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The great philosopher, Marshall McLuhan, is said to have stated that the use of forecasting as a means of guiding future actions is akin to driving an automobile through observations made in the rear-view mirror! In effect, in forecasting it is assumed that there will be an orderly progression from the past into the future, and that the model will be sufficiently unvarying for use to gauge both the directions and the rates of change. The concepts of forecasting have served man well in disciplines in which the relationship between causes and effects can be clearly demonstrated; such as between rainfall and crop yield, for example. These are of no value, however, when conditions change rapidly and unpredictably, or when there is no model at all. Even worse, under such circumstances our preconceived notions may cause us to make some horrendous errors in judgement. Such are the risks at present in attempting to make an assessment of the educational needs of the minerals industry for the coming century! The model, and the conceptions that we have had of the linkages between cause and effect are in disarray. Minerals markets are chaotic, and there is almost no ability to forecast trends in metal values. Linkages between supply and demand seem tenuous. Internationally, producers are struggling for survival. Mine closures, temporary shutdowns, and reopenings are frequent occurrences. Decision-making under uncertainty is probably one of the most certain things about the world mining industry Today!

Jan 1, 1986

By Howell M. W

The purpose of this paper is to outline the main points in the construction of the various types of wire ropes more commonly used for winding in Australia; and the maintenance of the ropes, and cage and skip safety gear as practised at the South mine, Broken Hill.It should be mentioned that both of the shafts at present in use are dry, and both downcast with or without the assistance of the two exhaust fans normally in use: Night shift and week.-end overtime are practicaly non-existent.Thus, during night shift, the cages in No. 7 shaft are landed on the chairs at the surface, providing efficient covers for the· shaft, and allowing the maximum amount of rope to be wound on to the drums. This also applies to the cages of both No. 7 and No. 4 shafts during the week-ends.These factors, combined with electric winding and skip haulage, are calculated to obtain the best use of the ropes when properly attended.WINDING ROPES-TYPE AND CONSTRUCTIONThese ropes may be divided into four main types which will include the more commonly used constructions(a) One-size strand.(b) Warrington strand.(c) Flattened strand.(d) Locked coil.1. One-size strand as the name implies, is a rope the strands of which are constructed 9f wire of the one size.Usually the strands are of 7, 19 or 37 wires.

Jan 1, 1940

By A Scott, I Onederra

Most iron ores occur in mine benches as complex mixtures of lithologies and ore types. This significantly complicates their characterisation for both blast design and fragmentation modelling. A great deal of technical and research effort has been applied to the development of models to predict fragmentation from rock blasting. A number of quite useful engineering models are currently available to blasting engineers and consultants, and more sophisticated approaches using mechanistic descriptions of rock breakage continue to be developed and applied by researchers and explosives companies.The engineering or empirical models that are in more general use within the industry, such as the Kuz-Ram model, require appropriate data if they are to generate useful fragmentation predictions. Some of these models have reached significant sophistication and have made very useful contributions to both routine blasting operations and the exploration of new blasting paradigms. However, these models struggle to adequately deal with rock that is as complex as iron ore. This paper reviews the characteristics of the most successful blast fragmentation models available to the industry and discusses approaches to the derivation of suitable rock mass properties to adequately describe blast fragmentation in a range of iron ores.CITATION:Scott, A and Onederra, I, 2015. Characterising the blasting properties of iron ore, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2015, pp 481–490 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 13, 2015

By T Baumgartl, L Zhou, D Mulligan, L Huang

The rapid production and accumulation of mineral processing wastes in the environment can present serious threats to environmental quality and human health. Phytostabilisation with native plant ecosystems is, in many cases, a preferred option for rehabilitation of mine waste storage facilities. However, much of the literature has focused on species selection in short-term experiments to test their suitability under the often extreme chemical conditions in the wastes without addressing the fundamental requirements – ie hydrogeochemical stabilisation and functional root zones. As a result, successful examples of phytostabilisation of mine wastes such as base metal tailings have been rare, especially if success is defined as meeting the completion criteria of non-polluting and sustainable land system at rehabilitated sites. Conventional capping options to isolate reactive tailings/wastes by using physical break and/or sealing layers are often not reliable in the long term (particularly under semi-arid climatic conditions) and, in many cases, they may not be feasible in the field due to the large areas to be covered and the lack of adequate suitable materials at mine sites. By using sulfidic tailings as an example, we have proposed a new paradigm for phytostabilising mine wastes – ecologically engineered pedogenesis in tailings involving accelerated physical, chemical and biological weathering of tailings minerals to achieve hydrogeochemical stabilisation and the development of soil functions, soil horizons and functional root zones.Ecologically engineering functional root zones firstly requires controlling geochemical reactivity in the wastes (ie hydrogeochemical stabilisation), which can cause polluting effects in the root zone and plant toxicity. By means of ecological engineering, in situ weathering of primary minerals (eg pyrites) in tailings may be accelerated by adding functional materials (eg functionalised biochars and organic matter) in the waste slurry during the process of deposition. This will remove or diminish key risk factors (eg potential acidity in tailings and elevated soluble heavy metals) in the solid phase, before placing growth media for reconstructing root zones and transplanting/sowing target plant species. However, much of the acidity, soluble metals/metalloids and other salts would be transported out of the solid phase into the wastewater, which can be addressed by on-site water treatment facilities during mine operation. The trajectory and state of engineered pedogenesis in the weathered tailings may be manipulated to provide specific soil horizons within future root zones that are dynamically evolved toward fully functional soil subsystem within rehabilitated plant ecosystems.CITATION:Huang, L, Baumgartl, T, Zhou, L and Mulligan, D, 2014. The new paradigm for phytostabilising mine wastes – ecologically engineered pedogenesis and functional root zones, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2014 , pp 663–674 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 16, 2014

By Muir DM, Tsuchida N, Dalton R

The adsorption or loading of anions onto extruded based peat activated charcoal has been studied by potential measurements in a flow through cell. Loading rates are in the order F-

Jan 1, 1984

The BLEG (Bulk Leach Extractable Gold) technique is a semiquantitative measure of cyanide extractable gold contained in a sample. A 5kg sample is leached in cyanide solution for 24 hours and gold is precipitated out of the pregnant solution using zinc and assayed by AAS. The detection limit is reported as ppb (parts per billion). Telfer is located 1300km north north-east from Perth in the Great Sandy Desert. The climate is one of hot summers with irregular rainfall and mild winters. A large portion of the area is covered by aeolian sand and seif dunes with poorly developed drainage, rare outcrop; topographic relief is a maximum of 96m. Poor outcrop and poorly developed drainage render conventional stream sediment sampling and soil geochemistry inadequate. Therefore a technique providing a minimum number of samples with maximum accuracy and sensitivity was needed. Consequently BLEG orientation surveys were conducted over the Telfer Mine area in 1983, 1984 and 1985.

Jan 1, 1988

Mining is a necessary part of our modern lifestyle. However, mining can cause damage and pollution of the environment and therefore we must manage our resources wisely accounting for the physical, biological and social environments. Contrary to the view of some people not conversant with the facts mining has in many cases improved the environment. This paper described how two sand dune systems that were unstable prior to mining have been stabilised by revegetation after mining.

Jan 1, 1987

The discovery of bauxite in 1955 at Weipa on the NW coast of Queensland's Cape York Pen- insula enabled Australia to join the Caribbean and West Africa as one of the major world sources of bauxite. Weipa, today, is the largest bauxite mining operation in the world and holds a significant position on the world bauxite scene as the operation 1. supplies 15 per cent of the Western World's metallurgical grade bauxite requirements, Z. produces 50 per cent of the world's demand for abrasive grade calcined bauxite, and 3. is the world's largest bauxite shipp ing port.

Jan 1, 1978

By Abell RS, Wyborn D, Solomon M, Stuart-Smith PG, Henderson GAM

The two major massive sulphide deposits in the Silurian rocks of southern NSW, Captains Flat and Woodlawn, differ from classical Kuroko deposits in several ways, e.g. they lie on the flanks of felsic volcanic piles in volcano-sedimentary marine sequences, are relatively thin and large compared to individual Kuroko deposits, show prominent banding in lead-zinc ore, and contain arsenopyrite. Qualified stuctural and stratigraphic correlations of the various fault-bounded remnant Silurian sequences that host these deposits provide the basis for a new interpretation of the regional geological setting that also differs from that of the Kuroko deposits (Ohmoto, Tanimura, Date, Takahashi, 1983), and sheds further light on the distribution of volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits in the Silurian rocks of NSW.

Jan 1, 1987

By T J. Beardsmore, N Wyche, D Flint, T J. Griffin

Western Australia (WA) is currently the world’s largest iron ore producer, and mining of its huge reserves and resources of iron ore has become a critical part of the state’s economy and regional development. Iron ore exports from WA have reached 760 Mt/a, corresponding to shipping more than one Mt per turn-of-the-tide from the state’s ports. The iron ore sector dominates all commodities produced in WA, and in 2016 accounted for 77 per cent of the state’s royalty receipts, 56 per cent of mineral and petroleum exports (by value) and 50 per cent of mining industry employment. Expenditure on exploration for iron ore (including that for resource estimation and conversion to ore reserves) has declined markedly, from its record peak of $1100 M in 2012 to $280 M in 2016, placing it second after gold. Foreign investment has been a key element underpinning development of the iron ore industry from the 1960s until today, and will likely continue to be so into the future.CITATION:Flint, D, Wyche, N, Beardsmore, T J and Griffin, T J, 2017. The importance of iron ore to Western Australia’s economy, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2017, pp 7–12 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 24, 2017

In any strip coal mining operation the aosL important single operating unit is the dragline. Because the capital and operating costs of a dragline are high, it is desirable to operate these machines at their maximum efficiency. Thiess Bros. Pty. Limited operate a Bucyrus-Erie 1350 Walking dragline at their Callide coal mine. The operating conditions at the Callide Mine are different from those of other coal mines situated in Central Queens ,nd. The topography is rugged, the coal seam is thick, and the overburden is hard and inter- HH,inded. Several different operating techniques for a large dragline working under these con- ditinns arc discrossmd it tt

Jan 1, 1978

By Szymanski J, Planeta S

For many hard rock mines with near surface deposits, the surface crown pillars form the first line of protection for the immediate underground workings. Underground stopes are typically contained by crown pillar, which protects the level above, rib pillars, and a sill pillar through which the ore collection system is cut. This paper discusses the mining of these pillars, with particular emphasis on the overall stability of the mined out upper part of the mine areas. An area of interest is located in the Canadian Shield, where the mining has progressed below four thousand foot level in the ultramafic high grade sulphide type of orebody.

Jan 1, 1995

By Ryan CG, Cousens DR, Griffin WL

The proton microprobe is developing into a vital tool in the geosciences, through its high sensitivity for in-situ detection of trace elements in the ppm regime. This paper will describe the instrument at the CSIRO Heavy Ion Analytical Facility at North Ryde, including features crucial to its successful application in the geoscience. Examples of applications in the basic geoscience and mineral industry related research are described briefly. Conditions required for widescale applications in the minerals industry are Discussed.

Jan 1, 1989

Swedish sulphide mining is presented. Dry filling is described. Fill properties with and without cement addings are dis- cussed in relation to various studies in la- boratory and in situ.

Jan 1, 1973

By Weimin F

In the last decade, great strides have been made in the raise boring technique in China. Extensively, the drilling and blasting method has been replaced by the mechanized raising method since 1980. There are now over 3C raise drills operating in more than 20 mines. The diameters for shaft boring varies from 500mm to 2000mm, and to depths up to 90m. Tlis paper mainly describes the performance, mtLin technical achievments and applications of all four kinds of raise drills, and auxiliary equipment. Finally, some recommend- ations for future improvement in the raise boring technique are presented also.

Jan 1, 1987

The excavation of sandstone of generally medium strength for the Liverpool Link Line by Dosco Mark 2A Roadheaders has demonstrated the versatility and good performance of road- headers in suitable rock formations. A description is given of the strata traversed by the tunnels together with descriptions of equipment and crews, excavation sequences, operating difficulties and the results achiev- ed. In addition tunnel construction is des- cribed for a difficult section where there was only O.Sm clearance between invert and a four lane vehicular tunnel below, and O.5m clearance between tunnel crown and a century old sewer above.

Jan 1, 1976

Continuous improvement in environmental management assists in the achievement of sustainability goals for the mining and processing of minerals. The use of regular internal environmental audits (scored or unscored) which form an integral component of an Environmental Management System (EMS), provide demonstrable evidence of this improvement. The audits described in this paper involve working with site personnel to develop and implement major improvement projects, providing advice on how to improve environmental practices and facilities, and disseminating innovative ideas and practices across the site and to other operations within the same group. Essentially the lead auditor assumes the role of a æskills coachÆ as opposed to a æpolicemanÆ, which is quite often the case for many audits. The audit process has been developed from involvement with a number of major coal mines in the Hunter Valley, where regular internal environmental audits have been undertaken every two to three months, over periods varying from 18 months to five years and more recently, with a metalliferous mine in the Northern Territory. Examples of the benefits of improved environmental performance (driven by the audit process) to sustainable development are provided. The auditing process as described is applicable to metalliferous mines, the processing of mineral ores, coal mines, coal handling and preparation plants, quarries, and oil and gas projects.

Jan 1, 2004

The Rock Mass Rating (RMR) and Rock Mass Strength (RMS) classification systems for jointed rock masses are briefly reviewed, with particular reference to their use in slope stability studies. A correlation is provided between the results obtained from the two classifications and an equation is presented tentatively defining the RMR value for long-term stable slope angles. The validity of the equation is discussed in general terms in the context of slope stability problems commonly encountered in Western Australian open pit gold mines.

Jan 1, 1992

By Plamer D. J, Newman O. M G

The Effluent Treatment System at Pasminco Metals - EZ (PMEZ) was commissioned in December, 1991 and has operated satisfactorily, ensuring that aqueous discharges from PMEZ comply with the Tasmanian Environment Protection Act. The system treats both spills and run-off from the Zinc Plant, and acidic liquor generated in the gas cleaning section of the Sulphuric Acid Plant. The spills and run-off from the Zinc Plant are collected in a large catchment pond. The pond liquor, after partial neutralisation with sodium hydroxide to pH 4, and removal of suspended solids, is preferentially recycled to the Zinc Plant, for example, for washing of residues. Liquor which cannot be recycled, is treated in the Lime Neutralisation Section. The other input to the Lime Neutralisation Section is the acidic liquor from the Sulphuric Acid Plant from which mercury has been removed by contact with aluminium pellets in a fluidised column. In the Lime Neutralisation Section, the liquors are blended and neutralised to pH 10 by the addition of slaked lime. The heavy metals and most of the fluorine are precipitated. The precipitated solids are removed in a thickener with part of the thickener underflow being filtered. Most of the thickener underflow is recycled to generate solids that settle rapidly and filter well. The filter cake is returned to the Zinc Plant for the recovery of contained heavy metals while the thickener overflow is discharged to the Derwent River.

Jan 1, 1993

Alcoa of Australia's Western Australian bauxite mining operations in the Darling Ranges, southeast of Perth, present major challenges in the control of air blast. The close proximity of rural communities and the face profile make the traditional methods of air blast control difficult.An extensive blast noise monitoring programme has been established. The development of a computerised blast noise prediction model and the establishment of a radiosonde weather balloon facility have reduced blast induced complaints by a factor of ten.The meteorological factors affecting blast noise transmission are discussed and examples are given of adverse weather conditions for the southwest region of Western Australia.

Jan 1, 1983