El trabajo fue realizado en plantaciones de Eucaliptus urograndis en el estado de Mato Grosso, Brasil. El objetivo fue determinar los indicadores técnicos y económicos del corte de árboles. Se realizó un estudio sobre la dinámica de trabajo de la operación con la máquina cortadora-apiladora (feller-buncher), tomando información sobre el tiempo del ciclo operacional, el volumen de producción, consumo de combustibles, lubricantes y otras informaciones proporcionadas por el propietario de la máquina. Para el estudio de tiempo fue utilizado el cronometraje directo durante toda la jornada de trabajo y para el cálculo de los costos fue empleada la metodología propuesta por Sessions (1992). El resultado de la productividad efectiva fue de 113,66 m 3 he-1 , el costo operacional de 89,37 USD h-1 y el costo de producción de 0,79 USD m-3. Palabras clave: cosecha de madera, mecanización forestal, operaciones forestales.

Exploitation and processing of pegmatoids at Brazil's northeast (Serido region-RN State) aiming further use as dimension stone produces mass losses ranging between 30%-90%. The tailings are predominantly composed by feldspar, quartz, muscovite and other Fe-bearing silicates such as biotite and amphiboles, suitable for ceramic production. The recovery of these elements depends on mica's remotion to levels under 2.0%, preferentially by dry methods due the scarce amount of water prevailing at Serido region. This paper presents results from pegmatite tailings characterization from Serido region showing the potentially application as raw material for ceramic production. To do it, a new technological route must be developed to fit it as main component to white ceramic industry, considering the properties required by ceramic industries.

Flocculation is a complex process, usually dependant on various conditions to perform adequately. Nevertheless, the relevance and interaction of the process variables are not easily found in literature. In this study, nine variables of ultrafine quartz flocculation systems, defined in Part 1 of this study, were analysed. The effects of each variable and their interactions in the system were investigated based on flocculation and sedimentation tests. The results were statistically evaluated using the supernatant turbidity as experimental response. The evaluations resulting from the statistical approach indicated that suspension pH (5.49%) was the most significant variable, followed by flocculant concentration (4.07%) with the second greatest effect on the turbidity of the supernatant. Solid concentration, agitation intensity, and surfactant conditioning time (4.05%, 3.51% and 3.51%, respectively), also have significant effects on ultrafine quartz flocculation. The flocculant concentration and the surfactant conditioning time were the variables with the most significant interactions with the main variables. The Camp Number values showed a negative exponential relationship with the turbidity results, proving to be an important tool to evaluate flocculation. Backscattered electron scanning microscopy images of flocs formed in the presence of 30 g/t PAM showed compact flocs in the size range between 150 and 365 µm, with noticeable sphericity.

A characterization study was performed to verify the more relevant physicochemical properties for quartz flocculation with polyacrylamide, as well as to define which variables should be further investigated regarding this flocculation system. Polyacrylamide was evaluated through molecular weight, radius of gyration, and infrared spectrometry. A natural quartz sample was investigated regarding its particle size distribution, specific surface area, mineralogical and chemical composition. The zeta potential of quartz with flocculant and surfactant was also analyzed. The results indicated that the quartz had high purity and particle sizes between 38 and 10 µm, which was within the intended particle size range; the flocculant presented a suitable molecular weight for the proposed flocculation system. Based on literature, nine variables were chosen to be investigated in Part II of this study: flocculant and surfactant concentration, flocculant and surfactant conditioning time, flocculation addition time, agitation intensity, pH of the suspension, flocculation time, and solid concentration.

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