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One of the important directions of further increase of quality and efficiency of control of mining companies and branches is the creation of the operation and development monitoring systems of such facilities. The main purpose of these systems is to provide managers with reliable and timely information on the current state and typical tendencies of operation of the facilities under control. However until the present time no scientific and methodical ground for system monitoring of the mining companies and branches has been created. Therefore, the authors of the report have aimed to assess the current situation with regard to the researches in this field and to do analysis of the most important aspects and ways of solution of the issue under consideration.

Dec 6, 2010

By J A. Braithwaite

Social licence to operate is not a new concept for the mining industry, referring to stakeholder approval or acceptance for the activities and impacts of a project, company or industry. It is intangible, dynamic and non-permanent, hence it needs to be earned and then maintained (Thomson and Boutilier, 2014). It has also been argued that social licence extends beyond building approval or acceptance, into engagement for long-term development (Owen and Kemp, 2012).There are many examples where stakeholder opposition – or withdrawal of social licence – have increased capital and operating costs, extended schedules and impacted reputation. At its extreme, the withdrawal of social licence to operate can also contribute to or be the catalyst for mine closure.The key benefit of obtaining a social licence is a reduction of risk. Stakeholder support and advocacy, as well as the implementation of social performance programs that contribute to social licence, can be beneficial in terms of schedule, costs and other benefits.While decisions to close a mine are generally driven by resource availability or economic conditions, the social, economic and environmental legacy remaining post-closure is of importance to many stakeholders. With a number of significant mines now approaching closure within Australia, we are seeing heightened community concern about the economic and social impact of mine closure and the success of land rehabilitation. So how does the concept of social licence to operate extend into the closure phase of the mining life cycle?CITATION:Braithwaite, J A, 2016. Social licence to close?, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2016 Conference, pp 176–179 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jun 28, 2016

By R J. Worland, D Bowyer, J L. Mauk

The TerraSpec is a compact field portable mineral analyser that uses non-destructive reflectance spectroscopy for mineral identification. The instrument uses and measures infrared and visible light that is absorbed by certain covalent and molecular bonds (AlOH, FeOH, MgOH, CO32-, OH, H2O and NH4) within the lattice of a mineral at specific wavelengths producing an absorption spectral profile. A variety of minerals can be detected including clays, micas, carbonates, and hydroxides as well as some sulfates and silicates. However, not all minerals are detectable, such as quartz and feldspar. Alteration minerals replacing volcanic rocks have been studied for several epithermal prospects in the lower Waitekauri Valley (Sovereign, Jubilee, Scotia and Jasper Creek) and a geothermal field in the Taupo Volcanic Zone. At the Sovereign, Jubilee, Scotia and Jasper Creek prospects previous XRD investigations determined well developed clay mineral zonation with illite in the west (Sovereign and Jubilee) grading into interstratified illite-smectite (Scotia) and smectite (Jasper Creek) to the east. Although the percent of illite within interstratified illite-smectite could not be determined and some illite-rich illite-smectite (>90 per cent illite) and some smectite-rich illite-smectite (>90 per cent smectite) could be misidentified as illite or smectite respectively, the TerraSpec survey determined the same zonation of illite to illite-smectite and smectite. Common chlorite, rare calcite and local kaolinite were also detected. At the geothermal field, the TerraSpec was primarily used to determine the occurrence of kaolinite, dickite and alunite, which form in acid conditions. Widely spaced (every 50 to 100 m) XRD results are in excellent agreement with closely spaced (every 5 to 10 m) TerraSpec results that further determined the occurrence of these minerals in previously unrecognised intervals. It also determined the occurrence of zoned smectite, illite-smectite, illite, and chlorite alteration. Overall, the TerraSpec is a rapid mineral identification technique that is very useful in delineating the occurrence and distribution of certain minerals in both epithermal deposits and geothermal fields. Although the TerraSpec cannot detect as many minerals as XRD, the TerraSpec allows data collection at a sampling scale and speed (real time) that is not practical by XRD.

Jan 1, 2006

Management of Mining Wastes in European Union and Developments in Turkey

Sep 13, 2010

By S Jahanshahi, D R. Swinbourne

The classical metal-slag-gas equilibrium technique was used to study the thermodynamic activity of cobalt, iron and their oxides in iron silicate based slags containing under controlled oxygen potential (3.70 x 10-8 to 2.95 x 10-7 atm) at 1573 K. The measured activity of cobalt oxide in FeOx-25 wt per cent SiO2 slags showed positive deviation from ideal behaviour for melts with up to ten wt per cent CoO. At higher silica contents, the behaviour became closer to ideal and in accord with previous studies on silica saturated slags. The activity coefficient of FeO in these slags had virtually no dependence on the CoO content. Partial substitution of silica by lime resulted in an increase of the activities and activity coefficients of CoO, FeO, Fe2O3 and Fe3O4. The results indicate that saturation of the slag with a magnetite phase occurs at CaO contents of five wt per cent and higher. Phase equilibria studies SiO2-FeO-Fe2O3-CaO slags containing cobalt were also carried out using the drop-quench technique. Results from these experiments confirmed the formation of a magnetite solid solution containing about three wt per cent CoO at lime contents of five wt per cent and higher at 1573 K and 2.9 x 10-7 atm of oxygen.

Jan 1, 2000

By W Roy

When it comes to plan implementation and securing success in organisations in the 21st century, if there was such a thing as the secret to success it would be effective communication. Commoditisation brings financial, operational and cultural advantages to organisations that use effective communication. Effective communication tools turn æpeople problemsÆ into system control solutions, removing personality clashes that hide procedural malfunctions. By introducing communications frameworks available in the market place today, and case studies of their use, this paper provides insights into the successes available to organisations courageous enough to redefine their communications for the 21st century.

Jan 1, 2006

By K B. Quast

Changes in feed size distribution can have significant effects in rod mill grinding. The product sizing resulting from wet batch milling of a tin ore showed little influence on fines production after truncating the feed at either the coarse or fine end. The addition of fine material caused a less amount of fines to be produced and a possible increase in grinding at coarse sizes, although this is complicated by the changing feed size distribution. The changes in feed size distribution caused no tendency for preferential grinding of the cassiterite.

Jan 1, 1998

The paper presents the development of an integrated computer aided design and planning of open cast mining, with the use of object-oriented modelling and geoinformation technologies, on the example of interaction of the subsystems on planning optimisation and freight traffics.

Dec 6, 2010

Minerals Industry - 5 Year Outlook AusIMM sponsored project Positioning the Minerals industry for the 21st Century Does this seem right for New Zealand?  To ascertain the industry's perceptions of issues and capacity to address them: Industry context and issues Capabilities of professional staff Access to professional staff Balancing supply and demand Industry must do it. Cannot wait for others.   Some observations... Negative image - constrains capacity to influence community and government Major repositioning of professional staff competencies required Existing organisational arrangements and capabilities are under pressure to change Difficult to access professional staff of required capability Facing significant external challenges - with real concern about capacity to address them Prevailing culture not suited to needs of the future High level felt need for change The industry has a choiceà We can define where we want to be and act decisively Or We can respond to the future as it unfolds.

Jan 1, 2000

This article presents a proposal for the rehabilitation of the mined area of the Mogiana quarry. The Mogiana quarry produces material used in civil construction and is situated in the Brazilian State of Spo Paulo in the kilometre six of the Mogf Mirim - Itapira highway. The mineral exploitation in the Mogiana quarry provokes modifications in the environment such as alterations in the relief, vegetation, quality of the air, water and landscape. Through previous study of the area it was verified that after the closure of the exploitation the mine should be occupied mainly by pasturage. At the closing of the mine the exploitation benches, berms and slopes in general as well as the surrounding areas should be covered with a layer of soil and vegetated with native species in order to mitigate the negative impacts caused by the mine. The rehabilitation project of the area is based on the probable future use of the area, located between agricultural cultivations and cattle creation. The great alteration of the relief and soil would make future use of the area for agriculture difficult. It is more suitable t0 animal creation, mainly cattle. The high and thick rock slopes originated by the mining should be covered by vegetation, where possible, to reduce the negative visual impact. Obviously several measures will be necessary to reduce the impacts on the environment during mining. The final and definitive reclamation will only be possible after abandonment of the area. The main aspects of this reclamation process will be discussed in this paper.

Dec 6, 2010

By R L. Brathwaite

The orogenic gold deposits wall poster is one in a series of posters on different mineral deposit types being produced by GNS Science to raise awareness of the characteristics of New Zealand mineral deposits and their prospectivity. Orogenic gold deposits are typically quartz vein deposits formed in fault and shear systems at crustal levels within and above the brittle ductile transition zone, at depths of 3 12 km and temperatures from 200¦ to 400¦C. In New Zealand, orogenic gold deposits are found in regionally metamorphosed sedimentary rocks of Paleozoic and Mesozoic age. The deposits in Paleozoic rocks include those at Golden Blocks in Northwest Nelson, Lyell and Reefton on the West Coast, and Preservation Inlet in Fiordland. Quartz veins are developed along shear zones that dip steeply and generally strike parallel to the axes of folding in the greywacke and argillite/slate host rocks, although most are discordant to bedding. The lodes are typically less than 1 m wide and extend an average 200 m horizontally and vertically, but the Birthday Reef at Blackwater, Reefton, the largest quartz vein deposit in Paleozoic rocks, averages 60 cm in width and was mined over a strike length of 1070 m, and to a depth of 830 m. Disseminated gold occurs adjacent to the quartz lodes at Globe-Progress and some other Reefton deposits. The deposits in Mesozoic rocks are hosted in schist of Otago and Marlborough, and schist and greywacke of the Southern Alps. The lodes are typically lensoidal, less than 1 m wide and localised along single or multiple parallel shear zones that generally dip steeply, and are discordant to the schist foliation and bedding. A notable exception is Macraes, where the lodes are developed in the semi-concordant, low angle Hyde Macraes Shear Zone that has a strike length greater than 25 km.

Jan 1, 2005

The Clyde Power Project, and its Clutha Valley Development forerunner, has taken widespread investigations for various hydroelectric purposes both along the valley floors upstream from Alexandra and on the higher schist terrain. As part of this work the nature and extent of many of the alluvial deposits have been resolved and the ages established with varying precision. Gold values have been approximately appraised in some areas as an element of environmental assessment.

Jan 1, 1992

By E Westthorp, J Phillips

The detection of ethylene in mined-out ‘goaf’ areas of underground coalmines is an industry standard indicator of accelerated oxidation where the coal temperature has exceeded 100°C. If uncontrolled, this naturally occurring process can lead to spontaneous combustion and catastrophic mine explosions, such as the Moura No 2 mine explosion. Spontaneous combustion trigger action response plans (TARPs) typically use the detection of ethylene as a trigger for definite change requiring immediate reaction, which can include the withdrawal of coalmine workers.Following the completion of sealing of longwall goaves at Crinum North Mine, ethylene was often detected in trace quantities. These trace quantities were below 1 ppm and detected via the bag sampling regime, with the use of a gas chromatograph. Any ethylene detected in these instances was not associated with increased quantities of carbon monoxide to conclusively indicate a heating within the sealed area.Ethylene was only detected in a newly sealed goaf and would not remain present for a period following the sealing. As part of the longwall recovery process, the predominant roof support mechanism during the recovery was the use of timber cribs. It was decided to investigate the possibility of this timber generating ethylene.Preliminary tests were completed by placing timber specimens from several species of Australian native hardwoods in gas bags in air. Over time, some of the samples showed significant levels of ethylene within the bags.CITATION:Westthorp, E and Phillips, J, 2017. Findings from preliminary testing to determine alternative sources of ethylene within sealed areas of underground coalmines, in Proceedings Australian Mine Vent Conference 2017, pp 203–206 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 28, 2017

The increased cost of imported oil fuels, coupled with our understandable reluctance to commit ourselves to the use of nuclear energy, has resulted in a renewed reliance on coal as a primary source of energy. New Zealand is fortunate in being fairly well endowed in its coal resources, but their exploitation until now, has been on a relatively small scale. Future exploitation, whether from underground or open cast mines, must be on a very much larger scale. This paper outlines some of the factors which should be considered in planning large open cast mines.

Jan 1, 1976

In the UK during the 1990s the energy companies had developed a policy of æDash for GasÆ, building large natural gas power stations to produce more than 30 per cent of the UKÆs electricity demand. The price of imported thermal coal was dropping and the electricity generators were putting pressure on the UK coal producers to produce coal at a reduced cost. Imported coal from Columbia, South Africa, America and Australasia had increased their market share in thermal coal sales to over 50 per cent of a 55 Mtpa market. The pressure on the UK coal industry to reduce costs and improve productivity levels from an ever decreasing resource was high. Companies were benchmarking their operations on the imported coal producers and had to realign their organisations, productivity levels and costs to world best practice, not just technically, but in world class organisational management techniques.

Jan 1, 2005

Study on Reasonable Mineral Processing Flow Sheet of Yunfu Low-Grade Pyrite Ores Low-grade ores in Yunfu Pyrite Mining Area were investigated, in order to find an economical, reasonable and environment-friendly mineral processing technology, which is of low consumption and high efficiency in pyrite recovering, which can ensure that the quality of pyrite concentrate product is eligible for sale and the sulfur content of the discharged tailings meets the national emission standards. A flow sheet with a classification, a jigging for coarse-grain minerals and a spiral chute separation for fine-grained minerals was adopted, and the sulfur grade and recovery of the pyrite concentrate is 35.50 per cent and 86.70 per cent respectively, while the grade of tailings is only 6.70 per cent.

Sep 13, 2010

By A De, B Palmer, rade, P Stowasser, A Fanning

Mining and tunnelling share many commonalities (eg confined working environments, excavation equipment and processes), but of significance is an overarching commitment to provide safe work conditions and environments. This includes reducing exposure to hazardous airborne contaminants such as dust and fumes, in particular Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) and Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM), with methods that are environmentally sustainable. In mining, wet methods are common to suppress airborne contaminants, however these methods are reliant on water availability, can be less effective for respirable dust, can have implications for environmental water contamination and can increase maintenance on mining equipment. In contrast, the use of dust scrubbers that provide filtration of airborne contaminants are well established in the tunnelling industry and frequently used to provide spot extraction (dust control at the source) and act often as a complement to the main ventilation system. This paper sought to learn more about the advancements in tunnelling that could be readily applied to mining to improve health outcomes. The paper includes a review of literature and legislation related to health and sustainability and interviews with three respected, and experienced managers from the global tunnel construction industry. It is from these interviews that the focus of the paper turns to Sydney’s WestConnex underground tunnel network and the success of stage 3A M4-M5 construction link. The findings position dust scrubbers as integral to the overall project success as they enabled a Tunnel Production Line (TPL), where multiple stages of construction could take place simultaneously by controlling high volumes of dust at the source. The findings also suggest efficiencies of using mobile scrubbers, both track mounted and hydraulic stepping systems, to accompany road headers and other equipment throughout the excavation process. The findings have transferable applications to underground mining processes in which workers are exposed to high volumes of dust (eg drill and blast) or situations in which dust control at the source, mobility and flexibility offer value (eg room and pillar mining).

Apr 16, 2024

Lime and Marble Limited was founded by the late T J McKee OBE and his family in 1935. The Company had its base in the high grade marble deposits on Takaka Hill, and was also shipping crushed limestone to the Auckland glass works, and supplying burnt lime for industry.

Jan 1, 1998

By D A. Manhire, R M. Flores

The commercial develop of coalbed methane from the Powder River Basin has demonstrated that low-rank coals can be a viable source of gas. Currently over 20 000 coalbed methane wells exist in the Powder River and it is predicted that there will be 50 000 wells by 2010. What makes the Powder River Basin successful is the thickness of the coal (in excess of 30m) as well as the low ash content (

Jan 1, 2002

By D Hope, D K. Mukhopadhyay, J D. Harvey

South32 (S32), a globally diversified mining and metals company, is listed on securities exchanges around the world (ASX, JSE, LSE), with its primary listing being on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). Chapter 5 of the ASX Listing Rules (Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), 2019b) requires a mining entity to provide a summary of governance arrangements and internal controls with respect to its estimation processes, estimates and reporting of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves annually. As a global company, it is also important to design and implement all governance processes and internal controls which can be used consistently across the organisation. The three lines model (previously known as the ‘three lines of defense’ model) is employed across South32 to manage risk where the first line (Practitioners) designs, implements and executes processes and controls to manage risk; the second line (Stewardship) identifies material gaps and improvement opportunities in the first line by monitoring conformance with the group requirements, legislative and regulatory obligations. Second line also assists with the development and improvement of core fundamentals based on industry good practise. The third line (Group Assurance) provides independent and objective assurance over the Group’s system of risk management and control. The estimation of resources and reserves for most of the operations within South32 is managed by the Planning function. The estimation process is part of the annual Life of Operation Plan (LoOP). The LoOP identifies and assesses the strategic alternatives for the development of an operation and recommends the preferred pathway based on value and risk. The LoOP starts with opportunity framing and the updated resources as an input and ends with the short-term plan and annual budget (the outputs). Ore Reserves estimates are one of the outputs from the LoOP. All the inputs and outputs follow internal standards and procedures which includes peer review and performance reconciliation. Stewardship (Second line) which is a centralised function has standards in place to ensure compliance to internal controls and external regulatory requirements. This includes assessment of the competence of Competent Persons, technical reviews, independent audits and training in the relevant chapters of the ASX Listing Rules, Guidance Notes and Appendices. Group Assurance (Third line) which reports to the Risk and Audit Committee of the Board of Directors ensures the design and operating effectiveness of the processes, standards and procedures associated with the estimation and reporting of resources and reserves. While the level of scrutiny has a different intent for each line in the three lines model, the overall purpose is to achieve a consistent outcome across the organisation

May 24, 2023