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By B L. Dickson, E, M F. Lee, P A. Mikula

Computational techniques are needed to assist in the analysis and interpretation of the increasing amounts of geoscientific and mining related data and information that are routinely gathered at mine sites. New interpretation methods are needed to provide an integrated approach so as to establish relationships (cause and effect) or to be predictive about possible outcomes based on acquired data. Traditional multivariate statistical methods are often confused by variable relationships that are non-linear, data distributions that are non-normal, and by the data themselves that may contain missing values, text and both continuous and discontinuous numeric values. Modern data mining methods are available to understand the relationships within and between diverse data sets, and identify relationships or trends associated with processes, measurements and mine design parameters in mines. The self-organizing map (SOM) is a data mining approach with the advantage that all input data samples are represented as vectors in a data-space defined by the observations (variables). The SOM procedure is an exploratory analysis tool that highlights patterns and relationships. Results are internally derived, in an unsupervised fashion based on measures of vector similarity. Our SOM outputs are highly visual, which assists in understanding and illustrating the dataÆs structure and internal relationships. Two studies are presented. The first uses SOM to investigate the relationships between a range of measured and derived rock property parameters and their observed behaviours during mining. Our aim was to determine whether a SOM analysis would allow a better understanding of observed and predicted rock behaviours from their rock properties. The SOM analysis showed that there were indeed relationships between æbrittleÆ, æsugaryÆ, æslabbyÆ and æsqueezingÆ rock behaviours and a number of the input parameters. The computed SOM æstructureÆ was then used to assess the likely behaviour of unknown samples by assigning them into behavioural fields based on their measured and derived geotechnical responses. The second study was aimed at assessing whether a SOM analysis of microseismic data at the Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold MineÆs (KCGM) Mt Charlotte mine can contribute towards understanding and potentially forecasting/minimising seismicity at the mine-design stage. The database comprised 40 sample æclustersÆ of microseismic parameters from the MS-RAP software package, which were derived from 2500 individual seismic events. The SOM analysis showed that some of the initial mining conditions are related to the seismic parameters. In each of the studies, the SOM procedures assisted in understanding the data and provided new insights. Because of its æordered vector quantisationÆ foundation, the SOM procedure is a substantial improvement over traditional statistical methods in three main areas:its ability to analyse data from disparate sources, including different data types; its ability to analyse sparse data sets with missing values; and its ability to analyse and visualise non-linear relationships within a data set.

Jan 1, 2006

By Shillabeer J

Paste backfill has been adopted by many underground mines in North America and a growing number elsewhere. Paste offers a number of advantages. This paper suggests wider applications of paste technology to surface tailings disposal and water management. Advantages include improved overall stability, potentially easier permitting, smaller water inventory and earlier reclamation. It may be feasible to use the same plant to prepare backfill and to dispose of surplus tailings. Example cost models are given to illustrate potential applications.

Jan 1, 1998

By K Ellis, B Lumsden

A full-scale statistically-based on/off plant trial of a new flotation conditioning technology designed to improve fine mineral recovery was undertaken to determine whether the recovery of selected fine sulfide minerals can be increased. The technology is selective for certain sulfide minerals only, including chalcopyrite and sphalerite. The technology has been shown to selectively aggregate the fine chalcopyrite and sphalerite minerals giving increased flotation recovery. The plant trials have shown an increase in the mineral recovery, without decreasing selectivity. Size by size recovery shows a significant increase in the fine (

Jan 1, 2005

By H Park, L Wang

Froth flotation is one of the most widely used beneficiation processes for fine and ultrafine coals and minerals. Maintaining optimal metallurgical performance in industrial flotation operation is still a challenging task owing to the lack of an effective tool to diagnose the flotation performance in realtime. For this purpose, a number of flotation performance monitoring systems with different working principles have been developed to provide instant feedback for process control and optimisation. In this paper, for the first time, five different flotation performance monitoring systems were systematically compared through an on-site trial in a coking coal flotation plant in Queensland, Australia. The monitoring systems were used to measure (i) gas holdup, (ii) overflowing froth velocity, (iii) overflowing froth height, (iv) air recovery and (v) drag force exerted by overflowing froth, in an industrial flotation column and the outputs of these systems were collected simultaneously at a wide range of operating conditions. For each monitoring system, the best regression model describing the correlation between the system output and the flotation performance was selected from various regression models (eg linear, quadratic, power-law and logarithmic) using the Akaike information criterion (AIC). A comparison of the coefficient of determination (R2 ), residual sum of squares (RSS) and measuring accuracy at 95 per cent confidence level of the best regression models of these monitoring systems suggested that the drag sensor outperformed the other systems at a wide range of flotation operating conditions. The superior performance of the drag sensor was attributed to its distinctive design that enabled intimate sensing of variation of the overflowing froth properties. Furthermore, the drag sensor had the ability to monitor feed ash content variation when the other operation variables were set almost constant.

Aug 24, 2022

By R G. Moreby, S Bluhm, FávonáGlehn, C Pascoe

Resolution Copper Mine in Arizona, USA, is planned to be a 2000 m deep panel cave mine with virgin rock temperatures exceeding 80¦C in rock with high crystalline silica content, resulting in a very challenging ventilation and cooling system design. This is one of the largest copper orebodies ever found and, with a planned rock production rate of 120 kton/day. The project is currently in its prefeasibility phase and the paper discusses features of the ventilation and cooling system design which includes multiple ventilation shafts with total primary ventilation flow of about 3000 m3/s and both surface and underground refrigeration plants producing more than 140 MW refrigeration capacity. The cooling system features large surface bulk air coolers chilling all downcast air supplemented by an underground secondary air cooler system and a chilled service water system. This will be a very challenging mine to ventilate and cool but this work has demonstrated that it will be technically achievable with the application of existing technology.CITATION:Bluhm, S, Moreby, R G, von Glehn, F and Pascoe, C, 2013. Life-of-mine ventilation and refrigeration planning for Resolution Copper Mine, in Proceedings The Australian Mine Ventilation Conference , pp 125-138 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 1, 2013

By K McSweeney, A Marton

This paper discusses the development of a strategy for ensuring long-term geotechnical stability of final pit walls at AngloGold AustraliaÆs Sunrise Dam Gold Mine. The strategy makes use of improved blasting techniques, changes to the mining sequence and other geotechnical techniques. Only the blasting techniques will be discussed in this paper. These were developed from numerous trials over a period of several months from May 2003 through to November 2003. The focus was to reduce crest loss damage and thereby improve final wall integrity, maintain designed safe berm widths, and ensure long-term stability. Crest loss mechanisms are now understood and are explained in this paper. The preferred solution is outlined; which is a combination of improved blasting and changes in the mining sequence to cater for pre-existing ground conditions. These ground conditions include dynamic hyper saline water with sometimes intersecting steeply dipping discrete structures. Project requirements were defined as mitigating or eliminating crest loss using 127 mm diameter pre-splitting and targeting minimal production blasting vibration levels against the walls. Blast results were measured by post blast visual inspections and video. Blast design input utilised the predictive algorithms built into simulation software when attempting to minimise vibration levels against the walls. Protection of the already fired pre-split line is now achieved using small charges against the wall and timing sequences which form a mask for the later firing main charges. The pre-split spacing is now modified to suit the geology. There eight blast domains identified around the perimeter of the pit, each having varying joint orientation. In addition, blasting the bench adjacent to the berm crest has particular considerations not required by the middle and lower benches. The preferred solution was to purposefully translate this damaged top section of the pre-split bench into a planned subsequent dig zone. The design of this top æweightÆ is a direct response to the nature of the crest loss mechanism.

Jan 1, 2004

By G Caddy, M Middleton, S Kerec, R Keil, J Tsalapatis

Arrium’s OneSteel Whyalla Steelworks in South Australia is a fully integrated plant which operates a single blast furnace. The key operational objective has been to maintain high process availability and stability while maximising the process efficiency and the produced hot metal quality. All ferrous raw material input feeds are sourced exclusively from company iron ore deposits in the nearby Middleback Ranges. The Whyalla blast furnace has mostly operated using a combination of a high percentage of pellet feed, produced in Whyalla, together with screened lump ore.The unique ironmaking challenge has always been to extract the maximum value from the ferrous burden feed available locally. In earlier times, high-grade hematite lump ore was available for both screened lump ore and pellet production. Blast furnace trials from acid to fluxed pellet feed commenced in 1977. The furnace pellet feed has been wholly fluxed since 1981. Many pellet/lump ore feed mixes and significant pellet chemistry composition design changes have been made over the years. These changes have been aimed at best balancing the ferrous burden availability/cost and the optimum reducibility/high temperature melting behaviour of the charged ferrous feed within the blast furnace. In more recent times since 2007, the Whyalla blast furnace operation has transitioned from a hematite based pellet feed to a magnetite based pellet feed while there is an ongoing contest dealing with diminishing absolute quality/increased variability raw material feed inputs.The paper will detail key elements of the Whyalla blast furnace operational philosophy with regards to ferrous feed use and process optimisation. The blast furnace ferrous feed design considerations will be discussed, together with the test work performed, the operational and slag design transition strategies employed and the process results achieved.CITATION:Tsalapatis, J, Middleton, M, Keil, R, Kerec, S and Caddy, G, 2015. The use and optimisation of ferrous feed at the Whyalla Blast Furnace, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2015, pp 377–384 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 13, 2015

By A Poliakov, E Donskoi, K Vining

The automated optical image analysis software Mineral4/Recognition4 (M4/R4) is capable of performing comprehensive characterisation of different materials throughout the iron ore value chain, including ore fines, lump, sinter, pellets and coke. It has been successfully used by CSIRO for industrial and research projects and has been independently licensed to several world leaders in iron ore production and ironmaking. The M4/R4 software was strongly integrated with a Zeiss microscope to make use of the company’s powerful AxioVision software. This required users to own both Zeiss microscope hardware and AxioVision software in order to be able to use M4/R4 to its full image acquisition and analysis capacity. Therefore, it was not available to the users of equipment produced by other major microscope manufacturers. In recent times however, Zeiss has indicated that the AxioVision software will no longer be supported. To overcome this limitation, CSIRO has proceeded with the next generation of this software, Mineral5/Recognition5 (M5/R5). Importantly, the M5/R5 system has been developed without any dependence on a specific microscope hardware/software platform. Furthermore, the image analysis functionality is now based on openCV open access software and has been fully rewritten using stateof- the-art software development tools to allow reading and processing of all major image formats. Although past applications have been specific to iron ore and ironmaking applications, other improvements, such as an increased number of minerals allowing better gangue segmentation, flexible mineral definitions, improved software modules behaviour and refined analysis routines enables the platform independent M5/R5 image analysis system to be used by researchers in any area of mineralogical or materials research.

Nov 8, 2021

By A Woodley, G Keir

The mining industry faces concurrent pressures of reducing water use, energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in coming years. However, the interactions between water and energy use, as well as GHG emissions have largely been neglected in modelling studies to date. In addition, investigations tend to focus on the unit operation scale, with little consideration of whole-of-site or regional scale effects.This paper presents an application of a hierarchical systems model (HSM) developed to represent water, energy and GHG emissions fluxes at scales ranging from the unit operation, to the site level, to the regional level. The model allows for the linkages between water use, energy use and GHG emissions to be examined in a flexible and intuitive way, so that mine sites can predict energy and emissions impacts of water use reduction schemes and vice versa. This paper examines whether this approach can also be applied to the regional scale with multiple mine sites.The model is used to conduct a case study of several coal mines in the Bowen Basin, Australia, to compare the utility of centralised and decentralised mine water treatment schemes. The case study takes into account geographical factors (such as water pumping distances and elevations), economic factors (such as capital and operating cost curves for desalination treatment plants) and regional factors (such as regionally varying climates and associated variance in mine water volumes and quality).The case study results indicate that treatment of saline mine water incurs a trade-off between water and energy use in all cases. However, significant cost differences between centralised and decentralised schemes can be observed in a simple economic analysis. Further research will examine the possibility for deriving model up-scaling algorithms to reduce computational requirements.CITATION:Keir, G and Woodley, A, 2013. Regional trade-offs between mine water and energy use - a water treatment case study, in Proceedings Water in Mining 2013 , pp 21-28 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 26, 2013

ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE INSTITUTE (MR. J. G. SYMONS) IN PRESENTING THE CERTIFICATE TO ROBERT COLVILLE BRADSHAW, O.B.E.Today it is my privilege and pleasure to introduce to you, Robert Colville Bradshaw. O.B.E., the third New Zealander to be honoured with Honorary Membership of The Institute. Sir William Hudson and Mr. C. H. Benney were the others.Mr. Bradshaw has been an Affiliate Member of The Institute since the formation of the New Zealand Branch in 1966. Like his friend Matt Benney. Bob Bradshaw is an accountant by training. Last June he retired as senior partner of the firm of chartered accountants, now known as Wilkinson Wilberfoss, with which he served from January 1929.Mr. Bradshaw grew up in New Zealand attending the Terrace School in Wellington, the New Plymouth Boys' High School where he was a boarder, and completing a Bachelor of Commerce at the university now known as the Victoria University of Wellington. He is an elected Fellow of the New Zealand Society of Accountants and an Associate of the United Kingdom Institute of Cost and Works Accountants.

Jan 1, 1977

By H J. Dalstra

High-grade iron ore may be derived from banded iron formation (BIF) through four fundamentally different processes:1. syngenetic precipitation of chert free BIF,2. residual enrichment by removal of gangue minerals from BIF to form bedded (residual) ironore,3. mechanical erosion of iron oxide and chert from bedded iron ore or BIF and re-deposition andupgrading as detrital iron ore, and4. chemical removal of iron from BIF and precipitation elsewhere as a secondary (channel) irondeposit.Finally, the BIF itself may constitute iron ore if a high-grade concentrate utilised for pellets or sinters can be derived from it through mechanical (industrial) separation of iron oxide by means of crushing/milling and mineral separation.Historically, exploration for high-grade BIF hosted iron ores was focused on the residual (bedded) deposits and driven by supergene concepts. Exploration for detrital and channel type iron ores was mostly secondary to exploration for bedded deposits, but recently, a more focused exploration effort has led to the discovery of enormous moderate to low iron grade deposits in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Exploration for high-grade iron ores using syngenetic concepts has been limited,but together with exploration using hypogene concepts offers the best hope of fi nding concealed deposits. Exploration for BIF sources suitable for concentrate ores commenced in the ‘old’ iron ore provinces after the high-grade resources were depleted and has only recently gained importance in Australian BIF provinces, mainly as a result of high iron ore prices in the last decade.

Jul 11, 2011

By C Gourdon

The present study concerns a new type of mixer-settler unit where coalescence is promoted by means of the phase inversion method (MSPI). Using two different systems (alkaline etching solution û LIX 54 in kerosene and acidic aqueous solution û LIX 984 in kerosene) the influence of the total flowrate, the A/O phase ratio and the hydrodynamic conditions in the nozzles of the scattering device on the extraction and separation efficiencies are studied. Two modes of operation are clearly outlined and a theoretical model predicting the separation efficiency is proposed and compared to experimental results. A comparison between mixer-settlers with classic decanters and the MSPI unit has demonstrated the advantages of the latter where throughputs in the range 20 -25 m3.m-2h-1 can be easily realised.

Jan 1, 2000

By R C. A Minnitt

The two methods for calibrating the parameters K and (alpha) for use in Gy’s equation for the fundamental sampling error (FSE), the duplicate sampling analysis (DSA) and the segregation fractionalised analysis (SFA) are described in detail. A case study using identical broken reef material from a Witwatersrand-type orebody is calibrated using the DSA and SFA methods and the results are compared. Classically, the form of Gy’s equation for the FSE raises the nominal size of fragments given by dN to a power of 3. Gy’s formula is a theoretical formula applicable in the case when fragments are randomly collected one by one, which is obviously never the case. This is because the fragment shape factor (f) and the granulometric factor (g) were introduced to take care of this anomaly. More recent formulae, such as those suggested by François-Bongarçon and Lyman, are empirically based formula. A later modification of Gy’s formula raises dN to the power ? (alpha), the latter term being calibrated with the coefficient K in the DSA and SFA methods. The preferred value of ? (alpha) for low-grade gold ores used by sampling practitioners in the mining industry is 1.5. A review of calibration experiments for low-grade gold ores using the DSA and SFA methods has produced values of K that vary between 70 and 170 and values of alpha in the range 0.97 to 1.30. The average value for alpha is found to be 1, rather than 3 as originally proposed in the classic form of Gy’s equation or the industry preference for 1.5. It is suggested that for low-grade gold bearing ores, the equation for the FSE should raise dN to a power of 1. Such an equation for the variance of the combined FSE plus the grouping and segregation error, now referred to as the short-term component of the quality fluctuation error (QFE1), greatly simplifies the characterisation of gold ores, which now only requires the calibration of K for a given mass and established fragment size. The implications for the heterogeneity test from the generalised equation are that provided the fragments have been screened to within a narrow size range, any particular size will return a value for K that is acceptable for use in the sampling nomogram.CITATION:Minnitt, R C A, 2017. A generalised form of Gy’s equation for gold ores – empirical evidence, in Proceedings Eighth World Conference on Sampling and Blending , pp 331–350 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

May 9, 2017

By F K. Altuntov

The study presented in this paper is based on the Kiirunavaara underground mine located in the northern part of Sweden. The deposit is mined using the sublevel caving (SLC) mining method. This paper briefly reviews the alternative SLC layouts, as well as presents challenges for the application. In Kiirunavaara currently, the traditional SLC design is employed, however, continuous improvement of material transportation systems used in mines generates a need for investigation of the current and future production area layouts in sublevel caving mines. When identifying the potential benefits of the alternative production area layouts, the production targets and effects must be further investigated to understand the benefits and potential effects. In this study, several different layouts have been investigated and evaluated. The designs include different development configurations and orepass infrastructure moved further away from the orebody and still require further investigation.

Mar 29, 2023

By Behl S

Flocculation behaviour of six different dolomite samples, four from the Florida mining district, one from Perry, South Georgia and another from New Jersey was examined using polyethylene oxide (PEO) as a flocculant. The samples were similar in chemical composition, however the porosity of the samples from the Florida mining district was higher than the others. FT-IR, adsorption and surface modification by leaching revealed that flocculation was directly related to the presence of isolated hydroxyl groups on the surface. The adsorption mechanism was believed to be hydrogen bonding of the ether oxygen of PEO with isolated -OH sites on the solid.

Jan 1, 1993

By Tapp B. A

The minerals industry in Australia is currently regarded as the country's economic saviour; the bastion of economic security. As Fitzgerald (1974) stated, 'Australia's natural endowments in minerals are the envy of most countries of the world'. As a result the proposed new mineral developments are on a scale that hitherto in the sixties would have been completely unenvisaged. It is reported that Australia is poised on the verge'of a sixteen billion dollar mining-based investment boom: a boom that will see Australia dominate the energy export field, the mineral processing field, and create the 'coal dollar'. This growth scenario has many inherent dangers, and it is the authors' contention that these should be carefully considered before further development proceeds. Two of the major problems related to the mineral industry growth scenario are the predictability of the future metal market, and the energy cost of mining. The latter problem is the one discussed here. The mining-mineral processing industries in Australia currently use about 36% of Australia's primary energy

Jan 1, 1980

By C Preston, T Williams, D Roy

The easiest way to mine valuable orebodies is through the use of explosives and well-planned blasting layouts that produce fragmentation profiles designed specifically for conveyance equipment in underground mines. The design of blasting patterns is specific to not only the explosives being used but also the rock or ore type being fragmented. Many blasting designs are based solely on the experience of those developed for similar orebodies in terms of properties and orientation or individuals that have some blasting experience.The primary technical objective of this paper is to outline a unique methodology for determining underground blasting methodologies (developing specific blasting parameters) commensurate with explosive energies and rock/ore equations of state for a narrow-vein gold property located in Northern Quebec and for underground mines in general.The procedures developed are to define the desired fragmentation specification so that a specific thermodynamic break is generated, taking into account powder factor, energy factor, tonnages, explosive energies and distribution along with blasthole diameter and orebody orientation for a specific set of explosive and dynamic rock/ore properties. Determining dynamic modulus values for the ore using seismic sensors to measure P- and S-wave velocities, the aforementioned parameters will be utilised to set the design constraints to maximise recovery and minimise overbreak and dilution.New underground blasting software (AEGIS) will use thermodynamic break in conjunction with defined fragmentation profiles to create an array of blasting parameters used to design and plan ring layouts. This software will also allow mining planners, prior to drilling and loading a production blast, to appraise future intended blasting patterns to minimise the potential of diluting ore with host rock and the likelihood of damaging mine support structures.CITATION:Roy, D, Williams, T and Preston, C, 2015. Underground stope drill and blast designs optimisation program, in Proceedings 11th International Symposium on Rock Fragmentation by Blasting, pp 137–148 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 24, 2015

By J Hutchings

An essential component to the management of any process is the measurement of key parameters, used to monitor, control, and provide the feedback necessary for improvement. This paper discusses how data collection and analysis can provide a better understanding of the blasting process, as well as additional control and improved outcomes.The drill and blast process involves the generation and use of information at a number of levels. Comparison of historical parameters and results provides a starting point for the development of ongoing blast designs and a baseline against which future results can be compared. The collection of data during implementation provides a quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) function where potential defects (such as under-drilled or over-charged holes) can be rectified prior to firing. Actual quantities and production rates allow the development of realistic plans and schedules, rather than using inaccurate estimates and targets that lead to unscheduled changes to equipment paths. Over?the past several years there have been a number of technological advances in data collection technology. Drill monitoring instrumentation on blasthole drills provides location information and feedback on rock properties as drilling occurs. Hand held ‘data logger’ technology has also overcome the challenges of working on the bench, such that blasthole measurements can be collected and forwarded directly to the explosive truck. Mine sites are becoming wireless network-enabled allowing the seamless data transfer from the field back to the office, in near real time, as that information is collected. Great strides have also been made in the development of drill and blast software systems which are more user friendly, and yet provide far greater capability to manage the quantity of data generated. The blasting process is critical to the overall mining process and the delivery of a successful blast outcome requires that the blasting process be ‘in control’. The measurement of key parameters can provide the data with which to measure and maintain control of blasting, and allows the validation of performance improvement measures and identification of improvement opportunities.

Nov 8, 2011

By E Kunz

Decreasing the gas content in the worked seam by degassing before the start of winning has proven its worth in some areas of German hard coal mines. On the one hand, it removes the risk of gas/coal outbursts and on the other hand it reduces the gas inflow into the longwall. The underground experiences of the last 30 years have led to a æhit listÆ of coal seams with respect to their suitability to predegassing. Trials in the DMT laboratory and also results gained in the deposit show that the suitability of a seam for predegassing depends on its rank. In seams with volatile matter of 20 - 30 per cent, high efficiency ratings are achieved as a rule, with lower ratings both in seams with lower and with higher content of volatile matter.If the rock pressure is unusually high, the efficiency rating of the predegassing is lower, even in seams which would normally be suitable for this process. Under unfavourable conditions, for example below or above residual pillars, in-seam boreholes cannot be drilled successfully and the method is not practical. But if the worked seam was already stress relieved, the predegassing has an optimal efficiency. Latest investigations show that the distance between the in-seam boreholes can be extended. But in that case, the time necessary to reach the same reduction of the gas content increases considerably.

Jan 1, 2005

By N Ganjian, A Delavar, F Rashidi Nejad

Iran is one of the most seismically active countries in the world, being crossed by several major fault lines that cover at least 90 per cent of the country. As a result, earthquakes in Iran occur often and are destructive. So, it is important to consider the seismic stability and reliability of all structures including tailings dams.In this study, the tailings dam stability of the Sangan Iron Ore Mine in Khorasan Razavi, Iran is considered for the case study. The tailings storage facilities of the mine have three cells with the capacity of 45 million cubic metres. The first cell, which has three stages of dam raising, has been recently brought into operation. This cell has a downstream-raised retaining embankment. As the risk of seismicity in this area is high, seismic response of this dam was evaluated by numerical methods. To do this, appropriate models were developed for materials used in foundation and body of the embankment. Then for seismic stability analysis, Tabas (Iran – 1978) and Chi-Chi (Taiwan – 1999) earthquake acceleration simulations were applied.The results of this study indicated that the upstream portion of Stage 3 of the dam and dam crest did not experience significant horizontal displacements during earthquake period, but the downstream portion of Stage 3 of the dam showed a maximum horizontal displacement of 60 cm at the third stage of dam raising. This is three times more than what was estimated by the designer. Also, the maximum vertical displacement resulting from simulation of the Tabas earthquake was 35 cm. The results of dam response to Tabas and Chi-Chi earthquakes indicate that displacement, shear stress and pore pressure by the Tabas earthquake were higher than the case of Chi-Chi earthquake. The higher energy of Tabas earthquake and the higher frequency near to the natural frequency of Tabas earthquake could be the reasons of this difference. The results of this case study confirm that if the studied tailings dam impacted by an earthquake of a similar magnitude to Tabas, the dam will be seismically stable and the developed strains will not be significant.CITATION:Delavar, A, Rashidi Nejad, F and Ganjian, N, 2015. Seismic stability analysis of Sangan Iron Mine Project tailings dam, in Proceedings Tailings and Mine Waste Management for the 21st Century , pp 173–182 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 27, 2015