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By D Cliff

Despite advances in technology, the Australian underground coal mining industry continues to have incidents involving spontaneous combustion. Managing these incidents relies heavily on understanding the state of the event as it develops and controls are applied. Gas analysis plays a major role in aiding this interpretation. This interpretation is based upon laboratory testing of coal samples under conditions very different to those found in an underground coal mine. This paper will explore the links between laboratory data and actual events. It will highlight the difficulties of using laboratory data. It will outline the relevance of laboratory data and how it can be usefully applied to manage spontaneous combustion events as well as in establishing relevant trigger action response plans to facilitate early detection and control of such events. The paper will identify some of the factors that need to be applied when adapting laboratory data to apply to the underground coal mine. It will outline the need for comprehensive knowledge of the local conditions and gas concentrations to be expected at all locations in an underground coal mine. Further, it will demonstrate the need for mine environment monitoring to go beyond simply measuring gas concentrations but also to include reliable atmospheric pressure, temperature and air velocity monitoring.CITATION:Cliff, D, 2013. Gas analysis - Linking the laboratory with reality, in Proceedings The Australian Mine Ventilation Conference , pp 277-282 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 1, 2013

By Marton A

The Readymix Group have a Quarry Improvement Program - 'Building in Quality (BIQ) which has many parallels to the ICI Explosives' total quality management - 'Quality Improvement Program' (QIP). Both companies have for some time recognised that the 'do it right first time' principle means less wasted effort and materials, that efficiency breeds profitability and so actively promote the quality culture. To install the principles and generate the culture requires considerable commitment and effort from the top down and invariably spreads to the suppliers and sub-contractors. Understanding the component processes involved with the quarry operation, analysis of those processes and gaining a breakdown of the cost of non conformance then allows the astute quarry operator to make the necessary changes to improve the process to realise profits. This paper outlines the steps in such a process and the profitable outcomes of the commitment to continuous improvement at the Nickol Bay Quarry.

Jan 1, 1994

By D J. Williams

Tailings management is typically constrained by many factors that are taken as given. These include the tailings production rate that must be accommodated, the desire to deliver the tailings cheaply and easily as a slurry using centrifugal pumps, and a tailings footprint limited by the desire to minimise capital costs leading to a rapid tailings rate of rise and a low settled density. Other constraints include wall raises being delayed due to limited capital, inadequate tailings water and rainfall run-off management, and the net present value (NPV) approach to capital expenditure that puts off expenditure at the expense of performance. All of these constraints result in the tailings occupying much more volume than is necessary, being difficult to rehabilitate, and not being capable of supporting a beneficial post-mining land use or function. Ultimately, such constrained tailings storage facilities will assume very large dimensions, but each will typically be developed as a series of smaller storages that are filled rapidly and added to progressively. The optimal stage to efficiently recover process water is in the process plant, but this is limited by the desire to use centrifugal pumps rather than the more costly positive displacement pumps, which also require greater management of tailings deposition. Process water can also be recovered from the tailings storage facility (TSF) decant. Tailings water that is not recovered from the plant or the decant will be lost to entrainment within the tailings, seepage to the foundation or through the wall, or evaporation. However, tailings water is not always suitable for reuse in the plant, particularly when it becomes contaminated by the processing, and it may simply be stored on the TSF. This will exacerbate the seepage of contaminated water to the environment, and will limit the densification of the tailings that would otherwise occur due to desiccation of the tailings on exposure. If a larger tailings footprint were developed early, cycling of tailings deposition in thin lifts between a number of cells could occur, maintaining the dormant cells dry to enhance desiccation and densification, and ultimate rehabilitation. The end result would be a much reduced stored volume of tailings, the potential for upstream raising, and ease of rehabilitation to a high level. The higher initial capital cost would be overtaken by reduced ongoing capital, operating and closure costs.CITATION:Williams, D J, ?2014. An alternative whole-of-life approach to tailings management, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2014 , pp 285–298 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 16, 2014

By Rolfe PR, Ellis BA, Clements RJ

Associated Minerals Consolidated Limited (AMC) is constructing a 112,500 tonne/yr synthetic rutile plant at Narngulu, near Geraldton in Western Australia. Design of the plant is based on the technology developed by AMC and utilised in its two existing plants at Capel in Western Australia. Ilmenite Feedstock for the plant will be sourced from AMC's mine at Eneabba and coal obtained from the Collie deposits. The plant is scheduled to come on stream in the second quarter of calendar 1987. The rationale of the decision to construct the Narngulu plant is examined against the background of the world market for high-Ti02 content feedstocks. Also provided is a detailed description of the plant and an examination of the technology used in process Design.

Jan 1, 1986

By B Indraratna, A Dey

The surface geometry of a rock bolt plays a very important role in the rock/resin/bolt load transfer mechanism. Very little work has so far been reported on the influence of the bolt surface geometry on the bolt/resin interface failure mechanism. This paper examines the behaviour of bolt surface roughness under constant normal stiffness condition in the laboratory. To study the shear behaviour of the bolt/resin interface a series of shear tests with an initial normal stress between 0.1 to 7.5 MPa has been conducted on the flattened bolt surface of two most popular bolt types currently being used in Australia. Bolts with deeper ribs offered better shear resistance at low initial normal stress conditions whereas bolts with shallow and closer ribs offered better shear resistance at high normal stress conditions. The maximum dilation occurred at a shear displacement of 60 per cent of the rib spacing irrespective of the bolt type and depth of the rib.

Jan 1, 2000

By C E. Loo

The cohesive zone has a significant influence on blast furnace operation and performance. The high-temperature behaviour of the reducing ferrous burden determines the properties of the cohesive zone and is studied in a laboratory using a softening and melting test. This paper summarises recent work aimed at better understanding the physico-chemical changes in a ferrous bed during softening and melting. Using a combination of standard, non-standard and quenched tests supported by optical image analysis, this work has highlighted some important differences in behaviour between lump, pellets and sinter as well as between the two lump ores and two acid pellets. As with the two lump ores, one pellet is denser than the other and the denser ore/pellet is also higher in silica.Within the cohesive zone, densification of the ferrous layer leads to reduced permeability and greater pressure drop. From the work presented in this paper, two key mechanisms of ferrous layer densification were identified. Firstly, the formation of fayalite, which melts at low temperatures, can act as a lubricant between particles and lead to densification of the ferrous layer under load. Secondly, reduction to metallic iron is topochemical and fayalite in the outer shell of the particle restricts gas flow to the centre and results in the formation of a wustite core. As temperatures rise, the wustite melts and eventually exudes out of the shell, occupying void spaces between particles and further reducing layer voidage and permeability.This work has shown that density and silica content are two key factors that result in increased densification of the ferrous layer. For porous Australian lump ore, the higher porosity and lower silica reduces the formation of fayalite and limits the formation of the wustite core, ultimately leading to a more permeable bed. The difference between the porous and dense ores was more pronounced with the introduction of prereduction to better simulate blast furnace conditions. This suggests that a porous ore gives significantly better cohesive zone permeability and blast furnace operations than a dense ore.The behaviour of fluxed sinter particles is different in that the silica reacts with lime to form dicalcium silicate. Minimal wustite core forms because relict hematite particles in sinter are only small and reduction occurs uniformly throughout the particle. Even with significant loss of material through prereduction, beds formed from sinter remained comparatively rigid. Studies using a typical blast furnace burden mix of 80 per cent fluxed sinter and 20 per cent porous ore showed that the structures of these beds at softening and melting temperatures are very similar to the sinter-only test. Measurements of bed contraction and pressure drop also confirmed that the introduction of 20 per cent porous ore into a sinter bed did not alter its properties. This is an indication that 20 per cent ore can be easily accommodated by blast furnace burdens.CITATION:Loo, C E, 2015. Important acid ferrous burden properties in the cohesive zone of a blast furnace, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2015, pp 367–376 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 13, 2015

By C M. Rebagliati, J G. Payne, K Roberts

The Pebble deposit, located in south-west Alaska, is one of the largest Copper- Gold-Molybdenum (Cu-Au-Mo) porphyry systems in the world, with a current resource of >8 billion tonnes which contain 73.7 billion pounds of copper, 87.1 million ounces of gold and 4.16 billion pounds of molybdenum. The Pebble deposit formed at ~90 Ma, during emplacement of subduction-related hornblende granodiorite porphyry intrusions emplaced into Jurassic-Cretaceous sedimentary, volcanic and subvolcanic intrusive rocks of the Kahiltna Terrane. The Pebble West and Pebble East Zones represent two thermal and fluid centres in a single large magmatic-hydrothermal system. The West Zone extends from surface to about 500 m depth, has thin zones of oxide and supergene mineralisation overlying hypogene chalcopyrite mineralisation, and is amenable to open pit extraction. The East Zone extends to at least 1700 m depth, is higher grade, occurs beneath an eastward-thickening cover of younger sedimentary and volcanic rocks, lacks oxide and supergene mineralisation, and is being evaluated for underground block-cave mining. Most Cu-Au-Mo was introduced with early K-silicate alteration and related quartz-sulfide veins. In the East Zone, a structurally-controlled overprint by advanced argillic alteration significantly increased Au and, to a lesser extent, Cu grades. Exploration potential at Pebble and its surrounding district remains high. Several other porphyry, skarn and epithermal deposits have been discovered in the district, but only limited exploration has been conducted. The eastern, higher grade part of the Pebble deposit remains open in several directions, with significant potential for resource expansion by ongoing, aggressive drill exploration. An EXTENDED ABSTRACT is available for download. A full-length paper was not prepared for this presentation.

Jan 1, 2008

By Hinkley JT, Smitham JB, Nicol SK

Historical investigations of mineral flotation have highlighted the many factors which affect flotation. Some of these are related to the mineral, its degree of liberation (however defined), solution chemistry and flotation reagents. The complexity of the interactions between these factors often leads to uncertainty over whether the final grade/recovery results obtained in either laboratory or pilot scale tests are in fact the maximum recovery at a specific grade. The reason for this is that there has not previously been a general technique for establishing the floatability of an ore. This study describes the further development of the 'tree' flotation technique for minerals other than coal, and in particular its application to iron ores. Oxides have been chosen as a system of intermediate complexity between the simple coal system and sulphide minerals to illustrate the principles and develop the concepts. The 'tree' flotation procedure consists of the progressive flotation to completion of successive froth products, followed by reflotation to remove entrained material. It therefore represents an 'equilibrium' approach to floatability rather than a kinetic approach. By ordering the various products and tails in order of increasing grade, a cumulative curve of grade and recovery can be constructed against which an isolated batch or plant result on the same ore can be compared. In this investigation, a Jaspilitic iron ore was tested at various grind sizes to determine the 'best' flotation grade-recovery that could be obtained with a given set of reagent conditions. The separation characteristics of a process are best measured on a system which contains particles which behave as 'middlings' with respect to the process in question. For this reason a natural ore was chosen in preference to model systems in order to relate more readily to plant situations.

Jan 1, 1993

IT is generally accepted that for transport of coal underground from different collecting stations, the system of endless rope haulage with remote control is not only one of the safest and most economIcal, but is also one of the most'efficlent in dealing with output.When the coal measures lie in regular planes, the work of laying down such a haulage presents no difficulties. When, however, the dip of the measures is Irregular, or dislocated by faulting, the management is faced with the problem of constructing vertical curves of such a radius that the sag of the rope will correspond with the road bed, and thus obviate the danger of the rope rising and throwing the skips off the track.The direction of the main roads for haulage purposes being ascertained from the plan of the royalty to be worked, the faults or dislocations in the seam are determined for these roads with the greatest possible accuracy by means of bore holes from the surface.From the data thus obtained the haulage road can generally be so graded that the rope will keep on the floor during haulage operations, although the grades may in places be synclinal.The writer confesses that he knows of no accurate formula for calculating the sag of the rope under varying tensions and so determining the safe radius of the curve, and he had to depend upon past experiences under somewhat sImilar conditions.The accompanying sections illustrate a case where the writer has recently installed an endless rope underground approximately 5000 ft. in length, from the foot of a tunnel in which an endless rope delivers the output to the screening plant, and having to negotiate, first a 400-ft. downthrow fault, and later a 32 ft. upthrow.

Jan 1, 1927

The face of project evaluation is changing continuously, making it ever more critical to get a clear understanding upfront of the objectives, decision-making processes and criteria of the project proponents. Requirements are usually significantly different for emerging æjuniorsÆ compared with long established major mining houses and companies in developing countries compared with western companies. Requirements are also different for different types of evaluations, such as due diligence studies compared with feasibility studies of æownedÆ projects and there are often key misunderstandings around the use of the term æbankableÆ. Further, it has become increasingly important with increasingly remote and lower quality resources to understand risk relativities such as infrastructure compared with the core processing facilities. This has also driven the need for more trade-off studies to determine the best balance between critical issues, such as optimisation of the interface between mine and processing plant, capital versus operating cost and automation versus labour. In every project evaluation, it is also critical to consider emerging trends and changing requirements and standards such as sustainability and community interface. Finally, the inescapable drive to reduce time to market has driven changes such as increased use of more standardised designs and innovative approaches to the transition from project development to execution. This paper begins with a brief review of the different objectives and risks of each project development stage to establish a framework for subsequent discussion of the different requirements of different types of companies in different locations, different types of evaluations and different types of projects and project components. This is followed by a review of changing requirements and standards and some innovative developments in sustainability and community interface are presented. Finally, the paper outlines a number of developments in the area of operational readiness planning that focus on minimising the time to achieve maximum return on investment.

Jan 1, 2009

The perception of the mining industry in the Australian community has changed considerably over the last four decades. This has been partly brought about by changing values and expectations of the Australian community as well as by global factors. The legal environment for the Australian mining industry has undergone significant changes. Among them, the High Court's Mabo decision which confirmed native title rights as part of the common law and environmental legal developments are dealt with particularly. It is suggested that the Australian legal environment is not necessarily the prime cause for Australian mining companies taking their investment off shore. This is a summary on how native title impacts on land tenements and some of the major issues that emerged since the `Mabo decision' and the Native Title Act 1993 are discussed. Environmental legal developments have resulted in liability facing directors and senior management in compliance matters .and in operating mining and other businesses because of changes in community expectations. In the next decade it is suggested there will be many drivers for more changes in the legal environment. Some of these are touched on including the changing roles of the Commonwealth and State Governments, the High Court as -law-makers and the changing relationships with indigenous people in Australia and in overseas countries. The changing legal environment for mining demands a national approach in many areas on the proposition that resource based industries are part of a national industry. The uniform law approach among the States has been taking place but this needs to further. An appropriate task force should be forward to review the entire legal structure and regulations affecting mining on a national rather than a State basis . The mining industry will need to work with expectations of a changing community which have powerful, but sometimes contradictory, interest groups.

Jan 1, 1997

With the advent of the resources boom in the late-1960s most of the larger scale resources projects in Australasia were commissioned on an æowner miningÆ basis, where the mine owners owned and operated the primary mining equipment. Then, in the 1980s with the arrival of the gold mining boom in Western Australia and elsewhere, a change occurred û most of the mining activities were carried out on a contract mining basis. Over recent years, however, there has been a marked trend amongst larger Australasian open pit mining operations back towards owner-controlled and operated mining operations. The reasons for this are many and are addressed in the paper, but centre on the concept of the owner being prepared to assume more of the mining risk in exchange for the advantage of not having to pay a contractorÆs profit margin. Where mining contracts are entered into, the older æschedule of ratesÆ format is being replaced with less adversarial and more entrepreneurial contract alternatives involving operating cost and risk sharing in a spirit of æfair dealingÆ. Leasing and maintenance issues have also been influenced in recent years by the advent of more flexible contract arrangements with equipment suppliers. Group purchasing has also had some influence for project operators. For many mine owners, the optimal risk management profile involves a practical offsetting of the assumption of mining risk on the one hand, against the removal of litigation risk and potentially reduced operating costs on the other. Potential pitfalls may arise where equipment size and type requirements vary with time or where manpower management, mining flexibility, job skills or safety exposure factors are relevant. These issues are commented on in the context of some well known examples, and an update is provided on contract mining versus owner operation in large-scale Australasian open pit mining generally.

Jan 1, 2002

The decision to contract or owner mine should be independent of, and should be made before, definitive estimated cost comparisons could be available. There is substantial potential risk of estimated cost comparisons being flawed due to difficulties in compiling comparable estimates for differing business objectives, errors and omissions or because of significant bias. In the current economic environment, escalating cost pressures potentially lead to increased incidence of disputes in mining contracts. The apparent cost of contractorÆs profit and overheads has tended to become more significant to owners. Economy-driven trends towards higher levels of performance and commercial risk for contractors, and the potential for more adversarial, difficult management; with attendant disputation between contractors and owners, have encouraged development of so-called ærelationship contractsÆ û partnering or project alliance contracts. The paper discusses the issues, circumstances when owner mining or contract mining is favoured and perceived advantages and disadvantages of contract mining. The implications of owner-perceived core business and core skills and outsourcing are also discussed. Techniques of introducing objectivity into the decision to owner or contract mine using matrix analysis or benefit comparisons are described. A disciplined procurement process should deliver a decision to owner or contract mine independent of, and prior to, any definitive comparison of estimated costs. A generic procurement process model is provided as a basis for discussion. Risk is discussed generally and as a significant factor in comparison of estimated operating costs. Consideration of risk and any prudent cost treatment are promoted as necessary pre-requisites to any comparison of estimated costs. The paper develops the concept that the decision to owner or contract mine should be based on real benefits that become obvious in the early stages of the development, particularly the procurement process; and before definitive estimated cost comparison can be available. In the context of this concept estimated cost comparisons tend to be confirmatory. Problems with comparing estimated ownerÆs operating costs with tendered contract prices are also discussed, particularly recovery of capital cost of equipment; and the owner minerÆs trade-off of operating risks for the residual contractorÆs margin attributed to overheads and profit. The paper concludes that sole reliance on a comparison of estimated ownerÆs operating costs with tendered contract prices in deciding to owner or contract mine is questionable and likely driven by a need to satisfy specific in-house customers.

Jan 1, 2003

Upgrading of MgO in Dolomite Ore by Froth Flotation

Sep 13, 2010

By Wetzeil N

High ambient temperatures combined with high surface humidity in the north of Australia and, in particular, the northern areas of the Northern Territory can make underground workplaces relatively inhospitable at certain times of the year. . Woodcutters' silver/lead/zinc mine, situated some 80 km south of Darwin, would be the most northerly underground operation of any significance in Australia. As such, during the build up to the wet season, it has a particular problem of ventilating a deep underground mine with already high dry and wet bulb temperatures at the surface. The Mine Management Act and Regulations mention only that workplaces shall be 'in a fit state for a person to work in or occupy'. Woodcutters therefore set in progress a Heat Stress Program to endeavour to set standards which would be more measurable and justifiable. The aim of the program was to compile a record of ambient atmospheric conditions in the working areas such that areas and/or work activities generating high ambient temperatures and humidities could be identified, quantified and qualified. Once the analysis stage of this program was completed, Woodcutters compiled a set of recommendations for the continued monitoring for, and control of, heat stress conditions to ensure that no underground employee was placed at risk from 'heat stress'. These recommendations are discussed in this paper.

Jan 1, 1994

The society in which we live is one of change, and we professionals are part of that society. The importance of this simple and obvious statement is often overlooked. My Presidential Address examines the question: can professionalism survive in our changing society?There is ample evidence to show that our society is changing, and that the rate of change is exponential. This rapid and accelerating rate of change is what Alvin Tomer refers to as "future shock". Rapid change means that we do not have time to become accustomed to what is happening around us and to feel comfortable with it; the greater the rate of change the greater the discomfort. The effect that this has on people is varied; the change may be either expected or totally unexpected.The rate and extent of change in society is not the same for all countries nor for all industries or occupations. Change is more rapid in Japan, Korea or Taiwan, than in Australia. It is more rapid in our cities than in the bush, more rapid for professional businessmen than for farmers. In our minerals and petroleum industries, we are still adjusting to the great changes that have taken place over the last fifteen years. In the past, products from our industries were sold on a free and open market. Today, mineral development and production in most undeveloped countries and some developed countries is manipulated for political, social and economic reasons. Changes of this nature have had a devastating effect on the operations of established mineral producers in the democracies.Because of the accelerating nature of change, we must recognise that the past is not a reliable guide to the future.Although extrapolation of the past into the future is a basic ingredient of commercial survival, extrapolation is less and less reliable.I borrow from others in quoting the Irish proverb: "The future is not what it was".The future is where our business lies and most of us at this Conference must endeavour to understand it and adjust to it. I believe in the old adage that:You can't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been and where you are at.There are a number of major factors which have created change within our social, economic, and industrial environment in recent years.

Jan 1, 1985

By J R. Manuel, M J. Peterson

Selected drill core samples from a Ferrobamba-limestone-hosted, magnetite-haematite skarn deposit, located in the Apurimac department of the Andahuaylas-Yauri skarn/porphyry belt of south-eastern Peru, were mineralogically and texturally characterised to gain a preliminary indication of the deposit's potential as an iron ore resource. Optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy/electron probe microanalysis (SEM/EPMA) techniques were utilised to determine the characteristics of magnetite, haematite and/or goethite dominated ore types, including variations in the relative proportions and textural relationships of the ore and gangue minerals. The deportment of elements deleterious to processing performance (eg copper, sulfur and potassium) was determined and the beneficiation potential of the samples was briefly assessed. In drill core sections, the ores are grey to reddish in colour, massive and 'metallic' to dark brown and earthy in character, moderately hard and porous (macro and microporous), with variable gangue infill. Ores often appear weathered, typified by ochreous goethite staining and common minor goethite (except in dense core fragments), occasionally exhibiting a more friable texture with coarse magnetite/martite grains. Silicates and lesser carbonate gangue are visible as blue-green to beige to white scaly and/or shaly surface coatings, and finely particulate infill, often goethite stained. Sulfide-rich ore types also occur in part of the deposit, but are restricted to specific drill holes. Magnetite grain size is relatively coarse, compared with magnetite from typical banded iron formations, whereas discrete silicate gangue is mainly bladed/fibrous and/or layered and micaceous in form. XRD analysis indicates the presence of vermiculite, serpentine, stilpnomelane, chlorite, actinolite and clays. There is a spectrum of ore types representing the gradation from 'fresh' (magnetite-dominated) to oxidised and weathered (martite/goethite-dominated). Martite-dominated samples are generally higher in grade, due to leaching and removal of silicate gangue, resulting in higher macroporosity. Where gangue has been leached out, partial replacement by vitreous goethite and/or hydrohaematite is typical, often preserving the fibrous/layered characteristics of the original silicates.

Jan 1, 2009

By Lloyd F, Arnold D. A, Hagan T. O

This paper investigates the problems that are encountered in mining at extreme depths. It looks into the rock mechanic aspects, especially the high stress levels that will occur, and the hazard of rockbursts. Furthermore, environmental problems are discussed, with refrigeration and reduction of neat loads being major methods of maintaining ,sorkable conditions. The paper concludes that it will be of tmost importance to have a planning team of Tne highest quality to ensure that conditions are maintained so that work can be carried out safely and under reasonable conditions.

Jan 1, 1986

By Crawford M

During the initial development of Mount Isa Mines power was supplied from a temporary power plant situated near the Man & Supply Shaft. The main power plant was placed in service early in 1931 and then comprised two Babcock and Willcox boilers, fired by pulverised fuel, and two British General Electric Company's turbo-alternators of 5,000 kW. each. Both plants have been described by A. F. McAskill in the Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia.From 1931 power demand progressively increased due to greater production, further mine development in the harder sulphides increased pumping for mine drainage and additions to mill and smelter until, by 1935, the plant was inadequate for further output commensurate with a reasonable safety margin.Coincident with the added power demand, operating conditions involved a fuel problem which could not have been anticipated. The ash content of the fuel supplied gradually increased from 13% to 16-5%, while the melting point of the ash decreased with higher pyrite content.Temperature conditions in the furnace required careful control to cope with ash formation and slag accretions.Consequently brickwork, excessively stressed on water walls, was constantly under repair, and required suspension periods of 50% of operating time for cleaning and overhaul.Load conditions varied continually, therefore the high heat liberations in the furnace, necessary to accommodate peaks in fluctuating output, resulted in ash fusion.

Jan 1, 1939

By I Ross

The ground handling system needed for the second lift of the underground block caving operation at Northparkes Mines had to link into the existing infrastructure. Production requirements indicated that an annual output of 5 Mtpa was necessary from a depth of approximately 850 m. The shaft that serviced the first lift stopped at a depth of 520 m. This paper covers the selection of the design for the system and the factors that were taken into consideration in making the decision. It will describe the installation program and methodology and highlight areas of significance and then detail some of the issues concerning commissioning of the ground handling system.

Jan 1, 2005