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By M D. Basuki Dwi Priyono

The Toguraci low sulfidation epithermal gold vein deposits are located 2 km WSW from the Gosowong mine and form part of the Gosowong Goldfield. The goldfield lies within a Neogene magmatic arc on Halmahera Island, North Maluku Province, East Indonesia. The terrain is moderate to steep, rainforested, and poorly outcropping. Exploration and mining operations are being carried out within the PT Nusa Halmahera Minerals Contract of Work (exploration tenement) jointly owned by Newcrest Mining Ltd (82.5 per cent, operator) and PT Aneka Tambang Tbk. (17.5 per cent). First pass exploration of the Gosowong area began late 1992 resulting in the discovery of weakly developed porphyry copper mineralisation (named Bora) at Toguraci in 1993. Early in the evaluation of this porphyry an overprinting epithermal Au/Ag mineralisation event was recognised, however exploration focus remained on the Bora porphyry deposit for some time. The discovery of the nearby Gosowong epithermal gold deposit and the exploration of other prospects in the area further diverted attention and funds from Toguraci. It was not until year 2000 that Toguraci was seriously reevaluated as part of a detailed appraisal of the epithermal gold potential within a 5 km radius of the Gosowong gold mine. A fly-camp based drilling campaign using man-portable rigs was undertaken between August 2000 and March 2002. All exploration at Toguraci was then stopped pending government approvals to mine. These were finally issued in May 2003 and immediately drilling restarted and pre-mine approvals (eg the environmental impact study) were sought and granted. The first Toguraci gold bar was poured in February 2004. Exploration at Toguraci and elsewhere in the Gosowong Goldfield continues today.

Jan 1, 2004

By J Kok

"In some underground mines it has been observed that the primary focus during feasibility studies is to determine the best way to mine the defined orebody. Some studies have been conducted without sufficient consideration of the ventilation and cooling requirements or the risk from exposure to associated airborne pollutants caused by the mining operations.Following the hierarchy of control to manage risk, numerous problems of the ventilation systems in some underground mines could have been avoided if sufficient consideration was given to the ventilation requirements to manage heat, airborne pollutants and leakage during the feasibility study phase. If the constraints and hazards were well defined and understood at the time of the study, efforts could have been made to eliminate or substitute the hazards to decrease the risk. Some of these problems include but are not limited to: primary fan locations heat loads diesel exhaust ventilation design based on the production requirement fire/emergency response strategies.This paper highlights areas in the ventilation discipline that are sometimes overlooked during feasibility studies. It will also highlight the importance of the Ventilation Specialist during these studies. Experience and knowledge of best ventilation practices must be applied in feasibility studies.As a result of adequate consideration to all ventilation aspects in the feasibility study phase, risks will become lower in terms of health, safety, production loss and equipment downtime caused by heat.CITATION:Kok, J, 2014. Feasibility studies – what should be considered in terms of ventilation, in Proceedings 12th AusIMM Underground Operators’ Conference 2014, pp 197–204 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Mar 24, 2014

By W Stange

Assessing the risks in a mining project is a key aspect of project evaluation. This is an exacting and demanding task because of the complexity due to the need to deal with uncertainty over long time periods. The way risks are assessed and managed is critical to the long-term success of the projects and the business. Discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis is commonly used for project and risk evaluation. A discount rate is selected that accounts for uncertainties in the cash flows. However, it is difficult to determine an appropriate discount rate due to the large number of factors that need to be considered and the complex relationships between risk sources. Using a proven framework, ævalue at riskÆ (VaR), this paper proposes to rigorously model and quantify ærisk at sourceÆ. The approach was first employed to assess financial market risks and is now widely used in the banking sector for risk assessment. In project evaluation, all risk sources are identified and estimated separately to ensure the overall project risk is quantified accurately. A bottom-up approach has been proposed. Estimates are first carried out for risk factors at the bottom of the project structure. The assessment is then applied at increasingly higher levels until the overall project risk is estimated. Value at risk is a versatile methodology and can be used in a local or integrated manner. The final value is objective and the calculation steps can be easily justified and followed. Four case studies have been included to illustrate how the proposed approach can assist management in decision-making.

Jan 1, 2009

Recent work has shown that, in at least some instances of regional metamorphism, metamorphic diffusion has been restricted to such relatively minute distances (of the order of 1.0 mm and much less), that there is no clear, direct evidence of prograde metamorphic mineral reactions, and that metamorphic equilibrium does not appear to have been attained through even very small domains.A number of stratiform orebodies and their immediate metapelitic environments exhibit very large, seemingly "disequilibrium", assemblages of regional metamorphic index materials. One such, in north-eastern Australia, includes laumontite, prehnite, chamosite, stilpnomelane and related hydrous iron silicates, primary chlorite, sericite-muscovite, epidote, actinolite, biotite, almandine, andradite, metamorphic hornblende and clinopyroxene, scapolite, staurolite and sillimanite, all within a 20 metres length of a single diamond drill core. In this and several related occurrences it appears that metamorphism has involved very small scale in situ transformation of pre-existing materials rather than large-scale diffusion and reaction, and hence that the observed metamorphic minerals have probably been derived directly from precursor materials of sedimentary/diagenetic origin.It is concluded that the fluctuating seafloor interplay between warm, acid, concentrated hydrothermal waters with cold, alkaline, dilute seawater during stratiform ore formation, together with diagenetic processes, leads to the formation of a wide range of clay, chlorite, mixed-layer clay and clay/chlorite, and zeolite precursor materials and hence, later, to the complex assemblages of metamorphic minerals closely associated with some stratiform ores. Commonly included in highly localized assemblages of this kind are various minerals which, in conventional regional metamorphic studies, are generally regarded as indicating widely different grades of metamorphism.

Jan 1, 1982

The investigations of the Leningrad ruining lilstitute on this problem are carrying out in the following main directions: 1) The analysis and study of contaminants migration at particular sites of mining development; 2) The working out of theoretical and me- thodical basic principles of aquifers migration tests; 3) The work- ing out of methods of the forcasting of groundwater pollution pro- cesses; 4) The theoretical and uethodical substantiation of hydro- geological observations of groundwater pollution processes; 5) The wort ing out of the measures at the groundwater control and their rational use at the particular sites of mining development. The research that have been carried out by the present moment have covered the wide range of wining and geological conditions -- as from the point of view of specific genetic types of water-be- aring rocks (porous, fissured and fissured-porous), as well as from the point of view of pollution sources (surface waste water basins and underground basins of non-standard water) and the cha- racter of the latter's migration (tracers, physically neutral ef- fluents, heavy or light ones). The combination of specialized mi- gration tests and observations carryed out at uoayi, sites, as well as the following ar~,alysis o:i the data of field study allowed to get useful theoretical, methodical and practical results on the all directions above mentioned, ns the summing up of these results the author proposed the concept of controlled ground :ester polluti on. This conception is based on three whales" - groundwater self- purification, engineering prevention measures and ground-water monitoring correlated with each other by succes i.vely refined (ac- cording to the observation data) hydrogeologicZl forecasts.

Jan 1, 1988

By J N. Moncrieff

The resource estimation process for the underground Mount Isa Copper Mine has undergone significant change. Block models are now created using a commercial software package as opposed to the in-house software that was previously used. With mineralisation occurring over a strike length of more than 4 km, Mineral Resources for all categories totalled 190 Mt at 2.7 per cent Cu at 31 December 2002. Estimation is by ordinary kriging with two separate models generated to cover the X41 and Enterprise orebodies respectively. The underlying Upper Basement Contact and the silica-dolomite alteration envelope are both used as hard boundaries to constrain the modelling. From a validated block model, grade shells are generated at the appropriate cut-off grade for a given area. The grade shells are depleted for mined voids and subdivided into 30 metre strike length blocks. Application of a SMU criteria and crown and pillar constraints results in failed blocks being culled from the resource inventory. Mineral Resource blocks are further subdivided into resource categories (Measured, Indicated, Inferred) by the Competent Person on the basis of geological confidence, taking account of geological and grade continuity, drillhole spacing and structural complexity (JORC, 1999). A geostatistical æconfidenceÆ category is incorporated into the block model as an additional tool for the categorisation process. The shapes are assessed in concert with a mining engineer to determine whether a reasonable expectation of mining potential exists and if not they are removed from the resource. The final categorised blocks constitute the Mineral Resource inventory and form the basis for conversion to Ore Reserves. The resultant Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves are reported on an æinclusive ofÆ basis.

Jan 1, 2003

By G Billing a, D Gribble, E Hall, D Varga

The theoretical benefits of electronic detonators have been reasonably well documented. To support this, a practical comparison was made between the performance of the standard shock tube system, NONEL, and a high precision electronic system, HotShotÖ, at the Sunrise Dam Gold Mine. The expected benefits from electronic detonators to Sunrise Dam were identified prior to the trial. Based on these, a number of objectives were set to demonstrate the value of the HotShot system. These are an improvement in fragmentation leading to an increase in productivity, less oversize rehandling, increased throughput and more uniformity in muck pile movement. To maintain the integrity of the trial, the nominal timing of the shots was kept exactly the same, thereby restricting any performance improvements to the precision of the electronics. Accordingly, adjacent shots were chosen with consistent geology. Video footage was taken of the blasts and vibration monitoring was carried out by fixed geophones throughout the mine. Spot heights of the muck pile swell were taken immediately after the blast and heave profile graphs were generated for comparison. Video footage was taken for a period of three hours for both shots to analyse cycle times of the excavator and trucks. PITRAM data was also collected for analysis. As far as practicable, the ore was taken to the same finger on the run-of-mine (ROM) pad to assist in single sourcing for the crusher and to allow oversize to be separated out. From specific metrics taken during the trials, it was shown that the expected improvements due to the high precision timing of electronics were realised in all areas.

Jan 1, 2007

Parallel lenticular orebodies occurring at the C.S.A. mine of Cobar Mines Pty. Ltd. are mined by mechanized cut and fill stoping over the full strike length. Access is provided for each stope lift from an inclined drive adjacent to the orebody. Mobile drill jumbos mounting hydraulically-operated booms are used for drilling upholes which are subsequently charged with ANFO explosive.Close control of drilling has been found essential for good back conditions and to ensure optimum fragmentation.Broken ore is transported from the face to the main ore pass by rubber-tyred, diesel-powered, load-haul-dump units. Initially, the units trammed ore to the main pass via the incline drive. As the stopes advanced and the lead distances increased, stope passes were developed in the wall rock and raised concurrently with each stoping lift. The passes terminate in drawpoints and production loaders are used to transport ore from the drawpoints to the main ore pass system.Two parallel ore pass systems have been developed to cater for both copper and copper-zinc ores. These systems terminate above a 48 in. by 60 in. jaw crusher. The crushed ore is conveyed to a traversing rock box and thence to one of two crushed ore bins adjacent to the main hoisting shaft. A loading station conveyor is interlocked with the winder to provide automatic ore hoisting.All phases of ore handling have been mechanized as completely as possible. Results to date indicate this policy has been vindicated but highlight the need for tight operating control and close liaison between operating and maintenance personnel.

Jan 1, 1969

By A Suokas

Boliden Tara Mines Ltd, located in County Meath Ireland, produce in excess of 2.5 million tonnes per annum of ore from the underground resource located 40 miles north west of Dublin. The zinc-lead ore is mined using long hole open stoping techniques, with ore treated on site. The operation is continually searching for new ways to improve productivities at the mine, and have employed a detailed data acquisition and reporting system on site to provide feedback around performance. One area where both Boliden Tara Mines Ltd and Orica Mining Services believed improvements could be made was in the application of bulk emulsion technology through an Orica supplied but Tara operated Maxipump Delivery System for all production and development blasting at the mine. Both parties committed to the evaluation of this technology at the mine, however the capital cost and technical and economic changes meant the project needed to be diligently investigated and any improvements documented. The first stage of this project was for Orica Mining Services personnel to visit the operation, and conduct a detailed analysis of the operationÆs performance over the past 12 months. The next step in moving forward was then to commission and utilise the customer operated emulsion system at the mine. This was then followed with the collation and analysis of data from the demonstration period to examine and document the benefits of the system. This paper is a summary of the observations made during the site inspection and the data analysed to date, and has been used in determining operational and financial improvements in the comparison between a Maxipump Emulsion Service and the current ANFO loading systems.

Jan 1, 2005

By Moyes A. J

The Intec Copper Process uses a strong chloride electrolyte at atmospheric pressure and 80 - 85¦C to produce high purity, 99.99 per cent copper granules and elemental sulphur. A recent, exhaustive study by an independent, major Australian corporation has shown the capital cost of an Inter plant to be approximately half that of a copper smelter at the 200 000 tpa capacity level and approximately half the operating and capital cost at the 50 000 tpa level. The Inter process costs were also shown to be greatly superior to the best available leach/SX/electrowin technology. The process utilises a multi-stage counter current leach at 80 - 85¦C with the addition of air at atmospheric pressure to precipitate iron as a goethite type compound, followed by a two-stage purification process separating impurities in metallic- and other forms. Purified cuprous chloride/sodium chloride solution is fed to an electrolytic diaphragm cell where high purity copper granules are produced at current densities of 1000 - 1500 A/m2 withoutthe need for conventional electrode stripping. Power consumption is approximately half that of the cupric route. The product is suitable for the direct powder metallurgical conversion of the granules to products such as wire or strip. All the steps in the 'furnace free' conversion of copper mineral to product have been demonstrated The process can treat low grade and contaminated concentrates without penalty, thereby offering greater returns to the miner. Lead, zinc and silver may be recovered as metals, with the high oxidation potential of the electrolyte allowing extraction of gold at high efficiency. The gold is selectively precipitated on activated carbon with negligible copper and silver contamination.

Jan 1, 1992

The Coal Corporation of New Zealand Ltd (CoalCorp) is the largest coal producer in New Zealand, with extensive properties in both the North and South Islands. CoalCorp's North Island operations are kilcmetres to the south of Auckland. opencasts, are located in the catchment wildlife, historical and scenic values. in this catchment is the single most mining operations. centred on Huntly, a town some 80 Five coal mines, four of which are of Lake Waahi, a lake with significant The discharges of mine lodgement water important environmental constraint on Throughout New Zealand the use of water is controlled by a statute called the Water and Soil Conservation Act 1967. All industrial water users are required to hold Water Rights, which are in effect licences to take, use, dam, divert or discharge water. Water Rights are obtained through a legally defined process and any potentially affected party has the per to object to their granting. A special tribunal hears the evidence for and against an application, and issues its decision, which is reviewable in a higher court on Appeal. Rights, if granted, are issued subject to conditions and, in the case of mining discharges, limits would be set on flaw rate, suspended solids concentrations, turbidity, pH and the concentrations of any potential toxicants. This paper presents a case study of an integrated, catchment wide water management plan for Lake Waahi, that was prepared by the author, and others while the author was in the employ of CoalCorp, and its predecessor, State Coal Mines. The author is grateful to CoalCorp for their permission to submit this paper.

Jan 1, 1988

By J Heyes, T Cooper, M Stimpfl, R Staines, J P. Pearce

Acid and Metalliferous Drainage (AMD) is one of the key risks facing the mining industry worldwide. If not properly managed and/or not identified in a timely manner, AMD has the potential to decrease environmental values for generations to come. Ore extraction generates vast volumes of mineral waste (waste rock and tailings) which are stored in perpetuity at the mine site. Some of these materials are not inert and when in contact with air and water can react, generating poor quality water and compromising operational and closure environmental objectives. Understanding the geochemical behaviour of waste rock and tailings is therefore key to identifying risks and opportunities which support effective mineral waste management strategies across the mining value chain and progress toward an environmentally sustainable future that minimises closure liabilities. To ensure AMD risk is recognised and managed uniformly across its portfolio, BHP developed a Global AMD Management Standard for implementation across all operations, including closed sites. The AMD Management Standard provides a management framework to support the consistent, simple and sustainable global management of AMD risks. This ensures mines are planned and operated to be environmentally smart and modern, geochemical risk management is not an afterthought but a key driver, and environmental sustainability is actively pursued to reduce closure liabilities. The AMD Management Framework, on which the Standard is based, was adapted from industry leading practice guidance, ensuring it applies to multiple regions. The framework also comprises sequential requirements throughout the mining life-cycle. It is an iterative framework with an adaptive management approach that is designed to incorporate new data, information and management opportunities into AMD risk assessments and mine plan revisions.

Jul 1, 2021

By Manlapig EV, Lawson F, Clarkson CJ

A low grade middling sample from Mount Isa, Australia, assaying 31.7 per cent zinc, 12.9 per cent lead and 14.5 per cent iron was leached under atmospheric pressure in sulphate and sulphate-chloride solutions with ferric ions as oxidants. About 96 per cent of the contained zinc was dissolved into a 0.5 M H2SO4 - 0.5 M Fe2(SO4)3 solution at 90¦C within three hours from a five per cent by weight slurry density mixture. The leaching process is very temperature-dependent, suggesting a surface chemical control. In the latter stage, the leaching rates levelled off and the leaching was most probably controlled by both surface chemical reaction and diffusion processes. The addition of chloride ions in the leach solution resulted in an increase in the leaching rate. About 95 per cent of the lead sulphide contained was converted to lead sulphate which precipitated and remained in the residue. Essentially no lead remained in solution and the low chloride concentration did not affect the precipitation of lead sulphate. Half of the iron orginally present remained in the residue as pyrite although essentially all the cadmium and 90 per cent of the copper initially present were dissolved. Some three per cent of sulphide sulphur was oxidised through to sulphate, about 67 per cent was converted to elemental sulphur which can be recovered by solvent extraction, the rest remained in the residue mainly as pyrite. Ferric sulphate and sulphate-chloride solutions can be used to effectively leach finely ground lead-zinc middlings and other bulk sulphide concentrates. A complete separation of zinc from lead and silver has been demonstrated.

Jan 1, 1993

By Hanley J

Coal winning in the Latrobe Valley exceeds 45 mtpa uses a small number of Bucket Wheel Excavators and high speed conveyor systems. While this equipment offers many advantages in the production cycle, incorrect use can lead to low productivity and risks to the safety of the operators and equipment. The mining equipment is of high capital value and easily damaged when used outside the correct operating range. In the extreme case, this can result in total machine collapse, having major implications for personnel safety as well as production and costs. With an active productivity improvement program in the Latrobe Valley in the last two years resulting in a 50 per cent reduction of personnel, many experienced operators have retired. Mine management are facing the urgent need to rapidly train new operators to maintain high productivity levels and reduce the risk of accidents to personnel and high capital cost plant. With the assistance of the Central Gippsland College of TAFE a Certificate Level course has been developed for open cut operators. The course covers all essential training needs for the Latrobe Valley mines. The training is developed from National Competency Standards, allowing transfer of skills, and is flexible to suit other enterprises. It has been written for self-paced learning with the total job understanding, and to have competency-based learning outcomes, training tasks and assessments built-in to modules. With the introduction of this new training program, management is convinced that the element of risk within the mine will be significantly reduced. For these reasons it is an ideal training model for other enterprises.

Jan 1, 1994

By M McLean

This paper deals with change strategies on brownfield and greenfield sites in extractive industries. It draws upon contemporary experiences across Australian, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (PNG). Change strategies can be used when owners of an extractive industry operation want to optimise their resource. This paper draws upon many tried and proven theories and practices, including the findings of the Tavistock Institute (Trist, Emmery, Bamford, Jaques), as well as the concepts of Adult Learning espoused by Malcolm Knowles and is supported by learnings of Australian based management consultants. This paper reviews a range of approaches that have succeeded in the integration of systems, machines and people, with the key corporate objectives of: increasing productivity; decreasing cost; improving on-time delivery performance and achieving long-term survival. Such integration needs to be measured to show the outcomes from the change strategies and the authors have worked within many measurement regimes and metrics but for the most part, found that JaquesÆ set of metrics being æquality, quantity, resources and timeÆ has gained currency across many Australian operations. This paper contends that investing money in machines alone without a commensurate investment into the people side is counter-productive. Further, if there is not an understanding of processes, ie stable and capable, core and support processes, then all that new technologies will do, is to make what is done badly, only quicker. Recent interventions for the most part, have been cognisant of this balanced approach towards change management. The change strategies described are across extractive industry implementations, using a number of tools and techniques drawn from Continuous Improvement and Six SigmaÖ (registered trade and service mark of Motorola Corporation, USA).

Jan 1, 2006

By Sulanto J, Talonen T

In the mid 1960's Outokumpu considered building a lead Flash Smelter on the basis of Flash Smelting technology developed first in the late 1940s for smelting copper concentrates. Pilot scale tests were carried out and the process was found technically sound. The project was however not economically viable under Finnish conditions and it was cancelled. In 1981 pilot plant tests were restarted after many enquiries from the primary lead producers. All the know-how and development made in copper and nickel smelters was applied to the Lead Flash Smelting process and the tests were successful. Outokumpu has so far tested several types of lead concentrate with lead contents ranging from 28 to 75 per cent. The concentrate is oxidized and smelted to metallic lead and slag directly in the Flash Smelting Furnace using high oxygen enrichment of tonnage oxygen. Fossile fuel is used in the Flash Smelting Furnace in cases when the feed material does not contain enough latent heat to smelt the furnace products even though pure oxygen is used for oxidation. Thus the process results in a low consumption of extraneous energy. Use of oxygen results in a small gas flow but it is rich in sulphur dioxide. The gas treatment facilities and sulphur recovery plant will be small in size and low in investment cost. The process is flexible and can produce stable quality of products from different types of raw materials. Quality of lead bullion especially the sulphur content can be regulated over wide a range, from 0.1 per cent upwards according to the needs of the refinery.

Jan 1, 1984

WHEN reading reports on reefs and lodes, one often comes across the statements "short shoot," "narrow shoot," "wide shoot," & c.From a number of reports in the writer's possession, some by members of the Geological survey, it is plain that the words "short," "narrow," "wide," "long;" &c., are used somewhat carelessly.In one official report on a certain field, for instance, the reefs are described as having "short, rich shoots"; another report on the same field states that "the reefs were characterized by narrow shoots, rich at the surface." Again, Charters Towers is described as having "wide shoots"; another writer says they are "long shoots. "The writer has read again of "short shoots which went down like pipes," and of "narrow shoots of limited extent." No doubt one can make out what is really meant, but the language is mixed. It is apparent that "narrow" is meaning the same as "short," and that the shoot has not much length in a horizontal direction. Nothing is said about the thickness or width of 'said shoot, or its depth. The "wide" shoot is evidently a "long" one; its thickness 01' width and depth is not specified. When we consider these terms, it is seen that only a few words are needed, and that these few should (as they do) have a definite meaning. In the course of his mining experience, the writer has seen shoots of almost all sizes, and some have been very long (in horizontal measurement), and have been followed down for great depths, these shoots being the best type-Charters Towers, Walhalla, &c., are examples.

Jan 1, 1909

By G C. Lukey, J S. J van Deventer

The disposal and subsequent encapsulation of mine tailings in a cost-effective and environmentally secure and responsible manner is one of the principal issues facing any modern mining project. A careful assessment of all options available for the capping and subsequent remediation of tailings is important because it can result in large capital, operating and closure cost-savings. For these reasons, the technology of geopolymerisation is receiving increasing attention for the stabilisation and solidification of waste materials produced from mining operations. The first part of the current study investigates the application of geopolymer technology to the capping of hypersaline mine tailings. It has been found that suitable geopolymeric materials which have satisfactory compressive strength, durability as well as low permeability, can be formed using between 60 - 75 per cent of mine tailings as the main ingredient. It has been established that geopolymeric materials have the ability to suppress dust generation and prevent salt precipitation on the surface of the mine tailings. The slurry-like consistency of geopolymers would promote efficient application procedures through established tailings disposal techniques. This is a possible close-out technique for hypersaline tailings storage facilities such as those commonly found in Western Australia, which meets both regulatory requirements and community expectations. The immobilisation of contaminant metals within geopolymers has been investigated in the second part of the present study. In particular, the leaching characteristics of Cu and Pb from geopolymeric matrices derived from different fly ash sources have been examined. Potential breakdown of each geopolymer containing metal contaminants due to the leaching of Si and Al from the geopolymeric matrix has also been investigated.

Jan 1, 2000

Water is an integral and essential part of mining business. Two issues crucial in the management of this resource, scarcity and excess, are increasing awareness of the importance of water and changing the value perceptions of the industry because they affect both the existence and continuation of the business. Therefore its value should be reflected in the water management that is practised on site. Historically water in mining has been perceived to be of low value so management practices have not been good or well implemented. Political and social transformation in South Africa has been accompanied by the promulgation of new legislation. South African water law is now underpinned by Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) principles. It impacts water pricing, provides for water pollution charges, prioritises water users, has specific mining and water related components and requires water licensing as part of the licence to mine. Mining no longer has a priority on water resources and has to compete with other water users to gain access to resources. New institutional arrangements are being put in place to implement the regulations. All this requires a paradigm shift in miningÆs view of water. Generally the sector is still catching up with the new requirements, principles and philosophies. However, the way in which South African mining values water is changing. This is demonstrated in partnerships between the industry and other water users. These partnerships are Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) in practice and they achieve sustainable development goals. These partnerships are essential for mining to stay in business, expand operational capacity, reduce impacts, prevent legal action and reduce reputational risks.

Jan 1, 2006

Timestudy analysis of mining operations at North Broken Hill Limited has been carried out by dissecting operations into small elemental components, and accurately timing these elements. Over a wide range of observations, this has enabled standard time values to be calculated for all underground work.The application of the standard values is in calculating performances as a measure of work output and Performance Controls are kept on approximately two-thirds of underground employees. Through the Controls it has been possible to stimulate supervisory action to improve low performance, and to reduce delays and lost time.The values are used to calculate contract" prices, and anomalies in previous prices have been adjusted on work values and not on arbitrary standards. In out-of-the-ordinary circumstances, the request for a timestudy investigation has been made by both operatives and foremen, and the contract set following the timestudy analysis has been to the satisfaction of both parties.The range of values enables contracts to be applied to work which was previously performed on a day basis, resulting in improved performance.A natural corollary of timestudy is the analysis of methods, and in some cases method improvements have been introduced.It is anticipated that further investigations will be made on methods.INTRODUCTIONIn 1953, a Timestudy analysis of mining operations at North Broken Hill Limited was commenced under the guidance of management consultants. Its aim was, to determine standard time values for specific operations, which would provide management with a measure of productivity beyond the existing measures of tons or feet of advance, and also to determine whether increased output was available under existing operating conditions.

Jan 1, 1956