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Uranium Past and Future Challenges Proceedings of The 7th International Conference On Uranium Mining and Hydrogeology 1st Edition Broder J. Merkel
Uranium Past and Future Challenges Proceedings of The 7th International Conference On Uranium Mining and Hydrogeology 1st Edition Broder J. Merkel
Uranium Past and Future Challenges Proceedings of The 7th International Conference On Uranium Mining and Hydrogeology 1st Edition Broder J. Merkel
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Uranium –
Past and Future
Challenges
Proceedings of the 7th International
Conference on Uranium Mining
and Hydrogeology
Uranium – Past and Future Challenges
Broder J. Merkel Alireza Arab
•
Editors
123
Editors
Broder J. Merkel
Alireza Arab
Institute for Geology
TU Bergakademie Freiberg
Freiberg
Germany
v
vi Preface
and thorium which are recklessly spread on agricultural soils and thus in the long
term endanger surface- and groundwater.
Future challenges will focus on the situation after most of the uranium brown-
fields have been cleaned up. However, uncertainties of thermodynamic data and the
lack of kinetic and sorption data will be a topic of future research. Another future
topic will probably be the development of environmentally friendly technologies
for nowadays uranium mining and mining of ores that contain significant amounts
of radioactive elements, respectively (e.g. many REE ores and phosphate). There-
fore, further efforts have to be made to develop efficient and low-cost techniques to
extract uranium from phosphates and REE-containing ores. This has to be
accompanied by the definition of limits by state authorities for permissible uranium
and thorium concentrations in fertilizers and naturally occurring radioactive mate-
rials (NORM). Mining phosphates and REE ores will have to consider radioactivity
as an additional risk. This might have the positive side-effect to trigger the devel-
opment of new mining techniques based on robotics and remote-controlled
operations.
Although worldwide efforts are made to expand the use of alternative energies it
is rather likely that nuclear energy utilization in future will continue to play an
important role worldwide for at least several decades. Thorium reactors might be
the basis for a worldwide renaissance of producing electricity and heat by means of
nuclear technologies because a reactor meltdown seems to be close to impossible
for a thorium reactor and proliferation risk is much lower than for uranium. Fur-
thermore, thorium reactors produce less and only short-living radioactive waste and
232
Th is about 500-times more abundant than 235U.
vii
viii Contents
Abstract. Uranium has been mined in Namibia since the 1970s. The worldwide
increasing need for energy in the early 2000s has triggered an increased interest in
uranium exploration, often referred to as “the Namibian Uranium Rush”. All in
all, five mining licenses have been granted by the Namibian Government, with
currently two mines in operation, a third under construction undertaking trial min-
ing, the fourth under care and maintenance after completing a large scale and suc-
cessful trial period and the fifth in project finance negotiations. In addition, highly
intensive prospecting activities at additional deposits are at an advanced stage. The
finalization of the strategic environmental impact assessment (SEA) on uranium
mining in 2010, the first of its kind and scale in the world, has enabled the Namib-
ian government to assess this uranium rush and its tremendous legal, socioeco-
nomic and environmental impacts and to prepare for different future scenarios, in-
cluding both, a skyrocketing and a complete breakdown of demand scenario. The
Fukushima disaster and plans of the Namibian government to significantly in-
crease royalties and company taxes in 2011 have threatened the market situation,
forcing investors to reevaluate Namibian uranium mining projects. However, with
the tax and royalty increase initiative since withdrawn, most projects have soon
been back on track with significant pace, when again low market prices hampered
some of the projects or even completely put them on hold.
Introduction
While small-scale mining activities by the local San people on the outcrops of the
copper deposits around Tsumeb and Otavi in northern Namibia have been reported
since precolonial times, mining for base metals in the Central Namib Desert start-
ed only in 1901. The first uranium deposits were discovered as early as 1910. This
did, however, not lead to any mining activities on those uranium deposits in the
following decades (Southern African Institute for Environmental Assessment,
2010; Schneider et al., 1992).
The increase in the use of nuclear energy in the 1960s and early 1970s trig-
gered extensive uranium exploration worldwide. The first uranium mine in Na-
mibia was commissioned in 1976. In the following three decades, the focus of
prospecting activities in Namibia shifted away from uranium. However, since
2000, the forecast for a developing and growing global economy and its growing
energy demand have sparked off a large number of new nuclear energy projects
worldwide (Southern African Institute for Environmental Assessment, 2010;
Schneider et al., 1992; Nukem).
In Namibia, this increasing demand did not only lead to the opening of a sec-
ond uranium mine in 2006, but also caused an increased general interest in urani-
um exploration, often referred to as the Namibian Uranium Rush. Currently, five
mining licenses have been granted by the Namibian Government, with two mines
in operation, a third undertaking trial mining, the fourth under care and mainte-
nance after a successful pre-production stage and the fifth in project finance nego-
tiations. In addition, prospecting activities at three deposits are at an advanced
stage. In total, 36 exploration licenses for nuclear fuels have been granted in the
Erongo region and nearly the same number elsewhere in Namibia. The cumulated
production figures of the existing mines and of those currently under construction
could raise Namibia’s position as an uranium producer from currently the fourth to
the second largest supplier of nuclear fuel worldwide (Southern African Institute
for Environmental Assessment, 2010; Schneider, 2009; Chamber of Mines of Na-
mibia; Mischo 2012, Nukem).
In Namibia, the Uranium Rush, with its tremendous legal, socioeconomic and
environmental impacts, forced the government in 2007 to place a moratorium on
any further uranium prospecting licenses. This was done to ensure that the authori-
ties and other stakeholders had time to consider how to manage the Uranium
Rush. One of the most prominent results of this moratorium is the Strategic Envi-
ronmental, Economic and Social Assessment for the region, the first of its kind in
the world. Since 2011 low market prices for uranium, however, have a significant
impact both on the active as well as on prospective mining operations (Southern
African Institute for Environmental Assessment, 2010; Schneider, G., 2009;
Chamber of Mines 2013).
The primary deposits, i.e. uraniferous leucogranites, also known as alaskites, oc-
cur preferentially in and around anticlinal and dome structures along the so-called
‘Alaskite Valley’ to the east of Swakopmund, a NE-trending zone of the Damara
orogen hosting all known economically mineralized leucogranites. The age of
these uraniferous leucogranite intrusions is estimated at between 458 ± 8 million
years at the Rössing Mine and up to 542 ± 33 million years in the Swakop River
valley. They are confined to the areas of highest metamorphic grade. The predom-
inant uranium mineral in the leucogranites is uraninite (UO2); however, betafite
and secondary uranium mineral might be the major mineral phase in some places
(Southern African Institute for Environmental Assessment, 2010; Schneider et al.,
1992).
The secondary-type uranium deposits are mainly found in calcretes and gravel
deposits downstream from primary deposits. Today, placed entirely within the 100
mm isohyete, these deposits have been formed in a fluvial environment within
paleo valleys of ancient rivers that flowed westwards from the Great Escarpment
during the upper Cretaceous and the lower Cenozoic periods. The main uranium-
bearing mineral in the calcretes is carnotite, a bright yellow potassium-uranium
vanadate. While the age of the paleo channel system dates back to the middle and
lower Cretaceous periods, the age of the uranium mineralization in most deposits
is estimated to be only between 2 to 5 million years (Schneider et al., 1992; Mis-
cho and Ellmies 2012).
Currently, there are two large uranium mines in operation in the Erongo Region
(Rössing, Langer Heinrich), and one other uranium mine is under construction
(Husab Mine). The fourth mine (Trekkopje Mine), which has already produced
440 t of U3O8 (yellow cake) during large scale heap leach operations in its pre-
production phase, has been put under care and maintenance in 2012 due to ex-
tremely low grades and insufficient market prices. The number of direct employ-
ees and contractors for the three active mining operations in the region, as well as
tax income, has led to overall economic and social prosperity in the region with a
direct dependency rate of 8 and the indirect dependency rate estimated in the re-
gion of 28 persons per job created at the mines (Chamber of Mines of Namibia:
SOMP).
The two operating uranium mines (Rössing and Langer Heinrich) and the Hu-
sab mine under construction contribute significantly to Namibian development,
not only through taxes and royalties, but also through employment, subcontract-
ing, wages and salaries. The combined employment at these mines in 2013, of
1,975 permanent staff, 163 temporary staff and 3,264 contractors, represents al-
most 6.4% of the economically active working population of the Erongo region
(based on 2011 census figures). Research by Ashby (2009) at the Langer Heinrich
mine found that the dependency ratio for workers to dependents on the mines is
4 Helmut Mischo, Rainer Ellmies
approximately one-third higher than the average for the Erongo Region as deter-
mined in the 2001 census, which results in the average transfer of financial sup-
port to the rural areas of approximately 900 N$ per month. The same figure is es-
timated for the well-established Rössing Mine (Southern African Institute for
Environmental Assessment, 2010; Chamber of Mines of Namibia).
The two operating uranium mines produced a total of 4,878 t of U308 in 2013,
while additionally 440 t of U308 from pre-production tests at Trekoppie mine have
been produced and shipped. A production target of 7,000 t U308 is expected in
2015, as Husab will ramp up towards full production. (Southern African Institute
for Environmental Assessment, 2010; Chamber of Mines of Namibia 2009 - 2013;
Rio Tinto, 2010; Paladin Energy, 2012; AREVA, 2010a).
The Rössing Mine, the only uranium mine in Namibia from 1976 until 2006, is
currently the third largest open pit - hard rock uranium mine in the world. It is sit-
uated in the central Namib Desert, approximately 65 km east-north-east of
Swakopmund (Fig. 4). The open pit is about 3 km long, 1.2 km wide and up to
390 m deep, mining a low-grade ore with an average uranium content of slightly
over 350 ppm. It is operated by the Rössing Uranium Ltd., with its major share-
holders Rio Tinto Zinc Cooperation, Iran and Namibia. The remaining shares are
strewn worldwide (Rio Tinto, 2009; Langefeld, 2005).
The name Rössing derives from the Rössing Mountains that are situated ap-
proximately 20 km west of the current mine site. Radioactive minerals in the vi-
cinity of the current mine site were first reported by Reuning in 1910. It was only
the political interest in uranium deposits in the 1940s that led to a more intensive
exploration, when the Geological Survey of South Africa examined the Rössing
area for the occurrence of uranium ore. The uranium mineralizations were as-
sessed as uneconomical for mining. Only in 1966, the British Rio Tinto group
with its subsidiary Rio Tinto South Africa Ltd. was attracted to the Rössing depos-
it. Together with several international investors, the Rössing Uranium Ltd. was
founded in 1970. After an intensive drilling program, the existence of a very large,
low-grade deposit of uranium that could be mined by open pit methods was
proved. After numerous metallurgical trials and some pilot plant test work, which
also showed that the uranium could be recovered by means of conventional metal-
lurgical processes, the development of the mine started in 1973 (Schneider et al.,
1992).
Uraninite (UO2) is the dominant primary mineral and occurs as grains ranging
in size from a few microns to 0.3 mm, with the majority in the 0.05 to 0.1 mm
fraction. The plant was commissioned in June 1976 and commercial production
started in January 1978 (Schneider et al., 1992; Rio Tinto, 2009; Langefeld, 2005).
With the opening of the mine, the ore reserves of the deposit were calculated
from the data obtained from the surface diamond-drilling program. Using comput-
er techniques at a large scale for the first time in the then South-West Africa, an
optimum 20-year plan for the mine life was obtained. With ongoing exploration
Uranium Boom in Namibia – Hausse or Baisse 5
and reduced production figures during the uranium bust of the 1980s and 1990s,
according to recent planning, the life-of-mine span could be extended to 2024. In
2013, a total mass of 36 Mt of ore and waste have been moved. This significant
earthworks supplied 11 Mt of ore to the processing plant (Schneider et al., 1992;
Chamber of Mines of Namibia, 2013; Rio Tinto, 2009; Mischo, 2009; Langefeld,
2005).
In general, the mineability of the Rössing ore body, and thus its short- and mid-
term planning, is complicated due to the fact that it consists of a mixture of urani-
um-bearing leucogranite and barren metamorphic rock. At the same time, both the
uranium content of the leucogranite, as well as its spatial extension, ranging from
large masses to narrow bodies intercalated with barren metasedimentary rock, are
extremely variable. In addition, the acid consumption of the rocks for the metal-
lurgical process of leaching the uranium from the ore varies greatly from low con-
sumption for leucogranite to very high consumption for marble (Southern African
Institute for Environmental Assessment, 2010; Schneider et al., 1992; Rio Tinto,
2009; Mischo, 2009; Mischo et Ellmies, 2012).
The mining method in the kidney-shaped main open pit is a typical hard rock
drill-and-blast operation (Fig. 1). Bench heights have been adjusted to 15 m in or-
der to allow a drill pattern adjustment to the highly altered ore body. After pre-
split, the production boreholes (380 mm diameter and 18 m length) are drilled and
charged. The use of “heavy ANFO” (60% emulsion and 40% ANFO prills) has
proven to be effective and economical (Rio Tinto, 2009; Mischo, 2009; Langefeld,
2005).
The diesel-electrical 180-t Komatsu haulage trucks drive up the main ramp
with the help of a trolley system, which has proven to be cost-effective through
the low electricity costs available in southern Africa. Truck utilization, position
and speed are being monitored continuously by a computerized control system.
Each truck load is scanned at stationary test areas by four scintillation meters to
detect the intensity of the gamma radiation. Depending on the radioactive invento-
ry of a truck, the ore is either transported to the processing plant, to the low-grade
stockpile or to the waste dump (Rio Tinto, 2009).
The recovery of the leached uranium by an ammonia precipitation process led
to a production of 2,469 t of uranium oxide (yellow cake, U3O8) in the year 2013.
In order to handle high production, while at the same being able to handle lower-
grade ore effectively, large column heap leach tests were conducted successfully
in 2009. The construction and commissioning of a pilot plant for a heap leach pro-
cess has been scheduled for the end of 2011, but is currently on hold due to pro-
duction decrease since 2010 (Chamber of Mines of Namibia; Rio Tinto, 2009;
Langefeld, 2005).
The daily resulting 80,000 m3 of slime and wash water are led to a settling basin
via a pipeline. The cleared water is reused and, thus, provides over 60% of the wa-
ter demand of the plant (Rio Tinto, 2009, Mischo et al., 2012).
The ore reserve estimates for this cut of grade (250 ppm U3O8 ) are 30.0 Mt
proved reserves, with an U3O8 content of 17,934 t, and 20.6 Mt of probable ore re-
serves, with a content of 11,950 t (Chamber of Mines of Namibia; Paladin Energy,
2012).
The uranium mineralization occurs as carnotite. The estimated formation of the
deposit took place at least 0.5 million years ago, when the already arid environ-
ment preserved the deposit. Most geologists estimate the age of the deposit be-
tween 2 and 5 million years. Today, the deposit is located within the 70 mm iso-
hyets (Southern African Institute for Environmental Assessment, 2010; Schneider
et al., 1992; Paladin Energy, 2010).
Mining operations first started at the central high-grade zone close to the pro-
cessing plant (pits A and B), followed by pit D, while the other high-grade zones
along the paleo valley are to be brought into production step by step. After the
Stage II expansion in 2011, which has increased lift production capacity from 760
t/a U3O8 to 1,665 t/a, in 2013 the Stage III expansion has been completed, which
has increased annual production to 2,409 t/a U3O8. The original target was even
higher, with a planned 2,700 t/a, but the uncertain process water supply by Nam-
Water, the parastatal company responsible for water supply in Namibia, currently
does not allow for this. Originally, a further expansion, the Stage IV expansion,
had also been planned, with an annual mine production of about 4,500 t/a U 3O8.
But this would, leaning aside the low availability of process water, also require the
installation of a second water pipeline and, in addition, an upgrade to the existing
power supply (Southern African Institute for Environmental Assessment, 2010;
Paladin Energy, 2010).
Every expansion stage increases run-of-mine production, thus leading to a se-
quence of parallel-operated open pits along an east-west axis. All mining opera-
8 Helmut Mischo, Rainer Ellmies
tions in the different pit are organized as a truck & shovel operation, with a semi-
selective drill and blast pattern, designed according to the geologic deposit model.
Due to the complexity of the deposit, bench heights of only 6 and 9 m have been
established at the production areas. While today material is blended from different
faces for a continuous and equalized feeding the plant, this practice will be ex-
tended to parallel and simultaneous operation of several pits (Paladin Energy,
2010; Mischo, 2009).
The calcrete ore has required a new metallurgical process in the plant, since the
acid tank leach process, as established for the primary uranium deposits, is not ap-
plicable to the Langer Heinrich type deposits, due to excessive acid consumption
in the calcrete environment. Therefore, the uranium is liberated using a tank-based
alkaline leach process followed by an ion exchange process and roasting to pro-
duce the final U3O8 product (Southern African Institute for Environmental As-
sessment, 2010; Chamber of Mines of Namibia; Paladin Energy, 2010).
In addition to those for the two operating mines, the Namibian Ministry for Mines
and Energy has issued three more mining licenses on nuclear fuel/uranium in the
last ten years. One of those planned mines already started preproduction in 2009
but ceased due to low market prices, the second one is in preproduction phase
while the third is currently put on hold due to financial constraints (Ministry of
Mines and Energy of the Republic of Namibia, 2010).
Rössing South/Husab
Swakop Uranium has been conducting exploration work on the Husab deposit
since 2008. Despite adverse conditions in the uranium market, Swakop Uranium
and its Hongkong-based shareholders Taurus Investments (Pty) Ltd (90%) -
owned by China General Nuclear Power Holding Company (CGNPC) as well as
the Namibian state-owned Epangelo Mining Company (10%) - announced their
decision to forge ahead with the construction of the mine at an investment of N$20
billion.
The Husab deposit, formerly known as Rössing South, is interpreted as being
an extension of the same stratigraphy that hosts the Rössing Mine. Located 15 km
south of the Rössing Mine, the ore body is buried under some 30 m of desert
sands. Here again, the main uranium host rock is leucogranite. The mining license
was granted in 2012 and the ground breaking ceremony took place on April 18
2013. The Husab deposit was first drilled in 2007, and the results from intensive
chemical assay confirmed the discovery in February 2008. In the original explora-
tion campaign, two major high-grade zones were discovered. Zone 1 has indicated
reserves of 21 Mt of ore containing 529 ppm of uranium, which translates to
Uranium Boom in Namibia – Hausse or Baisse 9
10,800 t of U3O8. The inferred resources at this zone were estimated at 126 Mt of
ore at 436 ppm uranium, thus increasing the U 3O8 content to 54,450 t. For the sec-
ond high-grade zone, Zone 2, which is situated south of Zone 1, only inferred re-
sources have been published, showing a uranium content of 543 ppm and an esti-
mated U3O8 content of 54,900 t (Southern African Institute for Environmental
Assessment, 2010; Extract Resources; Extract Resources, 2010; Spivey and
Penkethman, 2010).
Both deposits seem to have a relatively simple geometry with a moderate dip.
Since the rock strength of the ore, as well as the host rock, indicates it to be suffi-
cient for opening a deep opencast mine, a traditional mine design with two large
open pits has been chosen as shown in Fig. 3. A complete new infrastructure in-
cluding a 22 km access road over the Khan river needed to be constructed in order
to bring high performance mining equipment (e.g. 300 t Komatsu haulage trucks)
on site. Designed production figures under full production are 40,000 t per day
with a mine life of more than 20 years, translating into an annual production of
6,700 t U3O8 through an acid tank leach process. Mining operations commenced in
March 2014. The plan is to ensure that a Run-of-Mine (ROM) stockpile will be
ready for processing on completion of the processing plant as of end of 2014. A
total investment of N$ 21 billion is foreseen until 2017, with an expected contribu-
tion up to 5 % to the Namibian Gross Domestic Product, 20% to the country’s
merchandise exports and generate up to N$1 700 million per year in Government
revenue (Southern African Institute for Environmental Assessment, 2010; Extract
Resources; Extract Resources, 2010; Spivey and Penkethman, 2010; Swakop Ura-
nium, 2014).
Fig.3. Husab Construction site and Open Pit Model (source: Swakop Uranium).
10 Helmut Mischo, Rainer Ellmies
Trekkopje Mine
Fig.4. Trekkopje heap leach pilot plant operation (source: Geological Survey of Namibia).
Areva claims that with this heap leach process they are using far less water than
with a similar tank leach process. Certain constraints with a secure water supply to
its heap leach process and the location of the mine far north of any previously de-
veloped mining infrastructure have led to the decision of the Areva group to build
their own desalination plant with a capacity of 20 million m³ due west of the mine
at the Atlantic coast. The Erongo Desalination Plant at Wlotskasbaken was inau-
gurated in October 2009 and, after entering a successful cooperation agreement
with the state owned NamWater water supply entity, will keep in operation to
supply the other ongoing mining activities and coastal towns (Southern African
Institute for Environmental Assessment, 2010; Chamber of Mines of Namibia;
AREVA, 2010a; AREVA 2012; Ministry of Mines and Energy of the Republic of
Namibia, 2010).
Valencia Mine
The Valencia deposit is one of the most inland-bound uranium mining projects in
the Central Namib, situated about 50 km southwest of Usakos. The Valencia radi-
ometric anomaly was first shown on the 1968 Geological Survey radiometric map,
but the significance of the anomaly was only realized in 1973 after a detailed heli-
copter radiometric survey was conducted across the area (Southern African Insti-
tute for Environmental Assessment, 2010; Schneider et al., 1992).
12 Helmut Mischo, Rainer Ellmies
The database of the Namibian Ministry of Mines and Energy lists a total of 78 ex-
clusive prospecting licenses (EPL) for nuclear fuels in Namibia. Currently 36 of
them are located in the central western Namib, while a further six EPL application
decisions are pending. No new EPLs have been granted by MME since 2007, as a
moratorium is in place. The most advanced projects are described below (Southern
African Institute for Environmental Assessment, 2010; Schneider, 2009; Ministry
of Mines and Energy of the Republic of Namibia, 2010).
The Etango Project (EPL 3345), of the Australian Bannerman Resources Ltd., is
situated on the south bank of the Swakop River near Goanikontes, some 35 km
east of Swakopmund. Thus, it is situated in the vicinity of a well-known tourist ar-
ea, the so-called Moon Landscape (Southern African Institute for Environmental
Assessment, 2010; Schneider, 2009; Bannermann Resources, 2010a).
During intensive prospecting activities on eight previously identified radio-
metric anomalies within the EPL, two major mineralization zones, arranged in a
boomerang-shaped pattern, have been identified. The total uranium content of
these two high grade zones has been estimated at 56,970 t of U3O8, of which
40,140 t are indicted (195.5 Mt of ore with an average of 207 ppm uranium) and
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side, crowding through a doorway or gateway, and direct blows of
other kinds are charged with its pathogenesis. The friability which
attends on leucocythæmia has been noted as a predisposing cause.
Calves by reason of their small size and the relative bulk of the spleen
are especially liable to rupture by kicks from animals or men.
Much more commonly than in solipeds, rupture of the spleen
occurs as a complication of specific microbian diseases like anthrax
and Southern cattle fever.
Symptoms. The mature animal assumes the recumbent position,
refusing to rise, and dies in a few hours. In calves, life may be
prolonged for a few hours longer, and there have been noticed,
anorexia, watering of the eyes, accelerated pulse and respiration,
arrest of intestinal peristalsis, cold ears, rigid limbs, and moderately
full belly (Notz). There should also be tenderness on manipulation or
percussion of the left hypochondrium, and until coagulation occurs,
fluctuation in the lower part of the abdomen, with pallid mucous
membranes and other signs of profuse internal hæmorrhage.
Treatment is useless in the majority of cases. In the slighter forms
it would be the same as in the horse.
TUMORS OF THE SPLEEN.
Hertzen records the case of a pig in which the spleen had become
gangrenous and lay free in a surrounding fibrous capsule.
TUBERCLES AND GLANDERS NODULES OF
THE SPLEEN.
Tubercles in the spleen are common in cattle, swine, guinea-pigs,
rabbits and cats, in the last largely as the result of ingestion of
tuberculous meat. In the larger mammals individual tubercles are
usually of the size of a walnut and upward, while in the smaller they
show as miliary deposits. The products are often caseated or
calcified.
Glander nodules are found in the spleen of the horse and other
solipeds and as the result of inoculation in that of rabbits and
guinea-pigs. In solipeds they may be of considerable size whereas in
the inoculated rodents they are usually small and numerous—like
millet seed or pins’ heads.
PARASITES OF THE SPLEEN.
Parasites are less common in the spleen than might be expected
yet the encysted parasites of the liver and pancreas, are also to be
found in the spleen. Thus echinococcus is found in the spleen of
cattle, and headless hydatids in that of the horse; cysticercus
tenuicollis in the spleen of sheep; cysticercus cellulosa in that of
pigs; distomata, and pentastoma denticulata in the spleen of cattle;
coccidia in the spleen of rabbits; and actinomyces in that of horses
and cattle.
In addition to these the spleen is a general rendezvous for the
different pathogenic organisms that can survive in the blood stream,
such as the bacilli of tubercle, glanders, septicæmia, anthrax, black
quarter, swine plague and hog cholera, and for the cocci of
suppuration, strangles, contagious pneumonia, etc. (See Parasites
and Contagious Diseases).
INDEX.