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The Department of Mineral Resources is the lead agency in mine site environment management and control in New South Wales. The Department introduced a Mining, Rehabilitation and Environmental Management Plan (MREMP) process several years ago in order to integrate the activities of other government agencies who may have a material interest at the mine site. The MREMP process has resulted in a spirit of trust and co-operation between agencies and between agencies and mining companies. The spirit of co-operation has been reflected in greater public confidence that mining is environmentally responsible.

Jan 1, 1995

By G D. Cooper

There are no manuals or handbooks for budding mill superintendents or process plant managers. Most who obtain this level of responsibility have gained their training from watching the good and bad of their predecessors and the successful ones have themselves graduated from the school of hard knocks. This paper attempts to provide some helpful guidelines and direction for those who aspire to better manage a mineral processing facility. The authors have 20 years combined experience in senior management roles at nine different mineral processing operations in Australia and overseas, covering gold, base metals and mineral sands. This summary of tips and pitfalls will hopefully benefit future leaders in mineral processing and metallurgy.

Jan 1, 2007

Away from past controversial presentations, a matter of fact, intuitive and simplified approach to the Theory of Sampling (TOS) sampling variance prediction formula is offered which gives an insight on the type of model required for the liberation factor, the practical limitations of such model and methodological principles for its calibration. This paper intends to see what happens in TOS when trying to go from the very simple towards the full level of real life complexity, and actually tries to answer the question: Is there such a thing as a æsimpleÆ TOS?

Jan 1, 2005

Numerical modelling is a valuable tool for simulating the fundamental processes that take place during a heating. The models presented in this paper have enabled a quantitative assessment of the effects of initial pile temperature, pile size and mass and coal particle size on the development of a heating. All of these parameters have a certain criticality in the coal self-heating process.

Jan 1, 2005

Mine planning for ore recovery by open stoping and pillar recovery is becoming more sophisticated, but there are basic operating constraints which must be imposed if this planning is to realise the production results on which the mine is dependant. The production reliability of an open stope is usually a high priority and common design problems can be identified. A range of practical considerations which should be considered at the mine planning stage are reviewed including equipment performance, blasting technology, ventilation requirements, development layouts, lead time, ground conditions, support, backfilling and ore recovery.

Jan 1, 1982

Australian contract mining as it is known today had its origins in the early-1980s. Before this time there were numerous examples of underground mine development, and specifically shaft sinking being carried out by contractors. However, these were typically international contracting companies who came to Australia for specific projects. Growth in the underground mining industry in the 1980s opened up the opportunity for contractors. Mine owners had a need for contractors who could bring technical and operational capabilities to a project combined with capital in the form of equipment. In the early years the contracting industry was dominated by smaller players who focussed on mine development. The relationship between mine owner and contractor was loose and typically contract documents were rarely referred to. Through the 1980s and 1990s the underground contracting industry in Australia grew to where today there are over 20 underground contracting companies operating in an industry with an estimated annual value in excess of $1 billion. Of these 20 companies approximately five dominate with annual turnovers exceeding $100 million. Underground contractors now provide all facets of underground mining including development and production. Over the last 20 years the underground contracting industry has been able to consistently lower costs to mine owners through a combination of:equipment productivity, labour productivity, and technical innovation.

Jan 1, 2002

The papers to be presented in this Session show an interesting range of subject matter. Three discuss specific problems associated with existing mines, one deals with hydrogeological risk evaluation and one uses the impact of mine drainage on an aquifer to analyse a large-scale hydraulic parameter. Paper 1. Environment studies to determine the impacts of re-opening Banska Stiavnica-Hodrusa ore district in Czechoslovakia - Dusan Cababla - Marian Skaviniak. Future developments in established mining areas may have significant hydrogeological implications, especially where the existing mines are to be deepened. In turn this may have an impact in the area of the disposal of ever larger quantities of mine water, particularly, as is often the case, where the quality of this water is poor.

Jan 1, 1988

As the worldÆs population and global standard of living increase, the role of metals in the economy will not diminish in the 21st century, despite substitution and dematerialisation trends. Industrial Ecology is an emerging science that attempts to bring together physical, biological and social scientists and develop the tools for good management of the planet in the long run. In engineering terms, Industrial Ecology is defined as the reconfiguring of industrial activities with full knowledge of their environmental consequences. Production and use of materials must take into account the needs of both market and environment. Dispersive uses of metals will be phased out, as is being done with lead in gasoline, and post-use recovery of materials and energy will increase. This will result in an advantage for metallurgical processes that can use as feed materials concentrates as well as metal scrap and waste streams, such as bath smelting processes and slag resistance electric furnaces. The paper also discusses how metal extraction technologies, developed in the 20th century to provide essential materials to humanity, can be applied for the benefit of both mankind and environment in the 21st century.

Jan 1, 2000

Clearly visible in geophysics is a trend away from simply finding and drilling anomalies obtained with off-the-shelf equipment, condes- cendingly sold by travelling salesmen. Instead, technical tools are becoming available which allow us to choose or design equipment and sur- vey procedures for the specific problem at hand. The advent of micro- and smaller computers enable us to collect more and better measure- ments and to rapidly process them so as to emphasize the features which are being sought. These new capabilities have important consequ- ences both to the extent to which geophysical tools will be applied in the industry, and to the skills which will be demanded of those using them. Because of its uniquely difficult exploration problems, Australia must expect to amplify its new prominence in the development of mining geophysical technology.

Jan 1, 1981

By J A. Shonhardt, I Porter

All types of coal are liable to spontaneous combustion to a variable degree according to the inherent characteristics of the coal and also extrinsic factors. In order to successfully extract coal from highly capital-intensive longwall mining operations it is necessary to evaluate and manage any risks that may be present due to spontaneous combustion. A spontaneous combustion risk management plan for longwall mining is described in this paper. This risk management system comprises identification of conditions promoting spontaneous combustion risk, a laboratory or empirical risk classification system, determination of gas ladder, adoption of adequate ventilation plans and gas monitoring systems that will lead to the development of the spontaneous combustion action plan. The risk management system was applied to a greenfield site in NSW in 1992 when prediction of a high-risk category for the coal seam was made. After commencement of production a spontaneous heating problem emerged as predicted. Description of the case history of spontaneous combustion risk management for a longwall operation in this coal seam is included in this paper.

Jan 1, 2003

By Summers DA

Faculty at the University of Missouri-Rolla have carried out research on the application of high pressure water jets as a means of excavat- ing coal for over 15 years. During the course of this time, a number of different concepts have been explored--the most recent of which has been to use high pressure water jets as a means of extinguishing an underground coal seam fire. This paper will examine the use of some of these technologies and will consider the results as a basis for discussion of further applications of water jets in the future. The structural pro- perties of coal which distinguish it from other adjacent geotechnical material and provide a considerable advantage to water jet cutting, will also be presented and the advantages of using this tool will be discussed.

Jan 1, 1986

By Premur V

In industry and power production and distribution large quantities of fine wastes are produced. These are above all fly ash and phosphogypsum. Attempts are made to use them as secondary raw materials in industry and construction. Since they contain dangerous and harmful components or are nonhomogeneous their direct application is limited so that they are treated as waste. This paper reports on tests conducted with the aim of agglomerating the mentioned fine industrial wastes by pelletisation. The aim of this resarch was to obtain agglomerated product suitable for handling, transport and dumping. At the same time efforts were made to incapsulate harmful components by producing pellets with protective shells. Next, pellets without binders and with different binders were produced. Strength, resistance to freezing and solubility of pellets were tested. All the fine industrial wastes under survey were found to be suitable for pelletisation. The utilisation of appropriate binders ensures pellet strength required for safe handling and ecologically sound deposition of pelleted Material.

Jan 1, 1993

By M Rispin, R Karlson

Chemical admixtures are not commonly included in the variety of backfill mixes used in the mining industry. This may be attributed to several reasons including, but not limited to: the perceived high added cost, the lack of awareness about their proper use, and the lack of knowledge about their features and benefits. In the construction industry today, however, chemical admixtures are used in the majority of the concrete produced, enabling concrete to become a more cost-effective building material. They also enable construction crews to meet demands for year-round construction, quicker completion of construction projects, and improved concrete properties. The high demand for chemical admixtures in the construction industry has led to numerous innovations in admixture technology in recent years. Some of these chemical admixtures have been found to enhance the production, transport, placement, and in situ properties of backfill mixes. Others have been found to reduce the cost of such mixes while maintaining, and in some cases improving, their physical properties. In this paper, a few of such innovative admixture technologies are discussed. The benefits, imparted by these technologies to backfill mixes as well as performance data on their use in several backfill applications at various mines, are presented.

Jan 1, 1998

By C Gormley, G Lane, J Kwak, A Hopkins

Complex processing plants present a myriad of safety issues to the design engineer. The extent to which the design engineer manages to lay the foundations for a safe plant ultimately sets the stage for life long safety performance. Industry traditionally measures engineering safety performance by indicators such as Lost Time Injuries, Restricted Work Case Injuries, Overall Incident Frequency Rates, etc. While these measures are useful indicators of performance for the construction, commissioning and operations phase of a project, they do not necessarily drive the most appropriate behaviours for Safe Plant Design. Achieving an inherently safe design requires a diligent focus on low frequency, high consequence events. First and foremost the engineering team needs to have a design culture and methodology which leads to a plant which is as close as possible to being inherently safe. Such a culture might come from an organisation that has æmindfulnessÆ about safety, and which is nurturing a culture where warning signs are recognised and addressed. This paper explores the development of mindfulness and warning signs in design.

Jan 1, 2004

The correct assessment and understanding of geotechnical conditions is fundamental to mine design and, hence, successful (safe and efficient) mine planning, design and operations. However, this assessment and understanding is simply not possible unless there is a sound appreciation of the geology of the project. This paper addresses geological uncertainty in mine engineering and its communication, and shows that a mining project that does not take geology properly into account in the engineering phase is fraught. Uncertainty levels become excessive, which leads to hazards and consequential risks in design and operations in terms of both safety and efficiency. Several examples, both positive and negative, are provided to make the point. The paper concludes that mining geologists must become more overtly cognisant of the influence of geology on mine engineering. Equally importantly, mining (and geotechnical) engineers must communicate better with their geological colleagues to ensure that they (the engineers) have a clear understating of the geological issues affecting their operations. The engineers must know how to ask the right questions of the geologists. Engineers who do not understand and take account of geology in their designs and operations are failing the expectations of stakeholders.

Jan 1, 2006

The optimum plant capacity for a new mine is usually based on empirical studies or ærules of thumbÆ, subject to confirmation by detailed scheduling of the proposed mining operation. The mining industry has a record of poor returns on investment and a high rate of project failure using these methods, with under-performance in grade being a common experience. The assumption that æeconomies of scaleÆ will result from increasing throughput rates needs to be balanced by an awareness of the adverse effects of increasing the rate beyond a level that issupportable by the resource. For each scale of operation considered, it is a reality that for any intended head grade, at the associated intended cut-off grade, the actual head grade achieved will fall as the mining rate increases. This effect is known to people at operations but is not recognised in current ore reserve estimation methodology. Once recognised, this dependency of head grade on mining rate can be quantified and used to establish the economically optimum mining and processing rate for a new project. A simple analysis is proposed, which may be extended to detailed spreadsheet modelling for financialoptimisation.

Jan 1, 2002

By M Kuruppu

The paper explores the sustainability of the Australian mining industry, and the potential for application of a substitute fuel into existing mining operations. This alternative fuel biodiesel is produced from biological oils and not from refined hydrocarbons like the transport fuel diesel (petrodiesel). The fuel is compatible with all current diesel equipment with little to no modification and has many superior properties. As biodiesel is derived from biological sources it is æcarbon neutralÆ meaning there is no net carbon addition to the atmosphere when the fuel is burned. The current fuel, petrodiesel releases long stored carbon dioxide (CO2) and is of concern to Australian government targets which seek to reduce these emissions. The mining industryÆs unique reliance on petrodiesel is of particular interest when assessing the substitution of biodiesel into underground and open cut operations. The underground benefits of biodiesel see a reduction in the noxious emissions of carbon monoxide and diesel particulate matter, both contaminants which require extensive diluting ventilation to ensure safe levels. As biodiesel is both safer to store due to its higher flash point and produces less exhaust emissions, its occupational health and safety benefits in underground mines is clear. The use of biodiesel in open cut mines benefits the environmental sustainability aspects of the project. The formulation of national targets relating to carbon dioxide emission reductions promotes any measure to reduce CO2 within the mining environment. As the diesel engine is one of the least emission efficient (kWh/tonne CO2) energy sources on-site, its potential for reduction in CO2 at minimal cost is the greatest. By substituting the fuel, significant quantities of site emissions are reduced, thereby achieving the goals of improved site sustainability and the governmentÆs targets to reduce emissions. This aspect of gauging mutually beneficial relationship regarding government interests and mining industry profitability is the underlying outcome for this paper.

Jan 1, 2009

ALTHOUGH the mineral Stannite (Cu2S, FeS, SnS2 , also known as "bell 'metal" ore, tin pyrites, etc.) is found in various parts of the world, in only three iocalities has development proved it to exist in sufficient quantity to warrant the erection of treatment plants. Two of those mines are in New South Wales and one is an Tasmania. The writer will deal with the latter-the Conah mine, Zeehan, Tasmania, it being the most important and extensive occurrence so far worked. The Conah mine was first worked by a Tasmanian company for silver-Iead, and was fairly remunerative until the zone of secondary enrichment was passed through, when the lodes became too poor for further exploitation. During the time that the line was thus operated the stannite lode was discovered. It occurs in a graphitic slate, which, in common with the slates and spilites of the Zeehan field, is probably underlain by the stanniferous granite which outcrops two miles to the west. The Conah stannite lode is older than the galena lodes of the district, being faulted by one of the latter. Near the surface the lode was very rich.Shipments were sent out assaying 150 oz. of silver per ton, 20% copper, and 18% tin. An .apparently homogeneous sample of stannite, analyzed by the writer for the Tasmanian Geological survey, gave the following results:

Jan 1, 1915

By P Lilly

Blasting is the primary comminution process in most mining operations. This process involves the highly complex and dynamic interaction between two main components. The first is the detonating explosive and the second is the rock mass into which the explosive is loaded. The mechanical properties of the rock material (such as dynamic strength, tensile strength, dynamic modulus and fracture toughness) are important considerations in understanding the blasting process. However, it is the characteristics of the geological defects (joints, foliation planes, bedding planes) within the rock mass that ultimately determine how effectively a blast performs in terms of fragmentation, all else being equal. The defect characteristics include, but are not limited to, their orientation, spacing, and mechanical properties. During the blasting process, some of the geotechnical characteristics of the rock mass are substantially changed. From the blasting outcome point of view, the most notable and important is the change in fragment size distribution that the rock mass undergoes. The pre-blast in situ defect-bounded block size distribution is transformed into the post-blast muckpile fragment size distribution. Consequently, it is fundamental to our understanding of and ability to predict the blasting process that both the blastability of a rock mass and its transformation into the fragment size distribution can be appropriately quantified.

Jan 1, 2001

By G Mulder, M Adams

Since the introduction of raiseboring 30 years ago there have been many operational and mechanical design improvements in the raiseboring machine, its reamers and associated cutters. These have now made the technology of raiseboring a routine and practical operation within the underground mining world. Over the last decade these advances have been aided by the introduction of robust automation packages which have allowed unattended drilling and reaming, real time performance monitoring and enhancement and the rapid diagnostic investigation of mechanical and electrical abnormalities. The constraint to higher raiseboring performance is now the drill string. However when it comes to a cost-effective solution of applying the high drill string torque and tension necessary for the next step change in performance, designers have æhit the wallÆ. Whilst carbon fiber reinforced plastic composites with abrasive resistant sheaths may offer a solution, the limit of conventional steel, drill string technology has been reached. This limit to advancement is however based on the drill string being in tension and alternative solutions may exist by literally turning the raiseboring paradigm on its head. This paper describes the story of a small Australian company engaged in the design and manufacture of mechanical excavation machines, two Australian raiseboring contractors and three Australian mines going against tradition and pushing down rather than pulling up.

Jan 1, 1998