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The Project Financing Industry is currently being expanded en- compassing greater competition due to the improved worldwide economy. This has meant that money is in greater supply than demand for both loan and equity investment and is available for larger and higher risk ventures. The consequence of this is that the Project Financing Industry should be better able to provide more innovative forms of financing to meet the needs of mining and petroleum companies, regardless of size. Large mining and petroleum companies in Papua New Guinea should therefore be looking for ways to raise equity funds for exploration in greenfield areas, diversifying their risks through acquisition, and seeking to reduce their costs of borrowings. The small to medium sized mining sector should be looking to raise equity for increased ex- ploration on tenements and, where possible, to raise borrowings to fund expansion and further development of their projects. In summary, it is a period during which companies should take ad- vantage of available funding to augment their strategic plans and increase their long term returns to shareholders.

Jan 1, 1997

The proponents of new mining projects always run the risk that their project is deemed to be not in the public interest. Nothing to be done here except to try and pick it earlyùit is, after all, the approvals process that is supposed to screen such projects out. But there is a second risk, about which much can be done: that inadequate or untimely information confuses the formal assessment of a project and the political context within which the decision is ultimately made. This is environmental impact assessment (EIA) process risk and it has become steadily greater in a changing world, where: miners have lost clout; public trust in institutions has declined; governments follow, as authority pyramids give way to spheres of influence; NGOs are asking the questions people want answered; and stakeholders have become the reference point. This new world deals harshly with yesterdayÆs methods. But it needs to be understood if principles and methods for managing EIA Process Risk are to be advanced.

Jan 1, 2003

The attachment of a spherical particle to a bubble is theoretically investigated under the condition of a mixed sorption coating of a collector. It is shown that the attachment is determined primarily by the hydrodynamic factor involving the displacement of liquid from the gap between a bubble and a particle. The dependence of the attachment on the state of the surface of particle (sorption coating) is due to a change in the boundary conditions on the interface with water both in the case of surfactant chemical sorption and in that of the physical adsorption of oil. It is demonstrated that at large distances the thinning of a interlayer is facilitated by a physically sorbed collector, while near the bubble this is done by a chemically sorbed one.

Jan 1, 1993

Analysis of the 2001 Australian census data set can be used to gain a detailed insight into the trends and levels of employment in different industry sectors. There is a common perception that employment of geoscientists within the mining industry and indeed across all industries has decreased significantly. However, the data shows that the number of individuals stating that they are geoscientists employed across all industries has decreased by only five per cent from 5336 in 1996 to 5067 in 2001. Within the mining industry (Australia and New Zealand Standard Industrial ClassificationÆs û ANZICÆs mining class), the number of geoscientists employed has decreased by ten per cent from 2701 in 1996 to 2441 in 2001. These figures, while showing a decrease, do not reflect the magnitude of the decrease commonly perceived. However, further analysis shows the number of geoscientists employed in mineral exploration may have decreased significantly more.

Jan 1, 2003

By N Stockton

Some preliminary results on the secondary leaching of previously heap leached gold ore are presented. Alternative lixiviants for gold comprising chlorine, thiourea and thiosulphate were compared with cyanide using bottle roll tests. Chlorine was subsequently selected for column leaching tests. Column tests at 1.0, 0.1 and 0.01 gL-1 Cl2 at pH 2 were conducted. The results indicated that about 23 per cent of the gold was leached over 45 days using 1 gL-1 Cl2 at pH 2. The experiments conducted proved that the chlorine/chloride system has good potential for further extraction of gold and silver from the existing cyanide heap leach residues and a process for secondary leaching of gold has been proposed. Further testwork is recommended to extend conditions, sample types, and the duration of leaching period.

Jan 1, 2000

By F Jullian, L Jofre

Many maintenance managers find it difficult to justify investments in maintenance improvement initiatives. In part, this is due to a tendency by mine managers to regard maintenance purely as a cost centre, and not as a process able to influence productive capacity and profit. It is also hindered by a lack of alignment between commonly used maintenance performance measures and key business drivers, and the lack of formal business training amongst maintenance professionals. With this in mind, a model to assist maintenance managers in evaluating the benefits of maintenance improvement projects was recently formulated. The model considers four cost saving dimensions. These are: 1. reduction in the cost of unplanned repairs and maintenance,2. increased or accelerated production and/or sales,3. spares inventory reduction, and4. reduction in over-investment in physical assets and operating costs. This paper discusses the application of this model and a number of numerical examples are given to justify investments in maintenance improvement projects having varying objectives.

Jan 1, 2006

Computerisation of mine planning activities, specifically in the areas of geology, design and surveying, has been in progress for a number of years in underground metalliferous mines. The combined capabilities of hardware and software have only recently reached the levels necessary to fully support integrated mine planning computer systems in a graphical three dimensional environment. Despite the apparent capabilities of systems now on the market, many sites retain significant parts of their older paper based systems, and employ a mix of two or more software packages. This paper examines what underground metalliferous sites are doing in this area in Australia, and discusses the factors which are inhibiting full implementation of fully integrated computerised systems. Future directions for further developments in the field are also briefly discussed.

Jan 1, 1995

By R Uken G P Whitmore

The coastal dune cordon of northern KwaZulu-Natal is amongst the highest in the world reaching heights in excess of 180 m and up to 2 km in width. It comprises a complex system of Quaternary stacked dunes of various geomorphologies, types and ages. The dunes contain economic heavy minerals which are currently exploited ~20 km north of Richards Bay. Although mining of these ore sands has been in operation for the last two decades, little work has been undertken on the clay-fraction (

Jan 1, 2001

By T E. Jeffries, M Zentilli, J STguel, C C. Wilkinson, B G. Rusk, V H. Vry

Laser ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS) analysis of fluid inclusions trapping mineralising solutions in major porphyry-copper deposits indicates that copper concentrations can reach 103 - 104 ppm in both dilute, CO2-bearing fluids and in high salinity brines. Non-Cl transport of Cu is implicated. Au has been determined at 0.2 - 0.4 ppm in the low salinity fluids and may be co-transported with Cu. In contrast, high concentrations of Fe, Mn, Zn and Pb are only attained in brines and correlate strongly with Cl-indicating chloride transport. Physical and/or temporal separation of these fluid types can therefore producemetal fractionation within porphyry systems. Evidence concerning the behaviour of Mo is less clear but brine transport appears to be favoured; phase separation is one mechanism that may account for the fractionation of Mo from Cu and the formation of quartz-molybdenite veins. An EXTENDED ABSTRACT is available for download. A full-length paper was not prepared for this presentation.

Jan 1, 2008

By A R. A Gomes

The Metropolitan Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) Initial System Project (ISP) - Underground Structures North, UGN, is the northern section of the blue line, which is the first stage of an underground mass transport rail system of 77 km to be implemented in the central area of Bangkok, Thailand. The UGN section (Huai Kwang - Bang Sue) consists of approximately 8 km of twin single track bored tunnels, nine underground stations and some short cut and cover tunnel sections. The paper focuses on the main issues involved in the structural design of the precast concrete lining, which is the definitive structural support of the bored tunnels. It includes an overview of the site and geotechnical conditions, specific properties of precast concrete linings, ground-structure modelling, approach for the assessment of load conditions and respective sectional forces and particulars of the detailing of the reinforcement and the segment testing program.

Jan 1, 1999

Australia has historically been a world leader in mining innovations. This trend is reflected in the international patent records, which show that in recent years there has been some recovery in the number of patent filings arising from Australian research. These innovations occur across a wide cross-section of mining technologies and derive from both public and private sector research. Australian mining innovations are largely dominated by new processes and equipment, principally in the areas of rock drilling and coring, strata stabilisation, cutting tools, blasting, mine design and oil field exploitation. They include improvements in drill bits, rock bolts and accessories and wellbore systems. Another area that has received significant research attention has been the in situ thermal processing of coal deposits. High profile examples of Australian mining innovations include the æSORDMinerÆ, a remote-controlled mining machine for use in mining collapsing wet environments, and CSIROÆs SMART*CUT rock cutting pick that dramatically increases the rate of cutting hard rock. This paper will provide an overview of recent innovations in Australian mining, as reflected in the international patent records, including the organisations and individuals active in the field, and the technological nature of specific innovations.

Jan 1, 2008

More than ten seafloor massive sulfides (SMSs), which tend to be enriched in Au and Ag with varying amounts of Zn, Pb and Ba, have been reported in Japanese Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) including the Jade hydrothermal field in the Izena cauldron Okinawa, theSunrise deposit in Myojin knoll Izu-Ogasawara, and other active deposits found in the past 20 years. From the fiscal year 2008 some universities in Japan will begin development of sensing devices to delineate surface distributions of known SMSs and to find new ones. The devices would be deployed by an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) or remotely-operated underwater vehicle (ROV) later in active hydrothermal fields and potential areas in the EEZ. On the other hand, different laboratories are planning to research and evaluate SMSs with state-of-the-art methods such as the benthic multi-coring system and geophysical devices to collect information in deeper parts of the SMSs. In this session recent projects on exploration and evaluation of SMSs with some new trials including geophysical and geological surveys in Japan will be reported. An EXTENDED ABSTRACT is available for download. A full-length paper was not prepared for this presentation.

Jan 1, 2008

The Warner Process has been devised to produce zinc metal directly from sulphide, thereby reducing the requirements for purchase of large amounts of energy in a special form. The process conditions for a practical process have been evaluated in an extensive program of research and development at the University of Birmingham. Recorded data now exists to take the process forward to commercial use within the next five years. The industrial economics have been evaluated. The cost of making zinc metal from zinc sulphide ore can be substantially lowered due to the reduced energy cost, locating zinc production in the neighbourhood of the mines and increasing ore to metal recoveries - particularly for fine-grained and pyritic ore. Integration of a Warner Furnace with a zinc mine and concentrator can result in a highly attractive return on capital Invested.

Jan 1, 1993

Accident control has been a pre occupation of progressive industrial and mining companies for many years but few have attempted more than direct injury control. In recent years, particularly in North America, analyses of accident costs have shown that material damage resulting from accidents is usually of greater economic significance than injuries and this has led to the concept of loss control. Loss control is an attempt to take the emphasis off injury prevention and to concentrate on the basic factors which affect both the health of the individual and of the company. The deterrent to greater acceptance of this philosophy has been the apparent diffi- culties of implementing a loss control programme but Associated Minerals Consolidated Limited has adopted a simple approach. It has had a minimum disturbing effect on normal operations because existing systems have been modified to provide the new information required. It is suggested that the programme outlined is applicable to other mining ventures and is a practical method of providing benefits for both the company and its employees.

Jan 1, 1975

The paper re-visits an old and proven concept of winzing, a method widely used in the past to gather exploration data for accurate definition of the orebody. It is proposed to use a mobile Supersucker (a giant vacuum cleaner also known as vacuum lift), to carry out winzing activities underground. A brief description of conventional underground winzing used in the past is provided, together with a discussion on other underground bulk exploration methods used in Australia to date. Historical background, principles of the proposed system, Supersucker construction details and productivities, and benefits and advantages of the proposed system in comparison with other exploration methods, are outlined. Other relevant applications of the mobile Supersucker, including surface winzing, are also briefly discussed in the paper. With a view of using the mobile Supersucker to recover all broken ore stocks underground, included are also results of floor sampling conducted recently in the in-stope decline excavated in a coarse gold type, high-grade orebody.

Jan 1, 2002

With the advent of COAG reforms in the late 1990s requiring full commercial return from æpublic infrastructureÆ, and the tightening regulatory compliance for any project that involves the development or modification of any natural resource, it has become increasingly difficult for the private sector to contemplate development and/or ownership of new large-scale water supply infrastructure. The hurdles that must be overcome often seem insurmountable even before a detailed understanding of the project challenges can be developed. Australia has prospered over the last 50 years in an environment where regional development, including mining, has been encouraged by high commodity prices, a well-trained and available labour force and abundant spare capacity in the necessary infrastructure, in particular rail, power and water. Unless future infrastructure is created in advance of, or closely following, demand, this prosperity may be in jeopardy. This paper presents a snapshot of todayÆs project development challenges, and with reference to some recent case histories, argues that owing to their unique background, culture and status, water utility government owned corporations (GOCs) are well-suited to fulfilling the demand for new water infrastructure.

Jan 1, 2006

This paper intends to give an insight into what is often considered to be a poor relation of the mining industry but is in fact an integral part of any community. Aggregate production accounts for more than half of the world production of minerals by weight. In New Zealand production of aggregates runs at around five tonnes per capita per year, making it a significant industry. The industry in this country is dominated by smaller operations close to the market due to the widespread population and relative abundance of aggregate. The Logan Point quarry is one of the largest quarries in the South Island with an annual production of around 250 000 tonnes. The market is mainly based around roading and building in the Dunedin area with some higher quality specialist aggregates being used allover Otago. The quarry has been owned and operated by Palmer and Son Ltd for 106 years with a fifth generation family member the current quarry manager.

Jan 1, 1992

By D Millette, F Gay

Surface tailings are finely ground waste materials produced in all mines after the mineral or metal has been removed from the metallurgical process. Current methods for disposal of tailings involve constructing dams, dumping into existing waterways, and depositing as backfill underground. Each method has its drawbacks in terms of cost, level of complexity, safety and environmental concerns. Backfilling is the process whereby waste material (generally metallurgical tailings, prepared aggregates or a combination) is placed from the surface back underground into open mine workings via conveyor belts, hydraulic or pneumatic pipes or gravity. In the backfill process common difficulties are expensive placement costs, equipment wear and the ability to meet early and long-term strength requirements. Traditional tailings transportation in pipes involves the use of water as the transport medium. Foam technology involves the introduction of micro-air bubbles that replace the water as the main transport medium. This air can be removed after placement if necessary, by the addition of a defoaming agent. This could produce an under-saturated stable cake. Foam technology has the potential to revolutionise surface tailings disposal and backfilling by providing a less expensive and environmentally safe alternative to those just described.

Jan 1, 2000

By Ngai WCT

Over 90 per cent of the explosives in Hong Kong are used in civil engineering works. The Hong Kong Government controls all explosives and delivers on a daily basis to each site which it has licensed. Such deliveries need to be arranged the day before actual delivery. With the vagaries of the traffic in Hong Kong, contractors do not necessarily know the time of arrival of explosives. Contractors in general would like to reduce their exposure to these potential delays and the high cost of explosives deliveries. The high population density and urbanisation means that rock blasting has to be carried out in close proximity to other property. In order to protect life, property and utilities, it is not only necessary to employ proper blasting techniques but also to adopt effective safety measures. The Route 3 Advance Earthworks project is located on the north-west corner of Tsing Yi Island, Hong Kong. It is one of the Airport Core Programme projects for the new Chek Lap Kok Airport. Secured by Leighton Contractors (Asia) Ltd in early-1992, the work commenced in May of the same year, with completion and handover to the Hong Kong Government in May 1995.

Jan 1, 1995

The development of the Australian uraniumindustry over the last decade has been subjectto socio-political controversy, but the industryis now beginning to emerge onto the world scene.The socio-political controversies which haveexisted over developing Australian uranium arediscussed and suggestions put forward as topossible changes in the relationship of themining industry to the pplitical and socialstructure of Australian Society.The rate of growth in energy consumptionis considered and on the basis of a growth rateof 3% by the year 2000 the world will beconsuming twice the amount of energy that itdoes today. It is anticipated that the growthin generation of electrical power will begreater than the growth rate fQr energy.The dominant part played by coal and nuclearpower in the generation of electrical power isdiscussed. Nuclear power at present, contributesabout 4% of the world's electricityrequirements and by the turn of the centurythis could be nearer to 30%.

Jan 1, 1981