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The (SA Mine at Cobar produces a mix of copper and copper lead and zinc ores fran long hole open stopes. Primary jaw crusher product is fed to two parallel primary autogenous mills followed by a secondary ball mill. Each mill operates in closed circuit with cyclones. Grinding equipment and the main operating variables are described. Copper lead and zinc flotation concentrates are produced sequentially. The control systems and operating strategies are described.

Jan 1, 1983

The Western Australian Mineral Sands Industry has tried a number of different mining methods to efficiently exploit the potentially very large reserves of mineral sands in this state.The size of the operation, the location, the type and composition of the orebody contribute towards the choice of current mining techniques.The methods applied to these areas are described as well as reference made to other techniques which will . make possible the exploitation of lower grade reserves.

Jan 1, 1986

Extensive personal experience in the USA and Australia has shown that Australians working in suitable work environments are capable of world-class performance. To build such work environments, mining leaders need to ditch two common management approaches that have not succeeded. Firstly, stop relying on traditional methods of trying to change people's behaviour simply by using communication alone to change attitudes and then change behaviour. Analysis of human behaviour explains why this approach fails in all industries. Secondly, stop trying to improve productivity by just running harder and increasing capital investment. Understanding work processes explains why this approach has limited success.

Jan 1, 1995

Orebodies in the Mt. Charlotte - Hannans North Area N. & B. of the town of Kalgoorlie provide a marked'dontrast to the pyrite - telluride lodes of the Golden Mile, although both groups of orebodies appear to be fundamentally related. These highly siliceous telluride free orebodies N. of the Golden Mile are closely related to strong oblique faulting. The Golden Mile. lodes, while possessing an apparent over-all relationship to the oblique faults also have a close relationship to E.-dipping strike faults.

Jan 1, 1964

The three main types of iron ore deposits in Australia are bedded, massive and residual. Some character- istics of iron ore, important in its process behaviour, are related to its mineralogy which is a result of its geological history. World iron ore resources are extremely large but there are problems in quantifying re- serves, defined as that part of re- sources from which a useable commodity can be extracted economically. The relationship between the discovery and exploitation of iron ore resources and the process of industrialization is examined in historical and present day contexts.

Jan 1, 1976

Contractors have penetrated all areas of the Australian mining industry over the last 15 years. The process started in the WA gold and nickel mines and has since spread around the nation to iron ore, base metals and coal mines.The mine contracting industry has progressed from tentative beginnings in the 80s to the current situation where it is now providing high standards of professional management, safety and workmanship with competent people and high quality plant and equipment.

Jan 1, 1998

The characteristics'of the Darling Range bauxite deposits are compared with tho"se of other large deposits in Australia and over seas The Bayer Process is them described with particular reference to the way.in which the process has been adapted to suit Darling Range bauxite. The.main characteristics considered are the physical aspects of the deposit.and its' effect on mining techniques, the grade of the ore and its effect on residue treatment, the nature of the alumina, iron and silica. content and their effect on process methods, equip- ment and raw material. Usage.

Jan 1, 1973

The long term viability of a mining company is dependent on the success of its capital investments. Due to the specialised nature of the design, engineering and construction of large projects the management is often contracted to an outside organisation. This paper is a review of the phases of the relationship between Client and Contractor. A rationale is developed upon which the selection of a Contractor can be made. Subsequently, the key aspects of the Client/Contractor relationship are reviewed with reference to completing the project on time within budget. The aspects discussed include Contractor management systems, qualifications of key personnel, definition of scope of work, industrial relations, project control and Contractor remuneration.

Jan 1, 1983

Sasol Roche Blasting Services (SRBS) and its former owners have been in the process of developing and utilising low-density explosives over the last ten years. Many blasts have been fired in varying strata types in a number of mining operations. This has led to a good understanding of the product and the best methods to exploit its characteristics when designing blasts. Unlike some other low-density products, SoftLOAD« is a homogeneous mix that is easily handled and able to be loaded at high load rates. This paper discusses the physics of SoftLOAD« low-density explosives and how through correct utilisation, blasting outcomes can be significantly improved. It also touches on the various side benefits that can provide the blast designer with a more controlled blast.

Jan 1, 2004

The coal under the ridgeline is the most valuable part of the known reserve at Solid EnergyÆs Stockton Opencast Mine. Some ridgeline mining had been attempted in the past with mixed results. Solid Energy recognised that significant project planning was required in order to overcome the formidable technical issues associated with mining the area. It also recognised that the local community also had concerns about the potential impacts of this work including the visual impact of changing the topography of the ridgeline and the nearness of the Department of Conservation estate.   This paper outlines some of the risks and challenges that were faced and the management approaches that were adopted to address them.

Jan 1, 2007

Mine scheduling is a process which represents what happens in a mine over time. An optimised plan involves selecting the best workable plan which meets a stated objective. This paper discusses some of the theory and philosophy behind mine scheduling and explains how scheduling is a step in the total iterative mine planning process. Several schedules may be necessary before arriving at a mine plan which can be considered optimal. A description of broadbrush and detailed scheduling is given and the features of computer assisted scheduling are also described. The use of mathematical modelling techniques in conjunction with scheduling to optimise the mine plan is explained. The need to incorporate these techniques to optimise the whole mining system rather than only a part, is emphasised.

Jan 1, 1991

This paper provides a financial perspective to the valuation of Australian resource companies and projects. Valuation exercises need, however, to be seen in the broader context of a thorough business appraisal, one that incorporates all disciplines employed in the resources industry. Fine tuning a discount rate or determining a particular capital structure is likely to be less important to valuation than an adequate understanding of industry dynamics and a company's likely performance in future years.

Jan 1, 1989

An outline of the circumstances giving rise to the current Commonwealth-States con- flict in relation to offshore mineral explor- ation and production is set out, together with an analysis of the Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973. The bases of the claims by the Commonwealth and the States in this regard are discussed with relation to the territorial sea and the continental shelf.

Jan 1, 1974

By Firkin G. R

The Imperial Smelting Process Smelter at Sulphide Corporation is one of the earliest plants of its type, and over twenty-eight years of operation the annual output has almost doubled. This has been achieved through continuing development of the component processes, with several innovations introduced by Sulphide Corporation now being used by other licensees of the process. Main development trends have been: 1. Adapting aspects of iron blast furnace technology to the Imperial Smelting Furnace. 2. Change to the use of mixed concentrates and residues as feed materials, with development of sintering techniques to handle these materials. 3. Increasing byproduct recovery and processing to yield value-added products whenever practical. Planned development includes trials of a continuous slag fuming process, and expanding smelter output to 95 000 try of zinc.

Jan 1, 1989

By Albinson T

Mexican epithermal deposits can be broadly grouped into two types based on their contained metals, distribution, associated igneous rocks and fluid inclusion compositions. Silver-gold deposits (e.g. Tayoltita) mostly occur in the western part of northern Mexico where host rocks consist of Eocene, intermediate composition volcanic and intrusive rocks; fluid inclusion studies indicate that mineralizing fluids were _10 eq. wt. % NaCl). The distribution of these two deposit types, crosscutting major major crustal sutures, and the close spatial-temporal relationships between mineralization and magmatism, together suggest that magmatic processes were more important in the formation of mineralizing solutions, as a source of both ligands and metals, than the segments of crust hosting deposits.

Jan 1, 1995

In China the hydrogeological type of solid mineral deposits can be divided into A. Mineral deposits with fissure water; B. Mineral deposits with pore water; and C. Mineral deposits with karst water. The hydrogeological conditions of mineral deposits with fissure water are relatively simple with the exception of a few cases. Mineral deposits with pore water are few but great amounts of ground water can be encountered in the mine accompanied by floating sand or slope failure during the exploitation. Mineral deposits with karst water are complex in their hydrogeological conditions. Enormous inrushes occur frequently in the mines of north China; Karst collapses are a serious matter in the mines of the south; Subterranean river and conduit systems are often encountered in the southwest. This paper will give full discussion on these features and put forward a way of combating and controlling the groundwater problem in accordance with type and feature.

Jan 1, 1988

By Ruffles B. R

A computer simulation has been developed to model the flow of copper ore in Isa Mine. It simulates extraction of copper ore from the 1100 orebody by load-haul-dump (LHD) units to ore passes, haulage from chutes on 19 level by Rockflo trains to crusher bins, crushing and hoisting. It can assess in terms of the tonnage and head grade of ore hoisted, the effect of varying operating strategies, as well as measur- ing shortfalls in required capacities of any of the operations (extraction, hauling, crushing and hoisting). The simulation was designed as a modular, deterministic, steady-state model with parameter input allowing complete flexibility in its use. Queuing theory is used extensively to evaluate the effect of interference at potential bottlenecks. The model has been used to determine the effect on production of varying train sizes, maintenance policies on the haulage circuit, orepass capacities, and extraction operations.

Jan 1, 1974

Australasian mining companies expect a high standard of professionalism from their metals exploration teams. They also have, increasingly, a global perspective, employing explorationists of diverse cultural backgrounds and operating in diverse environments. Human resource development (HRD) of these professional explorationists needs to address all personal facets of functioning independently and interdependently in a modem working culture, as well as the needed technical competency. Creation of a learning organisation to promote this development is critical. Organisational consultants can support managers and supervisors as mentors facing the wide spectrum of development required by the explorationists; mentorship and guidance counselling can then complement training in the maturing of professionals from technical competence to professional independence and interdependence. Empowerment and clearly stated expectations are keys by which professionals can learn efficiently and effectively.

Jan 1, 1996

By Sorokin AP

The main regularities of the tectonic history of the Circumpacific belt's Asian segment are discussed. The established longitudinal metallogenic zoning is characterized by essential copper specialization being replaced in the.continentward direction by tin-tungsten and then by copper-gold-molybdenum and-tin-lead- zinc ones. The zones indicated show specific magmatism and ore forming fluid composition. The eastern margin of Eurasia experienced specific tectonic history and exhibits a wide variety of mineral deposits. It is composed of the Siberian and Sino-Korean cratons and of the largest mobile elements of tectonosphere like the Hyperborean, Urals-Mongolian, Mediterranean and Circumpacific belts. The Earth's Atlantic segment mobile features show deep penetration of their geosyncline-fold systems into the eastern margin of Asia. A good example is the Urals-Mongolian belt, its Intra-Asian branch being located within the continental margin. The Intra-Asian structural features have WE and NE trending, while folding process moved southward : Karelides and Baikalides are found in the Transbaikalia and the Soviet Far East (Stanovoy, Bodaibo-Patom, Baikal- Vitim, Selenga-Yablonovy fold regions)

Jan 1, 1987

By Onal G, Celik MS, Dogan MZ

Chromite tailings assaying 21.2 per cent Cr2O3 was upgraded to 48.7 per cent Cr2O3 at a recovery of 72.0 per cent using column flotation with a mixture of anionic collectors at pH 11. Electrokinetic methods were used to elucidate the mechanism of collector adsorption and correlate the findings with the optimum flotation conditions. Multivalent constituent ions such as Cr3+, A13+, Fe2+ and Mg2+ were found to adsorb on chromite surface and shift the zpc of chromite in the direction of oxide form of the mineral. The anionic collectors also imparted a negative charge to chromite in the entire pH region. The higher zeta potentials obtained upon adding the anionic collectors is ascribed to the adsorption of anionic surfactant onto the positively charged chromite surface. The positive sites are generated through formation of significant amount of hydroxy complexes of magnesium at pH 11. Complementary infrared data reveal the absence of a shift in the spectra indicating the possibility of physical adsorption in the system.

Jan 1, 1993