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  • AUSIMM
    Olympic Dam open stope observations, tactics and characterisation

    By G Capes, L Morizzi, N Mitkas, E Jones, D Grant

    This paper describes the mining setting for the sub-level open stoping (SLOS) mining method used at Olympic Dam (OD), and investigates the range of stope performance conditions encountered over 30 yea

    Mar 15, 2021

  • AUSIMM
    Ground support design of Northparkes E26 Lift 1 North block cave mine

    By Z Li, A Fleming, S Webster, L Snyman

    Northparkes Mines is developing the E26 Lift 1 North block cave mine, which is adjoined to the existing E26 cave. This paper presents the challenges and methods used to design the ground support syste

    Mar 15, 2021

  • AUSIMM
    Carrapateena Vent Rise Performance – Geotechnical Design and Calibration

    By G Balog, T Ormerod, D Sidea

    Carrapateena is a copper-gold sub level caving operation located in the Gawler Craton, South Australia. One of Australia’s largest undeveloped copper deposits, the project will be a 4.25 Mtpa undergro

    Mar 15, 2021

  • AUSIMM
    Improving stope extraction in the Hidden Secret orebody at Mt Charlotte Gold Mine

    By B Lance, D O’Brien

    The Hidden Secret ore body is located within the Mt Charlotte underground mining system in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. Mineralisation of the Hidden Secret ore body is lode style and therefore diffe

    Mar 15, 2021

  • AUSIMM
    Analysing reduced conveying capability of the orepass systems in Malmberget mine

    By T Wettainen, G Shekhar, M Stromsten, B Skawina

    The aim of a transportation system in an underground mine is to move the rock masses from one location to another in the most preferable manner by minimising the long and short-term operational costs.

    Mar 15, 2021

  • AUSIMM
    Collaboration and change management, keys to successful automation implementation

    By D Kilkenny, D Nardini, P Kline

    This paper is a case study highlighting learnings and success in two areas challenging underground miners: change management and collaboration. It examines the implementation process of a new automate

    Mar 15, 2021

  • AUSIMM
    Recovery of the northern mining block at Cliffs Nickel Mine

    By M Hopkins, A Mutale, A E. Vidal da Silva

    The Cliffs Nickel Mine extracts a narrow near vertical nickel vein using a mining method of underhand bench stoping with paste backfill. In 2014, at a depth of 400 m below surface, the Northern block

    Mar 15, 2021

  • AUSIMM
    Quantifying the quality of cable bolt installation by acoustic testing

    By M Hawkes, Z Ji Gang, Z Ming, R Hassell

    As underground mines become more geotechnically challenging with increasing depth and excavation size, the requirement for ground support to be installed as per design becomes more critical. The verif

    Mar 15, 2021

  • AUSIMM
    Development of the production optimiser through collaboration between Evolution Mining and Minnovare

    By C McCracken, R Landers, B Hesse

    Minnovare identified the potential to improve production drilling outcomes in underground long-hole stopes through the adaptation of new technology which was under ongoing development. An approach to

    Mar 15, 2021

  • AUSIMM
    A methodology for assessing stope design modifying factors for the Olympic Dam Mine

    By S Tierney, D Cumming-Potvin, I Thin, Y Potvin, D Grant

    The preliminary modifying factors for future stope design in the Southern Mine Area of Olympic Dam consisted of only a single, arbitrary value of Equivalent Linear Overbreak/Sloughing (ELOS). In order

    Mar 15, 2021

  • AUSIMM
    Increased productivity using theory of constraints at the Argyle Diamond Mine

    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. I

    Mar 15, 2021

  • AUSIMM
    Increased drilling accuracy leads to significant improvement in ore recovery and dilution

    By R Stimpson, B Johnson, B Hesse

    During a period of twelve months between FY18-19, a series of trials were conducted to compare production drilling accuracy using two different methodologies, and the subsequent impact this had on sto

    Mar 15, 2021

  • AUSIMM
    Sublevel caving a narrow vein mine – Pajingo’s case study

    By J F. Carswell, G Cheshire

    The Pajingo gold operation in Queensland is approximately 55 km south of Charters Towers and 134 km south-west of Townsville. The gold deposit was discovered on the northern end of the Drummond Basin

    Mar 15, 2021

  • AUSIMM
    Use of drone and LiDAR technology for mapping underground voids

    By D Woolmer

    Since January 2019, BHP Olympic Dam have been trialling the use of a drone based LiDAR mapping system for the purpose for surveying stope voids. This new technology utilises Simultaneous Location and

    Mar 15, 2021

  • AUSIMM
    A Paradigm Shift in Underground Raisebore Reamer Removal

    By P Viljoen, A Holland, C Parken

    In the raisebore industry, there are two known methods of removing large diameter reamer heads once the reaming of an underground shaft is complete: 1. Lower the reamer head to the base of the shaft a

    Mar 15, 2021

  • AUSIMM
    Carrapateena project to date – Geotechnical risks and management

    By G Balog, T Ormerod, D Cox

    This paper discusses the methods utilised by the technical team to identify and quantify the SLC risk factors, the modifications to mine design and scheduling, and the changes to the planned risk mana

    Mar 15, 2021

  • AUSIMM
    Carrapateena Crusher Station One – Optimisation and excavation

    By A Mooney, G Balog, P Burns, R Brooks

    This paper outlines the rationale for the location of the crusher, geotechnical analysis and basis of ground support design, design and scheduling of the chamber and supporting excavations as well as

    Mar 15, 2021

  • AUSIMM
    Problem roadways in an underground decline solved through the application of Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC)

    By D Bruce, D Cox

    The main access decline at Carrapateena mine was excavated through two different underground aquifers. In these areas of decline, pressurised water finds the path of least resistance through the rock

    Mar 15, 2021

  • AUSIMM
    Optimising the recovery of stopes at Bentley Mine through rockfill stabilisation and cemented aggregate fill

    By D Pateman, F de Fredrick

    The Bentley underground mine, which is located 60km north of Leonora, Western Australia, is owned and operated by Round Oak Minerals Pty Limited. A high-grade Zn-Cu Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS)

    Mar 15, 2021

  • AUSIMM
    Secondary means of egress via emergency gig

    By R Austerberry, S Green

    The discovery of the Cuffley Lode at Mandalay Resources Costerfield Operations provided an opportunity to extend mine life via mining the offset depth extension of the previously worked Alison Mine. A

    Mar 15, 2021