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To: Raymond Duray who wrote (60689)	3/2/2005 6:42:37 AM
From: smolejv@gmx.net	Read Replies (4) \| Respond to of 74559

OT - Popcorn method used to crush mineral ore (From ASM E-letter) A popcorn method of crushing mineral ores, wherein the ground rock blows itself apart by internal explosion, was described by R.S. Dean, division of metallurgy, U.S. Bureau of Mines, before the meeting of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers. In a process like that used in making the familiar puffed grain cereal breakfast foods, ore is placed in a strong container. Then, steam from 150 to 250 pounds of pressure is forced into it. The high-pressure steam seeps through cracks and crevices of the ore. Suddenly, a valve is opened and the pent-up steam escapes. Steam imprisoned within the ore particles exerts such force on its way to freedom that it blows the ore apart. So cheap is this method of crushing that a ton of ground ore can be crushed for a power cost of 1.6 cents. This is less than one-fifth of present crushing costs. comment: maybe this will someday replace cyanide used to recover Au ...