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By D Reid, J Vinod, M Rahman, A Fourie, T Vo, J Ayala, A Russell

This paper reports on an industry and Australian Research Council funded research project, TAILLIQ, that is a joint initiative between four Australian Universities. The paper discusses the accuracy with which the critical void ratio can be determined for a given tailings; it does this by presenting the results from a ‘round robin’ study in which 18 geotechnical laboratories around the world participated, testing the same tailings (sampled from a gold mine in Western Australia). The results were variable, although a reasonable number were very similar, as described in the paper. The paper provides additional test data for sandy silt gold tailings recovered from a sponsor’s site in Australia, including preliminary calibration chamber test data, results from direct simple shear tests and characterisation tests to determine unsaturated geotechnical properties.

Jul 1, 2021

By L P. Trout, D G. Reid

PanAust Limited (PanAust) has successfully constructed and commissioned two mining operations in Lao PDR over the past decade and undertaken major studies for three new mine developments. The management of potentially acid generating mine waste and tailings in close proximity of local communities sensitive to water discharge quality have been recurring themes that have confronted PanAust’s project study, development and operational teams. Further compounding challenges, such as the effects of intense annual tropical monsoonal conditions, staging of embankment raises and regular lifting of spillway structures, integrating mine waste and tailings management into production plans and ensuring the long term stability of structures, have been addressed by implementing leading practice management solutions.A recognition of the criticality of managing the substantial business risks associated with these crucial activities led to the early establishment of a governance structure to ensure that the highest standards are embraced for planning and execution. Importantly, these are guided and monitored by a panel of highly experienced and qualified international specialists reporting directly to PanAust’s Managing Director – the Tailings Independent Review Panel. The stewardship process has been effective in identifying potential shortcomings in management systems and has led to enhanced executive commitment to risk informed designs, assurance and overall process rigour.CITATION:Trout, L P and Reid, D G, 2018. PanAust Limited’s approach to mine waste and tailings stewardship, in Proceedings Mine Waste and Tailings Stewardship Conference 2018, pp 135–155 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 23, 2018

Owing to the increased consumption of sulphuric acid; Australian manufacturers have, from time to time, been seeking for a satisfactory source of sulphur that would make them independent of foreign supplies.Some years ago a considerable amount of acid was obtained from the roasting of Spanish pyrites. This ore, in 1913 or thereabouts, cost 16s. per ton f.o.b. Huelva, and freight to the eastern seaboard of Australia was about 20s. per ton. As the ore contained 48% to 50% of available sulphur, it was costing roughly 9d. or 10d. per unit, and, in addition, the cinder, after roasting, was a product of considerable value to smelters, containing as it did a high percentage of iron suitable for fluxing, and appreciable values in silver and gold.

Jan 1, 1925

The proper selection of a coal for a particular use depends on knowledge of fundamental data concerning the coals that offer, particularly their type and rank. Type of coal depends on the nature of the original plants and the environment in which they accumulated.Rank reflects the subsequent metamorphism of the coal, and is of two kinds-physical rank and chemical rank.INTRODUCTIONIn the different coalfields of the Commonwealth of Australia there occur many different kinds of coal which provide the coal-research worker with a wide range of material, but to the fuel technologist they represent complex problems in utilization.In the past it has been common practice to instal coal-using equipment of a design based on plant used in large industrial centres of other countries and then search for supplies of suitable coal. This has led to the transportation of coal mainly from New South Wales to other States, which have inadequate supplies of coal suitable for use in the equipment they have installed. However, modern economy and industrial practice demand local resources of coal for the development of industry, transport and domestic services, and a change in the old order is rapidly taking place. Technologists and engineers are now faced with the problem of designing and installing equipment to use whatever kind of coal is available in local coalfields.Much has been accomplished in this direction and important investigations are at present being carried out, but there still remains a wide field of problems for research.In planning and carrying out investigations into coal utilization it is essential that fundamental data and knowledge should be available and that its significance should be appreciated.

Jan 1, 1955

Avoca Resources LimitedÆs Higginsville Gold Project has a resource base of over 1 300 000 oz of gold. The Trident underground mine, which forms the basis of the project development, has a resource base of 927 000 oz of gold. Avoca is building the Higginsville Gold Project based on a minimum ten year vision, producing over 150 000 oz per annum. The project development has taken less than three years from the Trident discovery hole in October 2004 to the first ore production in June 2007. This paper discusses the background work associated with the development of the Trident underground mine in a difficult period for new project development in Western Australia. The resources boom, led by the iron ore industry in the Western Australian Pilbara region, is creating cost pressures and, combined with a lack of people and equipment, is placing cost and timing stress on a small developing project. Avoca Resources has developed a project execution management strategy aimed at mitigating cost blow outs and schedule delays.

Jan 1, 2008

By R H. Knight

Uncertainty in prediction and modelling of geological (physical) ore continuity in geometrically complex ore deposits is a key risk factor in mining. Reducing geometric uncertainty of hard-boundary ore/waste contacts and related geological features improves the efficiency of local mineral resource estimation and reserve calculation, mine/stope planning, ore control and in-mine exploration. Detailed underground mapping of serial-level drives provides a continuous record of the characteristics and contact configuration of ore, as well as crucial ore-related geological features that are required to resolve geometrical variability when closely spaced drilling proves inadequate or is cost-prohibitive. The mapping-based approach described in this paper re-establishes the focus on the geology of the orebody by incorporating high-value, detailed geologic mine mapping information. Mapped ore-related configurations and relationships, recorded on a succession of faces or on a series of levels, provide the basis for 3D interpolation and extrapolation of the local geologic continuity of an orebody. Correlative points representing locations of key ore-related geologic features on each face or level are linked by 3D polylines or trajectories forming a coherent geometrical framework. The coherent progression of geometric changes mapped by these trajectories reveals the overall ‘dynamic’ of the geometrical framework, as well as the spatial tendencies of its geological constituents. Distinct sets of ore control trajectories are selected from within the framework and are used in the construction of alternative geological ore continuity models. As mining proceeds, alternative models are evaluated, and are then either refined or rejected. The geometrical framework is used to evaluate theoretical models and practical heuristics, focus exploration targeting and inform and guide all aspects of mine geology in active mines. This approach also lends itself to analysis of global ore continuity in the re-evaluation of mature or abandoned mines. Its use is particularly effective in geometrically complex orebodies such as the West Branch orebody and the orebodies of No 2 mine of the Balmat-Edwards-Pierrepont zinc district, which are used to illustrate the method. CITATION:Knight, R H, 2014. A mapping-based approach to geological continuity prediction using examples from the Balmat-Edwards-Pierrepont Zinc District, St Lawrence County, New York, USA, in Proceedings Ninth International Mining Geology Conference 2014 , pp 65–76 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 18, 2014

Triboelectric Charge and Separation Characteristics of Industrial Minerals The basic principles of triboelectric charge and separation of minerals and the factors affecting the entity of the charges developed on mineral surfaces are discussed and the surface pretreatment methods by which the electrophysical properties and thereby triboelectric charging and separation of minerals can be artificially altered/modified are reviewed. Furthermore, the triboelectricfication theory of materials is envisaged from the chemical concept of acid-base donor-acceptor and an attempt is made to correlate the physical concept of triboelectrification with the donor-acceptor properties. The triboelectric charge characteristics of the quartz, calcite and wollastonite mineral samples for different size classes were defined using different tribocharging medium. Based on the triboelectric charges acquired by mineral samples their energetic work function values are estimated. In addition, the main electrophysical properties, ie dielectric constant and electrical conductivity, of different size fractions of the mineral samples are measured and their donor-acceptor chemical properties were defined. A series of triboelectric separation tests were conducted to explore the possibilities for separation these mineral from each others. The results from the triboelectric charge and separation of the single mineral systems showed promising prospect in separating quartz, calcite, and wollastonite from each others. Finally, attempts were made to explore the possibilities to implement triboelectric charge and separation process to real ores. Promising results achieved when separation of calcite from silicate impurity was sought from a carbonate ore. A very high purity (99 per cent) calcite product was obtained at a recovery of 80 per cent. Interesting results were also achieved to concentrate wollastonite from a complex silicate ore containing quartz, different feldspars, wollastonite and other Mg-Fe silicates. In this case conditioning of the ore with salicylic acid at defined temperature and relative humidity was found to be essential to concentrate wollastonite. The outcomes indicate despite the fact that triboelectric charge and separation process has not been completely perceived, it pronounced to be an environmentally friendly and economically viable technique for minerals and wastes beneficiation. Being a dry beneficiation technique the process has special appeal, which must be explored further in particular for treating industrial minerals.

Sep 13, 2010

By R McDonough

DTL2 contract C916 was awarded in March 2009 for S$340 M. This contract includes two mass rapid transit (MRT) 1100?m long bored tunnels using two slurry tunnel boring machines (TBMs), with an internal diameter of 5.8?m, two cross passages and 135?m of cut-and-cover tunnels The contract also includes the design and construction of a new underground station including station entrances, subway links, architectural finishes and external landscaping. The station, located at Upper Bukit Timah Road near Jalan Jurong Kechil will also double as a civil defence shelter.The works included significant traffic management in a dense urban area in order to create the working areas whilst keeping the requisite number of traffic lanes. This involved numerous utility diversions and included the removal of a 33-year-old pedestrian overhead bridge (POB) over busy Bukit Timah Road. The station and tunnelling works were completed on time, including a ‘dock and dismantle’ TBM retrieval and subsequent breakthrough of the separating wall.This paper will detail the methods and solutions used to construct the tunnels and stations, with a focus on the requirements for construction of the station to be a civil defence shelter if required. This involved solutions to tying reinforcement and placing concrete to high standards in a restricted space, as well as the incorporation of heavy blast doors and other associated protective measures. The efforts of the management team resulted in the project being awarded first prize in the 2011 Land Transport Authority’s Annual Safety Award Convention and being named winner of the Safety and Health Award Recognition for Projects (SHARP) award at the 2011 Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Awards. As well, McConnell Dowell won a Green and Gracious Builder Award (Excellent Category) from the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).CITATION:McDonough, R, 2014. Design and construction contract C916 Beauty World Station and Tunnels, Singapore, in Proceedings 15th Australasian Tunnelling Conference 2014 , pp 411–418 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 17, 2014

THERE are certain facts that the mining industry in Australia is faced with at the present moment which may be accepted as axioms. The industry is at a low ebb, as evidenced by statistics. Metals form the basis of all modern industries, and are necessaryfor the welfare of Australia. Mining is a wasting asset. Every ton of ore extracted is one ton less which c.annot be made good, and it should be our duty to get as much profit froin that ore as possible, otherwise there is a permanent loss to the country.The metal market cannot be controlled by Australia; it is more or less an international matter. Australia has not been thoroughly prospected. There are no mines being developed that are likely to replace those which are being depleted.Our mining engineers are as capable as those in other parts of the world, and have made good where they have been given a chance. There is no one cause for the present depression; there are several, more or less, interwoven. Of course, the war has had an adverse effect, but that has only dislocated things temporarily; it upset our markets, influenced the price of metals, and affected the labour market and cost of stores. Labour troubles made their appearance before the wave of unrest swept over the world. The cause of labour discontent must be investigated, and if possible removed. As each industry has .its·own problems, miners must inquire into their special problems, as there is no sovereign remedy that will suit all cases.It is obvious that we cannot mine ore if we do not know where it is; therefore, the first thing is to discover workable deposits.

Jan 1, 1919

The Hyde-Macraes Shear Zone (HMSZ) is low angle, duplex thrust system that has developed in a graphitic pelite schist within the Otago schist belt, New Zealand . At Round Hill lateral ramps have developed parallel to the movement direction between+ the footwall and hangingwall shears. These structures exhibit normal oblique-slip displacement which has been an important mechanism for creating space in an otherwise compressional system. Gold-bearing quartz veins were emplaced along the boundary shears and lateral ramps during thrusting. Gold within the lateral ramps is coarse (up to 300 microns) however hanging wall cataclasite development in the boundary shears after the gold was deposited has reduced the grainzise of most of the gold to less than one micron. This bimodal gold distribution has metallurgical implications with respect to the maximisation of gold recovery at Macraes.

Jan 1, 1993

By R R. Large

"An EXTENDED ABSTRACT is available for download. A full-length paper was not prepared for this presentation. The formation of orogenic gold deposits is commonly a two-stage process. The first stage involves preconcentration of gold in a suitable source rock, such as carbonaceous black shales, felsic volcaniclastics or komatiitic volcanics. The second stage involves the release of gold (commonly with arsenic and/or tellurium) from the source rocks during metamorphism or magmatic intrusive events, accompanied by the replacement of source rock pyrite by pyrrhotite. Recent research suggests that synsedimentary gold trapped in the structure of diagenetic arsenian pyrite in reduced carbonaceous facies of continental margin sedimentary basins is an ideal source of gold for many orogenic and Carlin-style gold deposits. The conversion of diagenetic arsenian pyrite to pyrrhotite during basin closure and greenschist facies metamorphism is the key process releasing gold and arsenic to the metamorphic fluid, with metal deposition in structural trap sites to form the deposits.CITATION:Large, R R, 2015. Orogenic gold deposits – a two-stage process of gold enrichment, in Proceedings PACRIM 2015 Congress, pp 335–340 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Mar 18, 2015

Inefficient conveyors suffer carryback, leading to the build-up of materials on idlers, and other expensive components. They spill and leak material at loading zones and transfer points, causing accumulations that can damage the belt, wear moving components, and increase both cleanup labor and maintenance expense. They wander or mistrack, spilling material and en- dangering personnel and conveyor components, including the belt itself. And through these inefficiencies, they multiply an operation's hidden costs-the dollars lost because of missed production, of increased downtime, of the expense for the replacement of prematurely worn or damaged equipment. In this paper, the author will examine the importance of belt conveyors to mines and process plants He will trace the state-of-the-art in systems for cleaning belts, and controlling the release of fugitive material from conveyor transfer points, by exploring the roots of the problems, and demonstrating solutions that have been proven to be effective. Included in these systems to improve material handling are transfer point stabilization and sealing systems, dual belt cleaning systems, and belt training idlers.

Jan 1, 1991

By T Clemens, D Trumm

Adopting environmentally acceptable practices in New Zealand is a crucial requirement for mineral wealth development. Recent planned expansions in the coal industry have increasingly placed mining in the media spotlight. A lack of appropriate national environmental guidelines has resulted in inconsistent responses and assessments of current and prospective mine sites. Such inconsistencies have lead to delays in decisions on developing economic mineral deposits that may have only minor short-term impacts, and have also allowed unacceptable environmental management practices to continue elsewhere.   A research collaboration between CRL Energy, Landcare Research, University of Canterbury and University of Otago aims to provide regulator groups and the mining industry with a unified approach to the requirements of the Resource Management Act 1991, which is the legislation that predominantly drives the nationÆs environmental policies and guidelines. The tangible outcome of this research programme will be guidelines for an integrated decision-making framework based upon robust multidisciplinary science. The result of this unified process will facilitate the development of viable mineral deposits and prevent excessive environmental impacts.   The framework will be derived from a synthesis of four objectives. Objective 1 identifies potential water quality impact. This objective is based on a targeted geochemical study of the lithology and waterways of the West Coast and Southland. Objective 2 categorises the degree of impacts on the ecology of receiving aquatic ecosystems and determines the processes that drive aquatic ecosystem recovery. Objective 3 identifies best strategies to sufficiently manage impacted ecosystems, and to prevent future unacceptable impacts. Objective 4 combines the findings of Objectives 1 - 3 into a standard decision-making framework. The development of this framework development will include wide consultation with representatives of the mining industry and regulator groups. It is anticipated that this multidisciplinary approach will provide a robust and coherent, standardised system that will assist in achieving industry and environmental targets.

Jan 1, 2004

Adsorption Effect on Multi-Heavy Metal Ions in Wastewater by Water-Washing Waste Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Sep 13, 2010

By T Clemens, D Trumm

Adopting environmentally acceptable practices in New Zealand is a crucial requirement for mineral wealth development. Recent planned expansions in the coal and gold industry have increasingly placed mining in the media spotlight. A lack of appropriate standard environmental guidelines has resulted in inconsistent responses and assessments of current and proposed mines. These inconsistencies have lead to delays in decisions on developing economic mineral deposits that may have only minor short-term impacts, and have also allowed unacceptable environmental management practices to continue elsewhere. A research collaboration between CRL Energy, Landcare Research, University of Canterbury and University of Otago aims to provide regulator groups and the mining industry with a unified approach to the requirements of the Resource Management Act 1991,the legislation that largely drives the nationÆs environmental policies and guidelines. The tangible outcome of this research program will be water quality and impact management guidelines integrated into a decision-making framework. The result of this unification will assist in the development of viable mineral deposits and minimise environmental impacts. The framework will be derived from a synthesis of three objectives. Objective 1 identifies potential water quality impact. This objective is based on a targeted geochemical study of the lithology and waterways of the West Coast and Southland regions. Objective 2 categorises the degree of impacts on the ecology of receiving aquatic ecosystems and determines the processes that drive aquatic ecosystem recovery. Objective 3 identifies best strategies to sufficiently manage impacted ecosystems, and to prevent future unacceptable impacts. Wide consultation with representatives of the mining industry and regulator groups will occur frequently during the development stages of the framework. It is anticipated that this multidisciplinary approach will provide a robust and coherent, standardised system that will assist in achieving industry and environmental targets.

Jan 1, 2004

The author describes 1. The classification and characteristics of various thick seam mining techniques in various Japanese coal mines. 2. Practices of thick seam mining methods experienced in Taiheiyo Coal Mine. Currently, thick single lift, simultaneous multi lift and non simul- taneous multi lift mining methods are adopted as underground flat thick seam excavations in Japan. These are now reliable and effective in increasing the extraction ratio. At Kushiro Colliery of Taiheiyo Coal Mining Co., these three thick seam mining methods have been used. According to the results, if solidification of the top lift goaf is essential, the non simul- taneous multi lift mining method is the most effective in increasing the extraction ratio without minimising productivity of each lift and it points out that further development of this method is necessary.

Jan 1, 1976

By D Cliff

"It has been 17 years since the mine disaster at Moura No 2 Mine in Queensland. Recent disasters in the USA and New Zealand prompt the question what has changed since 1994. This paper att emptsto answer this question and identify areas that need improvement."

Jun 1, 2012

Mining is taking place at increasing depths of cover on the Southern Coalfield beneath predominantly massive sandstone strata. Within the next twenty years, there will be longwall mining at depths greater than 600 m. As the Sydney Metropolitan area continues to expand and as coal mining approaches these urban areas subsidence will continue to become an increasinglY important aspect of coal mining research. Investigations, commenced in the mid 1960's, allow prediction of subsidence in the Southern Coalheld with reasonable confidence. The work is showing that the characteristics of thc subsidence troughs over the deeper mining at Appin differ from the characteristics of mine subsidence at less cover.The longwall mining at Appin Colliery has resulted in a maximum measured subsidenee of 730 mm. The maximum strains were small because of the large radii of curvature of the subsidence profiles. There was no damage to any of the buildings in the township of Appin.

Jan 1, 1982

By D Chappell

Coromandel Peninsula gold mineralisation has an epithermal style which involves extensive alteration of host rocks and addition of pyrite over large volumes of rock. These altered rocks therefore have high potential for generating acid rock drainage. Natural acid groundwater discharges occur in altered rocks, but not in propylitically altered rock. There is little calcite available in mineralised rocks to neutralise this acid. In contrast, the mesothermal veins of the Otago Schist cause little alteration of the host rock, and that alteration has similar mineralogy to the host rock. Calcite is a common mineral in host and mineralised zones, and sulphides are generally subordinate. Hence acidification of Otago rocks is unlikely. This lack of acidification in Otago facilitates arsenic mobility in solution, up to hundreds of ppm. Arsenic is insoluble under acidic conditions in the Coromandel. Base metals are soluble under acidic conditions of the Coromandel, but they are immobilised by adsorption on to the widespread clay minerals where the solutions are neutralised. Base metals are generally immobile in Otago, but when they are mobilised, adsorption is less effectiveas an attenuation mechanism because clay minerals are rare.

Jan 1, 1998

Recovery of Pentlandite and Chalcopyrite from Tailings by Bi-Cyclone Powerful Flotation Column

Sep 13, 2010