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In response to requests from the iron ore mining industry, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Division of Mineral Physics has developed a number of bulk analysis techniques in which analyses are obtained directly from ore samples weighing many kilograms or from ore located on conveyor belts.Because penetrating neutron and gamma radiation is used, measurements are obtained from a large volume of ore, which ensures thal the analyses are represelllative of the bulk.Two different gamma-ray techniques have been developed to measure iron ore grade. The first is based on backscallering of 60CO gamma rays, while the second involves measurement of the annihilation radiation which arises when the ore is irradiated wilh 226Ra gamma rays. Both techniques measure the iron concentration with an accuracy (1 s) of better than 0.4% Fe.A thermal-neutron irradiation technique using a 252Cf neutron source has been developed for the simultaneous determination of iron and the aluminium impurity (expressed as AI2O3) in iron ore fines on a conveyor bell. Because the conveyor speed must not exceed about 0.05 m/s, if good accuracy for AI2O3 is required, an auxiliary analysis bell is required Lo avoid inLerference with normal ore processing. Dynamic trials have demonstrated that accuracies of 0.6% Fe and 0.1% AI2O3 can be obtained.

Jan 1, 1985

The mining of remnant coal reserves at the Liddell Open Cut is subject to a number of risks. These risks are of both a technical and financial nature. Liddell Open Cut is principally a conventional truck and shovel/loader operation, supplemented by a highwall coal augering operation. There are significant areas of divergence from more conventional operations including working in close proximity to a major dam, working up dip from an operating underground mine, and working through areas where there has previously been underground extraction. In addition the site has major long-term rehabilitation requirements. This paper, rather than concentrating on specific detail of areas of risk, presents the spectrum of geological, design, operational and post-mining risks that accrue to the various areas of activity in this open cut operation. The balance of this paper then provides an outline of the strategies employed by Liddell Coal to manage their potential impact.

Jan 1, 1994

The high maintenance of load-haul-dumps (LHDs) and front end loaders in hard rock affects mine planning with reduced availability and productivity. Intensive study of maintenance costs and availability of machines related to machine age and life provide the basis for planning from available operational alternatives.Derived programmes and experiences have led to the beginnings of unmanned operation and automation through reduction of manual diesel units and spreading electrification and use of radio. But electrification has obvious layout limitations. This approach to the present has resulted in better utilisation, costs and safety and the computerised monitoring and control provides continuous awareness of machine and work conditions with the promise of future improvements.

Jan 1, 1991

By Walshe JL, Solomon M

The Emperor vein system lies on the eastern margin of the Tavua volcanic structure. This is of Miocene age and occurs in basalts(the Mba Volcanics) probably underlain at about 2 km by calcite-rich sediments (the Vatukoro Formation). The lodes are generally flatmakes, or steep fault fillings, or complex shatter zones, and consist of quartz and altered wall rock. In areas of open cavities it is possible to establish a paragenesis which involves five quartz stages and two ore mineral stages. The first ore stage contains calaverite, krennerite, sylvanite and native tellurium, the second petzite, hessite and native gold. The quartz stages are thought to have formed slowly (102 years) from boiling solutions of low salinity at temperatures varying with time from about 250¦C to 190¦C. The system was sealed, the temperature gradient near vertical and the mass flux small. The ore mineral stages probably formed relatively rapidly (101years) from boiling solutions at 250¦ to 200¦C when the system was mainly open. Gold deposition was probably largely a result of fall in aH2S due to boiling, the calculated solution concentration falling from a maximum of about 8 ppb at 250¦C to about 8.10-3ppb at 200¦C. Boiling is also probably responsible for an increase in a02 (by loss of H2) and fall in aTe2 (by loss of H2Te). The fluids are thought to have had a large component of meteoric water and to have been heated by plutons in the core of the volcanic structure. Stable isotope data indicate that they derived their carbon from the underlying Vatukoro Formation and their sulphur from sediments. Circulation may have been confined to the outside of the volcanic structure because of the relatively low permeability of the flows, pyroclastics and dykes within it.

Jan 1, 1987

Formed in 1965 to investigate the bauxite deposits on the Gove Peninsula, in the Northern Territory of Australia, Nabalco Pty. Limited undertook to determine the feasibility of establishing a mining operation and alumina plant of at least 500 000 tonne/year capacity. The drilling programme undertaken and the analytical methods, assumptions and criteria used to define practicably extractable bauxite are described. The ore characteristics and the interpretation of results used to evaluate the reserves are detailed. The operating techniques developed in mining ten per cent of the reserves and variations experienced between indicated and actual mining are examined and discussed.

Jan 1, 1979

By Hannington MD

On the southern flank of Lihir Island, a group of three volcanic cones were discovered at water depths from 1000-1500 m. The volcanoes are located in a narrow zone of recent seismic activity and elevated heat flow (up to 100 mW/m2). The recovered rocks consist of fresh alkali-olivine basalts, clinopyroxene-rich basalts, and porphyritic phlogopite basalts. One of the volcanoes has a recently erupted ejecta blanket (recovery of warm ash!), containing a suite of abundant mafic to ultramafic xenoliths. These xenoliths appear to represent a unique cross-section of subduction- modified mantle material sampled by volatile-rich primary fore-arc magma during its ascent to the seafloor. The most spectacular finding was the discovery of an active hydrothermal system with associated vent fauna and mineralization at Edison Seamount, and the recovery of unusually gold-rich (up to 43 ppm Au) hydrothermal precipitates in 1050 m water depth at the top of Conical Seamount, only 25 km south of the world-class epithermal Ladolam gold deposit on Lihir. The discovery of submarine hydrothermal vents associated with highly alkaline, quartz-undersaturated fore-arc volcanics represents a significant departure from similar hydrothermal systems on the mid-ocean ridges and in back-arc basins. The high gold grades in hydrothermal precipitates at Conical Seamount may indicate the first documented example of a shallow-marine epithermal system analogous to those known on land, and has important implications for the gold potential of submarine arc environments.

Jan 1, 1995

By Fukuichi K, Matsukawa H, Nakagawa M

The Myojin Tunnel, located on the Shikoku Expressway being constructed by the Japan Highway Public Corporation, is 3,770 m long with a cross sectional area of 80 m2. Kajima Corporation, the contractor for the northern construction section of this tunnel, adopted here its newly developed "mini-bench" method of excavation. The objectives of this method were 1. to be able to perform all tunnelling operations using the whole cross sectional area of the tunnel under any ground conditions, and 2. to be able to vary the length of the mini-bench within the range of 0 to 7 m according to ground conditions. In order to achieve these objectives, original, sophisticated equipment was developed and employed in the work. One of the newly developed machines is a special jumbo, a hydraulic crawler jumbo with five rotary type booms. This machine is capable of accommodating variation in the length of the mini-bench accompanying changes in ground conditions and is equipped with a special mechanism by which the positions of the booms can be controlled by means of hydraulic cylinders. Also developed was a shotcrete robot for use with the mini-bench method which has the control board near the shotcrete nozzle for close control of application.

Jan 1, 1987

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

In June 1992, the High Court of Australia recognised native title of the Meriam people over parts of the Mer Island in the Torres Strait as a form of common law. The Court also indicated that native title may have survived European settlement of the mainland Australia where it had not been extinguished by Governments and Aboriginal people have maintained their traditional connection with the land. The decision meant that two systems of land law were seen as existing side by side in Australia: ò one which derived from grants from the Crown under laws passed by Parliament; ò another which derived from the diverse laws and customs of the many Aboriginal groups in Australia.

Jan 1, 1996

By D Moy, T Carter

This paper outlines the feasibility assessment conducted to explore the possibility of constructing two submarine water supply pipelines beneath the Ma Wan Channel in Hong Kong using either horizontal directional drilling or tunnelling. The Ma Wan Channel is a major shipping channel in the Northwest New Territories, which separates Ma Wan Island from the mainland. The challenges faced by the projectÆs designers included space limitations on either side of the channel, marine department restrictions on construction activity within the channel and selection of a suitable crossing alignment and profile given the channelÆs depth, irregular sea floor topography and complex geology. The existing geological information indicated the proposed alignment would cross granitic and volcanic formations, which would likely be faulted. The primary concerns with horizontal directional drilling were:the length, diameter and depth of the crossing were at the limit of precedent experience in rock; the lack of available space at both the entry and exit sites; and whether the technique would be flexible enough to cope with the anticipated range of ground conditions. The primary concerns for tunnelling were: the possibility of encountering large inflows of high pressure groundwater; andthe possibility of encountering disturbed ground within the fault zones which could flow if not properly treated. As a means to evaluate and mitigate these technical risks for both construction options, a directionally drilled pilot hole was used to investigate the ground conditions along the proposed pipeline alignment. The pilot hole results indicated that either directional drilling or a closed face TBM drive were technically feasible crossing options at a crossing depth of 80 m. The results also indicated that either an open face TBM or a drill blast drive would need to be constructed at much greater depth because of the presence of highly permeable, disturbed ground in mid-channel at this crossing elevation.

Jan 1, 1999

By Bratt G. C, Horsham T. R, Langlois D. R

Mercury is precipitated from weakly acidic sulphuric acid plant waste liquor at the Risdon Works of the Electrolytic Zinc Company of Australasia Limited. Factors determining the choice of process and reagent, as well as details of process development including scale- up, and the time scale of implementation are outlined. The plant is designed for a maximum flow of 120 m3/h.of liquor containing mercury and saturated with sulphur dioxide. Mercury is precipitated by fluidised beds of aluminium pellets contained in lead columns. Liquor is then clarified with plate and frame presses. Experimental work on the mercury precip- itation reaction was conducted in three phases involving a scale-up of 100 times in equipment size. Extensive pilot filtration work was carried out on a 1 m2 press. Scale-up of 120 times was required for specification of plant filters. The basis of scale-up is outlined.

Jan 1, 1977

Controlled Source Audio Magnetotelluric (CSAMT) surveys were carried out by Glass Earth (New Zealand) Limited (Glass Earth) in 2006 - 2007 to investigate epithermal gold targets in the central North Island of New Zealand. The surveys were conducted using a Zonge GDP 32 8-channels receiver and a Zonge XMT 32 transmitter powered by a 16 KW generator. The electric field dipole was maintained at 20 m length (five dipoles per 100 m spread) and the frequency ranged from 4 KHz to 4 Hz. Only scalar (TM mode) signals were recorded, using one magnetic coil per spread. The transmitter bipoles were 1 - 4 km in length and located about 5 to 10 km from each survey area.   Sixteen individual target areas were surveyed by June 2007. The CSAMT survey lines (100 - 400 m spacing) were determined mainly on results from previous ultra-detailed airborne magnetic and gravity surveys conducted by Glass Earth in 2005. The data from each CSAMT line was carefully examined to remove any spurious signals and processed using Zonge SCS2D software, which can produce smooth 2D resistivity inversions of the field data. The results were presented as resistivity sections and maps to help the identification of exploratory drilling targets, mainly from the existence of subsurface high resistivity zones (resistors) that can be interpreted as caused by silicification associated with epithermal mineralization.   An example of processing and interpretation of the CSAMT data is presented in this paper on results from Glass EarthÆs Tahunaatara target, where CSAMT surveys have identified zones of epithermal mineralization confirmed by exploratory drilling.

Jan 1, 2007

Exploration for uranium in Australia commenced only during the 1940s, but in this short period has been very successful as one third of the world's low cost uranium reserves have been discovered in Australia. Total uranium exploration expenditure in Australia up to the end of 1983 was $A(1983) 554 million; this discovered 20 potentially economic deposits and official reserves of 560 000 tonnes of uranium oxide at an average cost of $1 per kg of U 0 . An exponential 8 eserves indicates distribution of uranium r that there could be 54 undiscovered uranium deposits in Australia, each with reserves of 20 000 tonnes U308 or more, in addition to smaller deposits. Using a constant uranium price of $A(1983) 79 per kg, no deposit is economic at a grade below 0.12 per cent U 08 or with reserves of less than 3 000 tonnes. Selecting deposits with reserves of 5 000 tonnes U 0g or more as prime exploration targets, only 39 per cent of discoveries will yield a real internal rate of return (IRR) of 10 per cent or more. After committing a minimum exploration budget of $10 million to this search, an explorer has one chance between 7 and 12 of discovering a deposit that will repay the exploration investment.

Jan 1, 1984

The Kidston breccia pipe is situated approximately 280 km west northwest of Townsville, north Queensland. It is currently Australia's largest gold producer with production varying between 8,000 and 16,000 tonnes of ore per day. Current reserves are estimated at 36.2 million tonnes averaging 1.74 C/t Au and 2.21 g/t Ag. Alluvial gold in the gullies surrounding the deposit was first discovered in the 1880's and between 1907 and 1948 small scale open cut and underground mining was undertaken. Advances in extractive metallurgy and an increase in the gold price were major factors influencing the recent exploration and development of large scale mining of the deposit by Placer Pacific and Kidston Gold Mines. The breccia pipe is trapezoid in shape with surface dimensions of 1100 m by 900 m. Clasts show only limited evidence of mixing during brecciation, with the pre-breccia stratigraphy still discernible on the basis of clast types. This lack of mixing together with the intimate association with intrusive activity, suggests that the brecia formed by collapse, probably associated with the escape of a large volume of irothermal fluid from a crystallising hatholith. Mineralisation and alteration are also sratially and temporally associated with rhyolite emplacement and brecciation. Pre-breccia mineralisation consists of laminated stockwork quartz veins associated with muscovite, quartz and orthoclase-epidote alteration. Stockwork veins contain either anomalous molybdenite or gold. Uneconomic early stage post-breccia mineralisation and alteration consists of cavity infill quartz-epidote and calcite associated with potassic and propylitic alteration respectively. Economic late stage post-breccia cavity infill and sheeted veining consists of quartz-carbonate-sulphide infill associated with phyllic alteration. The grade of gold mineralisation generally decreases downwards in the system with an increase in the amount of pyrrhotite relative to pyrite. Pre-breccia stockwork quartz veins mineralisation is genetically related to the

Jan 1, 1987

By Kleine T. H

Blast design involves many engineering constraints and objectives. Some of the more important include the implementation costs, the desired fragmentation and shape of the muckpile. A spreadsheet has been developed to allow blast design options such as burden, spacing, blast hole diameter, decking and explosive type to be varied. As any option is varied the spreadsheet recalculates and graphs the expected implementation costs, fragmentation and muckpile shape in seconds.The spreadsheet extends the philosophy of simple robust fragmentation prediction (Cunningham, 1983) to include similar models for explosive detonation (with respect to explosive type, age, blast hole diameter and density) and muckpile shape (with respect to burden, spacing, charge location and weight). The new empirical models for explosive detonation and muckpile shape prediction have been calibrated successfully for one situation and are now undergoing further field trials.

Jan 1, 1992

Black coals occur in most of the major sedimentary basins in Australia. In addition to the better known Permian coal occurrences of the Sydney, Bowen, Oaklands and Galilee Basins, coals of Permian age occur in the Arckaringa Basin in South Australia, the Bonaparte Basin in Northern Territory and the Collie, Perth and Canning Basins in Western Australia and the Tasmania Basin in Tasmania. Coals of Triassic age occur in the Ipswich Callide and Tarong Basins in Queensland, the Tasmania Basin in Tasmania and the Leigh Creek area in South Aus- tralia. Coal bearing rocks of Jurassic age occur in the Mulgildie Basin and Maryborough Basins in Queensland and in both the Queensland and New South Wales portions of the Clarence Moreton Basin and Surat Basins. They also occur in the Perth Basin in Western Australia. Rocks of Cretaceous age known to contain coal occur in the Styx, Maryborough and Laura Basins in Queensland, the Gippsland Basin in Victoria and both the Queensland and New South Wales portions of the Surat Basin. The coal measures have been deposited in a variety of sedimentary environments and the coals vary widely with regard to thickness, extent, banding characteristics, maceral and ash content. However, they are generally of low rank and most are suitable only for steaming.

Jan 1, 1975

By Johnson G. D

The typical management systems used to address the issue of operating risk centre around technologies that identify, analyse and evaluate the risk factors. These logical systems such as HAZOPs, Fault Tree Analyses, etc rely heavily on technical considerations and process flow analysis. However, several research projects, across industries and countries have clearly shown that up to 80 per cent `operating risk' is determined by the actions of workers, supervisors and managers. Yet, most of the focus of risk management is on technical and procedural issues. This suggests that a significant imbalance exists in our management systems and that industries are unlikely to show significant improvement on current levels of safety performance. Effective risk management must include the intangible element of the organisation psychology towards risk. A practical and theoretically sound approach had been researched and developed in and for the mining industry. This paper describes the approach and methodologies applied at the Cosmo Howley Gold Mine in the Northern Territory, where an inclusive approach to managing financial and operating risk was followed. The Cosmo Howley Mine showed a dramatic reduction in lost time injuries and improvements in financial indices - providing conclusive evidence of the link between management effectiveness, safety and productivity. This `triangle' has often been the subject of speculation and theory. It is demonstrated in this paper how the management team of Cosmo Howley focused their practices and systems on the improvement of organisational dynamics, ensured tangible and clear focus on parameters of costs and safety and how the improvement process was managed. It is concluded that the improvement process did not require a `major re-engineering' of the organisation. The organisation culture changes that occurred were incremental, planned and effective. It entailed the implementation of sound risk management methodologies, and ensured that a significant emphasis was placed on an aspect that is defined as `organisational dynamics'.

Jan 1, 1994

The winning and upgrading of mineral raw materials necessarily includes size reduction, which serves the liberation and production of marketable products from highly valuable and bulk materials. For crushing, the following factors can be duly accounted for depending on material type and the selection of the suitable machine: ò producing a particular size distribution, ò producing a particular grain shape, ò selective comminution, ò gentle comminution, and ò producing a size range required by a specific process and/or for a specific product.

Jan 1, 1993

lbis new concept in geology is introduced by a reinteipretation of the Archaean stratigraphy of the greenstone belts of the Yilgarn Craton of Western Australia. Evidence is presented to show that the recorded Archaean succession of the Eastern Goldfields Province is composed of two distinct groups of mafic/ultrarnafic and felsic igneous rocks which, together with sediments, form alternating sequences represented by Cycles 1 to 4; Cycle 5 consists entirely of sediments. Recorded stratigraphy for the Murchison and corre1atives of the Southern Cross Subprovinces conform to this pattern. The five basic components are referred to as Unit 1 to Unit 5. A major erosional unconformity between Units 3 and 4 extending across the Craton is identified as a locus of potential major gold occurrence, including fossil placers, where suitable structural situations exist; Units 1 and 3 are identified as potential hosts of gold and nickel deposits; Units 2 and 4 for gold and base metals.

Jan 1, 1994

By Askew JE

The large, massive low grade gold orebody at Mount Charlotte has demanded an innovative approach to mining engineering. In the last five years several advances occurred in the areas of rock mechanics, mass blasting, blasthole drilling and truck haulage.Successive crown pillar failures throughout the life of the mine had resulted in a continuous geotechnical program, mostly utilisingconsultants. The culmination of this workwas the development of a successful crown pillar support system. Several stopes have incorporated the technique and the most notable success has been the relatively large F3 crown pillar.In hole hammer drilling was introduced to the mine in 1979, but little work had been done to develop a blasting system to suit the 165mm diameter holes. A non-electric sequential blasting system was adapted for use at themine and up to 600,000 tonnes have been fired successfully in an individual blast. Problems with ground vibration were addressed although this work remains incomplete.

Jan 1, 1984