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New Zealand China Clays operata a plant at Matauri Bay, Northland for the benefaction of hallosite clay. Production is several thousand tonnes per year of which about ten per cent per year is supplied to an expanding export market.

Jan 1, 1978

By Neville WE, Parkinson J

One of the earliest recorded risk management schemes was implemented by the boatmen of the Yangtze river some 4,000 years ago.. Between them they arranged for shipments to be split up in such a way that a load was divided five ways: if one was lost, then 80% of the shipment got through. Bottomry contracts were in vogue in Babylonian times with similar systems being used in India, in 60OBC and 4th century Greece. One of the first accepted mutual insurance ideas came in 1835 when a mill owner in America negotiated a lower insurance premium in return for installed fire safety measures. Approximately 20 years ago risk management as a philosophy was developed in the U.S.A., the philosophy followed to England and hence to Australia about 10 years ago. The business climate which induced the philosophy of risk management was that of "tight money". The definition of "assets" was then broadened to include earning capacity, skilled personnel and in a negative sense, a corporation's liabilities. In more affluent days losses were comfortably absorbed into the ongoing business expenses, the more prudent managers took out insurance which "covered everything" at a suitable premium. Statistics are available to indicate that a high percentage, (over 60%) of businesses which suffer massive plant damage due to fire, do not restart operations, or in the event of restarting have closed operations within the next 2 to 3 years - in spite of collecting an insurance payout.

Jan 1, 1986

Clearly visible in geophysics is a trend away from simply finding and drilling anomalies obtained with off-the-shelf equipment, condes- cendingly sold by travelling salesmen. Instead, technical tools are becoming available which allow us to choose or design equipment and sur- vey procedures for the specific problem at hand. The advent of micro- and smaller computers enable us to collect more and better measure- ments and to rapidly process them so as to emphasize the features which are being sought. These new capabilities have important consequ- ences both to the extent to which geophysical tools will be applied in the industry, and to the skills which will be demanded of those using them. Because of its uniquely difficult exploration problems, Australia must expect to amplify its new prominence in the development of mining geophysical technology.

Jan 1, 1981

By D Giurco

This paper presents the results from research undertaken in the CSIRO-funded Mineral Futures Collaboration Cluster on developing a future vision for the mining and minerals industry – Vision 2040 – in which the industry proactively contributes to long-term benefit for communities and the nation. Our research finds that Australia is currently experiencing mining-led prosperity due to high commodity prices, yet underlying this are challenges for maintaining market share due to lower productivity from extracting lower grade, more remote and complex ores. Whilst much focus has been on developing new technologies for finding and processing such ores, this paper assesses these activities, together with policy and market innovations in the context of needing to strengthen social, environmental and financial capital for long-term benefit. Vision 2010 sees mining activities linked to systems that are net providers of clean water, energy and ecosystem services, rather than minimising negative impacts alone; sovereign wealth funds are used to harness current prosperity for future innovation. Using a case study in lithium and comparisons to iron/steel, coal and copper – we illustrate the opportunities for new technology, policy and market innovations to link the mining and minerals sector in Australia to more sustainable patterns of production, consumption and prosperity.

Nov 22, 2011

By H Kurth

"The focus of this paper is on measuring the composition to improve mill feed quality to minimise the processing of waste, optimise process performance, reduce processing costs and minimise the generation of tailings.Technologies used since the 1990s in the cement and coal industries for measuring conveyed materials have been operationally proven and effectively derisked. Despite this the acceptance by the minerals industry has been very slow except in iron ore. Real-time penetrative full stream measurement using prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) for multielemental analysis and microwave transmission for real-time moisture analysis provide representative, tonnage weighted dry weight per cent results on a minute by minute basis. Analysis is unaffected by particle size, dust, layering/segregation, mineralogy and belt speed. The technologies are explained and performance examples given. The benefits derived from real-time compositional analysis are predicated upon a good understanding of deposit geology, mineralogical associations, waste to ore interfaces, amenability to mining, metallurgical processes and downstream customer requirements. Processing may include basic preparation in the case of direct shipping ores, minor beneficiation using simple upgrading methods, or concentration using more complex processing systems such as flotation, leaching or many others. The value of real-time data from primary crushed conveyed flows, using analysis of increments smaller than a single haul truck’s load, is very beneficial in process plants aiming to reduce waste processing, increasing feed grades and increasing metal recoveries. Grade variability can be utilised to divert conveyed increments of waste, direct shipping ore (DSO) quality material bypassing beneficiation, and subeconomic material amenable to upgrading diverted for further preconcentration by particle separation (sorting, heavy medium etc). Paybacks of a few months have been commonly achieved where the real-time technologies have been applied in the minerals sector. The paper outlines proven applications and case studies and proposes some innovative applications.Citation:Kurth, H, 2016. Measuring and Utilising Ore Quality Variability Using Real-time On-belt Elemental Analysis to Improve Mill Feed Quality, in Proceedings 13th AusIMM Mill Operators’ Conference 2016, pp 239–244 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Oct 10, 2016

By H A. Linn, K Winn, C W. Lee

The Q-slope method for rock slope engineering was developed to enable engineering geologists and rock engineers to rapidly assess the stability of excavated rock slopes in the field and make optimal adjustments to slope angles as rock mass conditions become apparent during construction of road cuts or benches. An empirical relationship between Q-slope and long-term stable slope angle is now supported through over 500 cases studies from Asia, Australia, the Americas and Europe. This paper presents about the stability analysis by first-ever applying Q-slope method on abandoned quarry wall in Singapore. The 30 m high rock slope which is composed of monzogranite rock was severely damaged by blasting operation. As the rock slope is intended for public view the objective was to retain the natural outlook and without any artificial support application thus manual scaling was carried out to clear the loosed rock blocks. In the end stable slope angle of clean rock face is determined once again by Q-slope method.

Nov 29, 2022

By Dixon D. R, Sparrow G. J

Pressure leach liquors from the pressure oxidation of a bulk flotation concentrate prepared from a complex Cu-Pb-Zn sulphide ore were treated to remove iron, either by pressure oxidation (the Hematite process) or with particles of magnetite (the Magnetite process), followed by cementation of various metals with zinc dust to obtain a purified solution from which zinc was electrowon. Satisfactory iron removal was achieved by both processes after neutralisation to pH 4.5 or 5.5. Pressure oxidation of the liquor at 200¦C and 690 kPa oxygen overpressure, conditions similar to those of the Hematite process used in the zinc industry, resulted in the precipitation of the iron as hematite. With the Magnetite process, an iron hydroxide was precipitated onto magnetite at atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature and removed by a magnetic separation step. The performances of both these processes for the removal of iron are compared. It is concluded that the Magnetite process offers considerable cost savings. Other impurities, in particular arsenic, were also removed with the iron in both processes. Cementation at pH 5.2 and 85-90 ¦C with 3.5 g/L zinc dust reduced the levels of copper, cadmium, and nickel to a satisfactory level and subsequent electrolysis in a laboratory cell gave an acceptable deposit of zinc.

Jan 1, 1989

In attempting to vegetate pnob!em sites some basic pn.i,ne%ptes, namely the phys.ica.e and chemi.ca2 pnope/ti;es og the problem mateni.al and the selection oU hu.itab.2e p!antts {cor pnopagati.on, have to be considered. Pnobtem sites such as tai ing dams, mined-out atteas, and areas which have been genehaUy advehse2y a46eeted by mining activities, are not only o~ten located in a divehs.ity o4 climatic regions, but they also usuaUy dL64en substantially in theAjt .int' Lns c phys.ica2 and chem.i cat pnopen t i.es . To estabP.ish vegetation on such sites 6requent2y requites: .%) The ame Lonaton oU adverse {yaetors in onde t to exeate a hoot env.utonment suitable Uon "satis1actony" plant growth. .%i) These.2eationo4 plant species suited to the improved Hoot env.utonment, and eompat%b&e with the e2imate o{y the site, and the ultimate Land use o4 the site. iii) The estabL shment o{y a Laboratory and p-LLot scale testing programme to aeeomptizh the above.

Jan 1, 1976

This paper provides an expanded definition of industrial minerals that challenges the way we look at exploration, development and the understanding of mineral industry structure and profitability. Included in industrial minerals are bulk commodities such as iron ore and coal alongside the more traditional industrial minerals such as salt, soda ash, silica sand and clay. The profitability of industrial minerals is reviewed from a producerÆs perspective and shown in many instances to be significantly higher than for precious and base metal industries. The key drivers of profitability are examined along with some highly profitable industrial mineral industries such as borate, potash, chromite and natural soda ash. Demand for industrial minerals in Australia and Asia is reviewed, with a focus on supply bottlenecks and the opportunity this represents for investment by Australian companies. The establishment of new price benchmarks is considered and the possibility of new export grades for industrial mineral products. Investment opportunities in industrial mineral projects are outlined, including some exploration concepts in Australia and Asia. Industrial mineral project evaluation methods are discussed and the challenge issued to companies (exploration, production and finance) to become a part of the profitable action in the world of industrial minerals.

Jan 1, 2004

Natural gas was introduced to the Melbourne reticulation system in April 1969 and since that date sales to industrial consumers in the Gas & Fuel Corporation of Victoria area of supply, have increased by over 50% This increase has occurred despite the fact that the areas in which the new fuel is available have been dependent on the progress of the conversion operation from manufactured gas. The half way mark for conversion was reached in May 1970. The reason for the adoption of natural gas by industrial users is usually the result of objective financial analysis leading to the conclusion that the new fuel will give the lowest overall production cost. Many factors are involved in such an analysis of which the price of the fuel is only one. Amongst other important elements in the cost calculation are:- -ò òò -(1) The effect of fuel on product quality (2) Maintenance and handling costs for alternative fuel. In addition to economic gains for the individual user, the use of natural gas should benefit the whole community through its effect on such things as, air pollution and overseas balance of payments.

Jan 1, 1970

By M McDonald

KiwiRail has a goal of significantly improving passenger rail services to west Auckland, as part of its DART (Developing Auckland’s Rail Transport) suite of projects. The New Lynn Rail Trench (NLRT) project was a significant component of this work. The NLRT project facilitates essential doubletracking of the Western Auckland line, and provides a new commuter transportation hub within a busy town centre.The 1.5 km stretch of track through the New Lynn town centre has bisected the township for over 80 years. Double-tracking the line provided the opportunity to grade-separate road and rail, which would help to re-connect both sides of the township and enhance public amenity and safety.KiwiRail employed an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) procurement model engaging a consortium comprising Fletcher Construction, Beca Infrastructure and Synergine to develop a Design and Construct solution.With weak soil conditions and high groundwater levels, a diaphragm wall construction method to form the trench walls was selected as the best solution. Further challenges to construction included working within a narrow rail corridor constrained by buildings along much of the boundary, and a requirement to keep the existing line open for rail services. Detailed construction planning was required to ensure rail and construction safety in a constrained space whilst building the trench walls, propping these walls during excavation, and constructing the base slab in the most efficient way possible.This paper will detail the geotechnical conditions and the additional constraints that made this rail trench a challenging structure to design. It will also describe the fi nal design and construction methodologies that were employed, that allowed very successful completion of the project.Additionally, this paper will review the design and construction lessons applicable to the current Victoria Park Tunnel project, and indeed for all future cut and cover tunnel projects in the Auckland isthmus.

Mar 8, 2011

By P M. Cepuritis

In hard rock mining, large-scale bulk mining methods such as block or panel caving (BC/PC) and sublevel caving (SLC) typically generate significant surface deformations such as subsidence. Surface deformations need to be considered in the project evaluation and planning stages of cave mines, for example, planning and location of critical underground mine planning infrastructure such as portals, haulage and vent shafts, access roads, or potential damage to existing infrastructure, changes to surface water management, waste dump, stockpile and tailings dam stability, and environmental impacts. Assessing the impact and risks associated with subsidence is a key component in robust mine planning and operations management.

Nov 29, 2022

By L B. Zhou, Q Wang

The present discussion focuses on the developmental directions of eco-restoration of acid mine waste rock dump, by using acid mine waste rock of Shuilong Mountain as an example. Based on the analysis of site factors, the current slope ecological restoration technologies of domestic and international and local practices have been integrated into the eco-restoration of acid mine waste rock in Shuilong Mountain. A set of suitable slope Eco-restoration technologies have been formulated locally for acid mine waste rock of Shuilong Mountain, which include establishing green barrier, implementing ecology buffer zones, selecting suitable plant species and combined seeding and tube-stock planting. It aims to restore the plant ecosystem to a near natural state, in couple with slope stabilisation and soil remediation.CITATION :Wang, Q and Zhou, L B, 2012. Projection of ecological restoration of acid mine waste rock of Shuilong Mountain at Dexing Copper Mine, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2012 , pp 305-308 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 10, 2012

By A McCarthy

Spatial modelling has been used to determine potential locations of granite-related nickel skarn mineralisation throughout eastern Australia. It is believed that during granite intrusion, fluid can leach nickel from nearby mafic lithologies and combine with sulfur to form nickel sulfides. Currently exploration for this style of deposit has been limited to the region around the Avebury Deposit in western Tasmania. As the lithologies near Avebury are not unique it is feasible that similar deposits could exist elsewhere in Australia. The weights of evidence spatial data modelling technique was used to evaluate the wealth of geological data available over eastern Australia and included known economic deposits as training data to weight the themes of the model. These weighted themes were combined to create a prospectivity map showing areas favourable for granite-related nickel deposits. Several regions were identified by the model to have good potential to host nickel mineralisation similar to the Avebury deposit. These include areas located throughout New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, the Tasman District of New Zealand and, in particular, the Rockhampton region of eastern Queensland. An EXTENDED ABSTRACT is available for download. A full-length paper was not prepared for this presentation.

Jan 1, 2008

The mining industry, both here and internationally, is continually developing increasingly sophisticated software to compute mineral resource estimates, but these processes cannot compensate for a flawed geological interpretation of the geology of the economic commodity(s) concentrations. Quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) is becoming increasingly common in association with the sampling and assaying practices within the industry. However, it is rare in the case of a geological interpretation associated with mineral resource estimation. Why? In the context of this paper, QA/QC relates to the use of statistical and graphical tools to show that the geological economic commodity concentrations have been appropriately domained. Domaining is essential to improve the chance of getting a mineral resource estimate right. Commodity value and acceptable concentration variation within a mineral resource can be ingredients that make mineral resource estimation difficult to get right. But it is possible to get it right a very high proportion of the time. It is more likely to occur when inappropriate data consolidation is minimised. In any case, inappropriate data consolidation is significantly reduced when the geological interpretation is strongly consistent with the data and it is demonstrable. To achieve quality global estimates of geological domain concentrations, it is essential that the geology of the prospect is understood sufficiently that the deposit is appropriately domained. Appropriate domaining occurs when sample populations are separated in such a way that only data in harmony with each other within the population contributes to the domainÆs concentration estimate. The paper will use four brief case studies to illustrate how QA/QC can be used to display data and validate the underpinning geological interpretation through its associated domaining to get it right when it comes to a mineral resource estimation.

Jan 1, 2007

Problems encountered in the design, construction, acceptance, commissioning and early operation of the electrolytic zinc plant at Port Pirie are reviewed. Recommendations based on the author's experience are made for proper control of each phase of the development of new plants.

Jan 1, 1971

By Rogers J. F, Bird A. C

The establishment of vegetation for dust control on tailings dams at The Zinc Corporation, Limited and New Broken Hill Consolidated Limited (ZC/NBHC) is outlined. The evolution of practices and techniques employed is described and the problems encountered are discussed.

Jan 1, 1983

By C Antonio, R Narayan, A Scheuermann, S Quintero, M Edraki, M Ziemski

Tailings are mostly loose material and can be classed as non-plastic sandy silts. They also tend to have low permeability, resulting in slow consolidation (settling) rates and low shear strength, even after consolidation. These qualities make them prone to liquefaction and, therefore, physical instability. In contrast, coarse waste rocks possess high shear strength and permeability when stacked in dumps. However, air and water flow-through the voids can cause acid mine drainage (AMD) with significant undesirable environmental implications. Combining the two waste streams before disposal by mixing presents a potential opportunity to harness the desirable properties of both waste streams. This practice is termed co-mingling and is prevalent within the coal processing industry. Co-mingling of metalliferous mine tailings is, however, a relatively new concept. By combining the coarse waste rocks and fine-grained tailings streams, the fine tailings tend to fill the voids between the waste rocks, reducing hydraulic conductivity and advective air (oxygen) flow into the rocks, thus possibly reducing acid mine drainage (AMD). Conversely, tailings are introduced to large frictional particles from waste rocks, providing reinforcement, stability, and possibly improved drainage. New separation methods are being introduced to the mining sector, which have the capacity to extract waste with significantly larger particle sizes. High Voltage Pulse (HVP) is a technology in which relatively coarse particles ranging in size from 30 to 100 mm are exposed to an electric pulse discharge. This pulse preferentially fractures mineralised particles while leaving unmineralised rock (gangue) intact. The stream can then be passed via a screen, with smaller mineralised particles reporting to the undersize and removing coarser unbroken barren particles, thereby eliminating waste. Coarse particle flotation (CPF) is another emerging new technology in metalliferous mining that applies flotation separation to coarser particles than conventional flotation. These new technologies produce different tailings (waste) streams with varying physical characteristics and possibly surface chemistries. This research aims to test new tailings mixtures by applying the co-mingling concept to blend the reject streams generated by these two technologies (HVP and CPF) with the tailings produced by conventional flotation. Combining different waste streams before disposal can improve stability and potentially reduce the acid mine drainage (AMD) rate, thus enabling early access to the tailings storage facility for rehabilitation and closure.

Aug 2, 2023

By I Manege, S M. Bennett

The PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC) operation is a large scale coalmine operating on the east coast of Kalimantan (Borneo), Indonesia. Originally developed under a coal contract of work (CCOW) with the Indonesian Government, new legislation has led to uncertainty as to the actual life of the mine, the size of the operating lease or mining area, the rehabilitation compliance requirements and other areas of concern. The actual life-of-mine (LOM) plan is therefore in a constant state of flux and must be updated and modified with every new piece of information.Under the CCOW system, the mine life ran from the first year of production (1992) for 30 years (2021), with the potential to extend for a further two ten-year periods. KPC has always intended to run until at least 2041. Under the new legislation, the potential term of the CCOW (to be replaced by a mining license) is open to interpretation, resulting in KPC having to prepare plans allowing for a LOM that may end in 2021, 2031, 2041 or a range of other possible periods of time.Uncertainty about legislation (and hence the mine life) possible production rates and available work areas; variable coal prices and costs; varying management contexts; the substantial reserves available; difficulty sourcing dump space; potential rehabilitation costs and the dependence of a community of over 100 000 people on a single operation sees the LOM and mine closure teams preparing dynamic yet thoroughly robust plans that are updated on multiple occasions per year.This paper will describe the procedure followed by KPC and the potentially show stopping issues that must be dealt with.CITATION:Bennett, S M and Manege, I, ?2014. Life-of-mine planning in a dynamic environment, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2014 , pp 379–388 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 16, 2014

By H Kurth

Mining geologists utilise many technologies to map, sample, measure, model and plan before and during the mining process. Predicted ore quality rarely corresponds with feed quality determined by process operators. Objectively measuring conveyed material quality accurately in real time avoids disagreements over mined ore quality and generates opportunities to improve mill feed quality.This paper discusses the well proven PGNAA (prompt gamma neutron activation analysis) technology used in the GEOSCAN-M elemental analyser that is ideally suited to measuring composition of primary crushed conveyed material in real time. Representative, continuous, fully penetrative measurements are unaffected by particle size, belt speed, mineralogy, dust or layering on the conveyor. Material can be directed to processes or stockpiles by utilising measurement increments of typically one to five minutes and then activating diverters to direct increments to the correct location. Waste, low-grade or deleterious material can be rejected to waste dumps or stockpiled for later processing. Material meeting a product specification can bypass unnecessary processing. Paybacks in weeks have been achieved for such applications. Process operators are able to control the blend of ores fed into the mill to improve processing performance and use measurements for ore reconciliation and metal accounting. Utilising the technology to upgrade ore quality after mining and before processing is beneficial in improving plant economics.The technology has been successfully utilised in base metals, ferrous metals and industrial minerals. Mining geologists can determine ore quality being produced in real time and modify the ore quality prior to milling. Ore feed quality measurements are also used by process operators in optimising plant performance. The elemental content can help identify geometallurgical domains as well as other major changes in quality, which may affect processing. This paper outlines proven applications and case studies and proposes some innovative applications.CITATION:Kurth, H, 2017. Measuring ore quality using real-time on-belt elemental analysis – more than grade control, in Proceedings Tenth International Mining Geology Conference 2017, pp 213–220 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 20, 2017