Search Documents

By Alichurch P. D

Perseverance nickel deposit is located at latitude 27¦ 491S, longitude 1200 42'E, 330 km north of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. Gossanous outcrops were discovered in April, 1971, and after further detailed surface investigations, percussion drilling led to diamond drilling by June, 1971. Up to December, 1972, 127 diamond holes totalling 45,590 m were drilled to indicate 33 million tonnes averaging 2.2% Ni using a 1% cut-off grade. The deposit occurs in a lenticular ultra- mafic unit emplaced in metasediments locally forming the eastern flank of the Archaean green- stone belt trending NNW from Leonora to Wiluna. To the east a major strike fault separates the metasediments from gneiss; westwards there is a sequence of metavolcanics with further ultra- mafic units. Length of the lens is 3500 m and it attains a maximum width of 800 In. The eastern contact is moderately regular, but the western contact is prominently embayed. Local strikes are NNW, and dips are steeply W. A set of strike faults cuts the ultramafics and enveloping quartzites. These are normal faults, parallel to the major eastern fault, dipping 65-70¦W. They impart a serrated pat- tern to the sub-outcrop of the western contact. Massive serpentinite is the dominant rock in

Jan 1, 1973

Computation is believed to be a powerful tool in scaling-up chemical processes and in designing materials, however, is being challenged by low predictability and limited scalability. This presentation will discuss the promising future of multi-scale computation in solving these two problems to realise the real-time simulation of industrial processes. Multi-scale structures are a common nature of most chemical systems and the meso-scale phenomena are believed to be the road blocks not only in improving the predictability of physical modeling but also in extending the scalability of computation. Focusing on the meso-scale phenomena, a series of research has been carried out at the Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, for the past three decades. Starting with a simple idea of modeling the meso-scale clusters in gas-solid two phase flows, the so-called EMMS (Energy-Minimisation Multi-Scale) model was established. In verifying the stability condition of the model, the pseudo-particle approach was proposed to explore the micro-mechanisms in particle-fluid systems, and the strategy of the EMMS model was extended to other six different multi-phase systems, resulting in a unified conceptual formulation of multi-phase complex systems expressed by a multi-objective variational problem. In applying this model to different multi-phase systems and to industrial problems, it was recognised that the EMMS model defined a new paradigm of multi-scale computation by realising the structural similarity between software, hardware and the problems to be computed. This paradigm of computation was implemented on a multi-scale supercomputer with a capacity of 1.0 petaflops by integrating CPUs and GPUs (Graphic Processing Units), showing high efficiency and low cost. Running the EMMS model on this computer, the simulation of hydrodynamics of multi-phase systems can be speeded up very much, indicating a promising future of virtual reality of process engineering. The presentation will review this series of work, introduce successful applications in industries, and will be concluded by emphasising the critical importance of the meso-scale phenomena as the bridge between macro-dominants and micro-mechanisms. This is an ABSTRACT ONLY. No full paper was prepared for this presentation.

Sep 13, 2010

By Whitworth N, Anderson P

New plant has been commissioned to treat off-gases from the Fluo-solids Reactor in the Copper Smelter. The new section of plant was built onto an operating system and commissioned with minimum disruption to production. Under construction is a 270 m tall stack for Lead Smelter gases. Additional items for the Lead Smelter will include a new gas cooler, a central baghouse to replace Sinter Plant wet gas scrubbers, a new exhaust fan on the main baghouse, and ducting of drossing gases to the main baghouse. Emphasis is given to discussing improvements the new plant has made to working conditions, the general environment and increased production capability. Total expenditure in the two smelters is in the order of $25 million.

Jan 1, 1978

By B Ganesia, H Sahupala

PT Freeport Indonesia is a copper-gold mine operation located in West Papua, Indonesia about 3500 km east of Jakarta. Current ore production is about 270 000 tpd, of which 30 000 tpd comes from underground. In the future, the production from underground will be gradually increased to reach a maximum of 115 000 tpd, as the Grasberg open pit production decreases. The current and future challenge for PT Freeport Indonesia is to fill the quota of underground miners, as Indonesia does not have a long culture of underground work. At present, there are only three active underground mines in Indonesia. The lack of underground skilled labour incited the company to develop its own skilled workforce. In the mean time, to overcome the shortage of personnel, the underground management had to find a way to improve the productivity. Since 21 May 1998, PT Freeport Indonesia Underground Mine has operated with the new roster of two rotating shifts a day, 11 hours per shift. The previous schedule consisted of three nine-hour shifts per day, six days a week, for a total of 26 working days in a month. This change was intended to increase the productivity of the miners. With the previous roster, studies determined that the effective working time was only seven hours per shift. The new roster produces an improvement of effective working hours to about nine hours per shift. As a result, total production has increased by 33 per cent and the utilisation of production equipment has increased by 16.5 per cent. This paper describes the background of the decision to change the work schedule, the study carried out to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of the new shift roster, the challenges, and then compares the results for various parameters between the old schedule and the new one.

Jan 1, 2002

By E A. G Marques, P M. Dight, T A. V Costa, K Mercer

Brazilian banded iron formation (BIF), known as ‘itabirite’, is the main host rock for iron ore in the Iron Quadrangle mines, Brazil. Their geneses are controversial and it is agreed that diagenetic, metamorphic and tectonic events, as well as weathering processes, were responsible for the iron concentration. In addition, it is understood that weathering processes are mainly responsible for reducing the original high intact rock strength, and for generating deep weathered profiles with low strength rocks commonly observed in Vale’s mines.A considerable amount of work has been done to correlate the macro and micro aspects of the itabirites as physical, chemical and geotechnical characteristics that directly or indirectly affect the intact rock strength; however, it is not yet clearly understood what effects the weathering processes have on the strength reduction of these rocks and its associated impact on pit slope stability. This forms a key focus of the lead author’s current research work.This paper presents a review of the geological, geotechnical and weathering characteristics of the itabirites, and early results for the evaluations of fresh itabirites from the PhD thesis research being undertaken by the authors at the Australian Centre for Geomechanics, School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering, The University of Western Australia, sponsored by Vale SA.The results showed that to evaluate the density and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) correlation, not only the porosity but also the geological features should be considered, as they are responsible for data dispersion; however, the presented data suggested a trend that provides the confidence to develop advanced studies and a data population increment to establish proper correlations to support a reliable UCS method.CITATION:Costa, T A V, Dight, P M, Mercer, K and Marques, E A G, 2015. An overview of the weathering process, preliminary density and unconfined compressive strength correlations for fresh itabirites in vale mines on the western side of the Iron Quadrangle, Brazil, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2015, pp 241–254 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 13, 2015

This paper has been developed for æThe Race for SpaceÆ conference. It ranges over various aspects, all of which are within the umbrella of marketing. The question is posed because many engineers, tunnelling and other specialisations, frequently demonstrate an unwillingness to embrace marketing. The accurate reply is probably à ænot an engineer!Æ The paper identifies some of the possible explanations for this reply. The vast majority of the themes, ideas and principles are based on more than 25 years actual experience for the author with Engineers, Tunnelling and other disciplines. This experience has been gained with leading consulting engineering practices; some of the worldÆs largest construction contractors together with other organisations employing engineers in the public, private and tertiary sectors in the UK; US; Europe; the Middle East and throughout Australia and New Zealand. Experience has been gained in design offices; head offices and construction job sites in four contrasting continents. The most significant themes developed throughout this paper are as follows:æLetÆs go and do some ærealÆ work and leave the marketing to others!ÆæMarketing is just a æsoftÆ option and neither technically based nor true management!ÆNIMBY-ism (Not In My Back Yard) so leave well alone!Engineers regularly confuse services marketing -v- product marketing à a useful cop out, or a genuine cry for help?Marketing databasesæLetÆs get rid of the term æsellingÆ and replace it with the more acceptable à and less distracting for tunnelling engineers à 'marketingÆDistinction between benefits and features à in The Race for SpaceSales Comprehension Test, Benchmarking TestJack WelshÆs æmost difficult decision for a CEOÆHarvard Business ReviewÆs (HBRÆs) formula for performanceMany engineers are losing the balance in their lives Sustainable development and engineering æQuality work doesnÆt mean quality serviceÆMajor recommendationsRecommended references

Jan 1, 1999

By R Salmimies

Choosing a ceramic capillary action filter is often favoured in processes where low energy consumption is important, such as the dewatering of iron ore. In addition, the performance of the filter medium is essential, and the possibility to regenerate the medium is an advantage compared to other types of filter media. Although low, roughly 8 - 9 w-per cent for iron ore concentrate, and even cake moisture is the primary goal of dewatering, the introduction of better filtration processes can result in significant improvements of water economy and material efficiency.As industrial beneficiation processes are often complicated in their chemistry due to impurities originating from the ore itself, from the up-stream processing equipment and from the process water used, the characterisation of the filter media after usage might provide relevant information on what actually takes place during long operating periods. The aim of this study was to obtain new information on the fouling of fi lter media in an iron ore process to enhance and develop the regeneration process of the media in the future.X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterise ceramic filter media used in the dewatering of magnetite. Principal component analysis and discriminant analysis were introduced to identify trends in the data. Two types of media blockages were found to play an important role in an acidic iron ore dewatering process: fouling by slurry particles and by in situ crystallisation of a calcium compound, of which the latter originated from the combination of process water and process chemistry.

Jul 11, 2011

The Mt Sinivit gold project is located approximately 50km SSW of Rabaul in the Baining Mountains of the Gazelle Peninsula, East New Britain Province. The deposits were discovered in mid- 1983 and form part of a larger 26km long zone of variably aurif- erous quartz veining. There are no surface indications or previ- ous records of any prospecting activity or production from the region. The Mt Sinivit deposits consist of a series of oxide and sulphide reserves and resources contained in the Wild Dog (South- ern, Central and Northern oxide zones; Northern sulphide zone) and Kavursuki veins. The proposed exploitation of the oxide reserves by a series of small-medium sized open pits has been fostered by the PNG Department of Mining & Petroleum (DMP) as part of a government policy to encourage the development of a small-medium sized mining industry in the country. The aim of this paper is to document the steps and procedures involved in obtaining the grant of a Mining Lease emphasising the time and the expenditures required during each step of the approvals process for the Mt Sinivit project.

Jan 1, 1997

By J Pan, Q H. Li, D Q. Zhu, C C. Yang, X Wang, Z Q. Guo

Al2O3 in natural iron ores generally occurs in goethite, kaolinite, gibbsite, hematite and iron carbonate. When the content of alumina in sinter increases from 1.11 per cent to 3.50 per cent, the reducibility of sinter decreases with the addition of four different types of alumina. When gibbsite and kaolinite are added, the low temperature reduction disintegration (RDI+3.15 mm) of sinter increases with the increase of Al2O3 content in the range of 1.5 per cent to 3.5 per cent. Furthermore, when adding pure reagent alumina, the increase of Al2O3 content in the range of 1.5 per cent to 3.0 per cent will increase the RDI+3.15 mm of sinter. The addition of ferric oxide–alumina spinel with the Al2O3 content in the range of 1.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent, also increases the RDI+ 3.15 mm of sinter. The influence difference is results from the change of the mineral composition and microstructure of sinter because of the occurrence state of Al2O3. Under the condition that Al2O3 content of sinter is 2 per cent, the porosity of sinter with kaolinite is 37.26 per cent, and the shape is irregular. When gibbsite and ferric oxide–alumina spinel are added, the porosity of sinter is about 16 per cent, and the pores are round. When pure reagent alumina is added, the porosity of sinter is 17.49 per cent, and the pores are regular and small. When kaolinite, gibbsite and ferric oxide–alumina spinel are added, platy calcium ferrite is mainly formed in the sinter, and some of it is columnar calcium ferrite. On the other hand, when pure reagent alumina is added, in addition to platy columnar calcium ferrite, acicular calcium ferrite is also formed in the sinter.

Nov 8, 2021

By G P. Bates

The rationale for the design of the Emergency Egress (escape andentrapment) strategy for one underground metal mine has beenpreviously described (Brake, 1999). Two of the key conclusionsfor this mine, which is equipped with 30 minute oxygen-generating self-contained self-rescuers (SCSR), were the need to ensure no person is ever more than 750 m from an emergency refuge station (ERS) and that it could take up to eight hours to rescue workers from undergroundå. These conclusions were based on a number of considerations including the non-availability of a credible, æpersonalÆ entrapment procedure at the workplace, the duration of self-contained self-rescuers when used for travel, the need for rapid æclearingÆ of mine personnel to effectively and safely target mine search and rescue resources and the maximum time to either put a fire out, or to rescue affected personnel. As there is no Australian standard for refuge stationsç (or for self-rescuers), this paper follows with guidelines for the location and specification of both fixed (permanent) and relocatable Emergency Refuge Stations (ERSs) that may be applicable to other underground Australian metal mines.

Jan 1, 1999

By D Will

RedrossThe Redross orebody averages 1 m wide, has a strike of 50 - 350 m, dips at 55° and has a basalt footwall and an ultramafic hanging wall. The most successful and innovative aspects of mining Redross were:•ore development innovations, 90 per cent of development was split fired with a shanty back profile to enable larger and more productive equipment to be used and resulted in higher development grades, improved project payback time and improved ore recovery;•hand held stoping using a multiple level, bottom up ‘V’ shaped hand held stoping method that allowed mining on multiple levels with hand held productivities between 50 and 90 tonnes per shift;•the use of 1 m cement pillars and 7 m high crown pillars were used to create multiple mining areas that enabled high overall production rates from hand held mining this orebody; and•the use of vertical cement pillars to enable hand held mining of adjacent stopes without leaving ore pillars.MarinersThe Mariners orebody averages 3 m wide, has a strike length of 50 - 250 m and dips at 50° with a basalt footwall and poor ultramafic hanging wall. The most successful innovative ideas of re-opening Mariners were:•Dewatering the existing mine workings utilising ‘oilfield’ technology by installing a long submersible pump in on existing pump rising main. This enabled the mine to be dewatered at rates up to 100l/ sec and helped overcome the 45 to 55 L/s inflows.•Overcoming the technical problems associated with Mining N07 ore blocks which had severely deteriorated from being underwater for five years by using reverse firing techniques to improve extraction rates and reduce dilution.•Mass firing a large mining block in the N08 with minimal void space because of deteriorating ground conditions.•Use of a longhole version of the Redross hand held mining method to achieve 100 per cent extraction of the N09 higher grade lenses.

Mar 21, 2011

By G R. Hancock, S Grant, T Whiteside, J B. C Lowry, J Boyden, T J. Coulthard

Physically-based landform evolution models (LEM) provide a spatial framework to forecast the long-term geomorphic stability of post-mining landscapes. When used to test the relative stability of different landform designs, LEMs may assist with the development of optimal closure designs for rehabilitated mines. However, in order to reduce prediction error, factors controlling landscape evolution must also be accurately represented by models. This requires that the correct sets of processes are represented and that driving parameters used in LEMs are, if necessary, calibrated to the landscape of interest.Vegetation exerts strong controls on the hydrologic and geomorphic processes that drive landscape evolution. Hence, the spatial and temporal scales over which typical patterns in vegetation are represented in different landscapes are important considerations in LEM calibration. However, vegetation is rarely accounted for in LEMs and even when integrated is often represented simply, without representing spatial dynamics of vegetation cover that may impact landform development.This study focuses on characterising vegetation patterns to calibrate a new vegetation module of the The Cellular Automaton Evolutionary Slope and River (CAESAR)-Lisflood LEM to be applied to a conceptual rehabilitated landform of the Ranger uranium mine located in the Alligator Rivers Region (ARR) of northern Australia. In the ARR the spatial dynamics of vegetation over time are largely driven by monsoonal rains and topography. Extensive dry season fires are also common in the region, temporarily reducing vegetation cover where they occur. Hence, hydrology, topography and fire disturbance interact to shape a distinct, yet dynamic, mosaic of different vegetation types of varying cover density. As a basis for calibrating the new vegetation function, the distribution and dynamics of vegetation are characterised for this savannah landscape by remote sensing, in conjunction with ground data.CITATION:Boyden, J, Lowry, J, Coulthard, T, Whiteside, T, Hancock, G and Grant, S, 2016. Accounting for vegetation dynamics in landform evolution modelling, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2016 Conference , pp 63–66 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jun 28, 2016

In this paper the system of an operative expert estimation of innovative policy of mining enterprise technological development on sustainable development principles, created in the laboratory of economic analysis, planning and management of Mining Institute after D A Kunayev is represented. It is based on application of technology of satellite navigation and global positioning system (GPS). It allows to estimate the geotechnological complex functioning efficiency in the automated mode and on the basis of the obtained results to develop a complex of management measures on the competitiveness increase, realised by means of the automated corporative management system of geotechnological complex. The estimation of complex competitiveness is carried out on such basic aspects, as: technical, technological, organisational, ecological and economic as all of it give certain expenses and influence on complex overall performance. The major difference of the given approach is its realisation within the limits of the automated corporative management system of geotechnological complexes. It is based the fact that data of monitoring of complex's work will provide a sustainable development of geotechnological complex of mining enterprise.

Dec 6, 2010

The modern resource extraction enterprise is a complex capital intensive business operating in a world of constantly evolving social, environmental and economic scrutiny. Investors, government, media and special interest groups expect to see business environmental and social performance respond and deliver increasing corporate responsibility and sustainability.   Thorough interrogation of business performance using a multi-disciplinary due diligence approach presents a more sophisticated review and benefits beyond the traditional compliance/conformance 'audit' style assessment.   Using a due diligence approach allows assessment through a comprehensive lens which examines potential short- and long-term risks including sometimes less tangible environmental and social liabilities, and informs management, investors and regulators of broader business performance. This approach provides information in a form that business can measure performance in a repeatable and enterprise wide sense.   This paper provides an outline of the due diligence process applied in this way, drawing from lessons learnt and industry based experiences in the due diligence process and the benefits and tools that can  be applied in an environmental and social due diligence business performance assessment

Jun 1, 2010

By T Hill, J Everingham, P Clark

Currently, social impact assessment (SIA) is used to determine social impacts across the life-of-mine (LOM) to closure. This paper draws on recently completed SIA reports from the Martha gold mine in Waihi and qualitative interviews in the community that explored post-closure options, to review the challenges mining companies face when engaging with iwi4 through the SIA process and what that may mean for closure planning. The Maori of New Zealand consistently lobby to have a distinct voice in resource management issues. This is in line with the evolution of indigenous participation in SIA globally and with New Zealand policies, not least of which, the Treaty of Waitangi (the founding document of New Zealand) makes provision for Maori self-determination with regard to natural resources. Land use for mining has been a source of conflict for Maori and mining can have profound cultural and social impacts on the Maori community, yet despite Treaty intentions their representation in SIA has been comparatively limited. With this in mind, the Waitangi Tribunal has released the Ko Aotearoa Tenei (Wai 262) report, which recommends far reaching reforms to laws and policies affecting Maori culture and identity including natural resource management. This landmark report seeks to move the Maori-Government relationship beyond grievance to partnership. Given suggested policy changes in Wai 262 and the risks of poorly conceived closure planning, it is timely to review where Maori currently fit into the SIA process. The findings of this research suggest that improvements to the outcomes of this process will require companies to act beyond compliance. However, these improvements may also ensure mining companies maintain their social license to operate and to ensure continued influence across the life of a project to closure.CITATION:Hill, H, Clark, P and Everingham, J, 2012. æThere is an emptiness for Maori here in WaihiÆ - Understanding indigenous perspectives on post-mine land uses in closure planning, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2012 , pp 153-160 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 10, 2012

By M Badawi, Y Foucaud, C Veloso, J Laine, A C. Araujo

Iron is one of the most exchanged commodities worldwide. Its use for steelmaking explains the growing demand in the metal which remains mainly produced by the mining and the beneficiation of iron ores. Flotation is the most used mineral separation technique worldwide, processing several billion tonnes (Bt) of ore annually, including, in some cases, hematite and magnetite ores. Based on the physicalchemical properties of mineral surfaces, flotation aims to selectively adsorb molecules that render mineral surfaces either hydrophobic or hydrophilic, known as collectors and depressants, respectively. Hydrophobic particles are then recovered in the froth by the injection of gas bubbles travelling up in the cell and attaching the hydrophobic particles. However, despite the popularity and the good performances of flotation, mining industry faces new challenges of decreasing grades and increased mineralogical complexness in ores. Many flotation variables, especially when related to reagent adsorption, remain poorly understood and it becomes necessary to gain knowledge to enhance the existing processes. Molecular modelling techniques like the density functional theory or molecular dynamics simulations (ie Classical molecular dynamics or Ab initio Molecular Dynamics) currently represent powerful tools for different applications in material sciences, like catalysis or depollution purposes. They have recently been successfully applied in the flotation area, with an increasing number of publications dealing with this topic every year. These tools provide crucial information on bulk and surface properties as well as on the adsorption mechanisms of reagents on mineral surfaces, key step in the flotation process, and synergetic effect of collector mixtures. A better understanding of the adsorption mechanisms of flotation reagents, provided by molecular simulations, will help to finely choose flotation reagents, and even lead to the development of new reagents formulations. Overall, these tools enable the discovery of practical and industrial solutions to improve the flotation process, which will undoubtedly help the mining industry to face its future challenges.

Nov 8, 2021

By D Clarke, I Minniakhmetov

This paper describes the application of the SBRE framework to model the Olympic Dam deposit, one of the largest copper and uranium deposits in the world. Geostatistical simulations are the best practice for quantifying uncertainty in the mineral value chain and estimating resources. However, these simulations are currently undertaken on an ad hoc basis in the mining industry due to the high requirements in computing resources and capabilities in advanced geostatistics. The SBRE project provides a standard framework to test, build, and run conditional simulation workflows, which has been applied to the Olympic Dam deposit. Conventional geostatistical methods face challenges when modelling the Olympic Dam deposit, such as non-stationarity, non-linear correlations, and a large number of grid blocks to simulate. To address these challenges, a combination of methods was used, including projection pursuit multivariate transform, trend-residual decorrelation, pluri-Gaussian simulations, and turning-bands simulations. Various tools and applications were used to build the model, including in-house developed applications, Autovariogram software (Varify), and the RMSP python library. All computations were accomplished on the AWS cloud using the EC2-Batch service. The final set of simulations was validated using various methods, such as grade-tonnage curves, histograms, swath plots, and variogram reproductions, as well as validation using historical samples back-testing. The study highlights the importance of an automated, modular, and scalable framework in the development of conditional simulation workflows and describes the learning gained from trials of different combinations of methods and software

May 24, 2023

By E McLean

The decision making check-list and hierarchy of information for process and plant design is generally wide-ranging and complex. The nature of grades, mineralisation and ore types in an ore body, its mine development sequence, and the body of results from metallurgical and physical test work present complex and competing influences on flowsheet development, values for design, equipment selection, plant efficiencies and operating strategy. The challenge is how to manage all these variables, to understand their impacts on performance, and how best to provide a cost-effective plant design and robust process that meets daily/weekly/monthly operating objectives. Throughput, production and grade or product specifications need to be met. The ore body is not average; its range of metallurgical and physical characteristics may be moderately to highly variable. This paper assesses some of the key competing influences and conflicting issues in design and equipment selection, and their effect on production and performance expectations.

Aug 8, 2011

By Fradd WP

South Australia pioneered metal mining in Australia and was the main source of copper for several decades. Gold discoveries and mining also contributed significantly to the development of the Colony. Across the State can be seen the holes, the mullock heaps and, in some instances, the remnants of machinery of the past era. In this, the centenary year of the discovery of the Teetulpa goldfield, considered by some to he the most significant discovery of gold in the State, it is appropriate that we should present a paper on the history of gold mining in South Australia. South Australia has not been a major producer of gold with recorded production a little in excess of 15 million grams (15 t). This represents about 0.25 per cent of the Australian total and ranks last of the States of the Commonwealth. The outstand- ing feature of gold production in South Australia has been the succession of short periods of rela- tively high production immediately following a discovery, with payable dirt being quickly exhausted, a fact clearly illustrated by the graph of South Australian gold production (Figure 1).

Jan 1, 1987

By P Craig, I Canbulat, J Naylor, J Emery, A Sykes

Longwall mining is by far the most common method of underground coal extraction in Australia. Industry trends and expectations are placing increasing emphasis on the reliability and productivity of these operations. Longwalls are becoming wider and longer while retreat rates are continuously increasing due to significant improvements achieved in longwall equipment reliability and automation. This increased longwall productivity is placing significant emphasis on the reliability of longwall panel development.Although there have been significant improvements in the reliability of continuous miners and hydraulic drill rigs, the traditional resin-encapsulated bolt installation is still the principal method used in all major coal producing countries around the world. Anglo American realised that an opportunity existed to introduce an alternative roof bolt installation technique called ‘spin-to-stall’ (STS) into Australia. STS was first introduced by Anglo American Coal in South Africa, where it has been successfully used for over a decade, though implementation of South African STS resin in Australia has proven to be near impossible. Therefore, a new STS development project was initiated between Anglo American Coal and Jennmar Australia. This paper summarises the journey of this project, the results achieved and the successful implementation of STS at Grasstree mine.CITATION:Emery, J, Canbulat, I, Craig, P, Naylor, J and Sykes, A, 2014. Development and implementation of spin-to-stall resin at Anglo American’s Australian Underground Coal Operations, in Proceedings AusRock 2014: Third Australasian Ground Control in Mining Conference , pp 287–294 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 5, 2014