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By R O’Sullivan, D Taylor, J G. McLellan, B Miller

The Mount Isa copper deposit is located adjacent to the city of Mount Isa, Queensland, and lies within a series of Palaeoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic Superbasins. The deposit is hosted almost entirely within the Urquhart Shale (US), a unit of the Mount Isa Group sediments and part of the Isa Superbasin. The copper mineralisation is separated into two distinct orebodies: the X41 mine (1100 and 1900 orebodies) and the Enterprise mine (3000 and 3500 orebodies). The orebodies are situated in the hanging wall of the major controlling structures, the Paroo Fault, which has juxtaposed older basement Eastern Creek Volcanics against the younger Mount Isa Group sediments cf 1655 ± 4 Ma. Conjecture remains over the exact timing of this thrust event. However, it is clear that inflections on the Paroo Fault have a close association with the orebodies and are an important structural feature in the mineralisation of the Mount Isa copper deposit.The life-of-mine is reducing steadily and new geomechanical modelling techniques were employed to target structurally controlled mineralised zones in three dimensions. Following a structural review of the mine using underground mapping, structural data and core shed observations, a conceptual 3D mine model was constructed utilising existing data modelled in MineSight®. This conceptual model included all the main lithological units and structures. The conceptual model aimed to test the effects of deformation on the main lithological and structural components of the system and attempted to highlight areas of anomalous stress and strain that may indicate a higher likelihood of fluid focusing and mineralisation potential. This project was focused on testing the latter stages of a D3 event (NE–SW compression) and D4 event (SE–NW compression), which are considered to be responsible for the current location of the mineralisation.The fully coupled 3D finite element analysis models resulted in highlighting anomalous patterns of stress and strain and subsequent fluid flow as a result of the two deformation events. The NE–SW D3 simulation provided the best correlation with the known distribution of mineralisation. This event also indicated several areas on the Paroo Fault and within the US that have potential to host further areas of mineralisation. The SE–NW D4 simulation provided less of a correlation with known mineralised zones. However, this event may have been responsible for post mineralisation re-mobilisation of copper on a relatively small scale. Areas of maximum shear strain, shear stress, volumetric strain and fluid flow correlated well with areas of minimum principal stress and provided the best overall match with known mineralised zones. Furthermore, several additional highlighted areas provide a high potential for further discovery of copper mineralisation. Recent exploration drilling north of the Enterprise mine 3000 orebody, utilising geomechanical modelling as part of the targeting criteria, intersected copper mineralisation, providing further validation of the modelling results.CITATION:McLellan, J G, O’Sullivan, R, Miller, B and Taylor, D, 2014. Geomechanical modelling of the Mount Isa copper deposit – predicting mineralisation, in Proceedings Ninth International Mining Geology Conference 2014 , pp 197–206 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 18, 2014

By A G. Guinea

Every person in an organisation has what could be called ‘a different take’ on what it means to be a safety leader. The directors will tell you they are ultimately responsible for everyone’s safety and that they can be imprisoned as a consequence of a workplace fatality. Managers, take more of a focused approach and would explain that they are totally responsible for the safety of their teams. And then there are front-line leaders. Those that not only have the responsibility (like directors and managers) but they also have the accountability, and the ability, to influence how safely their teams work. But it is not just physical safety that leaders should be concerned with.

May 5, 2022

By B Murphy, N Strong, J Albrecht

Rio Tinto’s Argyle Diamond Mine has a history of underperformance with delivery of ore from the underground operation to the surface for processing with no real clarity in sources of loss and value. In order to increase underground production performance, the basic concepts of the Theory of Constraints model were applied to the Argyle underground production system. This prompted a revised view on bottlenecks and contributors to value loss and ultimately leading to record breaking mine performance. System loss reporting to demonstrate the best opportunity to drive value, departmental detail to develop tools to identify improvement opportunities and clarity across the team to ensure alignment and clear lines of communication were critical to the project success.

Mar 15, 2021

By D Preedy, J K. Claflin, S R. J La Brooy

This paper summarises the lessons learned during a recent carbon reactivation kiln upgrade project at the Sukari Gold Mine in Egypt. The kiln is being replaced to ensure that the plant achieves full value from the current throughput expansion from 5 to 10 Mt/a.The suitability of the original engineering design criteria for kiln selection and the adequacy of the original kiln are reviewed in the light of the carbon chemistry, operating experience and a site inspection of the kiln. Particular aspects of the reactivation facility are discussed including: predrying, preheating, feeding, gas seals, kiln heat transfer, steam injection, counter-current sweep gas flow, carbon cooling, fines minimisation and removal.Design criteria for a carbon predryer, reactivation kiln and cooler combination for carbon heavily fouled by high molecular weight frothers and collectors are discussed and the abridged Ausenco datasheet for the combination is presented.Responses to a request for a budget price sent to most of the worldÆs suppliers of carbon regeneration kilns are summarised.CITATION:Claflin, J K, La Brooy, S R J and Preedy, D, 2013. Ausenco carbon reactivation design criteria, in Proceedings World Gold 2013 , pp 401-410 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 26, 2013

By M Jones

The past 100 years the mining industry can be characterised by a focus on increasing financial returns often to the detriment of social, human, manufactured and environmental capitals. Despite the sustainable development principles promoted by the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), the Equator Principles and the African Mining Vision, which should have enhanced project promoters’ ‘licence to operate’ within a host community or nation, the industry has often failed to integrate proven innovations and best practices that enhance sustainability outcomes for mineral resource projects. This failure has led to delays, the abandonment of projects, with value destroyed for promoters, governments, host community and investors.The paper will outline the application of proven innovations, Enterprise Optimisation (EO), and Sustainable Operations (SUSOP®), during the pre-feasibility phase of a project. By determining the value of each capital before and after the application of proven innovations, the presentation will outline how and where value can be created across all five capitals over the life of a project or operation.The paper will demonstrate how the application of proven innovations significantly transforms the value-proposition of a mineral resource project or operation by generating additional value across all of the five capitals, reducing project risk, thus generating value for all stakeholders.CITATION:Jones, M, 2015. Fundamentally transforming the economic and sustainability signature of mining assets, in Proceedings Third International Future Mining Conference, pp 169–180 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 4, 2015

By M A. Jardine, J A. Miller, M Becker, M Harris

"Although the role of texture has been increasingly recognised as a geometallurgical indicator of ore characteristics and their variability, the ability to appropriately quantify and correlate it with metallurgical performance remains an ongoing challenge. In this study, we propose the 3D characterisation and quantification of ore textures from drill core using X-ray computed tomography (XCT) with an appropriate image analysis methodology (grey level co-occurrence matrices, GLCM). This methodology has been specially customised for application of 3D XCT grey-scale volumes. This approach has potential as an online mine site analysis tool providing detailed 3D information on both quantitative texture and simple mineralogy.The approach is illustrated in this paper using drill core samples that were manually extracted from various rock types and textures representing the Nkomati Main Mineralized Zone (MMZ) sulfide nickel ore deposit. A preliminary classification of the samples was performed based on their particle size distribution after laboratory scale rod milling. Accompanying QEMSCAN analyses were also used to guide the interpretation of the grey-scale mineralogy and texture in the 3D XCT volumes. The resultant GLCM produced from quantitative 3D image analysis of the XCT volumes indicated sensitivity to ore variability and was able to capture a simple mineralogy and grain size distribution. The approach holds many possibilities for geometallurgy, of which the potential for automation is promising.CITATION:Becker, M, Jardine, M A, Miller, J A and Harris, M, 2016. X-ray Computed Tomography – a Geometallurgical Tool for 3D Textural Analysis of Drill Core?, in Proceedings The Third AusIMM International Geometallurgy Conference (GeoMet) 2016, pp 231–240 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Jun 15, 2016

By R Shrimali, P Rajmeny, L Shekhawat, A Joshi

Rampura Agucha open pit mine has successfully been excavated to a depth of 320 m, incorporating multistage working. The key to success is the implementation of presplitting as control blast measures at every stage of mining, including intermediate cut backs, in addition to the final wall. The major challenges encountered in establishing presplitting in the hang wall as compared to the footwall of the mine are:reversely dipping foliation, ie dipping into the hang wall itselfstriking obliquely at an angle of 20–30° with regards to the general strike of the pit wallthe presence of numerous geological planes of weaknesses like major faults, slips, etc.Control blast parameters like hole inclination, spacing and stand-off with buffer row were chosen initially from the literature survey and were subsequently fine-tuned by field trials to the mine geo-mining conditions of the hang wall. Electronic initiation used for trim blasts along with double presplitting in fault-affected zones helped in getting better presplit performance and resultant stability of the hang wall.CITATION:Rajmeny, P, Shrimali, R, Shekhawat, L and Joshi, A, 2015. Establishing the design parameters of a control blast for long-term stability of the hang wall at Rampura Agucha Mine, in Proceedings 11th International Symposium on Rock Fragmentation by Blasting, pp 437–446 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 24, 2015

By N Kojola, A Vickerfält, J Huss

The possibility of using an acidic autogenous hydrogen direct reduced iron (H-DRI) slag as a basis for vanadium extraction is investigated. For a raw material to be suitable for producing high-quality FeV, the vanadium oxide content should be sufficiently high and the phosphorus oxide content in a tolerable range. Therefore, the feasibility for vanadium extraction relies on fulfilling two demands: the predominate partitioning of phosphorus to the metal and vanadium to the slag. Correspondingly, the behaviours of phosphorus and vanadium in the Al2O3-SiO2-FeOx-VyOz-P2O5-Fe system were studied experimentally. Slag, 10 g, was put in contact with liquid iron, 30 g, for different durations (2–24 hrs) in closed alumina crucibles at 1873 K. The slag composition was varied between 33.1– 49.3 wt per cent Al2O3, 27.1–46.7 wt per cent SiO2, 16.6–30.1 wt per cent FeOx, and 2.5– 8.8 wt per cent V2O3. The equilibrium phosphorus distribution was 0.42, while the vanadium distribution ranged from 7.6 to 43.4, increasing with the Al2O3- and the FeOx-content.

Jun 19, 2024

By E Mare

Recent highly publicised incidences of disastrous containment failures, none more pertinent than the 2019 iron ore tailings dam failure in Brumadinho, have focused the world’s attention squarely on the often-challenging subject of tailings storage. Unwanted ultrafines, that are deemed to be unworthy of further treatment or not to have further saleable value, are therefore a significant issue for mine owners looking to reduce risks and perceptions associated with long-term storage of tailings. In this context, there are strong drivers to identify safer approaches to ultrafine tailings management, especially if it can also lead to increased revenue, together with better water stewardship and environmental outcomes. The better management of tailings needs to be considered from both containment challenge and processing opportunity perspectives. This paper focuses on the latter, reviewing from a technical and economic perspective, the feasibility of more extensive processing and/or reprocessing of specifically iron ore tailings, in a bid to reduce the overall volume for management in long-term storage. Herein the opportunity lies in recovery processing, as much as enhanced thickening and/or mechanical dewatering, and therefore the paper discusses both issues as equally important sides of the same coin. Recent interest in iron ore ultrafines processing and reprocessing studies suggests that the enhanced processing of iron ore tailings offers multiple perceived advantages. Apart from a potential reduction in tailings volume, associated with safer containment, lower environmental impact and improved water management, the prospect of increased revenue from additional Fe recovery presents supplementary motivation for iron ore players to embrace this approach, as further elaborated in this paper.

Nov 8, 2021

By B M. Moudgil

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has become an important tool for understanding the nano- to molecular scale mechanisms predominant in multiphase systems. In flotation research, the use of AFM holds promise for unlocking and establishing fundamental mechanisms, ultimately leading to significant advances in process performance. From measuring and characterising surface forces, the structure of molecules at interfaces, and nanoscale features on flotation media, AFM is a powerful tool that has only begun to impact flotation research. Highlights of advances made in the utilisation of AFM for flotation research at the University of Florida are given with an emphasis on interpreting the mechanisms behind calcium activation in phosphate flotation and the impact of nanoscale asperities on collector-born surface hydrophobicity.

Jan 1, 2005

By F Phillips, E Deucker, J Kato

It is challenging to determine the optimal mining strategy to maximise value when a mine plan includes mineralised material which does not meet the full cost of mining but has value exceeding the variable cost of mining (‘marginal material’). Mining too much marginal material dilutes the operation’s head grade and undermines profitability. Conversely, leaving too much metal behind fails to achieve the full value of the endowment. Finding the balance between the two will maximise value delivered from the asset. This dilemma has traditionally been approached by calculating a suite of cut-off grades to define the grade of material that meets economic targets for an orebody (or zone within) and should therefore be included in the mine plan. A problem with this approach is that individual mining blocks within the zone have different costs, value and confidence levels, with each having economic co-dependencies between them. Blocks of identical grade but different mining contexts will have distinctly different economic outcomes. For example: • a block may be a low-grade increment or shell around a higher-grade stope; • a block may be available to be mined when there is spare mining capacity; or • a block may defer access to significantly higher cash flow material. Each of these circumstances would result in different value from the blocks if included as part of the mine plan. Cut-off grades calculated as averages over zones of material, or in isolation from schedule-based information, are missing the entire mining context that determines the ultimate economic outcome of making a mining decision. There are tools and techniques available to address this for open pit mining, however underground mining has different nuances. There are more intricate economic and physical dependencies between potential ore blocks, and importantly, the decision to leave material in situ can be made at any time. The case study in this paper explores a new methodology for underground mining, targeted towards strategic planning applications. It examines whether the economic logic usually applied via cut-off calculations can be implemented in the schedule so that optimal economic decisions can be made on a block-by-block basis, taking into account the mining context of the block, with the objective to maximise asset value. The results of the case study scenarios in Table 1 demonstrate the magnitude of the potential improvement in NPV that can be attained by a block by block valuation approach

Mar 15, 2021

By Baafi EY, Chatterjee PK

The quality of mine planning decisions ultimately depends on reliable estimates of the characteristics of the orebody. The quant- ifiable factors such as grades or thickness can be estimated from field data gathered from outcrops or exploratory drillholes. Since outcrop data is necessarily limited to the periphery of a deposit, extensive drilling generally is required. This paper outlines a method for selecting the number and location of additional exploratory boreholes using an iterative procedure based on a mathematical optimization concept called fixed point theory. The method is illustrated through its application to an exploratory drilling program for a coal mine where optimized locations gave a lower estimate of regional and block variances than a manual Choice.

Jan 1, 1986

By A L. de Ambrosis, S J. Clarke, R Bertuzzi, J Redelinghuys

The M2 Upgrade Project involved widening 15 km of the existing M2 Motorway, which is a key route in Sydney’s road network. The Norfolk Twin Tunnels in North Epping convey traffic over a 460 m length of the motorway. The project involved widening the twin tunnels to provide a third lane and breakdown lane in each direction.The widening of the tunnels was fundamentally different to other ‘greenfield’ tunnel projects in that the operation of the tunnel was maintained throughout construction, with motorway traffic permitted close to the excavation faces on a daily basis. The widened works had to integrate with the existing tunnel support, construction details, and mechanical and electrical infrastructure.The existing tunnel afforded the opportunity to review existing ground conditions in the tunnel. Exposures were mapped within the tunnel, and key design parameters were back-analysed from the original monitoring data to provide increased confidence in the assessed impact from the widening works.Traffic capacity of the tunnels was maintained by detailed staging of the works, and included the ability to reopen the tunnels at short notice.A permit to tunnel system was developed to manage the risks associated with re-opening the tunnel to traffic. A comprehensive suite of instrumentation was maintained to provide reliable monitoring data to support this process. Emphasis on the robustness and reliability of tunnel instrumentation provided increased confidence in the adequacy of the tunnel support being installed. The monitoring was routinely compared with design predictions to check the adequacy of the support measures being installed and confirm the design.The approaches and methodologies developed for the widening of the Norfolk Tunnels were effective in maintaining the safe operation of the tunnels throughout the two years of construction, and provide a framework for increasing the capacity of existing tunnel infrastructure in the future.CITATION:Clarke, S J, de Ambrosis, A L, Bertuzzi, R and Redelinghuys, J, 2014. Design and construction for the widening of the M2 Norfolk Twin Tunnels, in Proceedings 15th Australasian Tunnelling Conference 2014 , pp 591–602 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 17, 2014

By G S. Anderson, N W. McDonald

"The IsaMill™ was originally developed to address liberation issues at Mount Isa Mines (now Glencore) operations, McArthur River and Mount Isa in the early 1990s. Following on from the industrial success at those operations, the IsaMill™ was commercialised. In the year 2000, Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines (KCGM) became the first external user of the technology with a 1.1 MW M3000 IsaMill™ installed to supplement the roaster capacity at its Gidji Processing Plant. The IsaMill™ was used to ultra-fine grind about 10 t/h of pyrite flotation concentrate to 10–12 µm prior to gold cyanide leaching. Based on the success of the Gidji installation, another was installed at the processing plant at KCGM’s Fimiston operation in 2002 in a similar duty.In 2014, a 3 MW M10 000 IsaMill™ was selected to replace the roasters at Gidji as part of the A$98 M emissions reduction project. The mill was commissioned in April 2015 at the design 30 t/h, allowing the immediate shutdown of the two roasters. Replacement of roasting with ultra-fine grinding completely eliminated air emissions at Gidji while maintaining overall plant production rates.This paper details the history of the IsaMill™ at KCGM from the original M3000 to the latest M10 000. It covers the basis of the process selection, circuit design, operating and maintenance data.Citation:Anderson, G S and McDonald, N W, 2016. IsaMill™ at Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines - from the M3000 to the M10 000 and Replacement of the Roasters at Gidji Processing Plant, in Proceedings 13th AusIMM Mill Operators’ Conference 2016, pp 29–38 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Oct 10, 2016

By N Currey, G W. Wilson, P Ritchie

Kidston Gold Mine in Queensland, Australia has a 310 ha tailings impoundment that has undergone final closure rehabilitation. Kidston Gold Mine evaluated their closure options for this low acid generating tailings impoundment, and due to a lack of cover soils and the cost of importing material, the mine decided to investigate the possibility of direct vegetation onto the tailings impoundment surface. The mine subsequently embarked upon a well planned and detailed research program to determine the feasibility and sustainability of this closure option. The research program included vegetation trials, toxicology studies for metal uptake by vegetation, as well as a comprehensive closure water balance model for the tailings impoundment complex. This paper describes the results of the long-term closure water balance for the tailings impoundment complex for the pre-closure state of the impoundment, as well as predictions towards the impoundment performance once final rehabilitation of the tailings impoundment complex has been achieved. The water balance presented is unique in that it is founded on unsaturated flow principles and accounts in full the impacts of the surface flux boundary conditions. This novel approach enables the prediction of actual infiltration rates into the tailings impoundment surface, which in turn allows for the calculation of how much seepage will exit from the tailings dam toe drains.

Jan 1, 2003

Production scheduling of open pit mining is a key area as it deals with the management of operating cash flows of mining companies. The efficiency of long-term schedules is usually assessed with economic criteria such as net present value (NPV), discounted cash flow rate of return (DCFROR) and payback period, which are not sufficient on their own for revealing the complex picture of the decision-making process.This paper offers a thorough analysis of the most important contemporary criteria of long-term production scheduling, as way to provide the mining practice with a new approach to the decision-making process. The list of criteria includes technological, economic and probabilistic ones. A detailed case study is provided aiming to illustrate the applicability of the criteria for comparing the scheduling approaches regarding the economic interests of a mineÆs owner and contractor. The results obtained can be used for revealing new trends in the current methodology of open-pit production scheduling optimisations.

Sep 26, 2011

By J Jackson, D C. Curry, A C. Keith

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data shows that since 2006 the balance of capital costs associated with mine development has become weighted greater than 75 per cent to enabling infrastructure and less than 25 per cent on process plant, equipment and machinery. The well-developed mine planning techniques including pit optimisation and scheduling and process plant design and optimisation have typically proceeded in a linear fashion from geology, mine planning, through processing, with some iterations back to the mine. Only then is attention paid to planning and costing of enabling infrastructure in any detail.Optimisation has typically involved developing cut-off grades, mine plans and schedules and ore processing that produces maximum economic ore. Infrastructure has then been sized æto suitÆ the mining and processing core business drivers.What the ABS data, together with global trends, indicates is that infrastructure can no longer be an afterthought if miners wish to achieve robust project value estimates, realistic ore to market costing and resource statements based on achievable economic cut-off grades.In addition, with such a large proportion of the costs originating from non-mining or processing activities, a mining operation can only be truly optimal if these aspects are given due consideration in the mine design stages, based on quality geometallurgical inputs so that the size and cost of enabling infrastructure is optimised to maximise project value.This paper outlines an iterative holistic approach to mining project development, which integrates the geometallurgical approach and enables infrastructure planning into project design and evaluation. It presents case studies showing reduced overall costs, increased net present value (NPV) and reduced project delivery timelines.CITATION:Curry, D C, Keith, A C and Jackson, J, 2013. Is a 2.5 per cent success rate good enough? Traditional mine development methods have the tail wagging the dog, in Proceedings The Second AusIMM International Geometallurgy Conference (GeoMet) 2013 , pp 113-128 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 29, 2013

By S Williams, N McBride

The aim of these analyses was to utilise the latest available production information for the Wandoo operation to determine the optimal blasting parameters, costing information and predicted results (fragmentation, muckpile shape and vibration). Much of the data used as input was made available from the information gathered during the excavation of the test pits during 1995. As with any æplanning stageÆ analyses, many assumptions were required to fill gaps in the available data. The calibration of computer blasting models was conducted using data from the last of the test pit blasts (this blast was carried out in material that closely resembled rock expected to constitute the bulk of the base case design pit). This calibration was refined using observation and experience based judgements to extend the accuracy of the predictions as far as possible. All the simulations were performed assuming that the blastholes will be wet (as instructed by BGM). This has consequently determined that the appropriate explosive for the simulations and the actual blasting will be a pumped emulsion/ANFO blend. The following blast design parameters were derived by determining a likely range of powder factor (from other similar scale gold mines) with a median value of 0.62 kg/m 3 being the powder factor arrived at through the field optimisation process conducted during the test pit excavation. The total swell/displacement percentage (volume after blast/volume before blast) largely determines the diggability of a well fragmented muckpile. Consequently where fragmentation is good any reduction of total swell will probably reduce diggabilty. Any reduction of diggability can and should be traded off against increased gold recovery. In most gold mines, diggabilty will be substantially compromised at the balance which produces the most profit. When these considerations are combined with the cost to drill and blast material, processing costs and the achievement of æacceptableÆ diggibility, the analysis becomes extremely complex and qualitative. Many trends are evident including:the relationship between powder factor (for each blast design) and maximum forward displacement (throw), see Figure 1; and the relationship between powder factor (for each blast design) and drill and blast cost per BCM, see Figure 2. The following blast designs are matched to each of three ore-tonnage alternatives (as supplied by BGM) (Table 1). They are all based on powder factor of 0.62 kg/BCM and are considered optimum from a mining æpoint of viewÆ. The costing of each design includes drilling, explosives and labour cost to load, stem and tie-in holes. Using the available rock data and relying heavily on the wall exposures in the test pit(s), it is the opinion of the author that between 20 per cent to 40 per cent of the final walls excavated in the Wandoo pit would be likely to have the angle between the dominant foliation and the wall plane that is well suited to presplitting and be cost-effectively served by presplit technique. The drilling cost for 125 mm blasthole is about $11.40 per drilled metre and the cost of 40 mm presplit explosive is about $140 per 25 kg (17 metre) case. This implies that the cost to drill and blast presplit on the above parameters would be about $10.90 per square metre of presplit face. The remaining wall area would be most cost-effectively delineated using modified production blasting techniques. This requires the use of modified parameters such as smaller hole diameters, smaller spacing/ burden, higher powder factor, free face firing, less rows per blast and longer delays. These altered blast parameters would usually be applied uniformly across the entire blast fired adjacent to the wall and this ætrimÆ blast would relieve burden away from the wall, into the pit. In simplest terms, this method relies upon maximised burden relief to minimise blast energy applied to the wall. It is only applicable where the material to be blasted is waste since the throw achieved is inconsistent with ore dilution control. The largest charge weight per hole for these analyses is 360 kg and the nearest domestic structure to the proposed Wandoo pit is about 6100 metres distant. From these parameters and assuming a worst case example of rock controlled site factor, the predicted ground vibration is 0.5 mm/sec that is about five per cent of the lower limit set down in AS 2187 part two (1993). This suggests that for the current location of neighbours, ground vibration will not be an issue for the Wandoo operation.

Jan 1, 1999

By J Fraser, M Scoble

Within the past decade, incidents of mining–community conflicts have grown dramatically and represent one aspect of a phenomenon known as social risk. Research published in 2014 indicates that a lack of social acceptance is now a leading and costly cause of delays for mining projects.The rise of social risk, complemented by the need to earn the trust of an increasing number of stakeholders so that mining projects can be developed effectively, is problematic for the industry. Conflicts are occurring in situations where companies are fully compliant with regulatory and legal requirements, despite initiatives by mining companies to earn social acceptance and despite the proliferation of tools to support corporate social responsibility. Intensifying the impact of social risk is the fact that it has increased during a time in the global mining sector when companies have had to grapple with declining commodity prices, increasing capital costs and debt levels and the challenges of mining lower-grade deposits.This paper will explore a hypothesis that in today’s interconnected society, social risk in the mining sector constitutes a legitimate business risk that must be managed strategically. The reality facing mining companies is that information, once considered confidential, now travels quickly on social networks and via a growing number of groups and individuals that have earned a legitimate right to be classified as stakeholders in projects that affect their communities. To be successful, it is suggested that companies will benefit from increasing internal collaboration and providing training to equip teams to mitigate social risk to mining projects and protect reputation capital. The paper is based upon PhD research being undertaken to assess the points of intersection between social risk and social responsibility during the construction stage of greenfield mining projects.CITATION:Fraser, J and Scoble, M, 2015. Mining–community conflicts – can the future mining sector transform social responsibility?, in Proceedings Third International Future Mining Conference, pp 159–168 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 4, 2015

By C L Humphrey

Biological monitoring programs for environmental protection require techniques that will provide both early detection of possible adverse effects, and assessment of the ecological significance of these effects. Monitoring techniques must include responses sensitive to the impact, that can be subjected to rigorous statistical analysis and for which statistical power is high. Such issues in baseline research of 'what and how to measure?' and 'for how long?' have been the focus of a program being developed to monitor and assess effects of mining operations on the effectively pristine, freshwater ecosystems of the Alligator Rivers Region (ARR) in tropical northern Australia. Application of the BACIP design, utilising a form of temporal replication, to univariate data (single species) and multivariate (community) data is described. For new ventures in Australia (such as mining), monitoring programs should be designed to establish with high probability that an impact on the ecosystem no greater than a prescribed amount has gone undetected - as opposed to simply allowing development to continue as long as 'proof' of impact is not available. Such a precautionary approach represents a shifting of the 'burden of proof' and would require with the BACIP design, a minimum number of baseline years in order to achieve some desired level of statistical power in a test for impact. Power analyses conducted on two to five years (depending upon the technique) of baseline data from streams of the ARR indicate that the BACIP design would not impose developmental constraints on mining and that a policy of reversal of the burden of proof would provide the cornerstone required for managing such development in an ecologically sustainable manner.

Jan 1, 1994