
Clarifier
Sludge/Lime Mix Tank
Effluent Overflow
Air
Sludge Recycle
Sludge disposal
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Sludge Disposal

• Sludge Disposal in Jane Basin at least for first
  5 years
• Temporary holding site at 2200
• After plant is in operation - Studies to look at
  improving sludge stability

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Britannia Beach and CERM3

• CERM3 has been involved since 2000
• First group to address pollution at site
• Millennium Plug Project (2001)
• Exhibits for the Museum (2002)
• Community Design Charrette (2003)
• ARD Pilot Plant Testwork (2004)
• Geothermal Energy Project (2005)

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Health and Safety
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Sullivan Mine Accident May 2006

• On May 15th a sampling contractor did not come
  home from work.
• His body was found on Wed., May 17th lying face
  down in a sump beneath a sampling station at the
  No. 1 Waste Dump.
• A fellow contractor went in to try to revive him
  and immediately fell victim to a lack of oxygen.
• Two paramedics entered the shed thereafter and
  also succumbed to the lack of oxygen.

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Number 1 Shaft Dump Sullivan Mine
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N
Monitoring Station
16-inch pipe
Figure 1. No. 1 Shaft Waste Dump and seepage
monitoring station.
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Weather station and soil moisture station
Soil moisture station
Borehole 1A
Borehole 2A
Borehole 1B
Borehole 2B
Borehole 3B
Borehole 3A
Heated instrument shed
Figure 2. Locations of monitoring instruments
and boreholes.
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Figure 3. Air movement within waste dump
controlled by seasonal temperature.
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Borehole 1A
Borehole 2A
Borehole 2B
Borehole 1B
Borehole 3A
Borehole 3B
Figure 4. Sulphide and carbonate content measured
in drillhole samples ( S and CO3 by weight).
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Borehole 1A
0 O2
5 CO2
Borehole 2A
21 CO2
0.3 O2
21 CO2
0 O2
0 O2
5 CO2
5.6 CO2
0 O2
4.8 CO2
0 O2
5.1 CO2
0 O2
5.1 CO2
0.1 O2
Borehole 2B
0 O2
4.8 CO2
0 O2
2.4 O2
4.7 CO2
4.8 CO2
2 O2
4 CO2
4.7 CO2
0 O2
7 O2
2.1 CO2
Borehole 1B
1.7 O2
4.3 CO2
Borehole 3A
0.6 O2
4.5 CO2
17.9 O2
1.2 CO2
0.3 O2
4.3 CO2
0.2 O2
6.6 CO2
3.1 O2
4.3 CO2
0.9 O2
4.4 CO2
19.9 O2
0.3 CO2
Borehole 3B
3.4 O2
3.4 CO2
0.3 O2
7.2 CO2
0 O2
4.8 CO2
2.5 O2
5 CO2
1.9 O2
5 CO2
0 O2
4.7 CO2
13.1 O2
1.7 CO2
13 O2
1.8 CO2
0.9 O2
4.4 CO2
Figure 5. Borehole oxygen and carbon dioxide at
depth (June 7, 2007).
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Borehole 1A
Borehole 2A
10 ft
7.3 oC
6.8 oC
16 ft
6.9 oC
21 ft
7.3 oC
26 ft
Borehole 2B
10.5 oC
4 ft
10.9 oC
9.7 oC
8 ft
10.5 oC
8.3 oC
13 ft
Borehole 1B
18 ft
7.6 oC
Borehole 3A
11 oC
8 ft
Borehole 3B
9 oC
18 ft
13 ft
12.2 oC
28 ft
11.9 oC
Figure 6. Borehole temperatures at depth (May 31,
2007).
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Borehole 1A
Borehole 2A
Borehole 2B
Borehole 1B
Borehole 3A
Borehole 3B
Figure 7. Differences in air density resulting
from oxygen depletion and carbon dioxide
production.
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Detail of Monitoring Station
Alignment of former seepage collection ditch, now
toe drain.
Figure 8. Seepage collection system and
monitoring locations.
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Figure 9. Air flow in the 16 pipe and
atmospheric air temperature. A positive velocity
indicates air was moving into the pipe a
negative velocity means air was moving out.
Periods of inward flow are shaded green periods
of outward flow are shaded yellow.
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Figure 10. Daily average air temperature at
Cranbrook airport in May 2006. Monitoring
station was entered safely on May 8, 2006.
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Figure 11. Bare spots in the snow covering the
dump, March 2007.
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Water and Mining

• All mines must deal with water
• Surface precipitation (rain and/or snow)
• Ground water flows (in and out of mining area)
• Two main methods of Mining
• Underground
• Open Pit
• Underground types of mining
• Unsupported
• Supported
• Caving

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Water and Mining

• Broken rock provides fissures for water
  percolation
• Much higher specific surface area of exposed rock
• Sulfides react with air (O2) and water to produce
  sulfuric acid
• Acid leaches metals from the ore and waste

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Water and Processing

• Stages
• Liberation
• Crushing
• Grinding
• Mineral Separation/Beneficiation
• Flotation
• Gravity Separation
• Magnetic Separation
• Hydrometallurgy
• Metals Extraction
• Leaching
• Electrowinning/electrorefining
• Pyrometallurgy
• Roasting
• Smelting

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Water and Mining

• Mines must control water flow into mine
• Contaminated water is always being pumped from
  mine
• With surface mining, often must drawdown ground
  water-table in adjacent neighbourhood

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Water and Processing

• Water is required by virtually all processes
• To move material (pumping slurry)
• To separate ore minerals from waste
• To recover/extract metals from ore (leaching)
• Typical fresh water use 1 t / t of ore
• Recycling practices are used to
• Reduce fresh water use
• Provide sufficient water in arid climates

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Water and Processing

• Liberation
• Crushing
• Grinding

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Water and Processing

• Mineral Separation/Beneficiation
• Flotation
• Gravity Separation
• Magnetic Separation

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Water and Processing

• Reagents added to treat ores
• Flotation
• Collectors hydrophobicity (10-500 g/t)
• Frothers stabilize bubble formation (5-25 g/t)
• Depressants hydrophillicity (25 - 1,000 g/t)
• Activators bridge between mineral surface and
  collector
• (500 - 2,000 g/t)
• Dewatering
• Flocculants 1 - 10 g/t
• Dewatering Aids 1 - 10 g/t
• Hydrometallurgy
• Gold and precious metals (cyanide)
• Uranium ores (alkalis or
  acid)
• Copper ores (sulfuric
  acid)
• Zinc electrowinning (sulfuric acid)

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Water and Processing

• Collectors

Organic collectors
Amyl Xanthate
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Water and Processing

• Frothers

Inorganic collectors
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Water and Processing

• Depressants

Inorganic depressants
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Water and Processing

• Activators

Inorganic activators
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Water and Processing

• Gold recovery options

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Water and Processing

• Hydrometallurgy
• cyanidation

Elsner's equation
Park's equation
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Water and Processing

• Dewatering
• Separates solids from liquids
• Thickeners and filters
• Also clarifiers
• Needed for
• Saving pumping water costs
• Protecting the environment
• Preparing leach solutions for metal recovery

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Forms of Pollution

• Suspended Solids
• Dissolved metals and ion species
• Copper
• Zinc
• Aluminum
• Manganese
• Iron
• Can be complex ions such as cyanides

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Practices to Minimize and/or Eliminate

• Use dry processing (creates dust)
• Recover free material as coarse as possible
  (gravity/magnetic)
• Use as little fresh water as much as possible
  (recycling)
• Reduce water flows through mine areas (diversion)
• Treat effluent that must be discharged
  
  

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Dealing with Legacy Sites

• Britannia Beach
• Look for ways to become sustainable
• Look for ways to pay for pollution elimination
• Anticipate future standards
• Design for closure

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Energy Audits and Water Balances

• Reduce energy use
• Create geothermal resource
• Examine ways to reduce water use
• Recycling water back into aquifer
• Water energy

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Conclusions

• Metal pollution occurs at nearly all mines
• Prevent pollution during operation
• Plan for closure
• Monitor and treat

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The real price of gold since 1300 A.D.
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Gold and the U.S. Dollar
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Gold Price 1995-2007
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Platinum Price 1992-2007
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Silver Price 1995-2007
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Palladium Price 1992-2007
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Copper Price 2002-2007
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Copper LME Stocks 2002-2007
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Lead Price 2002-2007
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Lead LME Stocks 2002-2007
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Nickel Price 2002 - 2007
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Nickel LME Stocks 2002 - 2007
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Zinc Price 2002 - 2007
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Zinc LME Stocks 2002 - 2007
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Aluminum Price 2002-2007
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Aluminum LME Stocks 2002 - 2007
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Gold Associated with Quartz
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Pouring a Gold Bar
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Canadian Diamonds
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Reclamation at Bluebell
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Reclamation at BullMoose
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Native Plants at Quintette
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Tailings Reclamation at CVRD-Inco
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Antamina Tailings Dam