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By A L. de Ambrosis, S J. Clarke, R Bertuzzi, J Redelinghuys

The M2 Upgrade Project involved widening 15 km of the existing M2 Motorway, which is a key route in Sydney’s road network. The Norfolk Twin Tunnels in North Epping convey traffic over a 460 m length of the motorway. The project involved widening the twin tunnels to provide a third lane and breakdown lane in each direction.The widening of the tunnels was fundamentally different to other ‘greenfield’ tunnel projects in that the operation of the tunnel was maintained throughout construction, with motorway traffic permitted close to the excavation faces on a daily basis. The widened works had to integrate with the existing tunnel support, construction details, and mechanical and electrical infrastructure.The existing tunnel afforded the opportunity to review existing ground conditions in the tunnel. Exposures were mapped within the tunnel, and key design parameters were back-analysed from the original monitoring data to provide increased confidence in the assessed impact from the widening works.Traffic capacity of the tunnels was maintained by detailed staging of the works, and included the ability to reopen the tunnels at short notice.A permit to tunnel system was developed to manage the risks associated with re-opening the tunnel to traffic. A comprehensive suite of instrumentation was maintained to provide reliable monitoring data to support this process. Emphasis on the robustness and reliability of tunnel instrumentation provided increased confidence in the adequacy of the tunnel support being installed. The monitoring was routinely compared with design predictions to check the adequacy of the support measures being installed and confirm the design.The approaches and methodologies developed for the widening of the Norfolk Tunnels were effective in maintaining the safe operation of the tunnels throughout the two years of construction, and provide a framework for increasing the capacity of existing tunnel infrastructure in the future.CITATION:Clarke, S J, de Ambrosis, A L, Bertuzzi, R and Redelinghuys, J, 2014. Design and construction for the widening of the M2 Norfolk Twin Tunnels, in Proceedings 15th Australasian Tunnelling Conference 2014 , pp 591–602 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 17, 2014

By A Yáñez, P Vallejos, R Grau, J Yianatos

In flotation cells, especially in large flotation units, froth management is a crucial variable that should be considered during the design phase or optimised to improve the performance of existing flotation circuits. This paper presents a simulation evaluation of the effect of launder design on the metallurgical performance of an industrial flotation circuit consisting of five TankCell® e630 (630 m3 ) cells in a Cu rougher duty. This analysis was carried out using a new industrial simulator, which was built on a wide database collected from many industrial concentrators. This tool is currently incorporated into HSC Chemistry® software and allows evaluation of the effect of launder design on mineral froth recovery, water recovery, entrainment, and other variables to be quantified. The industrial flotation circuit was evaluated under different launder design scenarios, considering an actual flotation circuit that includes TankCell® e630 cells for calibration and as a reference (baseline). Firstly, two different designs were evaluated in the full circuit: a standard launder design and a new launder technology. It was found that the new launder technology enabled improvement of the mineral recovery along the circuit, mainly for coarse particles, due to the improvement in froth mineral recovery. Next, the partial upgrade of the launder design along the circuit was analysed. Thus, the new launder technology was evaluated in the first and the last two cells of the bank. The results showed that upgrading the launders in different cells along the circuit delivered an increase in the final recovery with respect to the baseline, with a partial impact on the concentrate grade. However, these changes are less than those when evaluating the full upgrade scenario. A partial launder upgrade either in the first or last two cells of the bank showed similar final recoveries, but the latter enabled a slightly higher concentrate grade (about 1 per cent higher) to be achieved. Finally, the evaluation of launder design using the industrial simulator made it possible to estimate its effect on variables that are not commonly obtained from plant surveys, including froth recovery per particle size, collection recovery per particle size and liberation, gangue entrainment and bubble loading grade.

Aug 24, 2022

By M S. Fenzel

Increased environmental regulations and pressures have created changing and new demands for tailings management strategies in a variety of mining applications. Critical among these items is the disposal of tailings as the pursuit of increased yields and lower costs have driven the application of different process technologies. With a number of technologies having a niche application focus, the belt filter press has been utilised for decades as a cost-effective and versatile option for dewatering different types of mineral tailings and other waste process streams. One of the critical advantages of the belt filter press is the technology’s ability to adapt and work in numerous plant designs, operating conditions and applications. As permitting and disposal options have become more stringent, plant designers, operators and equipment suppliers must develop comprehensive and site-specific economic, design and process evaluation techniques to ensure proper equipment selection and system design for belt filter presses or any other dewatering technologies. This paper will explore these techniques in relation to belt filter presses (with reference to other technologies) in a variety of different applications, along with other considerations to ensure a successful tailings dewatering system and disposal design. Summaries of equipment performance characteristics, operating and maintenance strategies and optimisation techniques will also be addressed in conjunction with the belt filter press’s adaptability to different plant designs and the resulting tailings characteristics.CITATION:Fenzel, M S, 2015. Analysis and adaptability of belt filter presses and other technologies for tailings dewatering over a range of mineral processes, plant designs, conditions, regions and operating philosophies, in Proceedings Tailings and Mine Waste Management for the 21st Century , pp 35–44 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 27, 2015

By I M. Platten, Y Xie, R-M F. Bell, S C. Dominy, L E. Howard, R C. A Minnitt

For any resource evaluation program, the collection and processing of representative samples for assaying is critical. Sampling, sample preparation and assay protocols must be designed to suit the style of orebody in question. The a priori need is for the characterisation of mineralisation type(s) and domain definition. The proportion and size of gold particles has a direct impact on the effectiveness of sampling protocols employed. Mineralogical studies focusing on gold particle deportment, size and distribution are required. Key issues are the presence of gold particle clustering and proportion of coarse versus fine gold. High-resolution X-ray computed tomography (HRXCT) is a radiographic technique that produces high-resolution 3D computerised models of in situ objects based on density distribution. The ævirtualÆ specimens are made up of voxels, the 3D equivalent of pixels each assigned a grey value based on X-ray absorption. This paper presents the results of recent research on the imaging of in situ particles in coarse gold-bearing ore samples from the Nalunaq mine, southern Greenland. The samples used were previously well-characterised through mineralogical and metallurgical testing, and serve to test the HRXCT methodology. Gold particle size and distribution in the context of the sampling liberation diameter was investigated.CITATION:Dominy, S C, Platten, I M, Howard, L E, Xie, Y, Bell, R-M F and Minnitt, R C A, 2012. Determination of the sampling liberation diameter in a high-grade coarse gold ore by high-resolution x-ray computed tomography, in Proceedings Sampling 2012 , pp 161-170 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 21, 2012

By W J. Shaw

Mining operations must become more predictable to overcome the volatility that has characterised the mining industry. Comparisons of production against predictions will become more consistent as mining operations merge and expand, as personnel move from site to site, and as public reporting of reconciliations becomes more prevalent. More consistent approaches are already being seen in the industry using the terminology used in this paper and elsewhere.Examples are provided that show how use of the waterfall chart as a reconciliation management tool can provide objective analysis to improve practices.Geometallurgical modelling is becoming more useful and will continue to do so as we move from a few bulk samples to better interpretation of material properties from geological mapping and drill sampling. Reconciliation has evolved to the stage where predictions of geometallurgical properties to optimise mill performance, and of geotechnical properties derived from better 3D geological models, should also be reconciled.CITATION:Shaw, W J, 2014. Reconciliation – outcomes and expectations, in Proceedings Ninth International Mining Geology Conference 2014 , pp 123–128 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 18, 2014

By J E. Everett

An essential requirement of product quality control in the mining industry is to be able to reliably predict key quality properties of finished product from the data available before the extraction of the ore. From a production viewpoint, the unit of data collection is generally the input and output data set for each shift of crusher production, but could be any period where mine precrusher data can be reliably matched with product data.This paper demonstrates that linear regression models can be used to predict crush grades from blast grades, even where the crush material is blended from multiple sources or pits for each of which differing regression models might apply. The advantage of using increasingly complex regressions models to match the available data to give increasingly more powerful models is examined. The best model for any application will be a balance between required predictability, available data and the business’ tolerance for complex models.The regression modelling approach has several advantages over the more classic method of run-of-mine (ROM) crusher trials, which will be discussed.The models can use any predictor variable such as grade, geotype and in situ density provided the preextraction data set can be reliably matched with post-crusher data and is significant as a predictor. The models have been used extensively in the generation of the daily crusher plan with the aim of maintaining finished product grade. This approach has also been used associated with exploration drilling and long-term planning.It is acknowledged that there are inherent problems in fitting lump and fines grade to a linear model. However, these problems are minor when they are used for interpolation within the window spanned by the shift blend records used to produce the model. This paper discusses some of the issues limiting linear regression models in this application, and suggests methods enabling consistent models to be formulated

Sep 5, 2011

By M Frenzel

At the last MassMin Conference in Sudbury, Caterpillar’s vision of a continuous mining concept for block caving operations was presented on the background of global raw material demand and its continuous increase. By analysing today’s structure of mining processes in block caving, the paper (Krings, Steinberg and Frenzel, 2012) highlighted the main bottlenecks in the process chain and identified conceptual solutions by help of a case study. The main focus was the paradigm shift from discontinuous batch type operation to a continuous mining process of the blocks.In 2016, the strategic vision has taken major strides forwards and remote continuous operation has become a reality. Caterpillar’s continuous operation system – the Rock Flow system – was successfully installed in Codelco’s Andina mine and start of operation is scheduled in the first half of 2016.Based on continuous product developments, this paper sets the focus on two main aspects of continuous mining. First, field experiences of the Rock Flow system will be shared, highlighting the Andina project course from system installation, to commissioning and successful system start. The second aspect concentrates on the system and mine layout as discussed in the case study scenario in MassMin 2012 (Krings, Steinberg and Frenzel, 2012).Based on Caterpillar`s continuous product development, the Rock Flow system set-up and panel design were modified for a general roadway design and drawpoint layout. The new design allows an optimised use in block preparation phase (spreading) and full production phase (reaping), operating a fleet of load-haul-dumps (LHDs) and Rock Flow systems. The combined use of the two technologies optimises the mining process in every stage of block life and significantly increases the performance of the continuous block caving operation in the production panel to pave the road for the next generation of super caves.CITATION:Frenzel, M, 2016. New continuous production system in block cave mining – the rock flow system, in Proceedings Seventh International Conference and Exhibition on Mass Mining (MassMin 2016), pp 543–548 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

May 9, 2016

The Great lady gold deposit presented the challenge of providing a new grade control system for an usual type of orebody in the Eastern Goldfields. Mineralisation occurs as secondary enrichment about a quartz sand - granite saprolite contact 30m below surface. The ore horizon, which averaged 2.5m thickness, was near-horizontally disposed in contrast to the typical steeply dipping, shear hosted deposits of the region. A trial mining operation was undertaken on the richest, most continuous portion of the deposit to test the economic viability of this type of orebody. Controlling and minimising vertical ore dilution was considered crucial to the profitability of the operation.An understanding of the grade distribution combined with the practicalities of mining produced a grade control system which allowed for the mining of 1/2rn composited grades on level lm benches. Ore mining was combined with strict monitoring of levels, truck destinations and ore boundaries. Ore reconciliation results showed this system to be effective.

Jan 1, 1990

By S Mundell, A Atkins, S van de Water

Geoscientific information management enables the capture, management and delivery of the original geoscientific observations and measurements of the earth’s natural resources. However, original observations and measurements are worth nothing if the quality and integrity of the data can’t be guaranteed. Geoscientific information is one of the fundamental assets enabling miners to make confident and accurate business decisions, whether that is defining a resource model, performing reconciliation, delivering ore reserve reports or meeting environmental compliance requirements. Without access to reliable, validated or verified data it increases the risk of miners using incorrect information for reporting and compliance. Industry codes, such as JORC, or government regulations, such as environmental compliance requirements, must be adhered to and companies should be able to confidently report to these standards. Without having a robust information management framework in place, it becomes a challenge to make trustworthy decisions, report confidently and reduce the risk of non-compliance. As a key initiative, good data governance should form one part of a miner’s information management strategy. Within the mining industry it is common for companies to only consider technology tools as the key focus for compliance whereas a mature information management focus will additionally consider people and process. All three pillars are critical for a miner to have confidence in their data driven decisions. This paper discusses an industry framework for best-practice geoscientific information management based on the observations gathered from analysing data management practices within the mining industry. It focuses on how the three pillars of people, process and technology are crucial elements to improve operational decisions and ensure companies are compliant.

Nov 8, 2021

By M Spagnolo, M Ashley, D, L Reemeyer

PasmincoÆs Century Concentrator in North West Queensland commenced operations in November 1999. The nameplate production capacity of 500 000 tpa of zinc metal production in concentrate was achieved in August 2002. Completion of the production ramp up was successful due to the culmination of a number of initiatives throughout 2001 and 2002. Mine to mill interaction to understand and eliminate head grade related bottlenecks affecting Concentrator production and reduce feed variation. Grinding circuit process development û operating and process control strategies to improve stability and reduce grind size to support zinc recovery. Pumping upgrades to control spillage in ultrafine zinc flotation Low density zinc flotation strategy û to improve silica-sphalerite separation to improve zinc recovery while maintaining acceptable silica in final concentrate. Flotation circuit process development û froth crowders, froth cameras and reagent control strategies to improve primary zinc flotation performance. Review and implementation of longer campaigns between planned shutdowns to improve availability. Team reorganisation û to improve setting and implementation of metallurgical strategies. This paper describes these initiatives and their contribution in achieving the production target. It also notes the ball mill motor failures that delayed the successful achievement of the ramp up, and CenturyÆs response to minimise the production impact. The paper also outlines the capital improvement program that was implemented to improve zinc recovery to design 82.5 per cent recovery once the production rate had been achieved.

Jan 1, 2003

By H S. Pescini

A material aim when feeding ore blends into a processing facility is to reduce the variability of the properties of the feed material and to maximise the output, or throughput. At the Mining Geology conference of 2019, we presented a paper on optimal blending of coking coal given geological variability. The paper introduced integer-programming techniques to both maximise value and minimise feed or product variability. We discussed an application where the geological uncertainty is characterised using a normal distribution and exact solutions are readily obtainable using second order conic constraints in the mathematical model. Geological uncertainty is not always normally distributed, many properties will be characterised as log normal or some other skewed distribution. For example, copper can be some form of lognormal and Fe in Iron ore has a left skewed distribution. In this paper, we discuss some distribution free techniques to optimise the blends of plant feed or output given a quantified geological uncertainty. We discuss the sample average approximation method and how to set-up and apply the method to an ore blending problem. Evaluating a case study demonstrates that the explicit use of non-normally distributed geological uncertainty can better optimise feed into an ore processing facility and potentially add significant value. The approach is equally applicable to all mining and processing operations that blend material into a processing facility or directly into a saleable product.

Mar 22, 2022

By L Lachance, F Flament, D Leroux, S Gariépy

The pervasiveness of poor sampling practices in and around mineral processing plants could seem intriguing in view of the various documented evidences both for causes and consequences. To this extent, this paper revisits the well-documented but lesser-known fact that failure to care sufficiently about how samples are selected and managed is the mother source of almost all sampling biases. The authors believe that the potentially huge leverage between causes and consequences as well as the diversity of people involved in sampling call for a globally integrated solution rather than for a point solution. Such a globally integrated solution has already been put forward by the AMIRA P754 Metal accounting – code of practice and guidelines (AMIRA, 2007) that inherently requires accuracy to be targeted, measured, reported and managed. Furthermore, always in order to avoid a point solution, several layers of protection against biases must be put in place with each one involving a different ownership whenever possible. This is exactly the role intended by the supervisory bias detection method described in this publication. It is based on the continuous monitoring of the expected value of reduced residuals obtained from statistical data reconciliation conducted in a metal accounting context. This supervisory bias detection method is developed in full details after which Monte Carlo simulations are done on a mineral processing plant example for showing how it can be successfully applied for detecting hidden biases.CITATION:Lachance, L, Leroux, D, Gariépy, S and Flament, F, 2014. Detecting sampling biases in metal accounting, in Proceedings Sampling 2014 , pp 109–120 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 29, 2014

By R Jacobs

"The Jaguar project is relatively unique in that it was evaluated, financed, built and operated to completion within the last ten years, providing the opportunity to holistically review and reconcile expectations against the actual outcomes. It is a case study that allows wider conclusions to be drawn with respect to the risks and opportunities involved with project evaluation and execution.Jaguar is located in the Leonora Mining District of Western Australia and was commissioned in mid-2007 as an underground accessed, single high-grade volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) deposit with an on-site concentrator, producing copper and zinc concentrates exported via the Port of Geraldton to South-East Asian markets.The feasibility study (FS) had several iterations (JML, 2005a); the last dated July 2005 was specifically targeted to secure project funding, and summarised the reserves-only portion of the resource and its planned exploitation. The commissioning of the mine was the transition for the owner Jabiru Metals NL from junior explorer to producer and the project was the dominant asset of the company.Jaguar operated through several significant deviations from the linear project plan set out in the FS, including the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), a corporate takeover and disruption to the mine plan from the onset of material geotechnical issues. Whilst the GFC or mining disruption were not specifically predicted in the FS or peer reviews, the generic effects of the events were assessed in the project risk assessment and they influenced subsequent management decisions. In parallel to the internal project-specific risks, the short planned life of Jaguar was a risk to the continuation of the corporate entity which was being addressed by significant investment into brownfields exploration to extend or replicate the project, and ultimately added value such that attracted a corporate takeover.Holistically, the project delivered the returns predicted in the FS, but in a much different guise than was expected. This paper will describe the reality of operations compared with the study predictions and expectations through the perspective of the project and corporate risk assessment.CITATION:Jacobs, R, 2016. Jaguar base metals project case study – has reality reflected the study?, in Proceedings Project Evaluation 2016, pp 86–97 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Mar 8, 2016

By J Robinson, L D’Uva

"The Gold Fields group and Gekko Systems have successfully worked together on multiple projects, including at the St Ives, Agnew and Granny Smith operations in Western Australia, and the Damang operations in Ghana, with gravity recovery design, technology installation and optimisation the key driver on each occasion.In 2014, Gold Fields Australia identified an opportunity to challenge the historical thinking at Granny Smith and reassessed the benefit of upfront gravity gold recovery. The historical approach had been to employ gravity on the tailings stream of the carbon-in-pulp (CIP) circuit, recovering sulfide minerals into a concentrate from spiral concentrators for further liberation of gold via a regrind circuit.Gekko was engaged to assess the implementation of a gravity circuit within the grinding area, and to perform a comprehensive gravity recoverable gold test program. Test data was fed into the AMIRA P420 BCC Gravity Model to confirm the gravity recovery potential of the ore, and for process design basis generation. Height, space and capital limitations proved to be a design challenge. However, collaborative learnings throughout the project ensured the design and operation of a reliable and economic gravity gold circuit. Ultimately, the Granny Smith gravity circuit was a success, satisfying all the project objectives and yielding consistent, measurable benefits. On average, the gravity circuit recovers 33 per cent of total gold, resulting in an increase to overall gold recovery by 0.7 per cent.This paper highlights the key project drivers for Gold Fields, and the development of the Granny Smith free gold gravity circuit. It details application of test work and modelling, and the challenges and learnings encountered during the design, installation and commissioning stages. This paper seeks to demonstrate that continuous improvement in a long standing operation can be beneficial to overall circuit flexibility and increased ounce production.Citation:D'Uva, L, Robinson, J and Bell, T, 2016. Defying Gravity - Brownfield Continuous Improvement, in Proceedings 13th AusIMM Mill Operators’ Conference 2016, pp 135–144 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Oct 10, 2016

By D Maconochie, S Pradhan, M Reed

The Waterview Connection will provide a high-quality strategic alternative to State Highway One and complete Auckland’s Western Ring Route connecting State Highways 20 and 16. The project includes twin three-lane motorway tunnels 2.4 km long and 13.1 m internal diameter (ID). The tunnel construction started in November 2013 using the tenth largest earth pressure balance (EPB) tunnel boring machine (TBM) in the world. The tunnels will pass beneath urban and greenfield areas as well as a major local arterial road. The project is being delivered by an alliance of constructors, designers and the New Zealand Transport Agency. This paper describes some of the key innovative and cost saving design solutions that have been achieved through collaboration in the alliance environment with the construction team, owner’s verifier, the segmental lining precast suballiance and the M&E suballiance for the underground works. The key design elements of the tunnel comprise a three-lane roadway, invert culvert and backfill, precast segmental lining, sixteen mined cross passages including a low point sump cross passage and steel segments for opening to the cross passages. This paper reviews interdisciplinary design integration and the economies achieved in the permanent works tunnel lining design, including reduction in lining thickness and optimising reinforcement, cross passage separation of 150 m, efficient design of the invert culvert and backfill design, main drainage pipe and low point sump. The paper also describes the attributes of the TBM and the invert culvert construction methodology.CITATION:Pradhan, S, Maconochie, D and Reed, M, 2014. Tunnel design in an alliance for Waterview Connection, New Zealand, in Proceedings 15th Australasian Tunnelling Conference 2014 , pp 425–430 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 17, 2014

By H Wen

LongWangGou coalmine auxiliary inclined shaft heading face has a large section, fast heading speed, and large dust production. The problems of high concentration and wide distribution of dust in the roadway air are very prominent. To improve the efficiency of roadway ventilation and dustremoval, long-compression and short-suction (after this referred to as LCSS) are adopted. The dust concentration and airflow field distribution in the roadway are numerically simulated by FLUENT. The change of the position between the pressure duct and the exhaust duct and the different pressure-extraction ratios affect the distribution of airflow velocity, the formation of vortex zone, and the distribution of dust concentration in the roadway. When Ly = 25 m, Lc = 5.0 m, W = 1.2, a wind curtain is formed at 5 m in front of the heading face to prevent dust from spreading deeper into the roadway.

Oct 12, 2022

By J H. Park, R R. Kim, H S. Park, H J. Kim

This study focuses on the recovery of valuable metals, specifically silver (Ag) and palladium (Pd), from copper-containing sludge (with copper content less than 20 per cent) generated during PCB processing and from spent petrochemical catalysts used in vapour decomposition during oil refining processes. The present results indicate that an increase in the mixing ratio of alumina-based spent catalyst leads to a decrease in the recovery rate of Ag and Pd. The recovery rates for Ag and Pd range from 84 per cent to 96 per cent and 80 per cent to 98 per cent, respectively. This trend is attributed to the increased emulsification of copper droplets containing Ag and Pd in the slag. The emulsification is caused by the decrease in the settling velocity of the copper droplets due to the increased viscosity of the slag as well as by the decrease in the slag-metal interfacial tension due to an increase in sulfur content at higher mixing ratio of spent catalyst.

Jun 19, 2024

By Y T. J Kwong

With the recent emphasis worldwide on environmental protection and sustainable development, finding an enriched mineral deposit no longer guarantees mining development. Only if the identified resource can be exploited in an environmentally-friendly manner is it possible that a mine may be developed. Designed primarily to aid with exploring for similar deposits of a particular type, traditional genetic ore deposit models tend to ignore the fact that all mineral deposits are characterised by type-specific environmental signatures. In fact, how an ore deposit can be mined, the commodities of interest extracted and the resultant mine wastes managed are all largely dictated by the geology and mineralogy as well as the environmental setting of the deposit. An environmental ore deposit model integrates such related information to identify the environmental challenges associated with mining an ore deposit of a particular type and facilitates the selection a suitable combination of methods to minimise environmental risks and impacts. Given that environmental management consumes a large portion of the budget for a modern mining project, making informed decisions at all stages of mining development can reduce the overall project cost. Through case examples, this paper demonstrates how environmental ore deposit models may be useful in mine permitting, active mining and in site decommissioning. It is only through an innovative and flexible approach that the mining industry can shed its tarnished image and gain the social license to mine.

Aug 22, 2011

By A Vakili, F Harvey, H Greaves

Mine seismicity is one of the most difficult geotechnical risks to manage in seismically active mines. There are currently some established empirical and statistical methods that provide quantitative measures for seismic hazard assessment in operating mines. However, these methods are mostly suitable for quantifying the current or historical seismic hazard and often cannot be directly used to forecast the future hazards. Numerical modelling is the only analytical tool that can capture the level of complexities required for a meaningful analysis of mine seismicity and therefore to facilitate a reliable forecast of future hazards. However, there is currently no widely accepted and established guideline and methodology for analysing and forecasting mine seismicity using numerical modelling. This paper first provides a background on previous published studies on this subject and then outlines the key aspects that can affect the reliability of the forecasting for mine seismicity. These aspects include a) processing of historical seismic data, b) selection of suitable numerical modelling approach, c) Post-processing and interpretation of the model outputs. A case study is then presented for the Gwalia Deeps Mine where a new framework was developed to forecast future mine seismicity. High-quality seismic data for a period of five years was used for back-analysis and comparisons with the numerical modelling outputs. After development of the method, the future seismicity was forecast for the next 12 months and the actual seismicity was monitored against the forecast during this period. Results of this study shows promising potential for the proposed framework to be applied more routinely and at other mine sites. However, more validations are required at Gwalia Deeps mine as the mine proceeds to deeper levels. In addition, the method needs more improvements and should be tested and validated at other mining operations before it can be established as a proven method. CITATION:Vakili, A, Harvey, F and Greaves, H, 2018. Forecasting mine seismicity – towards a more established methodology, in Proceedings The Fourth Australasian Ground Control in Mining Conference (AusRock), pp 207–222 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 30, 2018

By S Novak

A world-class example of sustainable development in practice, the Local Resource Development Initiative (LRDI) grew from agreements between the Ambatovy nickel mine developers and the Government of Madagascar. A program of training and community development, the LRDI aims to maximise local benefits by optimising the integration of local resources during the construction period of the mine. By local resources, we mean the local labour force as well as local goods and services. Begun in 2007, the foundation of the LRDI is to integrate local resources into the mining project and where gaps are identified, design and implement training, mentoring and other programs to fill those gaps. The principal accomplishments are: the establishment of training centres that trained over 4000 people in little over one year, 96 per cent of whom hired to work at the mine; a support program for local micro, small and medium enterprises that has led to the award of 65 contracts for goods and services with training and mentoring of over 100 local businesses; and a number of special projects that have, among other results, strengthened local agricultural development and created employment for young people. The LRDI provides unique insights into key indicators and lessons learned to strengthen the social and economic sustainability of mining projects in developing countries. The paper will discuss these in terms, among others, of: the importance to project success of upstream planning to address socio-economic issues; the role of civil society and other local partners to strengthen and expand sustainability outcomes, and to spur governments to demand that major projects promote economic and social sustainability; and the integration of mine sustainability with sustained regional social and economic development.

Jan 1, 2009