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By J A. van Niekerk, J G. Jardine, J W. Olivier

The Runruno Gold Project is located on the island of Luzon, approximately 200 miles north of Manilla in the Philippines. The mine is an open cut operation and uses the proven BIOX® and carbon-in-leach (CIL) processes to recover gold, and the ASTER™ process for detoxification of the CIL residue prior to discharge to the Residue Storage Impoundment (RSI). Work to date has defined a mineral resource of 1.39 million ounces (Moz) of gold, and the operation will produce 96 700 oz of gold per annum over a mine life of 10.4 years. The BIOX circuit is designed to treat 140 000 t/y of concentrate with a design capacity of 404 t/d of concentrate at a design sulfide sulfur grade of 17% S2-.The Runruno BIOX Plant is the first application of the Outotec BIOX Generation III design principles, focussing on ease of operation and maintainability. During development and implementation, the project team focussed on identifying opportunities to optimise the capital efficiency while not compromising on the operability or overall efficiency of the process or the equipment. The BIOX plant also incorporates the latest developments in the design of the BIOX agitators for more efficient mixing and gas dispersion. This paper will discuss some of the critical aspects and decisions taken during the development and implementation of the BIOX Process at the Runruno Gold Project. The paper will highlight some of the factors affecting the commissioning process as well as the improvements seen through the introduction of the Generation III BIOX design principles. CITATION:van Niekerk, J A, Olivier, J W and Jardine, J G, 2017. Implementation of the BIOX® process at the Runruno Gold project, in Proceedings MetPlant 2017, pp 218–228 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 11, 2017

By S Versace, D Arnott, D Bojcevs, A Shaw

The George Fisher deposit is a significant sediment hosted silver-leadzinc resource located 2 km north of the Hilton Mine in NW Queensland. The George Fisher feasibility project involved the completion of underground and surface drilling programs to delineate Measured and Indicated Resource which could be converted to an Ore Reserve through mining and commercial studies. The geological information which was collected and used for the feasibility study included a major program of diamond drilling, predominantly from underground sites, but with some drilling also completed from surface. All drillcore was geologically and geotechnically logged, sampled and assayed. Data was also collected from underground cross-cut and drive development which was mapped for rocktype, ore distribution, structure and geotechnical condition. This new geological data, generated during the Pre-Feasibility and Feasibility stages, was combined with results of all previous drilling campaigns in the George Fisher area to produce a comprehensive database on which geological modelling and Resource estimation could be based. To allow fast and accurate collection and utilisation of data from the drilling program, digital collection processes were used where possible. This resulted in rapid data entry into the project database, significantly enhanced data quality, 100 per cent data ownership within the project team and increased productivity levels. Processes used during the project data collection program are described, lessons learned are related and suggestions for ænext timeÆ are listed using the benefit of hindsight.

Jan 1, 1998

By T Burns, P Savory

In 2013, Rio Tinto Iron Ore (RTIO) produced 251 Mt from 15 mines in Western Australia. Throughout the mines, Ore Reserve models are used for long-term and medium-term mine planning. Grade control data aids the accuracy of short-term planning. Reconciliation of models with grade control data is important for maintaining confidence in predictions from the models, understanding the limitations of the models, and identifying issues that may require further work.There are a large number of sites and models, with more than 200 professionals involved in different parts of the reconciliation process. Regular meetings of all involved and enabling effective communication are important in the reconciliation process.Reconciliation data is gathered and processed through a web-based system; Grade Block Reconciliation System. This system cuts each grade block against the required model, stores the results, and allows users to view and analyse the data. Development of this system has occurred over a number of years and all Rio Tinto Iron Ore mine geologists and resource geologists now use it as standard to report reconciliation results. The results can be viewed in many ways including by different time periods or benches. Graphing the results assists identification of trends. Centralising and standardising reconciliation has allowed easier comparison between sites. Flexibility in the system allows users to customise reports to manage issues unique to their particular site.In parallel with system development, substantial effort has been put into ensuring mining professionals get together to discuss and understand reconciliation issues. To facilitate this there are now regular sessions, including site visits. Issues are assessed on a case-by-case basis and decisions on how best to address the issues are made by the relevant stakeholders. Reconciliation reports and action plans are revised each quarter.CITATION:Burns, T and Savory, P, 2014. Reconciliation of orebody model predictions – system and people, in Proceedings Ninth International Mining Geology Conference 2014 , pp 367–376 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 18, 2014

By Marshall B, Gee R. D

Geological data processing by machine enables'an increased rate of coverage, better supervision and control of field programmes, increased effectiveness of field operators, and vastly improved access to old and new field data. Even a system of restricted felxibility enables a mapping programme to be organ- ized and conducted independent of personnel changes, whilst elimination of much compilation time increases the rate of cover- age such that it relates to mode of transport and geological complexity rather than to personality factors. A machine is useful only if applied to tasks suited to its capabilities, and must be aimed at those types of mapping in which a limited number of attributes adequately define the problem, and the data is of a form suited to coding and is normally collected in sufficient abundance to make compilation wearisome. Machine systems are therefore unsuited to most types of lithological mapping and to most types of exploration in new areas, but have proved useful in many branched of cartographic geophysics (e.g. gravity and magnetics), and in cartographic Geochemistry.

Jan 1, 1969

By Itoh K, Sakai K, Tsuji K

In Japan there exists a strong demand for mechanical excavation for tunnelling bacause the blasting method which produces much vibra- tions and noises is restricted in its applica- tion due to the fact that there can be many cases where tunnelling sites are located ad- jacent to residencial areas as a result of Japan's being a thickly inhabited country. Pressing demands for and deep interest in the mechanical excavation method have been shown by the circles concerned with reasons that it produces smooth cutting surface and causes less overcutting of profile as a result of the diffusion of NATM (New Austrian Tunnel- ling Method) in the recent years. This has caused a strong desire of the users to apply the conventional mechanical excavation method that has been used mainly for soft rock cutting also to the field of hard rock cutting. In order to meet such needs of the tunnel- ling industry, further research and development have been continued to have successfully real- ized the Boomtype Tunnelling Machine for Hard Rock.

Jan 1, 1987

Waihi Gold Mining Company Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Normandy Mining Limited, operates the Martha gold mine, located in the township of Waihi, New Zealand. The operation, an unincorporated joint venture, comprises Normandy Mining Limited (67.070/0) and Otter Gold Mines (32.94%). Since gold was first discovered at Waihi in 1878, it has formed a key part of the region's economy. In 1909 the Waihi mine was described in a report to Parliament as æthe most important gold mine in Australasia and one of the greatest in the world.Æ That was a record year for production, with 416,813 tons of ore mined and some 1,120 men employed. Today the mine produces up to 1,250,000 tonnes of ore annually, and the project employs some 234 men and women. In 1999 the value of the gold and silver produced ($59 million) made up 47% of Waihi's estimated GDP. Waihi Gold has made significant contributions to the Waihi economy, community and the Hauraki region as a whole. Since the mine was re-opened in 1987, thousands of local people have benefited from the mine. In 1999, consents were granted allowing an extension to the mine life (the Extended Project) and this will result in a further seven years of economic benefits resulting from mining activity. The Company has undertaken extensive consultation throughout project planning, construction, operations and rehabilitation. Ongoing liaison and involvement with all community sectors, including Tangata Whenua and Iwi, local residents, recreational groups and schools remains an integral part of the operation. Throughout the life of the modern Martha Mine, the Company has actively supported the local community in the form of donations, sponsorships, the provision of amenities, and by participating in community events. A well established environmental team exists at the site. Environmental and community performance is measured by an independent five-assessment process, and the Company is committed to achieving excellence through ongoing improvement programmes and staff awareness. When the mine is closed, the open pit area will be transformed into a recreational lake, and the tailings storage facilities will be rehabilitated to become a combination of wetlands, grassed areas and ponds. Resources will be provided by the Mine to ensure the rehabilitated site remains in a safe and self-sustaining, stable condition in perpetuity. The mine is regarded as a showcase on a world standard of how a modem mining operation can successfully coexist with the nearby community.

Jan 1, 2000

By A-M Fleury

There has been much progress on the issue of acid drainage over the past 20 years; however, significant challenges remain. The International Network for Acid Prevention (INAP) is attempting to address them by globally coordinating acid drainage information sharing and research. INAP pursues three branches of activities: it links AD research, practice, and people; it organises, sponsors, and participates in regional workshops as a forum for technology transfer; and it instigates and funds key acid drainage research projects. Through these activities INAP is helping the industry deal with what is arguably its most serious legacy issue.

Jan 1, 2003

By P J. Willems, B J. Junor

Blackwater Mine is in the central-southern Bowen Basin, immediately south of the township of Blackwater on the Capricorn Highway. The current open cut operation extracts coal from three main seams, designated Top, Middle and Lower, in the Late Permian Rangal Coal Measures cropping out on the eastern flank of the Comet Ridge. Complex geological structures, dominated by E-W normal faults and N-S reverse faults, have significant detrimental effects on coal mining operations. Historical exploration before 2010 involved several types of drilling only to understand structure, coal quality and washability. Hence, although drilling data was combined with limited pit mapping and observation, unknown structures were still often encountered during excavations and led to mining surprises. In 2010 BHP completed 200-line km of closely spaced 2D seismic survey to capture gross and detailed structures followed by fit for purpose structural drilling to confirm major structures in the northern part of the mine. In 2018 a high density 9.2 km2 3D seismic survey was completed in the southern part of the mine. Subsequently, a 17.2 km2 survey was completed in 2020 to cover the northern active mining area. It allowed geoscientists to successfully map previously unknown major faults and seam splits, which could potentially impact the mineability of the area. It is important to note, that faults interpreted using modern high-density 3D data can be interpreted with dramatically higher confidence in the fault dip and azimuth orientation in comparison to the legacy 2D data. Along with targeted drilling, pit mapping and structural interpretation, the outcome adds value to mine planning and operations. This paper outlines recent successful seismic 3D data acquisition and interpretation. In detail, the paper presents case studies on how the data can be incorporated into a structural model to improve geological knowledge, enable geotechnical assessment, and support safe and efficient coal mining in a large and structurally complex mine.

Mar 22, 2022

Digitally enhanced Landsat MSS images are being used'in delineating the structural and tectonic features in the Arabian Shield as part of a project funded by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) of Saudi Arabia. The delineated features together with statistical modeling and structural analysis are to assist in an improved understanding of the evolution and mineralization of the Arabian Shield. Specific emphasis is to be given to relating the extracted linear features to the location of known mineral occurrences and areas of potential geologic hazards. A number of textural (spatial) and spectral enhancement techniques have been applied, to the MSS data covering selected areas, in selecting the most optimal enhancement product for visually delineating the structural geologic .features.

Jan 1, 1988

By M Edhammer

In 2007, Atlas Copco introduced an integrated tunnel scanner/profiler. The tunnel scanner, which is integrated into the control system, is mounted on the drill rigs, and replaces the previous variants of non-integrated scanner equipment. The Atlas Copco Tunnel Profiler, which is the name of this system, is currently being used by several contractors and mines on various projects in Scandinavia, Finland and Australia. Atlas Copco Tunnel Profiler can scan a tunnel of 65 m2 in just five minutes and is integrated with the computerised control system for the drill rig. This integration means that the results of scanning are immediately available for analysis on the computer screen both in the drill rig and in Tunnel Manager; a software for tunnel and drift planning.In 2008, a method was introduced for locating the drill rig with a total station navigation (TSN) system, integrated into the control system. TSN systems are used by a number of contractors in Scandinavia and Finland, as well as elsewhere in the world. Using a TSN for navigation is in itself not new, but when this is integrated with the control system it provides the opportunity for individual drill rig operators to use this method, without the direct assistance of a surveyor. TSN gives a very precise indication of the drill rig’s position in relation to the tunnel design. An accuracy of ±1 cm compared with the ±10 cm which is normally obtained with the traditional method using tunnel laser and sight plates on the drill rig’s feeder. The closer a tunnel is blasted to its planned profile, potentially the more is saved in terms of less shotcreting, extra rock bolting and other corrective work. A better quality tunnel is the key to better overall economy and today’s technology makes it possible to achieve that goal in every type of tunnelling and mining project.In addition to total station’s ­navigation and Tunnel Profiler, the concept of ‘high precision tunnelling’ also includes:•Software tunnel planning: Tunnel Manager, Tunnel Manager Pro and Tunnel Manager Measure while drilling.•Measurement While Drilling (MWD)collects the various drilling data and the interpretation of these for the early identification of variations in the rock.•Rig Remote Access (RRA) is a support for wireless or wired communication between drill rig and planning office. The result is being able to send planning data to the drill rig and to simultaneously have the facility for logged files to be sent from the rig to the office. There is an option of an external computer logging in to the drill rig’s control system to view menu screens and settings, and remotely troubleshoot and plan appropriate action.

Mar 21, 2011

By T J. M Harvey

This paper gives an overview of the ASHRAE LibHuAirProp, CoolProp and REFPROP software packages. These packages were predominantly developed for heating, refrigerating and air conditioning engineers and the refrigeration and steam power industries, although CoolProp and REFPROP also cover combustible gases. The main aim of this paper is to highlight the existence capabilities and status of the different packages and where they can be used. The paper gives typical examples of the use of these software packages, specifically as Excel add-ins, and provides a comparison of results of typical mine psychometric and gas drainage calculations using the packages and more traditional ventilation and gas drainage calculation methods. The paper also introduces a hybrid method that improves accuracy compared to traditional methods. In typical mine situations, the use of software packages is probably not required; however, with the increasing accuracy of instruments, potential greenhouse emission costs and the sale of mine gas, more accurate measurements and calculations can potentially save (or make) significant sums of money.CITATION:Harvey, T J M, 2015. The use of psychometric, thermodynamic and transport property software in mine ventilation and gas drainage calculations, in Proceedings The Australian Mine Ventilation Conference, pp 201–210 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 31, 2015

By D J. Brake

The importance of mine ventilation to health and safety in both coal and metalliferous mines has been long recognised. The primary and secondary ventilation systems in most metalliferous mines incur 50 per cent or more of the total mine electrical power consumption and frequently about 10 per cent of total underground mine operating costs. The requirements for ventilation-related horizontal and vertical development, fans and cooling have a significant impact on mine capital costs and also on mine schedules and start-up times and hence cash flows. There are increasing pressures on regulators and miners to reduce airborne contaminants such as diesel particulatematter, nitrogen dioxide and heat (wet bulb temperatures), and significant pressures to reducegreenhouse gases such as fugitive methane emissions from coalmines and the carbon dioxide footprint of both coal and metalliferous mines. Many previously Australian miners are now globaloperators and have extensive overseas mining operations where local ventilation standards and expertise may not be consistent with Australian practices. The role of the site ventilation officer is also changing with strict new requirements for the statutory position being introduced into Queensland metalliferous mines and the potential for this to become more widespread. Recent regulator and parliamentary review committees have identified systematic shortcomings in mine ventilation compliance, and statutory certificates in both Queensland and NSW now require continuing professional development to maintain currency. Public and investor support for mining are also increasingly contingent on safe, healthy and environmentally responsible practices and the standards for these are frequently tightening. Good ventilation design and operating practices that are consistently well executed therefore contribute significantly not only to a safe and healthy mine but also to a productive and cost-effective operation and the ongoing social licence to operate. There are a variety of ways of providing technical design and oversight into a mine’s ventilation systems; this paper explores some current trends in ventilation standards and statutory requirements, as well as ways to support and develop mine ventilation staff for both domestic and international operations and also the emerging senior technical roles of Group/Principal/Corporate mine ventilation engineer.

Oct 12, 2022

By D Craw

The Macraes gold deposit is located in a low angle NE dipping (~15¦) shear zone, the Hyde Macraes Shear Zone (HMSZ) cutting greenschist facies metasediments of the Otago Schist. The shear zone is host to large volumes of mineralised schist and relatively sparse quartz veins. Early in the development of this through going shear the schist experienced an episode of hydro fracturing and fluid redistribution. As a result, presently exposed schists within the Intrashear sequence are pervaded by localised swarms of quartz filled pure extension and extensional shear fractures hosting goldscheelite mineralization. The swarms comprise networks or æstockworksÆ of veins that strike NE, are subvertical and form subperpendicular to the shear zone fabric. Vein frequency across strike is typically ~1 m-1, with most veins five to ten centimetres thick and vertically continuous for up to ~20 m. Many of the veins show delicately banded internal textures that are parallel to the vein margins. These bands/lamina indicate incremental growth and are defined by a variation in grain size or alternatively by thin slivers of wallrock schist, though typically uncommon. The majority of veins are overprinted by a weak plastic deformation, although primary structures are largely preserved. This deformation has produced subgrain structures, migration of grain boundaries with sutured margins and undulose extinction of grains. These microstructural observations possibly indicate that temperatures were around 300¦C during stockwork vein formation. In general, the mode of brittle failure that developed the stockwork veins can be directly related to lithological variation. The geometry of stockwork veins indicate that local vertical shortening and extension occurred in the Intrashear sequence of the HMSZ synkinematically with thrusting. Localised extension was mainly parallel to the structural trend; that is, it took place perpendicular to the direction of inferred thrusting. The development of lateral ramps most likely gave rise to extension in parts of the shear zone during continuous shortening to form swarms of stockwork veins.

Jan 1, 2004

By G Lumley

Gold miners have been underperforming the price of gold for a number of years. So why has the æmarketÆ undervalued our gold miners relative to what they have been mining? The low valuation ascribed to gold mining companies is largely attributable to their profit performance. In the period since 2006 the price of gold in A$ has risen about $900/oz, but the real cash margin (operating cash costs + cost of finding and/or acquiring deposits + the cost of bringing them into production) has only risen about A$100. Rising operating costs are a major part of this reduction in real margin. Energy and labour costs have risen more than the inflation rates across a number of countries as have taxes, royalties, etc. There are however, more significant contributors to the rising cost base. Firstly, in 2006 the average gold grade was 2.0 g/t; today it is 1.3 g/t. Secondly, strip ratios (for surface mines) have increased by 19 per cent during this time. Open cut mining equipment unit output across the world has dropped by 26 per cent during 2006 - 2012. Finally, costs have risen by 55 per cent during this time period. Consequently, there is now 3.8 times more mining cost required to produce an ounce of gold from surface mines compared with 2006. The decline in gold grade looks to be a permanent trend as does increasing strip ratio if output is to be maintained. Costs will continue to rise although cost control will be necessary. Reversing the decline in equipment performance and closing the gap between median and best practice provides the hope for a sustainable reversal of cost increases. The current gap between best practice and median performance has grown to 112 per cent for mining trucks, 168 per cent for excavators and 169 per cent for front end loaders. Closing this gap is the potential for a more profitable future. For most gold mining companies improving mining efficiency is not an option; it is an imperative.CITATION:Lumley, G, 2013. How many gold mines will inefficiency kill?, in Proceedings World Gold 2013 , pp 267-276 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 26, 2013

By S Strong, L I. Sanz Vivanco, T Brown

One of the most significant technical and practical challenges facing the tunnel construction team on the Legacy Way road tunnel project in Brisbane, Australia was how to erect the prestressed precast concrete slabs to form the smoke duct in the tunnel boring machine (TBM) tunnels.An essential part of the tunnel ventilation system, the smoke duct extends the full length of the 4.6 km-long twin two-lane tunnels. The vast majority of the tunnels (approximately 4.3 km) were constructed using two 12.4 m diameter double-shield TBMs. The refurbished Herrenknecht machines broke several world records on the way to completing the tunnel excavation works in just over nine months. With the excavation complete the focus turned to solving the complex civil tunnel fit-out challenges. A key component of the civil fit-out of the tunnels was constructing the smoke duct in the TBM tunnels, which was designed as a precast solution.The slabs, which each measure 8.62 m long × 2.0 m wide × 200 mm thick and weigh close to 9?t, need to be erected above cast in situ corbels whilst other tunnel finishing works continue. The space-proofing clearance offered by the design to the support corbels below and the precast segmental lining above was in the order of only 100 mm.This paper tells the story of how the Transcity Joint Venture (JV) tunnel fit-out team comprising some of Europe and Australia’s leading tunnel construction specialists drew upon the global strengths of the existing JV member companies and the global reach of leading TBM manufacturer Herrenknecht to develop an innovative system in solving this challenging problem. This globetrotting story, which starts in Australia, visits Europe and mainland China before returning to Brisbane where it all began.CITATION:Brown, T, Strong, S and Sanz Vivanco, L I, 2014. How the global experience and reach of tunnelling’s true multinationals helped solve a road tunnel fit-out challenge, in Proceedings 15th Australasian Tunnelling Conference 2014 , pp 507–512 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 17, 2014

After considerable input from the mining industry, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) finalised National Instrument 43-101: Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. This Instrument, which became law across Canada on 1 February 2001, applies to all technical public disclosure on mineral projects and requires all technical disclosure to be based on the work of a æqualified personÆ (QP). While the QP is quite similar to the Competent Person in Australia there are important differences when it comes to all disclosure. This paper will summarise the main areas in which the Instrument introduces major changes to Canadian disclosure standards on mineral projects including the role and responsibility of the qualified person; the increased requirements to file technical reports; the incorporation by reference of the October 2000 CIM definitions of resources and reserves and additional rules governing written disclosure of scientific and technical information. In October 2001, eight months after the implementation of NI 43-101, the CSA compiled a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and CSA responses to assist mining industry participants and their advisors in understanding and applying NI-43-101. This document has been well received by industry. The CSA plans to update the FAQs when further guidance is requested. Two industry committees have been established to provide the CSA with technical advice on the application of NI 43-101. As recommended by the Ontario Securities Commission/Toronto Stock Exchange Mining Standards Task Force, the CSA has established an external industry advisory committee û the Mining Technical Advisory and Monitoring Committee (MTAMC) û to monitor the application of NI 43-101 and advise the CSA on industry and professional developments. The role of the CSA-Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Working Committee on Reserves and Resources is to ensure that the future changes and updates to the CIM Standards can be efficiently and effectively incorporated in NI 43-101. During this first year, the Canadian securities regulators have seen an improvement in the quality of disclosure on mineral projects, which will increase investor confidence in the industry.

Jan 1, 2002

By M S. Tuohy

Since the independent review of fatal accidents in the mining industry carried out by Dr Sean Brady (the ‘Brady Review’), High Reliability Organisations (HROs) and their operating principles have been discussed across the Queensland mining sector. HROs are organisations said to consistently avoid serious failures, reliably delivering their organisational objectives despite operating in environments characterised by high levels of inherent risk and/or operational complexity. HRO concepts have previously found application in other similarly hazardous industries to mining. However, as Hopkins (2009) pointed out, HROs ‘are very elusive creatures that inhabit the realm of theory more than the real world’. The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) with support from the Commissioner for Resources Safety and Health initiated a review of how HRO principles can be translated to the mining industry. The review was conducted by Noetic, an Australian management consulting company that specialises in hazardous industries, including mining and metals, and has prior experience applying HRO theory.

May 5, 2022

By M T. Grigoleit, M S. Schneider

The iron ore industry in Australia has, in recent years, experienced an unprecedented growth phase. But now that major expansions are moving into the operation phase, new challenges have emerged. Whereas initial planning may involve a few modelling studies, ongoing performance monitoring and improvement requires a different, more intense approach. This is especially important in the face of changing factors such as commodity prices, exchange rates and labour markets. Response time is key. As a mining operation proceeds from initial planning to daily operations, the time window for analysis shortens, going from months to weeks to days as the business matures.Simulation models and analysis tools are typically built and run by specialists in the planning phase, but then what? The investment has been made, but realised only once. What if further analysis could be carried out in-house, re-using existing models using up-to-the-minute data? Can we create virtual mines that run in parallel to live operations that allow computers to identify areas of a value creation or operational improvement? These questions can be answered by the innovative application of big data, simulation and predictive analytics. The future will be having this all integrated into one platform that offers, for the first time, an opportunity for non-experts to apply existing modelling and analysis assets – combined with live data – to deliver support for continuous improvement, and the ability to respond quickly to external changes in the best possible way, before they become big problems. These techniques will represent a step change in the ability for operations to maximise efficiency and will underpin the intelligent operations of the future. These issues are addressed in this paper.CITATION:Schneider, M S and Grigoleit, M T, 2015. Maximising productivity through big data, simulation and predictive analytics, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2015, pp 475–480 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 13, 2015

By M Castello, P Bouchard, M Sabsabi, A Blouin, B Nguegang Kamwa, M Constantin, K Fytas, M Laflamme, K Rifai, F Vidal

Canada’s Quebec province operates 26 metal mines, 19 of which are producing gold and generating over C$1.8 billion (US$1.3 billion) annually. In all those mines, numerous samples of rock are collected and analysed daily in laboratories in order to determine their gold content. However, laboratory results are generally available within 48 hours of sampling (depending on the number of samples received by the laboratory and the priority of the results), thus potentially slowing down mining activities. In an attempt to find a solution for delayed laboratory results, Laval University, in partnership with the National Research Council Canada (NRC), the National Institute for Scientific Research (INRS) and four mining companies (Agnico Eagle, Canadian Malartic, Hecla Québec and Iamgold) have launched the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) project for in situ real-time mining sample analysis. This work aims to minimise the amount of LIBS point sampling necessary to be representative of a full scan of the analysed area. Eight sampling patterns are investigated. A statistical analysis of the data was performed by varying the pattern steps. Results show that two of the patterns, 1 and 5 (single diagonal crossing the stratification of the samples with opposite slopes) minimise the amount of point sampling while remaining representative. The most successful results are obtained from steps which are greater than 6. In terms of the type of material, pattern 5 and steps 9 are better for core sampling, while pattern 1 and steps 8 are better for rock sampling. The geological explanation for these results is the heterogeneous distribution of gold in the sample which seems to be more homogeneous in the rocks than in the core sample due to the small rock size. In terms of the mineralisation, pattern 5 is better for mixed sulfides and quartz veins, and steps 8 and 9 are better for quartz veins.CITATION:Nguegang Kamwa, B, Rifai, K, Laflamme, M, Constantin, M, Castello, M, Vidal, F, Bouchard, P, Fytas, K, Blouin, A and Sabsabi, M, 2017. Sampling strategy by statistical analyses of LIBS data in the context of a portable gold analyser, in Proceedings Tenth International Mining Geology Conference 2017, pp 221–232 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 20, 2017

By K M. Cook, D Clark

Fatality prevention and zero harm are key focus areas for resource companies. However, they remain an ongoing challenge for high hazard industries, including the mining sector. As one example the latest International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) Safety Performance Report shows that, while there is generally a declining fatality trend since the organisation commenced publishing data in 2012, there were still 33 fatalities across member companies in 2022 (ICMM, 2023b). Every fatal incident brings significant pain and suffering to the colleagues, friends and family of those involved, however the failures and causal factors leading to each incident are frequently very familiar to people working in the industry, particularly those tasked with managing risk and safety. In the words of Dame Judith Hackitt, Grenfell Tower Fire Investigator, ‘there are no new accidents – just different people making the same mistakes because they haven’t learned’ (Hackitt, 2022). The recurring themes in terms of the nature of fatal hazards and their associated causes across the mining sector show that, despite improvements evidenced by the favourable declining fatality trends over the long-term (in general and outside of catastrophic multiple fatality events), changes are required to achieve fatality elimination and the aspiration of zero harm. This extended abstract and the accompanying presentation apply a mining frame of reference to the idea that there are no new accidents, examining how this applies within the industry and why the lessons from past failures are not always well understood or applied to prevent the reoccurrence of material unwanted events. Many contemporary mining and resources organisations have extensive internal incident history data and a wide variety of information on fatality incidents is publicly available, including the annual ICMM Safety Performance Report. This extended abstract and the accompanying presentation explore how this existing data can be used effectively to learn from the past and proposes practical ideas regarding strategies for successful knowledge transfer to the workforce as a key component of preventing history repeating and improving safety performance across the industry. As noted by ICMM, ‘sharing lessons from failure is vital to improving health and safety, but it’s not enough’ (ICMM, 2023a).

Apr 16, 2024