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The Jurassic Walloon Coal Measures crop out over much of the Moreton Basin and contain numerous thin, banded coal seams which have been mined at various locations since the 1870s. Historically most mining has been by underground methods. Increased exploration during the 1970s and 1980s has led to the delineation of significant open cut coal resources and to the development of the Oakleigh, Jeebropillly and Ebenezer open cut coal mines in the Rosewood-Walloon area. Over 2 170 million tonnes in-situ of shallow, high volatile bituminous coal with a mean maximum vitrinite reflectance of between 0.5 and 0.6 have been proven in the Basin.

Jan 1, 1991

Hindustan Zinc Limited has successfully installed an In-Stream Analysis and Process Control System in the flotation section of the Balaria Lead-Zinc concentrator at Zawar Mines. The system comprises In-Stream Analysis to continuously monitor lead and zinc levels in feed, concentrates and tailings streams, field instrumentation for reagent distribution and flotation cell level control linked to a central Distributed Control System for supervisory control functions. An intensive training scheme was conducted by the system supplier for concentrator metallurgical and instrumentation engineers. Since commissioning of the system in April 1989, Hindustan Zinc has enjoyed the benefits of improved lead, zinc and silver recoveries, improved concentrate grade control and reduced reagent costs.

Jan 1, 1991

By Enever JR

In-situ rock stress measurements conducted in the Phillipines and on Bougainville have revealed stress fields significantly different from expectations based on intraplate experience. The results have potential significance in regard to both engineering practice in the Pacific Rim region as well as in helping to understand the geological processes occuring near subduction Zones.

Jan 1, 1987

By D E. Ralph, D-J Kim, G-J Ahn, Y-H Rhee

The amount of discarded dry batteries are presently found to be increasing globally and waste cathode active materials of the lithium ion battery industry are among them. Hydrometallurgical operations are being applied to recover the valuable metals from these waste batteries. To find an economic and environmentally friendly process, the bioleaching process was applied in the present investigation for recovery of valuable metals. Its principle is the microbial production of sulfuric acid and simultaneous leaching of metals. Bioleaching of spent lithium ion secondary batteries, containing LiCoO2, has been studied in this investigation. A new method for recovery of cobalt, potentially the basis of an economic and environmentally friendly process was examined. The present study has been carried out using chemolithotrophic and acidophilic bacteria Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, which utilises elemental sulfur and ferrous ion as the energy source to dissolve metals from spent batteries. Bio-dissolution of cobalt was found to be faster than lithium. The effect of initial Fe(II) concentration, initial pH and solid/liquid (w/v) ratio were studied in detail. Higher Fe(II) concentration showed a decrease in dissolution due to co-precipitation of Fe(III) with the metals in the residues. Similarly, at higher initial pH values and higher solid/liquid ratio (w/v) metal dissolution was found to be inhibited. The optimised conditions for bio-dissolution were solid/liquid (w/v) ratio û 10 g/L, initial Fe(II) concentration û 3 g/L, elemental sulfur û one per cent (w/v) and initial pH û 2.5. In the optimised conditions, cobalt dissolution was observed to be about 60 per cent, whereas that of lithium was ten per cent after 20 days. A first order kinetic model was derived to study the rate of dissolution of both the metals.

Jan 1, 2006

By the 1990's Australia could be the largest coal exporter in the world and one of the few industrialised countries potentially able to supply the shortfall in its domestic oil requirements by utilizing its oil shale and coal resources to manufacture synthetic oil. The major challenge to both industry and government in implementing the new role for Australia will be to ensure that their actions and policies enable the timely mobilization of resources needed to meet the potential demand for energy, both domestic and overseas. Australia's potential for coal production and exports and for the production of oil from shale and coal are discussed and the potential constraints to development Examined.

Jan 1, 1981

This paper will be a discussion of the geological exploration and drilling carried out on the Mt Davy Block, Greymouth Coalfield. A brief summary of the geology of the Greymouth Coalfield will be given to put the Mt Davy Block into perspective.

Jan 1, 1979

Like almost any other 19th century mining area, the West Coast saw its 20th century scrapping era when machinery which had been installed in seemingly inaccessible places was somehow dragged out again. Fortunately there were some spots so remote that they defied even the most zealous of these pioneering recyclers. One of these was Big River, a mining locality in a rugged landscape straddling the headwaters of the Grey and Inangahua rivers. As a result there remains an internationally important collection of mining equipment including a poppet head, two steam winding engines, a pair of boilers, part of an aerial cableway with its loading system, and remnants of a stamp battery along with its associated gold smelter, cyanide tanks and zinc boxes. There are also assorted building remains associated with 60 years of mining and settlement. Since their abandonment in 1942, these relics have all somehow survived a further half century in a far from favourable climate with two or three metres of rain a year, frequent snowfalls and hot summer temperatures. The rate of decay during the past few years has been alarming.

Jan 1, 1996

By Wooltorton B

Highwall failures in surface coal mines in Queensland occur as circular slips through weak and weathered material, or as bilinear slides on sub-horizontal surfaces and steeply dipping joints. Weak horizontal planes occur in the Permian-Tertiary unconformity or on bedding surfaces within the Permian Coal Measures. Sub-vertical movements occur along rock joints and tension cracks induced by stress relaxation after excavation. Blasting also introduces new fractures and causes movement along existing rock discontinuities. Critical factors for stability include the dip direction of potential failure surfaces, shear strength of the rocks, damage due to blasting prior to highwall excavation, groundwater conditions, the type and performance of clays on shear surfaces, and pit geometry.

Jan 1, 1981

By T Mizuta, H Satoh, M Ogasawara, M Miyata, M Fukuyama

The Miocene Chichibu granitoids associated with the Chichibu skarn deposit are divided into North Body, South Body and Daikoku altered stock. Orebodies of the Chichibu skarn deposit are mainly distributed in the north-western part of the North Body and Daikoku altered stock. The North Body consists of magnetite-series granitoids ranging from tonalite to granodiorite and to monzogranite from the margins to the centre of the intrusion. The South Body consists of tonalite and granodiorite, and most of these rocks are also classified as magnetite-series granitoids. The Daikoku altered stock consists of a quartz diorite porphyry. The SiO2 contents of the granitic rocks of the North Body and South Body range from 61.6 to 70.7 wt per cent. During magmatic differentiation, Cu, As and Zn contents in fresh granitic rocks of the North Body and South Body increase with SiO2 content up to 63 wt per cent SiO2, and then progressively decrease with increasing SiO2 contents as SiO2 exceeds 65 wt per cent. Estimated pressure for the emplacement of the granitoids is about 0.5 kbars. Cathodoluminescence studies on quartz from those granitic rocks show that vapour rich two-phase fluid inclusions tend to occur in the core of quartz crystals, while halite-bearing poly-phase fluid inclusions occur in the margins of quartz crystals. The distribution of fluid inclusions suggests that fluid composition changed from low to high salinities during the growth of magmatic quartz crystals. Texture showing quartz crystals with an oval shape enclosed by radial aggregates of a mixture of fine-grained quartz, plagioclase and K-feldspar composing the groundmass of the monzogranite also suggests a pressure decrease during solidification of North Body. These findings show that high salinity fluids were present during magmatic differentiation and that Fe-Cu-Pb-Zn-Au-Ag skarn mineralisation of the Chichibu deposit was possibly associated with these high salinity fluids. An EXTENDED ABSTRACT is available for download. A full-length paper was not prepared for this presentation.

Jan 1, 2008

There are circumstances where the ordinary techniques of experimental variography in geostatistics û now in common use despite their recent origin û are not quite successful. This paper describes a new addition to the geostatisticians tool kit developed by one of the renowned leaders in the field to cope specifically with these circumstances. Possible application of this technique will be outlined when it will be seen that there are still problems remaining to be solved in its use for economic evaluation of deposits with irregular mineralisation.

Jan 1, 1984

The Court rejected the suggestion that CRAE had actively misled DMR concerning the worth of its tenements. The Court agreed that CRAE remained silent about certain significant information concerning CRAE's own tenement area. It was a significant question as to what duties CRAE'was under, given that it was in joint venture with DMR in respect of one of the tenement areas. Did that joint venture create an obligation on CRAE to disclose everything it knew? The Court said no. The Court said that the fiduciary duties were defined by the terms of the farm-in agreement between DMR and CRAE. When the Court examined the disclosure obligations within the confines of the contract, it held that CRAE had not breached those terms.

Jan 1, 1990

This paper describes some experiences in the design of flotation reagent schemes for the efficient flotation of complex gold ores containing free gold and/or gold associated with easily flotable sulphide minerals such as chalcopyrite and bornite. Historically, the design of gold flotation reagent schemes has been based primarily on experiences using high dosage levels of water soluble charged collectors such as xanthates and dithiophosphates and carefully controlled regions of pH. This approach has been effective with gold associated with complex sulphide minerals, in particular gold associated with iron sulphides such as pyrite. An alternative two-stage reagent approach is presented that is applicable to certain types of gold ores. This approach involves using very small dosages of uncharged water insoluble collectors at natural ore pH followed by a modified bulk flotation reagent approach for the second stage. The reasons for utilising this approach, when applicable, are discussed and illustrated with examples.

Jan 1, 1997

By Angove JE, Johnson GD

Sulphide concentrates are produced in a wide range of mineral processing operations. In the case of base metals they are further treated by smelting and/or hydrometallurgical techniques. In the case of refractory gold ores, sulphide concentrates containing gold are roasted or oxidised by various hydrometallurgical processes. This paper discusses the development of the Activox(R) Process which can provide an alternative method for treating sulphide concentrates. This process consists of fine or ultra-fine milling, followed by mild pressure oxidation to produce solutions of base metals or to liberate refractory gold. Base metal solutions (eg of nickel and cobalt) can be further processed by solvent extraction and electrowinning, while refractory gold can be recovered by cyanidation. The economics of the Activox(R) Process are often better than alternative oxidation techniques.

Jan 1, 1993

The Effect of High Power Nanosecond Electromagnetic Pulses on Selectivity of Pyrite from Arsenopyrite

Sep 13, 2010

By Mernagh T, Large R. R, Ryan C. G, Huston D. L

The Tennant Creek goldfield is one of the largest gold producing districts in Australia, and major deposits, including Gecko, Juno, Orlando, Peko, Warrego, Nobles Nob, Golden Forty, Argo, TC 8 and White Devil have produced more than four million ounces of gold over the past two decades. Gold-copper-bismuth mineralisation at Tennant Creek occurs in lenticular, ellipsoidal or pipe-like bodies of magnetite-hematite ironstones which are hosted in turbiditic sedimentary rocks of Proterozoic age (Large, 1975; Wedekind, Large and Williams, 1989; Le Messurier, Williams and Blake, 1990; Morrison, Donnellan and Hussey, 1992).

Jan 1, 1994

Influence of Grinding Media on the Flotation of Carbonate Using Sodium Oleate as Collector

Sep 13, 2010

Lungfish and crayfish inhabit continental ecosystems similar to those of their ancient counterparts in the Permian (lungfish) and Triassic (crayfish) Periods, exhibiting similar burrowing behaviors to live, breed, and escape desiccation. Identification of their burrows in the geologic record when body fossils are absent has relied on the overall gross morphology of the burrows and the process of elimination. A method of burrow identification has been developed by evaluating burrow structures in an attempt to designate architectural and surficial burrow morphologies that uniquely reflect the distinctive burrowing mechanism of a particular organism. The information from this method defines the burrowing signatures of an organism, enabling the differentiation of their burrows even when fossil evidence is lacking.The lungfish constructed simple, vertical burrows with bulbous terminations. The burrow walls exhibit fine, horizontal to sub-horizontal striae and vertical to sub-vertical striae near the top of the bulbous terminus, reflecting a burrowing style similar to modern burrowing lungfish. The crayfish constructed simple, vertical burrows to complex burrows with multiple branching and chamber development. The burrow surface ornamentations exhibit horizontal to sub-horizontal ridges, vertical to sub-vertical groupings of scratches, mud- and lag-liners, knobby and hummocky textures, and body impressions, which reflect the burrowing mechanism of the crayfish.

Jan 1, 1990

By Booth GW, Robertson IG

The Paddington Gold Mine ties within the Norseman-Wiluna greenstone belt, in the celebrated Eastern Goldfields province of the Yilgarn Block, Western Australia. Regionally, tropical to subtropical weathering has effected development of a prominent regolith and a deep lateritic profile. Detailed examination of the clay mineralogy, largely from a single drill hole which traversed the original Paddington I deposit, outlined three separate, vertically gradational assemblages, which are, in part, rock-type dependant. These include; 1. kaolinite with minur to trace quantities of sericite/illite (0-22m), 2. smectite and/or interstratified clay minerals, together with variable amounts of kaolinite, relic chlorite and illite/sericite (22-81m), and 3. chlorite and sericite (> 81m). Near surface, kaolinitic assemblages may be directly correlated with the intensity of lateritization, whereas smectite and interstratified clays from intermediate zones appear in association

Jan 1, 1989

CONTENTSSummaryIntroductionGeographical and Geological Outline of the RegionGrowth of the Mining IndustryTable 1: Production StatisticsGeneral GeologyRecent Alluvium and River GravelsSambeto SeriesMudstone and Basalt ContactVatukoula SeriesIntrusivesStructureGeologic HistoryLodesTable 2: Principal Lodes and Their OrebodiesMineral Assemblage and ParagenesisOre Shoots and Their ControlEmperor MineLoloma MineDolphin MineExplorationConclusionAcknowledgmentReferencesSUMMARYThe Tavua Goldfield was found in 1932 within a basin, both topographical and structural, near the sea on the north side of Viti Levu, Fiji, and has produced over £13,000,000 (Fijian) worth of gold and silver from the three mines...

Jan 1, 1953

A new approach to strategic planning, the Life of Business Optimisation System (LOBOS) optimises production systems from the scale of stopes in a single mine to an entire business strategy consisting of multiple mines and products competing for capital and processing capacity. LOBOS has optimised cash flow for a wide variety of operations, including large metalliferous or coal mines and as an aid to high-level strategic business optimisation solution to multi-mine/processing/product complexes. This paper discusses the application of optimisation technology to strategic planning with an emphasis on project evaluation with examples on the application of LOBOS to a variety of recent projects.

Jan 1, 2007