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The Western Australian Mineral Sands Industry has tried a number of different mining methods to efficiently exploit the potentially very large reserves of mineral sands in this state.The size of the operation, the location, the type and composition of the orebody contribute towards the choice of current mining techniques.The methods applied to these areas are described as well as reference made to other techniques which will . make possible the exploitation of lower grade reserves.

Jan 1, 1986

The mining activities on the North Mine leases have, over the years, followed the orebody from the shallower depths at the southern end of the lease as it continued northwards at progressively increasing depths.Commencing from the south end, in the early days small shafts were used to obtain access to the orebody at the moderate depths involved.

Jan 1, 1957

This paper looks at the problems associated with surface settlements and other subsidence effects from the underground extraction of coal in relation to consent applications under the Resource Management Act. The main features of subsidence are examined with respect to identifying the adverse effects as defined under the RMA. Particular attention is paid to sites where little or no data is available as in the case of greenfield sites or at mines where new or different mining methods are being introduced. In these situations it is not possible to make accurate predictions of settlements or strains and therefore other factors need to be considered. The long term effects which might occur post mining are examined in relation to mitigation and management options.

Jan 1, 2003

There are three major human resource management activities which, depending on how well they are done, impact on the performance of people and therefore the bottom line. These are: ò recruitment; ò training and development; and ò performance appraisal. Most sizeable organisations would say they are involved in all three, but there are many more that would admit that their human resource management practices are limited to recruitment. If we concentrate on the organisations that currently undertake all three, we have to ask, `Are they using different systems/benchmarks for each activity, or is there congruence between the activities?'. Our experience is that most organisations use different systems/benchmarks. The end result is: ò one set of criteria to recruit staff; ò another to identify their training needs; ò and yet another set of criteria to measure their staff's Performance.

Jan 1, 1995

Gold recovery by catalytic copper ammonium thiosulphate solution has been studied. Such a process strategy is very attractive for leaching certain difficult-to-treat ores and presents lessened lixiviant toxicity compared to cyanide. Newmont Gold Company has evaluated the ammonium thiosulphate heap leach process for gold recovery from low-grade carbonaceous sulphidic refractory ores following biooxidation. The ammonium thiosulphate leach process has been studied in laboratory, pilot plant and demonstration scale. Satisfactory test results support the continuation of process development. However, the thiosulphate leach chemistry was found to be very complex. Maximum control of the stability of the leaching system is a key factor for success, especially for the heap leach process. Important solution chemistry is discussed in this paper.

Jan 1, 1997

It is a facet of modern-day life that change, even of a revolu- tionary nature, normally passes without comment. People have become so conditioned to continuous improve- ments in every aspect of their lives that they would be surprised only if there were to be no change. This paper seeks to demonstrate the extent of technical change, and to indicate the need for a fuller advantage to be taken of the technologies available, or potentially available, to the profes- sion. It contends that the mineral industry has been particularly slow to embrace technical change, and has good reason to con- sider an improved attitude for both prosperity and survival.

Jan 1, 1988

The optimisation of human resources provides the path to improving productivity. British Coal has the goal of competitiveness with a quality product in ensured supply. High class skilled professional management teams will analyse job definition and selection procedures for posts, as well as objectives for and delivery of effective management training.Some fundamental changes in attitudes towards training as a means of achievement may be by managers at all levels self-examining their abilities to improve their styles, and by moving training more into the world of high technology techniques. The resulting improvements to management and training with attendant cost benefits will be enjoyed by the companies responding most effectively to these challenges.

Jan 1, 1991

By Moxon NT

The detonation pressure of ANFO can be significantly reduced by the addition of low density materials such as polystyrene, bagasse, sawdust or perlite. Laboratory and field test results have shown that homogene- ous mixtures of these low density explosives can be produced in a bowl truck and loaded into a blast hole without segregation. The detonation pressure of the mixture can be tailored to suit the material to be blasted by varying the quantity of low density additive incorporated into the mix- ture. Results obtained in the field indicate that these low density explo- sives can lead to significant cost savings without compromising fragmentation or production.

Jan 1, 1988

Outbursts of coal and gas are coupled both in their nature and mechanism and take place under varied sets of physical and geological conditions. The main interacting factors are geology and seam structure, seam gas composition and pressure and strata stress. By pre-draining the seam gas in advance of workings one of the factors contributing to outbursts is removed. One method of pre- draining gas from the coal seam or from areas of geological disturbance is to drill long horizontal holes in the coal seam. The technology to drill horizontal holes up to 600 m in the coal seam is now available by hydraulic control of the rotation and thrust on the drill bit and accurate survey methods to determine the vertical and horizontal position of the drill bit.

Jan 1, 1980

While sampling techniques used by the mineral industry continue to improve, sampling is still an area which is often neglected. It is often left to personnel who do not fully appreciate the significance and importance of sampling. Yet sampling and sample processing are of vital importance. There is little point in making major capital investments in the latest analytical equipment and spending considerable time obtaining the best analytical precision, if the sample provided for analysis is seriously biased in the first place.

Jan 1, 1976

By Cole NH

Substantial savings in terms of project time, cost, and financial viability can result through the expert involvement of independent financial advisors in the early stages of any mining project's preparation. This role is not confined to project financing, financial modelling, valuations and corporate finance advice, but may in the early stages be much more strategic in nature, covering a wide group of subject areas. A number of separate examples and case studies are outlined, which show the manner in which financial advisors can be effectively used. The benefits arising from involving an additional professional team with the project group must be offset against the separate and additional cost factors involved.

Jan 1, 1986

During the 22 years that Isa Mine has been formally involved in accident prevention, it has succeeded in reducing its lost time injury frequency rate by 70 per cent. At present its performance compares very favourably with that of other heavy industries and in particular that of other underground metalliferous mines. When reductions such as this are recorded, people want to know how it is achieved. No doubt it is assumed that if an organisation can maintain a consistent performance in accident reduction, it must have developed a panacea for the prevention of industrial injuries. This assumption would not be in accordance with the facts in the case of Isa Mine which has achieved its record through plain hard work and plenty of it.

Jan 1, 1975

Sampling is an integral part of gold bullion analysis. Gold mining industries sell millions of dollars worth of gold on the basis of analyses. Biased sampling can cause a serious loss in terms of monetary value to a mining company; hence accurate sampling is of great importance. The sampling procedures for gold bullion will be described. Emphasis is given to the most reliable method of obtaining a representative sample from a gold bar. The problems associated with sample preparation will also be discussed.The sampling procedure at the Kalgoorlie Metallurgical Laboratory will be evaluated in the light of comparative results from the Australian Gold Refineries (Perth, Kalgoorlie). The most common sampling practices adopted by different gold mining companies in the Goldfields and Australian Gold Refineries, Western Australia will also be presented.

Jan 1, 1976

Both blast furnace and steel furnace slags have been used extensively and successfully on main line railroads in the United States for more than 25 years. Annually, these slags are being used as ballast at the rate of about 4 million tonnes of blast furnace slag and 1 mil- lion tonnes of steel furnace slag, much of it on main line with 90 metric tonne car loadings. More steel furnace slag would be used if it was available. Both slags meet all the specification limits of the American Railway Engineering Association. Actual use on high density rail- roads has confirmed the long range economics of their use. Comparison of laboratory tests, such as Los Angeles abrasion, with actual field per- formance has shown conclusively that commonly used laboratory tests can not be used to accu- rately compare the quality of various types of ballast materials.

Jan 1, 1979

By Coppock BW, Scott TC, Firkin GR

The pollution control measures taken on the Imperial Smelting Process (ISP) operated at Cockle Creek are described together with environmental monitoring strategy and the statutory restraints applied in New South Wales. An outline of developments in the gaseous, liquid and noise control areas is given.

Jan 1, 1975

By Ranford LC

Modern, research-based approaches to mineral exploration are essential to the future maintenance of the mineral industry. These need to fully utilise the rapidly expanding growth of understanding of the evolution of the earth's crust, and be properly integrated with advances in understanding of chemical and physical processes involved in ore formation. BMR has a major role to play in supporting the growth and utilisation of this research base, as well as maintaining the national geological and geophysical bases which are essential both to tactical and strategic interests of Australia and of its mineral industry. The objective development of data-process modelling is one target of such strategic research based on a more integrated approach to research by BMR, mineral companies, CSIRO and the universities with emphasis given to promoting positive feedback during research activities. Examples of the success of strategic research in Australia and overseas are noted in the Text.

Jan 1, 1986

Improvements in mechanisation should not be considered independently of safety and of environmental hazards. The need to keep gas contents within statutory limits may make the time needed to partially drain a gassy seam the effective control on face development times. Dust levels may provide an effective control on coal extraction rates on any one face. The combination of gas and dust on high output longwall faces may make it necessary for each one to be treated as a separate mine in terms of ventilation, and the faceworkers may need special protection. Mechanisation and safety can be mutually beneficial when mechanisation combined with systematic safety assessment reduces accidents, and when a thorough study of how to reduce accidents and health risks indicates the best method to improve mechanisation.

Jan 1, 1988

By Firkin G. R

The Imperial Smelting Process Smelter at Sulphide Corporation is one of the earliest plants of its type, and over twenty-eight years of operation the annual output has almost doubled. This has been achieved through continuing development of the component processes, with several innovations introduced by Sulphide Corporation now being used by other licensees of the process. Main development trends have been: 1. Adapting aspects of iron blast furnace technology to the Imperial Smelting Furnace. 2. Change to the use of mixed concentrates and residues as feed materials, with development of sintering techniques to handle these materials. 3. Increasing byproduct recovery and processing to yield value-added products whenever practical. Planned development includes trials of a continuous slag fuming process, and expanding smelter output to 95 000 try of zinc.

Jan 1, 1989

By Denholm WT

Current control practice is reviewed for agglomeration processes, including pelletising, sintering and induration; and for smelting processes, including blast and reverberatory furnaces, flash smelting, the intensive bath smelting processes together with converting. The importance of sensors for on-line control and the status of mathematical modelling is discussed.Future progress in automatic control will require improved component specific sensors and the use of validated mathematical models running in parallel with the process. The possibilities in both these areas are reviewed in light of the trends towards more intensive smelting processes.

Jan 1, 1985

By A Nixon

The Australian mining industry has changed dramatically over the past 20 years in terms of mining methods, mining equipment and human resource policies. The industryÆs approach to safety and health in terms of attitudes, style of legislation, and risk management techniques has also changed significantly. These changes have had and continue to have major impacts on the design of underground mine ventilation systems. In some areas, trends are clearly emerging. In other areas, mine ventilation planning remains very æreactiveÆ and is performing poorly in terms of providing a safe and healthy work environment at a reasonable cost. New concepts involving the role of ramps and shafts, the provision of refrigerated air, æventilation on demandÆ and newe gress and entrapment approaches are likely to be incorporated into mine planning and operating practices over the next ten years. This paper discusses these and other trends and identifies some likely future developments in the area of hardrock mine ventilation.

Jan 1, 2005