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This paper presents a summary of tools and methods used for geotechnical assessments and monitoring systems at block caving mines. A critical review of these tools is given based on the authorÆs experience in block caving operations. The reviewed tools include cavability prediction, fragmentation evaluation, geotechnical monitoring systems, numerical stress analysis and others. Some of these tools have been developed under certain circumstances in particular mines and experience shows that their applications under different geological and mining conditions have often been difficult. Examples from block cave mines are also utilised in this paper to illustrate the importance of the further development of these tools, whilst possible improvements on these tools are also suggested.

Jan 1, 2000

1991 New Zealand Branch Annual Conference û Appendix

Jan 1, 1991

By R L. Grogan

Regulators of deep-sea mining projects are becoming increasingly hesitant about the concept of adaptive management as a tool to facilitate compliance and continuous improvement. Adaptive management is a relevant and useful instrument to ensure that the mine plan is successfully implemented throughout the life of mine, in parallel with optimum environmental performance and compliance.CITATION:Grogan, R L, 2018. Adaptive management in deep sea mining – looking like you know what you’re doing when it’s never been done before, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2018, pp 20–22 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 25, 2018

By Houghton BF

Ruapehu is an extremely active andesitic composite volcano, built in at least four cone- building episodes over the last 250 ka. The volcano was constructed by a variety of extrusive and subplinian, strombolian, phreatomagmatic and dome-related explosive eruptions from summit, flank, and satellite vents. The volcano may be subdivided into the cone itself, of volume 110 km3, and a surround- ing epiclastic ring plain of similar size. Four facies associations can be recognised at Ruapehu,-two each on the cone and on the ring plain. Neither cone nor ring plain provides a complete record of the history of the volcano. The cone is dominated by the products of extrusive eruption, as primary pyroclastic deposits are seldom preserved, being rapidly removed by erosion from the steep water- saturated and/or snow-covered flanks of the cone. The ring plain consists of the products of mostly explosive activity forming an alter- nation of primary pyroclastic fall deposits and material transported from the cone by lahars, floods and debris avalanches and then rapidly reworked in sediment-choked hyperconcentrated Streams.

Jan 1, 1987

By Hogan C. J

The compact BWE system set up in 1984 to mine ironsand dunes and the underlying ironsand-clay has been an effective high volume produc- tion unit for New Zealand Steel Mining Ltd at the Waikato North Head ironsand mine. The system utilising two compact S400E (0 & K) Bucket Wheel Exca- vators and a single shared Beltwagon for transfer to the shiftable bench conveyors replaced a fleet of mobile elevating scrapers when the produc- tion requirement was increased by a factor of six. A key factor in favour of the BWE system was the economic advan- tages of low unit costs for both manpower and electrical energy.

Jan 1, 1989

By Di Pasquale S, Osler GD

Mount Isa Mines Limited recently commiss ioned an 800 tph Heavy Medium Preconcentration Plant for lead/zinc/silver ores. The decision to build this plant was made in late 1979 based largely on investigations conducted in the Company's pilot plant on a variety of ore types including Hilton ores, between 1972 and 1978. The paper reviews the historical develop- ment of the pilot plant heavy medium circuit through this period and illustrates the extent to which this work impacted on the final design criteria. This review also includes a description of plant operation, manning levels, process equipment and metallurgical performance Achieved.

Jan 1, 1978

Wire rope, when used for hoisting on a mine is the weak- est and most vulnerable unit in the most expensive'-group of installations or! the mine. With the introduction' of hoisting on the S1Koepe"' sheave, a new technique was-established. This innovation brought with it the certain- advantages which long had been recognised and which are being developed further. For many years, drum winders of many types had been the sole means by which ore had been hauled from mines. This type of winder, with its capacity for rope storage on the drum, permitted mine operating personnel to cut short lengths from

Jan 1, 1964

By Sturgul J. R

The South Middleback Ranges (SMR) operation involves the develop- ment of iron ore resources at the Iron Duke mine in the South Middle- back Ranges to replace the Iron Baron mine whose reserves are nearing depletion. The Iron Duke mine will be developed by contract to the stage where it can continue operation at full production when Iron Baron is closed. As part of the mine planning of the operation a GPSS computer simulation model was written to determine equipment requirements. The model simulated the operation of the mine with trucks transporting ore and waste to the appropriate destinations and producing a blended product in the stockpiles. A loader and two trucks would transport ore from the stockpiles to the crusher for one shift per day. The simulation shut the operation down at crib, morning tea, shift change and weekends, and also on the third shift each day. It also modelled operating delays. The results gave equipment operating hours and total output of each material type. The model was modified to produce different outputs from the mine and could be used to determine the most productive shift arrangement.

Jan 1, 1989

By S Prakash, M Danish, D Kumar

The green energy transition is speculated to cause an increase in the demand for raw materials while recycling rates are improving; discoveries are required to maintain supply. Geological remote sensing offers a cost-effective way of exploring mineral resources. While satellite and airborne imaging are routinely used for exploration targeting, a gap remains at the outcrop scale. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is advantageous for large-scale regional mapping, typically performed from satellite or airborne platforms. Accurately mapping geological lithologies remains challenging in inaccessible areas, such as rough terrain or mine sites. Proximal sensing techniques can boost geological activities’ reliability, safety, and efficiency in exploration or during mining activities. It also generates objective, reproducible results and valuable raw data that can be archived, further processed, and re-interpreted. Ground-based hyperspectral imaging of outcrops has steadily increased during the last decade due to sensor development and better processing routines. There is often a big technology gap related to mineral mapping, integration of images and spectra (reduction in manual identification of minerals and types) and hyperspectral data visualisation through remote sensing. TEXMiN Foundation, in collaboration with its industry partner Dassault Systemes Foundation, carried out the project, ‘Developing Hyperspectral Image Processing and Analysis, build a rich library of Hyperspectral images of a vast range of minerals from India which will help in increasing prediction accuracy of mineral deposit for mining exploration’.

Sep 1, 2024

During the century past geologists have discovered an extraordinary range of mineral resources. It is somewhat surprising, in view of their success, to look back and find that geologists have been concerned through the entire time about the adequacy of resources to meet future needs. They continue to express concern. The basis of their concerns seems to rest as much in social issue as in evaluations of geology.Demand for mineral resources is driven by population and by per capita consumption. Both have grown steadily over the past century, and both continue to rise. In 1890 the global population was about 1.7 billion, people. It has now exceeded 5 billion and the growth rate is such that by the year 2000, the global population will be between 6~ and 7 billion. Demographic projections suggest the global population will approach 12 billion before a steady state is reached dnrino the centiirv ahead

Jan 1, 1990

The Canadian mining industry was in turmoil in the early 1980s. The post-war era based on reconstruction faded away after the high demands for minerals in the 1950s and 1960s. Also, the industry had the misconception that the demand growth would continue for ever but the rapid growth of resource industries in the third world in the 60s and 70s, resulted in worldwide production overcapacity. The Canadian mining industry eventually recognised the facts and took drastic action for cost control and innovation in technology. The cost control had an immediate effect on the survival of the industry but resulted in only limited incremental gains. The economic problems that the Canadian mining industry faced in the early 1980s can be viewed now as a blessing in disguise. It was realised that for the Canadian mining industry to survive in the 21st century further gains were possible only through innovative technology. This conclusion led to a flurry of activity to establish mechanisms and delivery systems for innovative technology in the mining industry. Despite the initial difficulties in accepting high technology in the mining industry, it is being used increasingly in mining operations and will make future mining operations unrecognizable to present day mining engineers. The concept of an underground mine without underground staff seems to be far fetched, but it is possible that mines of the 21st century will approach the concept of very few underground operating personnel.

Jan 1, 1988

The Porgera gold project is now in its seventh year of operation as one of the world's prime gold mining projects in one of the most underdeveloped and remote regions of the world. The unique gold deposit was development in stages to its present size of operation with an underground mine of 2000tpd, an open pit operation moving 210,000tpd and a complex metallurgical plant treating an average of 16,500tpd of ore. During the past years the operation had to address an array of issues relating to the "development" of the region and this is still ongoing. Development means different things to different people and though the parties that signed the different agreements relating to the Mining Development Contract were aware of this, none has real- ised the extent to which this is true. The developing company (a joint venture between Placer Pacific as the Manager, Goldfields Porgera, Highlands Gold and the Government of PNG), provided funds for risky exploration and the capital for development of the project. Its shareholders ex- pect an economic and viable mine operation from the deposit to ensure them returns on their investment. The local people gave up their land, their isolated way of living and accepted to be out of their comfort zone for some time in anticipation of a better lifestyle and economic benefits in support of that lifestyle. The PNG Government has a leg in both camps and expects both outcomes at the same time. The Government is also the regulator and expects compliance on top of that. If development in general is to be successful, all parties must substantially satisfy all expectations. It is evident that the outcome of some elements of development are reasonably defined (i.e. develop a viable mine to exploit the deposit), whilst other elements are moving targets (i.e. a better lifestyle). The seeds for conflict are thus abundantly present and to resolve them requires the will of all parties in all areas to come to a solution. This path to problem solving is many times torturous as each party comes from a different culture and background and has a different understanding of the parameters in the equation.

Jan 1, 1997

The behavior of a curved wall under earth pressures for a horseshoe shaped tunnel lining is considered to be closely related to the beha vior of a vertical beam with variable flexural sti-"ness on an elastic foundation. In stress analysis an approximate method which divides the axis of the tunnel lining into small finite lengths and replaces the integrals by summation is usually adopted. this method is extremely complicated and tedious. However the variations of the moment of inertia from point to point along the wall axis can be expressed by a power function inversely .eith the distance from the ll )ottom and the analytical method can still used. The equations for the calculation of deflection, rotation, bending moment, shearing urce, and soil reaction of the curved wall are derived in nondimensional forms in this paper.

Jan 1, 1987

For various reasons, the maintenance of shaft structures is becoming an increasingly important factor in the operation of underground mines. Deterioration mechanisms related to operation of the shaft are identified as corrosion, mechanical damage, fatigue damage and wear. Deterioration mechanisms related to rock movements are identified as vertical strain, ride vertical closure and squeezing. Analytical procedures for assessing this deterioration are discussed, and it is shown how acceptance criteria are developed and implemented. In order to track the deterioration of shaft structures, shaft inspections are undertaken, but the information is often not well documented. Formalised procedures for capturing and recording information, and then processing the information are presented. Finally, two case studies are briefly described to illustrate how these procedures have been implemented in practice, and what benefit has accrued to the mines concerned.

Jan 1, 2005

By R W. Wilson, A R. Branch

For hot mines, the use of mechanical refrigeration machines has become an essential feature of ventilation and cooling systems. Over the last 30 years, considerable effort has been made in developing refrigeration strategies and equipment to provide cooling that is cost-effective, reliable and energy efficient. In addition to these general design requirements it is necessary to take into account project specific factors such as long term mine cooling needs, operating strategy and installation time. This paper examines a number of actual mine cooling installations which illustrate how these features have influenced the design and installations. For many mines, it is known how the cooling requirements will increase as the mine develops, based on the life of mine plan. The design of the cooling installation must cater for both short- and long-term needs. The initial installation (to meet short-term requirements) must form an integral part of the ultimate cooling installation and as additional equipment and refrigeration machines are installed, it is necessary to ensure that the system remains cost-effective, reliable and energy efficient at all stages. For many mines, refrigeration machines are installed on surface and either operated near-continuously, or for the summer months only. Different maintenance strategies and policies with regard to standby equipment are highlighted for three mine installations. In spite of developments in cooling strategy, the cost of providing refrigeration remains expensive and many mines delay the introduction of refrigeration, as long as possible. When it is finally accepted that refrigeration is absolutely necessary, it is frequently necessary to æfast trackÆ the installation. To minimise site erection time and meet installation deadlines, factory pre-assembly and standardised modular equipment are widely used.

Jan 1, 2005

By P Dean, M Elmouttie, Y Duan, X Luo

Slope instability is one of the major concerns in open pit mining operations. A significant collapse of the pit wall can result in injuries, damage to machinery and interruptions to production. A broadband microseismic monitoring technique has been developed for diagnosing the healthy condition of a target slope area. This technique has been successfully applied to an open pit mine in Chile. Our research has found that this microseismic monitoring technique can be used in open pits for tracking and locating a falling rock that is rolling on a slope, if a dedicated seismic sensor network has been established. In collaboration with other monitoring techniques (radar, laser scan, aerial photography), more accurate determination of rock rolling trajectories can be obtained. In this paper, an example of using the CSIRO microseismic monitoring technique at an open pit mine is presented. Results from an experiment where we used the microseismic technique for determination of the trajectory of a rockfalling on a slope are also presented.

Nov 8, 2021

There are significant Mineral Resource and Reserve reporting challenges facing a mining company operating in the global arena. This paper specifically examines the Mineral Resource and Reserve reporting challenge facing BHP Billiton. The changing regulatory environment creates a significant challenge for global mining companies when reporting Mineral Resources and Reserves. The development and implementation of internal policies and standards for collecting and collating resource and reserve information is required for corporate governance, however the challenge is then to report this information publicly in such a way as to comply with the various codes and requirements in the many jurisdictions in which the company is required to report. The move to an International Code is not only desirable but is an essential requirement in todayÆs global market. The agreement to report using a single code internationally is however only the first step. A truly practical international reporting system must have common definitions and guidelines for interpretation as well as an international approach to the definition of a Competent Person, and even more importantly a common acceptance of that code by the relevant investment regulatory bodies. Without the universal acceptance of the concept of an international reporting code by the major regulatory bodies, implementation of such a code will be limited. With the major global mining companies seeking to raise capital in the USA, the worldÆs largest capital market, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and its approach to reserve reporting is becoming increasingly important. The development and implementation of an International Code must gain the support and acceptance of the SEC if it is to be successful.

Jan 1, 2002

By H Lieberwirth, M Pfeifer, F Heinicke

HPGRs (high pressure grinding rolls) have been developed within the last decades for energy efficient processing of a wide variety of ores. Special interest has been raised by projects increasing the capacities of processing plants by installing HPGRs prior to ball mills. Bond ball mill tests have been used for decades as a base for ball mill dimensioning in mineral circuits. For final CAPEXOPEX considerations of the processing circuit, one key question is about the level of grinding energy split between HPGR and downstream grinding stages. This is especially interesting if the downstream process comprises multiple grinding stages combined with separation steps. The paper presents investigations on grinding energy consumption, size distribution and microfracturing of HPGR products, which affect the efficiency of the whole comminution and sorting process.

Aug 24, 2022

By Cottrell EC

Remote sensing has been used for many years but until recently its application has been limited by the resolution of the data available. High resolution airborne multi-spectral scanner data (MSS) has proven suitable for a number of applications including environmental management and monitoring. A shallow water mapping research. project completed on the Gold Coast has shown that- remote sensing can be used as a cost effective tool for environmental management and Monitoring.

Jan 1, 1987

By K Seddon

Segregation of tailings on deposition can occur as a result of a) sub-aqueous deposition, and b) sub-aerial deposition at lower solids concentrations (i.e. when the solids concentration is less than the segregation threshold). The effects are likely to be more pronounced in the case of subaqueous deposition.This paper presents the results of an investigation of a sub-aqueous tailings facility.Data from the investigation show extreme variations in particle size and density compared to test results for non-segregated ‘all-in” tailings. The results indicate that on segregation both the fine and coarse splits tend towards a well sorted (poorly graded) mix, and both have significantly lower consolidated density than the all in tailings. This result is reasonably well known for the case of the segregated fines (“slimes ponds”) but less appreciated for the coarse fraction. The results suggest that if the effects of segregation are not allowed for, the overall density of the deposit can be seriously over-estimated at the design stage. Also the quantity of water retained in the tailings can significantly influence water recovery and water balance results.CITATION:Seddon, K, 2018. Segregating tailings – effects on density and water retention, in Proceedings Mine Waste and Tailings Stewardship Conference 2018, pp 299–308 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 23, 2018