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The Adavale Basin and Warrabin Trough are remnants of a much more extensive Devonian to Carboniferous depression which evolved through four tectonic stages; an initial period of rifting and three periods of foreland thrusting, which cannibalized much of the earlier depression. The Basin has subsequently been buried by sediments of the Galilee and Eromanga Basins.The Basin was initiated during the Early Devonian when the earlier cratonized Thompson Foldbelt rifted away to form a marginal sea comparable to the South China sea. This crustal extension was probably in a Northeast-Southwest direction. These initial rifts were the site of acid volcanism (Gumbarbo Formation) and later, deltaic and shallow marine facies (Eastwood Beds).

Jan 1, 1990

Expert systems have been employed in a number of areas for a considerable number of years. However, the traditional long development times associated with these systems have restricted their application. With the advent of powerful Expert System Development Tools such as COMDALE/X and the use of efficient development techniques, the time required can be drastically reduced. This results in the availability and applicability of this technology to a wide range of applications. This paper discusses some of the 'rules' which indicate amenability (or otherwise) of a particular problem to an expert system solution. Various problem types are examined and these are illustrated with reference to examples of their use at various operating sites.

Jan 1, 1991

With the continuing move towards digital signal based control and measurement, it is inevitable that such technology will be increasingly employed on remote sites. The benefits of increased metallurgical performance, of reduced energy and manpower requirements far outweigh the problems associated with high technology in remote locations, provided that the installation is well thought out from both technical and manpower viewpoints. The new accessibility of vast quantities of process data will uncover previously unthought of savings and profit opportunities but brings with it the responsibility to carefully design the data presentation methods. The resulting changes in installed hardware will force changes in the maintenance and engineering workforce and will affect even the stores and purchasing department methods.

Jan 1, 1985

By Whiteley M, Robinson T, Vernon B

The Western Australian gold industry has approximately 100 operating plants, mainly CIP/CIL. The nature of the State's rapidly expanding gold industry gave rise to concerns over management of the cyanide hazard, in that most plants are remote from major population centres, have a workforce with a high turn over and use highly saline process water. Approximately 4,500 workers in the industry have the potential to be exposed to cyanide in the course of their normal work.This paper outlines the risk management strategy developed by Government and industry to monitor atmospheric HCN gas in the work environment and the role of continuing education and training along with regular site inspections by Department of Mines Inspectors.

Jan 1, 1990

By Yu-Jun Z

According to site measurement and labora- tory experiment, the authors suggest a new mathematical model of grouted rock bolts. The rock bolt is taken as an elastic bar, and the grout is substituted by a set of springs the rigidity of which is given as K. Based on certain assumptions, a simplified formula is deduced. When the category of rock, depth of tunnel, the spacing of rock bolts and the rigidity of springs K values are given, so that we can calculate the radius of plastic zone, and subsequently the convergence of rock at the tunnel inner surface u, and the resis- tance exerted by the rock bolt p. Finally, the length of rock bolt can be determined.

Jan 1, 1987

Highwall mining commenced in the Appalachian region 50 years ago. With innovative equipment design introduced in more recent times, penetration distances over 300 m are now commonplace. It is only in the last three years that highwall mining has become part of the Australian coal industry. Geotechnical evaluation is an integral part of the Australian procedures, and although still being refined, has already proven its worth. Statutory guidelines have also been prepared for operations in Queensland. This paper explores trends in equipment design, geotechnical prediction, operating techniques and statutory requirements with regard to highwall mining Australia's coal deposits. A quick assessment guide to assist in the evaluation of potential sites is included.

Jan 1, 1992

By Campbell D. L, Nutt C. J

The Delta two-degree quadrangle is located in west-central Utah, in the eastern Basin and Range physiographic province but near the intersection of the Basin and Range, Rocky Mountain, and Colorado Plateau provinces (Fig. 1). The quadrangle lies in the region of interior drainage that includes western Utah and most of Nevada, and, like the rest of that province, it has an arid climate. This work is part of the United States Geological Survey's ongoing CUSMAP (Conterminous United States Mineral Assessment Program) project in the Delta quadrangle. Trace-element geochemical data presented here includes information from approximately 600 heavy- mineral-concentrate and 2500 rock sample sites from throughout the Delta quadrangle.

Jan 1, 1988

With production at Olympic Dam scheduled to commence in June 1988, it has been necessary to install a complete underground ore handling system capable of removing two million tonnes of material annually from the mine. The system comprises mucking from stope drawpoints, truck haulage to underground storage, primary crushing, conveying and hoisting. On the surface, material is conveyed to stockpiles at the Metallurgical Plant. Mining of the numerous special excavations within the system was incorporated into the mine's ongoing development program prior to the underground construction phase. Utilisation of a decline from the surface enabled versatile construction equipment to operate at the underground sites as well as simplifying the transportation and delivery of construction Materials.

Jan 1, 1988

By Whittle J

Definition of the optimum open pit, whether an intermediate phase or final design, will be sensitive to many factors. The most basic will include geological and mining constraints, mining and processing costs, pit slopes and product prices. The application of the three dimensional Lerchs-Grossmann pit optimization procedure to this task is described for a range of gold deposits. A new approach to the modelling and manipulation of the geological model enables complex geological environments to be assessed, and sensitivity analyses to be developed. Comparisons with manually developed pit designs have been made to validate the results. The computer implementation is simple to use and can be adapted by non-computer professionals at mine Sites.

Jan 1, 1986

By R. A. Frith, M D. Goodz

Ore-bearing minerals that are located along microfractures are always susceptible to loss during the breakage and sampling of the material. Further losses occur with on-site sample preparation and splitting prior to laboratory analysis. In these cases solid whole rock channel or core samples should be handled with due care to ensure all fines and loose particles are collected and included in the sample for total chemical analysis.Similarly open hole and reverse circulation drill methods are not usable in areas containing old mine workings, heavily fractured ground or highly degraded/oxidised mineral assemblages. Nor are these methods usable to assess a bulk mineable target where the enriched zones were peripheral to or between old mine cavities.

Jan 1, 1993

I congratulate The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy on its decision to hold its Annual Conference here in Western Australia. Western Australia, with its abundant mineral and energy resources, plays a key role in the Australian mining industry... and Western Australia will continue to figure prominently in this vital industry for many years to come. The success of our gold, iron ore, bauxite, mineral sands and other primary industries has enabled Western Australia to contribute significantly to Australia's export revenue and, therefore, to the nation's economic strength. The State's mineral wealth has also provided the impetus for a recent surge in mining related activity, including a dramatic increase in downstream processing of our raw materials. Billions of dollars worth of new project investment is either committed or awaiting final approval - and most of this new investment is a direct result of a healthy and vibrant mining industry. The North West Shelf Project - which has been providing natural gas for homes and industry in Western Australia since 1984 - has also played a key role in stimulating industrial development. The availability of abundant, competitively-priced gas from the North West Shelf has - along with the availability of other raw materials - made Western Australia a more attractive proposition for industrial investment. The company I represent, Woodside Offshore Petroleum, is operator of the North West Shelf Project on behalf of the Project's six Joint Venture Participants - Woodside Petroleum Ltd, BHP Petroleum (North West Shelf) Pty Ltd, BP Developments Australia Ltd, Chevron Asiatic Limited, Japan Australia LNG (MIMI) Pty Ltd and Shell Development (Australia) Proprietary Limited. The theme for this Annual Conference: "Excellence - the key to the continued success of the Australasian mining industry" is appropriate to the North West Shelf Project. The pursuit of excellence has been a hallmark of the Project. The Joint Venture Participants have been conscious of the need for stringent quality control at all stages of development. Procurement and purchasing policies, for instance, have demanded strict adherence by contractors and suppliers to the highest standards and specifications.

Jan 1, 1989

By D McLaughlin

This paper points to the timely importance of commencing a centrally recognised perpetual collection of mineral specimens in the Northern Territory which has as one of its objectives the collection and preservation of Northern Territory minerals of scientific, educational and heritage value. Currently in the Northern Territory there is no government department or institution that has a resourced coordinated state-wide objective to collect and document collectable mineral specimens. Specimens held in storage by the Department of Mines and Energy and the Museum and Art Galleries of the NT are not catalogued and owe their existence to fortuitous circumstances, not as a result of a planned systematic scientific approach to mineralogy. Northern Territory mineral species and unique specimens have and will continue to be driven to extinction while no central and active, recognised repository exists. This situation persists despite the fact mineral production is the Territory's largest income earner. The paper presents the arguments that hopefully will assist decision-makers to commence development of a state mineral collection lodged within an appropriate institution in the Northern Territory.

Jan 1, 1994

Paste Thickening of Tailings at the Clermont Coal Preparation Plant

Sep 13, 2010

By G M. Taylor

The application of high technology to monitor and control fire life safety, critical functionality in tunnels and underground spaces generally has progressed at an ever accelerating rate over the past decade. Today these systems comprise some of the most complex and little understood aspects of the tunnel/underground facility construction industry, with this area being perceived as high risk comprising impenetrably complex ‘black box’ technology covered in blinking LEDs. This paper will seek to explode some urban myths and common misconceptions associated with such systems, providing its intended audience with a review of what all this technology comprises and where the real risks lie in its delivery lie.The author contends (and looks to support such contention via this paper) that by applying baseline project and risk management processes to the procurement of this widely misunderstood black box technology, the quality of the final outcome can be much improved, driving innovation, reducing both cost and significantly mitigating delivery risk.CITATION:Taylor, G M, 2014. Procuring control and intelligent traffic systems for major new build projects – avoiding pitfalls and maximising value, in Proceedings 15th Australasian Tunnelling Conference 2014 , pp 113–120 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 17, 2014

By Tilley H. L

The 90 m deep Yallourn Open Cut brown coal mine in the Latrobe Valley, Victoria is developing into an area close to a reverse fault. A major batter stabilisation program, matched to ongoing operations, has com- menced to maximise coal recovery where the fault is within 100 m of the Open Cut. The various mine development options considered during the planning stages are outlined. These options were formulated in a back- ground of geotechnical constraints and the need to maintain continuous and reliable coal supply at a time when a new coal field would be developed. The geotechnical investigations and analysis procedures under- taken to determine stability of the batters during their excavation are presented. The geotechnical constraints on the mine design and opera- tions required to ensure safe working conditions are detailed. Current operational and batter stability conditions are considered satisfactory.

Jan 1, 1989

By R Marchant, D Willingham

"Predictive maintenance (also known as PHM or equipment ‘health monitoring’) refers to the intelligent monitoring of equipment to avoid future equipment failures. In contrast to conventional preventive maintenance, the maintenance schedule is not determined by a prescribed timeline; instead, it is determined by analytic algorithms, such as machine learning, using data collected from equipment sensors and/or via simulation.Predictive maintenance offers the following benefits for operators and equipment manufacturers:reduction of equipment downtime by identifying issues before failure, thereby enabling convenient scheduling of equipment service and extending equipment lifetimeautomatic determination of the root cause of the failure, enabling appropriate service to be performed without utilising resources to determine a diagnosis avoidance of costs of unnecessary maintenance and unexpected failures improved safety and product quality.Algorithms and data are critical to predictive maintenance success. Sensor data preprocessing is performed using advanced statistical and signal processing techniques. In the case that data isn’t available for the full range of operating modes, operating scenarios can be simulated. Machine learning techniques are then used to estimate equipment health. Once tested, predictive maintenance algorithms may be operationalised in an IT environment such as a server or cloud. Alternatively, algorithms may be implemented in an embedded system directly on the equipment, allowing for faster response times and significantly reducing the amount of data sent over the network.In this paper, we use both historical and simulated data of the plant under various modes of operation including run to failure, and we then leverage machine learning techniques in MATLAB to estimate degradation and remaining useful life. This technique, of combining both simulation models and machine learning, in the areas of predictive maintenance and equipment health monitoring has been adopted by Safran, makers of aircraft jet engines, since 2007. They now have over 160 modules developed (Lacaille and Aurelie, 2015).Citation:Willingham, D and Marchant, R, 2016. Predictive Maintenance Using Simulation and Machine Learning, in Proceedings 13th AusIMM Mill Operators’ Conference 2016, pp 279–284 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Oct 10, 2016

THOSE who have had occ.asion to sample a mine not infrequently find that it is impossible to take their sample cuts at regular distances apart, owing to the ground being close timbered, a stope having been taken out, or some other cause. When such is the case a tedious calculation becomes necessary in order to obtain an accurate result. A conscientious man will make the tedious calculation, but one who is inclined to be lazy, or who does not recognize the importance of accuracy, or has not the time, may be satisfied with either the arithmetical or weighted arithmetical mean result.There are two main systems of taking samples when the cuts are taken-(l) at equal distances, (2) at unequal distances. When the samples are out at equal distances apart there are three methods of computing the assay value :-1 (a) By Arithmetical Mean. The sum of the values and sum of the widths are each divided by the total number of samples, in order to obtain the value and width respectively, no allowance being made for the relative widths arid values. The result isabsolutely inaccurate, and should never be used under any circumstances.1 (b) By Geometrical Mean. The assay widths ie, feet %, feet oz, inch dwt, &c, are added together and the sum of these is divided by the sum of the widths.

Jan 1, 1911

New Celebration Gold Mine is located 35 km SE of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, in the Archaean Kalgoorlie-St Ives Greenstone belt. The leases total 119 sq kms and arepart of a joint venture between Newmont Australia Ltd (as manager) and Mt Martin Gold Mines N.L. Mining commenced in August, 1986 and is now producing over 115,000 ounces of gold per annum. A variety of gold mineralisation styles with a total resource of 23.5 million tonnes at 2.19g/t are associated with shear zones at New Celebration. Gold production is co-ordinated from 7 open pits with others planned to com- mence soon. A large scale underground trial mining operation has com- menced with a decline on the hanging wall of the main producing orebody, Hampton Boulder. Millfeed produced is classified on the stockpile according to grade and metallurgical performance and blended tomaximise throughput while main- taining grade through a CIL treatment plant currently operating at 1.7 million tonnes per year.

Jan 1, 1991

By J Ralston, G B. N Kaggwa, L Huynh

Three polymers of varying chemistries and molecular weights have been used to depress talc in a model sulfide ore consisting of talc, pentlandite, and chalcopyrite. Flotation testing revealed a distinct hierarchy of effectiveness of the polymers in the depression of talc (HP Starch > Polymer-H > Dextrin WY) but a different order of effectiveness for depression selectivity (Dextrin WY > Polymer-H > HP Starch). Adsorption isotherm determinations for the gangue and valuable mineral phases indicate that the differences in selectivity are partially due to adsorbed amount variations, with Dextrin WY adsorbing marginally less on the sulfides than Polymer-H. Contact angle measurements on packed particle beds have revealed that the polymers have differing abilities to reduce the contact angle of talc and the sulfide minerals. An explanation of the observed trends is given in terms of the binding mechanisms of the polymers on the talc and the sulfide mineral phases. Order of addition effects between collector and depressant were also investigated using adsorption isotherm determinations for the polymers in the presence of a pre-adsorbed layer of collector and vice versa. Adsorption of the polymers was not affected by the presence of the collector. Similar results were obtained for the adsorption of collector in the presence of pre-adsorbed layers of polymer.

Jan 1, 2005

The Beverley uranium mine û now in production in the remote north of South Australia at1000 tonnes per annum û was established to meet a projected, but little-recognised shortfallin primary supply of uranium for the nuclear industry in the early part of the 21 st century. Inthe context of AustraliaÆs lack of bi-partisan support for uranium mining and the nuclearindustry, a four to five year window of opportunity existed from 1996 to establish the mine.During this period, Beverley achieved a number of firsts including: the first ISL mine inAustralia; the largest ISL mine in the world and the first to produce more than 500 tonnes ofuranium in its first year; the first to be established under a new Native Title regime in SouthAustralia; and the first to be established under a revised South Australian Mining Act.Beverley was brought into production against the background of: hostile opposition fromanti-nuclear activists; a suspicious and at-times hostile media; a regulatory and politicalcommunity that was unfamiliar with ISL mining; commercially unsophisticated Aboriginalgroups; an inexperienced engineering industry; and the vagaries of development in a remote,semi-arid location with neither population nor infrastructure. The lessons that can be learnedfrom Beverley showed that û like much in life û flexibility and timing are crucial.

Jan 1, 2002