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By C Jones

When the Paulsens operation was poised to be placed on care and maintenance, Bill Beament and the rest of the Northern Star Resources (NSR) team capitalised on the opportunity to send the Ashburton region’s only operating gold mine into the record books.A three-stage strategy was devised by NSR to pay off the acquisition and maximise the return from the operation. The first stage was to mine the 55 000 oz mine plan and pay off the cost of the acquisition, then maintain profitable production beyond the seven months and re-establish a mine life. The second stage involved an early commitment to a 220 m long diamond drill drive being placed in the hanging wall of the orebody from which the extensions of the orebody could be further explored, allowing the second stage of the plan to come into effect and extend the mine life by converting Inferred Resources into the mine plan. The third stage of the initial plan was to utilise this drill drive and continue to drill deeper holes beyond the current limit of drilling in the ore zones to extend the orebody and increase the mine’s life.With an ever growing desire to further expand, the young company took on the bold move of establishing its own mining services division. A critical element to the success of this was ensuring that the right people were recruited with the appropriate specialised skill sets.Aligning common goals amongst all NSR team members, from the board and senior management to the work force on site, was critical to integrate the new and driven direction that Paulsens had adopted. It was essential to change the focus and a shift in all employees’ attitudes and values from a mine that was all but down and out, to a site that wanted to be kicking some serious goals.Teaming together a passionate and driven leader with a strong allied workforce was always going to put NSR in the best position possible to make Paulsens the success story that it now is. But without the calculated risks and enthusiastic attitude, the little known mine site in the Pilbara might have remained just that.CITATION:Jones, C, 2014. The Paulsens transformation – a shining light under a northern star, in Proceedings 12th AusIMM Underground Operators’ Conference 2014 , pp 191–196 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Mar 24, 2014

By G Britton, P Moynagh

As more than a few mines gradually sink under the weight of emails, whiteboards, notice boards and ever more complex spreadsheets, the holy grail of effective short-term interval planning and control in underground mines is as far away as ever. Despite the mining industry investing ever greater amounts in planning and Enterprise Resource Planning systems, short-term plans become ever more complex and rigid. What the industry desperately needs are not more ‘disembodied voices down the speaking tubes’, but flexible and effective planning systems that encourage people to make reasonable commitments to each other so that everyone can work as a coordinated team to complete the work required each shift.One solution to the challenge has emerged. This paper describes the ‘Fewzion’ shift planning and short interval control system which has been developed at Anglo American’s Moranbah North and Glencore’s Oaky Creek coalmines in Central Queensland. Fewzion has drawn on management theory embodied in Management Operating Systems, Lean and Theory of Constraints approaches to continuous improvement to play a key role in both mines achieving record breaking tonnages.In addition to explaining the Fewzion approach, a case study is presented describing how Anglo American’s Moranbah North improved production by 39 per cent in 2014/2015 and won ‘Coalmine of the Year’ two out of the last four years and how Glencore’s Oaky Creek sustainably improved monthly development meters by 34 per cent within two months of implementing Fewzion.CITATION:Moynagh, P and Britton, G, 2017. How a frontline planning and commitment system improves trust, commitment and results in operations, in Proceedings 13th AusIMM Underground Operators’ Conference 2017, pp 235–240 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Oct 16, 2017

By A Gray

Physical separation features in almost every mineral processing circuit. The category encompasses a broad range of techniques and technologies including hydrocyclones, gravity concentration methods (including jigs, spirals, centrifugal concentrators, tables, heavy media separators) and thickeners, all of which make use of the inherent density differences between two mediums. It is also possible to include flotation, magnetic separation, and ore sorting in the physical separation category.However, opportunities for enhanced physical separation performance can now go beyond the common practice of optimising unit operations. Improved options exist for feed preparation ahead of the physical separation stage, enabling higher performance and lower cost outcomes for physical separation flow sheets and technologies.The use of new applications in breakage technologies combined with mineral liberation analysis to optimise liberation prior to the physical separation stage provides options for preconcentration and gangue rejection as well as better separation efficiency. The use of low cost gangue rejection and preconcentration can be an intermediate step between mining and processing that allows processing of lower cut-off grades from the mine whilst delivering higher grades to the mill.Optimising flow sheets and technology performance requires detailed understanding of particle size and shape distributions as well as liberation characteristics to suit the particular separation unit, combined with knowledge of the available technologies, their capabilities and the economic impact across the whole mine cycle.CITATION:Gray, A, 2017. The role of liberation in physical separation techniques, in Proceedings MetPlant 2017, pp 147–156 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 11, 2017

The paper describes data from test work programs on a range of magnetite ores in Australia and overseas. The analysis looks at the behaviour of material of different sizes fed to the rolls and the change in product size as a result of that, the conclusion being that there is a logarithmic relationship. The paper develops a form of equation to predict the product size from a given feed size distribution. The behaviour of the various magnetite ores is compared to more standard test methods such as crushing work index and unconfined compressive strength.

Jan 1, 2009

By S Mitra, D O’Dea, N Barrett, T Honeyands, E Copland

This work describes a novel mapping technique that allows the direct overlay of calculated local phase equilibria on micrographs of the physical system. The technique demonstrated integrates FactSage™, ver 8.2 (by Thermfact Ltd. and GTT-Technologies) phase equilibria calculations with mapped compositions determined by Scanning Electron Microscope – Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) to visually express calculated properties while preserving the spatial information of the sample. The developed methodology is used to analyse interrupted blast furnace softening and melting tests containing mixed burdens of lump and sinter. Tests are interrupted at 1300C and cooled to room temperature for analysis. Phases present at room temperature are analysed to infer the liquid fraction and phases present at high temperature. Analysis of the interface regions between the dissimilar burdens allows insights to be gained into the interaction mechanism. During the transition from solid to liquid, migration and interaction of liquid oxide across the interfaces of the dissimilar burdens has been observed and demonstrated to impact softening and melting performance. Specifically, interaction of the oxides generated by lump (primarily FeO, SiO2 and Al2O3) and sinter (primarily FeO, CaO, SiO2, Al2O3 and MgO) are analysed, and the occurrence of a range of new mineral phases such as merwinite, melilite, olivine and bredigite observed.

Jun 19, 2024

By F Tang, Ö K. Büyükuslu, M Baben, S Petersen

GTT-Technologies’ ChemApp for Python was developed to provide a powerful, easy to use interface to ChemApp for a programming language highly popular with scientists and engineers. It is used, for instance, by GTT to develop program modules such as the CALPHAD Optimiser for the FactSage™ software, by customers to move from interactive FactSage calculations to perform versatile scripting with Python, and by GTT and its partners in research projects in the area of materials informatics. Computational thermochemistry is fundamental for advancing sustainable metallurgy and creating new alloy compositions for engineering applications. Materials informatics involves handling vast amounts of data and complex workflows. GTT’s approach uses ChemApp for Python and the FactSage thermodynamic databases to design recyclable alloys from the start, incorporating a higher percentage of scraps while aiming to simplify the workflows to simulate material design steps. Challenges arise due to recycling scraps, introducing more elements for consideration. CALPHAD-based databases accurately cover materials from primary metallurgy, but additional data for minority and critical elements is crucial for precise computational modelling. GTT combines machine learning-based ab-initio databases with traditional CALPHAD databases to cover the complete chemical space with appropriate accuracy. The design of a hardfacing alloy through a high-throughput materials informatics approach is used as a demonstrator of the current possibilities.

Jun 19, 2024

By M Jacobs

This abstract discusses a heap leach copper mine that was failing to perform and as a result was not meeting targeted production. The mine had numerous technical challenges including: high water inflows, low levels of geotechnical monitoring, performance issues with mining, resource model and grade control reconciliation issues, and unexplained low levels of performance from the heap leaching operations. A team from various organisations with specialist skill sets including: a forensic accountant, the owner’s representative and a mining engineer, was arranged to visit the site. The task was to investigate the situation and determine what could be done to turn the performance of the mine around. After an initial assessment in late 2018, efforts were directed to better understanding the operations and improving the performance of the site through preventative management. A key part included the creation of production forecasts that could be achieved that would help restore confidence in the operations. Uncertainty in the mine achieving production forecasts and the performance of the heap leaching operations were contributing to the decline of the operations. Investigations uncovered the fact that while the resource model could reliably predict total copper, a lack of sequential leach data meant the accurate prediction of soluble and insoluble copper species, both important for heap leaching, was difficult to do with any degree of certainty. The crushing and mining contractors also appeared to have suffered somewhat from a lack of management by the owner’s team and performance had affected the production of copper. Collaboration and management were used by the team to understand and stabilise the operations. Ongoing collaborative efforts by the management team, site personnel and contractors resulted in a positive outcome for the owners and their mine – and could at yours.

Jun 22, 2022

The Ernest Henry Mine is an open pit copper-gold mining operation located in north-west Queensland, Australia. It is owned and operated by Xstrata Copper with a current concentrator throughput of approximately ten million tonnes per annum. The pit will cease mining towards the end of 2010. Extensive surface diamond drilling has confirmed an extension of the orebody to depths of 1000 m below surface. A prefeasibility study was commissioned in late 2006 to investigate underground mining options with the preferred mining method being an inclined sublevel cave. In February 2008 mining of a decline commenced in conjunction with a feasibility study to further investigate the project. Work from the prefeasibility study indicates that an underground crusher, conveyor and hoisting shaft could be utilised to crush and transport broken ore from the sublevel cave workings to the concentrator. The study suggests that a production rate of five million tonnes per annum could be achieved and sustained for up to ten years. Ventilation designs and requirements will form a large section of the feasibility study. This paper will detail investigations of preliminary ventilation network designs of the proposed sublevel cave. Work has been completed using both Ventsim and VumA ventilation simulation packages. Ventsim was used to provide preliminary estimations and suggest alternatives for: surface fan duties;airflow characteristics (direction, velocity, pressure and quantity); andventilation network design in key mine areas. With mining activities reaching depths in excess of 1000 m below surface an analysis of heat conditions should be conducted. The VumA software package was used to model the thermal properties of the ventilation system. This model will provide a basis for the preliminary decisions on refrigeration requirements for the mine.

Jan 1, 2008

By J Rutter, D La Rosa, P Walters, M Scott, L Keeney

Bulk ore sorting technologies, whether surfaced based or penetrative, have seen an increased uptake by the mining industry for preconcentration application. As with all technologies, going through the technology validation process is key to de-risking the operationalisation of the technologies and to demonstrate and confirm predicted value propositions. The ability to laboratory calibrate cross-belt bulk sensors is standard practise for sensor vendors, however transitioning the technology from laboratory to real-world application is a non-trivial process. The industry has taken two main approaches to trialling and validating bulk sensing technologies in operational environments, namely:  Construct an off-line pilot facility at scale, or  Install bulk sensing systems on production conveyors Each of these two approaches have significant advantages and disadvantages and require different experimental design programs and analysis methodologies. Consideration of material movement, heterogeneity degradation, logistical requirements, and financial investment all factor into which approach is most suitable for an evaluation scenario. CRC ORE in partnership with mining companies, have conducted several bulk sensor pilot trials utilising different sensor technologies employing each of the two main approaches outlined above. This paper describes the challenges faced, learnings obtained and outlines a position on how to transition bulk sensing technologies from the laboratory into the operating environment. The case studies presented cover a range of commodity types in both open pit and underground operations.

Nov 10, 2020

By S Dunham

For decades we’ve been focusing on reconciliation as a tool to validate mineral resource estimates. And for decades we’ve been misleading ourselves. The concept of reconciliation is simple. Predict, measure, compare and assess the quality of the prediction. This four-step process reflects the ideas of statistical process control and the plan-do-check-act cycle of Shewhart and Deming fame and our intuitive understanding of using system feedback to improve performance. In an ideal world where data is robust and dense this type of feedback loop can be useful. In the mining industry however, there are some fundamental flaws with the conceptual framework. At almost every stage of the process from pre-estimation through to final production the mining system is plagued by material challenges with data and measurement quality and quantity, system delays, and losses from a supposedly closed system. These issues can and do impact on the benefits sought from reconciliation. Instead of providing feedback leading to improved estimation, reconciliation can result in poor decisions, distracting investigations, and exacerbate the noise in an already noisy system. Before we can rely on reconciliation as a management tool, we need to address the multiple challenges present in our everyday practices. Some of the most critical issues are addressed in this paper.

May 24, 2023

By C Harwood

Underground coal mines in the United States are in the process of completing installations for tracking and communication systems, mandated by Congress after a number of recent coal mine disasters. Yet, evaluation, modelling and testing of such systems has lagged due to legislated changes, abruptly introduced into the coal mining industry. System installation in a wide array of mine types, configurations, layouts and characteristics has provided a wealth of information regarding their potential in underground environments. Data collected from numerous installations for a variety of systems can be used to further define true capability and accuracy of communication and tracking packages. This paper describes a uniform means of evaluating the performance of a communication and tracking system. Several performance measures are proposed and described. These measures can also be predicted using an interactive software program. This program predicts the signal propagation, given the input mine characteristics and layout, with numerical and visual feedback. New or alternative system installations can also be more accurately designed to potentially minimise initial system cost and time required for trial and error installs. The focus of this research is to develop tools and protocols that can evaluate and measure the effectiveness of installed underground communication and tracking systems.

Nov 22, 2011

By V O’Brien

The suitability of magnetic surveys flown at low altitudes to identify buried heavy mineral (HM) strands has long been accepted. This is despite the low intensity magnetic response often obtained from such strands. The fundamentals of the magnetic survey method dictate that the closer the instrument is to the source the stronger the response. As such the optimal elevation for the magnetometer is at or near the surface. Iluka sought to use a ground based magnetometer to aid in the exploration target generation process and allow accurate targeting of exploration drill holes. Following the initial trial Iluka recognised the potential additional application of data obtained by a ground based magnetometer over known strand deposits. The detail of the ground magnetic images can confirm the assumed strand continuity between cross-sections of close spaced drilling and can aid in the definition of the geometry of different generations of mineralisation. The ability to confidently determine that the deposit has not been truncated by post emplacement erosion of the mineralised deposit may enable reductions in drilling requirements as well as assisting mine planning activities. Iluka intends to investigate advanced modelling of the magnetic data to determine the level of strand geometry and HM content resolution that can be achieved from the ground magnetic survey data and its potential application in the mining grade control process.It is anticipated that the surveying of Iluka’s known resource deposits will provide the ability to correlate the magnetic response from new exploration targets with those from known deposits for a given depth, HM grade and mineralogy suite.

Oct 5, 2011

By J Lombardi

OZ Minerals' Prominent Hill copper-gold concentrator is located 130 kilometres south east of the town of Coober Pedy in the Gawler Craton of South Australia. The concentrator was built in 2008 and commenced commercial production in early 2009. The Prominent Hill concentrator is comprised of a conventional grinding and flotation processing plant with a 9.6Mtpa ore throughput capacity. The flotation circuit includes six rougher cells, an IsaMill for regrinding the rougher concentrate and a Jameson cell heading up the three stage conventional cell cleaner circuit. In total there are four level controllers in the rougher train and ten level controllers in the cleaning circuit for eighteen cells.Generic proportional – integral and derivative (PID) control used on the level controllers alone propagated any disturbances downstream in the circuit that were generated from the grinding circuit, hoppers, between cells and interconnected banks of cells, having a negative impact on plant performance. To better control such disturbances, FloatStar level stabiliser was selected for installation on the flotation circuit to account for the interaction between the cells. Multivariable control was also installed on the five concentrate hoppers to maintain consistent feed to the cells and to the IsaMill. An additional area identified for optimisation in the flotation circuit was the mass pull rate from the rougher cells. FloatStar flow optimiser was selected to be installed subsequent to the FloatStar level stabiliser. This allowed for a unified, consistent and optimal approach to running the rougher circuit. This paper describes the improvement in the stabilisation of the circuit achieved by the FloatStar level stabiliser by using the interaction matrix between cell level controllers and the results and benefits of implementing the FloatStar flow optimiser on the rougher train.

Aug 8, 2011

By M Darvall

Magnetite ore blending has yielded signifi cant performance improvements in OneSteel’s magnetite concentrator. The magnetite concentrator beneficiates magnetite ore from the Iron Magnet Deposit and produces concentrate, which is pelletised, then fed to the OneSteel Whyalla blast furnace. Concentrator feed variability severely detracts from the concentrator’s performance, affecting both concentrate yield and grade, which impacts on all downstream processing costs.A coordinated approach has integrated mine planning, geological modelling and grade control, to minimise concentrator feed variability, through effective ore blending throughout the mining and stockpiling process.Mine planning personnel design shots that extend the full width of the orebody and hence across the stratigraphic profi le. Based on geological information contained in block-outs and in consultation with Geology, the Grade Control team allocates material to each primary stockpile, potentially from every stratigraphic domane in the orebody. This ensures primary stockpiles are designed with maximum practical homogeneity and consistency.Using only primary movement, the allocated ore is stockpiled in a layer-cake fashion. The ore is pimple dumped across the width of the stockpile footprint and on completion of a layer, it is dozed flat with an access ramp that allows dumping to commence on the next lift. The primary stockpiles are reclaimed normal to build direction and the magnetite is crushed, all in, to a concentrator feed stockpile.The ore is sampled at the crusher from a falling stream cut. These assay data, are used for benchmarking and control charting the grade and variability of concentrator feed stockpiles. The concentrator feed stockpiles have demonstrated a statistically signifi cant reduction of within pile variation, between pile variation and pile to pile variation, primarily attributable to the development of ore blending. The concentrator has seen sustained, improved performance as a direct result, which translates into lower concentrate cost per tonne and improved yield and quality.

Jul 11, 2011

Detailed underground mine design and optimisation studies undertaken by the author over the past few years have clearly demonstrated that additional value can be created by varying the cut-off grade (COG) spatially throughout a deposit as well as over time. This additional value can be particularly significant for marginal operations. This paper, by way of worked examples, illustrates the conceptual and practical considerations of applying a differential cut-off policy for an underground mine to both maximise value and manage risks associated with production and metal price volatility. Consideration is given to both the design stage of a new mine and to the strategic and practical application of a differential cut-off policy in an operating mine.

Jan 1, 2005

By C Paoletti

About 15 years ago the debate on the reliability of sampling procedures for agricultural food and feed commodities was initiated by a few brave scientists who questioned the representativeness of what, at the time, were routine sampling procedures established exclusively on the basis of tradition and practical feasibility. Over time several national and international organisations contributed to the discussion, developing standards and publishing papers either to underline the fact that sampling is always a source of error, in itself, which cannot be overlooked, or to minimise the relevance of sampling on the basis of argumentations linked to time and money limitations. The latter dominated, but is nevertheless impossible to accept from both a scientific and a responsible management perspective. Here the author presents an historical overview of these past 15 years, illustrating the most controversial issues, reporting major achievements in food/feed sampling, highlighting milestones, as well as unresolved problems that still need the attention and contribution from the sampling community. The need to incorporate Theory of Sampling (TOS) into food/feed safety assessment (pre-market), as well as into food/feed safety monitoring (post-market) has recently been highlighted, and the practical applicability of TOS to base food/feed safety decisions on representative sampling, has been explored and documented via concrete examples of risk analysis in different areas of food/feed industrial production chains. Now it is time to move forward and ensure that TOS is fully integrated into the well-established Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) / World Health Organization (WHO) risk assessment approach, in order to guarantee a transparent and correct universal frame for risk assessment and the subsequent management decision-making process. WCSB8 offers the ideal platform to explore the best way to do so, switching from a theoretical discussion of correct sampling principles for food and feed agricultural commodities to practical recommendations in the interest of consumers, worldwide. These 15 years have also been a personal journey of interesting dimensions, indeed a veritable roller-coaster ride in-and-out of the scientific, technological, industrial and (last but not least) regulatory worlds. The start was WCSB2 in 2004, when I flew to Australia to discover if in other areas sampling had been identified as an unavoidable issue and, if so, what the solution was. There, I found a good travel companion who today is still on my side, to assemble the puzzle and explore how to shape the future, to concretely answer to the 15 years’ quest for proper sampling in the assessment and monitoring of food/feed safety.CITATION:Paoletti, C, 2017. Assessing and monitoring food and feed safety – a 15 year quest for proper sampling, in Proceedings Eighth World Conference on Sampling and Blending , pp 39–44 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

May 9, 2017

By C Smith, J Cilliers, K Hadler

Unstable flotation froths, that burst before they overflow, produce no concentrate. Increasing the froth stability to improve recovery is therefore an obvious control strategy. Froth stability can be measured readily as the fraction of air entering the flotation cell that overflows as froth, rather than bursting on the surface; the ‘air recovery.’ Air rate is one of the most significant variables affecting froth stability. It is interesting that froth stability (air recovery) is maximised at a specific air rate, above or below which it decreases. It is important for metallurgists to realise that this maximum froth stability also produces the maximum mineral recovery, without compromising concentrate grade. Flotation cells must be operated at the air rate that produces the highest air recovery. The peak air recovery (PAR) to maximum mineral recovery relationship was first demonstrated by Hadler and Cilliers in 2009. Since then, the relationship between PAR and flotation performance has been widely explored; varying air rate, froth depth and particle size. Industrially, reducing the flotation bank air rate to achieve PAR yielded better mineral recoveries than other down-the-bank air rate profiles. In this paper, we present an overview of these key developments and findings in flotation optimisation based on PAR. Furthermore, using new industrial data, we show that PAR is not just applicable to rougher-scavenger cells, but also to flotation columns. Finally, we consider the future application of such an optimising control concept. CITATION:Smith, C, Hadler, K and Cilliers, J, 2018. Flotation control using froth stability: past, present and future, in Proceedings 14th AusIMM Mill Operators' Conference 2018, pp 441–454 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 29, 2018

By M Brady

"It has long been recognised that the barometer infl uences areas of underground coal mines that havebeen sealed off from the current, or active, mine workings but it appears litt le formal research hasbeen done on how the barometer aff ects the goafstream sample point. Based on statistical analysis of samples from a number of mines from Queensland and New South Wales it can be concluded that there is a direct correlation between the barometer and oxygen concentration at a goafstream sample point. To help mitigate some of the high consequence hazards within the underground coal industry and protect the health and safety of the persons within that environment, many monitoring tools are utilised. A control recognised in management plans prescribed under New South Wales and Queensland legislation is the need to conduct monitoring to identify the early warning signs of spontaneous combustion. One of the monitoring tools utilised involves a bagsample being collected from a goafstream sample point then returned to the surface for analysis.When the sample is incorrectly collected, the resultant analysis from a gas chromatograph provides litt le value to the persons charged with the obligation of operating the coal mine at an acceptable level of risk. This, therefore, increases the probability of spontaneous combustion leading to a loss of equipment, mine and in the worst case, life. When the sample is collected correctly, the analysis presents early warning signs of low level oxidation allowing corrective action to be taken, to prevent the oxidation accelerating to spontaneous combustion. The eff ect the barometer has on this sample point should be recognised and the knowledge imparted to persons who conduct sampling to remove a variable in the bag sample collection process. This will ensure the persons operating the mine have a bett er understanding of what is happening within their longwall goaf."

Jun 1, 2012

By F Hungerford, T Ren

"Gas management has always been a major concern for the ventilation officer of any gassy mine. With an increase of mining depth and gas content, there is a great demand for the development of in-seam drilling sites where boreholes can be drilled for the pre-drainage of gas prior to longwall operation. The ventilation and gas management in the drilling site therefore becomes a critical component of mine safety. In this study, advanced computational fluid dynamics technology was adopted to investigate the aerodynamics of gas emitting from the drilling site and boreholes during normal drilling and, in the case of a sudden gas inrush, from the borehole. In addition, the impact of different ventilation controls on gas removal in the drilling site was investigated. Modelling results indicate that gas accumulation zones could be formed if the ventilation system fails to deliver sufficient airflow to the drill site, especially when a sudden gas inrush from a borehole occurs. The configurations of brattice, layout of ventilation tubes and the gas emission rate all have a significant effect on the gas distribution. Due to variations in site-specific conditions, it would be desirable to conduct modelling studies to assess the effects and efficiencies of a ventilation design for the varying environment on-site before carrying out drilling practice. CITATION: Ren, T, Hungerford, F and Wang, Z, 2015. Computational modelling studies of ventilation management for underground in-seam drilling sites, in Proceedings The Australian Mine Ventilation Conference, pp 239–250 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Aug 31, 2015

By T Stambolie

Mine planning processes are continuously evolving, increasing in complexity, and are required to be developed in shorter timeframes, often missing important steps in the process. Underground coal mines are also moving into more challenging environments, with the more favourable resources having been exhausted. In addition to traditional mine planning processes there is an increasing level of complexities associated with parallel systems including the preparation of Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) compliant estimates (JORC, 2012 and Guidelines Review Committee, 2014) or seeking critical regulatory development consent to undertake mining. There is a clear link between geotechnical considerations and success of mining operations, and therefore it is essential that such considerations are elevated in both status and priority. It is obvious that geotechnical considerations are paramount in any mine, however it is imperative to accept that such considerations, and the collection of information relating to such, are undertaken from the onset of any mining project. CITATION:Stambolie, T, 2018. Elevating geotechnical considerations in the Australian underground coal industry and mine planning process, in Proceedings The Fourth Australasian Ground Control in Mining Conference (AusRock), pp 383–391 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 30, 2018