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Many mining companies aim to integrate sustainability principles into their new projects. There is an intention for improvement, but frequently this results in little more than 'business as usual' projects that retrospectively categorise controls for environmental and social risks as sustainability initiatives as part of a public relations exercise. The successful implementation of sustainability requires a change of mind-set and behaviours at an organisational and personal level. In addition, sustainability incorporates a very wide range of interests and technical disciplines. One of the key challenges is in understanding how and when to pull these diverse threads together within a project or organisational process. This paper will explore a number of themes: What does it mean to implement a project in accordance with sustainability principles? How far beyond 'business as usual' is it reasonable to go, and what is the business case for this? Why do the intentions for sustainability sometimes fail and how can we prevent this happening in future? People are instrumental in delivering sustainability; how do we embed sustainability thinking into their behaviours and decision-making? The approaches that have been taken to integrating sustainability in design; what has and has not worked and some of the barriers to integrating sustainability into design? The authors will discuss these themes drawing on case studies from URS' experience in integrating sustainability into large projects. The authors will discuss the need for: a strategic approach which provides a simple framework for tactical decision-making and the consequences of taking tactical decisions in the absence of this framework, alignment of the project team and promotion of a culture of innovation, a shift from a risk/compliance mentality to an opportunity identification mindset, and a systematic approach to integrating sustainability into project design processes.

Jun 1, 2010

By M Frenzel

At the last MassMin Conference in Sudbury, Caterpillar’s vision of a continuous mining concept for block caving operations was presented on the background of global raw material demand and its continuous increase. By analysing today’s structure of mining processes in block caving, the paper (Krings, Steinberg and Frenzel, 2012) highlighted the main bottlenecks in the process chain and identified conceptual solutions by help of a case study. The main focus was the paradigm shift from discontinuous batch type operation to a continuous mining process of the blocks.In 2016, the strategic vision has taken major strides forwards and remote continuous operation has become a reality. Caterpillar’s continuous operation system – the Rock Flow system – was successfully installed in Codelco’s Andina mine and start of operation is scheduled in the first half of 2016.Based on continuous product developments, this paper sets the focus on two main aspects of continuous mining. First, field experiences of the Rock Flow system will be shared, highlighting the Andina project course from system installation, to commissioning and successful system start. The second aspect concentrates on the system and mine layout as discussed in the case study scenario in MassMin 2012 (Krings, Steinberg and Frenzel, 2012).Based on Caterpillar`s continuous product development, the Rock Flow system set-up and panel design were modified for a general roadway design and drawpoint layout. The new design allows an optimised use in block preparation phase (spreading) and full production phase (reaping), operating a fleet of load-haul-dumps (LHDs) and Rock Flow systems. The combined use of the two technologies optimises the mining process in every stage of block life and significantly increases the performance of the continuous block caving operation in the production panel to pave the road for the next generation of super caves.CITATION:Frenzel, M, 2016. New continuous production system in block cave mining – the rock flow system, in Proceedings Seventh International Conference and Exhibition on Mass Mining (MassMin 2016), pp 543–548 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

May 9, 2016

We often read and hear, especially in the United States, that we are running out of critical metals. These are vague forebodings of stagna- tion or winding down of our civilization. Our technological progress has been rapid in the last 50 years and is still advancing at an accelerated rate, and predictions of its long-term impact on consumption and production of metals are more hazardous than ever in the light of the great economic and political shifts that are bound to continue. There are many factors that will have a hardly predictable but profound effect on pro- duction and consumption of metals over a time span of, say, 25 years. Among such factors are recycling, substitution, availability of capital, direct involvement of governments in financing and production, and the capability of producing much lower grade ores at possibly much higher prices relative to costs in the event of scarcity. I must state at the outset that my discussion of this topic does not take into account the role that deep-sea nodules containing copper, nickel, cobalt, and manganese may play, because I don't believe production from these deposits will be of much significance within the 25 year span I will be discussing.

Jan 1, 1978

By G Booth

Whilst communications systems in the mining industry have evolved over the years, the premise remains consistent that reliable communication is vital for safety and operational efficiency. TodayÆs open pit mines are benefiting from advanced developmental efforts based on mesh networking hardware and software technology. This paper highlights Rajant CorporationÆs adaptation of technology, originally developed for the defence and first responder industries, to provide wireless network connectivity in open pit mining applications. Featured is the large-scale deployment of over 300 mobile, meshing access points in the Bingham Canyon Copper mine near Salt Lake City, Utah, the worldÆs largest open pit copper mine. Many companies have positioned themselves, their technology and their product line in the arena of rugged outdoor wireless broadband mesh networking infrastructure. However, Rajant Corporation has combined specialised command and control software and portable networks which offer network extensibility and redundancy that are not available in any other networking solution. Rajant CorporationÆs BreadCrumb« offers unique traits in portability and non-line-of-site networking nodes which intelligently route and broadcast in standard 802.11 protocol. The advantage of RajantÆs solution is especially valuable for users needing equipment moved easily and rapidly into and out of the theatre of operations with uninterrupted network availability. The main differentiators that set the BreadCrumb« network apart from the competitors are mobility (continuous availability), simplicity, ability to properly load balance and power options. In 2007, RajantÆs BreadCrumb« wireless mesh system was selected by the Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation (KUCC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto, as its primary communications platform for operations within the Bingham Canyon Copper mine, the worldÆs largest open pit copper mine. The Rajant BreadCrumb« technology enables KUCC to gain additional operational efficiencies by tracking, monitoring and managing its copper mining operations. The primary goal of using the BreadCrumb« wireless mesh system Kennecott was to streamline its complex mining operations. KUCC required a high number of moving wireless nodes for improving mine monitoring and control. The Rajant InstaMesh« software running on the wireless BreadCrumb« units connects hundreds of devices to each other while rapidly transporting critical operational data. Kennecott has successfully implemented a large number of BreadCrumb« radios in an interconnected network that allows loader trucks, shovels, pumps, laptops and other production equipment to communicate with each other in real-time. These systems are a mix of secure access nodes that enable data and voice communications across a meshed, self-healing network for fleet dispatch, health monitoring and other critical mining applications. Many of the devices that require wireless communications are moving at all times throughout the wireless mining infrastructure. The BreadCrumb« nodes rapidly adapt to any changes in the network topology, assuring that IP traffic uptime and bandwidth are maximised. The installation layout and data network specifics, as well as maps and data network efficiencies will be detailed in the paper.

Jan 1, 2008

By X Li, R Chu, X Deng

The hot-dip galvanising industry is the largest consumer of zinc, with over 40 per cent of the world’s total annual production of zinc used for galvanised steel. The dross generated in the hot-dip galvanising coating process is a valuable co-product, since it contains high quantities of recyclable metal. A new method to recover the metal from the industrial galvanising dross was proposed using supergravity separation. During the hot-dip galvanising process, the presence of zinc dross has a serious impact on the surface quality of the hot-dip galvanised sheet, forming zinc dross defects. To reduce the impact of zinc dross, the zinc dross on the surface of the zinc pool needs to be manually or mechanically removed at regular intervals. However, during the dross removal process, a large amount of metal zinc is inevitably carried out, resulting in low zinc utilisation rate and high zinc loss rate. This article proposes an efficient and low-cost technology for the recycling and utilisation of hotdip galvanised dross, which uses super-gravity technology to recover hot-dip galvanised dross online. The metal in the hot-dip galvanised dross returns to the zinc pot in situ, while a small part of the dross remains in the super-gravity equipment, which can reduce the amount of zinc dross by more than 60 per cent and achieve a reduction in zinc loss from 17 per cent to less than 7 per cent.

Jun 19, 2024

By P J. Bangerter, J Pan

Optimising for Net Present Value (NPV) with a strategic optimiser such as COMET, Prober-E, Blaser or Minemax has hitherto lacked a dynamic method for analysing the so-called third-order outcomes (such as Carbon emissions) of optimisation within life-of-mine planning. Optimisation, per se, has natural effects on carbon emissions in a life-of-mine plan. Contemporary strategic planning employs a mathematical optimiser to make sense of non-linear data (ie a block model) and produces a best-NPV optimised mining schedule, within a set of constraints. The very act of optimisation influences emissions, and in a dynamic way.

Aug 2, 2023

Gold deposits in Eastern China have characteristic of belted distribution. The concentrating belts of gold mineralization are about parallel to the island are belt in Western Pacific Ocean. Gold deposits are mainly concentrated in the aged metamorphic rock series on the upwarping zones and upwarping fault zones, and obviously controlled by the deep fractures and their deriva-tive secondary faults. Gold mineralization had genetic relation to the Mesozoic (especially Yanshan period) magmatic activity. The distribution and genesis of gold deposits can be explained by the assumption of wavy structure. The formation of wavy structure is related to the process of Pacific plate and India plate.

Jan 1, 1990

By M Thompson, N Vines, Z Hearne, S Lam, G A. Gomes-Sebastiaõ, D van der Spuy

Construction and commissioning of the Nova Copper-Nickel project of Independence Group was completed in late 2016. The plant is in the Fraser Range of Western Australia, about 120km east of Norseman and produces separate Copper and Nickel concentrates. Since the early feasibility phases of the project, the importance of automation and control was recognised and planned for to ensure the plant performance meets the design expectations. The site is well equipped with common as well as advanced instrumentation. It currently boasts the largest number of Blue Cube MQi (mineral quantifier inline) slurry grade analysers on a single plant worldwide. It was also decided that 25 Blue Cube TempoTracks would be installed on the flotation cells. The TempoTracks provide information on froth height and velocity, hence giving continuous, quantitative measurements of the froth that is pulled off each cell, rather than relying on infrequent, subjective visual inspections.The Nova concentrator consists of a differential flotation circuit whereby copper bearing mineral are selectively floated prior to nickel flotation. It is imperative that losses of copper to the nickel circuit, and vice versa, are minimised. The plant metallurgical team and Process IQ collaborated to develop and implement the advanced control strategy for the plant. This paper focusses on the optimisation of the copper concentrate that is pulled off the copper rougher and scavengers. This strategy was made possible by the additional measurements listed above. The control optimisation of the copper rougher and copper rougher scavenger circuit was implemented during August 2017 on the StarCSTM advanced control platform. It continuously optimises the level and air setpoints. The control philosophy incorporates several notable techniques which include: a variable mass pull target that is a function of the quantity and grade of material entering the circuit, integrated compensation to prevent inventory build-up in cells, balancing of the froth velocity over the lip of each cell to adaptive, modular system usage and advanced error handling. CITATION:Gomes-Sebastiaõ, G A, Hearne, Z, Lam, S, van der Spuy, D, Thompson, M and Vines, N, 2018. Nova copper-nickel project optimisation of the copper rougher-scavenger circuit through advanced measurement and control, in Proceedings 14th AusIMM Mill Operators' Conference 2018, pp 77–92 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 29, 2018

Blast furnace slags which fall into the quaternary system SiO2 - A1203 - MgO - CaO have latent hydraulic properties which depend on the degree of vitrification. When the oxides com- bine to form Calcium Silicate Hydrates and other products of hydration the bonds between elements are at a lower energy level than those which exist in the glassy state. Transition from the glassy state to the crystalline state is thermo- dynamically favoured and, in the context of this paper, such slags possess internal energy. Manufacture of Portland cement is respon- sible for about 3.6 per cent of total industrial energy consumption in Canada. Pyroprocessing accounts for about 83 per cent of this figure or 3 per cent of the total. The processing of blast furnace slag to a condition in which it can be used as a partial substitute for Portland cement requires no pyroprocessing and, on average, only about 11 per cent of the energy needed for Portland cement. In North America the benefits of slag as a cementitious materials have been obscured by other considerations, the most important being commercial strategy. This situation has under- gone radical change as a result of the rising cost of energy, and government pressures to conserve energy.

Jan 1, 1979

By L Alem

In the field of mineral extraction, complex technologies are being introduced in mines, operators/technicians rely on assistance from an expert (or more) in order to keep their machines functioning. Personnel with such expertise, however, are not always physically on-site. There is a growing need for innovative technological solutions to support effective delivery, just in time, of remote guidance between an offsite expert and an on-site maintenance operator. To meet this need, we have, as part of our Human System Integration project within the CSIRO’s Minerals Down Under (MDU), Transforming the Future Mine theme, explored the usefulness of a number of emerging technologies including: augmented reality, wearable systems and touch table interfaces. This paper presents ReMoTe, an augmented realty system for remote guiding using a touch table interface for the expert station and a combination of augmented reality and a wearable system at the operator end. In designing this system we were interested in exploring the extent to which it can increase the productivity and safety of maintenance personnel. This paper also presents Mobile ReMote, our recent development of a fully mobile remote guiding system. In Mobile ReMote, both the expert and the operator are using a near eye display and wearing a light computer in a back pack. The expert is able to guide the operator using his/her hands on the virtual display, while the operator is able to see the instructions on the rear eye display. Workers in the mining industry are highly mobile, a mobile expert and operator station will meet this need.

Nov 22, 2011

By B Patterson, Y Lanwin

Over the last decade the adoption of autonomous technology has proven its potential to fundamentally alter the mining industry, offering significant improvements in safety and productivity. Automation levels are now increasing exponentially across all parts of the supply chain from drilling, haulage, processing, rail and shipping to the maintenance of the above. However, the management of human error risk is also becoming increasingly complex as the disconnect between the people who operate and interact with mining equipment and those that design the autonomous systems grows in terms of skill and expertise. Furthermore, as comfort levels with automation increases amongst operators, complacency is increasing as the initial functional safety benefits have been realised. This paper introduces an innovative concept that unites two distinct fields, functional safety and behavioural economics, to address the complex issue of human error risk in autonomous mining operations. Functional safety, a well-established field in engineering involves identifying potential hazards, assessing risks and designing systems in a way that minimises the chances of accidents and limits their consequences. Meanwhile, behavioural economics takes a data centric approach to analysing the psychological aspects of human decision-making, acknowledging and seeking to understand the errors that can originate from cognitive biases and heuristics. This paper seeks to bridge these domains by emphasising that human error in autonomous mining is not solely a technical issue but is deeply influenced by human behaviour and decision-making processes. By incorporating insights from behavioural economics, we can better predict, prevent and manage human errors in the mining sector. By applying principles from both disciplines to a recent incident example we will explore how cognitive biases can impact peoples’ interactions with autonomous mining equipment. This interdisciplinary approach will not only enhance the design and implementation of functional safety measures in mining but also lead to the development of people centric solutions that consider the inherent fallibility of people. We will explore how human centred design can help bridge the gap between these two domains and apply systems thinking for a universal approach. Through an indepth case study analysis and empirical data, our research aims to provide actionable insights and practical recommendations for mining industry professionals, regulators and stakeholders involved in the safe integration of autonomous systems.

Apr 16, 2024

By T Walkemeyer, R Elliott, D Chang-Martin

Over the past decade, discrete element method (DEM) simulations have seen increasing adoption by the resources sector to inform the design of materials handling equipment such as transfer chutes, bins and hoppers. But, if ‘all models are wrong, but some are useful’ (Box, 1979) what approaches are available to check that a DEM simulation is useful? How to avoid garbage in equals garbage out. This work considers what properties of bulk solid flow behaviour are important to transfer chute simulation. Cohesive bulk solids (such as sticky iron ore fines) can develop sufficient strength to form a stable cohesive arch, this phenomenon is not well predicted by measurements of angle of repose. This work presents a two-part approach to the development of a useful DEM model that can be used to add value to the design and optimisation of bulk materials handling equipment. Part 1 is the calibration of not just one, but a range of material models chosen to envelope the range of anticipated materials that will be handled. This work describes the DEM simulation of a batch of direct shear cell tests to develop material models that can be measured by the same metrics routinely used to characterise the flowability of cohesive iron ore fines. Part 2 of this work describes systematic methods for validation of the transfer chute DEM simulations. The DEM model is only useful if it can adequately represent the typical problems observed within a transfer chute, such as blockages due to build-up and cohesive arching. Proper validation requires good observations. Validation examples of site observations are shown side-byside with simulations to demonstrate the adequacy of the DEM model and calibration approach. DEM simulations have the potential to add significant value by allowing engineers and designers to predict material flow-through equipment based on a range of material properties, allowing for stress testing designs and making iterative improvements.

Sep 18, 2023

By D Johns, L Murray

This paper discusses pore pressures in the embankments of tailings dams by comparing real world data with common design assumptions. Assessment of pore pressures has implications on material behaviour interpretation from CPT investigations and, therefore, on the design. For example, the assumption of hydrostatic pressure is conservative for limit equilibrium stability analyses but may be un-conservative in assessing the potential for contractive behaviour and strength loss during shearing. This paper presents some real world data, the investigation methods to determine the pore pressures, and subsequent interpretation of CPT data and material parameters such as the state parameter. It also examines the design implications of assuming a hydrostatic pressure distribution, by comparing results from that assumption with those obtained using the real pore pressures.CITATION:Johns, D and Murray, L, 2018. Characterisation of pore pressure in tailings dams and the implications for design, in Proceedings Mine Waste and Tailings Stewardship Conference 2018, pp 239–249 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 23, 2018

By D J. Robinson, L L. Kuhar

In-situ recovery (ISR) is accepted and applied across many geographies, and approximately 50% of the world’s uranium is currently extracted by using an ISR method (World Nuclear Association, 2014). The low environmental impact, the elimination of risk for mine workers and the fact that all of the lowest-cost producers of uranium use an ISR approach should raise interest from traditional miners (IAEA, 2014). However, the broader application of ISR to other commodities and mineral systems remains limited. A number of demonstration (experimental) copper projects have been undertaken (Sinclair and Thompson, 2015) with a few copper projects in Arizona being close to demonstration (Florence, 2018 and Gunnison, 2018). Evidence of very few economically operating ISR copper projects can be found (for example, the Russian, Uralgidromed OAO, built by the Russian Copper Company in 2005 and operated as an ISR facility from the Gumeshevskoye deposit (Russia Mining, 2018). A number of gold deposits, particularly paleochannel deposits, have also been considered for ISR, but, to the best of our knowledge, only limited demonstration and no commercial operations have been established, yet (Kuhar et al, 2018 and references therein).CITATION:Robinson, D J and Kuhar, L L, 2018. Extending mine life through application of an in situ recovery approach, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2018, pp 56–57 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 25, 2018

By P Martin, A Somarin, S Bailey

Field-based research was conducted to investigate the performance of field portable X-ray fluorescence (FPXRF) in the analysis of reverse circulation (RC) drill chips in iron ore exploration. For years, FPXRF has been considered unsuitable for iron ore exploration due to the limitations of the elements it is capable of analysing for, in particular its inability to measure light elements (Mg, Al, Si, P, S). With the advent of the use of silicon drift detectors (SDD) in FPXRF, light elements are now measurable elements. However, doubt over the appropriate use of this new technology still exists due to the absence of reliable comparative field data. These doubts concerned the ability of the FPXRF data to correlate strongly with the laboratory assay of the same samples. It was believed that inconsistent grain size and other variables not being controlled would contribute greatly to this perceived unreliability.We tested RC chip samples on-site in the Pilbara, with the portable Thermo Scientific Niton XL3t X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyser for a range of elements including Fe, Mn, Al, Si and S and then compared the results with laboratory assay data. A strong correlation indicates that the FPXRF results are reliable. Furthermore, to show the effect of simple sample preparation, we also analysed pulps of the same samples in the same way.The correlations were good for all of the elements of interest for the RC chip samples (R2 values between 0.82 and 0.9), and excellent for the pulps (R2 values between 0.89 and 1). The results also showed a direct correlation between sample preparation and improved quality of results with the FPXRF. This indicates that FPXRF can produce data from unprepared RC chips for Al and Si that, when compared with laboratory assays, is reliable for a field application in drilling and grade control. CITATION:Somarin, A, Martin, P and Bailey, S, 2013. Non-destructive analysis of diamond core for light elements using Niton field portable x-ray fluorescence, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2013 , pp 117-230 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 12, 2013

By A Maier, M Goldner, C Gimber

Given the ongoing global crises of climate change and nature loss, with the World Economic Forum (WEF) identifying them as the top risks to global economies in terms of both likelihood and impact in the coming ten years (WEF, 2022), there is increasing, pressing demand for companies to demonstrate they understand their climate and nature related risks and look toward contributing genuine beneficial environmental outcomes. Within the mining industry, mine closure is the obvious field in which climate and nature positive strategy can be linked with operations. To do so, there is a need to challenge long-held assumptions around closure in the mining and regulatory context; particularly, to shift the focus from closing individual mines to considering regional opportunity generation and value creation.

Aug 2, 2023

By O Dominguez

Mine value chain reconciliation (MVC) is a necessary procedure to evaluate a mine’s performance against the assumptions and models used to plan mining and processing operations. Using nomenclature from Parker (2012), F2 reconciliation is the ratio between material received at the mill, compared with material sent to the mill, commonly reported in terms of tonnes, grade and metal. Measurements of material sent to the mill can be estimated in many ways, including: fleet management system (FMS) records, truck counts, or volume reduction. Most time-based reconciliations (for example, month-end reconciliation) use short-term model depletions of in situ rock measured by periodic topographic scans or surveys.

Mar 22, 2022

In considering the organization of research, it is necessary to know just what research is, what objects are in mind when setting out to conduct research, and what are the functional units which are required to enable a coordinated effort in research to proceed.The dictionary defines research in the following terms: Laborious and patient search, as for truth, diligent inquiry or examination in seeking facts or principles; inquiry, scrutiny; to search or examine with continued care; to seek diligently; to search again; to examine anew.This is, of course, simply a formal definition, but the reference to "labour", "patience" and "diligence" should be noted.The following quotation from an answer to the question "What is Research?", published recently in a technical journal, puts some life into the formal definition:- Essentially, it (Research) is nothing but a state of mind a friendly, welcoming attitude toward change. Going out to look for a change instead of waiting for it to come. Research, for practical men, is an effort to do things better... The research state of mind can apply to anything: personal affairs or any kind of business, big or little. It is the problem-solving mind as contrasted with the let-well-enough-alone mind . . . It is the "to-morrow" mind instead of the "yesterday" mind. Note the statements that: Essentially, it (Research) is nothing but a state of mind, and the research state of mind can apply to anything.

Jan 1, 1950

By N Arrys, A Jani, S Shahin

Optimising pit slope stability and reducing strip ratio of a mining operation are two key tasks in geotechnical engineering. With a growing demand for minerals and an increasing cost associated with extraction, companies are constantly re-evaluating the viability of mineral deposits and challenging their geological understanding. Within Rio Tinto Iron Ore (RTIO), the Structural Geology (SG) team investigate and collect critical data, such as point based orientations, mapping and geological inferences from adjacent pits to remodel deposits where previous interpretations have failed to account for structurally controlled slope failures. This work outlines the key methods utilised by the Structural Geology team which form the foundations of informed orebody knowledge and subsequent geotechnical design recommendations. This publication utilises the results from a recent analysis to highlight the benefits of this methodology and how it has impacted the economics of an operation through optimisation of a pit wall ‘cutback’ and crest relocation.

Sep 1, 2024

By A M. Lechner, V Glenn, M Edraki, D R. Mulligan, C Unger

With more than 50 000 recorded abandoned mines in Australia, effective management strategies are needed to prioritise and manage health, safety, environmental and socio-economic risks and opportunities. This paper reviews international leading practices for abandoned mine management and identifies key issues that need to be addressed in the Australian context. As well as the academic literature, this review draws on a 2008 global legacy site survey and forum in 2008, a Churchill Fellowship study of abandoned mines and the recently released æStrategic Framework for Management of Abandoned Mines in the Minerals IndustryÆ (MCMPR/MCA, 2010).A conceptual model was developed to identify the relationship between key issues affecting the management of abandoned mines in Australia. The conceptual model is then used in the development of a maturity chart which draws on risk management principles to provide leading practice guidance for abandoned mine managers, jurisdictions and stakeholders. The maturity chart approach for risk management has been successfully used elsewhere to evaluate safety, environmental and socio-economic maturity.CITATION:Unger, C, Lechner, A M, Glenn, V, Edraki, M and Mulligan, D R, 2012. Mapping and prioritising rehabilitation of abandoned mines in Australia, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2012 , pp 259-266 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 10, 2012