Search Documents

The Australian Centre for Minesite Rehabilitation Research (ACMRR) was established through a mining industry initiative to meet the need of industry, governments and the community for sustainable systems for land affected by exploration, mining and mineral processing activities. The Centre, which is a consortium of the major groups associated with mining rehabilitation research in Australia, has a focus on both strategic research and technology transfer and combines a wide range of multidisciplinary skills covering engineering and the physical and biological sciences. The paper briefly describes the goals, structure, expertise and research and technology transfer activities of the Centre. The major research program areas of waste rock dump and final void stability, acid mine drainage, tailings disposal, and remediation of ecosystem reconstruction are described in the context of national Priorities.

Jan 1, 1995

By Moore R. F, Macias L. F

The Filbara region of northwestern Western Australia contains several known occurrences of mafic/ultramafic rock assemblages which may host platinum group element (POE) mineralisation. This paper deals with occurrences at Munni Munni and Andover. The Munni Munni complex is of particular interest because it is known to contain PGE mineralisation and is currently undergoing active exploration. The US/Australia Joint Scanner Project of October 1985 collected airborne scanner data for the BMR over Munni Munni. Such an ultramafic-mafic complex had not been previously researched with advanced remote sensing instrumentation. Extensive investigation of data from the NSOO1 (Thematic Mapper Simulator) scanner resulted in successful differentiation of gabbroic and ultramafic rocks, and also subdivision within the ultramafies. Similar differentiation could not be achieved using conventional Landsat MSS imagery and aerial photography. Encouraged by those results and in support of BMR field research into the mafic-ultramafic suites of the region, data from the Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) instrument were investigated to attempt differentiation of the ultramafic and mafic rocks in the Andover complex some 50 km to the northeast of Munni Munni.

Jan 1, 1988

By J L. Bos, D J. Readett

As mining progressed through the Girilambone oxide orebodies, down to the primary sulphide zones, each successive stratiform layer yielded copper bearing ores of changing mineralogy and grade. Constant changes, innovations and optimisation were required to be applied to the heap leach, solvent extraction and electrowinning operations, to efficiently produce LME Grade A quality copper cathodes from this ore. The changing ore types required various crushing, stacking and heap leach irrigation methods to ensure that optimum recovery from the predominantly low-grade copper ores was efficiently achieved. Subsequently, innovations such as heap aeration and heap rejuvenation techniques were implemented. The constant selective removal of copper from the maturing heap leach liquors, coupled with an increase in iron(III) concentration, required solvent extraction optimisation. Changes to the original solvent extraction circuit configuration, combined with changes in operating parameters and procedures, allowed effective processing with changing heap liquor compositions. The electrowinning tankhouse was also upgraded and optimised through continued testwork and monitoring, to maximise cathode production and quality

Jan 1, 2000

By S Zaffron, O Loffredi

A critical concern of any mining company today is its relationship with the different stakeholder groups impacted by the operational activity û communities, unions, vendors, local partners and competitors, local and federal governments, interest groups and non-government organisations. What ten years ago would have gone unnoticed, now, and even more so in the future, can drastically impact the profitability and even existence of a mining operation. This paper describes the development and delivery of a new paradigm for creating effective external stakeholder relationships. We report on the actual measurable results of an integrated and highly complex initiative led by Lonmin Plc (Lonmin) and Landmark Education Business Development (LEBD) that significantly altered the nature of the relationship with the stakeholders. Given the nature of the long-term investment required in a mining operation, any breakdowns or surprises in its relationship with external stakeholders brings with it the potential for major loss. The transformation of executive and senior management and community leadership was required to enable them to be effective in managing this complex set of circumstances.

Jan 1, 2006

By B J. Fallon

This study used structural equation modelling (SEM) to develop a series of models to explain the impact of work-life balance on employeesÆ perceptions of job performance, job satisfaction, turnover intentions and absenteeism. The sample comprised 257 participants (108 males and 149 females) from a range of occupations and levels of seniority. In sum, the results clearly demonstrated that successful work-life balance is associated with higher levels of job performance and worker satisfaction and with decreased levels of absenteeism and turnover intentions. The data also lent support to the impact of employeesÆ coping styles, schedule flexibility and supervisor support on employeesÆ abilities to balance work and life. It is concluded that tangible benefits to an employerÆs bottom-line can be anticipated from organisational initiatives to assist employees to better balance their work and personal lives.

Jan 1, 2005

By Hopkins G. M F

Intensive exploration of the Archaean ultra mafic sequence bordering the Kambalda dome has resulted in the discovery of at least ten dis- tinct areas of nickel sulphide mineralisation subsequent to the initial drill intersection in January, 1966. Sulphide ore reserves to June 30, 1972 were 19.36 million tonnes at 3.3% nickel after mining of 3.0 million tonnes at 3:7%,nickel since production commenced in March, 1967. About 75% of contained nickel metal reserves occur in sulphide concentrations located at the base of the-ultramafic sequence, in contact with underlying meta-tholeiitic basalt. The remaining reserve occurs in concentrations of sulphides within the ultramafic sequence, usually within 100 metres of the underlying contact and typically in proximity to contact mineralisation. These hanging wall orebodies are smaller, contain significantly lower con- centrations of sulphide, and generally exhibit higher Ni:S ratios than underlying contact ore- bodies. The majority of contact sulphides concentr- ations form narrow, elongate, north north-west trending bodies, closely coincident with fault bounded depressions in the contact. Detailed study of the Lunnon Shoot ore environment in- dicates that it was a locus of crustal failure during, and subsequent to, emplacement of ultra- mafic rocks. Resultant structures parallel and

Jan 1, 1973

The techniques used in evaluating gold placers and in recovering gold therefrom are briefly reviewed and critically assessed, relative to the estimated and actual recoveries from many operations. The discrepancies between these quantities can be significant and sometimes disturbing. The coefficient of variation for the annual percentage recoveries, relative to the estimates, is in excess of 10 and commonly above 20 . The difficult- ies in evaluating placers are recogni- sed both in the gathering of meaning- ful sample data and in the derivation of estimates. There are deficiencies, perhaps insurmountable at reasonable cost, in the techniques used to derive an estimate and in the gold saving devices usually employed. There is a subconscious trend to use recovery as a check on the estimate. The industry could have extracted more information during the evaluation and working of deposits in order to fully characterise them and in order to quantify metallurgical efficiency. There is a place for other prospecting techniques, particularly geophysical, in placer evaluation and a need for more appropriate and sophisticated

Jan 1, 1976

The technological advancement in computing power and the increasing demand for information processing systems spread throughout many aspects of a corporation's business activities has revolutionised management information systems departments. This revolution is manifest in the proliferation of mini-computers and micro-processors as well as the planned or unplanned migration from centralised processing to distributed processing. The total data processing investment in people, hardware, software and telecommunications has reached a high level in many organisations. Therefore, the cost of inadequate planning or ad hoc growth of systems can be considerable. The concept of MIS systems planning has gained adherence in recent years; however, there appears to be a wide diversity in the effectiveness and quality of corporate systems plans. To be effective a systems plan must have the support and concurrence of executive management of an organisation. A disciplined planning approach to systems together ,with the involvement of senior user management as well as MIS management is necessary to develop a satisfactory systems plan that forms the basis of a corporation's data processing strategy.

Jan 1, 1980

Mine site restoration, involving the re-establishment of original ecosystems, is a far greater challenge than revegetation, which simply aims to stabilise the site and to give it a green appearance. One of the challenges is to establish a simple yet effective measure of restoration success. A potentially useful approach is to focus on particular groups of plants or animals which are likely to provide a general indication of the state of the ecosystem in which they occur. Ants have been used extensively by the mining industry in this context, particularly in northern Australia. Ants are likely to be useful bioindicators because of their general importance in the Australian environment, and because of the many linkages they have with other parts of the ecosystem. Moreover, ant community structure responds to stress and disturbance in predictable ways, and therefore provides an interpretable measure of ecosystem change. This is illustrated by a study of ant recolonisation at Ranger uranium mine. However, the extent to which ants reflect the responses of other ecosystem components is poorly documented. This is currently the subject of a collaborative project between OSS and CSIRO.

Jan 1, 1994

Water is important commodity in the mining industry. Water is used in the many stages of mining from the exploration stages and drilling, to mine development and operation and finally throughout mine rehabilitation and post mine activities. With the use of water throughout the life span of a mine, its management is an important component in the operation of any mine. Unfortunately the use of water within the operations can be one of the major sources of pollution generated from a mine. Such contamination can occur via numerous mechanisms including ground water flow, over land flow and accidents. Contamination may occur in any stage of mining operations, for example a leaking or failed tailings dam. With the above in mind, the paper presented will focus upon the use and management of water in the mining industry: ownership rights of water û common law as well as legislative rights; a review and analysis of the existing Queensland legislation and its mechanisms for the protection of water pollution from mining operations; and conclusions drawn from the paper relating to the Queensland legislation.

Jan 1, 2003

As an older member of The AusIMM, I received my 30 year æPearl AwardÆ in June and had my 50th birthday two weeks ago, I am honoured to be here today. I thank those responsible for their confidence in me and in my ability to hopefully hold captive a broad group of individuals who are here as equals, sharing an interest, no a passion in blasting technology and associated works à over the two days you will hear some excellent operational and technical presentations I am sure. But today I will digress; I want to talk about the importance of leadership and how it indeed can be the catalyst for success, improvement and change. There has been much written about leadership, its principals, the charismatic leaders, the doÆs and donÆts and so on à and I for one am not about to give you the Holy Grail; there are many experts with greater wisdom than I on this subject matter. What I do want to do is explore the application of this passion to examples within the world stage and some examples drawn from my experience in mining.

Jan 1, 2007

The Prospero orebody is a part of the Helene mine at Cosmos and was scheduled to begin production in March 2008 after the exhaustion of the Tapinos orebody in the same mine. Treatment of the Tapinos orebody was challenging and it was envisaged that Prospero would have similar properties given that it was also anomalous in deleterious elements and would be of a similar mineral hosting. It was deemed necessary to undertake a metallurgical test work program to identify any potential processing issues, complex mineralogy or significant metallurgical domains. The paper discusses the processes which were employed to undertake the metallurgical test work program and describes the aspects that can be employed by other developers to quickly and effectively assess potential future orebodies. It will demonstrate that the work was successful at determining expected metallurgical behaviour, providing direction for mining operations and highlighting areas for more extensive research.

Jan 1, 2009

By Restarick CJ

A compound cylinder-cyclone system, fitted with a flow control valve between the cylinder and cyclone, has been used for coal slurry sizing experiments in the range approximately 100 to 300 micrometres. An important feature of the system is the ability to adjust the cut size of the separation over wide limits by adjustment of the flow control valve. Results have been compared with typical fine screening operations. Under roughly equivalent conditions the compound cyclone system can achieve better elimination of extreme fines, but is not as sharp as the screen for coarser size cut-off. Simulations of systems involving combinations of the cylinder-cyclone system with screens indicate that the advantages of both sizing devices can be combined to yield accurately sized products for fine coal cleaning, at much less cost than using screens alone.

Jan 1, 1984

By A Saghafi, S Day

The control of spontaneous combustion in spoil piles is an area of concern for a number of open cut coal mines. Spontaneous combustion in spoil may occur when carbonaceous waste materials are exposed to air. In large piles, the relatively high voidage within the pile may allow sufficient movement of air through the pile to sustain oxidation and heat generation. Over the past decade, ACARP and CSIRO have funded a number of projects aimed at providing a better understanding of the causes of spontaneous combustion in spoil piles and the development of control strategies. Work has focused on prevention measures but has also considered measures available to deal with well-developed fires. Field, laboratory and numerical modelling methods have been brought to bear on the issues. Individual projects have addressed: causes of spontaneous combustion including the relative reactivities of mine waste materials; the use of cover layers to prevent spontaneous combustion; the use of flyash grout to control an active fire; the emissions of air pollutants; and the emission of greenhouse gases. This paper provides a description of the work carried out to date with an emphasis on the major findings of the research and its application to open cut mines.

Jan 1, 2005

By Dai Q

The mechanism of flotation of potash ores with long chain primary amines has been assessed. Since at high electrolyte concentration in saturated brine the electrical double layers of the interacting particles and bubbles are entirely compressed, the induction time measurements confirmed the elimination of kinetic factors associated with the energy barriers opposing particle-to-bubble attachment under such conditions as could be expected. The lack of the kinetic hindrance resulted in the correlation found between the contact angles on the KCl surfaces and the sylvite flotation measured under the same physico-chemical conditions. The iep values and acid numbers obtained for various Esso oils tested as extenders in the flotation of coarse potash ore fractions confirmed the base oils with high content of nitrogen-bearing compounds to be good extender oils. The performance of such oils could further be improved by dissolving in them a small amount of long-chain aliphatic amine.

Jan 1, 1993

Natural gas is a comparatively new fuel in Australia. It was first used in small quantities in Queensland in 1965, but it was not until 1969 that natural gas reached the capital cities Brisbane, Melbourne, and Adelaide in that order; then in 1971 it reached Perth. By the mid seventies, natural gas had secured a significant proportion of the energy markets in Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia and in 1976 supply commenced in Sydney. In that year - 1976 - gas supplied about 12.5% of the total demand for primary energy in Australia excluding transport. In the current financial year - 1981/82 - natural gas is expected to supply nearly 19% of the market and forecasts for 1990 range up to 25%. From a starting point in the late 1960's when manufactured gas supplied a small but important proportion of the non-transport energy market - less than 3% - we have exper- ienced an average growth of nearly 24% per annum up to the present time.

Jan 1, 1982

A company tax rate based on profitability return, or as more commonly expressed, a resource rent taxation scheme has been intro- duced at various stages in the past by both Australian state and commonwealth governments. At present a number of overseas countries are applying this form of legislation to the taxing of sections of their mining industries. Within this study, ways in which this type of tax has been used are examined. The form in which the tax can be applied varies. 1. It can be selectively or universally applied. 2. The base on which economic return is calculated can be selected in a number of ways. 3. It can start operating only when high profit levels exist, or alternatively be the basis of a total taxation scheme. The implication for the Australian mining industry of the introduction of different types of resource rent taxation schemes is assessed within the context of previously enacted systems.

Jan 1, 1978

By J Wei, X Lan, F Wang

This paper presents a quantitative assessment model for the assessment of environmental load in gold production, which is based on environmental ecology, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and artificial neural network. In LCA evaluation indexes include resource consumption, energy consumption, gas waste, liquid waste, solid waste and so on. Each item represents an aspect in gold production while their combination reflects the relationship between gold production and environment. In this paper an utility function of evolution index on environmental load is given by linear or non-linear transformation, which changes evaluation indexes with different dimension into an equivalent value in range of [-1, 1]. This paper also provides a new approach to make decision on the weight for quantitative assessment with the help of a three-layered artificial neural network. The proposed approach in this paper has been successfully used to a real synthetic assessment for the environmental load in gold production, which include seven kinds of different operational technologies in China. The applications prove that the new approach is successful and reliable. It provides a new tool for the assessment of environmental load of the gold production.

Jan 1, 2003

Alliance Gold Mines was established in the early part of 1994 to acquire the assets of Diamin Resources NL at Maldon, Victoria. These comprised Exploration Licence 3422, some 20 sq km in area and enclosing the main part of the Goldfield, and a CIP plant - with a nominal capacity of 250 000 tpa - which was commissioned in 1988. Between 1988 and 1992 Diamin had mined - by open pit methods - and milled around one million tonnes of low grade gold ore, and recovered 55 000 ounces of gold. By 1992 the known shallow resources had been depleted. Historical gold production from the Maldon field is about 1.75 million ounces, at the surprising average recovered grade of 28 g/t. The last significant mine closed in 1926: since then there has been no comprehensive exploration program, though Lone Star Exploration NL tested part of the field for shallow open-pittable resources in the 1970s and Carpentaria Exploration Company Pty Ltd carried out widely-spaced drilling on the three main reefs from 1979 to 1982. Diamin (1983 - 1994) commenced a careful compilation of old mine records and newspaper clippings, and drilled several cored holes.

Jan 1, 1996

By J Chegwidden

Rare earths are a critical minor constituent of many advanced materials that are essential inputs to the manufacture of items such as mobile telephones, computers, televisions and autocatalysts. Although rare earths have a relatively high unit value, the impact of this cost has little, if any, impact on the selling price of the final item. Furthermore, as they are generally present in minute concentrations they are not recycled. It is for these reasons that rare earths are considered strategic materials. China dominates the market as it supplies over 85 per cent of world demand. It has recently taken steps to increase prices through the restriction of exports and support for minimum prices by an association of the major producers. This paper provides an overview of future opportunities for Australia in the context of the current dynamics of world supply and demand.

Jan 1, 2001