Search Documents

By Braaksma M, Dudley K

The Girilambone Copper Mine is located in central New South Wales and has been operational since May 1993. Girilambone is operated by the Girilambone Copper Company (GCC) which is a joint venture between Straits Resources (60 per cent) and Nord Resources (40 per cent). The mine complex consists of an open cut pit, ore crushing and stacking, heap leaching, solvent extraction (SX) and electrowinning (EW) allowing for the recovery of 14 600 tpa of LME grade A cathode copper. The leaching and SX-EW plant have been described previously by Rear, Taylor and Busby (1994) and Miller (1994).

Jan 1, 1996

The past decade hap seen revolutionary advances in com-munications and information-handling techniques which have been stiriulated by "cold war" military requirements and by, current programmes for probing into outer space: The tools used in exploration for petroleum and minerals have been improved significantly as a result of this new space age technology and even greater improvements are on the way.Two areas of technical activity have been particularly fruitful in enhancing the effectiveness of exploration, methods. These are (1) The development of new approaches, based on information theory, for extracting signal from noise more efficiently than before, and (2) The use of high-speed digital computers for storing and processing all kinds of exploration information, not only geophysical but geological as well.In seismic prospecting, use of information theory has led to new techniques such as time-domain filtering, wave-number filtering and correlation methods which have made it possible to obtain usable reflection data from areas which were previously considered NR. Complex playback and other data processing facilities have been developed to apply these approaches.

Jan 1, 1963

By J P. Sykes, C Gemell, A Trench

The perceived and actual impact of government mineral policy upon the government share from gold mining revenues is assessed for ten key countries in which the gold sector is of relevance in advancing economic growth. Five African and five South American jurisdictions are considered, namely Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, South Africa and Tanzania from Africa; and Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Guyana and Peru in South America.Both the headline corporate income tax rate and royalty level are identified as poor indicators for the total government share. In addition, significant differences between industry perception and actual government tax levels are identified by this study. The quantitative financial analysis shows that there is no clear relationship between individual taxation rates, taken in isolation, and the overall average effective tax rate (AETR) paid by the project over its life. Neither companies nor governments should use individual taxation rates, or industry perceptions, in isolation to assess the overall competitiveness or equity of a country’s minerals taxation regime – such analysis can be very misleading.In this study, the perceived impact is determined from the well-established Fraser Institute survey published each year, and in 2014 compared 122 minerals jurisdictions globally. The actual impact is determined from quantitative modelling of the financial performance of a hypothetical gold mining project in each country. The technical parameters of the project are held constant; instead the differing mineral policies in each jurisdiction are applied to determine the resultant impact upon the relative share of the economic rents delivered to both private and public sectors. In the quantitative analysis, the total government share varies from 36.3 per cent in South Africa to 66.5 per cent in Ghana.CITATION:Gemell, C, Sykes, J P and Trench, A, 2016. Is perception reality? Evaluating the fiscal attractiveness of international jurisdictions for gold mining investment, in Proceedings International Mine Management Conference, pp 227-238 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jun 22, 2016

(Quality can be defined as that which is acceptable to the market and can be supplied with a predictable degree of uniformity and dependability at a low cost. The market for any mining product is downstream processing, whether it be an alumina refinery, a gold processing plant or a flotation plant. The cost of that downstream process is partly dependent on uniformity of its feed material both in physical and chemical terms. With more operations adopting procedures which require quality assurances in line with International Standards, from their raw material suppliers, miners must look to their grade control processes to provide uniformity and predicability.This is not a new concept. The mining industry has constantly been working with ahighly variable raw material supplied by Mother Nature, from whom we cannot demand quality assurances. Through the processes of exploration, resource and reserve definition, long and short term mine planning and day to day grade control an end product has been supplied which consistently meets our customers requirements, in an economic fashion. When any of these processes fail, then penalties are incurred which can range from increased mineral processing costs to loss of markets and in the ultimate case, failure of a mining operation.

Jan 1, 1992

By Cheung L. C C, Maconochie A. P

SIROFRAG is a computer-based imaging system that quantifies the post-blast rock fragment size distribution in a muckpile in a mine environment. Improvements in blast performance and blast modelling are being hampered by a lack of a quick and objective method to evaluate the major result of the blast: the fragment size distribution. This is usually done by hand digitising muckpile photographs: a labour intensive and tedious process. SIROFRAG is being developed to quickly, cheaply and objectively provide this information. SIROFRAG is based on active stereo image analysis. It uses a light stripe to illuminate a muckpile and a pair of video cameras to determine the 3D nature of the scanned objects. The imaging system is based on a novel prototype scanning projector that allows images to he captured in full daylight. The Microsoft Windows based software controls the projector and interprets the captured images to provide a size distribution of exposed rock fragments.

Jan 1, 1995

A Feasibility Study to determine the future of ZC Mines was completed in mid 1987. Early in this study, which lasted two years, it was identified that significant reductions in treatment costs would result if the Zinc Corporation Concentrator was closed. All of the production from the existing two mines, The Zinc Corporation Limited (ZC) and New Broken Hill Consolidated Limited (NBHC), would then be treated in the concentrator at NBHC.After a partial upgrade of the NBHC concentrator, the ZC concentrator was finally closed and all of the equipment disposed of. This closure highlighted the need to concentrate all ore haulage in one shaft to further reduce operating costs and remove the cost of surface transport of ZC production to the improved NBHC concentrator. This paper outlines the changes that were made to improve the haulage system for ZC Mines. After a number of options were investigated, it was finally decided that the upgrade of the existing NBHC haulage shaft was the best option even though some production would be lost while the upgrade was in progress.

Jan 1, 1988

By Edwards A. B

This paper presents the results of an examination of four samples representative of the low-lead matte, high-lead matte, lead speiss and antimony speiss, respectively, produced during smelting operations at Port Pirie Smelters. The investigation was undertaken at the request of the Broken Hill Associated Smelters Pty. Ltd., as part of the research programme of the Mineragraphic Section of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.Analyses of the specimens are as follows:-

Jan 1, 1949

By P J. Terbrugge

The concept of vertical pit mining has been developed as an alternative mining method for the exploitation from surface of small, vertical or near-vertical, massive orebodies down to depths of some 200 m, where ore extraction from conventional open pit excavations is rendered uneconomic due to high associated waste:ore mining ratio. Systematic lateral support maintains vertical pit sides, thereby minimising waste mining volumes. Stability analysis techniques have been developed for design of this lateral support, with the support quantum, primarily comprising long cable anchors, dependent upon country rock strength characteristics and pit configuration. Where the cost of support is less than the cost of the comparable conventional pit waste excavation, vertical pit mining becomes an economically viable alternative, additionally providing the benefit of reduced environmental impact and rehabilitation requirements for the mining area. The technique has been successfully applied for the mining of a chrome deposit in Zimbabwe to an 80 m depth, believed to be unique in the world, and a full feasibilty study for a 3000 m2 diamond pipe has been carried out for mining to 200 m depth.

Jan 1, 2000

This paper presents a resume of the likely profitable mining areas in New Zealand. It covers the main "minerals" - gold, coal, oil and gas, ironsands, silica sands, clays, lump silica, perlite, sulphur and limestone.The potential mining projects are depicted on a map of New Zealand together with the associated works involved in hydro-electric and geothermal power development requirement for industries such as aluminium, nickel ferro-silicon or silicon carbide production.The political need for mining development to relieve unemployment and reverse emigration is stressed. A case is made for exploration and development assistance by government in labour re-training, energy supply and transportation, if the tremendous losses through lack of use of human and industrial resources are to be rapidly reduced. These losses are currently estimated at $10,000,000,000 per year.The need for protection of the sanctity of contract and security of tenure of all mining operations is touched on briefly as is the need for a reasonably balanced view on conservation. However as both of these are more properly covered in papers on the legal and environmental aspects of the mining climate they are presented here only as they affect the economy of the mining operation.Finally there is a brief comment on the mining climate in New Zealand relative to Australia and South Pacific mining operations.

Jan 1, 1990

Brunswick Mining and Smelting Corporation Limited operates a large base metal property near Bathurst, New Brunswick in eastern Canada. Nominal capacity for the underground mining operation and concentrator is 10 250 DMT/day. Four concentrates are produced by differential flotation technology to recover minerals containing copper, lead, zinc and silver. Two characteristics of the Brunswick ores have a major impact on mineral processing operations. The mineralogy of the ore is complex with a total sulphide mineral content of 85 per cent. In addition, the ore is extremely fine-grained, and satisfactory liberation is difficult to achieve. These characteristics directly influence flotation selectivity and thereby affect metallurgical performance. Significant improvements in metallurgical performance have been achieved through the application of basic grinding and flotation principles using conventional milling equipment. Current operating practice and the metallurgical advancements are detailed.

Jan 1, 1993

By Sutherland R. A, Rawling K. R

The Nanisivik Mine is located 750 km north of the Arctic Circle at the north end of Baffin Island in the Canadian High Arctic, and has been in production since 1976. The paper describes the regional and local geology and the current mining and mineral processing operations, including recent innovations in each area. The Nanisivik zinc-lead deposits comprise Mississippi Valley type sulphides in a block-faulted sediment sequence of Proterozoic age. The deposits formed in two mineralizing stages by replacement of the carbonate host rock. Exploration techniques adapted to the permafrost environment include high frequency EM and ground probing radar. Core drilling is done with calcium chloride brine but trials with heated flushing water indicate potential for cost reduction. The predominant mining method at Nanisivik is room and pillar. Cut and fill is used in some satellites to the main zone. Due to the permafrost, dry drilling is employed in the underground mining. The permafrost enhances ground stability, permitting large underground openings and, as a result, the use of relatively large scale mining equipment. For power conservation, a remote control system for the ventilation fans has reduced mine power costs. The milling of the simple coarse-grained ore in an arctic environment requires special techniques in the design and operation of the plant for materials handling, utilisation of waste heat, reagent selection and tailings disposal. Regulated heavy metal contents in effluents discharged to the sensitive environment are achieved by natural processes. A recent change from sub-aqueous disposal of tailings to beach type deposition within a cell in the tailings area is reviewed. Planning closure of the property presents special problems and an opportunity for innovative techniques. Approximately 25 per cent of the employees at Nanisivik are drawn from the Inuit population of the Canadian Arctic. As the first permanent industrial activity in the High Arctic some innovative approaches to employee relations were required which have resulted in a very stable, culturally mixed community in a remote location.

Jan 1, 1993

By Glassock C. D

Most Australian mining projects are becoming smaller, more remote and with lower grades of ore. Their small size has been making it harder for mining companies to absorb the large infrastructure costs. This has forced companies to reduce those costs in every way they can. Social factors, environmental groups and even tax laws have added other pressures to force down the infrastructure costs for remote projects. For the last ten years, the downward trend in costs has been marked. It seems certain to continue for years into the Future.

Jan 1, 1997

By Lemberg D. W, Friday R. G

Potential means of lowering overall costs to permit deeper stripping include : 1. the use of larger diameter blastholes in highly-fissured strata (to reduce drilling costs); 2. dewatering from semi-permanent bores to reduce blasting costs (by maximising the use of bulk ANFO) and promote highwall stability; and 3. the use of inclined blastholes, bulk AN, staggered V1 patterns, adequate backfill and more cost-effective stemming columns. Each of these is covered. The pumping of bulk watergels continuously raises the blasthole water column, thereby perpetuating the demand for these blasting agents. This must be a principal consideration when choosing between a bulk and a packaged watergel. Any packaged product should exhibit dimensional permanence and an energy yield per metre length equal to that of bulk ANFO. Possible ways in which controlled trajectory blasting (CTB) could benefit deeper stripping operations are outlined. By allowing the maximum use of bulk ANFO, de- watering may be a prerequisite of a viable CTB Operation.

Jan 1, 1981

By A J. Gunson

The Norman B Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering, or the Department of Mining Engineering (the Department), at CanadaÆs University of British Columbia (UBC) is addressing the integration of sustainable development concepts into mining education and research on behalf of industry and society. Over the past decade, the DepartmentÆs education and research model has been evolving to incorporate collaborative and multidisciplinary strategies, where sustainability initiatives are taught in classes, supported in research and discussed in a voluntary collective of mostly graduate students û the Sustainability Working Group (SWG). The SWG has brought together a diverse array of disciplines from academia, industry, government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and mining communities. The operational mechanisms and structure of the SWG have enabled momentum to be gained through several multidisciplinary educational and research networking initiatives. It acts to attract new students with diverse backgrounds, foster innovative research, develop relationships and networks, and create the space to discuss progressive ideas and projects. The original cohort of SWG graduate students laid the foundation for sustainable research initiatives within the Department at UBC. Novel research has incorporated topics such as: community resilience, artisanal small-scale mining, sustainability indicators and corporate social responsibility, environmental assessment and impact benefit agreements and the recycling of waste. Propelled by the support of the Department and inspired by the works completed, a host of new graduate students have embarked on their research quests to integrate sustainability principles into their projects. Such projects include: social impacts and benefits of mining, artisanal small-scale mining, community health, the production and transport of mine pollutants, mine waste management, mineral process plant design and the evolution of community education and mine policy. This paper reports on the departmentÆs continuing research and development towards an understanding and evaluations of the ongoing contributions of mining to sustainable development.

Jan 1, 2009

By Lloyd C. J

The uranium markets are at present well covered by available producers. However the predicted increase in demand, recently reinforc- ed by the Arab oil crisis, will by, the early 1980s'outdistance supply. Current trends are towards light water reactors with-fast breeder reactors not expected to make any significant impact to the mid 1980s. The proposed lifting of the US embargo on the use of foreign uranium in US reactors will expand the market available to non US producers. A balancing in supply and demand worldwide will probably occur in the early 1980s. Australia's potential producers at present hold about 20 percent of the worlds U308 resources. Three companies, have contracts to supply nearly 10 900 tonnes of U308 between now and 1986 which represents about 1 percent of the predicted demand to 1986. Australian producers need to establish themselves more firmly in the market place in order that other countries will not replace us. Contracts can be written now which will allow for world market prices to be paid in the future, thus protecting the Australian producer.

Jan 1, 1974

By Lu T. K

A new type of rockbolting system, the self drilling rockbolt, has been studied to develop a 'single pass' bolt for use in rockbolt installation in underground engineering. This single pass bolt forms the basis of a Rapid Face Bolting system which will reduce the amount of time spent in securing a roof during the operation of a continuous miner in the development of a panel.The installation efficiency and anchorage tests were performed in the laboratory on the self drilling bolt and the traditional resin anchorage. bolt. The results of both bolts are cmmnared.

Jan 1, 1993

By J Harris, J Li, M Shi, P A. Kirsch, D Sprott

Australia has an enviable global reputation as a leader in health and safety outcomes in the hazardous industry of mining, in part due to an increased application of risk management regarding operational planning and mining practice. In 2010, the Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP) initiated a major project, RISKGATE, to build, capture and deliver a national body of knowledge to assist companies with the management of risk in coal mining. The online system contains information for tyres, collisions, fires, isolation, strata underground, ground control open cut, explosions, explosives underground, explosives open cut, manual tasks, slips/trips/falls, outbursts, coal bumps and bursts, human–machine interface, tailings dams, occupational hygiene and inrush. In 2014, RISKGATE is developing content for fitness for work (fatigue, drugs, alcohol, physical well-being, psychosocial well-being).This paper analyses underground mining fatalities in Australia and the United States since 2002 and introduces RISKGATE with a focus on the knowledge base for management of hazards in underground operations. Through capturing coal industry expert operational knowledge, RISKGATE provides a cumulative corporate memory at a time of high personnel turnover within the mining industry. This coal-based body of knowledge is a platform that can be evaluated and implemented for other mining domains and high-risk industries within the energy supply chain.CITATION:Kirsch, P A, Shi, M, Harris, J, Li, J and Sprott, D, 2014. RISKGATE and underground operations, in Proceedings 12th AusIMM Underground Operators’ Conference 2014 , pp 11–18 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Mar 24, 2014

By Laing W. P

Sedimentary structures are described from the WiIlyama Complex, New South Wales. Their presence confirms lithological layering within the metasediments as bedding. These primary structures occur not only in low grade rocks as previously reported by other workers, but also in areas of medium and high grade metamorphism.Sedimentary structures include graded beds, cross beds, ripple marks, and ball and pillow structures.The observed parallelism of the early schistosity and bedding in the Broken Hill area has previously led to the idea of transposition by isoclinal folding.In the areas mapped, small scale transposition is precluded on the basis of1. uniform facing of sedimentary structures over wide areas, and2. the existence of large areas in which the early schistosity is oblique to bedding.

Jan 1, 1975

By B Poborowski, A Chen

"For some time, the Australian and Chinese underground coal mining industries have evolvedindependently with minimal infl uence on each other. Despite the fact that in recent years severaltechnologies and solutions have become common to both industries, this trend has seeminglycontinued to the point that there are still many important diff erences in legislation and hazardmanagement systems in both countries. Austar Coal Mine as an Australian based and Chineseowned enterprise has a unique opportunity to benefi t from the technology and knowledge ofboth nations. This paper compares the Australian and Chinese approach towards spontaneouscombustion hazard management in order to exchange experience, identify possible improvements and learn from each other."

Jun 1, 2012

With the sinking of the new No. 3 Shaft and the increasing depth and northward movement of the mining operations, improved ventilation of the mine workings became necessary and it was decided to sink a new upcast ventilation shaft midway between No. 2 Shaft and No. 3 Shaft.The shaft is finished to 16 ft. internal diameter and connects with the mine workings at the 2,600-ft. level. It is lined with unreinforced Concrete approximately 12 in. thick. The shaft sinking routine was drilling, blasting and mucking by hand using a 27-cub. ft. capacity bucket. The concrete lining was poured in conjunction with the sinking and was normally finished within 30 to 50 ft. of the shaft bottom.

Jan 1, 1957