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By A S. Kurilko

For mines located in the cryolitic zone, thermal conditions are an important factor for all kinds of mining works, especially for ventilation of workings. In the present paper, some models of mine air heat transfer considering air distribution in a net of mine workings are developed. A combined solution is suggested for heat transfer and air distribution problems in mine workings and other underground structures located in the cryolitic zone. A software package is also presented for calculating temperature conditions in an underground refrigeration plant and for optimisation of ventilation conditions. This software uses a special 3D mathematical model to describe heat transfer in a freezing chamber between surrounding rock massif and stored product as well as between atmospheric air and the daylight surface of rock massif. A problem requiring strengthening of a backfill material and its thermal interaction with surrounding rocks during underground deposit mining by horizontal layers in conditions of the cryolitic zone is also discussed. The developed program takes into account cement consumption, geometrical dimensions of workings filled and a sequence of deposit mining.

Jan 1, 2005

Maximising margins in today's competitive international commodity markets demands superior productivity. This requires more than simply selecting the best equipment. It requires efficient production and commercial processes together with management systems recognised as international best practice. This paper introduces an integrated way of working that includes management systems for successfully changing work practices and attitudes, developing managers and increasing accountability. It provides an improvement methodology that includes systematic involvement of people in true continuous improvement of processes for maximising productivity and safety while minimising costs. Even though the principles are proven in all industry sectors worldwide, they are not always used correctly. This paper provides examples of traditional performance measurement systems to show how managers miss opportunities to control and improve both production and supporting service processes. It also describes the basic methodology for correct use of the principles and provides examples of correct implementation of modem systems in mining. The charts from actual mining case studies will be elaborated upon in the conference presentation. This paper's main aim is to provide background material for the presentation by introducing integrated principles for building best practice management systems for superior productivity and safety - for higher margins.

Jan 1, 1996

By L Soebari, W Sunyoto

The Wabu Ridge Gold Skarn deposit is located at elevations of up to 3100 metres above sea level, in the Central Highlands of Irian Jaya, Indonesia, 35 km NNW of the Grasberg porphyry deposit. Wabu is a grass-roots discovery in an area with no previous gold mining history or record of gold mineralisation. A geological resource of 117.26 million tonnes at an average grade of 2.16 g/t Au (1.0 g/t Au cut-off) has been defined to-date. Mineralisation is hosted within a skarn occurring along the southern boundaries of the Late-Miocene age monzonite-diorite Pagane intrusive complex. The intrusive complex occurs in the footwall of a major EW structure, the Derewo fault, which displays sinistral strike-slip and reverse fault movement. The Derewo fault separates Derewo metamorphic units to the north from platform sediments of the Australian craton to the south. The skarn has a strike length of 6 km and is up to 1.5 km wide. It is developed within calcareous shelf sediments of the Tertiary New Guinea limestone group and is dominated by prograde garnet development. Gold mineralisation was deposited during retrograde alteration and is directly associated with arsenophyrite and bismuth minerals. Retrograde alteration is distinguished by a sequence of clinopyroxene , magnetite, epidote and hornblende, biotite and chlorite and lastly carbonate. Gold is associated with the biotite/ chlorite phase together with sulphides and precipitated as the result of fluid mixing. The Wabu Ridge Gold Skarn deposit was identified in April 1990 during a regional program of helicopter assisted stream sediment sampling of -80 mesh (180 microns) fraction and panned concentrate sampling. The initial discovery sample site was situated 15 km down stream from the deposit and returned 1.49 ppm Au for the stream sediment sample and 138 ppm Au for the panned concentrate sample. A regional airborne helicopter magnetics survey, conducted in early-1992, helped defined the main magnetite associated skarn zone and the extent of associated igneous rocks. Detailed follow-up commenced in May 1992 and consisted of detailed mapping, soil sampling and ground magnetics prior to drilling the first hole in October 1992. Drilling to-date has delineated a contained geologic resource of 8.1 million ounces of gold and potential exists for a larger resource.

Jan 1, 1999

The paper outlines the development and objectives of the slim core (50 mm dia.) testing procedures employed at the Company's Central Research Laboratories with particular reference to washability studies required for coalfield evaluation. It shows that when the routine test procedures, that have been developed for cores recovered form the Sydney Coal Basin, were applied to Bowen Basin Coals some of the washing data obtained appeared to be suspect. Though yield indications appeared to be of the right order, product ash, required separating gravity and percentage of near gravity material were found to be at variance with bulk washability data. The results of a correlation study made on an underground seam from the Bowen Basin comparing slim core, hulk sample, and pilot plant washing data are given. The results of a series of studies including washability studies made on slim cores, strip samples, large diameter cores and bulk samples, pilot washing trials and computer simulations of washery circuits treating Lilyvale seam coal from the Bowen Basin are shown.

Jan 1, 1977

By A Cranley, A Giblett, S Thacker

The Newmont Tanami Operations are located in the Northern Territory, approximately 550 km north-west of Alice Springs. The Granites process plant commenced operations in 1986 as a 300?000 t/a ball mill / carbon-in-leach (CIL) plant and has undergone numerous expansions between that time and the current day, with project-to-date gold production exceeding 6.5 Moz. Annual plant throughput has exceeded 2.8 Mt/a while processing a blend of open pit material and ore from the Callie Deeps underground mine, with annual gold production exceeding 400 koz. In 2013 the operation processed 1.8 Mt of underground ore for the production of 323 koz of gold.This paper reviews the operation and expansion of The Granites process plant since the mid to late 1980s with particular focus on the gravity gold recovery circuit. The Tanami ores contain significant levels of free gold, and gravity recovery has long been an integral component of the metal recovery process at the Granites plant. The results of ten years of gravity circuit performance analysis and optimisation are presented.CITATION:Giblett, A, Cranley, A and Thacker, S, 2014. Three decades of gold production at the Newmont Tanami operations, in Proceedings 12th AusIMM Mill Operators’ Conference 2014 , pp 209–216 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 1, 2014

By M Saghaeian, A H. Baladastian, A Dehghani Ahmadabadi, V Sheikhzadeh, R Hejazi

This research was done to reduce silica from mixed hematite concentrate of Barfkar Iron Ore Sample and increase Fe grade using reverse flotation method (Depressing Hematite and floating Silica). The used sample in the reverse flotation tests was a mixture containing two types of hematite concentrates (Spiral cleaner concentrate and Slon-VPHGMS cleaner concentrate) with the percentage of 16 per cent and 84 per cent, respectively. Fe grade of two samples was 59.31 per cent and 57.52 per cent and SiO2 grade was 5.83 per cent and 6.71 per cent, respectively. After mixing, the Fe and SiO2 grade of the mixed sample was measured at 58.10 per cent and 6.20 per cent. For flotation tests, effect of variable operational parameters including feed size distribution (d80 = 130 microns and d80 = 53 microns), pulp solidity (25 per cent and 30 per cent w/w), pH (9.70, 10.20 and 11), Sodium silicate as a dispersant (500, 1000 and 2000 g/ton), Starch as a depressant (500, 1000, 2000 and 3000 g/ton) and EDA as a collector (180, 300, 400 and 500 g/ton) were investigated. For evaluating the influence of Sodium silicate and Starch dosage, initial flotation tests were performed on the main sample (d80 = 130 microns). These two parameters had no significant effects on the yield, Fe, and SiO2 grade of flotation concentrate based on test results. In the next step, screen analysis was carried out on the main sample for mineralogical studies. Accordingly, the suitable size distribution for releasing Fe and SiO2 particles was smaller than 53 microns. Therefore, the sample was crushed until d80 = 53 microns. Then, supplementary tests were performed on the crushed sample for studying the pH range, pulp solidity, and EDA collector dosage. After doing silica removal flotation tests based on the designed pattern and comparison of the results, the conditions consisting of size distribution d80 = 53 microns, pulp solidity 25 per cent, pH 10.20, Sodium silicate 1000 g/ton, Starch 1000 g/ton, and EDA 500 g/ton was selected as optimum values. In the last test, Fe and SiO2 grade was measured at 60.00 per cent and 3.93 per cent, respectively, and Fe recovery was obtained at 74.93 per cent.

Aug 24, 2022

By M Yahyaei, M S. Powell

Mineral processing plants have become large and complex, generally through progressive expansions. Addition of a pre-crushing stage to conventional Semi-Autogenous-Grinding (SAG) and ball mill - crushing (SABC) circuits has introduced a complex materials handling system coping with +200 mm particles. Application of High Pressure Grinding Rolls (HPGRs) and implementing hybrid comminution circuits (ie, HPGR-SAG mill) requires proactive control of the feed size distribution to each unit. Application of Vertical Tower Mills (VTMs) and other fine grinding equipment to achieve a finer grind size, while maintaining the throughput, requires splitting the feed evenly between parallel units. Many of the conventional comminution circuits (ie, staged crushing and screening followed by staged ball milling) must deal with the transition from open pit ore, which is generally altered and soft, to underground ore, which is intact and hard, requiring existing crushers to produce a finer product to unload the ball mills.This paper presents common process improvement opportunities which have been identified during a number plant process reviews conducted by the authors in Australian and international operations. The operation of comminution circuits to known and accepted standards, which is explained in this paper, could improve the performance of circuits by between 5 and 10 per cent, generally at no capital cost and often at a lower operating cost. The performance improvement can be realised as throughput increase, a finer product size, or reduced operating costs (ie, energy saving, low maintenance, less consumables).Process optimisation opportunities presented in this paper include: enhancing materials handling and storage to avoid segregation; standard operation of screens to reduce misplaced materials; proper feeding arrangement and control of crushers to increase their utilisation; preparing proper feed for SAG mills to reduce grind size; splitting the feed evenly between parallel equipment to improve utilisation, and controlling operation of classification units to improve energy utilisation.CITATION:Yahyaei, M and Powell, M S, 2018. Production improvement opportunities in comminution circuits, in Proceedings 14th AusIMM Mill Operators' Conference 2018, pp 233–248 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 29, 2018

By P J. McCarthy

Globalisation and consolidation is resulting in the mining industry coming to be dominated by a small number of very large companies seeking to lever assets and knowledge to create wealth. As an important service provider to the mining industry, the minerals tertiary education sector needs to understand these global drivers and respond to them. However, it is under-resourced and its sustainability is under challenge in all Western countries. Through the establishment and funding of the Minerals Tertiary Education Council (MTEC), the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) has provided a unique opportunity to build a national, world-class minerals tertiary education environment in Australia that can be sustained in the long-term. This paper reviews how the global changes occurring in the mining industry provide the model for what needs to occur in the minerals education sector and how MTEC is the logical vehicle to facilitate these changes. It concludes by suggesting that the time has come to integrate the minerals tertiary education providers into one business. Furthermore, the vision should be for a global mining education academy based around a virtual university capable of servicing the cultural diversity and continuing education needs of the global minerals industry.

Jan 1, 2001

By Kavanagh M. E, Henley R. W

The Meekatharra mining district lies in the northern pan of the Murchison Province of the Archaean Ynlgam block of Western Australia. Since dis- covery of the Paddy's Flat belt in the district in 1897 total gold production has been 67 tonnes and a further 33 tonnes in resources have been defined by drilling. The Paddy's Flat gold deposits occur within the Gabanintha Formation, a basal formation of the Murchison greenstone sequence containing komatiitic basalts, ultramafics and minor banded iron formations. The regional control on the distribution of deposits is an anastomosing shear belt which extends over 350 km and incorporates the Mt Magnet, Reedys and Meekatharra deposits. The following gold deposit styles may be recognized based on lithological association and alteration: Albite porphyry hosted, Carbonate-fuchsite- quartz alteration hosted deposits, Banded Iron Formation hosted sulphide replacement gold deposits and quartz vein deposits. With the exception of the banded iron formation hosted deposits, the Paddy's Flat alteration zone shows strong similarities to the alteration styles at Kerr-Addison (Ontario).

Jan 1, 1991

CABS - Costs and Budget System - is being developed to provide more appropriate tools to assist cost control. The most important of these tools is responsibility accounting, that is to ensure the respons- ibility for costs and budgets is placed at the lowest possible managerial level in the Company. The system design and computer techniques utilized include the use of on-line facilities for enquiry purposes plus entry and validation of data. Data base management is used to permit the complex relationships that exist between data in CABS to be defined and maintained. The system must be flexible in order to cater for organisational and other maintenance changes with minimum time delays. The major outputs of the system are reports produced in several cost dissections, by responsibility, by products by cost collection group and type of expense. A significant role in CABS has been played by users. This includes development, control and review of the system proposals in order to ensure that the objectives and requirements from all sections in the Company are met. This role has included Project Leader for the system plus a committee formed to provide formal acceptance of the system Design.

Jan 1, 1977

By C M. Côte, S Worden, K Svobodova

Mines in Queensland are transitioning to the progressive rehabilitation and closure plan (PRCP) framework. Mine operators are required to select and justify appropriate and viable post-mining land uses (PMLUs) following consideration of the surrounding landscape, community views and the objectives of local and regional planning strategies. The new approach offers opportunities for considering innovative PMLU options and collaborative use of post-closure mine assets, such as infrastructure (power, road/rail, buildings), dams and residual voids. Consideration of regional planning strategies will require a shift in thinking as mine closure is regulated and planned on an individual site basis and selection of PMLUs are commonly considered from this perspective. Planning at regional rather than site-specific scale offers strategic advantages, including the ability to align PMLU selection with the regional context and stakeholder aspirations (which could foster sustainable outcomes); address cumulative environmental and socio-economic impacts; consider options that are only viable at scale (ie across larger geographic areas); establish more extensive and connected ecological habitat corridors; reinstate larger expanses of functional agricultural land; and optimise regional resources (Hattingh, Williams and Corder, 2019). This paper presents the findings from a multidisciplinary project that identified PMLU options within Queensland’s four mining regions: the North-west Minerals Province, North Queensland, Bowen Basin and Clarence-Moreton and Surat Basin (Figure 1). To enable spatial analysis at the appropriate scale and to accommodate geographic diversity, North Queensland was divided into three geographical ‘focus areas’ – Weipa, Charters Towers and Tablelands. Delineation of the areas captured most of the mines within the wider region as well as regional characteristics and features.

Aug 2, 2023

The 1990s present many challenges, not the least of which is in the area of health and safety. Integrating of safety and health into the management process to suit the overall needs of a company will require commitment. Organisations which consistently perform to high success levels do so because they plan it that way. By using tools of total quality management, the potential to continually improve all safety processes exists. The successful integration of total quality measurement principles used in the improvement of safety processes, and the measurement of performance-based activities allow for prevention of accident causing scenarios and performance improvement.

Jan 1, 1993

By J Zhao, C E. Loo

The flame front is a narrow region in the iron ore sintering bed where coke particles combust. The maximum flame front temperature is as high as 1400°C. At high temperatures, the sinter mix components react to form melts, which facilitates material coalescence and the formation of dense sinter particles. It is well-established that flame front speed is an important factor influencing sinter productivity, sinter quality and fuel rate. In this work, the effect of suction, coke addition and mix moisture on flame front speed was studied in a pilot-scale sinter pot and also using the outputs of a recently developed theoretical model, which takes into account most of the significant physicochemical processes in sintering. Airflow through the bed has a large influence on flame front speed. A power law relationship between these two parameters means that increasing sintering airflow rate will lead to increased flame front speed, but the increases become smaller at higher airflow rates. Sinter pot test results showed that increasing coke addition decreased green bed permeability and increased flame front temperature, which resulted in increased flame front resistance and decreased flame front speed. Studies also showed that green bed properties are sensitive to sinter mix moisture level. The changes in green bed properties further influence the flame front speed and temperature.CITATION:Zhao, J and Loo, C E, 2015. Dependence of flame front speed on iron ore sintering conditions, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2015, pp 83–90 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 13, 2015

By S D. Dessureault

In one of North AmericaÆs largest mines, which contains more than six active coal-producing faces, mine controllers must meet the complex challenge of adhering to the mine plan while also ensuring customer quality. Fleet management systems (FMS) provide many different avenues to control production flows, from the faces to the various pit crushers. Nonetheless, mine controllers must balance a variety of factors such as unplanned downs, differing customer demands, their own daily key performance indicators (KPIs) related to equipment utilisation, among others. Deviating from the short-term mine plan is the most common means of balancing the other factors, since adherence to the plan is traditionally only measured during the weekly variance meeting with engineering staff. However, such deviation may be one of the most costly responses, as long-term scheduling issues may arise such as multi-face dead-heading or insufficient stripping. This paper focuses on the development of a system for real-time adherence to mine plan within a control room environment. This system is part of a larger blending-focused, multi-million dollar project with elements of a centralised remote control room, developed at the University of ArizonaÆs Mining Information Systems and Operations Management (MISOM) Mine Control Center (MC2). The mine plan (MPL) component of the overall blending system integrates both historical and real-time FMS data with mine plan requirements directly sourced from original systems (no additional input required). The measures, displayed largely as graphs, have tools to help controllers manage the production to facilitate adherence to the plan. Some measures are designed to motivate crews to perform by inciting competition between crews, softened through a study of the controller culture. The MPL component was deployed at the mine, and the before and after deployment adherence was measured. This paper discusses the technical development of the new tool, its deployment, and an ethnography (study of culture) to understand controller motivation.

Sep 26, 2011

Location & Permit Status Three major Mesozoic Tertiary basins exist along the continental shelf area of southeastern Australia, known as the Bass Strait area. They are the Gippsland (east of the longitude of Melbourne) Otway (west of Melbourne) and the Bass (underlying central Bass Strait between Victoria and Tasmania). The total area, both onshore and offshore, is approximately 100,000 square miles. In March 1960, the Broken Hill Pty. Co. Ltd. acquired exploration title to the continental shelf areas of the Gippsland, Bass and Otway basins from the States of Victoria and Tasmania. The title to that part of the Otway Basin in South Australian waters was granted in July, 1961. Other exploration permits, being 8 miles wide in Gippsland, held by Woodside :E.) Oil Co. N.L., and 15 miles wide along the southwest coast of Victoria, held by Mobil-BP-Interstate Oil (Frome-Broken Hill Co. Pty. Ltd.), were in existence prior to granting the B.H.P. title. Subsequently, Shell, B.H.P., Esso and Magellan have been granted title to the remaining areas of the continental shelf in the basins under discussion. In three separate agreeme negotiated between 1964 and-1966, Esso obtained farm-in rights to B.H.P.'s Gippsland, Bass and Ott' Permits.

Jan 1, 1970

By Connell JE

The Worthing Mine near Hallett Cove. 20 km southwest of the cite of Adelaide, belongs to Aus- tralia's first mining era, which took place in South Australia between 1841 and 1851 (Figure 1). Oper- ations began in 1849 only six years after the com- mencement of metal mining in Australia at Glen Osmond. Although not as historically significant as Glen Osmond (1841), or the much larger copper mines of Kapunda (1844) or Burra (1845) its importance lies with its Cornish enginehouse and chimney. The Worthing enginehouse, built in 1851-1852 is the oldest remaining in Australia and certainly the most significant relic of Australia's first mining era. Six other stone enginehouses were built during that period: at Kapunda in 1848 and 1850: at Burra in 1849, 1850 and 1851; and at Tungkillo in 1849. All of these houses have long since dis- appeared although the foundations of one (Kapunda, 1850) still remain. The significance of the Worthing site is enhanced by its magnificant environmental setting in the bare, steep valley of Field River. Currently (1986) the Worthing Mine is the only site within the City of Marion which is on the Register of State Heritage Items. The site is also included in the Classified List of the National Trust of South Australia and on the Register of the National Estate.

Jan 1, 1987

By J Ding, H J Peng, S B. Zhu, L Hou, J R. Zhang, S Y. Wu

"An EXTENDED ABSTRACT is available for download. A full-length paper was not prepared for this presentation. Numerous Fe-Cu-Au-rare earth element (REE) deposits have been identified within the Palaeoproterozoic Dongchuan Group of the Kangdian region of SW China. Geochronologic and geochemical data of the dolerite dykes and other volcanic rocks reveal extensional activity occurred about 1.7 Ga called ‘Kunyang Rifting’. The Kangdian region underwent variable degrees of extension, meaning that breakup in the central part of this region occurred earlier than in the north. Research on microphysiography, isotopic geochemistry and inclusions of the Yinachang typical Fe-Cu-Au-REE deposits suggest that the dominant mineralisation fluid is high-temperature, high-salinity magma fluid, containing alkalic components, volatile phase and Cu-Au. Metasomatism and mixing between this magmatic fluid and carbonaceous wall rock and meteoric water caused the precipitation of Fe, REEs and Cu-Au. A chalcopyrite Re-Os age from the Yinachang deposit obtained during this study is some 50–100 million years younger than the timing of emplacement of the deeply sourced Haizi and Dongchuan dolerites. The Yinachang deposit is a typical iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG)-type deposit, and the presence of this and other deposits in the Kangdian region indicates that the region hosts an intraplate extension-related IOCG system within the western edge of the Yangtze Block, China.CITATION:Hou, L, Ding, J, Zhang, J R, Zhu, S B, Wu, S Y and Peng, H J, 2015. Proterozoic iron oxide-copper-gold mineralisation in the Kangdian Region, south-west Yangtze block, China – a case study on the Yinachang Fe-Cu-Au-rare earth element deposit , in Proceedings PACRIM 2015 Congress, pp 255–264 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Mar 18, 2015

By D R. Seaman, B Adamson, F Burns, B A. Seaman, P Manton

The Telfer concentrator, located in the Great Sandy Desert of Western Australia, consists of a dual train gold/copper operation processing ore from one underground and, currently, two open pit mines with differing mineralogy. The flotation circuit of each train was designed to operate in several modes depending on the feed mineralogy. The majority of ore mined at Telfer is processed in a sequential mode where copper minerals are first floated into a saleable copper concentrate followed by the flotation of an auriferous pyrite concentrate which is treated in an on-site hydrometallurgical plant (carbon-in-leach (CIL)). Gold is recovered as a gravity product within the primary grinding circuit, to the copper concentrate, and to a lesser extent, the CIL circuit.Since Telfer was re-opened, with a new concentrator, in 2004, the processing plant has struggled with poor copper concentrate grades, partially due to the excessive entrainment of non-sulfide gangue minerals in the copper flotation circuit and, more recently, due to composite copper particles produced when processing ore from a supplementary satellite pit that has not previously been processed through the new Telfer concentrator. Gold recoveries in the CIL circuit have also been below industry standard. This paper presents the implementation of recent changes made to the circuit to address these performance issues. The reconfiguration of the circuit has involved the installation of the following major equipment items: two ISAMillsÖ in ultra-fine grinding applications (one in the copper circuit and one in the pyrite circuit), two Jameson Cells to improve fine gangue rejection and a bank of 5 + Outotec TC30s to recovery copper and gold from the reground pyrite stream. The equipment was purchased direct from vendors and an engineering firm contracted to design and install the multi-vendor reconfiguration upgrade.CITATION:Seaman, D R, Burns, F, Adamson, B, Seaman, B A and Manton, P, 2012. Telfer processing plant upgrade - The implementation of additional cleaning capacity and the regrinding of copper and pyrite concentrates, in Proceedings 11th AusIMM Mill OperatorsÆ Conference, pp 373-382 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Oct 29, 2012

By Hunter W. H, Wilson I. P, Craig R. W

In September 1988 the Imperial Smelting zinc - lead blast furnace at Avonmouth England, was uprated from its then 52 week annual rated capacity of 90 000 tonnes/year of furnace zinc to 110 000 tonnes. In order to provide sufficient extra feed the sinter plant was likewise uprated in April 1989 by increasing the blowing rate of the sinter/acid plants from 100 000 to 120 000 Nm3/h, effectively a 20 per cent increase. In the 12 months after the uprate zinc production was only 85 000 tonnes. Two years after the uprate zinc production had increased to 100 000 tonnes, but it was not until January 1992 that a rolling 12-month zinc production of 110 000 tonnes was consistently achieved. This paper describes the problems encountered with the uprate and how they have been or are being overcome. It deals chronologically with events starting with the restart of the ISF at the end of 1988 and covers the following issues and their resolution: 1. Initial shortages of sinter due to an offset in uprate timing. 2. Greater difficulties in operating the larger furnace particularly on start-up, the greater tendency for iron production and serious slagging problems. 3. Coincidental timing of deleterious trends in slag chemistry. 4. Refractory problems in the furnace shaft and condenser. 5. Shortages of sinter due to commissioning problems with the wet gas and sinter tip end fans, and difficulties in obtaining sufficient sinter hardness. 6. Unrealised full benefits of the sinter-acid uprate due to a late change in design to dispense with sinter gas recirculation, but offset by successful use of oxygen. In a planned maintenance stop in September 1992 further improvements to the furnace design were carried out to resolve the refractory problems, and with improvements to the sinter plant the furnace zinc output capacity is planned to rise to a rate of 120 000 tonnes/year within two years.

Jan 1, 1993

By E Mroczek, M Climo, B Carey, M P. Simpson

"An EXTENDED ABSTRACT is available for download. A full-length paper was not prepared for this presentation. The composition and volume of geothermal fluids in New Zealand offers considerable potential for the extraction of various metals and minerals, as well as being a source of heat energy, steam and gases, and for use in generating electricity. While extracting products from geothermal fluids is technically feasible, positive economics is the key driver for commercial success; however, there is no assessment of this opportunity that identifies simple, cost-effective processing technologies and provides a greater understanding of the economic viability and barriers for implementing such technologies. The methodology that will be used to evaluate the commercial opportunities for New Zealand is discussed.CITATION:Mroczek, E, Simpson, M P, Climo, M and Carey, B, 2015. From waste to wealth – mineral extraction from geothermal brines, in Proceedings PACRIM 2015 Congress, pp 133–138 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Mar 18, 2015