Search Documents

The incidence of colliery disasters has highlighted the need for more centralised and directed coal mining safety research in Queensland, with particular impetus from explosions at Box Flat in 1972, Kianga in 1975 and Moura No 4 in 1986. Inquiries which identified the likely causes recommended measures and, research and two outcomes have been the present Mines Safety Research Advisory Committee and The Safety in Mines Testing and Research Station at Redbank, near Brisbane, dealing with all mining problems, coal and metalliferous. Already, important research into ignition and explosion and other health and safety matters has been accomplished; the Station has become an accredited testing laboratory; and international recognition has been achieved. Now the advisory, testing and research arms are soundly in place to pursue preventive investigations and be ready to provide assistance in any emergencies.

Jan 1, 1991

Increasing use has been made of engineer ing geology and hydrogeology in the development of the infrastructure for mining projects. The Geological Survey of the Department of Mines, the Department of Main Roads, the Irrigation and Water Supply Commission and private consulting organisations and mining companies, employ spec- ialist staff to carry out engineering geological and/or hydrogeological investigations. Such in- vestigations have been of assistance in recent mining developments in northern Queensland, in- cluding those in the Cloncurry - Mount lsa, Weipa, Greenvale and northern Borten Basin areas.

Jan 1, 1974

By de Lassar de Pressigny Y

IRSID has in its laboratories two experi mental counter-current reduction furnaces allo- wing the simulation of the physico-chemical conditions of reduction in any gas-solid coun- ter-current process, including the blast furnace and direct-reduction shaft-furnaces. The counter current is realized by an electric furnace mo- ving along a laboratory tube filled with the material to be tested. The reducing gas stream in the tube travels in the same direction as the furnace After reduction, twenty samples, with dif- ferent degrees of reduction and which can be related to different levels of an industrial furnace, are taken from the tube and subjected to various quality tests. Experiments were realized to determine the behaviour of various types of industrial pellets when reduced under either blast furnace or shaft furnace conditions. The results show the large influence of the reducing conditions on any pa- rameter characteristic of the quality of the pellets : reduction efficiency, swelling, cru- shing strength and disintegration.

Jan 1, 1974

Up to 80 per cent of the copper in a bornite ore can be quickly leached with percolating acidified ferric sulphate solutions. The upper limit for rapid copper extraction is set by the conversion of bornite to slowly dissolving chalcopyrite. The dissolution occurs in two stages: a rapid linear initial stage, followed by a slow, non-linear stage. The initial step is largely controlled by the rate of oxidant supply (Fe2(S04)3); temperature is not an important variable during the initial reaction. The second leaching stage is controlled by chemical and physical factors and is temperature dependent. The initial copper leaching rates are insensitive to both the concentration of the ferrous sulphate reaction product, and the sulphuric acid concentration.

Jan 1, 1973

By Withington J. T

The four major contracts for the construction of Museum Station are: 1) Installation of Soldier Piles, 2) Structural Contract including the temporary support, 3) Architectural Finishes which include Electrical and Mechanical Services and 4) Supply and Installation of lifts and escalators. Specific areas of interest include the fabrication, installation and removal of temporary support steelwork, the monitoring of ground loading, and the interface between the structure and. the temporary support. The information collated during construction confirmed the design assumptions and criteria. No major changes'were required in the design of the construction methods. The open cut excavation and construction of this major structure in an inner city area was significant by any standard and was successfully completed with minimum disruption to the public and without damage to adjoining or surrounding property.

Jan 1, 1981

By Preston JC, Richards DJ

A multicommodity exploration programme was mounted in the 1970s by CRA Exploration Pty. Limited over a major part of the southern Murray Basin in Victoria. Commodities sought were brown and black coal, gold, uranium, diamonds, titanium and zirconium rich heavy minerals, and base metals. An area of 40 000 km2 was held under exploration licences by the Company. Exploration techniques used were literature research, airborne magnetics and gamma ray spectrometry, drilling, and geophysical well logging. Targets were defined in both the Tertiary basin sediments and the underlying Palaeozoic sedimentary and igneous rocks. Although exploration is continuing, large resources of brown coal and low grade titanium rich heavy minerals have already been discovered. Exploration for uranium was abandoned in accordance with statutory requirements. The search for significant resources of the other commodities has not been successful.

Jan 1, 1986

Pbo activities have been measured in conventional blast furnace and direct smelting type slags at 1200¦C. Much higher activity coefficients than previously measured have been obtained and attributed to interactions between iron and lead oxides. The behaviour of PbO in the two types of slag reflects their relative silica contents. Simple equations derived from mathematical modelling work are presented for the prediction of Pbo activities in complex industrial slags.

Jan 1, 1984

By Cudmore JF, Rowlands D

Incidents associated with spontaneous combustion of coal have resulted in the loss of many lives and considerable capital and equip- ment. Nevertheless, the factors controlling the propensity of coal to spontaneous combustion are not clearly understood and there is a need for research to study the effects of rank, petrog- raphy, moisture contents, etc. This has been attempted in a study of the propensities of selected Queensland coals to spontaneous combustion. An adiabatic calori- meter was constructed to study the self-heating of a large number of coals. Chemical and petro- graphic analyses of the coals were determined and an attempt was made to relate these propert- ies to the self-heating characteristics of the coal. The results show a strong relationship between rank and self-heating characteristics and that petrographic composition of coal may also be of importance. Some observations on the application of the laboratory results to the practical situation are made as are recommendations for future research.

Jan 1, 1981

By Martin C. H, Met B

INDEX OF CONTENTS:1. Introduction, Explanatory; and Reasons for Coal Cleaning.2. Principles on which Coal Cleaning is based.3. Location of Broken Hill Proprietary Co. Ltd. Plant.4. Description of Processes Selected Barvoys Bath Process; Barvoys Medium Preparation and Treatment; Static Dry Cleaning Plant.5. Detailed Description of Plant.6. Typical Results of Cleaning Operations.INTRODUCTION, EXPLANATORY, AND REASONS FOR COALCLEANING:The Institute proceedings have not previously published any matter on coal cleaning and the reasons thereof; in consequence it has been deemed advisable to allot a part of this paper to explanatory matter, prior to entering into a detailed explanation and description of the Newcastle plant.At the outset it would be as well to consider briefly the kinds of materials from which coal has originated. All coals represent some stage in the decomposition and transformation of vegetable matter laid down in prehistoric times, the vegetable matter undergoing numerous geological changes, such as submergence, overlaying by sediment, with subsequent pressure and re-elevation; these processes may...

Jan 1, 1946

By T Mahlangu

The leaching of gold in alkaline aqueous cyanide solutions may be reduced significantly by the passivation of the gold by a surface layer of polymeric aurocyanide. This passivation of the gold is typically countered by the presence of Pb(+2) species in solution, which may be present as an impurity in the solution, or specifically added for this purpose. The speciation and availability of Pb(+2) in typical cyanide leach solutions is illustrated as a function of pH, and the presence of S(-2), S(+6), Cu(+1) and Ag(+1) species. The probable role of the Pb(+2) species in efficient gold leaching is discussed.

Jan 1, 2007

By Kelley BC, Filmer AO

The chemical oxidation kinetics of sphalerite by Fe(III) was studied at various temperatures and size fractions in sulphate media. The kinetics of Zn extraction followed a pore diffusion control mechanism with an apparent activation energy of 54-58 kJ mole. This figure, although high for a pore diffusion control process, is consistent with other studies carried out in sulphate media. An empirical statistical model, relating the extraction time to % Zn extraction, average particle size and temperature, is described by log 1 = 12.22 - 0.017% Ext. - 1.76 log D Av t - 2954 T Parallel studies were also carried out investigating the biological oxidation of sphalerite utilizing the acidophilic autotrophic bacterium Thiobacillus Ferroxidans. The effect of such kinetic parameters as pulp density, particle size and Fe(III) on bacterial growth rate and consequently zinc extraction rate, were studied and where appropriate, optimum conditions for bacterial growth were specified. Based on the results of chemical and biological leaching studies, it was apparent that rapid zinc extraction from sphalerite was predominently due to oxidation by Fe(III). The biological oxidation process catalyses the oxidation and regeneration of Fe(III). The proposed combined chemical-biological leach system was simulated in semi continuous fashion. The sphalerite oxidation rates obtained in this system were similar to that predicted by the chemical leach empirical model. 1. Senior Research Metallurgist, CRA Research, Boolaroo, N.S.W. 2. Group Leader-Hydrometallurgy, CRA Research, Boolaroo, N.S.W. 3. Senior Research Scientist, Biotechnology Australia, Roseville, N.S.W. 4. Senior Experimental Officer, Biotechnology Australia, Roseville, N.S.W.

Jan 1, 1986

By Kewu W

Kaolin used as an industrial mineral, especially that in the paper-manufacturing industry, must be of fine size, with high brightness, a low impurity content, and good crystal shape. However, in most kaolin deposits there are various impurities which have a very bad effect on the quality of the kaolin. Therefore, it is necessary to remove these impurities from kaolin ore. Owing to their similar surface properties, the separation of kaolin and iron oxide minerals, especially microkaolin and iron oxide minerals, has been regarded as difficult. The iron oxide minerals often intergrow with kaolin in fine and complicated forms, such as thin films, which make separation difficult. In order to overcome this difficulty, many workers have suggested various treatment methods and obtained great success. Based on research work by Fuerstenau (1980), Huang, Li and Hu (1984), Hui and Wei (1991), Shergold (1978), and Zambrana et al (1974), we have investigated a two-liquid flotation technique for iron removal from kaolin and obtained some success.

Jan 1, 1993

By Weatherhead J, Grounds J

The Nabarlek Uranium Project located in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia was a small high-grade deposit which was the first uranium mine brought into operation following the extensive Commissioner Fox Inquiries into uranium mining during the late 1970s. The operation is almost complete and decommissioning plans have been prepared. This paper reviews all phases of the water management and tailings disposal for the project and compares results with design predictions.

Jan 1, 1988

By Green S, McKernan, Skrypniuk

In November 1996, Boddington Gold Mine (BGM) began the implementation of an expert system. The objective of the expert system was to improve plant efficiency by developing an `operator best practice' control philosophy for the grinding circuit

Jan 1, 1997

Gunpowder Copper Limited processes 1,000 tonne/day of Mammoth ore in a conventional flot- ation concentrator. Run of mine ore is prepared for flotation by three stages of crushing and two stages of ball milling. The concentrate, in which the primary copper mineral is chalcocite, is solar dried and exported to Japan. The history of operation is summarised, and plant practice and metallurgical problems are discussed.

Jan 1, 1974

By Reilly L, Worner H. K

The EnvIRONment process has been developed to treat steel works dust and organic wastes simultaneously. A pelletised feed is fed into a special DC electric furnace, the pellets becoming immersed in a molten slag above a carbon saturated bath. The iron oxide in the pellets is reduced and carburised whilst the organics are broken down to carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and water vapour. Volatile metals are vapourised and collected in the baghouse. Over two years of trials in a 100 kg DC electric are furnace has brought the process to the stage where it is ready for commercialisation.

Jan 1, 1995

From depths of 400 - 600 m, coal is transported by a conveyor in a drift or a bulk winder in a shaft, whilst men and/or materials are transported by a slope hauler or a cage winder. Assessment of the effect of alternative combinations on the key cost factors - output, capital, labour cost and construction time - allows the optimum choice for particular circumstances, there being no uniform solution.

Jan 1, 1976

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

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