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By L Sandery, S Light

Within 22 months of commencing decline development, the Prominent Hill Ankata Underground Project achieved its full production rate of 1.2 Mt/a.In 2010 construction of the Ankata Underground Project was approved. Decline development commenced in November 2010 and the turnout for the first sublevel was reached by August 2011. The first stoping ore was produced in the first quarter of 2012 and production was successfully ramped up to full production during the third quarter of 2012.Diamond drilling commenced in October 2011 and was conducted concurrently with the underground development. This presented challenges as mining and production targets had to be balanced with underground exploration activities. To achieve production on schedule, without adversely affecting the diamond drilling program and future development, meticulous and adaptive planning techniques were required. This included involvement from engineers, geologists, underground operators and underground diamond drillers.The granularity of these planning techniques allowed the management and prioritisation of development and diamond drilling down to an almost hourly basis. A constant flow of information from drill assay results was fed back into the planning systems. This resulted in a constantly evolving mine plan as the orebody was further refined. High priority areas were identified and targeted to allow continued development and a successful rapid ramp up to full production.CITATION:Sandery, L and Light, S, 2014. Managing the diamond drilling interactions in commissioning the Ankata underground mine, in Proceedings 12th AusIMM Underground Operators’ Conference 2014 , pp 75–80 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Mar 24, 2014

The metals titanium and zirconium and their alloys occupy individually unique positions in the catalogue of metallic materials available for engineering applications. Because of the uniqueness of their usage in the aerospace industry, in the case of titanium, and in the nuclear industry, in the case of zirconium, the except- ional resistance of both the metals to the majority of corrosive media is often overlooked. The cost factor in the application of these more exotic metals has, in the past, been a major considerat- ion in the rejection of titanium and zirconium as constructional materials in areas of usage where their superior corrosion resistance strongly favoured them over more conventional metals and alloys. The cost differential, vis-a-vis austenitic stainless steels, for example, is not a trifling matter, being of the order of 6 : 1, when compared on a weight basis. However, if one considers the cost, for, say, sheet product on an area basis, the ratio is redgced to approximately 3.4:1. If one also takes into account the enhanced performance of the more expensive material and the sub- sequent increase in service life and decrease in plant down-time, the economics of the usage of materials such as titanium becomes much more attractive and, indeed, highly competitive,

Jan 1, 1969

Recent and on-going studies on the leaching of gold, the properties and activity of carbon, developments in the elution of gold from carbon, and methods of recovering gold from solution are reviewed. Emphasis is placed on Australian contributions, and their impact on gold metallurgy. Consideration is given to the future development of selective solvent extractants, ion exchange resins or alternative reagents for cyanide.

Jan 1, 1987

By S J. Hawke, L A. Dominguez

In non-ferrous metal mining operations, it is generally necessary to crush and grind the ore to a very fine particle size to effectively liberate the contained mineral from the host rock. Fragmentation by blasting is the first stage of this comminution process.Numerous studies and independent modelling of the Mine to Mill process have demonstrated the potential for significant downstream productivity improvements from improved blast fragmentation. However, safety and environmental constraints associated with the blasting process usually limit the extent to which blast energy or powder factor can be increased.An effective blasting solution has been identified that enables the safe utilisation of powder factors several times higher than those used conventionally to provide significant improvements in fragmentation. The solution uses a static ‘blanket’ of broken rock overlying the blast to contain this increased blast energy and control rock movement. To produce this broken layer of rock, the subdrill in each blast is significantly increased to preblast (or precondition) the entire stemming region of subsequent blasts on the next mining bench.The solution has been evaluated at a large open cut poly-metallic mine in Mexico. Results from the application of this technique have shown significant improvement in run-of-mine fragmentation, with subsequent downstream productivity improvement indicated.CITATION:Hawke, S J and Dominguez, L A, 2015. A simple technique for using high energy in blasting, in Proceedings 11th International Symposium on Rock Fragmentation by Blasting, pp 321–326 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 24, 2015

By M Player, R Klug, N Schwarz

There are several technologies available for thickening and dewatering of mining process slurries. The most commonly used are thickeners and filters, but technological developments have made solid bowl decanter centrifuges a viable option and their use, as a modern and alternative technology, is being considered more and more. In terms of tailings, the main goal for all mine operations is to minimize operating costs and the environmental impact of the disposed material. The high potential risk of wet tailings storage in tailings dams is causing this technology to become unpopular, and there is a strong drive in many parts of the world, by governments, communities and environmental agencies to limit any further construction and use of such facilities. For the alternative disposal method of dry disposal of tailings, two aspects of the process have to be evaluated, namely the maximum dryness of the separated solids and the maximum liquid recovery. For most mining operations dry disposal is a new concept. Presenting these companies with examples of operations where this processing option has been successfully applied and proven, will help them to adapt to the changing requirements in the future. Focus has been placed on adapting decanter centrifuges to the mining environment. Modern decanters stand out in terms of their small footprint, low water demand, high availability and their high degree of automation, combined with the excellent cost / performance ratio. Decanter centrifuges have started to play a key role in applications such as tailing dewatering, drilling and tunnelling muds processing, hydrometallurgical processes of gold, nickel or zinc and separating crud in solvent extraction plants. This paper will present advantages of decanter centrifuges compared to the traditional technology and corroborate these advantages by case studies.

Jul 1, 2021

This paper attempts to draw together the experience of over 30 years of research and practice in the United Kingdom on the rehabilitation of abandoned metalliferous mining wastes. The reliance on water when the mines were operating has implications for water quality and the techniques used to restore sites to alleviate the principal impacts of the mines. Drivers of reclamation included concerns about human health from wind blown dust and pollution of watercourses as well as perceptions of dereliction. Techniques of reclamation used involved removal of spoil from near to surface watercourses, capping of spoil, diversion of watercourses, use of impermeable membranes, prevention of surface sinks into underground workings and the use of constructed wetlands. The issues to be dealt with in mine reclamation have become more complex and sometimes diverge. The schemes in the 1990s described have been effective in dealing with pollution from spoil heaps and small but significant adit discharges; however, significant issues, particularly those of large flows of polluted water from mine sites, still need to be dealt with. Although the paper describes the legacy of mining, which largely finished in the late 19th/early 20th century, similar issues but on a larger scale are to be found in more recent mining, for example Eastern Europe. In many of these areas minerals still remain to be won and dealing with this legacy may fall on new mining developments.

Jan 1, 2006

By M M. Pande, M Ishfaq

The effect of aluminium on nitrogen solubility was investigated by equilibrating melt comprising master alloy of Fe-Al with pure electrolytic iron in a controlled atmosphere (pure argon) at 1873 K. Nitrogen in the samples was measured by sampling technique using inert gas fusion absorptiometry. It was found that nitrogen content decreases steadily with aluminium concentration and gradually, becomes close to 1 ppm for very high aluminium steels. Wagner’s second order interaction parameter formalism has been used to estimate the equilibrium constant and interaction parameters. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigation showed, dual-phase inclusions comprising AlN phase surrounding alumina core. The 3D morphology of inclusions was studied by extracting the sample from the top and the central bottom portion of the solidified ingot. A sparse distribution of nitrogen was found for most of the inclusions which manifested the presence of almost pure alumina inclusions with different morphologies and sizes.

Jun 19, 2024

By Tozawa K, Nishimura T, Sasaki K

Liquidus surfaces in a part of the systems ZnO-PbO-Si02 and ZnO-"FeO"-SiO 2 were constructed by the quenching method. The ex- periments were carried out in air in the system ZnO-PbO-Si02. In the part investigated the primary phases were three ternary compounds (PbO.ZnOòSiO2, 2PbOòZnO.2SiO2 and barysilite), three lead silicates, Zn2SiO4 and SiO2. Iso- therms on the liquidus surface of each primary phase field were determined from 750 to 1300¦C. In the system ZnO-"FeO"-SiO 2 the experiments were carried out in an atmosphere of purified nitrogen. In the part investigated the primary phases were Fe2SiO4, Zn2SiO4 and Si02. Iso- therms on the liquidus surface of each primary phase field from 1150 to 1300¦C and the ternary eutectic (1130¦C, 15.9% ZnO, 48.2% "FeO" and 35.9% Si02) were determined.

Jan 1, 1980

By P Hogan, M Wells

Reflectance spectroscopy has become an established technique for mineral exploration and ore characterisation. However, there are few reported cases where the technique has been applied to the Hamersley Province channel iron deposits (CID). The Bonnie Creek CID, located ÿ140 km north of Newman in Western Australia, represents one of a number of CIDs recently discovered in the Hamersley Province. Reflectance spectroscopic analysis using the CSIRO HyLoggerÖ automated scanning system, in conjunction with X-ray diffraction and compositional analysis, was used to characterise and map the ore and gangue mineralogy in CID drill core. Using CSIROÆs spectral mineral characterisation scripts, it was possible to map the downhole distribution of the Fe-oxide abundance, hematite:goethite ratio and the gibbsite and kaolinite abundance. Spectral estimates of kaolinite abundance were found to be closely related to loss on ignition measurements at 650¦C and the spectral kaolinite abundance index provided a reliable estimate of the total weight percentage Al2O3 content. In addition, downhole HyLoggerÖ scanning of diamond drill core reliably mapped the distribution of kaolinite as supported by coincidentally elevated contents of alumina and silica. Furthermore, spectrally-derived estimates of iron oxide abundance were well related to assayed Fe wt per cent contents and use of the spectral iron oxide mineral index mapped the distribution of the goethite:hematite ratio, and demonstrated that material logged as high-grade ore in the Bonnie Creek CID was predominantly goethite-rich.CITATION:Wells, M and Hogan, P, 2013. Bonnie Creek channel iron deposits ore mineralogy - insights using the HyLoggerÖ technology, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2013 , pp 321-328 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 12, 2013

The exposed high face of Kerr's Quarry has dominated the township of Ferntree Gully for half a century. The near perpendicular face of bare dacite rock is a crumbling scar in an area of significant natural beauty. Apart from being unsightly, the face is a hazard for any person who approaches too close to its base or to the top edge. The height and the precipitous nature of this man made wall of rock is hazardous indeed. (fig. 1) The rock face is on the municipal boundary between the Shire of Sherbrooke and the City of Knox. This boundary was drawn when partition of the Shire of Ferntree Gully took place. There are many advantages in benching back the wall of the quarry but to do so the operation, located in Knox would need to extend into Sherbrooke. There are planning difficulties involved in such a manoeuvre, but during 1972, at a meeting of Cabinet Ministers, it was agreed that the matter be resolved.

Jan 1, 1976

By Belton G. R

The kinetics of the interfacial reaction of H2O on liquid silica-saturated iron silicates has been studied by means of measurement of the HDO-H2 isotope exchange reaction. The apparent first order rate constant, ka, was found to be inversely proportional to the H20/H2 ratio, consistent with two electron (melt to adsorbed/dissociating molecule) transfer mechanism and can be given by the expression In ka = -1.97 x 104/T + 1.57 - ln(pH2O/pH2), where the units for ka are mol cm -2 s-1 atm 1. The results of the current study are shown to be consistent with the indirect measurements of earlier work.

Jan 1, 1987

By N Donnellan

The Palaeoproterozoic Warramunga Formation is notable as the host to the enigmatic, so-called 'Tennant Creek style' mineralisation. These polymetallic (but mainly Au-Cu-Bi) ore deposits typically have a close spatial association with massive ironstone bodies, and frequently also with banded ironstone, known locally as 'haematite shale'. The Warramunga Formation is a polydeformed, turbiditic succession. Partial, or complete Bouma sequences variously comprising lithic arenite, wacke, siltstone, and mudstone constitute a classic flysch sequence deposited as a proximal (sandstone lithofacies) to distal (siltstone lithofacies) fan association. The Warramunga Formation has a substantial component of volcanic detritus and has generally been attributed to an essentially contemporaneous volcanic provenance. However, lithostratigraphic revision (Donnellan, Hussey and Morrison, in press) apparently precludes outcropping volcanic rocks of the Tennant Creek Block, or indeed Inlier, as the source of detritus. Warramunga Formation geochemistry indicates rapid derivation from a fractionated, predominately felsic igneous source (Palaeoproterozoic upper crust) with a minimum of chemical weathering; together with an admixture of mafic material. Warramunga Formation geochemistry cannot, however, be reconciled with that of the Bemborough Formation, which is here taken to be representative of Flynn Subgroup felsic volcanic rocks. Similarly, the Warramunga Formation is geochemically distinct from Flynn Subgroup sedimentary rocks. Geochemistry of the banded ironstone is consistent with its interpretation as Dine-grained turbidites.

Jan 1, 1994

Sampling and sample preparation systems at the Hamersley Iron Pty. Limited port of Dampier, W.A., were developed for two separate objectives. 1. The need for rapid determination of physical properties. On stream size analysis enables lump ore and pellet- ized ore physical properties to be monitored and controlled whilst shiploading is in progress. As a control procedure this facility allows optimum shiploading rates con sistent with physical quality control. 2. The need for accurate chemical analysis. Chemical analysis on ship- loading forms the final link in overall quality control procedures encompassing the operation of mining, railway and port blending. Thus maintenance of specification products with minimum variation in chemical characteristics is ensured.

Jan 1, 1976

By Neill T. J, Howarth D. F, Malcolm J. McPhersqn

For many years Isa Mine has seen the need for a continuous mining machine which will economically cut hard rock. Tunnel borers are unsuitable due to the size and inflexibility of the machine and the shape of excavation mined. The design of roadheader type machines will not permit the use of the necessary cutting technology. in 1983 a joint project was undertaken by The Robbins Company and Mount Isa Mines Limited to develop and to trial a machine suitable for cutting hard rock in an operating mine. The project was based on the proven technology of raiseboring applied to horizontal development. The Mobile Miner was fabricated and trialled in a disused quarry in the U.S.A. during early 1984. Following these trials, the machine was transported to Mount Isa and commenced mining in September that year. The initial duty was to continue the development of a decline commenced by conventional mining for a conveyor system to serve the deeper southern areas of the 1100 copper orebody. This system will permit direct tipping of copper ore to a new crusher complex and conveying of the - crushed ore approximately 2 kilometres to the central hoisting shaft facilities. The Robbins Mobile Miner MM120-3001 uses a vertical rotating cutting wheel mounted on a horizontal swinging boom to excavate a nominally rectangular shaped heading. The cuttings are collected on an apron and conveyed back through the machine. The resulting excavation is smooth-walled with no blasting damage to the surrounding rock. This provides a safer working environment than does conventional drill and blast development mining. Ground support requirements are considerably reduced.

Jan 1, 1986

By D Pearce

The 15-year long debate between the industry, Government and Aboriginal people about the rights and wrongs of Land Rights, the right of Aboriginal people to control development on their land and the relationship between the parties, has been long and often bitter. It has so far been a war of words and often the truth has been the first casualty. This paper looks at the debate and presents the perspective of Aboriginal people, as well as looking at how the industry and Aboriginal people can work together for everyone's benefit. It addresses such matters as: ò why Aboriginal people believe they have the right to control development on their land; ò the perception that Aboriginal people are anti-development; ò the perception that Aboriginal land is 'locked-up'; and ò how companies can negotiate with Aboriginal people.

Jan 1, 1994

By X Ma

Kaolinite is of very fine particle size in nature and thus its dispersion plays a key role in the successful removal of kaolinite in iron ore flotation and selective flocculation processes. As the most widely used dispersant in the world, sodium silicate has been used as a standard dispersant for kaolinite in the iron ore industry. However, the actual effect of sodium silicate on the colloid stability of kaolinite particles and its dispersion mechanism remain unknown in the literature. In this work, the dispersion effect and dispersion mechanisms of some common inorganic and organic dispersants, including sodium silicate, polyphosphate and a low molecular weight polyacrylic acid, on kaolinite particles were systematically investigated through electrophoretic mobility and colloidal stability studies over a wide pH range. It was found that sodium silicate-kaolinite interactions only take place in the neutral and acidic pH range, while polyacrylic acid and polyphosphate interact with kaolinite from pH 3 to 10.5. Consequently, sodium silicate only disperses kaolinite at neutral and acidic pH. In contrast, polyacrylic acid and polyphosphate disperse kaolinite from pH 3 to 10.5, with strong dispersion effect observed at neutral and acidic pH. In the iron ore industry, selective fl occulation and reverse cationic fl otation, the most widely used flotation route, are both conducted at pH 10 to 10.5. The results of the present study show that, at such high pH, polyacrylic acid and polyphosphate are more effective dispersants of kaolinite, in comparison with sodium silicate.

Jul 11, 2011

Response of a mineral to anionic and cationic flotation reagentsvaries with the nature of the mineral and the particle size. A ruleis deduced for the selection of the correct type of reagent, which leads to a simple method of testing ores to determine the possibility of separating the constituents by flotation.

Jan 1, 1963

The Western New South Wales Electric Power Proprietary Limited is the central generating authority for distribution of power to the majority of the Broken Hill mining companies and the Broken Hill Water Board. This station supplies the whole of the power to North Broken Hill Ltd and Broken Hill South Ltd. It also supplies, power to the Southern Power Corporation for distribution to the Zinc Corporation Ltd. The Southern Power Corporation has a generating station which is tied in with the central generating authority.

Jan 1, 1957

By K H. Esbensen

Sampling of grain, animal feeds (solid and liquid) including important mineral mixtures in the Danish agricultural sector is subject to an ongoing investigation with the objective of improving existing (suboptimal) sampling procedures. Results from the first six months are presented here; the project will continue for two more years and will include international collaborators (Australia and Canada). The Danish authorities have instituted a system of control analysis, which contains a set of mandated sampling and analysis methods. From a preliminary survey it was concluded that in fact all of the existing sampling procedures are not optimised in the light of Pierre GyÆs Theory of Sampling (TOS).

Jan 1, 2005

By B P. Banerjee, S Raval

In the recent past there have been dramatic advancements in the development of remote sensing platforms (satellite, aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles – UAVs) as well as sensor systems (multispectral, hyperspectral, thermal, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and radar). However, selection of the appropriate remote sensing technique for a mining application is complex and requires scrutiny on multiple scales including spatial, temporal and imaging capabilities. This presentation highlights various conventional and emerging remote sensing approaches over a mine’s life.CITATION:Banerjee, B P and Raval, S, 2016. Applications of advanced remote sensing systems during a mine life, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2016 Conference , pp 116–120 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jun 28, 2016