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Drainage aids are designed to assist in filter cake dewatering by reduction of surface tension. By the early 1980's severalspecialist chemical manufacturers had developed drainage aids specific to the alumina industry. Thus, after some initial laboratory work, drainage aid addition to the product hydrate filter cake was first tried at Gove in early 1981. Encouraging results led to further plant trials and a laboratory trial comparing eight different products. Fromthis last trial a product was chosen and a plant trial run in March 1982. The results achieved encouraged a further plant trial to be run during April and May, 1982 and a decision was then made to adopt the full-time use of drainage aid on the plant.Optimisation work with the drum filters and drainage aid continued until late 1983. This work not only led to optimisation of dose rates, concentrations etc., but also to significant improvements in the mode of operation of the product filtration area.

Jan 1, 1985

Mineral exploration management has undergone major changes particularly in the last decade. Parallel to these changes in management, and partially responsible for them, have been the changes in governmental laws and regulations at both National and State levels reinforced by a highly competitive climate created by the exploration boom in Australia. The influence of overseas methods and approaches have been married to the Australian techniques resulting in a management climate which is not only familiar with the technical aspects of exploration, but is also familiar with the personnel, economic and legal phases associated with the expenditure of very large sums of money. The utilization of all the geosciences coupled with mathematical models and computer techniques for pre-selection and assessment of areas are now normal aids used in management decisions. Management techniques developed and being developed will ensure that successful exploration will be carried out if sufficient incentives are guaranteed.

Jan 1, 1974

Examples are given of the different management approaches used to improve a mine's profitability and the view is put that attention to mine design is very important but easily overlooked. The need for humans to use graphics to ccanprehend and develop strategies to exploit ore deposits is discussed. The use of two and three dimensional representations for geology, mine design and survey data is reviewed. The current use of computers in mining is discussed and reasons for the limited use of ccanputer graphis are proposed. Suggestions are made as to how more extensive use may be made of catputer graphics in mining by using recent and possibly forthcoming advances in computer hardware and by adopting certain software approaches.

Jan 1, 1983

With the exeption of the United States, Canada and Russia, oil has not been around in quantity near world centres of population. Production: in Western Europe is insignificant. Japan is without production as are Australia, Southern Africa, India; Brazil, Chile, New Zealand and China. The United States is, however, a large importer of crude oil. The very fact that oil is produced generally away from centres of population means that it has to be carried by sea to the area in which it is required. There is, therefore, a constant flow of oil around the world in very definite channels.

Jan 1, 1962

By M Akbarpour, M Osanloo

In mining industries, materials handling costs represent a significant component of the operational cost. A variety of methods have been applied in surface mine equipment selection in order to select the suitable loading system with the lowest loading operation cost. These are queuing theory, bunching theory, linear programming and genetic algorithm. Among them, genetic algorithm is a simple method and applied for preliminary selection of the loading system. In this study, gathering information from anomaly No 2 of Gol-e-Gohar iron mine of Iran, loading system (number and its capacity) has been optimised by genetic algorithm. The study results showed that two shovels 8.25 m3 are required for the removal of 60 million tonnes of overburden. After removal overburden, these two shovels contribute to the extraction of 42 million tonnes of ore with a stripping ratio of 1:1.

Jan 1, 2007

Wrenching between basement blocks is considered to be the mechanism whereby a well developed set of en echelon folds and an associated fracture system are developed in the Fitzroy Depression, Western Australia. The regular geometry of these structures accords with a right lateral regional coupling between high-standing, basement blocks bounding a trough filled with a thick pile of stratified Phanerozoic sediments. The structures developed during or after the Mesozoic Era, but the couple is inferred to have been applied to blocks outlined by old lineaments, which may reflect strains or ruptures in basement that developed during the Precambrian, and which were regenerated during Palaeozoic and Mesozoic time.

Jan 1, 1967

Process control computers are finding ever increasing applications within the chemi-cal and mineral processing industries.To purchase a system which fulfils both the immediate and future needs of operating, technical and management groups, requires an appreciation of the capabilities of the system software and the constraints which apply to user development of application software. Early decisions are then required as to who will develop and maintain the software. Rules and conventions must be determined and adhered to if the end result is to be an orderly, well structured and properly documented system. Software development and maintenance represents a substantial, and often hidden, cost. Getting it right the first time will avoid either a major re-work, or having to live with a system which is extremely diffi-cult (at the worst, impossible) to trouble-shoot or modify.

Jan 1, 1985

The exercise of preparing this paper has been both enjoyable and thought provoking.In carrying out the research I have spoken and written to many people. Without exception they have been eager to help, all have spoken of the high regard in which they held Dr Williams, not only as a metallurgist but also as a person.Review of GK's life reveals an enormous impact on the industry in which he worked and the people with whom he associated. Consideration of this impact inevitably leads to the question "what can we learn from his life and the way he went about his work?"

Jan 1, 1985

Peko Mines N.L. has considerable experience in the treatment of a wide range of comparatively small orebodies.Gold-silver, bismuth, and sulphide and oxide copper ores are treated under difficult geographical conditions.Treatment of these ores is complicated by some unusual metallurgical factors.Metallurgical operations are described, including the treatment of the gold-bismuth-copper ore from Juno. The new Warrego mine is to have a highly instrumented concentrator by December 1971. Autogenous grinding is being considered.

Jan 1, 1969

Comalco Aluminium Limited uses a computer system for cost, supply and maintenance reporting and control at its bauxite mine in Weipa, North Queensland. The system collects data on a daily basis at a high level of detail on both cost and maintenance history. This allows useful reporting to all levels of management from the shop floor to the General Manager. The most successful aspect of the system is that the information is available in all workshops on visual display units. This allows the real spenders of the Company's money, Foremen and Tradesmen, to make well informed decisions. The system has also decreased the time taken to find parts and information which gives the Foremana greater opportunity to do his real job of supervision and quality control.

Jan 1, 1983

In recent years, wide consideration has had to be given to methods of improving the condition of the mine environment in many coal mines, and significant developments and changes have evolved. Thus even after substantial increases inòair flow rates at the working place (they have increased over three fold in the last generation), environmental conditions have arisen for which it has been necessary to introduce or consider: i) additional ameliorative measures, such as good housekeeping; ii) layout changes: such as Y or Z layouts; iii) homotropal ventilation; and iv) air conditioning. In certain countries, consideration has been given also to: v) additional payments reduced working times; vi) heat acclimatisation programmes; and vii) the use of cold or cooling suits At many hot and humid mines, the principal benefits from adopting (i), (ii) and (iii) have already been realised. At such mines,

Jan 1, 1983

Recent research publications in extractive metallurgy were analysed for their stated and self-evident objectives. Over 100 different objectives (not specific to a metal or unit operation) were identified. These were divided into groups of economic, environmental, professional and fundamental significance. Comparisons were made of the objectives adopted in universities, industry and national research organisations. The most common primary and secondary objectives (by a large margin) were "to develop a new process (different chemistry)" and "to determine the effects of variables on a process" respectively. It was concluded that, overall, recent research has been dominated by commercial objectives. Objectives related to thermodynamics and kinetics have been the most common of the fundamental sort. Those related to professional methods in general, sensors and process dynamics, among others, have been largely neglected.

Jan 1, 1986

By Wenya X, Bingchen C

About 60 per cent of magnesite ores of Haicheng Magnesium Mine, due to their low grade, are not currently commercially exploitable. In this paper, the flotabilities of the main component minerals of the ores were studied in detail with ether amine as collector. Based on. these, a new technique of reverse-direct flotation with single etheramine as collector for the beneficiation of the ores was developed. It gave highly satisfactory results. On the basis of the calculation by means of CNDO/2 method, of the studies of the solution chemistry of magnesite and of the adsorption tests and Zeta-potential measurements, the key mechanism in the new technique about activating effect of Ca2+ on the flotation of magnesite was suggested.

Jan 1, 1993

Some only types of bank finance are appropriate for mining development, with conventional fixed rate finance having significant limitations of flexibility. New, innovative and flexible instruments have recently been utilised within project financing packages. A strictly limited number of specialist project finance banks exists, with the necessary specialist personnel able to address project cost-competitiveness, cost and commodity forecasting, joint venture negotiations, and completion and sales undertakings. Different techniques of internal bank appraisal are applied, with the usual equity investment project valuation criteria being seldom useful for loan assessment purposes. Company attention paid to the preparation of a sensitively structured bankable presentation can prove most effective for securing development project finance. Substantial scope is possible for savings of time and money.

Jan 1, 1983

Most of the world' s continental' shelves are .primarily . esozoic-Tertiary phexicmena. Those ,of south,eap- ern Australia are' no exception, although cam-plicated by possible TTmelon-seed" type block upthrusts in the region of the Bass Strait (e.g. King Island, Wilson's Promontory etc.) These terraces represent the progressive infilling and seaward. outgrowth of enormous volumes of tern g_enous sediments into the marine environment. Asa consequence they constitute the preferred habitats, of, petroleum.The Gambier ,sub-basin forms part of the southern Australian-continental terrace where it opposes the (3000 fathom), Jeffrey deep. The'purpose of'this paper is to discuss its nature, structure,_ and developmental history in re-lation to its oil prospects.

Jan 1, 1962

Thermo Fisher Scientific is a supplier of samplers, instruments, analysers and consumables to the mining industry under the Thermo Scientific brand. The critical need to provide a representative sample to the analyser has played a pivotal role in product development. Products discussed are the Analysis and Sampling Station (AnStat) for mineral slurries, the Coal Quality Manager (CQM) and the prototype Bore Hole Analyser (BHX) with optional drill chip recovery system. Analytical techniques used in the above products are XRF, PGNAA and LIBS respectively. The company also designs and supplies conventional mechanical sampling equipment and complete sampling systems for bulk material applications (historical Ramsey brand). These products and application of them are presented.

Jan 1, 2008

By P C. Pistorius

Previous mineralogical investigation of all effluent flotation streams of Mimosa mine (Zimbabwe) indicated that appreciable amounts of liberated platinum-group minerals (PGMs) of the Pt-Pd-Bi-Te class are not recovered û despite electrochemical measurements showing interaction between xanthate and such minerals. In this work, the flotation recovery of synthetically prepared Pd-Bi-Te was compared with that of chalcopyrite (a typical fast-floating mineral) and pyrrhotite (a typical slow-floating mineral), with microflotation tests. These indicated Pd-Bi-Te to be a fast-floater with flotation rates exceeding that of chalcopyrite. Predicted flotation rate constants (from the Ralston model) were significantly lower for small particles (with diameters similar to those lost to the effluent streams) compared with those of particle with intermediate sizes. This supports the suggestion that losses to effluent streams are caused by particle size effects.

Jan 1, 2005

The bureaucracy in Victoria has worked against exploration and mining development. There is no doubt that the new Mineral Resources development Act has simplified matters on the mining side of the system. However, WMC's Bendigo and Deep Lead experiences demonstrate that other parts of the bureaucracy can cause serious delays. The mining industry continues to view the approval process causal of excessive costs and delays compared with other States (and countries) and prohibitive to investment in Victoria.

Jan 1, 1992

By L Ryan, S Halley

The use of a field spectrometer to systematically analyse drill samples from over 200 holes around the Permian-Carboniferous Ravenswood gold deposits in north-east Queensland has successfully identified both small and deposit-scale changes in the alteration mineral chemistry. Changes in chlorite composition within the tonalite host rocks are evident at the district scale, with Fe-rich chlorites seemingly more common in the vicinity of the deposits. Significant variations in white mica chemistry also occur, but mostly on the vein selvage scale, with no clear distinction between near-mine and distal compositions. The results indicate that chlorite compositional maps produced from regional field or airborne spectrometer data could potentially be used as a vector to ore in exploring for similar deposits in the area. An EXTENDED ABSTRACT is available for download. A full-length paper was not prepared for this presentation.

Jan 1, 2008

Petroleum exploration is proceed ing in Western Australia at an ever- increasing pace. Results in recent years have been very successful, with the discovery and development of the Barrow Island oilfield and the Dongara gasfield, and the discovery of several major gas-condensate fields on the Northwest Shelf. The Northwest Shelf discoveries will have a big impact on the economy of the State by providing an abundant indigenous source of energy. Prospects for further large dis- coveries are believed to be excellent. The most prospective areas are thought to be on the continental shelf in the Carnarvon, Browse, Perth, Canning, and Bonaparte Gulf Basins.

Jan 1, 1973