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A wide range of drill holes and process streams are sampled for resource estimation, grade control and contractual purposes in the minerals industry. However, despite the availability of training courses, conferences and both national and international standards on correct sampling practices, it is still surprising how often little attention is given to ensuring that representative samples are collected for analysis. The reason for this is that the responsibility for sampling is often entrusted to personnel who do not appreciate the significance and importance of sampling, with cost being the main driving force rather than whether the sample is representative of the material from which it was extracted. This seriously undermines the precision and accuracy of the analyses subsequently generated and can render the analysis process a total waste of time and money and expose mining companies to serious, potential, financial losses. Company management needs to reverse this situation and ensure that sampling is given the attention it deserves to generate representative samples for analysis.

Jan 1, 2009

By Mike Rogers

Platinum production in Southern Africa amounted to 80% of world production in 2005with a small increase from 5 117 000 ounces to 5 275 000 ounces. For the seventh consecutive year the platinum market is on course to record a moderate deficit in supply. This is reflected in the price increase from a trading range US$860 to US$880 in June 2005 to an excess of US$1 200 in September 2006. Southern Africa, with its extensive platinum reserves, will continue to be the dominant platinum producer and has a number of new mines in an advanced stage of planning. The slogan ?Platinum Surges Ahead? was selected to describe the exciting and vibrantnature of all aspects of platinum mining, beneficiation and marketing. This conference will cover these aspects from exploration and orebody delineation, through mine design, development and operation to mine closure; mineral beneficiation, marketing and compliance with the Mining Charter will also be subjects for discussion and debate. It is also anticipated that the issue of overall increases in productivity, through the introduction of technology, will demonstrate Southern Africa?s status as a premier mining district. It is my pleasure to welcome delegates from abroad and locally, on behalf of the SAIMM, to the Second International Platinum Conference ?Platinum Surges Ahead?. I trust that you will find the proceedings informative and value adding and will participate in the discussions and debate in order to obtain maximum benefit from the conference. I am sure that the post-conference tours will be interesting and of great benefit to participants. Finally, a big word of thanks to the members of the Organising Committee, the management and staff of the SAIMM, and to our willing sponsors, without all of whom this conference would not have been possible.

Jan 1, 2006

By I. Wigden

This paper discusses system integration and installation of High-Tec systems in underground mines. ABB has the capability to be a System Integrator and co-operates with partners in different areas of technology. Today it is difficult to find one Company that is responsible for the complete Automation System. The design of the system is also dependent on the caving procedure that is currently being used in mines. Most of the engineering must be done during the feasibility study and the design phase. Any mistakes made during these phases will be costly to rectify in the commissioning phase. The paper will also include a presentation of the benefit of using Automation in an Underground Mine, and the importance of integration with the people component. Most of the experience and discussions in this paper are from different technologies that have been developed in Scandinavia and adopted from LKAB in Kiruna. The author of this paper was responsible for the Automation projects in Kiruna Mine during1994 - 1999. These projects include: • Broadband communication of data, audio and compressed video in one data stream. • Control System for Haulage -1045m • Automation of Load Haulage and Dumping machines (LHD) • Control of Production Drilling Rigs from a Central Control Room.

Sep 1, 2001

By M. H. Moys, J. Engelbrecht, N. Terblanche

Interface levels in flotation columns are generally measured with the aid of a pressure-sensitive Instrument, e.g. a differential-pressure cell. This paper criticizes the use of this type of measurement, and discusses other methods that are claimed to give more accurate measures of interface levels. The paper focuses on the development of methods based on the measurement of conductivity across the froth-slurry interface. These are often sabotaged by variations in the conductivity of the feed slurry, particularly when the pH of the slurry IS being controlled, e.g. In sulphide flotation. Methods of improving the accuracy and reliability of this technique are described. The result IS a robust, easy-to maintain level-control scheme that successfully rejects large disturbances in plant operation (including a 5:1 change in slurry conductivity) while controlling levels to an accuracy of I 4 cm.

Jan 1, 1992

By D. G. Krige

The problem of a realistic investment analysis for a new mining venture that sells its products on the international metal markets IS studied against the background factors, firstly, of different inflation rates between the countries hosting the mines and those. hosting the metal markets; and, secondly, of the changing pattern of currency exchange rates between such countries. The purchasing-power parity theory is used to establish a pattern of relationship between these two factors, and to develop a more logical approach to the long-term forecasting of metal prices in the currency of the country in which the mine is situated.

Jan 1, 1979

Caving is the lowest cost underground mining method provided that the draw point spacing, draw point size, and ore-handling facilities are designed to suit the caved material, and that the draw point horizon can be maintained for the life of the draw. In the near future, several open-pit mines that produce more than 50 kt per day will have to examine the feasibility of converting to low-cost, large-scale underground operations. Several other large scale, low-grade underground operations will experience major changes in their mining environments as large dropdowns are implemented These changes demand a more realistic approach to mine planning than in the past, where existing operations have been projected to increased depths with little consideration of the change in mining environment that will occur. As economics force the consideration of underground mining of large, competent ore bodies by low-cost methods, the role of cave mining will have to be defined In the past, caving was generally considered for rockmasses that cave and fragment readily. The ability to define cavability and fragmentation, the availability of large, robust load-haul-dump units, a better understanding of draw-control requirements, improved drilling equipment for secondary blasting, and reliable cost data have shown that competent orebodies with coarse fragmentation can be exploited by cave mining at a much lower cost than by drill-and blast methods.

Jan 1, 1994

By John Austin, Graham Pingram

The idea of GOLD 100, an international conference on gold, was first conceived by Mr Les Haughton of Mintek in mid 1984. By the beginning of 1985, plans were well advanced to hold what was to be the most comprehensive conference on gold ever organized. Appropriately, GOLD 100 was timed to coincide with the celebration of Johannesburg's centenary. Leaching The South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy will hold a two-day colloquium on the topic of leaching on 8th and 9th November, 1988, with the objective of bringing the latest developments in leaching technology to the attention of the mineral-processing industry.

Jan 1, 1988

All photographs by Carlos Pais Pictures only.... no script.

Jan 1, 1985

By B. R. Broekman, J. P. W. Bennie, P. D. K. Robinson, R. P. Viljoen

The theme of the Congress was 'Resources and Technology', the intention being to highlight those basic technical aspects in the disciplines of geology, mining, extractive metallurgy, and metals technology that are required for successful mineral-based operations. The technical programme covered a fairly broad field, as is appropriate for the CMMI Congress, and was generally considered to be of a high professional standard; informative and, with the exception of some minor hitches, well-run. Parallel sessions were held in the four disciplines. All were well attended, and despite tight presentation schedules, certain valuable discussions developed.

Jan 1, 1994

By H. H. Bird

The crux of reliable estimates of ore reserves lies in a comprehension of the related geological events and their controls on the formation and distribution of the economic mineralization, and on the rock types, lithology, and structures. Furthermore, mine geometry is based on the shape of the ore body, the types and distribution of the economic minerals, and the ground conditions. Asian mining The Institution of Mining and Metallurgy has been invited to organize an international conference on the occasion of the Asian mining 81 international exhibition.

Jan 1, 1980

By V. H. R. Brereton

The gold deposits of the farms Lisbon and Berlyn in the Eastern Transvaal by V. C. H. R. BRERETON* (Visitor) This paper describes the discovery and recovery of gold, over a period dating back to the 1870s. on the farms Lisbon and Berlyn, situated approxim ately 1I km north-east of Pilgrims Rest. where mining ceased in July 1971. 99 years after gold was first discovered in the Pilgrims Rest and Sabie districts. Included in the paper are accounts of the discovery and mining operations of the Lisbon-Berlyn Company from 1884 to 1890. The operations of small companies and syndicates. the superficial winning of gold by diggers, and the encouraging reports of four mining engineers in 1890 are also mentioned.

Jan 11, 1973

By P. S. Pashkovsky

Theoretical and experimental investigations of the process of self-heating the coal accumulation with use of geological and mining conditions of development of the seams, as well of mass recoil parameters, factors of oxygen diffusion in coals, critical temperatures of self-ignition, incubation times received under laboratory conditions allowed working out the method of the local prognosis of the hazard of coal self-ignition in the course of carrying out the mining operations. New relationships of calculation of critical dimensions of the coal accumulation and of the incubation time are proposed.

Jan 1, 2003

By V. M. Lovell, N. P. Finkelstein

The concepts involved in flotation research are discussed and aims are presented. Three different methods of investigation can be used, all of which are applied at the National Institute for Metallurgy (N.I.M.), and these are the empirical, trial and error method, the chemical engineering method, and the physicochemical approaches. This paper is devoted to the last of these. Because of the complexity of the physicochemical interactions involved, the work has, to a large extent, been concentrated on only one aspect, viz. the interaction between the mineral surface and reagents in solution, which was considered of major importance in the understanding of the process. The aspects on which work has been done are the concentration of uranium, the reaction between salt minerals and fatty acids, mixed xanthate-cationic collector systems, and the reaction between sulphide minerals and thiol reagents. Selected problems from the first two of these are discussed in some detail and deal with the agglomeration flotation of uranium and the chemical control of the flotation process for phoscorite. A detailed discussion is also presented of the progress made in the understanding of the interaction between sulphide minerals and thiol reagents, which is of more general application. Finally, an indication is given of the future direction of physicochemical research at the N.I.M.

By R. D. Beck

The minerals industry needs the support of al sections of the population if it is going to be able to supply the new materials required for future development. It will achieve this support only if its image is good. Perceived images of the minerals industry are examined in respect of history, technology, environment, safety, education, and economics. Concern is expressed about the low technological image of the industry and the declining number of students enrolling in minerals-related disciplines. It is concluded that it is the professionals, through institutes like The South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, who must take the lead in improving the image of the minerals industry. The Presidential Address gives data to support this thesis; data that, is hoped, can be used in efforts to educate people about the minerals industry.

Jan 1, 1991

By G. T. G. Emere

The Johannesburg Branch of The South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy was officially inaugurated at a General Meeting held in Kelvin House on Monday, 18th January, 1988. In addition to nominating committee members, Mr G. T.G. Emere delivered a presentation on the Barbrook gold-mining project, which is currently in the development phase some 40 km east of Barberton.

Jan 1, 1988

By H. W. Read

Sustained growth in demand for platinum group metals has resulted in an unfettered increase in new projects undertaken by the platinum producers. These projects are outsourced to various degrees. The argument of this paper is that both the client?s project manager and the consultant?s project manager are essential elements in the successful execution of a project. Their roles are not only different but also complementary, and are defined in the paper. Data gained from considerable experience in the South African corporate mining environment underpins the opinions expressed in the paper. Furthermore, an extensive literary search was undertaken to determine trends in related industries outside the South African context. Throughout the argument it is emphasized that project philosophy emanates from a systems view and must be treated as an overarching whole. The elements of project management become meaningless unless they are connected to one another and integrated into a cohesive unit. Advancing the knowledge field of project management is of critical importance to mining investors. There is no doubt that a key determinant of the sustainability of mining business is closely related to the efficiency of all-inclusive project management. From pre-investment and feasibility studies, implementation and execution, to ramping-up to full production, scientific project management has a critical role to play. Guidelines for the pursuance of this ideal are proposed. The introduction contextualizes the subject matter in an overview of the evolution of mine management in South Africa and abroad. Then, brief insight is given into the philosophy of project management. This exposition is confined to the predispositions, presuppositions and defining characteristics of project management. The core of the paper looks at the roles of the client?s project manager in relation to the consultant?s project manager. This section is underpinned by practical experience gained by the author on numerous mining projects. A view is taken of the future of project management in the mining industry. The conclusion summarizes the argument and aligns project management trends in the mining industry.

Jan 1, 2004

By D. P. Power

The development of an accounting code for the metallurgical industry has been debated for many years. Following the series of tumultuous economic events in the nineties and earlier this century that have affected business, there was much need for legislation to be passed to minimize potential risk. One of the consequences to affect the mining industry was the enhancement of existing geological codes for reporting. In parallel the sponsors of AMIRA have taken the brave step to develop a generic code for metal accounting that embraces the full gamut of industry. In this paper the code will be reviewed in the context of metallurgical accounting as it applies to coal preparation. This paper provides the background for this development and an insight into the mechanism for the debate for the generation of this code. The key elements of the code as it applies to the coal industry are explained but most importantly the key opportunities are highlighted.

Jan 1, 2010

By J. R. Dixon

Gold mining has been undertaken in South Africa for more than a century. A great proportion of that mining has been from the Witwatersrand Basin; a geological phenomenon that has few parallels throughout the world. It has produced some 47 000 tonnes of gold mainly from underground mines, many of which have been truly world class gold mines. The gold mines of the Witwatersrand Basin have dominated world gold production from their inception and their production has been one of the cornerstones of the development of South Africa as a whole. The mines have some very specific characteristics; their sheer size, the depth of extraction, the nature of the orebodies, and their labour-intensive methods. The mines have also been part of the Mining House concept-a concept unique to South Africa. South African production has declined from a maximum of 1000 tonnes in 1970 to 470 tonnes in 1997. This, as a percentage of western world production, has declined from a maximum of 79 per cent (in 1970) to 21 per cent of world production (in 1997). The nineties' have seen South Africa and its mining companies move onto the world stage and face the harsh realities of having to compete in all spheres of business with their aggressive counterparts principally in Australia, Canada and the USA. The fight is for investment funds with the owners looking for the best returns on their money. In his address Roger Dixon will examine the current situation in the gold mining industry and examine the competitiveness of the mines of the Witwatersrand Basin compared with their peers worldwide. He will also discuss some of the fundamental challenges facing South African gold mines in the areas of legislation, technology, industrial relations, and health and safety. The environment in which the mines operate has changed radically in recent years and their ability to respond to these challenges will determine their future existence.

Jan 1, 1998

By S. Budavari

On the one-hundredth anniversary of the founding of the South African School of Mines, this paper presents a historical review of the tertiary mining education carried out by the School of Mines in Kimberley and the subsequent institutions in Johannesburg. In addition to recording and evaluating a century of mining education, it describes the current activities of the Department of Mining Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand, which is believed to be the natural successor to the School of Mines. The comparison of earlier and contemporary academic mining activities reflects a gradual transition from the educational philosophy and objectives of a school of mines to those of a modem university department. In the conclusions, some aspects of the educational effort expended during the past hundred years are briefly highlighted.

Jan 1, 1996

By V. M. Lovell, N. P. Finkelstein

Fundamental studies of the flotation process: The work of the National I nstitute of Metallurgy N. P. Flnkelsteln and V. M. Love Presented at the Colloquim on Flotation, March 1972, and published in the Journal, July, 1972. AUTHORS' REPLY TO DISCUSSION In his contribution to our paper Dr Lloyd makes two criticisms: The first criticism, as we interpret it, is that the agglomerate flotation process that we described is not really necessary because previously described processes effect almost the same results or could be made to give the same results by including sufficient paraffin in the reagent combination.