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By P Bourke, S Ronkainen

Since the early days of flotation, process technicians have known that the speed at which the froth is recovered over the lip of the cell has a very direct and consistent influence on the grade and recovery of the circuit. No plant would deny that, even to this day, one of the most important aspects of a process technicianÆs job is ensuring that the froth is moving at a desired and controlled speed over the lip. Unfortunately, process technicians cannot watch the froth throughout the entire shift, as there are always other problems to attend to. A considerable amount of work has thus been done to develop a æsystemÆ that automatically measures the speed of the froth. This measurement would then be used in simple controllers to emulate the steps taken by the process technician in correcting deviations of the froth speed from its desired level. Many of the earlier attempts to measure speed were ineffective, as they were unable to cope with turbulence on the froth surface. The FrothMasterÖ instrument makes use of machine vision technologies to measure the speed of the froth over the lip of a cell at a very high sampling rate. This instrument produces an extremely reliable and accurate measurement of the froth speed (as well as other parameters such as bubble size and froth stability). As we will show, the effectiveness of the speed measurement in controlling the performance of the plant is a testimony to its reliability. Three FrothMasterÖ units have recently been installed on the Cadia Hills Gold Mine in New South Wales (Australia). The objectives of this installation were:to control the mass-recovery of two Tank Cells in series on the same level where differences in the hydrostatic head between the two cells result in the cells pulling inconsistently with respect to each other; control of the concentrate grade (per cent copper) from the first rougher; reduction in the frother consumption in the rougher circuit by monitoring the froth speed. A simple controller was designed to react to disturbances in the same way that human operators react. This was done after consultation with the metallurgists and the process technicians at Cadia. The controller had two functions: Stabilisation: The stabilising controller made use of three manipulated variables (level, frother addition rate and aeration rate) to control the froth speed to a setpoint. Optimisation: The optimising controller adjusted the froth speed setpoint based on deviations of the grade (measured in real-time by the OSA) from a setpoint. The plant metallurgist adjusted the grade setpoint based on information about the ore. The results from a 21-day trial have shown the following:The ratio of concentrate mass-recovery between two cells in series on the same level has been successfully balanced, thereby overcoming problems due to differences in hydrostatic heads. It is possible to control the speed of the froth, in mm/s, to within five per cent of its setpoint using the aforementioned manipulated variables. It has also been shown that, for reliable control, it is necessary to control more than just one variable (eg level or air). The grade of the first rougher concentrate has been controlled to within 0.3 per cent of the grade setpoint for long periods of time, which has important implications for the circuit recovery. The frother consumption has been reduced significantly. This paper will thus show that substantial progress has been made to demonstrate the value of using on-line froth speed measurements in flotation plant control to obtain real financial benefits.

Jan 1, 2000

Reliable sampling practices are the key to optimising the market value of a mining or chemical companyÆs stock. As a result, reliable sampling standards are needed. However, current standards on sampling present the æuniversalÆ Pierre GyÆs Sampling Theory in an ambiguous way. For example, the Total Sampling Error is divided into its basic components only in informative annexes, when it should clearly be the main body of the standard. Sampling standards are presently loaded with statistical concepts that actually belong in the annexes. Furthermore, many non-probabilistic sampling procedures are still mentioned which do not belong in a standard. The objective is not to criticise existing sampling standards, but to suggest better ones. Sections on the Sampling Theory should divide the Total Sampling Error into a sum of its nine basic components. Then, and only then, should they be addressed one at the time. Sections for establishing a sampling protocol should address the in situ Nugget Effect, the Fundamental Error, the Grouping and Segregation Error, the Long Range Quality Fluctuation Error, and the Periodic Quality Fluctuation Error. Sections for sampling methods, mechanical sampling, manual sampling, grab sampling, sampling of trucks, railroad cars, bags, and drums should be part of the critically important practical implementation of a recommended sampling protocol, called Sampling Correctness. It includes the increment Delimitation Error, the increment Extraction Error, the Weighting Error, and the Preparation Errors. Unless these errors are addressed one at a time, in an unambiguous way, the standard will remain ineffective in solving sampling problems for the industry. Therefore, a strategy is needed to create better standards required at the early stages of new projects, both by manufacturers of sampling equipment and by engineering firms. A logical sequence of important points that cannot be ignored in any sampling standard is presented. An analysis of the practical use of the words sampling uncertainty versus sampling error is recalled. Finally, as a practical example, an in-depth analysis of the correctness of cross-belt samplers is presented, and emphasis is placed on the correct ways to perform bias-tests for mechanical sampling systems.

Jan 1, 2005

Felspar occurs in association with quartz in the Broken Hill lode pegmatites and is brilliant green, greenish white, and white in colour. The pegmatites occur mainly in the walls in sporadic patches, parallel to the general dip of the ore deposit. The occurrences are of no economic value.Deposits of marketable felspar occur in pegmatite in a number of localities around Broken Hill, New South Wales.The majority of these are in the form of an irregular outcrop, usually of tapering length and depth. The maximum depth of any deposit yet worked in the district is about 40 ft. The felspar is occasionally contaminated by "blows" of quartz, mica and beryl, but the two latter are profitably marketable when separated.Felspars vary in colour from pink, through grey to snow white, and the colour is not indicative of the mineral content. The largest deposit at present being worked is the Egebeck quarry, about 14 miles south of Cockburn. It is a prominent outcrop, roughly circular and about 150 ft. in diameter, covered by one to three feet of overburden.The felspar is mainly massive, but contains some cleavage planes at approximately 90°. Intrusions of quartz and mica occur in patches, but the deposit appears likely to improve in size, regularity and quality below the present working floor.COMMERCIAL USES.Commercial felspars are mainly used in the ceramic industry, for which a high-grade potash felspar is required.The dental industry requires limited amounts of soda felspar with a very low Fe20s content. The poorer grades...

Jan 1, 1946

The paper describes a simulating method.for ground water contamination originating from industrial and mining activrty. The finite difference model simulates heat, mass and solute transport. The applied stochastical method for dispersion provides more accurate solution of mass transport modelling. This method gives a more realistic approach of chemical processes in an aquifer depending on temperature.

Jan 1, 1988

By S Miller, A Neale

As part of a long-term acid rock drainage (ARD) mitigation study, PT Freeport Indonesia has completed the construction of a highly instrumented, full-scale, experimental, overburden stockpile to further evaluate the behaviour of the waste rock system at Grasberg mine. A total of 24 lysimeters, 30 sets of thermistor strings and 48 oxygen-sampling ports were installed at select locations during stockpile construction. ARD flow rates and chemistry have been recorded since the start of overburden rock placement in April 2000. Measurements of in situ temperatures and oxygen concentrations quantify reaction rates and the oxygen pathways that control oxidation kinetics deep within the waste rock profile. Direct field observations show the significance of advective oxygen flow with respect to the onset of oxidation kinetics. Oxygen measurements show that the rubble zone that forms at the base of a waste rock bench provides a critical pathway for oxygen entry to the waste rock profile. Furthermore, rapid oxidation as evidenced by measured temperature increases deep within the panels of waste rock is observed to occur. The observations presented in this paper provide critical insight for understanding the mechanisms and behaviour of full-scale waste rock stockpiles with respect to ARD generation. The results of this program will assist in the future selection, testing and evaluation of appropriate mitigation measures with respect to surface and face treatments to reduce long-term ARD generation. This project is a work in progress, and at least another two-years will be required to fully understand site-specific ARD generation and ARD mitigation mechanisms. This paper will discuss various design and construction considerations, provide an overview of results achieved to date, and some preliminary interpretation of what is happening within the overburden stockpiles.

Jan 1, 2003

By J Barnes

During September 2000, Nabalco management identified the need for a corporate system to deliver its key performance indicators (KPIs). In June 2001, a need was also identified to replace the existing metallurgical accounting system. After a review of the technologies available, the decision was made to develop the systems in-house, in preference to purchasing commercial software packages. This would allow much greater control over the structure, and provide for an iterative, concurrent development process between software and key business developers. This has proven invaluable in the development process. The purpose of the KPI system is to provide a unified reporting tool for all performance indicators. These indicators include production, safety, health and environment, personnel, costs, continuous improvement initiatives and opportunity losses. All of these disparate measurements are brought together into the KPI system and used to determine the performance for each department or area. The general principles of the balanced scorecard business approach (Kaplan and Norton, 1996) are applied to achieve a performance measurement for each area within Nabalco. The new metallurgical accounting system (MA) is a SQLServer database with web page and Excel interfaces. The database is structured around daily inputs of all measurements and calculations. The data is stored and adjustments and reconciliations can be made to this data as required. The focus is on accounting rigour, with all adjustments recorded in the database to allow for full auditing. The structure of the data focuses on the five input/output streams (bauxite in, caustic soda in, fuel oil in, residue out, and alumina out). In-circuit inventory provides a secondary measurement on which to check and calibrate the MA system. The KPI and MA systems were developed using Web technologies and are available to any internet-enabled device with Internet Explorer installed. This removes the need for software rollouts and user training. This will promote the wide use of the systems throughout Nabalco and Alcan.

Jan 1, 2002

By I Govender, T L. Moodley

Tumbling mills are grossly inefficient, using only 5 per cent of the total energy supplied for actual breakage. A significant proportion of this inefficiency is unavoidable owing to geometric limitations; rotating drum systems are prone to exhibiting certain regions (energy barriers) that resist particle entry thereby restricting the transfer of energy. Though such systems are inherently inefficient, improved modelling schemes may lead to slightly enhanced efficiency through better microscale predictions of key breakage drivers (stress, force). Central to achieving such incremental advances is the development of a universally accepted rheology for dense granular flows. Armed with a better understanding of these macro-scale ingredients, classical process modelling offers an efficient, spreadsheet friendly framework for recovering the spatial distributions of the comminution drivers. At this real-time level of process control, it should be possible to tune comminution operations towards more energy efficient configurations – the ultimate goal of this research. The present work employs validated DEM data to recover the full continuum field which will ultimately serve as a basis for calibrating process model outputs based on different rheological hypotheses. Such a continuumbased approach captures tensor properties like the shear stress and strain rate – both of which are necessary to developing a dense granular rheology. Moreover, DEM captures this data at the momentum transfer timescale of 10-6 s – no other measurement technique is capable of this level of spatial and temporal resolution. Importantly, the confidence in this DEM data is strengthened because it has been validated at the continuum scale using Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT) kinematic measurements. Validated DEM data is derived from batch experiments conducted within a 300 mm ID laboratory drum using three and five millimetre glass beads at 60 and 75 percent critical speed; such mill speeds are typically encountered in the tumbling mill industry. Dimensional analysis is conducted using critical rheological parameters (shear rate, shear stress, granular temperature etc), which are key to not only developing a granular rheology but ultimately will be used to tune our mechanistic models.

Aug 24, 2022

By W J. Shaw

Geometallurgical modelling is now a hot topic in deposit evaluation and in optimising mine performance; however, its history is long and varied. Historically metallurgical sampling has frequently suffered from a lack of data due to the cost of producing representative bulk samples. In the early 1990s geometallurgical modelling similarly suffered from a lack of data due to complex, time consuming and expensive sampling techniques. More recently, simple and relatively cheap tests for geometallurgical variables such as hardness, grindability, throughput, SAG power index, bond work index, crushing index, mineral recovery and concentrate grade have become widespread. The cheaper sampling has resulted in relatively large geometallurgical databases. However, most of the geometallurgical variables sampled are implicitly (and incorrectly) assumed to be additive when modelled by traditional geostatistical techniques, often leading to ill-informed and costly decisions. Geometallurgical variables are mostly non-additive so the current geostatistical challenge is to develop new approaches to dealing with this type of data. This paper briefly describes a historical case study of geometallurgical modelling of the George Fisher Pb-Zn mine completed in the mid 1990s, then outlines some of the current misconceptions of geometallurgical data and modelling techniques regularly applied to it, and finally discusses some recent developments in geometallurgical modelling, with examples from a number of current clients indicating the direction forward.

Jan 1, 2009

By B P. Wrench, N R. Steward, C Wu

A gold mine in southern China has transitioned from an open pit operation to a fully underground mine. An overhand mining method is used which requires the mined stopes to be filled with backfill having an unconfined compressive strength of at least 0.35MPa. Tailings from the process plant is deposited into separate flotation and Carbon in Leach (CIL) tailings storage facilities. The tailings has a high fines content and the thickener on site could only produce a dilute flotation tailings at a solids content of about 30 wt%. This resulted in two undesirable outcomes: the density of flotation tailings in the Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) was significantly lower than planned so that the TSF could not store the life of mine tailings and that the backfill product had to include a high percentage of manufactured aggregate and increased cement content to achieve the required strength. This paper presents results of a tailings study which identified that the flotation TSF would be capable of storing the remaining life of mine tailings if an amended backfill product made up of 100% of flotation tailings could be introduced. A 100% tailings backfill with the addition of 8% cement was developed by classifying the tailings and using the coarser fraction in the backfill. This backfill allowed 60% of the flotation tailings to be placed underground and only the remaining 40% in the flotation TSF. A new thickener was designed and installed to thicken the tailings and rheological testing of the tailings, using a closed loop pilot plant, provided parameters to upgrade the underground reticulation system to deliver cemented backfill to stopes throughout the mine and to deliver thickened tailings to the TSF. The revised design was implemented and has resulted in considerable cost savings. CITATION:Steward, N R, Wrench, B P and Wu, C, 2018. Optimisation of surface tailings storage and tailings backfill – a case study, in Proceedings Mine Waste and Tailings Stewardship Conference 2018, pp 454–464 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 23, 2018

A practical approach has been developed for the design of both grates and pulp lifters. It is based on: an appreciation of the process interaction between grates and pulp lifters, an interpretation of mill charge structure as it relates to discharge through grates, and an analysis of pulp and solids flow in pulp lifter channels. This approach can be used to improve the overall discharge effectiveness of AG and SAG mills.

Jan 1, 2000

In 1976, The Zinc Corporation Limited Broken Hill set up a plant to re-process a hill of tailing (Mt. Keast) from the original treatment operations. With the likely disappearance of this source of feed in 1985, an investigation was initiated to determine what other feed sources might be available. This involved searching through old records and photographs as well as a subsequent drilling campaign. The paper briefly covers the history of treatment operations and describes, as a result of the information obtained, the likely future sources of feed.

Jan 1, 1983

By L Wsrell

During recent years the iron ore industry has experienced a continuous consolidation trend following increased merger and acquisition activities. Analysing and evaluating these mergers is important in order to establish potential effects. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the price effects caused by the merger between Rio Tinto and North Ltd in 2000. The merger was cleared by the European Commission, as well as the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, shortly after its announcement. The analysis will be conducted using a simulation model based on a proportionality calibrated almost ideal demand system, which uses the premerger situation in order to estimate the post-merger outcome. The relevant market is defined using shipments data. This is followed by the simulation model applied to the defined relevant market. The results show that the concentration on the market, given by the HHI, increases approximately 15 per cent, and that the market share of the new companyÆs reaches almost 20 per cent. Compared to the CommissionÆs assessment the results indicate a more concentrated market and thus a higher concern for possible competitive effects. Furthermore, the results suggest that the predicted average market price increase from the merger is 1.6 per cent. However, the merged firm is able to increase their average price by 5.1 per cent.

Jan 1, 2005

In the mid-1990s, after a long period of antipathy between the company and its detractors, Rio Tinto embarked upon an ambitious cultural change program that sought to transform the fundamental basis of its relationship with global, national and local stakeholders. This has evolved into a broader pursuit of positive cultural change within Rio Tinto as part of the mining industryÆs Sustainable Development initiative. Initially driven from the top down, the communities component of this program comprises an architecture of policies, value statements, social research and verification systems. The commitment to better community relationships is best exemplified in Australia by the scope and scale of the GroupÆs Aboriginal land access agreements, community development programs and the work of the Rio Tinto Aboriginal Foundation. While collectively these form the core elements of an evolving set of internal social competencies, development of second-tier competencies is required to organically embed a culture of sustainable relationships with local and regional communities. Second-tier competencies will include appreciation of social dynamics, social science and diversity at middle management level; rigorous social research that properly informs development options for companies and host communities; career paths and recognition within the mining industry for young professionals both generally and from stakeholder communities; proper community-needs assessments, research into such things as purchasing power and other economics data, and inventories of public goods such as land-carrying capacity and water availability. Without this information it is difficult to gain an appreciation of and to alert people to the consequences of change brought on by a mine. The next decade will see second-tier social competencies promoted within successful mining companies. Measures to achieve this include a range of Human Resource (HR) incentives such as recruitment and career advancement based on broad competencies rather than narrow technical proficiency, humanities training for mining professionals and performance rewards that recognise social competence. A sustainable future for mining in a globally connected social landscape requires selection of people who can listen, relate and act in an open social system. The challenge for the mining industry, its professional organisations and educational institutions is to acknowledge this and develop these new aspects of mining industry professionalism. This cannot be left to individual companies if the industry is to have a sustainable future.

Jan 1, 2002

By S A. Prevec

"An EXTENDED ABSTRACT is available for download. A full-length paper was not prepared for this presentation. Traditional models employed to genetically link associated chromite and platinum-group elements have favoured crustal contamination as the primary process for inducing sulfide and oxide saturation. The association of chromite ores with crustal contamination is well established in the literature. However, in the 1970s (cf Irvine, 1973, 1975), Irvine demonstrated that crustal contamination was in fact problematic as a tool for inducing chromite precipitation in mafic to ultramafic magmas. His results are re-examined here, along with some attempts to reconcile them with the effects of adding Fe to the models. It is concluded that crustal contamination is indeed problematic based on phase relationships alone. However, the role of fluids as a compensating agent is evaluated, which may explain why crustal contamination may indeed facilitate oxide and sulfide precipitation.CITATION:Prevec, S A, 2015. Chromite and platinum-group elements coprecipitation by crustal contamination or magma mixing revisited – genetic and exploration implications, in Proceedings PACRIM 2015 Congress, pp 311–316 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Mar 18, 2015

Stawell Gold Mines Pty Ltd operates two underground decline mines within the township of Stawell. An active exploration program and commitment by owners to improving the ore reserves has led to an improved mine life and reduced operating costs since the purchase of the operation by Mining Project Investors and Pittston Mineral Ventures in late-1992. Over the past six years of operation a cumulative 1 150 000 ounces of gold have been added to the mineral inventory. An improved geological understanding of the orebody has evolved over time increasing the ore reserves and allowing the development of long-term plans for the mines future. This has enabled important capital decisions to be made providing the impetus for improved productivity and thereby reduced operating costs. Co-operative mine planning and mine geology utilising best practice geological systems have enabled the effective extraction of a structurally complex and mineralogically varied deposit within a rural Victorian township. Detailed metallurgical research has improved the function of an aged and poorly designed circuit to boost the mill capacity whilst also improving the metallurgical recovery. The combination of metallurgical expertise and an understanding of the geological setting enable an effective control of metallurgical recovery.

Jan 1, 2000

The Hemersley Ranges are located in the North West Division of Western Australia and extend, approximately, from latitudes 21¦ 30! to 23¦S and longitudes 117¦ to 120¦E. Their mean height above sea level is'. 2,000 feet, and they rise from 600 to 800 feet. above the gen- eral level of the tableland which extends south-east from the coastal town of Roebourne.. Mt. Bruce, the highest peak, is 4,024 feet above sea level. The ranges are intersected by numerous north-flowing streams, dry during the greater part of the year, which have carved deep gorges, and it is in these that the principal deposits of orocidolite outcrop. The presence -of the mineral was first recorded in 1917., but the deposits remained untouched until 1937 when reports of a strong market demand for-croeido lice resulted in considerable prospecting and mining activity, particularly in Yampire, Wittenoom and Daleis Gorges. . It was established also that the blue asbestos belt extended from Willi- Wolli Springs north-west to Millstream Station, i.e.,-over a.:length of 180 miles and a width of 20 to 30 miles. A number of attempts were made to develop aid treat the Yampire and Wittenoom'Gorge deposits from 1938 onwards, but, for a ,variety of reasons, none of these-proved successful. Current production,. is wholly by Australian Blue Asbestos Pty. Limited at Wittenoom Gorge. This company commenced operations at the Wittenoom Mine in 1946, with an output of 601.8 long tons of- fibre,. and later transferred tb the Colonial Mine about one mile to the north-west. Output has been increased steadily to an' average of 12,000 to 14.,000.. long tons; per annum over the past six years. The total Western Australian output to the end of 1962 is reported by the Mines Department as 110,013 long tons valued at úAl2,403,728..

Jan 1, 1964

By J Canterford

Although we have access to a wide range of sophisticated process design and improvement tools in combination with a significant range of case studies, the mineral resource industry still manages to be plagued by the negative publicity surrounding operating plant failures because they were neither smart nor safe, together with proposed projects that fail at the first or second hurdle. The general public and the finance industry are generally totally uniformed about projects that ramp-up to name plate capacity on time and on budget and even more so when ahead of schedule and under budget. As the saying goes, good news does not cut the mustard.The following is a summary of the author’s sometimes jaundiced view about why metallurgical plants do not live up to their technical and commercial expectations. In no way should the summary be construed as a negative reflection on the skills of the metallurgical profession. Rather, it is to be taken as a positive acknowledgement of those skills and is intended to highlight some of the major considerations that need to be assessed as a potential project transforms into a sustainable technical and commercial reality.While a considerable portion of the summary is directed at developing hydrometallurgical flowsheets, the general principles are equally important to all aspects of extractive metallurgy.For convenience, the summary covers the following five basic discussion points – project, people, process, patents and politicians.

Aug 8, 2011

A low grade, refractory ore gold mine with high striping ratio such as at Macraes is always challenged in ways to improve margins. Common practice approaches used at OceanaGold Ltd Macraes are to maximise grade delivery, optimise recovery and reduce unit costs, as well as take any opportunities to incorporate new technologies and implement enhanced commercial strategies.   The Business Improvement (BI) programme was implemented across the Macraes operations in late 2003 and is being rolled-out to all other parts of the business. The core focus of BI at OGL is to: +        increase revenue, +        reduce cost, and +        improve processes.   A dedicated BI team comprising of a manager, team leaders and business analysts were engaged to identify and manage a series of opportunities to reduce operating expenses, optimise capital outlays and generate extra revenue. The Business Improvement Programme, though in its formative phase, has begun a cultural change within the organisation. Many people are starting to challenge the way they do things and are looking for ways to continually improve business performance.   The BI team encompasses individuals from different departments who can offer the diverse skill set necessary to produce intended results. The current team is made up of a BI manager, BI Team Leaders in Mining and Processing and analysts from Mining, Processing, Commercial and Plant Maintenance workgroups. A team member has recently been formally trained as a Six Sigma Black Belt. ] The BIÆs team role is to assist in the establishment of project management processes for each improvement idea. In addition the team will assist in tracking implementation, identifying and unblocking restrictions and limitations as well as setting up metrics to quantify the level of benefit returned and sustained.   From a more strategic point of view, the BI team is advancing the Business Improvement capability of the company by developing long term Communication and Training strategies. These strategies will set the direction of BI initiatives in the years to come to: +        educate the OGL workforce in basic BI techniques, +        assist the OGL workforce in applying basic BI techniques, +        communication the direction of BI in OGL, and +        close the information feedback loop to facilitate transparent communication between the OGL workforce and the BI team.

Jan 1, 2004

Determining the environmental consequences of green field projects is becoming an increasingly important component of new projects. Feasibility studies are regarded by potential investors as incomplete if a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has not been completed. These EIAÆs need to meet various local and international requirements in order to achieve bankability. Heavy mineral mining projects are often located in ecological sensitive coastal zones, and bring with them a suite of social impacts in the mainly developing countries within which they are usually located. This paper draws on experience gained in undertaking EIAÆs for heavy mineral mining projects in Kenya, Mozambique and South Africa, and uses these case studies to identify potential pitfalls. Important lessons include the need to initiate the EIA process as early as possible in the project, in order to develop management systems to mitigate the environmental impacts of exploration. Close and on-going consultation with affected communities is also seen to be critical to the success of the EIA. Proactive participation on the part of the environmental consultants with the project team and all interested and affected parties (IAPs) is important. An EIA commissioned later in project planning makes it difficult for the EIA to contribute in a positive manner to the project. Early engagement with environmental consultants allows the environmental assessment to develop from a report to an actual process, and to become fully integrated with project planning. The proviso is that an initial æfatal flawÆ assessment is required to identify any potential æshow stoppersÆ, in order to meet one of the important objectives of EIA, namely an assessment of whether or not the proposed project is the preferred development intervention in the study area. For more controversial proposals this may require the commissioning of a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), which circumvents some of the limitations of the project level EIA. Whilst confidentiality is a constraint to full disclosure, an open participatory approach to public consultation is essential to add credibility to the EIA process and to gain, at least, the acceptance of the process from the majority of IAPs. Full disclosure is encouraged by organisations such as the International Finance Corporation, who acknowledge that good public consultation costs a lot of money, but bad public consultation costs a lot more! An open approach to disclosure presents understandable difficulties for proponents, as they are required to give up some of their control over the project, and to trust the social scientists engaged in the process. However, independence in the EIA process is critical to its success. This paper will highlight these and other issues by drawing on five case studies to identify lessons learnt, and explore the above themes in more detail.

Jan 1, 2001

By S Nowosad, A Binder, O Langefeld, M Bothe-Fiekert, F Apollo

The mining industry faces complex and urgent challenges driven by an increasing demand for raw materials, and a socially demanding globalised world. The extraction of primary raw materials is today more important than ever as one of the cornerstones towards a sustainable future since the increasing demand for the raw materials required for the energy transition. In the last three years, leading countries as USA, China, Canada, Australia, and the European Union (EU) have developed and adopted strategies to enhance domestic extraction capabilities, diversifying sources, fostering innovation in recycling, and promoting international collaboration related to critical raw materials. On 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law in the USA, in June 2023, the Australian Critical Minerals Strategy 2023–2030 was published and in March 2024, the Council of the EU adopted the European Critical Raw Materials Act. On the other hand, raw materials extraction is facing higher environmental and safety standards and regulations, as well as scrutiny from the broader public. Regrettable environmental accidents as tailing dam failures or acid mine drainage occurrences have led to a general distrust of mining activities leaving mining companies with the dual imperative of increasing output while implementing sustainability, decarbonisation, and circularity as a core value in their production processes. This challenging environment offers the opportunity to enhance ‘blue mining’ (BM) as a sustainable holistic approach that integrates the principles needed to plan sustainable, reliable, and responsible mines for today’s and future generations by implementing the principles of circular economy (CE). This requires a fundamental shift from the traditional linear economy approach to a sustainable, circular economy strategy. At its essence, BM encapsulates four crucial aspects – energy, ergonomics, water, and circularity and integrates these four aspects into integrative mine planning, defining clear goals and objectives from the ‘blueprint’ of a mine towards a beneficial post-mining activity. Its implementation can lead to maximisation of resources beyond the life of the extractive mine and sustainable use of materials by integrating the principles of circular economy and multiuse mine, see Figure 1. These concepts complement and recognise the need to minimise environmental and social impacts while advancing economic development. Finally, this contribution explains the requirements and challenges of moving from linear to dynamic planning approaches under the BM concept. This way, BM stands as an approach that can contribute to the mining industry receiving necessary approvals and support from society leading to a long-term transformation of the industry’s image.

Sep 1, 2024