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By M Scoble

This paper is based upon the experiences of collaborating academics in two mining schools and their personal view of attempts to integrate the principles of sustainable development into mining education and research. In this quest, the concept of sustainable mining practices is proposed, not only relating to environmental, social and economic performance but also stressing mine safety and efficiency. These practices need to support strategies that enable flexibility and resilience within mine operations to counter recessionary cycles. Also, these counter-cyclical strategies are now imperative for sustaining mining education and research itself. There is a critical interdependence between these two different perspectives on æsustainabilityÆ. The paper concludes by demonstrating models of strategies that promote inter-disciplinarity, collaboration and networking for sustaining mining schools.

Jan 1, 2009

All companies and individuals who embark on a business venture incur costs. For the most part these costs can be conveniently categorised, firstly into capital and operating costs and then into the various elements of these major cost centres. Although the nature of expenditure naturally differs as between industries certain broad cost types are characteristic of all heavy industries. The capital costs of gaining access to an orebody, equipping a new mine, building a treatment plant and perhaps refining and smelting facilities are likened to capital expenditure by a manufacturer on new plant and equipment required for an expansion or new product innovation. Similarly the day to day costs of labour and materials employed in the running of a mining operation can be likened to similar costs in other heavy industry. There is another group of costs that are not so easily categorised. Most industries incur unavoidable costs that do not form part of the direct or capital costs of physical production. These costs include taxes and other payments to government and research expenditure. The mining industry has a particularly heavy burden of non-production costs and it is the objective here to highlight and analyse a few of them. These costs are exploration expenditure, infrastructure expenditure, royalties and income tax. This is not to suggest that these are the only major non-production costs that the mining industry needs to bear. The industry may incur significant costs for environment protection, land tenure maintenance and on liaising with Government on a wide variety of matters. It is for reasons of subject manageability that the list is confined to the four costs mentioned. For the mining industry, exploration and infrastructure expenditure, royalties and income tax have several distinguishing features. Firstly, they are generally proportionately large costs. Exploration and infrastructure expenditure for example, could well exceed mine development costs. Depending on how royalties are levied, they may be very high in relation to profits earned and many in fact exceed profits. Secondly, except for income tax, they are costs that are generally not payable by other industries. Exploration expenditure is in some respects comparable with industrial research and development. However, because mines are wasting assets exploration is necessary for survival, and it is likely to form a larger part of costs per dollar of profits or sales than R&D. It can therefore be said that exploration is of far more significance to the miner than R&D is to the typical industrial company. Furthermore, unlike exploration expenditure, R&D results are transportable and patents permitting, transferable. The infrastructure burden that miners must carry is unique to the industry. Whereas urbanised industry is not usually liable for the capital cost of power, water, transport, townships and community facilities, the miner must finance these projects himself. Neither the payment of royalties, nor of course, income tax are unique to the mining industry. Royalties are more properly described as a unique charge on some primary industries but however described, they are a charge that manufacturing and service industries do not have to pay. Whilst we all pay income tax, the mining industry's uniqueness derives from the special problem that the industry has in arriving at annual net income in view of the capital intensity of the industry, partly due to expenditure on infrastructure, the indefinite life of capital equipment and its unpredictable residual value, funds expended on exploration and long lead times associated with a mine development. The third distinguishing feature of these costs is that, with the possible exception of exploration expenditure, they are heavily influenced by the policies and actions of Government. As such the industry has a responsibility to promote the industry by emphasising its potential to improve national product including exports and by requesting that the Government provide for the industry in its long term planning and seek its co-operation to prevent the industry incurring inequitable penalties relative to other industries.Finally, exploration and infrastructure expenditure are significant because they are front-end charges on a project. When due allowance is given the time value of money and the deferment of income from a mining development to which they relate, exploration and infrastructure expenditure assume greater importance than the raw money expenditure suggests. For all these reasons, exploration and infrastructure expenditure, mining royalties and mining income tax are worthy of detailed study. This is the purpose of this paper. The objective is to examine the determinants that give rise to them and provide some thoughts on their impact on on-going and potential mining developments and, where relevant, to make some suggestions as to how they may be minimised.

Jan 1, 1977

By G V. R Goodman, G J. Chekan, J M. Listak

The extraction and transport of coal from underground coal mines can result in significant liberation of coal and/or silica dust into the mine atmosphere. Mine operators have long used ventilating air as a primary means of diluting generated dust, removing dust from the working faces and preventing dust from reaching the minersÆ working environment. As production levels have increased, mine operators continue to be challenged in maintaining dust concentrations below compliance levels. The need for maximising the effectiveness of available ventilating air in conjunction with other effective controls, such as water sprays and dust collectors, continues to be critical to the long-term health of mine workers. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has conducted full-scale laboratory and mine-site research to evaluate improved application of dust controls for both longwall and continuous mining methods. A summary of recent research results and recommended practices will be provided.

Jan 1, 2005

By Townsend MG, Evans RB

In Northland, New Zealand, localised large deposits of halloysite clay have been produced by in-situ alteration of rhyolite volcanics of Pliocene or Pleistocene age, which were erupted through pre- Pliocene sedimentary strata and locally through Pleistocene basalt; and which were subsequently onlapped by further basalt flows. Alteration to clay has been a result of both hydrothermal and of meteoric processes, and decreases in intensity of alteration with increasing depth.The raw material is crushed and fractionated to produce a product of less than 2 micron particle size, which is of exceptional whiteness and brightness. The unique properties of the clays render them highly desirable for specialised ceramic purposes.

Jan 1, 1990

By B Bradák, D Asahina, S Saydam, S Akdag

Human exploration of Mars has been on the horizon of scientific goals for decades now, and as part of the objectives of human missions to various planets, one of the possible goals is opening new economic frontiers by the potential extraction and utilisation of resources, eg mining minerals and using surface regolith (Neukart, 2024). A comprehensive understanding of surface morphology, lithostratigraphy, basic structural geology, and civil engineering technology is essential to conduct mining operations for resource extraction on extraterrestrial planets. For instance, proper assessment of the risks associated with excavation and infrastructure construction under unique environments such as low gravity, surface irregularities, and the presence of regolith is fundamental. Such knowledge has been accumulated through satellite imagery and numerical topographic data using remote sensing technology, as well as seismic surveys by the on-site lander (Knapmeyer- Edrun et al, 2021; Banerdt et al, 2020; Giardini et al, 2020). Recent studies show that Marsquakes could be caused by the release of strain energy generated by the contraction of Mars. In particular, Marsquakes occur around the graben where many faults exist and form regularly spaced patterns. This implies that Marsquakes occur when the stress field of the Martian crust is an extension condition, and normal faults appear on the surface. In this study, we focus on so-called graben structures, one of Mars’s common tectonic structures (Plescia, 1991; Banerdt et al, 1992; Hoogenboom Hagen, 2014). The study aims to provide additional information about the tectonic environment during the formation of such features and, in addition, the internal mechanical-rheological structure of Mars, revealed by the geometrical pattern of faults modelled and simulated in a laboratory environment.

Sep 1, 2024

By P J. Hawke

Within the Mesa J pisolitic iron ore mine, clay is distributed unevenly throughout the deposit and often forms as pods and channels less than 10 m in width. The mine resource model, based on 50 m + 50 m spaced drilling, has been unable to accurately delineate the clay for scheduling and mining purposes. Therefore, alternative methods for mapping the clay-contaminated ore were sought. Predictive clay mapping will significantly reduce production costs at Mesa J through improved selective mining practices, more accurate scheduling, reduced wear on mining equipment and minimising the need for maintenance of haul roads and ramps. High lateral resolution electromagnetic (EM) surveying using a Geonics EM31 instrument can quickly and inexpensively delineate the extent and orientation of the clays. Preliminary results indicate that a block model based on the interpretation of the EM data can accurately predict the distribution, volume and tonnage of ore and waste material. While rip-line mapping, infill drilling, ground penetrating radar and gravity can delineate clay with various degrees of success, none were as efficient as EM31.

Jan 1, 2002

By Wyborn L. A I, Idnurm M, Hinman M. C

Comparison of the Proterozoic Apparent Polar Wander Path (APWP) for Australia with the corresponding geology of northern Australia suggests that a number of discrete interplate tectonic events, manifested on the APWP as bends or inflections, may have controlled sedimentary basin evolution, ore fluid production and the timing of mineralisation. Similar features in the Phanerozoic APWP for the North American plate appear to correlate with major orogenic events, basin deformation, movement and 'entrapment' of hydrocarbons and minerals. Interplate tectonic events cause intraplate deformation which in turn controls the subsidence/uplift and sedimentation histories of the basins. Interplate events are thus responsible for creating, deforming and destroying sedimentary basins and the associated petroleum and mineral systems. The basins of northern Australia show remarkable similarities in the successions of volcanic and sedimentary deposits. Unconforrnities of regional or sometimes only local extent have been mapped between the major sedimentary sequences and it is predicted that interplate tectonic events corresponding to bends or inflections on the APWP directly reflect the processes that have produced these widespread unconformities. These processes are also likely to have controlled the geometry and character of the fluid migration pathways and hence the mineralising events. Palaeomagnetic studies of Proterozoic rocks in sedimentary basins provide a tool for predicting the timing of regional mineralisation events, particularly for low-temperature mineral systems. The techniques, when coupled with systematic regional basin analysis, using petroleum exploration techniques, may identify a number of new mineral 'plays' in northern Australia. Prominent inflections in the APWP occur at approximately 1700, 1670, 1650, 1600, 1540, and 1480 Ma. Each of these may be related to a regional compressional deformation, important mineralising event, or significant change in style and type of sedimentation. Most appear to be associated with magnetic overprints. Some of the inflections between 1400 and 540 Ma may also mark significant events in the evolution of Meso- and Neoproterozoic basins. Further work is required to correlate inflections in the APWP with alteration events in order to understand their regional significance.

Jan 1, 1994

By D Cotnoir, Q Liu, D Richard, M Ourriban

The difficulty in fine particle flotation has been attributed, among other things, to a low bubble-particle collision efficiency. Many technologies have been developed which aim at increasing bubble-particle collision efficiency, either by generating micro bubbles or by enlarging particle sizes. However, commercial applications of these technologies are limited. Over the last five years COREM has been actively testing fine particle froth flotation technologies with the objective of commercialisation. Several fine particle flotation technologies, such as dissolved air flotation, electro-flotation, floc flotation, selective flocculation-flotation and carrier flotation, were tested on both single minerals and ore samples in order to identify the reasons that prevented these technologies from being used on a commercial scale. It was found that the two most noticeable factors that prevented the successful application of these technologies were: Mechanical entrainment of fine gangue minerals. This was a general problem in fine particle flotation, but was aggravated by these technologies that either generated micro bubbles or enlarged the sizes of hydrophobic particles. Oxidation of (sulfide) minerals that resulted in hydrophilic oxidation product coatings. The oxidised fine particles could not be recovered by these fine particle flotation technologies effectively. Solutions to the two problems, ie gangue entrainment and fine particle oxidation, were proposed and tested. It seems that polymeric depressants with both depression and flocculation functions could significantly reduce gangue entrainment, and hydrophilic surfaces of oxidised fine particles could be modified by high intensity conditioning or controlled sulfidisation, thus increasing the recoveries of fine valuable minerals. The improved fine valuable particle flotation and reduced fine gangue entrainment along with fine particle flotation technologies resulted in much improved flotation separation of fine particles.

Jan 1, 2005

By Hirose K, Itakura K

A new global stiffness matrix evaluates the performance of powered supports by estimating and comparing the global stiffness matrices of ten different types of powered supports with lemniscate linkages, each support having its own deformation characteristics. Expanding the global stiffness matrix allows the implementation of a finite element scheme to analyse the interaction between the powered support and the strata around the coal face.The evaluation of performance by the stiffness matrix method shows that 4-leg chock shields possess both the desirable convergence and shear deformation stiffness properties. The finite element analysis also confirms that 4-leg chock shields present well balanced performance for controlling strata around the coal face.

Jan 1, 1991

By M Wilkes, C-Q Liu

Microbial oxidation of refractory sulphide ores (particularly gold and copper ores) are well-established techniques that are increasingly employed because of their low capital and operating costs and environmental benefits. CSIRO has established a multidivisional project, the æBioMineral Processing InitiativeÆ, with the goal of generating new and improved high temperature micro-organisms for biological oxidation of these refractory ores. The project is currently focused on the discovery/generation of novel hyperthermophiles for the bioleaching of copper from chalcopyrite. As part of this project we are investigating the practicalities of genetic modification of iron/sulphur oxidising micro-organisms. The molecular biology of iron/sulphur oxidising acidophiles is still in its infancy. This work is aimed at improving our knowledge of vectors, promoters, selectable markers, gene transfer and expression in these organisms. The Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans genome is currently available and genomics is proceeding at a rate where in the next few years we can expect at least one or two relevant microbial genomes to be sequenced each year. New genes that impart useful characteristics to iron/sulphur oxidising acidophiles will be available from published genomes and the study of newly isolated hyperthermophiles. We need to be in a position to clone and express those genes. This paper will describe the isolation, transfer and expression of thiocyanate hydrolase genes in Escherichia coli and At. ferrooxidans. Most common antibiotics are not effective against iron/sulphur oxidising acidophiles. Also, the use of antibiotics or their resistance markers outside of a laboratory setting would not be appropriate. Resistance to thiocyanate should be a useful selectable marker, without implications for human or animal health. Additionally, thiocyanate resistant iron/sulphur oxidising acidophiles might have application in gold bio-oxidation plants in arid areas where reuse of contaminated tailings water is desirable. The cloning of thiocyanate genes in broad host range plasmids under the control of E. coli and At. ferrooxidans promoters and the expression and phenotypic effects in both species will be described.

Jan 1, 2002

By Bearman R. A, Parkin R. M

Traditional quality control procedures for aggregates production within the quarry industry rely on off-line laboratory analysis, resulting in poor performance and inconsistent product quality. A high speed on-line aggregate classification system is described here. A product sampling system directs aggregate through an inspection chamber where a novel imaging system digitises the particle geometry. Data processing algorithms extract dimensional data and image features, while a neural network classifier assigns a qualitative shape descriptor to each rock particle. This system provides each sampled batch with a complete analysis of size and shape distributions, complementing a new generation of cone crusher technology to maximise product quality and plant efficiency.

Jan 1, 1995

By Y L. Ma, Y Yang, M Chen, W Bruckard

To improve the understanding of the reactions and mechanisms occurring during the leaching of sulfide ores at high temperatures a range of advanced characterisation and sensing tools have been combined to provide a sophisticated and powerful methodology to examine sulfide leaching systems. These include advanced electrochemical methods, surface chemistry and materials characterisation techniques such as synchrotron X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS), X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM), and in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), together with new robust solid state chemical sensors for in situ real time monitoring of key aqueous chemical parameters. The methodology was employed to investigate various sulfide mineral leaching processes. For example, oxidation of arsenopyrite at elevated temperature involves complicated multiple reactions and the process is strongly influenced by the solution conditions, component speciation and mineralogy. The methodology was used to study this system both ex situ and in situ to gain a detailed understanding of the complex chemical reaction mechanisms operating. These mechanisms are discussed in terms of the observed leaching efficiency. The application of this methodology enables complex sulfide leaching systems to be understood more fully such that process efficiency can be improved.

Aug 24, 2022

By Armstrong A

Queensland is Australia's second largest mining state with world-class deposits of coal, base metals, bauxite and magnesite. The total value of Queensland's mining production is about $5 billion per annum, and coal accounts for around 55 per cent of that total. The environmental issues which arise as part of management and regulation of the industry are resolved within the EMOS process. The Environmental Management Overview Strategy is the cornerstone of the policy 'Environmental Management for Mining in Queensland' developed jointly by the Queensland Department of Minerals and Energy and the mining industry. The Gordonstone Coal Mine is the largest underground mine to gain approval under the new policy. Accordingly, Gordonstone has a well planned environmental management program which takes into account site-specific factors and provides for continuous compliance with the provisions of the Mineral Resources Act in a self-regulatory context.

Jan 1, 1994

The application and development of monitoring and control techniques of coal mines in China is mainly described in the paper.The techniques of mine control and monitoring system have been developed as an important means of production dispatch, command and management with ever-increasing coal production and gradual raising of the level of mechanization and centralization of continuous mining. The continuous stage monitoring and control system in China coal mines has been developed from the initial single fixed plant monitoring, and the technique of computers has also been applied in the system for productive and environmental monitoring, featuring a new type of mine control and monitoring equipment of China.

Jan 1, 1985

The unique chemical and physical properties that can be displayed by polypropylene and its copolymer derivatives are enabling its development as a truly versatile material for water filtration. Well known applications include spiral wound cartridge filters commonly used for household water or the office drinking fountain, to pressure membranes that provide micro, ultra or nano size filtration barriers, whilst needle-felt or woven cloth filter belts or inline pressure bag cloths are well known to the hydro metallurgist and process engineer. A relatively new filtration concept that is generating interest and applications across all industries including the mining sector involves use of a unique fabric type filtering media made from polypropylene fibres. This technology not only has a vastly wider window for potential applications, it delivers an attractive cost saving alternative to the traditional sand media or diatomaceous earth type filters, along with potential benefits for integrated filtration units. This paper discusses the proven potential of the fabric media technology with examples of performance comparisons and confidence gained from full scale operating installations at mine sites and other locations.

Jan 1, 2004

The use of econometric models to assess the effects of a Government's policy on an industry is gaining momentum. This is particularly so for the Mineral Industry and it is important that mineral industry management understands the techniques involved in developing econometric models. Models are usually constructed outside the industry by either government departments or their consultants and used by the policy makers to investigate artificially the implementation and ramifications of new policies. This paper discusses the application of econometric models in Governmental policy determination, highlights the use of various models in Australia and gives an overview of the techniques involved using Australian examples.

Jan 1, 1982

Batterham and Algie began their paper on: `The role of technology in the minerals industry' (1995) by noting that while: it is often stated that innovation is central to the economic survival of mining and minerals processing in the face of global competition, .. . technology is often far from a core strategy in our industry. This point is correct. Throughout the world, as a broad generalisation, mining companies do not value technology development as a principal means of gaining competitive advantage. It is important to understand why this is the case. Batterham and Algie address this question by making distinctions between innovation, technology and research. They note that while: all successful (mining) companies are good at innovation . . . that innovation can proceed without any research and development and that it is innovation that generates the competitive advantage, not research and development per se. In this paper we accept these arguments. However, our focus is somewhat different. Whereas Batterham and Algie took a mining company's perspective on the technologies of mining and processing, we take a broader view of the opportunities for technology development for company Australia but, in order to focus the argument, we restrict our discussion to the area of mining (rather than processing); we focus particularly on mining systems and mining equipment. We begin by looking at the motivation of companies operating in any industrial sector to invest in research and development. Figure 1 recognises four levels of industrial maturity. For companies in the embryonic and growth stages R&D often is essential to initiating and developing the business. Mining, on the other hand, is a mature industry. In mature industries the conventional roles for R&D are to reduce costs, to extend product differentiation, or to develop new technology with the aim of rejuvenating the business. Next we ask whether these general-industry arguments apply to the mining industry. If they do then the mining industry should value R&D more highly; after all cost reductions and business rejuvenation are goals that are worth achieving. On the other hand if, for whatever reason, these general arguments do not apply to mining then this may lead the mining industry to invest only modestly, or not at all, in R&D. In this event, while this may be a rational decision for the mining industry, it may not be in the best interest of a nation like Australia where revenues from the sale of mineral products represent an important part of the country's economy.

Jan 1, 1997

Commissioning is one of the many phases of a project, it has inter-dependencies with the other phases, as they have amongst themselves, and has its own terminology and distinctive features. Commissioning time and cost can severely affect project economics, especially through unrealistic estimating, and requires a separate management team to ensure full control is. maintained. Targets to be achieved in commissioning are identified, together with the necessary policies to achieve them. Factors which have to be taken into account in applying these policies are Discussed.

Jan 1, 1986

By M W. Chen, I Canbulat, S Saydam, C G. Zhang

The height of fracturing (HoF) measures the propagation distance of continuous fracturing from the mining horizon and is also termed the height of cracking (Hebblewhite, 2020; Khanal et al, 2019) or hydrologically the height of groundwater drainage (Tammetta, 2013). In longwall practice, HoF is an important predictive indicator for assessing the dewatering effect of panel extraction on the shallow aquifer and surface flows. The HoF determination is basically dependent on field measurement works, typically using surface extensometer, borehole televiewer imaging, piezometer monitoring, packer testing, borehole breakout logging, and isotopic tracer monitoring (Brown and Walsh, 2022; Corbett, 2022; Hebblewhite, 2020; Holla and Armstrong, 1986; Mills and O’Grady, 1998; Walsh et al, 2022a, 2022b). These methods or tools have been widely applied to observe rock fracturing and groundwater responses to longwalls at Australian coalmines, for example, Dendrobium Mine (Brown and Walsh, 2022; Walsh et al, 2022b), Appin Mine (Walsh et al, 2022a), and Springvale Mine (Corbett, 2022). In Chinese mines, borehole televiewer imaging and packer testing are more frequently used due to convenient instrumentation, quick testing, and not requiring long-term maintenance of the instrumentation boreholes. The HoF determination also involves further raw data interpretations, for which specialist software for data extraction and quantitative criteria for bounding the fracture transition and termination are necessary. By combining the measured fracture distribution and longwall parameters regarding panel geometry and geological settings, several HoF models have been developed for conceptualising the understanding of strata depressurisation and providing mine engineers fast calculation tools for HoF prediction. The Mackie model considered the height of fracturing as the upper bound of fractured zone and revealed that within the fractured zone there are highly connected fractures and accordingly porosity enhancement and groundwater depressurisation, where the fracture network can be less transmissive from the mining horizon up (Hebblewhite, 2020). The fractured zone shares similar fracturing regime but different heights in varying models: HoF is 30 to 58 times of the mining height (t) based on Australian, Soviet and UK experience (Kendorski, 1993, 2006), and 21 to 33 t according to the field measurements in NSW Central Coast, Australia (Galvin, 2016). Some Australian longwall mines adopt Ditton model (Ditton and Merrick, 2014) (Equations 1.1 and 1.2 in Table 1) sourcing from NSW coalfield experience for HoF prediction, while Liu model (Liu, 1981) (Equations 2.1 to 2.4 in Table 1) developed from 27 coalmines in China is frequently used by Chinese coalmines.

Nov 29, 2022

By Brook W. H

The history of the reduction of iron from its ores is lost in antiquity. Archreologists state that man has practised it for over four thousand years. Until comparatively recent times charcoal was the principal reducing agent for making metallic iron from its various oxidised ores. Coke was first used by iron founders in England in 1619, and its use spread gradually throughout the civilised world from then onwards. Indeed, the destruction of forests to obtain the requisite charcoal made the iron founders, both in England and America, extremely unpopular, and this hampered the iron industry to a considerable extent, until coal provided the metallurgist with a new and better fuel--coke which is used by most pyro-metallurgists today. The transition from wood to coal products for iron smelting had a profound effect on the location of iron works. Particularly was this the case in America where, in the infancy of the industry, practically each of the early States had its own iron producers, but as coal and coke replaced charcoal, there came about a concentration of the iron and steel industry around the coking coal deposits, and so today there are huge steel plants clustered around the soft coal basins in Pennsylvania and Illinois.The development of the iron and steel industry in Australia, which is comparatively recent by world standards, has been cradled in the coal basins of New South Wales. The first steel works of any consequence in this country were built near Lithgow, close by the mines which produced the coal for coking.Incidentally, these works were rather unique in that the three essential materials for iron and steel manufacture-ore, coal, and limestone-were found virtually at the works' back door.When, in 1912, the location of the proposed steel works for The Broken Hill Pty. Co. Ltd. for smelting ore from Iron Knob in South Australia was considered, the site ultimately chosen was at Newcastle, almost on top of seams of satisfactory coking coal. One of the major factors which had determined the site of the steel works was the fact that, about 1912, three tons of coal were required to produce one ton of finished steel product, and the relative economics of ore and coal haulage were much in favour of bringing ore to the coal.

Jan 1, 1947