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Although most N.S.W. coal mines contain large amounts of combustible materials such as coal and timber, the introduction of mechanisation has extended the range of combustible materials now found underground. The role of combustible material in a fire is not clearly understood and as a result the assessment of these materials for flammability by small and large scale tests is doubtful. Extensive research has been carried out on the toxic and irritating gases evolved during the combustion of plastics. However, most autopsies report death due to carbon monoxide inhalation because the combined toxicity of smoke and fire gases is unknown.

Jan 1, 1981

Stope control information at the C.S.A. mine is obtained by diamond drilling inclined holes from within the stapes. Practical mining outlines are determined from complicated ore contours by a joint mining engineering and geological study. Production holes to achieve this outline are individually marked up and checked. Stope control also extends to selective mucking of ore mixtures for metallurgical reasons and to marginal ore and waste mixtures for economic reasons.

Jan 1, 1969

By M Hassall

There is a plethora of activities that have been, and continue to be, performed to improve the health, safety and well-being of workers involved in resource industry activities. These activities include implementation of risk management systems, performing risk assessments, constructing bow-ties, implementing critical control management systems, undertaking personal, process and functional safety initiatives, implementing psychological and physical health as well as industrial hygiene programs. Despite the significant work that has occurred over the last several decades, unacceptable levels of fatalities, injuries and illnesses continue to persist as evidenced by Safe Work Australia statistics.

Apr 16, 2024

By M A. Noppé

"Investors and other stakeholders assessing the risk, opportunity and relative value associated with a resource project need to appreciate the project in its correct context. Errors, omissions, biased reporting or conflicting information in project reporting may lead to a misinterpretation of technical and financial results, resulting in biased estimates or assumptions on project value.This paper provides a simple ‘Resource Project Framework’ for presenting a project’s status that may be readily benchmarked against other similar projects and to illustrate the stages required to advance the project outcomes to higher levels of certainty. The framework draws on definitions and guidelines readily available in various resource industry reporting codes and public company reporting requirements.The framework assesses three key areas for placing a resource project in its correct relative context, namely:the project development stagethe confidence in the Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and/or Ore Reservesthe level of accuracy, precision and confidence in the technical and economic studies supporting the reported results or options for the project.The application of the Resource Project Framework is illustrated using two project examples, one from publicly reported company project releases and the other for two development projects.CITATION:Noppé, M A, 2016. A framework for presenting and benchmarking resource projects, in Proceedings Project Evaluation 2016, pp 260–274 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Mar 8, 2016

By H R. Watli, K L. Davies, J A. Johnson

Novel microbial isolates that readily oxidise iron and sulfur were recovered from samples collected from a spent chalcopyrite/pyrite test heap. Methods were developed to enrich and isolate microbes that thrive in low pH environments and utilise iron and/or sulfur as sources of energy. Screening of these isolates revealed diverse substrate utilization (sulfur, ferrous ion, chalcopyrite, pyrite, glucose) as well as growth at temperatures between 30 - 50¦C. When native isolates were employed, shake flask leaching tests of chalcopyrite concentrate resulted in higher copper yields in comparison to laboratory reference strains Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (DSM 583) and Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans (DSM 9293). After 700 hours several native isolates had leached between 20 - 30 per cent more copper than laboratory reference strains during experiments conducted at 45¦C. This research has established a unique culture collection of mining microbes that readily adapt to Australian conditions. Exploitation of these microbes may result in improved leaching kinetics and copper recovery from Australian chalcopyrite ores as demonstrated from shake flask leaching tests. Whilst this research provides a capability for Australian mineral sulfide ores, this technology can be easily adapted to suit ores of any origin resulting in more effective and efficient microbial leaching.

Jan 1, 2004

The carbonatite-hosted apatite deposit at the Cajati open pit mine in the Jacupiranga igneous-carbonatite complex is located in south-eastern Brazil. The major styles of apatite mineralisation include veins or veinlets, small pods or patches, disseminated apatite and locally massive aggregates. The metallurgical concentration of the apatite is accomplished by grinding the carbonatite, removal of magnetite with a magnetic drum, size classification with cyclones and flotation to suppress carbonates and collect apatite. To examine the character of the apatite grains and to apply those observations to apatite beneficiation, specimens of carbonatite were collected from recent exposures in the mine and from selected drill holes. This study utilised a variety of microscopy methods, including transmitted and reflected light, cathodoluminescence (CL) and scanning electron microscopy with wavelength-dispersive spectrometers for mineral compositions. It was found that LREE, Na and Sr are the main elements replacing Ca in the apatite, with relatively low oxide contents (<0.5 per cent, but up to about one per cent for Sr). LREE and Sr contents consistently increase in the latest intrusions (C4, C5 and SP24). Chemical and morphological modifications of apatite were recognised to be related to detrimental effects on flotation recovery. Three examples illustrate this relationship: 1.  Apatite with reddish CL is fractured. Locally that apatite exhibits no CL due to CL quenching caused by iron entering the apatite structure.2.  Apatite from the xenolith-rich area exhibits abundant fine, platy silicates that appear to interfere with flotation and lower apatite recovery.3.  So called æhardÆ apatite, which is more difficult to grind, occurs in an area in the mine that was affected by hydrothermal activity. That activity is evidenced by the development of a bright, white CL rim in the apatite, and by the presence of late veins of carbonates and sulfides that fill fractures and appear to contribute to higher cohesiveness of those apatite grains.

Jan 1, 2008

Chile, which hosts around 30 per cent of the worldÆs copper resources, is now the largest producer and exporter of copper. Chilean copper output accounts for more than one-quarter of total worldwide production. An increase to around 40 per cent is forecast by the end of the century. In addition, Chile ranks eighth in silver production and 11th in gold output. In Chile, mining generates more than eight per cent of the countryÆs GDP and the total value of mineral exports is more than US $7.85 billion corresponding to more than 25 per cent of South AmericaÆs mineral production. The rate of growth of Chilean mineral production is indeed impressive. Table 1 shows that in the period 1969 - 1998, copper annual production increased 564 per cent from 667 000 t to 3 764 000 t. Gold production went up 27 times from 1827 to 49 770 kg. Silver output grew 1219 per cent from 95 650 kg produced in 1969 to 1 166 380 kg in 1998. Several facts explain this dramatic increase of production, but the most important was the success of exploration sustained over the same period. This resulted in the discovery of several world-class deposits which when developed into mines, account for much of the production increases. Therefore, this summary review shows the success of basic exploration carried out during the last 30 years in the Chilean territory. The review is based on data already published in different specialised mining books or magazines. It only includes those world-class discoveries not the lesser discoveries important at local scale. All figures were calculated using 1998 $US dollar and average estimated metal prices valid for 1999: copper $US 1653 per t ($US 0.75 per pound), gold $US 9452 per kg ($US 294 per ounce) and silver $US 177 per kg ($US 5.5 per ounce).

Jan 1, 1999

By D W. Wall, J P. Vagenas

Questions of sampling precision and accuracy affect every process plant in differing ways and to differing extents. To address these perceived issues, chemists, metallurgists and engineers are often asked to check their results to confirm their reliability. However, it is not possible to achieve the level of detail required to check every sample, especially if the event has already occurred. No operation has the resources to frequently sample every point in the process for the purpose of verification.One way to address this scenario is by generating a sufficiently detailed comparative data set from a dynamic mass balance simulation of the processing plant. This mass balance uses both sample and plant instrument data to model every flow, while also taking inventory changes and process chemistry into account.The mass balance data can be used to identify any bias present in plant sampling and analysis. It can also be used to verify any unexpected assay results by taking a holistic view of the process. Improving the precision and accuracy of sampling data helps support operational decision-?making and understanding. It also improves the accuracy of the dynamic mass balance used in this process, facilitating further improvements.CITATION:Vagenas, J P and Wall, D W, 2017. The benefits of automated metallurgical accounting for plant sampling, in Proceedings Eighth World Conference on Sampling and Blending , pp 203–210 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

May 9, 2017

By D J. Brake

Faced with the need to improve workplace conditions in both its development and production headings in its existing K1 orebody, as well as its new K Link and K2 orebodies, the Kencana mine in Indonesia took the novel approach of reversing the ventilation on most of its access ramp by outcasting up the ramp to the portal. Working levels were then fed with fresh air via auxiliary fans sealed into the current surface ‘egress’ intake raises (ladderways) or another small surface intake raisebore rather than from fans hung in the ramp as in the past. Outcasting the portal provided a substantial increase in the total mine exhaust capacity allowing fewer levels to be ventilated in series and significantly improving conditions, especially in the most difficult workplaces to ventilate. It also reduced the consequences if there was to be a fire on a vehicle in the ramp. The same system using the ramp as an exhaust is also intended to be used as part of the final ventilation solution for the new K2 orebody which also uses a novel single surface ventilation shaft that is vertically split into separate intake and exhaust compartments using a concrete brattice. Using the main ramp as an exhaust has potential application in many other operations in Australia using surface ramps which otherwise frequently suffer from overuse of series ventilation circuits and poor working conditions at the mine bottom.

Mar 21, 2011

A simple and rapid method for delennining gold and silver in carbon samples is described. The method involves dissolution of carbon ash in a strong oxidising medium of aqua regia and hydrofluoric acid. Gold and silver are determined in the resultant solution using atomic absorption speetrometry (AAS). The method is efficient and reproducible. Gold results are comparable to the standard fire assay results, with agreement of results within ± 5 per cent. The co-efficients of variation for gold and silver are 0.37 and 0.39 per cent respectively for six replicate analyses. The analysis of gold and silver in a batch of ten carbon samples can be completed in approximately four hours.

Jan 1, 1992

By M Dorricott

This paper describes the design, construction and performance of sill pillars using cemented development mullock at the Crusader Gold Mine. The orebody is some 35 m - 60 m in length, 5 m - 8 m wide, dipping at 60¦ - 85¦ and plunging at about 40¦ to the north. It is accessed via a footwall decline. The ore occurs at the contact between basalt and ultramafic. This contact is characterised by shearing and alteration; and is prone to unraveling failure. The cut and fill mining method at Crusader extracts 25 m high ore blocks in four flat back lifts and one 8 m thick crown pillar. To enable full recovery of these high-grade crown pillars with minimal dilution, a 5 m thick sill pillar is constructed using cemented rock fill (CRF), after mining of the bottom two lifts in each block. Uncemented development mullock is used as rock fill (RF) for subsequent lifts. Development mullock and cement/water slurry is mixed underground to produce CRF. The fill is transported to the stope in LHDs and dumped on the floor. The sill pillar is advanced progressively, with compaction provided by the loader driving over the previously placed fill. Old jumbo rods are installed as shear pins along the flat dipping hangingwall to reduce the risk of rotational failure of the pillar. A fan of cable bolts is installed into the hangingwall to prevent unraveling failure in the sheared ground. Buffer blasting is used to minimise damage to the CRF sill pillar when the crown pillar below is extracted. At the time of writing, extraction of the crown pillar underneath the CRF has taken place at the 930 stope. The crown pillar was extracted successfully with dilution from the backfill and hangingwall minimised and 98 per cent of the gold recovered. This compares with pillars that were mined beneath uncemented backfill where only 70 per cent of the gold was recovered and where there was significant dilution from the backfill and from hangingwall failures. Where no CRF was placed, there were also numerous production delays caused by large rocks from the hangingwall blocking the stope brow.

Jan 1, 2002

China has been producing gold for more than 4000 years with gold production increasing substantially since the 1980s, from about 25 tonnes in 1980 to some 160 tonnes in 1998. More than 80 per cent of the gold production is from East China. However, complete information on eastern China gold has been rarely reported internationally. This is a general overview on the tectonics and metallogeny of gold deposits in East China. The geology of these gold deposits is compiled mainly from data and information reported in China, and is also based on the authorÆs work in China from 1974 to 1986 and a recent visit to China.

Jan 1, 1999

In September 1980 the N.S.W. Environ- mental Planning and Assessment Act was gazetted. This legislation created a new arena of government involvement in the procedure for obtaining approval to open a new mine, or expand an existing mine in N.S.W. Since 1980 the legislation relating to environmental protection requirements, the procedure for obtaining Development Consent and the nature of relevant government policies have caused considerable confusion on the part of many potential developers. Implementation of the legislation has now become systematic and relatively predictable. However, certain aspects can be improved and require urgent government action.

Jan 1, 1983

The intent of this address is to look forward into the 21st Century and present certain thoughts as to how underground coal mining might be conducted. The views in this talk are based principally on the author's experience with mining practices in the United States. It may be difficult to accept, but the 21st Century is a mere 12 years away. What new techniques will be available? To develop an understanding of the way in which technology has been and could be changing, a two- stage analysis is made of mining technology for U.S. Coal. The first phase covers the period 1975 to the present, while the second includes 1960 to 1975. This historical perspective includes a view of underground production by mining methods, considerations of labour productivity, and a review of accident and fatality rates. Several topics are important features of this historical analysis. Among the most significant are: (1) the introduction of Ion-wall mining technology into U.S. underground coal mines, (2) the use of computers to assist in mine planning and design activities, (3) major efforts to improve health and safety performance, with emphasis on underground dust control, and (4) improvements in mining equipment with an eye towards increased reliability and up-time performance. Based on that historical perspective, projections are made in three increments. The first being immediately at the turn of the century, the second being a dozen or so years beyond that, and the third being at the quarter point of the 21st Century.

Jan 1, 1988

By B Banerjee, N Kumar, S Parihar

Rampura Agucha Pb-Zn Mine (RAM) is located about 200 km to the south-west of Jaipur in the state of Rajasthan, India. Open pit mining operations commenced in 1988 and continued to 2018. RAM open pit footprint is the largest in India with length of 2000 m, width 1500 m and depth of 400 m. Development of an underground mine under the operating pit commenced in 2013, through trial mining longhole open stoping with cemented backfill was established as a preferred mining method. Nine years in operations underground mine has reached the production capacity of 4.5 MT, which represent more than 70 per cent of the ore volume mined by the pit. RAM is currently the world second largest underground Pb-Zn mine.

Nov 29, 2022

By O V. Vasyukova

Formation of porphyry-style ore deposits starts with the metal extraction from magmas at so-called magmatic-hydrothermal transition (MHT). The processes and compositions at MHT are difficult to study as the record of them is poorly preserved. As the MHT is characterised by massive crystallisation of quartz, including quartz æeyesÆ and veins, their study can elucidate questions related to metal transport and deposition. Quartz grains from the porphyry deposits all over the world (Antapaccay, Peru; Batu Hijao, Indonesia; Climax, USA; Panguna, PNG; Far Southeast porphyry, Philippines; Rio Blanco, Chile; Omsukchan, Russia) were studied by optical, SEM-CL and BSE microscopy, electron microprobe and LA ICPMS. Quartz grains, even within each sample, have different shapes (rounded, egg-shaped, amoeboid or euhedral) and cathodoluminesence (CL) patterns (shape, number and width of bands in CL images). The outer layers of quartz are markedly different, which is unexpected if the grains had formed in the same conditions. Inflections and blurring of CL bands are often structurally associated with fractures that are commonly healed with secondary quartz and associated fluid inclusions. Our results show that quartz æeyesÆ could not crystallise from a silicate melt as normal phenocrysts. It is likely that in situ segregation of residual SiO2- and H2O-rich liquid and its solidification followed by coagulation (eg formation of silica-gel globules) took place in the magma (crystal mush) during MHT. Such globules could remain in a plastic state for a long time even at rather low temperatures. The solidification of globules occurred after bands of different composition had formed and led to fracturing of solidified and inflection of unconsolidated layers. All fluids (liquid and vapour) released from the original silicagel during solidification were trapped as inclusions (aqueous, salt-rich and sulfide). An EXTENDED ABSTRACT is available for download. A full-length paper was not prepared for this presentation.

Jan 1, 2008

Structural geological modelling is a process which results in a 3D computer model that represents the essence of the geological and structural understanding of an area and is presented in a way that is directly useable, typically by internal customer groups. BHP Iron Ore operates a number of open cut iron ore mines in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia. The largest mine is the Mt Whaleback Mine located at Newman close to the southern margin of the Pilbara Craton. The structurally complex Mt Whaleback Mine is the largest metalliferous single pit open cut mine in Australia with over 1.6 billion tonnes of original iron ore resource. Additional to the Mt Whaleback Mine, a number of satellite open cut iron ore mines are operated by BHP Iron Ore (BHPIO) in the Newman area. BHPIO also operates the Yarrie mine approximately 400 km north of Newman at the northern edge of the Pilbara Craton Most of the BHPIO mines are located in the Archean- Proterozoic Hamersley Province that overlies the Archean granite-greenstone terrain of the Pilbara Craton. The orebodies are considered to be the result of supergene enrichment of the approximately 2.5 Ga Brockman Iron Formation and the slightly older Marra Mamba Iron Formation. Folding represents the most prevalent and penetrative structural element in the Newman area. Four folding phases have been identified regionally (Fj, F2, F3, F5), while a more local folding deformation (F4) developed mainly in the Mt Whaleback and Orebody 29 mine area. A northeast trending, southeast dipping, 45 km long, high angle, normal fault zone, the Whaleback Fault Zone, cuts through the Mt Whaleback mine resulting in an approximately 1400 in gap in stratigraphy. Additionally, two large, low angle, normal faults, the East Footwall Fault and the Central Fault, are present at the Mt Whaleback Mine. During the formation of supergene orebodies, up to 40 - 45 per cent volume loss occurred resulting in local non-tectonic deformation in the orebodies.

Jan 1, 1997

By Thornber MR, Davidson LR

The cause of spontaneous combustion of pyritic black shale has been studied by calorimetry and other techniques. The conditions required for ignition to occur are: 1. A critical mass of pyritic black shale. 2. Acidity. 3. Fine shale particle size. 4. A high ambient temperature. 5. The exclusion of air during the preparation of a calorimeter charge. The reaction is characterised by an initial incubation period during which an unknown phase is produced. The build up and oxidation of this phase results in a chain reaction culminating in ignition. The mechanism is believed to involve the interaction of pyrite, sulphuric acid, ferrous sulphate, or meta-stable oxysulphates, with ammonium nitrate. The recommended strategy for prevention of premature detonation is to neutralise the acids in the shale with quick and slow release alkaline materials.

Jan 1, 1986

The link between exploration success and new ideas from research and development (R&D), although often assumed, is rarely well explained or well illustrated. One issue is understanding the role of innovative ideas in the exploration process, and another is determining the relative contributing factors to an exploration success. A useful measure of gold exploration success over an extended time period and geographic area is discovery rate (θ): Discovery rate θ = gold discovered/exploration expenditure (usefully expressed as tonnes of gold per $1 million). The total gold discovered is strongly leveraged to discovery rate, as any increase in θ typically has a positive effect on exploration expenditure. Hence, improving the discovery rate is a key driver for a sustainable mineral industry, especially for gold. There are very few ways to influence θ beyond innovative R&D ideas and breakthroughs, and well-motivated and trained staff. The Australian gold industry has experienced exceptional exploration success with 9956 tonnes of gold discovered from 1979 to 2003, inclusive. This equates to: Discovery rate θ = 0.9 t/A$1 M Two-thirds of this gold has been found in the Yilgarn craton of Western Australia (6265 tonnes Au). Without this exploration success, there would have been no platform on which to build the current gold industry and to take advantage of elevated gold prices and advances in mining and processing. Several causes of the Western Australian gold success have been proposed, and more than one may be correct. Gold price, and mining and processing advances have all had influence; but exploration success and discovery of gold were essential to add to the miniscule resource base of 1979. A comparison of the exploration methods used to search for gold in the Yilgarn craton in 1979, and 1990, highlights a small number of breakthrough ideas introduced to the industry during the 1980s, and in most cases emanating directly from local R&D. By the 1990s, these ideas were being used in most gold exploration programs in the Yilgarn craton, and are still used today. These six breakthroughs are: epigenetic timing of gold deposit formation (ie after formation of rock sequence), chemical and mechanical role of host rocks, relevance of carbonate alteration haloes, gold dispersion in the regolith, optimal sampling media, and appreciation of landforms in exploration program design. Interestingly, gold exploration science in Western Australia entered the 1980s period without rigid paradigms in place regarding gold deposit formation; there was a balance between descriptive and genetic models, there was scope to research gold deposits from microscopic to global scales and there were highly effective industry research uptake processes in place: it is suggested here that these favourable conditions contributed to the exploration success and industry growth.

Jan 1, 2007

Prior to the 20th century much of our infrastructure was provided by the private sector. This included toll roads, tunnels and bridges, power supply, transport and water.With the depressions of the 1890s and 1930s and the world wars, much of this infrastructure passed into public ownership. This was certainly the case in Australia as well as many other Western countries.In the last quarter of the 20th century we are seeing a swing back to private sector provision of infrastructure,-resulting'from increased needs for investment in infrastructure due to changes in

Jan 1, 1993