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By H Arvidson, J Vann

When only wide-spaced drilling is available, for example at concept, prefeasibility and feasibility stages, properly implemented linear estimation (including ordinary kriging) predicts grade tonnage relationships that are over-smoothed compared to final production estimates (and production). Non-linear estimation and conditional simulation are alternative geostatistical approaches that can provide more reliable estimates of the recoverable tonnage and grade from wide-spaced drilling. Non-linear estimation and conditional simulation have been rarely used on iron ore deposits. However, these techniques have had wide application in other commodities such as gold and base metals. Conditional simulation has been used in the iron ore industry (eg Guibal et al, 1997); however, its use here is outlined as a means of generating non-linear estimates, not just its use for variability and drill spacing analysis. As a rule, regardless of commodity, the decision to use non-linear geostatistics will necessitate increased skills and require more time. This decision must therefore be justified in terms of cost-benefit. Such cost-benefit analysis is not straightforward, and to help an approach for determining when linear estimates are inadequate is presented. Recommend in this paper is a well-established non-linear geostatistical approach, the global ædiscrete Gaussian modelÆ (DGM) of change of support, as a tool to establish whether moving from linear to non-linear estimates will materially improve estimate results. Also discussed is the additional use of DGM as a block model validation tool. One specific factor contributing to the lack of application of non-linear geostatistical methods in iron is the added difficulties that arise when conditional simulation and non-linear estimates are required to reproduce the numerous and often important correlations between variables in iron ore deposits. Consequently, presented in the paper is a synoptic review of non-linear estimation and simulation methodologies applicable to correlated variables.

Jan 1, 2007

By W P. Breytenbach

"The phased application of statistical process control (SPC) infers that processes are classifiable as pre-SPC (or phase zero), phase I and phase II processes, with different objectives being pursued in the different phases. Phase zero processes, defined as processes affected by assignable causes of variation, are characterised as follows: out-of-control with unknown autocorrelation structure having an unknown statistical distribution not performing consistently on target with minimum variability potentially incapable of conforming to the product specifications. The objectives of phase I SPC is to obtain estimates of the mean (µ), variance (s2), probability density function (f(X)) and the autocorrelation structure, as well as transforming the process into a phase II process (defined as a process conforming to specifications and performing on target with minimum variability). As in any other type of research or pragmatic improvement intervention, sampling is required is to achieve these objectives. The challenge of deciding a phase I sampling plan is multifarious since it has to cope with the aforementioned effects of assignable causes and provide for rigour estimates of the unknown parameters. Furthermore, deciding sampling plans in phase I invariably presents a classical catch-22 situation: appropriate sampling is required to determine the autocorrelation structure of a variable, but knowledge of the autocorrelation structure is required to formulate an appropriate sampling plan. This paper suggests, for random variables, guidelines to formulate sampling plans, and presents a methodology to estimate the inherent process parameters of process variables and an approach to identify assignable causes in phase I. CITATION:Breytenbach, W P, 2014. Rational sampling and standard deviations for random variables in phase i application of statistical process control, in Proceedings Sampling 2014, pp 141–154 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Jul 29, 2014

By B Belle, M Biffi

Cooling of coal mines in the Bowen Basin, characterised by steep geothermal gradient, is presently achieved mostly through rental surface bulk air cooling in summer months. This paper argues that future mines will be required to focus their cooling resources more intensively to manage a challenging thermal environment where virgin coal temperatures of over 50¦C at a depth of 500 m are expected. Currently, mine cooling systems are employed to maintain the wet bulb temperatures (WBT) to below 27¦C at which point the risks of heat stroke or other heat-related issues are manageable. The capacities of these systems are in the range of 6 MWR to 10 MWR. The relationship between high working temperature environments and injury frequency rates is well established. Therefore, provision of appropriate cooling strategies and understanding their optimum performance and suitability are important to Australian coal mines of the future. This paper evaluates the underground temperature profiles of deep, gassy coal mines with propensity for spontaneous combustion and proposes the long-term cooling pathways to effectively manage thermal hazards. Thermodynamic modelling is performed on a longwall face and includes air leakage effects from goaf streams at various locations along the longwall face. The strategy summarises the application of underground bulk air cooling, chilled water sprays on the shearer and the resulting temperature profiles. Considering the new mining projects planned for the Bowen Basin region, a review of implementable cooling strategies such as mid-gate mobile bulk air coolers (BACs), spot coolers, underground bulk air cooling and the use of chilled water to enhance the positional efficiency of cooling plants, are discussed in this paper. Finally, the comparison of ærentalÆ versus æownershipÆ of cooling plants is analysed as part of long-term cooling strategies.CITATION:Belle, B and Biffi, M, 2013. Cooling pathways for deep Australian longwall coal mines of the future, in Proceedings The Australian Mine Ventilation Conference , pp 223-236 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 1, 2013

By D J. Brake

The risk from fire remains one of the most serious of underground mine disaster scenarios. The impacts of mine fires on the underground ventilation system and the production of toxic gases have been difficult to model and therefore assessments have relied largely on empirical data, historical precedent and subjective opinions. Underground fire modelling software has had limited availability and been technically challenging and time consuming to use especially for routine mine investigations. There has also been no well-accepted set of assumptions for fire modelling in mines, which has resulted in a lack of confidence in adopting its use more widely. This paper describes modelling of three critical fire scenarios in underground hard rock mines: a fire (LHD) in an underground diesel refuelling facility, a fire in an underground explosives magazine and a fire on an underground ore transport conveyor. Modelling was undertaken using VentsimÆs VentFIREÖ fire simulation module. It describes the basis of design, the key assumptions, the methodology used and provides examples of the outputs, conclusions and recommendations. It reviews the impacts of these fires on egress and entrapment strategies in the mine. Some general principles regarding improvements to ventilation circuit design based on this analysis are also recommended. Whilst the fire scenarios were based on actual case studies, they have been disguised for this paper.CITATION:Brake, D J, 2013. Fire modelling in underground mines using Ventsim Visual VentFIRE software, in Proceedings The Australian Mine Ventilation Conference , pp 265-276 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 1, 2013

By R Schmitt, Y Ghorbani, I McElroy, N J. Bolin, M Parian

Aitik is a large copper porphyry type deposit located in northern Sweden, currently exploited at an annual rate of approximately 45 Mt. The ore’s exceptionally low head grade of 0.25 per cent Cu and varying degrees of hardness across the entire deposit pose challenges to the two fully autogenous grinding lines, each of which comprises a primary autogenous mill in series with a pebble mill. The variability in ore grindability frequently leads to fluctuations in mill throughput. Within the framework of a geometallurgical approach, the present study investigated the relationships between ore grindability and modal mineralogy. For this purpose, drill core samples from different lithologies were subjected to Boliden AB’s in-house grindability tests. This fully autogenous laboratory-scale test generates a grindability index mainly related to abrasion breakage, which is a significant breakage mechanism within autogenous mills. The test results suggested divergent degrees of grindability within and across the selected rock types. A combination of scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and X-ray fluorescence analyses was performed for the grinding products and bulk mineral samples. The resulting mineralogical and elemental properties were subsequently correlated to the parameters from the grindability tests. It was shown that the main mineral phases, such as plagioclase, quartz, and micas, correlate well with the grindability indices. Similar correlations were found regarding the sample’s chemical composition, attributable to the main mineral phases. A further inverse correlation was established between the sample’s calculated average Mohs hardness and the grindability indices. Moreover, mineral liberation information provided by scanning electron microscopy was associated with the parameters mentioned earlier. The identified relationships between grindability, modal mineralogy, and element grades may help Boliden develop a predictive throughput model for Aitik based on the mine’s block model.

Aug 24, 2022

By R Brake

The Enterprise Mine (EM) is located at Mount Isa and is wholly owned by Mount Isa Mines Limited (MIM). This high-grade copper mine extends from about 1000 m below surface to almost 2000 m below surface. A recent $400 million upgrade has taken the operation from a production rate of 1.3 Mtpa to a capacity of 3.5 Mtpa. The effects of high surface ambient temperatures in summer, combined with the depth of the mine and high virgin rock temperatures results in heat stress in the working place that, without intervention, would exceed the levels that human physiology can withstand. It would also result in significant decreases in productivity and high accident rates even where work is possible. Moreover, with a very hot and deep mine, the needs of æegressÆ and entrapment of workers during a mine emergency must be carefully considered. Enterprise Mine has taken a æsystems approachÆ to the issue of working productively, healthily and safely in heat. This involves setting limits of thermal stress for workers, understanding productivity decrements when working in heat, establishing productive and healthy environmental targets, developing engineering solutions to meet these targets, creating a well-educated workforce with respect to working in heat and then developing health protocols to ensure workersÆ health is protected. Refrigeration must be added to the mine to provide acceptable and productive conditions underground. By the time the mine is commissioned in 2000, Enterprise mine will have an installed refrigeration capacity of in excess of 40 MW(R). The ventilation engineering principles proven over many years at the other Isa underground mines are tailored to æfloodingÆ the mine with air to remove the heat, which is the main contaminant. This principle will not work at the Enterprise Mine, for reasons discussed below. With the underlying ventilation principle no longer satisfactory, a complete review of the entire ventilation principles and engineering solutions was required for the Enterprise Mine.

Jan 1, 2000

By W Patton

Investment decisions in the mineral resources sector are made on the basis of an assessment of the economic potential for a mineral deposit. Given the supporting information for the location, scale, and quantity of the commodity of interest, miners and investors aim to make risk-informed decisions when considering further investment. The objective of resource classification is the synthesis of various types and quantities of geologic information used in resource model construction to assign confidence categories to the estimated mineral resources, which can then be used to support informed economic decisions. In this paper a risk-based classification scheme for iron ore mineral resources using conditional simulations is presented. The method involves categorisation of each block according to a confidence level, considering expected recoveries from a kriging model over mining production volumes. The realisations of the simulated model are used to assign risk-based confidence categories to zones of the ore deposit. One motivation for this work is to assess the sensitivity of the scheme to geologic uncertainties. Specifically, that which uncertainty in the layout of mineralising alterations and weathering overprints influence variabilities of associated rock properties and the likelihood of obtaining expected ore recoveries. It is shown these risks have material implications for a project’s economic potential. How the scheme can be extended to the grade control context and the value subsequent grade control activities is also quantified.

May 24, 2023

By A Minchinton

With blasting, all far-field phenomena including, but not limited to, stress wave propagation, fracture, vibration and muck pile formation are intrinsically and irrevocably dependent upon near-field phenomena or mechanisms that we describe using physics-based mathematics typically transcribed into computer codes. The energetics involved in such near- to far-field transitions are not fundamentally relevant as they are simply progenitors of these processes.The notion of explosive energy as a descriptor for explosive or blasting performance is a case in point. These energies, which are generally used in blasting tables, are almost exclusively based on ideal detonation theory alone and do not include the influence of the rock, charge diameter, blasthole length and the late-time dynamic expansion that can be predicted using codes based on non-ideal detonation theory.With decoupled charges in presplits for example, the pressure drop between the charge and the blasthole wall can be simply described to first order using the energy relationship associated with adiabatic expansion. However, a more realistic mechanistic solution involves interacting fluids and turbulence leading to dynamic processes such as the channel effect.CITATION:Minchinton, A, 2015. On the influence of fundamental detonics on blasting practice, in Proceedings 11th International Symposium on Rock Fragmentation by Blasting, pp 41–54 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 24, 2015

By H Sichani-Teimouri, B N. Noller, J C. Ng, R N. Alsaadi, P L. Breuer, S Shini

Cyanide has been used for over a century worldwide for gold extraction. However, the presence of several metals and metalloids in ore requires greater amount of cyanide for an efficient gold recovery due to their solubilisation in conjunction with gold. The extraction residues are discharged into tailing storage facilities (TSFs) and may cause bird mortality if there is exposure to cyanide-bearing wastewater exceeding the toxic threshold. The toxicity arises from free cyanide released from weak acid dissociable (WAD) cyanide complexes. The International Cyanide Management Code (ICMC) has deemed 50 mg/L of WAD cyanide released into TSFs to be safe for wildlife protection. However, this concentration is based on observations of an apparent lack of toxicity rather than a toxicological approach. The National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) identified in 2010 that there is a lack of toxicity data to properly assess the environmental significance of cyanide levels at gold mines. Lack of knowledge for the toxicity of free cyanide and metal cyanide complexes to wildlife led to consider alternative direct assessment techniques for designating safe levels. Whilst toxicity may be assessed by using young chickens with animal ethics approval, the traditional bioassay approach to assess cyanide toxicity is impractical for gold mine TSFs. Bioassays using algal species such as Euglena gracilis, a unicellular alga, are widely used for ecotoxicological studies. A unique feature is that the Euglena gracilis Z cell has plant-like while SMZ cell has animal-like characteristics. The aims of this project are to evaluate the suitability of Euglena gracilis Z and SMZ strains to assess the toxicity of free cyanide and both strong (cobalt) and weak (zinc, copper and nickel) acid dissociable metal-cyanide complexes that may be present in TSFs.CITATION:Noller, B N, Ng, J C, Shini, S, Breuer, P L, Sichani-Teimouri, H and Alsaadi, R N, 2014. Development of a toxicity approach to evaluate free cyanide and metal cyanide complexes in waters associated with gold and other mining, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2014 , pp 573–590 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 16, 2014

This paper presents an overview of a program PC-BC developed for application to the design and evaluation of block cave operations. Conventional mine planning software tools are not well suited to the evaluation of this type of deposit. The paper looks at the modelling approach as applied to a block cave mining project. The following steps are described:Initial preparation of data including block models, draw point footprint geometry and draw cone geometry. Computation of individual draw point reserves. Procedure for modelling of vertical mixing of material within each draw point and subsequent determination of the best height of draw for each draw point based upon an economic cut-off value. Smoothing of draw heights amongst neighbouring draw points to produce a realistic draw envelope. Mineable reserves within the envelope are then computed. Tools for preparation and evaluation of various production schedules. This includes definition of draw rates, and rates for commissioning new draw points. In an operating mine, the capture and analysis of daily draw tonnages is important. How PC-BC accommodates this is described as well as the processes for depleting the draw column reserves. In the 12 years since the program was first developed, it has been used on a number of projects for feasibility studies and operating mines. Some practical examples of the use of the program in these projects are presented. Finally, some commentary on the sensitivity of various parameters is presented. Particular emphasis is placed on the overall footprint design.

Jan 1, 2000

A belt of serpentinized ultrabasic rocks intrudes a moderately folded geosynclinal sequence of fine to coarse sediments, acid, intermediate, and basic volcanics as well as a batholithic mass of granitic rocks. The ultrabasic body contains small included masses of melanocratic and leucocratic rocks, together with chromium, copper, zinc, and nickel mineralization.

Jan 1, 1969

Landscape interpretation, geology and mining history is being successfully used to explore options for sustainable community tourism product development. Recent work by the author in Europe and Australia has indicated the value of adding and producing interpretive information about mine and quarry locations - both active and inactive. This work has allowed for the branding and development of new sustainable community tourism products based on the landscape, folklore, mine and geological heritage.   Communities in rural areas are seeking new opportunities to sustain their local economies. Using a relatively new phenomenon called geotourism as a starting point; they have developed themed products connected to walking/cycling guides, interpretive panels and visitor centres. These themes can be linked to geology, archaeology, botany, local history and to industrial heritage sites such as old mines, to generate local employment. This new geotourism approach has successfully brought a new and greater audience to discover the value of geology and mining history.   Communities have established a unique place for themselves within the tourism marketplace using the geotourism brand. Other communities with an established tourism product are also now using geological and mine heritage via geotourism to rebrand and meet changing global trends. The pooling of resources under the banner of geotourism has led to cost effective marketing, targeting and promotion of products.   Geotourism has emerged strongly in Europe, North America and China in the last decade. The Australian minerals industry now has an opportunity to implement this new branding concept to assist and benefit the communities in which they run their activities. Communities can also take advantage of the potential to develop a sustainable geotourism business around a past or present mineral industry in their vicinity.

Jun 1, 2010

By Y Chen, G Xu, B Albijanic

High concentrations of airborne coal particles is the main reason leading to health and safety hazards in underground coalmines. Water spray is one of the effective methods to suppress coal particles in mine sites, but the use of plain water is not effective enough to capture coal particles. By adding surfactants, coal wettability can be improved which will increase the coal dust suppression efficiency. In this study, a modified sink test was employed to evaluate coal wettability in the presence of two anionic surfactants: sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS). Sink rates were calculated by measuring sink weight over test time. Different surfactant concentrations (0.01 per cent, 0.05 per cent, 0.1 per cent, 0.2 per cent and 0.4 per cent) and two types of water (tap water and deionised water) were selected to investigate coal wettability over three size ranges (0–38, 53–75 and 75–90 µm). The results show that both SDS and SDBS surfactants can lower the water surface tension and improve coal wetting performance. Sink rates increased as the surfactant concentration increased, and surfactant solutions prepared by tap water performed better than deionised water in enhancing coal wettability. Also, coal wettability varied for different coal particle sizes; the smaller coal particles were, the worse the wettability they possessed.CITATION:Chen, Y, Xu, G, Wang, R and Albijanic, B, 2017. Study on coal wettability for dust suppression in the presence of surfactants by sink test, in Proceedings Australian Mine Vent Conference 2017, pp 105–110 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 28, 2017

Some design and feasibility studies have been made into possible methods of economic recovery of sulphur from smelter gases emitted at Western Mining Corporation's Nickel smelter at KalgoorIie in Western Australia. The smelter discharges some 330 000 tonne/yr of sulphur dioxide in a stream of approximately 6 per cent by volume of S02.Three possible recovery methods have been considered:1. The manufacture of sulphuric acid using the contact process.2. The concentration of sulphur dioxide to a pure form using dimethyl aniline as an absorbing medium.3. The reduction to elemental sulphur using natural gas as the reducing agent.Design studies were carried out by final year chemical engineering undergraduate students at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in 1981 under the supervision of the author and other teaching staff of the chemical engineering department. These studies indicate that sulphuric acid manufacture is the economically preferred recovery route.Markets for sulphuric acid include several potential mineral processing applications and the established fertiliser industry.Sulphuric acid is currently manufactured in a number of plants located at coastal regions of Western Australia using imported sulphur. The sulphuric acid is then used for superphosphate or titanium dioxide pigment manufacture at adjacent plants.The possibility is considered of manufacturing superphosphate at Kalgoorlie from locally produced acid obtained from the smelter gases and from phosphate rock railed to the site from the coast. The advantages of such a scheme include improved scale and technology of operation compared with some existing coastal operations, use of a waste material to replace imported sulphur, and avoidance of costs and hazards associated with railing large quantities of sulphuric acid.

Jan 1, 1983

The key to the successful debt funding of a new mining project, whether in economically established or developing nations, is the submission of a comprehensive feasibility study. The feasibility study forms the basis from which the resource banker can construct financial models which govern the amount of available funds, the conditions which control the supply of such funds and the time period over which the loan may be repaid. The bank will wish to ensure that the feasibility study is the best representation and confirmation of reality possible because this model is the basis of the loan security package. Thus the study will be vigorously interrogated by independent experts in all its elements including the ore reserve, mineability, metallurgy, operating and capital cost profile, environmental factors and management. A well constructed feasibility study, undertaken by well recognised and respected independent consultants can save the client company a great deal of real and opportunity costs especially in relation to project timing. Once constructed and operating, the mining project may face one or more completion tests in relation to the loans provided. The genetics of such tests often relate to either the ability of the operating company to become solely responsible for the repayment of the loan or to be rewarded by lower interest rates or some other mechanism. Strong professionalism, accessible records, good checking procedures and high quality, competent site management will greatly assist the client company passing these tests. A record of well established technical competence with its bankers may well assist a company in the establishment of a mezzanine loan for the early development of its next project, thus allowing an earlier return of dividends to shareholders.

Jan 1, 1995

By G J. Corbett, P Magner, M McKenzie

Structures formed during ductile deformation have been reactivated during the later brittle mineralisation process. Two generations of folding are classified as: early recumbent megascopic FI folds and FI shears which transpose the hinge regions, and later upright F2 folds. S1 is folded about F2 folds which contain axial planar S2 crenulation cleavage. Vergence relationships between S1 and bedding indicate that many of the mineralised structures occupy sites of FI folds which have acted as plumbing systems for later gold mineralisation (eg Blackwater mine). The Globe-Progress gold mineralisation is localised by a major jog formed by sinistral strike-slip movement on two FI fault segments and mineralisation also occurs in smaller jogs along strike (eg Sir Francis Drake, Happy Valley-Merrijigs, Cumberland).   The lodes of ribbon quartz which exploit the FI shears and local bedding planes, are inferred to have mostly formed after the peak of metamorphism, possibly related to the emplacement of Carboniferous granites. This was followed by a sequence of vein deposition and wallrock alteration which consists of quartz-As/Fe sulphides ? carbonate - stibnite ¦ trace base metal sulphides and Bi-sulphosalts ? illitic clay/sericite-chlorite. Gold at Globe-Progress is mainly encapsulated in arsenopyrite. At Blackwater, free high fineness gold occurs in partings in lode quartz with late sericite-chlorite. The above sequence of events is comparable to that encountered in many intrusion-related gold systems throughout the Southwest Pacific region. There is a spatial relationship between gold mineralisation and dykes variably described as diabase, dolerite or lamprophyre. Alkaline rocks occur in many Pacific rim and older goldfields and may possibly be related to a magmatic source for gold mineralisation.

Jan 1, 1997

By D Connelly

There is now a new generation of mobile crushing and screening plant systems available which have been developed based on the motivation of reducing truck haulage. Newly designed mobile crushing and screening plant systems have the advantages of mobility, flexibility, economy and reliable performance, making this system very appealing for small- to medium-sized projects or projects where a number of resources are separated by distance.A brief review of the past history and experience with transportable crushing plants provides an insight into some of the issues with transportable plants in mineral processing. A closer look at a simple model based on exploiting small but high-grade orebodies suggests the concept has merit, however there are many more engineering, logistics, legal, technical and management aspects which have limited the application of such a concept in the resource sector. This paper explores the concept in detail and endeavours to analyse the preferred commodities and scenarios under which the concept could be used and the economic and logistical limitations for iron ore. The paper also looks at the risk assessment criteria to be applied in selecting the type of resource projects where the model could be applied successfully. Other aspects considered in this paper are the project planning requirements, technical and economic feasibility, bankability and operability. Reference is made to the operating experience of contractors at a number of sites and feedback from the resource companies as managers of the projects.CITATION:Connelly, D, 2013. Mobile crushing and screening plant applications for small- to medium-sized iron ore projects, in Proceedings Iron Ore 20 13, pp 349-354 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 12, 2013

By M I. Pownceby, S Hapugoda, V Nunna

Deposits of low-grade iron ores containing abundant goethite are distributed across the world. A common difficulty associated with beneficiating goethitic-rich ores is the poor liberation characteristics of the iron-bearing minerals which often contain finely disseminated gangue minerals such as kaolinite, gibbsite and quartz. Microwave-assisted heating has been proposed as an effective way of inducing dehydroxylation and associated mineral transformations in order to beneficiate low-grade goethitic ores. In this research, the mineral transformations occurring in a low-grade goethite-rich sample using microwave radiation was studied. Roasting conditions (up to 1000°C and under various CO/CO2 gas atmospheres) were designed to generate a magnetic product from a goethite-rich, reject waste stream sample sourced from an iron ore processing site in the Pilbara, Western Australia. Conditions (T, pO2) for transforming the raw material from hydrated goethite to hematite and eventually to magnetite are presented. Chemical and mineralogical characterisation of the raw material and roast products were conducted using X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques to identify the mineralogical and chemical changes occurring during the heat treatment. Further steps are suggested to optimise the microwave-assisted magnetising roasting and correlate it with the application of magnetic separation techniques to maximise the efficiency of upgrading the iron content in low-grade iron ores.CITATION:Nunna, V, Hapugoda, S and Pownceby, M I, 2017. Study of microwave-assisted magnetising roasting and mineral transformation of low-grade goethite iron ores, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2017, pp 575–582 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 24, 2017

By A Parbhakar-Fox, B G. Lottermoser

Management of solid mine wastes, particularly waste rock, requires careful planning to reduce the likelihood of sulfide oxidation, and generation of acid rock drainage (ARD). Waste management strategies must focus on obtaining a thorough understanding of the environmental characteristics of future waste rock materials. In this study, a waste management strategy for characterising underground waste rock was developed at a polymetallic underground mine in western Tasmania to determine which materials were appropriate for surficial placement. The criteria for surficial placement set by the regulator were that materials had to be non-acid forming and non-metalliferous. A range of cost-effective field-based tools, mineralogical assessments and mineral chemistry techniques were used on a suite of representative drill core material to determine an appropriate waste management strategy. Ultimately, a modified geochemistry–mineralogy–texture–geometallurgy (GMTG) approach was designed, whereby geoenvironmental focused logging and simple prescreening tools such as paste pH and sulfur analyses were used at stage-one; routine acid base accounting and leachate tests at stage-two; and validation tools including X-ray diffractometry and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICPMS) at stage-three. This approach should be considered for other mine sites at early and operational life-of-mine stages with similar deposit characteristics, to ensure correct screening and placement of potentially hazardous waste materials in suitable above-ground waste repositories or mined-out mine sections.CITATION:Parbhakar-Fox, A and Lottermoser, B G, 2017. Effectively linking mining geology with waste management – a case study from western Tasmania, in Proceedings Tenth International Mining Geology Conference 2017, pp 117–126 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 20, 2017

On the more important mines it is almost essential to have a general plan of the surface. A special feature of this plan should be the indication thereon of a suitable arrangement of contour lines, either wholly over the surface of the property or at parts where may seem most useful. The importance of having these contours marked on the plan will be best appreciated by the engineer, in selecting the best available site for a proposed new plant, in locating a tramway, in connecting the surface with the underground workings to the best advantage, or in solving many similar problems that come within his province. The closer the contours are together vertically the better, the limitation being the trouble and expense of getting them on to the plan. They may range from five to fifty feet apart but a distance of ten feet will be found, in most cases, to be the most useful.In deciding the datum level from which these contours are to be measured, it is best to depart from the ordinary sea level datum, and use instead the highest available point on the property. This datum will be called zero and all levels will be reckoned so many feet below it; thus by a contour marked 160 on the plan, it will be understood that the level of the plane of the contour is 160 feet below the highest available point on the property. This system of measuring levels downward is readily suggested from measuring the depths of shafts from the brace or of excavations from the original surface.