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By G C. Reed, J M. Murray

During more than 100 years continuous mining of the lead-zinc orebody at Broken Hill, an immense amount of geological data has been collected about shear zones related to the orebody. The challenge to current mine geologists is to synthesise and interpret these data sets in a way that is applicable to production demands. Precise knowledge of the locations of major shear zones is important not only for the determination of ground conditions but also to develop an understanding of ore remobilisation along these structures. Traditionally, geological information has been collected from drill core and back and wall mapping underground, and interpreted on sections that are approximately 20 m apart. The recent introduction of MaptekÆs Vulcan software has enabled the shear zones to be modelled in three dimensions. The new three-dimensional shear models have been combined with seismic data from the Southern Cross area. The seismic data is collected from a microseismic monitoring system installed in the Pasminco Southern Operations in August 1996 (Rauert and Tully, 1998). The addition of seismic information to the shear zone models has led to a greater degree of certainty about the shear zone locations and has provided information about shear zones in areas yet to be drilled.

Jan 1, 2000

By Alder KF

Nuclear power stations to be installed in Australia will be fuelled from Australian resources of raw materials. This will require the establishment of new manufacturing industries and the eventual expansion of established activities, especially in uranium mining and the preparation of precision metal products. This paper presents some predictions of the possible growth of nuclear power installations in Australia. These might amount to 4000 MWE by 1985 and 11,500 MWE by 1990 and towards the end of the century, about 50% of new generating plant might be nuclear. Predictions are given of the demands for materials (uranium and zirconium) and fuel manufacturing services for four reactor systems which might be considered in the programme. - The availability of raw materials and technical capability place Australia in a particularly good position to undertake the manufacture of nuclear fuel'; in addition to satisfying the domestic demand we should actively seek export markets for these products.

Jan 1, 1970

By Johns AS

Comissioning of a new residue disposal tcluding upgraded classification for none backfill preparation, new variable speed pumps and a new residue dam took place in 1¦76. The system is described.

Jan 1, 1978

In 1984/85 financial year Australia produced 529 thousand barrels per day (kbd) of crude oil. By far the major contribution (453 kbd) was light waxy oil from offshore Gippsland, Victoria. When these discoveries were made in the latter 1960s, imported oil was available in abundant supply and at low prices. Because of this, the Gippsland producers persuaded Government to control the marketing and pricing of their crude, and thus provide the required security of offtake. Political events in the middle East created supply shortages during the 1970s, and dragged up government selling prices for OPEC crude oil. Thus Arab Light crude that sold for less than US$2/barrel (bl) in 1970 reached $34/bl in 1981. Following the consequent decline in world oil demand, in 1982, Australian refiners sought to evade their obligation to lift Gippsland crude. Hence, in 1983, the Government was forced to introduce a floor quota of 385 kbd of Gippsland crude liftings and to allow producers to export any additional production refiners did not require. On expiry of the old arrangements, Government introduced a partial free market from January 1985, whereby the balance in excess of 350 kbd may be sold to Australian refiners at negotiated prices, or exported as before. In 1984/85 exports were some 90 kbd and will be higher in the current year. About half this total has been exported by BHP, providing valuable experience and lessons which are described in the paper.

Jan 1, 1986

By Klenowski G, Gilmour G. A

The Metropolitan Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Board, Perth, has recently con- structed two major sewerage tunnels in the metropolitan area and a further one is under construction. These tunnels were constructed in sand, sandstone and limestone. The Tamala Limestone is a Pleistocene calcareous dune sand which now varies in com position from loose sand to cemented rock. Investigation techniques included surface mapping, auger and diamond core drilling, seismic refraction geophysics and mechanical testing. The variable nature of the ground caused difficulties in all aspects of the investigation, particularly in core recovery and seismic work. The Beenyup Tunnel, 2.25m in diameter and 3440m long was excavated with a Dosco TBM 1800 machine and shield with precast concrete Charcon Universal bolted segment lining. The Burns Beach Sewer Tunnel, 1.27m in diameter and 860m long was hand excavated with precast reinforced concrete lining pipes jacked continuously behind an excavation

Jan 1, 1981

By J V. Lawless

Two types of low sulphidation epithermal deposits that have different gangue mineralogies and ore shoot geometries are recognised. One has laterally near-continuous ore shoots over a significant vertical interval that consist of quartz, chalcedony, pyrite, minor base metal sulphides and adularia, with electrum. The other type of deposit has discrete near-vertical ore shoots of a lesser vertical extent, that consist of quartz, pyrite, base metal sulphides, sulphosalts, electrum and in their upper parts barite, which are enclosed in veins of earlier quartz. The gold mineralisation in both deposit types is considered to be a co-precipitate of pyrite, with that in the first type of deposit produced by prolonged boiling in an upflow of a hydrothermal system (Upflow Deposits); an example is Waihi in New Zealand. The other type is produced by mixing, a deep water primed for gold deposition by prior limited boiling, with an iron-bearing oxidised condensate of the steam released by the boiling, in an outflow of a hydrothermal system (Outflow Deposits); an example is Thames in New Zealand. Early recognition of these different types of deposits can be used to develop mineralisation models of predictive value on which to focus exploration drilling. Early recognition of an Upflow Deposit promotes an extensive program to delineate the extension of the main ore shoot. In contrast recognition of an Outflow Deposit requires a more intensive approach to find individual ore shoots which, although smaller than those found in Upflow Deposits, may be high-grade, particularly if there is earlier mineralisation present to act as a protore.

Jan 1, 1999

By F Radke, P A. Tilyard

Determination of the mineralogical location (deportment) of minor and trace elements (including credit and penalty elements) in base metal concentrates can indicate whether further processing is likely to (a) reduce the levels of the penalty elements, and/or (b) direct selected elements into other plant products, thereby increasing current concentrate grade or increasing payment for credit elements. To determine the deportment of elements requires knowledge of the proportions of the minerals present and their individual element contents. In addition, knowledge of the liberation and locking is important, as this can affect any possible further processing. Mineral proportions can be determined by a variety of methods including chemical analysis, point-counting, area-counting, QEM*SEM, image analysis and mineral separation. In the case of a Broken Hill zinc concentrate, several of these methods were used and gave consistent results.

Jan 1, 1998

By Kobayashi M

Particulate chalcopyrite samples (78 ~ 98 mole per cent chalcopyrite, screen size fraction from 710 to 250 µm) were prepared by crushing and sieving lump ore samples from 12 locations in the Mt Isa Mine. Measurements of thennoelectric power (which does not involve the passage of a current) were made using a packed bed that was compressed by loading with a weight and placed in a temperature gradienL Details of the apparatus are described.The effect of particle size was investigated by preparing 12 fractions, with mean particle sizes ranging from 605 to 2.2 µm, from one of the ore samples. Values of thennoelectric power decreased with both increasing particle size and loading pressure; however it remained fairly constant for particle sizes above 80 µm, when loading pressure exceeded 3.3 MPa.Measurements of the chalcopyrite samples gave an average value of -260 JlV/K (-248 ~ -268 µV/K) for nine samples and about -290 µV/K for three samples, showing that these samples were all n-type semi-eonductors.

Jan 1, 1990

At Pasminco Mining's South concentrator. which was commissioned in 1952. an expansion. modernisation and efficiency improvement program commenced in 1986 with a coarse ore stockpile and grinding circuit expansion. the replacement of small flotation cells and the upgrading of reagent mixing and metering equipment. The program continued with the installation of a TDC 3000 based process control system (1988) and concentrate thickeners (1990). By mid-1991 a further grinding expansion and the installation of zinc flotation feed regrind ball mills and zinc recleaner column cells will be complete. leaving the use of ceramic disc fillers and development of process control strategies as probably the remaining major avenues for improved process efficiency at present.

Jan 1, 1991

The Tavua Power Proprietary Ltd. was created in 1936 for the purpose of supplying electric power, compressed air and water to the mining field.The original share capital was subscribed on a two-third:one-third basis by the Emperor Gold Mining Company Ltd. and Loloma (Fiji) Gold Mines, N.L. In 1940, Fiji Mines Development Ltd. (later changed to Dolphin Mines Ltd.) was admitted as a shareholder, and, in 1950, a further change occurred. The present shareholding in the Company is as follows:A central power station was decided upon to reticulate power and compressed air over the whole field and building commenced in May 1936.The original plant comprised three Belliss and Morcom diesel generating sets 770 b.h.p. 525 kW 3,300 V, 3 phase, 50 cycle; one Belliss and Morcom diesel compressor set 2,09'0 cu. ft. of free air per min. at 90 lb. gauge 300 r.p.m., and two small Ruston-Holman diesel compressor sets each of 525 cu. ft. capacity taken over from Loloma (Fiji) Gold Mines, N.L., and the then existing Koroere Gold Mining Company.BuildingThe original building was 130 ft. long by 47 ft. wide with an elevated switchgear annex on the west side from which a clear view of the engine room is available.

Jan 1, 1953

By K L. Avarmaa, M A. Rhamdhani, A D. P Putera, H T. B M Petrus, G A. Brooks

Multistage slag treatment was carried out to investigate boron removal from metallurgical grade silicon. Boron is known to be one of the most difficult elements to remove from silicon. Depending on boron initial concentration, boron can be removed from silicon into certain level; most previous studies have attained final 50–100 ppmw (parts per million weight) boron in the silicon using slag treatment. The term ‘multistage’ refers to a process where the resulting silicon from the initial slag treatment is further refined multiple times using a new slag. In this study, an initial slag composition of 45CaO-45SiO2-10Al2O3 (wt per cent) was utilised. Using this technique, boron level in the silicon was expected to be gradually lowered because the new slag will always have more capacity to reach the equilibrium distribution coefficient (LB = (ppmwB)slag/(ppmwB)Si). The current study was carried out through combined thermodynamic calculations (using FactSage™ ver 8.2, by Thermfact Ltd, thermochemical package) and high-temperature experimentation. The thermodynamic calculations were carried out for reactions at 1500, 1550, and 1600°C for three different scenarios: 1. Single stage refining with varied slag to Si ratio. 2. Multistage refining with slag to Si ratio of 1:1. 3. Multistage refining with slag to Si ratio of 2:1. The multistage experimental work was carried out at 1550°C under inert gas atmosphere each time for 2 hrs, with slag to Si ratio of 2:1. The simulation results indicate that the boron distribution coefficient stay essentially constant with varying slag to Si ratio and temperature, around 1.8 to 2, and the experimental results measured LB in the same range, between 1.5 and 2.5. By harnessing this feature, the simulation showed that boron can be removed by approximately 78 per cent in each stage. The experimental result confirmed that the boron concentration in the silicon was reduced by a total of 97.8 per cent from its initial value using four stages of slag treatment, from initial 270 ppmw down to 6 ppmw.

Aug 21, 2024

By Kentwell D. J, Cusak C. J, Harvey-Kelly F. E L, M D. Goodz

The Morning Star Gold Mine presents an example of a prolific operation with considerable historical records, mine workings, drill hole logs and countless plans from greater than 20 adjacent mines which have now been consolidated to form the current project. Implementation of 3D computer modelling in the planning stages has provided an additional tool to integrate and refine geological models as a guide to some exploration strategies. It has allowed for a re- interpretation of the host rock units, dimensional constraints, new exploration extensions and provisional resource modelling. The initial consideration of this project was to integrate 135 years of mining history into a single database. Each historic mining area had an unrelated mine grid, often established parallel to the long axis of their main stopes; some were based on magnetic or true north. Survey plans were in chain, imperial or metric units. Through the manipulation and rotation of old grids, previously unrelated mine workings began to form continuous mineralised zones, with unmined portions still remaining in between the existing development. Furthermore the current drillhole database of >433 holes showed numerous confirmatory intersections of new mineralisation. A series of tiered tables were created within a relational database to derive guidelines for assessing data to attribute a Mineral Prospectivity Value [MPV] based on key indicators of mineralisation. Indicator logging now forms the basis of geological descriptions.

Jan 1, 1997

By R Higashi, D Maruoka, T Murakami, Y Iwami

The ironmaking industry consumes a large amount of fossil fuel derived carbon as heat source, reducing agent of iron ores and carburising agent of reduced iron. Although the demand for drastic decrease of carbon dioxide emission, carbon is an essential element for smelting process of molten iron. The carbon recycling ironmaking process by circulating CO has been already proposed to achieve carbon neutrality. However, the production of molten hot metal is not considered in this process because sufficient amount of carbon does not dissolve in reduced iron by CO. Therefore, our group has suggested a new carbon recycling ironmaking process which can produce hot metal. In this process, free carbon and iron carbides produced by carbon deposition reaction using metallic iron as a catalyst are used. It is known that only Fe3C is obtained as iron carbide by using CO gas, however, Fe5C2 is also produced by adding H2 gas. The composite agglomerated with these carbonaceous materials and fine iron ore (Deposited Carbon-Iron oxide Composite: DCIC) is reduced and melted in a furnace. It is reported that Fe3C in DCIC accelerates the reduction reaction and melting of the composite. In this study, the effects of iron carbides and free carbon on the melting behaviour of DCIC are investigated. Fe3C, Fe5C2 and free carbon were produced by vapour deposition using porous iron whiskers and CO-CO2-H2 gas. These were agglomerated with hematite reagent at a certain ratio to prepare DCIC samples with and without Fe5C2. The samples were heated up to 1300°C in inert atmosphere. The DCIC containing Fe5C2 completely melted and iron nuggets were obtained after the experiment. This behaviour was not observed in the composite without Fe5C2. This indicates that using Fe5C2 is more preferable than Fe3C for molten iron production using DCIC.

Jun 19, 2024

By P J. Terbrugge

The concept of vertical pit mining has been developed as an alternative mining method for the exploitation from surface of small, vertical or near-vertical, massive orebodies down to depths of some 200 m, where ore extraction from conventional open pit excavations is rendered uneconomic due to high associated waste:ore mining ratio. Systematic lateral support maintains vertical pit sides, thereby minimising waste mining volumes. Stability analysis techniques have been developed for design of this lateral support, with the support quantum, primarily comprising long cable anchors, dependent upon country rock strength characteristics and pit configuration. Where the cost of support is less than the cost of the comparable conventional pit waste excavation, vertical pit mining becomes an economically viable alternative, additionally providing the benefit of reduced environmental impact and rehabilitation requirements for the mining area. The technique has been successfully applied for the mining of a chrome deposit in Zimbabwe to an 80 m depth, believed to be unique in the world, and a full feasibilty study for a 3000 m2 diamond pipe has been carried out for mining to 200 m depth.

Jan 1, 2000

Quantitative probabilistic ecological risk assessment has been used to evaluate the likely effect on fish diversity and abundance of filtered and bioavailable metals in streamwater affected by acid drainage from the abandoned and remediated Rum Jungle U/Cu mine in the Northern Territory of Australia. The water quality was determined using monitoring data from a gauging station on the East Branch of the Finniss River, downstream of the mine site, and modelled assuming a number of potential water quality management options. The management options ranged from no action, through some flushing options to full catch and treatment of contaminated seepage from the waste rock heaps. The computer code AQUARISK was used to undertake the analyses. Critical criteria for contaminant water concentrations at the site, derived from probability density functions of available fish ecotoxicology data, were found to closely approximate the regulatory trigger values for the contaminants of concern. Modelled predictions of reduced diversity and abundance were also in good agreement with in situ biodiversity measures. Based on a reasonable target of 67 per cent species tolerance for this heavy impacted site, it was found that none of the low cost options for wastewater management was acceptable. Combinations of two of the options approached acceptability. Both of the catch and treat options exceeded the arbitrary acceptability target well. This implied that the more expensive option of liming to pH 10 might be unnecessary at this site. Thus, the use of ecological risk assessment modelling has proven useful in undertaking cost-benefit analyses for this site. The approach provides a management decision-making tool that can be economically used to link expensive on-site environmental engineering options with site-specific ecological goals rather than the previous nebulous aims of æreduced contaminant loadÆ or æimproved biodiversityÆ that often resulted in excessive expenditure without achieving successful environmental benefit.

Jan 1, 2003

By K Knorr, S Birch

The mineralogy of new certified-reference-materials (CRM) for X-ray fluorescence from Western Australia (ASCRM 030 to 035) was analysed by X-ray diffraction using the BRUKER energy dispersive one-dimensional detector LYNXEYE-XE. The samples were studied using standard-less quantitative phase analysis, based on the Rietveld method. This method delivers the relative amount of crystalline phases. All materials were found to be high-grade iron ore predominantly consisting of hematite and goethite and very low amounts of magnetite. In addition, the gangue mineralogy was characterised. It consists of low-per cent amounts of carbonate (siderite/calcite), quartz, kaolinite, chlorite and gibbsite.Furthermore, all samples were analysed with the external standard method. This is an elegant way to probe for amorphous content without adding an internal standard. All six samples were found to contain up to 16 per cent amorphous or nano-crystalline material.CITATION:Knorr, K and Birch, S, 2013. Mineralogy of new Australian x-ray fluorescence standards, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2013 , pp 269-274 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 12, 2013

The Lihir deposit in Papua New Guinea (PNG) contains an estimated mineable reserve of 454t (14.6M oz) of gold in refractory sulphide ore. The Lihir Joint Venture has submitted a proposal to the PNG Government to develop an open pit mine and to install a process plant and associated infrastructure facilities on Lihir Island. The proposed process plant will employ whole-ore pressure oxidation technology, has a design capacity of 2.825Mt/a of ore containing 7.20 sulphide sulphur, and is expected to average 19.3t/a (620,000 oz/a) in gold production during its first 12 years of operation.An extensive program of process development testwork and feasibility engineering was completed to establish the process plant design for the Lihir Project. Summary results of this test-work as well as key design criteria, the process flowsheet, and major equipment selected for the commercial plant are presented and discussed.

Jan 1, 1994

By P Corbett, P Sheffield

Springvale Mine is an underground coal mine in the western coalfield of New South Wales which utilises retreat longwall mining technique. The mine encountered significant gateroad floor heave issues during retreat of LW415. Floor heave has subsequently impeded longwall advance as well as longwall bolt up and recovery to some extent during the extraction of the next five longwalls. Floor heave at Springvale Mine develops throughout the lifecycle of the mine roadways, and is most prevalent in longwall gateroads. Floor heave has been measured as early as 2 weeks after roadway development and continues to develop through the post-development phase, with a rapid increase in close proximity to the longwall face. This paper presents a case study of the evolution of understanding of floor heave behaviour at Springvale Mine based on geotechnical characterisation, an intensive convergence monitoring program (roof and floor movement) and spatial correlation of monitored locations with longwall face position. The analysis considers previously known factors contributing to floor heave including mining depth, geological and physical properties of the rock mass and mine design geometry. Investigation results indicate a strong correlation between floor heave magnitude and roof dilation magnitude, geophysically inferred faulting in underlying strata, areas of localised stress concentration and mine roadway dimensions. This paper also discusses the predictive model which was developed as a result of the study, which is now the basis of the floor heave removal program used to manage roadway convergence at the mine. Floor heave monitoring, prediction and management strategies (including floor reinforcement and removal) are also discussed. CITATION:Sheffield, P and Corbett, P, 2018. Managing floor heave in an underground longwall coal mine, in Proceedings The Fourth Australasian Ground Control in Mining Conference (AusRock), pp 78–94 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 30, 2018

By Nakahiro Y, Wakamatsu T

In the present study, from experimental results, a new concept of possibility of flotation separation of quartz from feldspar is presented. The effect of the nonionic surfactant Brij 58 on the flotation behaviour of quartz and feldspar has been investigated. The effect of the surfactant adsorption at the solid-liquid interface was also studied. The results demonstrate that maximum flotability of quartz occurred at low concentration of surfactant. Feldspar is not collected by this surfactant. Flotation tests with feldspar that had previously been subjected to leaching by hydrochloric acid yielded similar flotation response as that of quartz. The effect of removal of alkali cations from feldspar surface on its flotability was investigated. The effects of inorganic and organic additives on the flotation recovery of quartz are discussed in terms of the slating-out or salting-in properties of these additives. KEYWORDS: Alkyl polyoxyethylene; feldspar; flotation; nonionic surfactant; quartz; salting-in; salting-out; separation; silanol groups.

Jan 1, 1993

By S S Solomons

In 1991 the uranium spot market price dropped to approximately US$7/Ib U308, a historical low in real terms and the short-term outlook for the industry in the next five years was grim. At this time the Ranger operation was producing uranium concentrate at its design capacity of approximately 3 000 tonnes/year. The loss of two major long-term contracts owing to price and reduced power utility demand due to excess inventories meant that the company could not match production to sales. Continuance at this production level would have resulted in a rapid buildup of product inventory and the tie-up of significant cash reserves. After analysing various options, an innovative operating strategy was devised such that production and sales were approximately balanced without a significant impact on the unit production cost or a long term effect on the plant or operation. A campaign mining/milling operation commenced and approximately 40 per cent of the workforce were retrenched. Multi-skilling of all employees was a critical aspect of ensuring a successful outcome. This paper examines the strategy and reports on the success of the operation two years after the restructuring exercise was effected in November 1991.

Jan 1, 1994