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By M Yadav, K Clode, S Daykin

The mining industry faces numerous challenges related to sustainability and circular economy principles, necessitating strategic approaches to innovation and resource management. As demands for mineral resources continue to rise, mining companies are under increasing pressure to address environmental impacts, minimise waste generation, and optimise resource utilisation. These challenges underscore the importance of Research and Development (R&D) roadmaps as strategic tools for guiding innovation and sustainability efforts within the sector (Jochen Berbner, 2022). A design-led methodology offers a structured approach to R&D roadmap development, emphasising stakeholder engagement, collaboration, and alignment with industry objectives. By leveraging design principles, mining companies can ensure that their R&D initiatives are responsive to evolving challenges and opportunities, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. Against this backdrop, the project aims to address the pressing challenges associated with sustainability and circular economy in the mining industry. Through the development of R&D roadmaps and the application of a design-led methodology, the project seeks to identify innovative solutions for enhancing resource efficiency, minimising environmental impacts, and promoting sustainable practices within mining operations. This paper highlights the collaborative efforts among Isle, the mining industry, and water utilities, which have yielded tangible benefits. The study demonstrates how the outcomes from the roadmaps outlined below effectively align research with strategic objectives, fostering innovation to address pressing challenges.

Sep 1, 2024

By M Saghaeian, A H. Baladastian, A Dehghani Ahmadabadi, V Sheikhzadeh, R Hejazi

This research was done to reduce silica from mixed hematite concentrate of Barfkar Iron Ore Sample and increase Fe grade using reverse flotation method (Depressing Hematite and floating Silica). The used sample in the reverse flotation tests was a mixture containing two types of hematite concentrates (Spiral cleaner concentrate and Slon-VPHGMS cleaner concentrate) with the percentage of 16 per cent and 84 per cent, respectively. Fe grade of two samples was 59.31 per cent and 57.52 per cent and SiO2 grade was 5.83 per cent and 6.71 per cent, respectively. After mixing, the Fe and SiO2 grade of the mixed sample was measured at 58.10 per cent and 6.20 per cent. For flotation tests, effect of variable operational parameters including feed size distribution (d80 = 130 microns and d80 = 53 microns), pulp solidity (25 per cent and 30 per cent w/w), pH (9.70, 10.20 and 11), Sodium silicate as a dispersant (500, 1000 and 2000 g/ton), Starch as a depressant (500, 1000, 2000 and 3000 g/ton) and EDA as a collector (180, 300, 400 and 500 g/ton) were investigated. For evaluating the influence of Sodium silicate and Starch dosage, initial flotation tests were performed on the main sample (d80 = 130 microns). These two parameters had no significant effects on the yield, Fe, and SiO2 grade of flotation concentrate based on test results. In the next step, screen analysis was carried out on the main sample for mineralogical studies. Accordingly, the suitable size distribution for releasing Fe and SiO2 particles was smaller than 53 microns. Therefore, the sample was crushed until d80 = 53 microns. Then, supplementary tests were performed on the crushed sample for studying the pH range, pulp solidity, and EDA collector dosage. After doing silica removal flotation tests based on the designed pattern and comparison of the results, the conditions consisting of size distribution d80 = 53 microns, pulp solidity 25 per cent, pH 10.20, Sodium silicate 1000 g/ton, Starch 1000 g/ton, and EDA 500 g/ton was selected as optimum values. In the last test, Fe and SiO2 grade was measured at 60.00 per cent and 3.93 per cent, respectively, and Fe recovery was obtained at 74.93 per cent.

Aug 24, 2022

By M Bettison, R Marton, R Wright, M Lowry

Depending on the geological setting, waste rock from mining can present risks to achieving acceptable closure outcomes. In the Pilbara iron ore mines, the majority of waste rock is geochemically inert. However, small percentages of pyritic material with the potential to generate acid and metalliferous drainage (AMD) require considered management within mine waste stockpiles designed to minimise AMD release to the environment. A larger percentage of waste rock has physical characteristics (e.g. erodibility) that may impact upon long-term landform stability. CITATION:Marton, R, Wright, R, Lowry, M and Bettison, M, 2018. The golden thread of waste characterisation from exploration drilling to waste rock placement, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2018, pp 90–92 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 25, 2018

By C van Wyk, I Reeves, J Webber, G B. Gnoinski

The minerals industry has been given an opportunity to grow and continue to advance again in an environment where there is the potential to reap big rewards for efficiency improvements due to buoyant metal prices and the growing demand of markets in Asia. Improving efficiency may also provide a better return compared to risks of expansions and bringing new projects online due to limited human and financial capital.An opportunity for improvement presents itself in the area of mine-mill reconciliation, which entails the quantification of the variance between measurement points along the mining value chain. Reconciliation factors are calculated from the variance between respective sections within the mining sequence. These factors are commonly used as key performance indicators to provide a check on the performance of the operations. Over parts of the mining value chain, there is a fair understanding of the reconciliation between the Resource and Reserve estimates and the measured metallurgical plant inputs and product outputs through understanding of the mine-mill interface. The quality of reconciliation data gathered across the mine and plant is generally not well established due to practices employed in generating the data. The reconciliation variances are often a function of data accuracy and quality used in the comparison. In general, the sources and magnitude of measurement and sampling errors and their impact on reconciliation are not that well understood. Examples of the current practices of mass measurement, sampling, sample preparation, chemical analysis and quality assurance for broken ore and across the metallurgical process stream are considered. Guidelines are given for those reconciliation elements that are identified as requiring a high degree of confidence for Mineral Resource/Reserve and metal accounting reporting. These guidelines are presented and practices are demonstrated to improve mine to mill reconciliation and support increased resource to product efficiency and value.CITATION:Gnoinski, G B, van Wyk, C, Webber, J and Reeves, I, 2012. Guidelines and practical applications for continuous improvement in mine to mill reconciliation, in Proceedings 11th AusIMM Mill OperatorsÆ Conference, pp 309-316 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Oct 29, 2012

Upon subduction, water is liberated from the sediments and the porous struc- ture of the oceanic crust and from de- hydration of minerals for redistribution and chemical reaction. A survey of pro- cesses which are likely to occur along the subducting plate reveals that water may well be basic in subduction induced gas generation, magma formation and ore deposition. In analogy to the industrial water gas process, reaction of water with car- bonaceous matter, in subducted sediments is likely to yield substantial volumes of hydrogen and carbon dioxide. While water and carbon dioxide appear to play a determining role in the development of differentiated magmas, hydrogen will react with metal sulfides and sulfur to form hydrogen sulfide which is essential in sulfide ore depo- sition. A survey of possible metal extrac- tion chemistry along subduction suggests a stepwise solubilization of metals from sediments and oceanic crust, and a poten tial accumulation of dissolved metals in zones of characteristic composition. The metal spectrum in ore deposits at near surface appears to reflect the com- position of the solution in the respec- tive subduction zone. A tendency for preferential solubi- lization of copper at subductidn level, from among the transition metals, an in- creasing generation of hydrogen sulfide in the sane direction and partition effects as well as sulfide precipitation characteristics lead to enrichment in copper and to its selective deposition in the direction towards the trench as observed in S. Latin America. A postscript deals with the formation of native copper.

Jan 1, 1986

By A G. Guinea

If you were reading this article in a newspaper or similar in the 1800s, you would know that the world was firmly in the grip of the Industrial Revolution. You might have been one of the families that decided that an agriculturally based existence was no longer for you, and that the promise of a factory job was more appealing and more secure. And it was. Financially at least. Not so much from a workplace safety perspective.

May 5, 2022

Australia is a leading producer of mineral sands and according to U.S. Bureau of Mines, produced 24, 53 and 64% of world's production of ilmenite, rutile and zircon respectively in 1983. The industry which is mainly export oriented earned in export income about $210 million in 1985. The dominant position which Australia occupies in world produc- tion of mineral sands is also maintained in many areas of research and development work on the processing and application of these minerals. Some of this research which is leading the world has been responsible for setting up industries to produce value-added and high-tech products such as synthetic rutile and partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ). The production of high purity zirconia is due to commence shortly while research in rare earths offers an exciting prospect for future Developments.

Jan 1, 1986

By Johnson N. W, Manlapig E. V, Alexander D. J, Franzidis J. P

The importance of the froth region on flotation performance is often emphasised in the literature. It is well-known that decreasing froth depth or increasing air flowrate results in increasing cell recovery at the cost of lower concentrate gra

Jan 1, 1997

By P Rubie, J Russell

This paper looks at the past, present and not too distant future of grinding mill relining.Since the adoption of autogenous grinding (AG) mills and semi-autogenous grinding (SAG) mills as the primary ore reducing devices in the comminution circuit, plant shutdown frequency and duration has largely been driven by the liner maintenance requirements of these mills.The past 30 years have seen the introduction of many technologies to reduce relining times and frequencies. Advanced relining systems have been developed which include single and twin Mill Relining Machines, capable of placing large (up to 8000 kg) liners, high energy recoilless THUNDERBOLT Hammers, and high capacity Feed Chute Transporters. Despite these advances, today many of the hazards associated with mill relining remain and reline times still vary considerably between mine sites. A sophisticated discrete event simulation program, designed to analyse the mill relining process, has revealed the dominant influences on reline times of crew performance and of the need for safe access to larger segments of the mill.A new generation of advanced and semi-automated technologies is currently being tested that will address these remaining challenges. These technologies remove people from the hazardous environment inside the mill and will allow techniques used in modern advanced manufacturing to provide a near-future step change in mill relining safety and performance.CITATION:Rubie, P and Russell, J, 2018. 21st century relining – the path to greater mine site profitability, in Proceedings 14th AusIMM Mill Operators' Conference 2018, pp 621–640 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 29, 2018

By Conley R, Payne I

The Vickery Coal Mine commenced open cut mining operations in May 1991. All overburden and interburden is drilled and blasted for excavation by dragline or hydraulic excavator. The mode of operation adopted from the feasibility studies requires that throw blasting of the overburden be used to assist dragline productivity.This paper reviews the development of the drilling and blasting practices with particular emphasis on the throw blasting of the overburden and optimisation of costs. This review includes analysis of the pre-production drilling and blasting feasibility studies by comparison with actual results.

Jan 1, 1992

By R J. Romañach

The theory of sampling (TOS) is now followed in the development of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopic methods for the pharmaceutical industry. TOS has been the guiding light for a two-step approach for spectroscopic composite sampling available for the development of real-time analytical methods for particulate-based industrial processes. The two-step spectroscopic sample composite has been used in the development of process analytical technology (PAT), an important regulatory initiative to improve the quality of pharmaceutical products. The two-step sample composite approach overcomes the low sample volume analysed by PAT methods; one of the key limitations to PAT implementation in the industrial production of particulate-based materials.PAT methods need to be validated demonstrating their accuracy, precision, specificity and robustness. TOS provides a deeper understanding of these validation studies which involve discrete particulate material. The validation of PAT methods is now being performed considering both sampling and analytical errors, while practically all previous method validations only addressed the total analytical error (TAE) of these methods. This has been a crucial impediment for the field of chemometrics as well.PAT is a key element of continuous manufacturing (CM) processes, which are considered an emerging technology capable of increasing the flexibility, agility and robustness of pharmaceutical processes while reducing their costs. The outflow of the continuous process is a 1D lot, and variographic analysis has been shown to discern process variation from sampling and analytical errors in pharmaceutical CM processes. Thus, variographic analysis is a process improvement tool with significant potential for improving CM processes. The possibilities for improving pharmaceutical manufacturing are enormous.CITATION:Romañach, R J, 2017. Theory of Sampling – from missing link to key enabler for process analytical technology, in Proceedings Eighth World Conference on Sampling and Blending , pp 63–68 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

May 9, 2017

The flotation circuit handling Peko ore at Peko Mines N.L. was examined in July 1970 with a view to determining simple changes in circuitry or reagents which could improve the grade and recovery of the final copper concentrates. The investigation included sampling over one shift followed by detailed testing of the samples by sizing-assays, sizing-mineralogy and sizing-liberation. Mass balances were carried out over total streams, the component minerals and the copper contents. Some laboratory work was carried out to assess the effect of salinity on flotation. In order to handle the sizing-mineralogy calculations a computer programme was set up. The raw data were corrected for locking factors, then mineral and elemental distributions cal- culated for each screen fraction and the total sample. Calculated assays from grain counting were compared with chemical assays. Recoveries through the size-ranges re- vealed very rapid flotation of copper minerals at sizes below 350 mesh. This pointed to a possible circuit improvement by desliming rougher tailings ahead of the scavenger stage. A strong correlation was found between water in concentrates and gangue recovery for the subsieve sizes. This pointed to clean water additions to the cleaner circuit as a way to 1 Project Consultant, The Australian Mineral Development Laboratories, Adelaide, South Australia.

Jan 1, 1972

By Williams C

A stibnite concentrate from Golden Spec (WA) was subjected to a series of tests involving high pressure cyanidation and pressure oxidation followed by conventional cyanidation. The concentrate, whose gold content was 18.1 g/t, yielded only eight per cent of the gold when leached directly by a standard 24-hour cyanidation test. The recovery was increased to only 15 per cent when pressure cyanided under the following conditions: ambient temperature, 2000 kPa oxygen pressure, two hour retention time and 30 per cent w/w solids pulp density. This poor response to pressure cyanidation emphasised the refractoriness of the material. Evidence of the fine distribution of the gold through the concentrate, from measurements of the particle sizing distribution and the gold analyses of the individual fractions, also suggested that this concentrate was highly refractory. Pressure oxidation of the concentrate at elevated temperatures followed by cyanidation yielded recoveries as high as 94 per cent. However a preoxidation treatment under the following conditions was necessary: 230¦C, 2000 kPa oxygen pressure for a period of four hours.

Jan 1, 1992

By B P. Banerjee, S Raval

In the recent past there have been dramatic advancements in the development of remote sensing platforms (satellite, aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles – UAVs) as well as sensor systems (multispectral, hyperspectral, thermal, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and radar). However, selection of the appropriate remote sensing technique for a mining application is complex and requires scrutiny on multiple scales including spatial, temporal and imaging capabilities. This presentation highlights various conventional and emerging remote sensing approaches over a mine’s life.CITATION:Banerjee, B P and Raval, S, 2016. Applications of advanced remote sensing systems during a mine life, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2016 Conference , pp 116–120 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jun 28, 2016

By A Sturgess, P McKenna, P D. Erskine, D Doley, V C. Glenn

For more than four decades, rehabilitated lands in the Bowen Basin have been planted with buffel grass (Cenchrus Ciliaris), which is often used to provide rapid, stabilising and erosion reducing cover to reshaped landforms (Erskine and Fletcher, 2013; Harwood, Hacker and Mott, 1999; Grigg, Shelton and Mullen, 2000; Naidu et al, 1997). Historically introduced to Central Queensland and encouraged by pastoralists in the early 1900s (Humphreys, 1967), the species has been extensively used by mine managers in seeding mixes (Coaldrake and Russell, 1970; Edye, 1975), and the invasive nature of the grass has led to the monodominance in rehabilitated areas of semi-arid Central Queensland. With 40 open cut coalmines in Central Queensland (Department of Natural Resources and Mines, 2015), a considerable amount of land is either disturbed mine footprint (156 200 ha) or rehabilitated (29 200 ha) (Dale, 2015), and the bulk of rehabilitation consists of relatively young (<30-year-old) developing ecosystems, with demonstrated biomass fuel loads up to 20 t/ha (Grigg, Shelton and Mullen, 2000).Uncontrolled fire poses a significant risk to rehabilitated landforms that are located in close proximity to mining infrastructure, neighbouring communities, open pits with exposed flammable coal seams and flammable stockpiled coal resource. Mine lease holders in Queensland have the added responsibility of managing and protecting any endangered regional ecosystem communities, and flora and fauna listed federally under the Environment Protection Biodiversity and Conservation Act 1999 or the State Vegetation Management Act 1999; as well as, any culturally significant sites such as scar trees or middens that are found on-site. Additionally, uncontrolled fire in rehabilitated landscapes poses a significant risk to mine site closure goals, with the potential to create altered states and stalled ecological trajectories (Grant, 2006). CITATION:McKenna, P, Glenn, V, Erskine, P D, Doley, D and Sturgess, A, 2016. Fire behaviour in buffel grass dominated mine site rehabilitation in Central Queensland, Australia, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2016 Conference , pp 158–162 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jun 28, 2016

By Draper J. J, Lang S. C

Regional geological mapping and facies analysis of the Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous Keelbottom Group of the Burdekin Basin have resulted in a depositional model representing six siliciclastic-carbonate facies. The six facies represent alluvial fan, braidplain delta, siliciclastic shoreline, siliciclastic shallow marine, restricted siliciclastic/carbonate shelf, and carbonate shoal depositional environments. These facies are identified in the Star beds which are equated with and included in the Keelbottom Group in this paper. Facies are repeated throughout the Group, as a result of two transgressive-regressive cycles.The first transgression recognised in the Keelbottom Group began in the mid-Famennian, and followed deposition of the Late Devonian Dotswood Group. It was marked by the deposition of Siliciclastic Shoreline facies in the basal Myrtlevale Formation, which was succeeded by Siliciclastic Shallow Marine facies at the peak of the transgression. The return of Siliciclastic Shoreline facies in the upper part of the Myrtlevale Formation marked the onset of the first regression, which resulted in the progradation of Braidplain Delta facies from the northwest of the basin. During the peak of this regression, deposition in the western part of the basin was dominated by Alluvial Fan facies.

Jan 1, 1990

By S Farrokhpay, M Zanin

Although it is well understood that in flotation collection zone and froth zone are deeply interconnected, and reagents (and in particular collectors and frothers) cannot be selected without considering their synergistic effect, this concept is rarely applied in plant practice. The feed mineralogy also has an important role in how particles and reagents interact in flotation, which is sometimes overlooked by operators. In this work, a combination of batch flotation tests and froth stability measurements was used to optimise the collector and frother scheme for the flotation of a copper ore. The methodology was applied to an Australian copper plant which was experiencing high variability in froth stability in the roughers when the feed ore mineralogy was changing. It was hypothesised that chalcopyrite in the feed in combination with isobutyl-xanthate had a destabilising effect on the froth phase under the reagents scheme used. Froth stability was restored if a shorter chain length, less hydrophobic, xanthate was employed. It is apparent that the hydrophobicity of adsorbed films at the solid/liquid/air interfaces has a critical role in enhancing or reducing froth stability. Unstable froth causes a reduction in copper recovery in spite of a high collection zone flotation rate. The case study suggests that collection zone and froth zone can rarely be optimised independently of each other. With the laboratory procedure adopted, a more suitable reagents scheme was determined to respond to changes in the feed mineralogy, avoiding fluctuations in plant performance due to unexpected froth instability.CITATION:Farrokhpay, S and Zanin, M, 2012. Synergic effect of collector and frother on froth stability and flotation recovery - An industrial case, in Proceedings 11th AusIMM Mill OperatorsÆ Conference, pp 145-150 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Oct 29, 2012

By M S. Tuohy

Poorly judged or under-appreciated change plays a role in many major accidents. In particular, operational changes related to continuous improvement, maintenance and introduction of new technology can lead to unintended safety (and other) consequences. This paper provides an overview of the role of management of change in preventing unwanted impacts on safety, community relationships and the environment. It draws on a range of incidents covering mining, minerals processing, refining and smelting where inadequately assessed or ineffectively implemented change led to significant safety, environmental or community consequences. The paper will also highlight cases of well-managed complex change and the underlying model of decision-making in place to make those decisions. All these examples are drawn from Atturra’s experience in response to accidents or working with sites to improve their management systems. The paper will report on the challenges of applying conventional risk assessment approaches to complex or technically significant change. These typically result in either onerous and lengthy change procedures that are prone to workarounds or poor implementation. Conversely, ‘light touch’ or efficiency driven change processes present the risk of intended consequences by failing to bring appropriate expertise to bear in decision-making. Such balances can be resolved by considering the designation of ‘technical authority’ with appropriate expertise to consider the change and deconflict any production, cost or schedule trade-offs. Finally, the paper will reflect on the key components of management of change systems in the context of major accidents, highlighting good practice in how they are implemented. This will consider the integration of existing corporate processes, risk management and organisational structures into management of change systems, not just the content of change forms and procedures.

Apr 16, 2024

By I Manege, S M. Bennett

The PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC) operation is a large scale coalmine operating on the east coast of Kalimantan (Borneo), Indonesia. Originally developed under a coal contract of work (CCOW) with the Indonesian Government, new legislation has led to uncertainty as to the actual life of the mine, the size of the operating lease or mining area, the rehabilitation compliance requirements and other areas of concern. The actual life-of-mine (LOM) plan is therefore in a constant state of flux and must be updated and modified with every new piece of information.Under the CCOW system, the mine life ran from the first year of production (1992) for 30 years (2021), with the potential to extend for a further two ten-year periods. KPC has always intended to run until at least 2041. Under the new legislation, the potential term of the CCOW (to be replaced by a mining license) is open to interpretation, resulting in KPC having to prepare plans allowing for a LOM that may end in 2021, 2031, 2041 or a range of other possible periods of time.Uncertainty about legislation (and hence the mine life) possible production rates and available work areas; variable coal prices and costs; varying management contexts; the substantial reserves available; difficulty sourcing dump space; potential rehabilitation costs and the dependence of a community of over 100 000 people on a single operation sees the LOM and mine closure teams preparing dynamic yet thoroughly robust plans that are updated on multiple occasions per year.This paper will describe the procedure followed by KPC and the potentially show stopping issues that must be dealt with.CITATION:Bennett, S M and Manege, I, ?2014. Life-of-mine planning in a dynamic environment, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2014 , pp 379–388 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 16, 2014

By Hargraves A. J

At 4 MPa gas pres ure and 30°C the sorptive capacity of 10 selected Australian dried coal ranges from 17 to 23 m3/tonne of CH4 and 27 to 36 m3/tonne of CO2. Values for moist coals are about 25 per cent less. At 20°C, sorptive capacities are about 18 per cent greater. No clear relationship between coal rank and sorptive capacity was established.The permeability of coal to gas is dramatically reduced by progressive hydrostatic confinement. No single 'permeability' for a coal can be established because of relative affinities of coals and the gases (Ar, CH4 and CO2) used in experiments. Bedding plane permeability is significantly greater than permeability normal to bedding. Dependent on gas/coal combinations, permeabilities without confinement ranged from 150 to 0.05 millidarcies, and with 8 MPa hydrostatic confinement from 1.0 to 0.001 md. Generally, permeability is increased by reduction in temperature, and reduced by increase in moisture as one changes from Ar through CH4 to CO2. In retrospect, it is preferable to ubject permeability sample to 8 MPa hydrostatic stress only once, because changes occur in the samples and it is difficult to use other gases successively.The initial rate of desorption, DP, does not appear to be a reliable index of proneness to instantaneou outbursts for Australian coals.The methods used for determining quantitative gas-coal properties appear suitable and reliable for testing other coals.

Jan 1, 1985