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By G M. Mudd

Mine tailings represent one of the two largest sources of mine waste from the minerals industries (the other being waste rock). Given the problems of declining ore grades and growing production, tailings generation is increasing exponentially across the global mining industry. Common practice is for mines to build large containment dams to store tailings during operations, which are then rehabilitated following mine closure. At some sites, however, the controversial practices of riverine or marine dumping of tailings is still practiced. As recent tailings dam failures have shown, there are legitimate questions being raised about the long-term viability of leaving tailings above ground due to the risks of collapse and failure. At present, it is rare for mines to emplace tailings back into former mine voids following mine closure, most commonly into a former open pit mine void (although a fraction of the tailings may be used for underground mine backfill, this is minor in scale). The approach of in-pit tailings has numerous advantages, such as inherent physical stability, low to negligible acid and metalliferous drainage (AMD) risks, as well as allowing more productive use of formerly mined land. In tropical areas where surface repositories are prone to leakage with potential for AMD and widespread dispersal of radionuclides (in the case of uranium mining), in-pit management provides particularly strong advantages – thorough hydrogeological studies are required, however, to address residual groundwater contamination risks and to establish sound, long-term environmental monitoring regimes for groundwater quality and subsidence issues. This paper presents a study of in-pit tailings management and compares it with surface repositories established in a tropical climate. The comparisons lead to the conclusion that, at least under tropical conditions, in-pit tailings management should be considered as world’s best practice – especially for radioactive uranium tailings.

Aug 8, 2011

By I Brandes de Roos

Water has played a key role in the Pilbara’s 60-year history of iron ore operations. In contrast to many of the current-day mining environments, iron ore mining was initially hosted by geological formations that were typically above the water table. Such mining operations required no dewatering or dewatering at rates that were less than mine and mining township requirements. The challenge for these operations was not pit dewatering but water supply for mining operations and municipal supply for nascent mining towns.The current industry sees new deposit styles being increasingly targeted, including channel iron and Marra Mamba Formation deposits. These deposits are often lower in the landscape and can require extensive dewatering. Furthermore, increased water demand for ore beneficiation has resulted in major programs of water-supply borefield development. Added to this is the emergence of magnetite projects and their significant levels of water use in ore beneficiation.The large volumes of water that are being extracted to support Pilbara iron ore mining is attracting attention. The Western Australian Department of Water has recently commissioned a study to assess the potential use of surplus mine water as a medium- to long-term supply for irrigated agriculture.This paper outlines the changing landscape of water management in Pilbara iron ore operations and explores strategies for maximising mining productivity. Water management is presented as an enabler for productivity improvements that can potentially provide long-lasting benefits post-closure.CITATION:Brandes de Roos, I, 2015. Shifting waters in the Pilbara’s iron ore industry, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2015, pp 507–510 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 13, 2015

By M Suzuki

Although several models for the surface tension of molten oxide slag have been proposed, suitably accurate predictions of this property are not yet possible. The surface tension, or surface excess free energy, of molten oxides is largely determined by the ionic coordination induced by surface relaxation. However, the associated mechanism of surface structural relaxation for molten oxide mixtures such as slag is complex and not yet fully understood. To allow a better evaluation of surface relaxation characteristics, the present work analysed the ionic coordination associated with the surface-relaxed states of several oxide mixtures. This work especially focused on calcium aluminate slags because these materials exhibit complex relationships between composition and surface tension. The effects of incorporating low concentrations of SiO2 as a surface active component on the surface ionic coordination were also examined. X-ray absorption techniques were used to assess oxygen and cationic elements in glassy samples after surface relaxation treatments, and molecular dynamics simulations based on a polarisable ion model of molten slag with vacuum/melt interfaces were also performed. The X-ray absorption techniques provided data related to electron yields (which are primarily associated with surface features) and fluorescence yields (which evaluate the bulk material). Thus, the ionic coordination characteristics of both regions were investigated. The results of molecular dynamics calculations allowed statistical analysis of the distributions of Al- or Sicentred polymorphs as well as the bond angles between cations and oxygen anions in the vacuumexposed and bulk regions in the equilibrated melt. The results indicated that bridging oxygen ions were preferentially distributed in the relaxed surface region rather than non-bridging oxygens. These bridging oxygen ions represented vertex connections between AlO4 or SiO4 tetrahedra. In the case of the calcium aluminate slags, the addition of one Ca2+ ion as charge compensation for two Al3+ ions was found to be necessary to form two AlO4 tetrahedra. This specific feature of surface ionic coordination could be responsible for the complex trends observed in surface tension data. The incorporation of low concentrations of SiO2 reduced the proportion of tetrahedrally-coordinated Al ions such that higher coordination states become dominant in the bulk of the material, whereas AlO4 tetrahedra were preferentially distributed in the surface region. SiO4 tetrahedra were the preferred Si-centred polymorph and were likely connected to one another to form bridging oxygen ions at the surface. On the basis of these results, a model to predict slag surface tension was proposed, and the energy of the formation of the ionic clusters resulting from surface relaxation was taken into account.

Aug 21, 2024

By T Baumgartl, B Richards

The association of specific plants and plant communities with soils developed over underlying superficial orebodies and mineralisation has been long recognised. It has given rise to the use of plant indicators for geobotanical exploration as a regular component of primary minerals reconnaissance where there is an undisturbed vegetation cover. That the chemical composition of indicator plants is a measure of their soil environment has further led to biogeochemical prospecting methods for minerals and its use in the mapping of underlying ore deposits. Where there is a strong surface expression of metal and metalloid anomalies, concentrations of potentially phytotoxic elements may reach a level at which they have strong selective impacts on plant populations. In such circumstances, natural selection has operated in the development of a unique flora composed of plant species and individuals with genetically-based tolerances to the stressed environment in which they continue to survive. These plants are called metallophytes. Metallophytes occur globally on all metalliferous sites, both in pristine undisturbed environments and in areas of mineral workings, ancient and modern. However, the best-developed primary metallophyte vegetation is found in the most ancient areas where there has been a long-term evolutionary impact of the underlying geology through ore weathering and dispersion of metals into the rhizosphere zone. Natural selection of metal-tolerant races of plants in these largely undisturbed areas can eventually lead to speciation and the development of an endemic regional metallophyte flora (Baker et al , 2010). Mineral wastes resulting from mining activities also allow colonisation by metal-tolerant individuals leading to the establishment of metallophyte communities. The distribution and extent of such communities is determined by regional and local factors relating to climate and substrate conditions and the availability of suitable plant resources on which natural selection can operate (Baker, 2009).The ability of metallophytes to tolerate extreme metal concentrations commends them as the optimal choice for ecological restoration of mineral wastes and metal-contaminated sites. Metallophytes have recently also spawned several novel phytotechnologies, including phytoremediation and phytomining (Chaney et al, 2000, 2005; Baker and Whiting, 2008). Action towards conserving the global metallophyte resource base is imperative because many species are under threat of extinction from new and extensive mining activities (Whiting et al, 2004). This has been identified as a priority in the Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development (MMSD) Project of the Global Mining Initiative in 2002 but positive responses from the minerals industry have been slow. The last decade has, however, seen an ever-increasing interest in metal-tolerant and metal-accumulating plants, both from an academic standpoint and their use in revegetation and phytostabilisation (Tordoff et al, 2000; Baker and Whiting, 2008; Baker, 2009). Few studies have highlighted the need to conserve and develop these unique plants (Whiting et al , 2004). This presentation identifies future research needs for the conservation and exploitation of the global metallophyte biodiversity and its potential in sustainable mine closure. CITATION:Baumgartl, T and Richards, B, 2012. Evaporation and salt transport under variable climatic conditions, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2012 , pp 179-186 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 10, 2012

By J Harris, J Li, M Shi, P A. Kirsch, D Sprott

Australia has an enviable global reputation as a leader in health and safety outcomes in the hazardous industry of mining, in part due to an increased application of risk management regarding operational planning and mining practice. In 2010, the Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP) initiated a major project, RISKGATE, to build, capture and deliver a national body of knowledge to assist companies with the management of risk in coal mining. The online system contains information for tyres, collisions, fires, isolation, strata underground, ground control open cut, explosions, explosives underground, explosives open cut, manual tasks, slips/trips/falls, outbursts, coal bumps and bursts, human–machine interface, tailings dams, occupational hygiene and inrush. In 2014, RISKGATE is developing content for fitness for work (fatigue, drugs, alcohol, physical well-being, psychosocial well-being).This paper analyses underground mining fatalities in Australia and the United States since 2002 and introduces RISKGATE with a focus on the knowledge base for management of hazards in underground operations. Through capturing coal industry expert operational knowledge, RISKGATE provides a cumulative corporate memory at a time of high personnel turnover within the mining industry. This coal-based body of knowledge is a platform that can be evaluated and implemented for other mining domains and high-risk industries within the energy supply chain.CITATION:Kirsch, P A, Shi, M, Harris, J, Li, J and Sprott, D, 2014. RISKGATE and underground operations, in Proceedings 12th AusIMM Underground Operators’ Conference 2014 , pp 11–18 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Mar 24, 2014

By B Poborowski, A Chen

"For some time, the Australian and Chinese underground coal mining industries have evolvedindependently with minimal infl uence on each other. Despite the fact that in recent years severaltechnologies and solutions have become common to both industries, this trend has seeminglycontinued to the point that there are still many important diff erences in legislation and hazardmanagement systems in both countries. Austar Coal Mine as an Australian based and Chineseowned enterprise has a unique opportunity to benefi t from the technology and knowledge ofboth nations. This paper compares the Australian and Chinese approach towards spontaneouscombustion hazard management in order to exchange experience, identify possible improvements and learn from each other."

Jun 1, 2012

By Seneviratne SP

The excessive displacement of the seam floor in headings (i.e. roadways) called 'floor-heave' is often experienced in the underground mines of the Southern Coalfield of New South Wales. Apart from interfering with the mining operations, the phenomenon could be detrimental to the stability of the pillars left for support leading to an unpredictable increase in the subsidence of the overlying strata. The latter could pose a serious problem, particularly in the design of partial extraction layouts of mining for areas where subsidence is to be controlled. The susceptibility of the floor of different rock materials and thicknesses in a given `panel and pillar' partial extraction geometry was examined by two- dimensional Finite Element Modelling of the displacements, stresses and failure zones around the excavations. The modelling, assuming elastic behaviour of the materials, indicated that the maximum vertical displacements of the floor increased substantially as the Young's Modulus of the material decreased to less than 7GPa and the thickness of the layer increased. The results also discount the possibility of a properly designed panel and pillar geometry in the Southern Coalfield of New South Wales being unable to adequately control surface subsidence through the pillar, or its core independently of the yielded ribs, penetrating the floor.

Jan 1, 1992

By M Hilden, K Barbosa, M Yahyaei, C Ndimande, K Runge, V Jokovic

Classification devices provide a link between comminution and flotation. Basically, it determines which particles are diverted back for additional grinding and which ones pass to downstream flotation. Therefore, the classifiers play an important role in the performance of a mineral processing circuit. Hydrocyclones are the most common classifiers used in wet grinding, despite being associated with poor classification efficiency. Hydrocyclones are widely used due to advantages related to low maintenance as well as reduced capital and operating cost. Other classifiers, such as fine screens, have much better classification efficiency compared to hydrocyclones. The major challenge of using screens in an operation, however, is their large footprint and increased maintenance requirements relative to hydrocyclones. Some researchers have demonstrated that switching from hydrocyclones to screens, as the classifier device in a ball milling circuit, resulted in a 20 per cent increase in plant throughput and significant improvements in coarse particle recovery, resulting in a 6 per cent increase in overall flotation recovery. However, it is known that these benefits of improved classification are very much ore specific, ie depending on the ore response. Therefore, there is a need to estimate the benefits of improved classification in pilot scale testing before the plant could consider the potential classifier upgrade. This paper presents the results of two pilot-scale grinding tests where the ore sample was processed using different classifiers: a traditional hydrocyclone and hybrid classification involving the use of a semi-inverted hydrocyclone followed by a screen. The size specific energy and circulating load were used to compare the performance of the grinding circuit. The grinding product was subject to mineral liberation analysis and the impact of classification efficiency on the mineral liberation is discussed in the paper.

Aug 24, 2022

By Just GD, Gillies ADS

There is an increasing need for reliable and comparable coal resource data and it is necessary to standardize the traditional classification procedures by quantifying the three basic evaluation criteria of economic feasibility, geologic assurance and recovery. For well documented deposits, geostatistical methods can consider- ably improve classification quality. A geostatistically based algorithm for classifying coal resources within the current Queensland and New South Wales codes has been developed. Application of the method in classifying resources from a number of seams exhibiting different structural characteristics is assessed. The method is found to give classification results which closely reflect the error associated with an estimate of resource quantities based on current sampling densi- ties. It requires a careful geostatistical analysis with emphasis on geological awareness. Resource category restrictions must be arbi- trarily assigned and remain constant for all deposits being compared. Engineering judgement is needed and interpretation may be required with isolated and peripheral blocks.

Jan 1, 1987

By Kay JR

In 1984 a new Regional Geological Mapping Program (RGMP) was commenced by the Geological Survey of Queensland (GSQ); the new program was in response to the withdrawal of the Bureau of Mineral Resources from regional mapping. Areas for mapping were selected in northern and south-eastern Queensland on the basis of potential for mineral discoveries, level of company interest, inaccuracies in the first edition mapping and interests of other organisations (government and universities) in joint projects.Geological provinces of particular interest in northern Queensland are the Hodgkinson Basin, parts of the Georgetown Inlier not covered by earlier BMR-GSQ mapping, Broken River Embayment, Burdekin Basin, Lolworth-Ravenswood Block, Campwyn Block and Anakie Inlier. The 1:250,000 sheets covering these areas of interest are shown in Figure 1 including those already completed, those in progress and those planned for future investigation.A flow chart showing the various phases for RGMP projects is shown in Figure 2. Data collection has two facets: (i) field recording and (ii) office work including air photo interpretation, study of company reports, literature research, petrography and various laboratory studies. Two main strands of information collected are represented by a data base and compilation sheets. Compilation sheets are generally at 1:25,000 scale and are available for purchase. The current data base is very fragmentary and can be accessed only by direct contact with the relevant geologist or via written reports. A more accessible field data base is in the process of being introduced this year; this field data base (REGMAP) is based on standardised data recording and computer storage.

Jan 1, 1986

Using Dynamic Simulation Throughout a Process Plant's Life Cycle

Sep 13, 2010

By Jensen B

The investigation of the explosion characteristics of nine Bowen Basin (Central Queensland) dust samples in a suitable coal dust explosion chamber using a new dust concentration probe provides several advances in the area of coal dust explosibility testing. The 20 litre explosion chamber, of novel design, uses rotation of the main body of the chamber together with air jets for dust dispersion, and allows testing of different types of explosion initiators and analysis of the explosion characteristics of coal dust/methane mixtures of varying concentrations.A new development was a dielectric dust probe for the measurement of coal dust concentration. A capacitive micrometry technique was successfully adapted to measure dust concentration. The system uses a ratio-transformer bridge for measurement of small changes in a capacitive probe designed to sample a representative volume. The device is accurate, and is capable of operating in the hostile environment within the explosion chamber.The explosion chamber and dust probe characterise the explosive potential of coal dust samples by determination of the dust lean limit concentration in varying mixture with methane. Plots of lean limit points obtained in this way present an explosion curve for each sample which indicates the potential of the coal dust/methane to explode under the conditions of initiation in the chamber. The explosion curve obtained for each sample presents a unique signature that appears to reflect the physical and chemical characteristics of the dust.The results from this series of laboratory experiments appear to provide a useful index and indicate potential areas of interest for future research.

Jan 1, 1991

By Christie AB, Bull VH

The geological environments of gold deposits are reviewed in relation to the strong resurgence in exploration for gold since 1979. The resurgence is due mainly to New Zealand's geological endowment with gold and its history as a gold producer. Major past production was from Cenozoic placers of Otago and Westland, late Cenozoic epithermal deposits of the Hauraki Goldfield, and the respective Paleozoic and Mesozoic lode deposits of the Reefton and Otago Goldfields. These same geological environments are the targets of current exploration, mainly in extensions of previously mined deposits. On the Westland and Otago Goldfields alluvial and fluvioglacial gravel placers, mainly representing lateral and depth extensions of previously worked ground, are being mined and prospected. Gold production in 1984 was exclusively from these deposits, and the development of mobile concentration plants has resulted in a great increase in mining activity. Mineralised zones adjacent to previously mined lodes in the Hauraki Goldfield, Reefton Goldfield, and at Macraes Flat (Otago Goldfield) are being intensively explored. At Waihi (Hauraki), an open-pittable resource of about 10 million tonnes of ore has recently been delineated. Some new deposit types and little explored environments are also receiving attention. They include: gold-sulphide quartz veins hosted in an alkaline granite dike in west Nelson; hot spring type gold deposits in fossil geothermal (epithermal) systems of Northland, the Hauraki Goldfield and the Taupo Volcanic Zone; and marine placers off the West Coast where an area of auriferous gravels has been outlined near Hokitika. There is potential in known deposits and prospects currently being evaluated for a large increase in gold production by the early 1990s.

Jan 1, 1986

The scheme of rehabilitation of surface plant commenced in 1936, included the provision of improved and more hygienic changing and bathing facilities for the employees.At that time the Thompson's Shaft section of the British Mine was being prepared for a resumption of operations, and it was decided to repair and re-equip the existing building. Thus any new scheme adopted could be given a thorough trial, and the proved arrangement used as a basis for the contemplated new main changehouse on the North Section.Investigations were carried out to determine the most suitable arrangement for the Thompson's Shaft changehouse, to provide for a total of 120 men, with particular regard to the internal fittings and fixtures. Also, as the mining conditions were such that a large proportion of clothes worn underground by miners, etc., were wet by the end of the shift, the problem of drying these clothes in the availaole time from a man coming off shift to his commencing again some sixteen hours later was one of the most important to be dealt with.The changehouses in use on the North mine section of the lease were provided with racks around the walls for the men to hang their street clothes on, and a section was partitioned off to house the mine clothes and their drying facilities. The actual drying was carried out by means of hanging the wet clothes over racks between which ran pipe coils heated by means of hot water circulated from the hot water boiler supplying the showers.This method had proved to be far from satisfactory for several reasons, the main objections being:-

Jan 1, 1940

By M Binks

The Fosterville Gold mine is located approximately 20km to the East of Bendigo in central Victoria. The gold at Fosterville occurs as solid solution within disseminated arsenopyrite and pyrite. The Fosterville ore bodies contain various amounts of native carbon in the form of bituminous coal. This carbon (Non-Carbonate Carbon or NCC) has been the predominant mechanism for gold loss from the processing facility through”preg-robbing”.Processing of the Fosterville ore is achieved initially through crushing, grinding and flotation to extract the sulphides. The sulphide concentrate is oxidized using Bacterial Oxidation, before being leached in a conventional CIL circuit. A high portion of the native carbon (NCC) in the mine ore is naturally hydrophobic in nature, and subsequently reports to the flotation concentrate stream, and ultimately onto the CIL circuit. This NCC has a notable preg-robbing ability. Treatment of Black Shale ores, which have elevated NCC levels, has historically resulted in CIL recoveries as low as 35%, with around 60-80% of the gold loss from the leach circuit attributed to preg-robbing.Standard technologies for dealing with a carbonaceous leach feed have been trialed with limited success. The discovery of the significance of heat on leach recoveries, triggered extensive testwork on a range of leach feed and tails samples. Pilot plant testing demonstrated that “Heated Leaching” of the CIL tails was the best process with an average recovery increase of 7.5% being achieved. Following a successful pilot study, an engineering feasibility study was completed by Minerva Engineering, and the project economics determined. With strong recovery gains evident and a predicted project payback of 1-1.5 years, approval for the installation of the full scale plant was granted. Detailed design commenced in September 2008 with installation commencing in January 2009. The circuit was successfully commissioned in April 2009.Following commissioning, the Heated Leach circuit has achieved recovery gains of 4-14%, and has proven itself to be a significant contributor to the overall plant performance.

Aug 8, 2011

By Kubik K

The objective of this paper was to determine if recent advances in numerical electromagnetic wave propagation modelling techniques could be used to study the propagation of GPS signals over arbitrary terrain. Specifically the effects of diffraction and multipath were to be modelled accurately for propagation over arbitrary terrain surfaces defined by a digital terrain model. Ideally the model was to be in three dimensions and cover an area of a few square kilometres with a simulation height of a few hundred metres. Simulations were to run on current technology PC's with run times less than a few hours. A relatively new technique that involves a numerical solution to the Parabolic Equations can be used to solve for two-dimensional propagation over any type of terrain. The PE provides a direct solution of Maxwell's wave equations by approximating the Helmholtz scalar wave equation. This technique does not rely on the study of individual ray paths as used in the Geometrical Theory of Diffraction (GTD). It was decided to develop a two dimensional Parabolic Equation code, using the Fourier Split/Step method that allowed propagation over arbitrary terrain (; ; ). The model boundary conditions assumed that the satellite transmission was a plane wave, and that the lower boundary was a perfect reflector. Propagation simulations from the model accurately provide the amplitude and phase of the propagated plane wave at all points within the model domain. The PE model was used to study the effects of diffraction and multipath caused by various types of terrain commonly found in an open cut mining environment. The study of diffraction errors was relatively simple, because we are simply concerned with amplitude of the signal as it diffracts about an obstacle. If the amplitude is above the level receivable by a GPS receiver then the diffraction error can be obtained from the geometry of the terrain obstacle. The study of multipath is more complex, as the computed phase from the PE model is ambiguous and the presence of multipath can only be inferred. Thus the absolute magnitude of the nmltipath error is not currently determinable, though the results of some new work is shown here. This paper shows that diffraction effects can cause significant errors in range. It also shows the effects that multipath has on the received amplitude of the signal and the received phase of the signal. A discussion is made of further work that is presently underway that will allow the direct determination of the multipath error by comparing the ambiguous phase with a reference phase.

Jan 1, 1997

By A Mackay

As a result of the explosion in the 512 panel at the Moura No 2 mine in 1994 the role of the ventilation officer (VO) to submit sealing plans (on behalf of the operator/underground mine manager) has become one of the key duties of the VO of an underground coal mine in Australia. The intent of a sealing plan is to document the controls used to manage the build up of flammable concentrations of gases, and for these controls to be reviewed by the industry regulators. These sealing plans have brought a large amount of focus onto the sealing process and served the industry well. The legislation does not define sealing, or when it begins, but throughout the industry typically sealing plans are submitted 30 days prior to the last seal being constructed. This practice appears to have originated from the Moura 512 panel being a standing bord and pillar panel and where the explosive gas mixture could only occur after it was sealed. However, since the Moura disaster the industry has become dominated by goafing style longwall mining. Goafing panels differ from standing bord and pillar panels in that they typically have an unventilated goaf that can potentially contain an explosive mixture from start-up. This was recently highlighted by the explosion and fire on Longwall No 1 Tailgate at the Blakefield South Mine in 2011. The author ponders whether the industry should revisit sealing plans to focus on the core hazard and define that sealing begins when flammable concentrations of gases are created. Although defining when mine sealing begins is the key outcome of this paper, the main point is that VOs and industry regulators need to clearly understand what can occur in the atmosphere of underground coal mines. CITATION:Mackay, A, 2013. A case for change - Defining mine sealing and understanding flammable mixtures during sealing, in Proceedings The Australian Mine Ventilation Conference , pp 307-310 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 1, 2013

By Kubo H, Ninomiya R, Ojiro T, Sato T

New high-strength Zn alloys for moulds are demanded from the automobile and electric industries in Japan, because the s rength of Zn moulds is still not high enough for the mass production. There are two approaches to improve the strength of Zn alloys. One is to increase the Al content. ZA alloys (ZA-8, ZA-12, ZA-27) were developed through this approach. The other is to increase the Cu content. But it is known that an increase in Cu generally depresses the castability of Zn alloys, so that the alloys with increased Cu have been rarely studied until now. In this study a reconciliation between the strengthening and the castability of Zn alloys by enriching both with Al and Cu has been attempted. Accordingly we have studied on the Zn alloys containing 4 to 25 mass per cent Al and to 24 mass per cent Cu have been studied. Their fluidity, which primarily corresponds to the castability of the alloy, were measured first and 19 alloys were selected based upon their fluidities and casting temperatures. Mainly the mechanical properties of all 19 alloys were tested and some were found to be excellent in both strength and castability. Z1009 (Zn-IOAI-9Cu-0.02Mg alloy) cast in a sand mould has the tensile strength of 360 MPa while ZAS (Zn-4AI-3Cu-0.04Mg alloy), which is the most popular alloy for moulds, is 215 MPa. Z2520 (Zn-25AI-20Cu-0.02Mg alloy) cast in a sand mould has a Vickers hardness of 178, compared to 107 for ZAS and 104 for ZA-27 (Zn-27AI-2Cu-0.02Mg). Furthermore the castability of Z1009 is as good as that of ZAS. The underside shrinkage occuring in casting ZA-27 is restrained in Z2520.

Jan 1, 1993

By R N. Lamb, A N. Buckley

Experiments have been carried out to establish whether time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) is able to differentiate monolayer and multilayer coverage of thiol collectors on sulfide minerals. The systems investigated were those for which x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is able to provide an independent determination of the extent of coverage, and included diethyldithiophosphate (DTP) and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) on chalcocite, DTP on Ag2+MS prepared by sulfidising metallic silver, and isobutyl xanthate (BX) and MBT on galena. For monolayer adsorption of MBT on chalcocite, peaks from MBTû but not Cu(MBT)û ions were evident. For multilayer coverage, Cu(MBT)2û ions were clearly present, notwithstanding the fact that other data had identified the principal multilayer species as Cu(MBT). For adsorbed DTP on copper and silver sulfides, DTPû and metal(DTP)Hû peaks were observed for monolayer and multilayer coverage. Although the multilayer species was expected to be predominantly metal(DTP), metal(DTP)2û ions were evident for multilayer (but not monolayer) coverage. For the PbS/BX system, intact Pb(BX)2 or Pb(OH)BX ions were not detected for multilayer coverage, although Pb-containing ions heavier than PbBX were. Indeed, for all the systems studied, ToF-SIMS was able to differentiate monolayer from multilayer coverage. In general, however, the SIMS evidence alone might not be sufficiently definitive to effect the differentiation. In the case of collector adsorption on copper and silver sulfides, if the multilayer species detected had been the metal monothiolate only, and had not involved the formation of some metal dithiolate, then ToF-SIMS might not have been able to provide an unequivocal differentiation of the two coverage conditions.

Jan 1, 2005

By Shiels O. J

The major Permian coal deposits of N.S.W. are in the Sydney-Bowen Basin and associated small deposits occur in structurally isolated areas; a further deposit is present in the Oaklands Basin. - The Sydney-Bowen Basin in New South Wales comprises the sub basins, the Sydney Basin and the Gunnedah Basin. Coal measures in these basins are near the top of the Permian succession and within and below an underlying marine sequence. The coal deposits can be conveniently described in units in which the coal geology is homogeneous. The Clyde Coal Measures and Yarrunga Coal Measures contain no seams of economic significance and occur beneath the marine beds in the south of the Sydney Basin. The Greta Coal Measures are economically significant and represent a brief interlude in the marine sequence in the north of the Sydney Basin and equivalents are present in the east of the Gunnedah Basin. The Tomago Coal Measures crop out above the marine sequence east from the Lochinvar Anticline and dip southeast to uneconomic depths. The Newcastle Coal Measures are historically and economically very important and overlie the Tomago Coal Measures and these measures will continue to be important although future mining will be faced with greater depths. To the west of the Lochinvar Anticline the Singleton Coal Measures, equivalent to the Tomago and Newcastle Coal Measures, crop out. This unit represents the thickest development of coal measures in the State and has a very large potential for both open cut and underground mining. Equivalents of the Singleton Coal Measures, the Black Jack Coal Measures and the Booroomin Group crop out on the east side of the Gunnedah Basin and probably are widespread across the Basin. They have less economic potential than the Singleton Coal Measures. In the southwest of the Gunnedah Basin, Illawarra/Singleton Coal Measures crop out over extensive areas and possibly have a large potential for underground mining under low cover. The Illawarra Coal Measures are exposed along the western margin of the Sydney Basin and thicken as they dip into the Basin across a shelf. The outcrop area is currently mined and the shelf has considerable potential for future mining. The highest rank coals in the State are in the Illawarra Coal Measures in the south of the Sydney Basin. The deepest coal mining is in this area and its continuing success is of great importance to the future exploitation of the resources of the Basin. The Tomago, Newcastle, Singleton and Illawarra Coal Measures extend into and meet in the central area of the Sydney Basin but they are under thick cover and are not considered to be economic at present. Permian coal measures occur in isolated areas in the New England Fold Belt and have limited economic potential. The Oaklands Basin in the south of the State contains a large reserve of low rank coal.

Jan 1, 1975