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By C Adams

Reports of delays and cost blowouts in major study and construction projects are becoming increasingly prevalent in the resources industry. This is mainly being attributed to an escalating cost environment associated with the increased number of projects in the development to construction pipeline and a scarcity of competent skilled resources to deliver these projects. However, not all this effect can be directly attributed to the current environment. Historically the mining industry has not performed well in its ability to deliver projects according to the financial and physical parameters forecast in the feasibility study process. To manage the risks associated with delivery of major projects, resource companies need to ensure they use a standardised approach to management of their project development to satisfy project objectives and enable more efficient use of the increasingly limited available resources. Each discrete step in advancing the project from scoping study to operations needs to be integrated, reducing the amount of rework and duplication. This paper is primarily a consolidation of existing ideas on project management systems but also introduces new concepts to solve current issues. It describes the basic components of a typical mining project, the issues that commonly arise, the key attributes, and critical steps required for an effective integrated project management system covering projects from initial scoping studies through to project commissioning and operation. This paper focuses on technical study components of the mine development project with allowance for transitioning to design and construction and operation phases.

Jan 1, 2006

In the late 1970's and early 1980's a considerable number of large scale open pit mines were developed in N.S.W. and Queensland. At the time these mines were planned, the industry was characterised by rising coal prices, rising fuel prices, and a host of other labour and government constraints different to the situation today. Yet some mines have clearly been able to cope with this change much better than others. While one mine may now be expanding and profitable, its neighbour may still be labouring under painful adjustment processes. This paper examines the major reasons for this difference. It suggests more robust criteria for assessment of future projects to reduce their sensitivity to changes outside management control.

Jan 1, 1990

The addition of a thallous salt to the cyanide leach of a calcined pyritic concentrate causes a marked increase in the rate of extraction of gold. This is due probably to the activation of passive gold by the thallous ions. Lead, bismuth, and mercury salts, which should produce a similar effect, fail to do so. It is postulated that this latter result, together with the reprecipitation of silver at low cyanide levels, is due to the presence of soluble sulphide.INTRODUCTIONThe work of Fink and Putnam (1950) showed that the rate of solution of gold in cyanide can be increased by the addition of small amounts of lead, bismuth, mercury, and thallium salts. Mills (1951), during a study of the electrochemistry of gold, with particular reference to cyanidation, was able to show that gold may become passive towards cyanide solution. The addition of lead or thallium salts prevented this passivity, although the action of lead was limited to the pH range 10 to 12. In a recent paper Cathro (1963) confirmed the findings of Mills, and presented results which showed that the addition of thallium to a cyanide leach of a calcine from Lake View and Star mine, Kalgoorlie, increased the rate of extraction of gold appreciably. In, this paper the use of thallium to prevent the gold becoming passive, and hence to decrease leaching time and cyanide consumption, is examined.EXPERIMENTALA series of leaching tests was carried out on a sample of Lake View and Star calcine, comprising calcined pyrite (about 70 per cent.) and siliceous gangue (about 30 per cent.) and containing 165 p.p.m. gold, 45 p.p.m. silver, 0·1...

Jan 1, 1964

Reliable and discriminating small, laboratory scale methods of study have been developed and used successfully in the critical evaluation and interpretation of the carbonization characteristics of a wide range of raw and prepared materials, the variable factors in the coking process, and' the mechanical properties of the carbonized products. The simple and highly economic technologies have been successfully and effectively integrated with detailed surface and subsurface geological exploration programmes (particularly in the coalfields of the .Central Bowen Basin of Queensland) as well as with quality and utilization studies of a nUII!ber of representative Australian and Japanese coals. Previously, only the results of comparatively large, laboratory scale studies have provided information reasonably indicative of those to be anticipated hi industrial practice, but these suffer serious disadvantages in terms of economy of material, time and resources; they have been difficult or even impossible to use as an essential part of any normal or comprehensive exploration programme. On the other hand, although previously developed smaller scale laboratory methods derive considerable advantage from their flexibility, amenity to critical control and inherent potential for speed and economy, they have hitherto permitted no effective or direct comparison with the results of industrial practice or full scale assessment. Comprehensive study results achieved through technologies developed recently at the University 'of Sydney demonstrate that carefully controlled small laboratory scale methods of evaluation quite suitable for use in exploration and, other programmes may be used to predict with considerable accuracy and reliability (in some cases exceedingthat of pilot scale study) the principal strength index of one of the established and internationally recognized full sc:ale tests-the Japanese Industrial-Standard Drum Test. It is probable that further study may establish satisfactory correlations with the results of other standard industrial procedures.

Jan 1, 1969

The need for the hydraulic transportation of coal in the New South Wales coal industry, both from the coal face to the surface and from the coal mine to the consumer or the port for export, is explained. Details of research projects currently in'progress and involving the hydraulic transportation of New South Wales coals are given together with information on the hydraulic transportation of coal in the United States of America.The potential of hydraulic transportation as a viable alternative to the proposed expansion and upgrading of the New South Wales railway system to meet the projected New South Wales coal production to the year 2000 is described.

Jan 1, 1980

The importance of timbering, not only from a financial point of view but from an actual mining point of view, is so often overlooked or slightly glossed over by the average expert and investor, that I have thought it would prove interesting to go into the matter and to invite discussion upon the subject. We will first take small veins, or reefs as they are termed in some mining countries; and by small veins it is intended to denote fissures from a few inches to three feet. The ore body is supposed to be confined within well defined walls free from gangue matter, unless the casing can be defined as such. Now, if the walls are smooth and moderately hard, no timbering is required other than the stulls, which are braced from wall to wall in order to form platforms or stages to stope from. Should the reef from wall to wall prove payable, or should the vein be of a character to prohibit cleaning or sorting; and it be determined to send the whole of the stone to the, reduction works, the stuUs should be left in place until the section or block of ground is worked out, in order that if a weak spot in the walls (especially the hanging) occur, it would be possible, without any particularly extra expense or difficulty often times accompanied by danger to brace and secure the slabs. After the block became entirely stoped, it would pay where labour was cheap to remove the majority of timbers to stull another section.

Jan 1, 1901

This paper summarises the development t,) date for the Hidden Valley Gold (HVG) Project. It starts with the original exploration work, covers the detailed feasibility study activities and concludes with the current phase of extra exploration drilling. A brief technical summary has been made from the various mining, process and environmental studies that were undertaken as part of the project approval process. A discussion of the influential non-technical factors is included, as well as a view of the future prospects for an operating mine. The project was always seen as marginal, given the low grades, small resource and short mine life. However the capital and operating costs were lowered with aggressive design and it was regarded an acceptable development by CRA. The opportunity was taken to review the project when delays in start-up were encountered. An updated financial evaluation showed a subeconomic resource in 1990 terms and this resulted in a new exploration phase to identify a larger deposit.

Jan 1, 1991

Laboratory induced polarization measurements were made on representative samples of concentrated sulphide ores from three environments in New South Wales Comparisons were made with the membrane polarization exhibited by an argillaceous sandstone. The sulphide samples showed a strong polarization effect, the magmtude of whIch depended directly on the conductivity of tlIe pore electrolyte.

Jan 1, 1969

By Misra V. N, Cheng C. Y

Two types of Mt Tom Price hematite iron ore from Hamersley Iron P/L were tested using a Humboldt Wedag Jones P40 wet high intensity magnetic separator (WHIMS). The parameters tested were magnetic intensity (7000, 9000 and 11 000 Gauss), groove plate type (8R and 12R) and gap width (2.5 and 1.8 mm). It was found that at 9000 gauss magnetic intensity, reasonably high-grade and recovery in the concentrate were obtained. At 2.5 mm plate gap width, the 12R groove plate performed slightly better than the 8R groove plate. Further testwork is recommended to optimise the magnetic intensity, feed flowrate and pulp density, wash water pressure and flowrate with 12R and 8R groove plates at 2.5 mm gap width.

Jan 1, 1999

Exerting the Advantages of National Key Discipline, Outstanding the Training of Engineering Capability, Cultivating Talent to be with Innovation Ability

Sep 13, 2010

From time to time lead, which is normally considered to be a soft ductile metal, fails by cracking. The cracks which form appear to be of two distinct types-(a) those which follow a zig-zag course around the boundaries of crystals and (b) those which follow a more direct path, frequently two systems of cracks appearing at right angles.The former appear definitely to be associated primarily with the properties of the crystal boundaries, whilst the latter appear rather to be determined by the system of stresses applied. In both cases the lead appears to be a brittle rather than a ductile metal, for the failure occurs without the large amount of deformation usually associated with the tensile breaking of lead. The latter is, however, a function of time and when lead is deformed by long applications of stress, the metal appears to- be less ductile than when the stress is applied suddenly. Thus, if a given test piece of commercial lead is broken by a stress of 1100 lb. per sq. in. in several hours, it may extend 40 to 50%before failing, whereas when broken by a stress of 500 lb. per sq. in. acting for 12 months or more it willshow an extension of only 15 to 25 %. With lower stresses still, failure would take much longer and undoubtedly lower extensions would be obtained.As the stress is lowered it is found that the marked local contraction characteristic of ductile metals becomes less noticeable, and failure, instead of being by extension of *Lecture delivered to the First 'Ordinary Meeting of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 21st August, 1935.

Jan 1, 1935

The use of comparative sampling methods during the evaluation of the tin-copper deposits at Cleveland mine yielded closely checking average results from groove, channel, AXT split diamond drill core, and bulk sampling for both tin and copper content of the ore.The weighted mean tin and copper grades and values for the groove, channel, and split core samples showed small percentage differences from bulk sample results, and the F-ratio test for single population origin of the four types of samples was accepted at the 99· 5 per cent level of confidence.These results indicate that grade estimates based on the assays from AXT split diamond drill core and/or groove samples would be reliable within practical limits.

Jan 1, 1968

An intensely sheared and mineralized zone occurs in the quartz dolerite greenstone (or younger greenstone) mass on the western limb of the Kalgoorlie syncline. This zone comprises the western part of the Golden Mile and has produced the greater part of the 33,000,000 oz of gold produced to date from the main mining belts. A study of the general geological and structural features suggests that the lode shear system will continue southward on a pitch similar to that of the main syncline. Although payable ore has been found recently further to the south, the expectation of large quantities extending southward from the present mining areas is problematical.INTRODUCTIONUntil the late 1930's the principal mining activities in the western lode system were centred on three major ore-shoots formed on the No. 4, No. 3 and to a lesser extent on the No. 2 lode shears (Fig. 1). With the gradual reduction of grade in depth on these main ore shoots, increasing attention was paid to the "Minor Lode" system of lode shears known to exist in the same area. A large quantity of payable ore was found on these "Minor Lodes" particularly in the central part of the mining area. In recent years more attention has been given to exploration in a southerly direction.ROCK TYPES AND STRUCTURESThe western system occurs on the western flank of a dragfolded, south pitching syncline. The rock succession consists of Black Flag sediments overlying the younger greenstone horizon which overlies the fine grained older greenstone horizon. The axis of the syncline is regarded as a tight infold of the overlying Black Flag sediments. This infold has been faulted and intruded by albite porphyry resulting in the formation of a composite body of slates...

Jan 1, 1964

Advances in Optical Image Analysis and Textural Classification of Iron Ore Fines

Sep 13, 2010

Mount Isa Mines Limited first installed electronic data processing equipment in 1959. The decision to replace this equipment with a computer was motivated by the need for greater processing power and the availability of new and less expensive computers. Consideration of hardware software and delivery features of available equipment, resulted in the selectIon of an ICT 1900 series computer which was installed in March 1966. Special air-conditioning and power stabilization equipment was also required.Systems design and programming was carried out by personnel recruited from within the Company and trained by the computer manufacturer. Early work was hindered by the problems of remote location.Initial applications were basically accounting functions whIch were taken over from the EDP installation. Subsequently computer applIcatIOns of a more complex technical nature have been undertaken. Future work will include both "scientific" and data processing applications.

Jan 1, 1968

By Nicol S. K, Swanson A. R

The poor flotation response of many coals has in the past been attributed to such factors as differences in rank, differences in degree of oxidation, differences in petrographic composition, or slime coatings. The present work shows that while all these factors undoubtedly influence flotation, the size distribution of the feed may override these. Evidence is presented which shows how this factor can lead to substantial losses of coarse coal (>250 µm)from a coal which would normally be considered amenable to flotation. Reasons for this loss of flotation response are suggested together with means of overcoming the problem.

Jan 1, 1978

On the more important mines it is almost essential to have a general plan of the surface. A special feature of this plan should be the indication thereon of a suitable arrangement of contour lines, either wholly over the surface of the property or at parts where may seem most useful. The importance of having these contours marked on the plan will be best appreciated by the engineer, in selecting the best available site for a proposed new plant, in locating a tramway, in connecting the surface with the underground workings to the best advantage, or in solving many similar problems that come within his province. The closer the contours are together vertically the better, the limitation being the trouble and expense of getting them on to the plan. They may range from five to fifty feet apart but a distance of ten feet will be found, in most cases, to be the most useful.In deciding the datum level from which these contours are to be measured, it is best to depart from the ordinary sea level datum, and use instead the highest available point on the property. This datum will be called zero and all levels will be reckoned so many feet below it; thus by a contour marked 160 on the plan, it will be understood that the level of the plane of the contour is 160 feet below the highest available point on the property. This system of measuring levels downward is readily suggested from measuring the depths of shafts from the brace or of excavations from the original surface.

By R L. Braithwaite

Mesothermal quartz lodes in Paleozoic Greenland Group metasediments of the Reefton area have produced 67 t of gold up to 1951, and recent exploration has identified new gold resources in several deposits, including the largest past producers, Blackwater and Globe Progress. The metasediments consist of alternating sandstone and argillite, metamorphosed to lower greenschist facies and hydrothermally altered near the quartz lodes. We examined and sampled drill core from four prospects, Globe Progress, General Gordon, Merrijigs and Blackwater, to determine the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of hydrothermal alteration in the sandstone units. The sandstones are feldspathic litharenites averaging Q65, FlO and R25, with detrital grains of quartz, feldspar, rock fragments, muscovite, biotite (mostly altered to chlorite), and trace quantities of graphite, apatite, zircon, tourmaline and titanite. Hydrothermal alteration has developed a secondary mineral assemblage of K-mica (muscovite, sericite and illite), carbonate, chlorite, pyrite, arsenopyrite and limonite. The abundance of secondary chlorite is greater at Blackwater than at the other locations studied. Features in the sediments associated with increasing hydrothermal alteration towards quartz lodes include, the development and increasing intensity of colour bleaching and carbonate spotting, increasing quantities of disseminated pyrite and arsenopyrite, and the appearance and increasing quantity and size of thin carbonate, quartz and sulphide veins. This is accompanied by increasing concentrations of sulphur, arsenic and antimony as shown in assays, and of volatiles (loss on ignition) and iron as seen in XRF analyses. We were unable to identify consistent trends in the behaviour of potassium, sodium, and calcium that are exhibited by similar mesothermal quartz lode deposits inVictoria, Australia.

Jan 1, 1998

The association of deep well turbine type pumps with metal mining is by no means a new one, though undoubtedly each application has certain features of interest, conformable with attendant circumstances. Although all conditions pertaining to a particular operation in one mine are rarely, if ever, duplicated in another mine, it is felt that some aspects will be parallel, or in various ways comparable.Therefore the following descriptions of an installation of a deep well turbine pump as part of dewatering plant in connection with shaft sinking may be of general interest to metal mine operators.The Man and Supply shaft at Mount Isa Mines is designed as shown in plan by Fig. 1. It is the main entrance and service shaft for the entire property and hence is in constant use. Arrangements for sinking must be such as to cause little or no impediment to routinehoisting work. Also, being the main shaft, it has been essential to deepen it in step with successive level developments.During the period of operations at Mount Isa only a limited time has been available to complete succeeding levels down to the present No. 7 haulage level (895 ft.), and sinking operations in soft, broken, leached, and heavy water-bearing country have presented many features militating against reasonable speed and cost. Outstanding among these difficulties has been the large volume of water contained in the pervious brecciated country.

Jan 1, 1939

By A T. Job, M L. Edgar, P R. McAree

Characterising ores in-pit and in real-time presents a significant value opportunity for the mining industry. Hyperspectral imaging systems are proposed as an enabling technology to achieve this real-time characterisation. This paper considers the application of a hyperspectral imaging spectrometer mounted on a shovel. We define the performance requirements for such a spectrometer and associated subsystems during a typical dig-load cycle. The relatively high swing rotation speed of the shovel requires approximately video-rate exposure times to achieve good spatial resolution. We analyse a selection of components against these requirements and find that suitable commercial spectrometers, detectors and optics appear fit-for-purpose. Automated, real-time spectral classification systems are also available, with only relatively modest requirements for processing power. The paper argues that at near peak solar illumination, a system for field deployment at the required sensitivity is viable using only commercial off-the-shelf components.CITATION:Job, A T, Edgar, M L and McAree, P R, 2017. Real-time shovel-mounted coal or ore sensing, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2017, pp 397–406 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 24, 2017