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By Kelsall D. F, Trahar W. J

The size by size batch flotation behaviour of copper activated sphalerite from synthetic mixtures with quartz was determined. In terms of recovery of sphalerite, the size fractions could be grouped into coarse, intermediate, and fine ranges. The behaviour of the coarse and fine ranges was significantly poorer than that of the intermediate range in both the extent and rate of flotation.Each size fraction had a fast and a slow floating component.The main effect of changing the copper sulphate addition was to alter the proportion of any size fraction which was fast floating. No correlation could be found, between the amount of copper on the spha:lerite andeither the flotation rate of the mineral or the amount of copper added to the system. It was found that fine particles did not appear to consume greatly disproportionate amounts of copper sulphate during conditioning. A modified conditioning procedure was found to lead to a higher rate of flotation and recovery of coarse sphalerite and to make poss1ble substantial savings of copper sulphate.

Jan 1, 1975

The commercial development of the shallow (2200 ft2 400 ft) Windalia sand reservoir at Barrow Island provided the opportunity to conduct an intensive drilling programme using equipment and techniques designed for optimum performance.During the initial exploratory and reservoir delineation phase, 12 specific Windalia test wells were drilled using drilling equipment with an optimum depth range of 6QOO ft - 8000 ft and a 9 5/8 in by 7 in. casing programme was employed. The average time from commencement of move-in to rig release exclusive of coring for five representative wells was 187 hr during this phase.Development drilling commenced December 1966 with one rig, with the second in operation January 1967.As of January 1 1968, 168 development wells had been completed. The two rigs employed are drive-in units equipped with a telescoping .gelf raising doubles mast.Optimum depth range with 4 1/2 in. drill pipe is 2500-4000 ft. Casing programme is 8 5/8 in. by 5 1/2 in. Efficient performance was achieved immediately. The average time from commencement of move-in to rig release for 15 wells drilled early in the development programme was 99 hr.By application of experience and further modification of techniques, performance was improved to an average time of 72 hr per well for 15 wells recently completed.The major drilling problem on Barrow Island is surface hole drilling due to the very hard surface limestone combined with complete loss of circulation at sea level.In this operation, significant improvements have been effected. During the exploratory phase drilling, 12 1/4 in hole to set 9 5/8 in. casing, average penetration rate was 23 ft/hr. At the commencement of the development programme penetration rate, drilling 10 5/8 in. hole to set 8 5/8 in. casing, was 28 ft/hr for the 15 early wells considered, improving to 55 ft/hr for the 15 recent wells considered.This programme is a team effort and much credit must be given to the enthusiastic co-operation of the two drilling contractors.The current field record is 2 days 4 hr with a 4 1/2 hr move including the drilling of mousehole and rathole.

Jan 1, 1968

By Vaughan J. P

The Pegmont deposit is a stratiform Pb-Zn sulphide body occurring in a thin, iron-rich metasedimentary unit situated near the top of the Kuridala Formation, a part of the Mary Kathleen Group of the Middle Proterozoic"Eastern Geosyncline" succession of the Mount Isa-Cloncurry district. The deposit appears to have developed in a shallow basin or depression on a sea or lake floor.Detailed chemical and mineralogical study of seven diamond drill cores through the ore horizon shows that in addition to galena and sphalerite the orebody contains a large range of iron-rich silicates and aluminosilicates.Further, five drill cores selected to represent a section from basin centre to basin edge exhibit clear and systematic chemical and mineralogical changes in the ore horizon in both a vertical and, most importantly, ill a lateral sense.Reconstruction of the sedimentary environment of the ore horizon as a whole shows this to be a silicate facies of a phosphatic, manganiferous iron formation or, more accurately, of "ironstone" in the sense of James (1966, U.S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Paper 440, chapter W).On the basis of both mineralogy and chemistry this silicate facies may be subdivided into three microfacies according to the dominant iron silicates characteristic of each: a fayalite microfacies, a hornblende-clinopyroxenemicrofacies, and a garnet microfacies. Significant Pb-Zn sulphide concentrations are confined almost entirely to the fayalite microfacies.

Jan 1, 1979

Laboratory electrical resistivity measurements of rocks are reviewed. Inductive and galvanic methods are discussed together with the ten important experimental factors which should be considered in an investigation.These experimental factors are electrodes, sample preparation, measurement errors, temporal current variations, current density, frequency, electrolyte composition, electrolyte saturation, pressure, and temperature.

Jan 1, 1969

The contiguous Kotre Basantpur and Pachmo (KBP) coal blocks in the Hazaribagh District of Jharkhand State in east India are being developed by Tata Steel Limited (Tata Steel) to supply coking coal to a new steel mill at Kalinganagar in Orissa.The planning challenges are many. The multiple coal seams range in thickness up to 6 m and extend to nearly 500 m depth, with dips up to 25¦ and highly variable quality. Several normal faults with throws up to 150 m intersect the deposit. There is little room for waste dumping on the lease, several large nalas (seasonal creeks) cross the blocks, and the KBP leases are not contiguous with Tata Steel's existing mining operations at West Bokaro. Geotechnical conditions, while not well defined at this stage, are largely unfavourable. There are several villages on the blocks, and extensive paddy fields. In 2009, Adelaide Mining Consultants Pty Ltd (AMC) completed a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a production level of 8 Mt/a. A terrace mining system was proposed using 28 m3 hydraulic excavators and 185 t trucks working horizontal up-dip slices. Subsequently the viability of in-pit crushing and conveying was assessed, but the full results were not available for this paper.It is planned to extract a total of 147 Mt of raw coal at a strip ratio of 5.2 bank cubic metres per tonne (bcm/t). The planned maximum pit depth is over 300 m.The project includes a washery, a 2 + 25 MW fluidised bed power station to utilise all the coarse washery rejects, and a railway spur line to carry the washed coal to the railhead some 7 km distant.

Dec 6, 2010

THE following really forms the second part of, or a sequel to, a paper, " Ventilating Metalliferous Mines: a Method of Attack," read before the Broken Hill Branch of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy in May, 1920. In that paper the writer advocated a consideration of the question of ventilation in metal mines from a different aspect to that 'which had hitherto prevailed locally. Various factors regarded as having an important bearing on the subject were set forth, together with the results of observations made during ventilation tests carried out at the mining department of the Zinc Corporation.During the subsequent discussion the question was raised of the possibility of any practical application of the method of attack described, and also whether the theoretical considerations mentioned were likely to be of any real utility to the mining engineer engaged in ventilation work in a metalliferous mine.

Jan 1, 1923

The purpose of this paper is to cover in a general way the extent, geology, quality of product, working methods and trials of the coal mining industry. of New South Wales from 1946 to the present day, with particular reference to the Western field.It must be clearly understood that any opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Joint Coal Board.The extent of the Western coal field at the present stage of investigation may be said to be from a few miles east of Katoomha to a few miles north-west of the township of Ulan, the total distance being 150 miles.To the west of a line from the Western Highway from Lithgow through Wallerawang, PortIand, Tyldesley, Ben Bullen, Kandos and Rylstone, there are no signs of coal except for one or two outiiers in the neighbourhood of Portland. To the east of this line the coal-bearing areas extend to the seaboard approximately 80 miles to the east.GEOLOGY AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COAL SEAMSThe Western coal measures belong to the Upper or Newcastle series, which have been correlated with the Sciritheru or lllawarra, and the North-western or Gunnedah measures. Being close to the margin of the coal basin the Western measures have an average thickness of only 200 ft. to 500 ft., or approximately one-half of the maximum development of the Newcastle measures. They are underlain by Upper Marine beds which in turn rest directly on Devonian rocks.

Jan 1, 1954

The need to hoist increasing loads from great depths is leading to the more general adoption of winders of the Koepe and Blair types. The trend has introduced a number of new problems in winding ropes, more particularly in the Koepe system where regular destructive tests during the life of a rope are not possible. Consequently, the importance of introducing non-destructive tests is much greater, especially so in the case of Koepe ropes used for deep winding where there are three major destructive fatiguing influences. These are rotational effects when a vertical rope is changed end-for- end each trip, the much greater range of stress to which the rope is subjected each trip as compared with drum winding, and the destructive effect of a high coefficient of friction between wheel and rope. A plea for a lower coefficient in the interest of better rope and tread life, substantiated by analysis, is made for Koepe winders operating at depth.Co-ordination of rope testing with general hoisting problems is stressed and the active participation of the Wire Rope Committee of the Australian Mineral Industries Research Association Ltd. in the promotion ofthe project is noted.The general introduction of a rope testing programme in Australia, personnel requirements and some local basic research in the subject to cope with future demands are considered.

Jan 1, 1967

This paper describes the economic study of longwall versus bord and pillar mining using all continuous miners for a colliery located at the South Coast district of New South Wales, Australia. In this district longwall mining appears to be a better economic proposition than bord and pillar. The internal rate of return on investment is found to remain approximately constant for each method irrespective of life. The economic importance of percentage extraction of coal is shown to be small for high values of minimum rates of return, becoming more significant as the minimum rate of return decreases.

Jan 1, 1980

IN the underground department of a mine, we may fairly say that "good management is based upon three elementals: first, sound engineering; second, proper coordination and efficiency of every human unit; third, economy in the purchase and consumption: of supplies.This paper is practically an analysis of the second element; which stands out prominently as the most important in the winning of successful results. The human units are divided into officers and men. The officers intermesh. One man takes responsibility where another throws it down; incessantly new conditions are arising where they may be doubtful of their powers; and always, on account of the three shifts, varying methods of work are coming into conflict. This very often results in disorganization. What is most necessary to guard against this is an esprit de corps, which would influence officers to stifle personal feelings for the general welfare of the department, To secure co-operation and loyalty of the staff, the writer recommends for the mines of the field a system of profit-sharing. Distributed on a salary basis, together with liberal holidays (not less than three weeks in each year) on full pay...

Jan 1, 1912

Recent and on-going studies on the leaching of gold, the properties and activity of carbon, developments in the elution of gold from carbon, and methods of recovering gold from solution are reviewed. Emphasis is placed on Australian contributions, and their impact on gold metallurgy. Consideration is given to the future development of selective solvent extractants, ion exchange resins or alternative reagents for cyanide.

Jan 1, 1987

By Roberts W. P H, Chant R. A

Investigation of the "whole-rock" major element geochemistry of the Broken Hill lodes and of the rocks immediately enclosing them has been carried out on the full lengths of 19 diamond drill cores transecting B lode,A lode, No. 1 lens and Lead lode in The Zinc Corporation Ltd.-New Broken Hill Consolidated Limited, at the southern end of the line of lode.It appears that the abundances of all of the principal "non-sulphide components" - Si02, AI2O3, Ti02, CaO, MgO, MnO, K2O, TiO2 and P203 - are closely tied to the incidence of sulphide. The well-known direct relationship of calcium and manganese with the incidence of sulphide is confirmed, and to this is now added the pairing sulpnide-phosphate, which is particularly welldeveloped in the zinc lodes. It is also now shown that there is a clear inverse relationship between sulphide on one hand and AI2O3, Ti02 , MgO, and K2O on the other.Total Fe-which is an important constituent of both sulphide and non-sulphide-appears to occur in essentially similar amounts in ore and enclosing materials. The incidence of Na20, while generally depressed in ore, issomewhat erratic and equivocal. Si02 and sulphide usually show a highly systematic inverse relationship-a feature stemming inevitably from their being by far the two most abundant, and hence two co-dominant, materials ofthe ores.These features of elemental abundance are interpreted in the context of seaflooor hydrothermal ore deposition to give some insight into the amount and nature of detrital and of chemical sedimentation, the formation and accumulation of different clay minerals, the chemical and physical characteristics of the bottom waters, and the reasons for the comparative paucity of iron in the Broken Hill lode.

Jan 1, 1978

It is a great honour to address our Institute as President, but the choice of a suitable subject was not an easy one. In the past when the presidential address was given at an annual conference the subject usually related to the conference or industry concerned; more recently the subjects have been more philosophical and this is a distinct advantage to me.I appreciate that I am addressing an informed audience and I am sure' that you are well advised in many of the points that I hope to leave with you. Unlike the specialist who gets to know more and more about less and less and eventually knows everything about nothing, I am one of the group who gets to know less and less about more and more and eventually knows nothing about everything.I hope you will appreciate this point whilst you are listening to me.In recent years I have been closely associated with the problem that troubles most governments of our time: the competition of many groups of differing backgrounds for the land that is available to the nation.This is of particular interest to the industry with which we are concerned as it is of critical importance to the discovery and development of future reserves of minerals and metals. Part of my daily task is involved with the administration of legislation for mining operations and the conditions under which such operations may be undertaken, in implementing government policies relating to mining, and in designing and administering legislationdirected to safety and health in mines.Most of our members are involved in exploration or in day-to-day problems associated with the production of minerals or the management of companies in these pursuits and would be aware of many of the conflicting viewpoints on priorities.F. F. Espie in his presidential address of 1975 'On being a minority', made the point that our Institute found that the mining industry had a great communication 'Problem with the Australian people.I believe that this is one of our major problems.

Jan 1, 1977

Iron ore in the Middleback Range area has a density and susceptibility contrast with adjacent rocks, and gravity and magnetic methods are applicable to exploration for it. The gravity method is satisfactory whether the ore mineral is hematite, magnetite, or limonite; the magnetic method is suitable for detecting ores which contain magnetite, such as some hematite ore, magnetite ore, and possible ore in the form of magnetite-bearing schists. jaspilites, and carbonate rocks.Geophysical exploration began in 1948 and is still in progress. The methods which have been used are aeromagnetic (83 per cent), ground magnetic (13 per cent), gravity (3 per cent), and others (1 per cent). Ground magnetic surveys have been made wherever aeromagnetic surveys recorded large anomalies. The gravity method is being used to investigate those parts of the area considered most favourable for ore occurrence.Qualitative and quantitative interpretation of the geophysical data has been made and the rocks causing selected anomalies tested by bores.Magnetite in the Middleback Group rocks produces the major magnetic anomalies in the area. The average magnetite content of magnetite-jaspilite, which is the commonest rock type, is 33 per cent by weight and that of magnetite-carbonate at the Iron Duke-Iron Duchess is 50 per cent. These rock types also contain hematite and the average total iron content of the former is 35 per cent and of the latter 50 per cent.INTRODUCTIONThe geology and iron ore resources of the Middleback Range area were described by Miles (1954). Since 1954, much drilling, mapping, and quarrying has been done but there is no published report of this work.The rocks which constitute the Middleback Range, Camel Hill-Cooyerdoo line, Katunga Hill-Iron Knob, and Ash Range (Fig. 1) belong to the Middleback Group of Middle Precambrian or late Archaean age. Most outcrops of the Group are jaspilites, formerly called banded hematite (or magnetite) quartzite. The high grade hematite deposits...

Jan 1, 1964

An account is given of experimental apparatus for generating a short duration high velocity water jet and the effect of its impingement on various rock samples under air or water cover. The penetration was found to be highly dependent upon the rock structure; in general material with closely interlocking grains was resistant.The damage sustained by a stationary sample held close to the jet did not vary greatly whether the sample was in air or confined under a water layer; but when the sample was translated under the jet there was a marked increase in the damage sustained.Some consideration was given to the possible practical application of a water jet for deep hole drilling and an estimate made of the power requirements and transmission losses for such a system.

Jan 1, 1969

By M F. Jennings, N J. Corlis, B J. Thomas, L N. Tylkowski, A E. Petts, G D. McDonald

Flinders Mines is an iron ore explorer and developer with a tenement package located in the Hamersley Ranges region of Western Australia, approximately 70 km north of Tom Price. Exploration over the past five years has identified a Global Resource in excess of 900 Mt at a grade of 55.2 per cent Fe (+50 per cent Fe cut-off). This resource is spread across multiple deposits and has been divided into a number of mineralisation type domains. These domains are comprised of transported hematite rich detrital iron deposits (DID) and goethite dominant channel iron deposits (CID) as well as in situ bedded iron deposits (BID). The BID at PIOP is low in alumina and silica with a high calcined iron content making it an attractive exploration target. BID exploration techniques include a combination of mapping, structural analysis, downhole gamma logging and 3D geological modelling. Relationships identified between existing BID mineralisation, geology and structure has aided in targeting additional mineralisation across the tenement and highlighted other previously untested areas that warrant further investigation.CITATION:Tylkowski, L N, Corlis, N J, McDonald, G D, Petts, A E, Jennings, M F and Thomas, B J, 2013. The hunt for hydrous bedded iron deposits - an investigation into Flinders MinesÆ Blacksmith Tenement, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2013 , pp 121-126 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 12, 2013

For the purposes of this discussion it is assumed that contributors should express the thoughts that arise from their personal experience. So wide is the range of mineral deposits, and so varied the methods employed in their discovery and development, that no two geologists are likely to have been impressed with the same applications of their science. The author's own personal experience has been, during recent years at least, very largely concerned with the broader aspects of the employment of scientific method and geological knowledge to the problems of exploration and exploitation, for the guidance of the general public and governmental authority rather than of mine executives and directors. The view-point thus reached is likely to differ in many respects from that of men who are much more intimately concerned with the mining problems of a single metal or a single mining field, and for this reason a statement may perhaps supplement those from others whose experience has been markedly different.It may well happen that, at some not distant date in the future, when systematic and comprehensive instruction in economic geology is embodied in the courses- prescribed for mining engineers during their years of training, the author's comments will be quitesuperfluous; but at the present time they appear to him to call for expression.The Need for Training of Mining Men in Economic Geology.Contact over a period of many years with mining men who have had different kinds of training and experience has been convincing that there is a general reluctance to acquire a full rational understanding of the geological factors involved in exploratory and developmental problems. The correction of this attitude is regarded as vital to the industry and it is necessary to insist that the outstanding requirement of the present day is the utilization of all branches of geological, investigation in the field and the laboratoryby men who have had systematic and specialized training in these matters. The science of geology is many-sided, but is, nevertheless, whole and essentially indivisible. No one can afford to disregard any fraction of its content 'or any of its methods of investigation.The greatest advances have been made in the understarnding of the occurrence of mineral deposits by those whose knowledge Qfbasal principles, has been soundest, whose endeavour has been to ascertain all their relationships in space and time, whose attention to detail of all kinds has been keenest, and at the same time, whose capability to distinguish between major and minor features has been most marked.With the passage of the years and the accumulation of data from many lands, it has been possible to build up a great body of information regarding the primary deposition and secondary alteration of mineral occurrences, which is of the utmost value in guiding thesearch for new deposits to take the place of those that become exhausted. This heritage is due not only to the efforts of gifted in...

Jan 1, 1950

By Cocquio D. S, Bauchau C

In the course of an integrated airborne survey in 1975, a uranium-molybdenum deposit was discovered by Minatome Australia Pty Limited in North Queensland, Australia, approximately 70 km by road west of Townsville.The mineralization occurs in a welded tuff unit within the Carboniferous St James Vokanics. It is structurally controlled by a complex of subvertical east-west fractures and is exposed over a strike length of 350 m. Drilling has traced a further 150 m extension underneath a barren capping consisting of a thick pile of vokano-sediments. The maximum width of the orebody is 150 m, and its vertical thickness is approximately 100 m.The primary ore minerals are coffinite, pitchblende and molybdenite, accompanied by various alteration products (particularly uranium molybdates).The vein-type mineralization is considered epigenetic.A comprehensive program of surface drilling and underground exploration is in progress to establish the uranium and molybdenum reserves.

Jan 1, 1980

Urban development to the south of Sydney is approaching areas of current and proposed coal mining. Already some structures and residential areas are affected by mining subsidence.Subsidence resulting from either conventional pillar extraction methods or longwall mining has been monitored for 15 years to enable the characteristics of the surface deformation to be determined.The vertical and horizontal displacements of survey stations on the surface are monitored and the results arc used to calculate subsidence, changes in slope of the surface, curvatures along the subsidence profile, and the ensile and compressive strains. These features are in turn related to the underground extraction to give a description of surface subsidence and the development of subsidence with time.Subsidence investigations have been carried out over all or part of the workings of six collieries in the Southern Coalfield.Two case histories illustrate the procedure in the investigation of subsidence phenomena. The first example is the study of the subsidence over a series of longwall panels in one seam and the second is a study of subsidence over pillar extraction in two seams one above the other. From the results of the investigations the effects of panel widths on subsidence are determined.This and other information assists mine planning in areas where surface movement and deformation are important considerations.

Jan 1, 1980

By C N. Whata

While there is no specific obligation on the part of any applicant to consult directly with tangata whenua (people of the land), recent cases highlight the need to engage in active consultation in order to avoid serious objections and delay, particularly where a proposal may affect the matters referred to in section 6(e) (Waahi tapu/sacred places) and 7(a) (KaitiakitangaiGuardianship) of the RMA.   The Environment Court has shown some sympathy for tangata whenua where waahi tapu and other significant matters of cultural concern are at risk because of a proposed development. There are several practical steps that can be taken to minimise the potential for serious objection including: ò knowing who to contact and how to contact them; ò demonstrating empathy for the concerns of tangata whenua; ò engaging in proactive consultation, for example meeting at a time and a place that is suitable to tangata whenua, and a preparedness to meet the costs of tangata whenua etc; ò demonstrate an awareness of tangata whenua issues; being aware of the types of mechanisms that are available to remedy, avoid etc adverse effects on matters of concern to tangata whenua.

Jan 1, 1997