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These may be of interest to members examining the collection of ores, etc., from Mount Lyell, which is a feature of the Victorian Gold Jubilee Exhibition, and may have some value as geological records. No. 7 and No 8 are analyses of samples of footwall rock from the Lyell Tharsis mine. No. 7 is hard, crystalline, fine-grained, and of homogenous structure. It has a dark-red colour, due to ferric oxide (Fig 1); and was taken from a place eight feet east of the ore body and about half way between the 50 feet and 100 feet levels. No. 8 is from the same excavation and from four feet east of the ore body it is softer than No. 7, being easily scratched with a knife-blade, of a deeper dark-red colour, and has a slaty cleavage.

Jan 1, 1902

By William A. Beck

This report describes the loading and transportation practices employed at the zinc-lead mines of The Eagle-Picher Co., Jo Daviess County, Ill., and Lafayette County, Wis. The report also gives a brief history of the Illinois-Wisconsin zinc-lead district and the operations of the company in the area. The diesel-powered, rubber-tired loading and haulage equipment is described and illustrated from the operational point of view only, and an analysis is made of the materials-handling system without going into health and safety Factors. The costs per ton of the various components of mechanical loading, underground haulage, underground crushing, and hoisting for fiscal year 1960 are tabulated.

Jan 1, 1964

By Donald P. Schlick

Respirable dust provisions of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 are designed to protect the most important resource of the coal mining industry--its workers. The Act imposes two respirable dust standards of 3.0 milligrams per cubic meter of air after June 30, 1970; and 2.0 milligrams per cubic meter of air after December 30, 1972. Under Federal regulations, each operator is required to carry out a dust sampling program established by the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, This program features the sampling of "high risk" face workers to establish that the exposure of each miner is below the dust standard, Mining sect ions, continuously in compliance with the regulations, may sample at less frequent intervals. In addition to requiring the mining company to take respirable dust samples, the Bureau of Mines will perform in-depth dust inspections twice a year, as well as frequent "spot inspections." The Bureau has established a semiautomatic computerized operation capable of processing over 1 million samples per year. This facility will be linked to various Bureau offices by a telecommunications system to provide automatic data printouts within hours after samples have been weighed.

Jan 1, 1970

By C Smith, R I. Maczkowiack, P D. Erskine

Open cut coal-mining has been conducted in the Bowen Basin region of central Queensland for almost five decades, and has disturbed an estimated area of 140 000 ha of agricultural land until 2011. Approximately one-third of the area disturbed by mining has been rehabilitated to pastures or bushland. However, none of the rehabilitated land has yet been assigned a specific end-use. This research project develops an approach for assessing end-use risks for the regionÆs mined land, and develops risk assessment models for selected end-uses. First, a web-based survey of stakeholders was used to identify risks to be assessed. The risks identified were surface erosion, subsurface erosion, bushfires, weeds and feral animals. The survey also identified possible end-uses of bushland and grazing. Second, conceptual risk models were developed based on the risk assessment concepts of likelihood and consequence specified in the Australian and New Zealand risk assessment standards. Likelihood was modelled using site characteristics and management factors that influence the occurrence probability of risks (eg surface erosion), while consequence was modelled using a set of site condition indicators and condition thresholds (changes in root-zone water-holding capacity, soil erodibility, vegetation ground cover and soil organic matter and transition probability to a non-preferred ecosystem type).The factors influencing likelihood and consequence for each risk have been integrated using Bayesian networks. The next step in model development is to parameterise the Bayesian networks using existing equations, empirical datasets, or expert opinion where data are not available. The parameterised models will be used to assess grazing and bushland end-uses against erosion, bushfire, weed and feral animal risks for rehabilitated mined land sites, with the purpose of identifying the relative risks associated with each end-use, and the landform design specifications and land management practices under which end-use risks are minimised.CITATION:Maczkowiack, R I, Smith, C and Erskine, P D, 2012. Risk assessment models for post-mining land use, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2012, pp 33-42 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 10, 2012

By S Robotham, P C. Stewart, K Maher

A data science based dilution study was conducted to identify the causes of dilution at South32’s Cannington Mine (Cannington), a large open stoping operation. In terms of industry benchmarks for unplanned dilution, Cannington is already performing very well, and so opportunities for improvement are more difficult to identify. The study is based upon back analysis of nearly 150 case studies from the mines reconciliation database, and has quantified the relative effect and significance levels for the following dilution parameters; time until paste filling, faulting and cable bolt reinforcement. Specifically, significant contributions were associated with faults and stope open duration. Quantifying the effect of faults on stability graph accuracy enabled a site specific adjustment to improve the predictive ability of the Cannington stability graph (unstable stope specificity improved from 63 per cent to 74 per cent). Despite Cannington’s already high levels of stope performance compared to industry benchmarks, data science methods have identified a complex interaction between identified dilution factors (ie stope open duration, presence of faults and cablebolting). Specifically, a third order Factorial ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) provided evidence that stope open duration reduces the effectiveness of cable bolts in faulted ground (average dilution = 2.1 m, p-value = 0.13). These results are consistent with site observations of a relationship between the stope open duration and the extent of failure when unravelling on a fault, even when cables are present.CITATION:Maher, K, Stewart, P C and Robotham, S, 2016. A data science approach to identifying and quantifying causes of dilution at Cannington Mine, in Proceedings Seventh International Conference and Exhibition on Mass Mining (MassMin 2016), pp 491–500 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

May 9, 2016

By S. M. Spottiswoode

Much as one hopes to predict whether damaging seismicity might occur somewhere in the next shift, this is not possible at present. Recently, an analysis of seismicity at two mines has shown that a small increase in seismicity occasionally occurs before both large and small events. This analysis is extended here to five mines, with the same results. Earthquake seismologists forecast hazard in terms of the average incidence of earthquakes over the last 50 years, adjusted on an hourly basis according to the possibility of aftershocks of events that have happened. The rate of seismicity in any area remains approximately constant when expressed as seismicity per area mined, or better still, per unit of elastic strain energy released. It is suggested that seismic hazard in mines be estimated using historical seismicity and forward modelling, adjusted according to the possibility of aftershocks. In summary, medium-term forecasting of seismicity is viable; short-term prediction of large events is not.

Jan 1, 2010

This work shall consist of furnishing and driving foundation piles of the type and dimensions designated on the plans or in the special provisions including cutting off or building up foundation piles when required. This specification also covers providing test piles and performing loading tests. Piling shall conform to and be installed in accordance with these specifications, and at the location, and to the elevation, penetration and bearing capacity shown on the plans or as directed by the Engineer. Except when test piles are required, the Contractor shall furnish the piles in accordance with the dimensions shown on the plans or special provisions. When test piles are required, the pile lengths shown on the plans are for estimating purposes only and the actual lengths to be furnished for production piles will be determined by the Engineer after the test piles have been driven. The lengths given in the Engineer's order list will include only the lengths anticipated for use in the completed structure. The Contractor shall, with-out added compensation, increase the lengths shown or ordered to provide for fresh heading and for such additional length as may be necessary to suit his method of operation.

Jan 1, 1989

By Walter G. Perkins

T SEEMS almost sheer presumption to attempt' to discuss Russia in its present chaotic political and economic condition, and were it not that at least two certain absolute factors are continuously at work, it would be impossible to' even approach the subject with any degree of intelligence. These are the inborn love of peace of the people and the national character of the cooperative movement. The love of peace inborn in the soul of every Russian, the desire to be left alone and to- live his life among his home village surroundings, is probably one of the two greatest factors that will make the continuance of the present conditions of civil war impossible. One army or the other may sweep up and down the country. but the Russian peasant will: remain in his own village if not literally darken out. This love of peace is evidenced by the fact that there is no country where personal safety is greater than in Russia in normal times. I have traveled in many isolated parts, carrying considerable sums of money and persolial equipment that; in itself, would be a fortune to any peasant, and have never even encountered a condition in which the most wildly imaginative person looking for adventure, 01: trouble, could muster up even a suspicion of fear. This statement applies also to Southern Siberia and Northern Turkestan, which are inhabitated by the nomadic tribes of Khirghese origin.

Jan 1, 1920

By C Zhang, P Wang, S Yao

The Zhilingtou Au-Ag deposit is situated in the eastern part of the complexly deformed and metamorphosed South China Caledonian Fold Belt. It consists of seven orebodies that are almost exclusively hosted by biotite plagioclase gneiss of the Precambrian Chencai Group. They form an apparent en echelon pattern in both cross-section and level plan. Three different ore types, based on mineralization textures, have been recognised within the Zhilingtou lode. These are Au-Ag-rich quartz veins, Au and Ag-bearing silicified rocks and Au-Ag-containing altered rocks with quartz stockworks. The mineralisation is principally composed of electrum, argentite, pyrite and minor sphalerite, galena as well as traces of hessite and chalcopyrite plus a gangue assemblage of quartz, rhodonite, sericite and chlorite. Fluid inclusions related to Au-Ag mineralisation yield a wide range of homogenisation temperatures from 110 to 447¦C, with two distinctive peak values at 250 - 300¦C and 350 - 400¦C respectively. d30Si values of quartz veins and silicification from the three stages of mineralisation range from -0.1 to -0.4ë. The mineralisation at Zhilingtou is interpreted as forming by recirculated meteoric water extracting ore-forming elements from metamorphic rocks due to Mesozoic volcano-magmatic activity.

Jan 1, 1995

By David H. Searle

This paper will discuss the common trends existing in various Canadian jurisdictions for the closure and reclamation of mines. Included will be a discussion of the requirement to post security as well as its form and how security is calculated and refunded. Reclamation can no longer be left to the end of mine life. Progressive reclamation must occur throughout mine life and must be part of the mine plan from the beginning.

May 1, 2006

By P. Mokwena

Paper written on project work carried out in partial fulfilment of BSc (Hons) in Chemical Engineering Diamond synthesis has attracted a great deal of interest because of its exceptional properties and various applications. In this study, the chemical catalytic vapour deposition (CCVD) method was used to synthesize diamond films using acetylene as carbon source and hydrogen as carrier gas at a temperature of 1000°C, and their thermodynamic stability was studied. Photographic analysis revealed that these products are diamond films, Ramman spectroscopy confirmed that they are graphitic while confocal laser scanning microscopic image analyses proved that these diamonds films have structural defects due to iron impurity from the catalyst precursor. The quantity of diamonds films produced is also proportional to the acetylene to hydrogen ratio but these films are larger in size at lower acetylene to hydrogen ratio. Thermogravimetric analyses showed that transformation of these materials begins at 25°C but could not be used to determine if a temperature range below 25°C exists. The stability of these CCVD-synthesized diamonds also increases below 25°C when stored at different temperatures.

Jan 1, 2007

By Tony Peglas, Harry Asche, Eva Wood

The North-South Bypass Tunnel is a new $AUD1.5 billion underground traffic route in Queensland, Australia, a project of the Brisbane City Council. The tunnel is approximately 5.2 km long, bypassing the Central Business District, and is adjacent to and below major buildings and services. Road tunnel alignment issues include the complex southern connections to the Pacific Motorway and the design of ramps to the east and the north. A review of road tunnel alignment criteria and accident data for Australian and overseas tunnels, similar to the proposed NSBT, are discussed. The key findings of this review lead to a rationalization of the traditional tunnel cross sectional width allocation. The road alignment design elements adopted for the NSBT are also discussed. The NSBT route crosses beneath the Brisbane River. Geotechnical investigations and hydrogeological modelling are described. The crossing has a fundamental impact on the alignment and the tunnelling methods. The tunnelling methods to be adopted and the tunnel support are described. The geotechnical investigations and hydrogeology analysis culminate in the selection of a single shielded TBM for the reference design. These outcomes are related to complex issues of hydrogeology and contaminated groundwater. These are discussed in detail.

Jan 1, 2005

By J. F. Jackson, R. W. Mau

"The first commercial installation in the mineral industry of the ""Verti-Press"" pressure filter was made by Falconbridge Limited at the Strathcona Concentrator to filter copper concentrate. The filtercake produced contains 6 - 7% H2O, an improvement from the 12 - 13% H2O produced by an internal drum filter, at rates of up to 20 t/hr. A novel slurry feed system incorporates a hose pump and a pressurized slurry accumulator.INTRODUCTIONIncreased copper production from Falconbridge Limited operational mines in the Sudbury Area has exceeded the current refinery capacity. A copper concentrate has been produced to overcome this constraint and has been shipped to custom smelters either as a slurry or as a 12 - 13% moisture filtercake utilizing an internal drum filter.With the treatment of the new Deep Copper Zone from the Strathcona Mine, copper concentrate production was forecast in excess of the installed dewatering capacity. The filtercake was too wet to transport by truck and the custom smelter refused to handle this product at the truck unloading site. The filtercake had to be trucked to a rail spur and transloaded into gondola cars. This system was expensive, incurred unaccountable losses and the concentrate was assessed a moisture penalty.To reduce the concentrate moisture content to permit direct shipment by truck, two basic systems were available; vacuum filter followed by a thermal dryer or a pressure filter. Past experience with the high capital and operating costs of dryers led Falconbridge to closely examine the pressure filter alternative.COPPER CONCENTRATE PRODUCTIONThere are two separate circuits at the Strathcona Mill; one treating nickel ore and the other treating copper ore.The rougher concentrates produced by both circuits are conditioned with lime and cyanide before the copper-nickel separation in a flotation columns. The concentrate consisting of cha lcopyrite with mi nor cubanite is very clean as shown in Table I. Currently 50% of the copper in the plant feed reports as copper concentrate, in the past, this has been as high as 70%."

Jan 1, 1990

By Joseph A. Sutton

This study was undertaken by the Bureau of Mines to determine whether the sulfur-oxidizing bacterium Thiobacillus thiooxidans could use sulfur compounds to produce sulfuric acid in sufficient quantities to leach valuable metals from low-grade ores. The results of extended tests indicated that the bacterium is capable of extracting appreciable amounts of copper and cobalt from ore and mineral samples when sulfur is available in a state that can be readily assimilated by the organisms. Under the conditions of these tests, this organism was not able to assimilate and oxidize the sulfur as it occurred in the ores and minerals. Ores containing copper minerals in the silicate, carbonate, and oxide forms, in the presence of elemental sulfur, were more susceptible to bacterial action than ores containing copper minerals in the sulfide form. Thiobacillus thiooxidans remained active on elemental sulfur in the presence of some of the ores which were tested, but could not tolerate others. Therefore, strains of the bacterium were progressively adjusted to increasing concentrations (0.5 to 10 grams) of the individual ores until they could remain active on 10-gram portions of all ores being tested.

Jan 1, 1961

By Kazuo Magata, Hirohiko Fujita, Masazumi Tashiro, Yoshiaki Sato, Yoshio Shinoda

The Shinkansen of the Japanese National Railways (JNR) presently in operation between Tokyo and Hakata, approximately 1,000 km, was constructed at three stages: between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka opening in 1964, Shin-Osaka and Okayama in 1972 and Okayama and Hakata in 1975. Works on the extension of 400 km from Okayama to Hakata were launched in March 1970. As construction of the undersea Shin-Kanmon Tunnel on the extension was the toughest task, requiring many, many months, the work was undertaken earlier than any other works on the extension. It was brought to its completion in June 1974 at the cost of about 22, 000 million yen. The Shin-Kanmon Tunnel is the third undersea tunnel constructed to connect the main island of Honshu and Kyushu across the Kanmon Straits. (Table 1)

Jan 1, 1976

By R. S. Douglas

THE Granby Consolidated Mining, Smelting and Power Company, Limited, is engaged in the mining and concentrating of copper ores, and, incidentally, in the mining of coal and the production of electric power. The Company has been engaged in these various operations both on the mainland of British Columbia and on Vancouver island for the past forty-five years. This paper will attempt to cover their present operations in the Similkameen mining district of southern interior British Columbia. GENERAL CHARACTER OF THE DISTRICT The Interior Plateau in southern British Columbia ranges in elevation from 3,000 feet to 6,000 feet. In the vicinity of Princet0n, a depression in the Plateau forms a well defined basin which is floored with a series of nearly flat-lying Tertiary sediments containing some workable seams of lignite. From this basin, the upland surface rises gradually t0ward the south, from an elevation of 2,000 feet at Princet0n to 4,000 feet at Copper mountain, and 6,000 feet in the upper parts of the Similkameen basin, where it merges into the rugged and diversified t0pography of the Cascade system, with glacier inhabited peaks rising to over 9,000 feet. The valleys of Similkameen river and its tributaries are wide, having flaring sides and gentle slopes, and are separated one from another by subdued rounded spurs, of which Copper mountain is typical. The drainage of this district is taken care of by Similkameen river and its larger tributaries, such as Pasayten river, and Wolfe, Friday, and Whipsaw creeks. The name Copper mountain is applied to a gently arched, nearly flat-topped spur between the deep valley of Similkameen river to the west and the shallower valley of Wolfe creek tO the east. The mountain is appro-priately named from the number of copper deposits occurring on its sides and summit, some of which have been developed int0 an important producer, known as the Copper Mountain mine.

Jan 1, 1943

By D Rubery, C Croker

The Boddington Gold Mine (BGM) is located 120 km south east of Perth, Western Australia. The operation is managed by Worsley Alumina Pty Ltd and mined by contractor Henry Walker Eltin (HWE). The mine has been operating since 1987 with ore extracted from a series of pits along strike. Ore is contained within the basement rock, which is overlain by a cap rock layer and transition zone. Cap rock and basement zones require blasting.As the mine neared completion, a high-grade deposit was discovered within 50 m of an existing Western Power substation and 100 m from the processing mill. The substation provides power to the Boddington area and is a back-up power supply to the city of Perth. Due to the delicate nature of the transformers located at the power station, overhead power lines and the mill, blasting in the area was considered very high risk. As such blasting needed to be controlled for flyrock, airblast and most importantly peak vibration and frequency limits which had the potential to damage the transformers.The mine was due for closure in March 2001. The decision to mine the pit was based on its high grade, ability to be blended with lowering grades from other pits and changing of the processing technique with the expansion. This decision extended the life for a further six months.Due to the high potential risks a detailed risk assessment was conducted by Orica, Worsley and Henry Walker Eltin. The completed assessment and the major design parameters were presented to Western Power for approval. The ability to reduce the blasting risk was focused on limiting of vibration through controlling maximum charge initiated per delay, blast timing and firing direction, and other innovative control measures. OricaÆs SHOTPlan« and Sabrex« computer modelling packages were used to predict the outcome of blasts.The success of this project has opened the doors for other high risk blasting projects, which otherwise may be left unmined.

Jan 1, 2002

By A R. Sale

This paper highlights two aspects of the mineral sands industry in Australia: the development of the industry from approximately 1870 through to 1980, and the author’s experience in the industry from 1966 to date.The first real heavy mineral (HM) mining in Australia started in 1870 with the mining of heavy mineral slicks on the beaches along the east coast of Australia. The real potential of Australian heavy minerals was however only realised in the 1920s with the first production of a heavy mineral concentrate that was shipped to Canada for processing. Post WW 11 and the Korean War, Australia was the largest producer of mineral sands products in the world as well as a significant developer of associated separation equipment and technology. The number of producing companies in the east coast peaked at 33 in 1957, was reduced to ten by 1965, and subsequently further reduced to five in 1980 as a result of potential mining areas being declared National Parks or Conservation Reserves. Today there is one company, Unimin Australia Pty Ltd (formally Consolidated Rutile Ltd) operating on the east coast. In contrast there were three companies on the west coast in 1965, four companies in 1980, and four companies today (albeit not the same companies).There have been considerable ups and downs for the industry in Australia, however world wide it was renowned in the past as being an industry that attracted numerous interesting and innovative characters that played a major role in developing it into the vibrant industry that it is today. This, given the current climate, is predicted to continue into the future.The author has been continuously involved in the industry for over 45 years from 1966, initially as an electrician at Consolidated Rutile Ltd culminating in the role of General Manager/President of Iluka Resources Limited USA, prior to his retirement in 2009. His exposure has been world wide and has covered all aspects of the industry but in the main focused on project development and operational areas. During this time there have been significant technological advances, yet to some extent the basic principles have not changed at all. Some of the most noteworthy advances include the development of the Wright Spiral in 1977, the development of the Reading High Intensity Wet Magnet (WHIMS), the rare earth magnets, the CRL floating thickener and the improvement of analytical techniques. From a safety, health and environmental perspective there has been significant advances that the industry has much to be proud of. These include wetland restoration both in Australia and in the US, the restoration of farmland in Virginia and Capel, and the re-establishment of native species, for example at Eneabba and Richards Bay to name but a few.

Oct 5, 2011

Listing on Australian Stock Exchange Limited ('ASX') is a means by which a company can prosper and grow by gaining access to a large capital market. This currently stands at over $300 billion for domestic securities listed on ASX. A company seeking listing will benefit from a higher profile and a greater spread of shareholders. These result from, among other things, improved communications with the investment community. ASX recognises that a decision to list is an important step for a company. Owing to the diverse nature and size of the companies that consider listing and the various steps involved, it is recommended that guidance of professional advisers is sought as early as possible in the listing process. A company seeking listing on ASX must meet the prerequisites for admission to the Official List which, along with the continuing obligations that must be complied with following admission, are contained in the Listing Rules of ASX. Listing on ASX requires a company to ensure that, among other things, the market is fully informed at all times so that investors can make informed investment decisions.

Jan 1, 1996

By K. C. Tran

This paper reviews the advancement of measurement technologies for the control of raw materials processes in the basic industries. The combination of digital technology and on line spectroscopy enables the development of intelligent instruments for composition and particle size analyses in real- time high- frequency control conditions. In many industries, the applications result in productivity improvement and energy savings. Plant specific examples include operating experience and benefits realized in sorting, blending and beneficiation processes. Instruments of the future not only measure specific parameters of the process and monitor its own health combined with self-corrective mechanics but also acts with intelligence to effect the quality of the process or regulate the primary apparatus.

Jan 1, 2001