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By D Kepert, M Absalom, N Nitschke, C Fowers

The discovery of the Nyidinghu Iron Ore Deposit totalling 2.46 Bt of resource continues FortescueÆs highly successful exploration record of discovering multi-billion tonne deposits under cover with little to no surface expression. Since inception in 2003 Fortescue have discovered and delineated the Christmas Creek and Cloudbreak deposits in the Chichester Range totalling 3.38 Bt and 3.25 Bt in the Solomon region. Together with other deposits Fortescues resource portfolio now approximates 10 Bt of hematite - goethite mineralisation.The Nyidinghu deposit is situated on the southern margin of the Fortescue Valley, 35 km south of FortescueÆs Cloudbreak mining operations on the north margin of the valley. Nyidinghu comprises approximately 70 per cent BID martite - goethite mineralisation hosted by the Brockman Iron Formation and 30 per cent CID beneath alluvial outwash of the Weeli Wolli Creek in to the Fortescue Valley. Minor DID mineralisation occurs at the deposit margins.BID mineralisation is strongly controlled by the pre-existing NE/SW trending Weeli Wolli Fault system and bounded to the north by the Poonda Fault. Both fault systems are interpreted to have had a long and complex history commencing pre Ophthalmian Orogeny (ca 2.2 Ga) and remaining intermittently active through the Proterozoic.CID at Nyidinghu is the downstream continuation of the combined Weeli Wolli/Marillana CID palaeochannel system being mined by Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton at Yandicoogina and Yandi, respectively.Exploration commenced in August 2010 with the inaugural resource announcement of 1 Bt being made just six months later. To date over 1700 RC and 85 diamond core holes have been drilled forming the basis for the resource of 2.46 Bt and ongoing feasibility studies. Current exploration activities continue to delineate new mineralisation at Nyidinghu with an ultimate target tonnage of 3 Bt.CITATION:Fowers, C, Kepert, D, Absalom, M and Nitschke, N, 2013. Discovery, geology and structural setting of the Nyidinghu iron ore deposit, Hamersley Province, Western Australia, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2013 , pp 81-90 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 12, 2013

By C Li, D O’Dea, R Moreno-Atanasio, T Honeyands

The behaviour of iron ore granules in the feeding process of sintering is significantly influenced by the material properties of the granulated mix. Therefore, the measurement of key material properties of the iron ore granulated mix is indispensable prior to the simulation of the sintering process based on the discrete element method (DEM). In this paper, three key property parameters of the iron ore granulated mix, apparent density, elastic modulus and rolling friction coefficient, were measured in laboratory-scale experiments. For different sintering processes, the moisture content of the granulated mix normally varies according to the specific requirements for granule size distribution and operating conditions. Therefore, understanding the effect of moisture content on the property parameters of iron ore granules is very helpful in accurately determining the property parameters for DEM simulation work. In this paper, six groups of iron ore granule samples with six levels of moisture contents were prepared through granulation and the trends in apparent density, elastic modulus and rolling friction coefficient with the increase of moisture content were plotted and analysed based on the measurement results. The results show that as moisture increases from 6.9 per cent to 9.1 per cent, the apparent density decreases from about 3000 to 2800 kg/m3. With moisture increasing within the same range, the elastic modulus first decreases from over 200 MPa to below 100 MPa and then reaches a relative constant value of about 40 MPa at higher moisture contents. Rolling friction coefficients are measured using two methods with both indicating a similar trend, with the rolling friction coefficient first decreasing and then rising as moisture increases from 6.9 per cent to 9.1 per cent. The relationship between µr and µ’r is assumed to be similar to that between static and dynamic friction coefficients.CITATION:Li, C, Moreno-Atanasio, R, O’Dea, D and Honeyands, T, 2017. Variation in property parameters of iron ore granulated mix with moisture content, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2017, pp 79–84 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 24, 2017

By R J. Holmes

The procedures and equipment used for sampling iron ore process streams have generally improved in recent years. However, there are a number of areas where significant issues still commonly occur, including sampling high capacity streams, sample cutter design and operation, division of primary increments at the secondary sampling stage, the performance of crushers installed to reduce the particle size prior to sample division, and the sample mass that is retained at each sampling stage. These issues of non-conformance with correct sampling principles are caused by factors such as increasing the speed and loading of conveyor belts to increase throughput, which changes the trajectory of the ore stream and may result in an inability of the sample cutter to handle the increased flow rate without sample loss. Failure to sample the entire primary increment stream at the secondary sampling stage is also a common issue as well as failure of crushers to provide crushed products of the required particle size due to ongoing maintenance and/or adjustment issues. These common pitfalls can all be addressed through careful attention to detail.CITATION:Holmes, R J, 2017. Common pitfalls in sampling iron ore, in Proceedings Eighth World Conference on Sampling and Blending , pp 261–264 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

May 9, 2017

Advances in Coarse Particle Recovery - Fluidised-Bed Flotation

Sep 13, 2010

Human-caused global warming has become the environmental cause celebre of the early 21st century. The strong warming alarmist camp currently includes the United Nations, most Western governments, most of the free press, many large corporations (including Enron, before it failed), the major churches, most scientific organisations and a large portion of general public opinion. This phalanx of support notwithstanding there is no scientific consensus as to the danger of human-induced climate change. There is, therefore, a strong conflict between the level of public alarm and its scientific justification. How can this be? In a democracy, the media serve to convey to the public the facts and hypotheses of climate change as provided by individual scientists, governmental and international research agencies, and NGO and other lobby groups. In general, the media have promulgated an alarmist cause for climate change; they have certainly failed to convey the degree of uncertainty that is characteristic of climate science, or a balanced summary of the many essential facts that are relevant to human causation. Climate change is as much a geological as it is a meteorological issue. Natural climate changes, both warmings and coolings, are indeed a societal hazard. We usually deal with geological hazards by providing civil defence authorities and the public with accurate, evidence-based, general information about events like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis and floods, and then by adapting to the effects when a damaging event occurs. As for other major natural disasters, the appropriate preparation for extreme climate events is to mitigate and manage the negative effects when they occur, and especially so for dangerous coolings. Attempting instead to æstop climate changeÆ by reducing human carbon dioxide emissions is a costly exercise of utter futility. Rational climate policies must be based on adaptation to dangerous change as and when it occurs, and irrespective of its sign or causation. The issue now is no longer climate change as such, the reality of which will always be with us. Rather, the issues are, first, the failure of the free press to inform the public about the true facts of human-caused climate change and of the dangers posed by natural climate change. And, second, the vested interests held by many of the groups of warming alarmists. These interests include not only the obvious commercial ones, but also the many scientists and science managers who have discounted or remained silent about the huge uncertainties of the human-caused global warming hypothesis because it suited them to do so. Public opinion will soon demand an explanation as to why experienced editors and hardened investigative journalists, worldwide, have melted before the blowtorch of self-induced guilt, political correctness and special interest expediency that marks the sophisms of global warming alarmists.

Jan 1, 2007

By H Bibby

Initial analysis of Long Offset Time Domain Electromagnetic (LOTEM) data has traditionally been made in terms of early and late time apparent resistivities. By using more than one grounded bipole as a source, a tensor analysis technique analogous to the method used to analyse DC resistivity multiple-source bipole-dipole surveying may be formulated. We define the æinstantaneous apparent resistivity tensorÆ as the tensor that relates the total electric field vectors at each instant to the steady state (DC) uniform half space current density vectors due to each source. Instantaneous apparent resistivity tensors calculated for a 3D resistivity model suggest that profiles of LOTEM measurements across simple 3D structures can be used to create an image that reproduces the main features of the subsurface resistivity. Where measurements are distributed over an area, maps of the tensor invariants or the tensor ellipses at different times can be made into a sequence of images which provide a way of ætime slicingÆ down through the target structure.

Jan 1, 1996

The cost of preparing a feasibility study is notoriously difficult to estimate. Studies for mining projects are typically commenced when an exploration programme has identified a mineable resource and pre-feasibility studies have shown that development of the resource would lead to an economically viable project. Pre-feasibility studies will normally include an estimate of the cost of a formal feasibility study and this estimate would then be firmed up before a commitment is made to proceed with the formal study. Data for preparing the feasibility study cost estimate will be sketchy, geological investigations, metallurgical testwork, and marketing studies may be needed before the scope of the project and hence the scope of the formal study can be finally determined. Before an estimate of the work required and hence of the cost of the feasibility study can be prepared the source of project funds must be decided. Studies for internally funded projects are often less rigorous than those which must be "bankable" and subject to the scrutiny of external financial institutions. This paper sets out suggestions for preparing more accurate cost estimates for feasibility studies by ensuring that all activities are included and shows how a staged approach to preparing such studies can minimise costs and guard against cost overruns. It also provides a case study showing how the estimate compared with actual costs for a recent feasibility study completed by Pancontinental Mining Limited.

Jan 1, 1990

The Department of Mineral Resources has a statutory responsibility for mine site environmental management and control in New South Wales. The Department is focusing on an environmental management systems (EMS) approach, as a management tool to achieve æbest practiceÆ outcomes both within our own organisation and on mine sites. One of the DepartmentÆs tools is environmental risk assessment and management which incorporates the Mining, Rehabilitation and Environmental Management Process (MREMP). The MREMP was introduced many years ago in order to integrate the activities of key stakeholders who may have a material interest in the mine. The MREMP provides an ideal mechanism by which ædue diligenceÆ requirements and environmental management programs can be integrated into mining operations and lead to a sustainable post-mining land use.

Jan 1, 2002

By S Jokanovic

At New Zealand Steel MiningÆs Waikato North Head operation a Bucket Wheel Excavator û shiftable conveyor mining system is used to excavate titanomagnetite bearing sand and clay. The system utilises two Bucket Wheel Excavators and two Beltwagons with a two shiftable bench conveyors and two common trunk conveyors to deliver material to a processing plant. The original system was commissioned in 1984 as a high capacity, low cost method of excavating. In 1996 a second Beltwagon was purchased, increasing the flexibility of the mining system.

Jan 1, 2002

The Golden Cross Mine will be the first underground gold mine in New Zealand to operate since 1952. The development plans, along with the conditions and circumstances presently found in the now ongoing mine development, will be discussed as well as a brief review of planned stoping activity and stoping results to date.

Jan 1, 1991

The difficulty of accurately sampling cyanide gold bullion for valuation is well known, and nothing new or original is claimed in presenting this paper, but it was thought that a record of differences in the composition of bullion bars found here may be of interest to others, and perhaps helpful to those who have to do with theevaluation of cyanide bullion. This investigation was made after reading Mr. Sydney W. Smith's interesting paper on the Liquidation in Molten Alloys.*A method was in use of boring each ingot in two places and mixing the two borings for the sample. More accurate values were obtained, however, when the bullion was sampled in a molten condition immediately before casting into the ingot; the sample being so taken as to preclude oxidation of base metals before solidification of the sample.In all, samples from 32 ingots were assayed, and comparisons made between the existing boring sample and the proposed dip sample. Assays were also made of two other portions of the borings from each ingot, and the results show that in the majority of cases the borings sample assays higher in gold than the dip sample of the same ingot.The largest ingot cast weighs approximately 920 troy ounces, and has the dimensions shown in the attached sketch (Fig. 1). Ingots are cast in 0.1. moulds i in. thick, smoked and heated.METHOD OF TAKING BORING SAMPLES OF BULLION BARSThe bar is cleaned from adhering slag and drilled in two places only, to a depth of i-in., one hole on the top near one end and the other in the bottom at the opposite end of the bar.

Jan 1, 1931

The conclusions reached by den Tex after a study of the fabric of some rocks from Broken Hill have been used to support the epigenetic hypothesis for the origin of the ore, first by Edwards (1959, p. 70) and then by Stillwell (1962, p. 131) in his criticism of Segnit's (1961) views. Den Tex claimed that the petrofabric study provided "independent evidence that the ore, at least in its present form, post-dates all events of a diastrophic nature in the area concerned".Repetition of this claim by Edwards and by Stillwell and the lack of any criticism of den Tex's work for more than three years implies its general acceptance by geologists in Australia. Therefore it appears necessary to examine parts of den Tex's paper in detail to show that his, conclusions are unwarranted. The major weaknesses in his study are that1. the petrofabric study was inadequate to warrant any major conclusions, and2. the petrofabric data allow alternative conclusions.Den Tex made a single visit to the field, collected six carefully selected specimens and presented quartz and· biotitepetrofabric diagrams for two specimens, quartz-diagrams alone for three more and included three diagrams of the orientation of c-axes and fractures in one specimen. It is not reasonable to come to firm conclusions about the origin of such a complex area as Broken Hill on such inadequate data, despite den Tex's claim (p. 87, lines 22 and 23) that "a thorough investigation of the quartz-fabric of the wall rock was undertaken".Den Tex's interpretation of each diagram is open to criticism, and alternative (and to my mind, preferable) interpretations may be made. It is impossible to evaluate den...

Jan 1, 1962

The new legislative regime applying to the mining industry has been in force for nearly two years. However the parameters for the permits required under the Crown. Minerals Act 1991 and the resource consents required under the Resource Management Act 1991 are still being established. Mining operators will benefit from participating in the development of policies and plans currently being formulated by local authorities. The Energy Legislation Amendment Bill currently before the House contains amendments to the Crown Minerals Act to clarify points of uncertainty and to reduce transaction costs where possible.

Jan 1, 1993

The Raub Gold Mines are situated approximately in the centre of the Malayan Peninsula in the State of Penang. Part of the area, now known as "Raubhole," was opencut some 800 years ago by the Mon Khmers, a Cambodian people, whose vestiges mark numerous outcrops in South Eastern Asia. With their decline and extinction the work was abondoned, leaving a large pond in a dense thicket of Beluka (secondary growth).From the year 1885 onwards the history of Raubhole and the water therein records a chain sale starting from an enterprising local "Rajah," who had "assumed" authority, to an equally wakeful Singapore Arab; thence through the agency of a "down-and-out" beachcomber to a hopeful Australian company in the "goldbrick" days. Subsequent catastrophe on a depleted stringer was followed by reconstruction; the deserved reward of a long mining life, and an output of nearly 800,000 ounces of gold. Owing to the loss of notes and data stored in Singapore, this paper is not as complete as it should be, especially in respect to its metallurgical phases. Apologies are therefore tendered in advance for any deficiencies which may be noted.The necessary regional geological data have been taken largely from the admirable investigation of the Raub area by J. A. Richardson, A.R.C.S., B.Sc., F.G.S., of the Malayan Geological Survey*, and, throughout the paper, months represent lunar periods of 28 days and money is expressed in sterling.MINING SECTIONSAs shown hereunder the reef system has been divided by nature into seven isolated sections, which have been of necessity worked as seven separate small mines. From north to south these are:-(a) Sungei Agas consisting of very shallow workings to the south of, and adjacent to, a granite-porphyry mass known as Bukit (hill) Kajang. This area has not been worked for many years.(b) Bukit Malaka which is also shallow.(c) Bukit Jalis.(d) Bukit Koman which, with (c) and (e), consitutes the main workings and which has possibly been determined in depth.(e) Anderson Section.(I) Raubhole Section.(g) The workings under Raub Village.

Jan 1, 1945

The beach sand industry is the only Australian mineral industry which, so far, has used electrostatic separation on a full commercial scale. The main application of the process is for the separation of rutile from zircon. Laboratory work has demonstrated that electrostatic methods are effective for ilmenite-monazite and cassiterite-zircon separations, thus facilitating the production of high grade monazite and cassiterite products from top-strip table concentrates, but the commercial application of these processeshas been rather limited so far. Overseas, electrostatic methods are becoming more widely used for the treatment of granular material which is not amenable to flotation. The use of electrostatic separation for the treatment of ores other than beach sands has been investigated in this laboratory 1, 2, 3, and two pilot separators were built during i953 to carry out field tests. Of these, the first was an inclined feed plate separator for the removal of silica from granular lime-sand in Western Australia, the second a conductance roll separator for the removal of diamonds from alluvial gravel in New South Wales. In both cases the whole of the ore passed through the separator, not a gravity concentrate only as in beach sand practice. The two types of separator mentioned are shown diagramatically in Figs. 1 and 2.

Jan 1, 1954

Upgrading and Removing Phosphorus from Low-Grade and High Phosphorus Containing Iron Ores

Sep 13, 2010

That electricity is an important and valuable agent, the limit of whose capacity for utilisation is as yet unknown, is a truism; although enormous advances have been made, the possible developments are yet greater. Mining, along with other industries, shares already to a large extent in the practical utilisation of this agent. Electrical engineers have been employed for several years past in developing and applying electricity to all classes of machinery, and for every purpose where power is required and in no instance, that the writer is aware of, has its use been curtailed in favour of any other agency now known, while extensions are continually made. The first modern electric motor was shown at the Vienna Exhibition of 1873, and it was used to work a pump through a mile length of cable but it was not before 1878, that an electric motor was put into daily commercial use by Messrs. Chretian and Felix to work a beet sugar hoist. This early plant effected a saving of 40 % as compared with hand work.In 1879, the first Electric Railway was constructed for the Berlin Exhibition, and in the same year, Mr. T. A. Edison was running an experimental line at Menlo Park. The first electric line opened for the public, was constructed by Siemens and Halske, in 1881, at Lichtenfelde, and was 11 miles in length.

By J P. Sykes, T C. McCuaig, M Jessell, A Trench

The election of Donald Trump and the Brexit referendum herald a shift towards a tighter definition of economic value, at the expense of the broader value concept of sustainable development; as well as a rise of protectionism, reversing a long-term trend of globalisation. However, the situation is complex, especially over the longer term in which mine project development and exploration operates. The minerals sector should proceed with caution. A greater focus on the local impacts of mining may be strategically beneficial, not only to mitigate against a potential protectionist future, but also because sustainable development has become more ‘localist’ via the concept of ‘social licence to operate’, whilst globalisation also seems to provoke increased ‘localist’ sentiments (known as ‘glocalism’). Localist strategies, therefore, seem a good hedge against multiple political futures. By contrast, moving away from sustainable development appears strategically riskier. Not only are ‘unsustainable’ activities, such as pollution and civil rights infringements harder to reverse, but a movement towards a more sustainable global economy may already be predetermined, even if the journey there may seem oblique. It appears that the increased economic development that is coveted globally is intrinsically linked to a rise in environmental and social consciousness.CITATION:Sykes, J P, Trench, A, McCuaig, T C and Jessell, M, 2017. Charles Dickens on the (potentially) changing role of globalisation and sustainability in the long-term future of mining and exploration, in Proceedings Tenth International Mining Geology Conference 2017, pp 239–256 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 20, 2017

By R H. Sillitoe

"An EXTENDED ABSTRACT is available for download. A full-length paper was not prepared for this presentation. Geological concepts are employed routinely in porphyry copper exploration at the area selection, prospect appraisal and deposit definition stages. Regional, district-scale, deposit-scale and laboratory-based concepts can all play a role, with the resulting porphyry copper models providing templates for the integration of geochemical and geophysical responses and interpretations. Of the 19 concepts and parameters selected for brief discussion, those relating to subdivision of porphyry intrusions, understanding of diverse and commonly complex alteration-mineralisation patterns and lithocap characterisation are undoubtedly the most influential in exploration. Several of them are of particular importance because of their role in promoting grade development. Additional belt-, district- and deposit-scale features are currently little used but hold promise, whereas others have less practical value but help in underpinning the evolving porphyry copper genetic model.CITATION:Sillitoe, R H, 2015. Recent advances in porphyry copper geology and their exploration utility , in Proceedings PACRIM 2015 Congress, pp 35–44 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Mar 18, 2015

The recovery by flotation of some complex uranium minerals such as brannerite and davidite is described. Anionic reagents used for flotation of iron and titanium oxides' are suitable. If care is taken, to emulsify the reagents the slime fractions may be satisfactorilytreated.INTRODUCTIONUranium ores are usually treated by direct leaching with acid or alkali according to the nature of the gangue materials. Concentration of the uranium minerals prior to leaching is not commonly practised because of the earthy nature of most uranium minerals and the difficult mineral dressing problem they pose. Some of the harder complex oxides such as davidite and brannerite are amenable to flotation. This is fortunate since they usually require an expensive, strong acid treat~ent to dissolve the uranium. Flotation tests were commenced in 1949 by officers of the South Australian Department of Mines stationed at Adelaide, first in the School of Mines, then in the University of Adelaide and finally in Departmental mineral dressing laboratories at Thebarton. Separation of daviditefrom Radium Hill and Mount Victoria ores, brannerite from Crocker's Well ore, and secondary uranium minerals from Myponga ore was attempted.The development of the flotation reagents to separate the oxides from silica and the silicates is first described, then some of the results obtained are presented as tables.DEVELOPMENT OF FLOTATION REAGENTSThe davidite at Radium Hill is associated with iron and titanium oxides, qu;a,rtz and biotite as replacement deposits in shears. The davidite, rutile,' ilmenite and hematite usually occur in segregations from nut size to masses of several pounds. They are associated as a complexity of...

Jan 1, 1955