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By M Fitzgerald

Fimiston Open Pit is operated by Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines (KCGM) as a joint venture between Barrick Gold and Newmont Mining. Over 110 years of underground mining resulted in the development of nearly 3500 km of underground workings including backfilled and open stopes up to half a million tonnes in size. These voids significantly complicate blasting processes at KCGM, influencing blast movement direction and magnitude. Blast movement monitoring to improve mine reconciliations was identified as an improvement project in the business plan for the geology team in 2008. Following successful trials in 2008 to 2009, blast monitoring and translation of ore blocks were implemented as a permanent grade control program from late 2009 and is now part of the Management Operating System (MOS) of the mine. This paper presents a summary of results from the Blast Movement Monitoring (BMM®) data collected to date. Ore blocks at KCGM are translated primarily using BMM® data. This data is obtained from the BMM® system which measures the movement of a radio transmitter installed in a blast pattern from a preblast position to a post-blast position. The application of the data collected by the BMM® tends to be both mine site and blast specific. At KCGM, an average distance obtained from the BMM® data within a given shot is the primary method used for translation. In the case that BMM® data is unavailable, a theoretical movement vector established from Orica Shotplus with distances gained from the historical BMM® database is used. Data is presented in an ore loss and dilution exercise for a bench undertaken at KCGM to understand the potential effects on reconciliations. Improvements that have flowed from implementing blast monitoring include improved reconciliations when combined with other grade control improvement projects. The increase in liaison between the geology and blast personnel at KCGM has been a significant improvement gained from the implementation of the blast monitoring program. This has allowed a better understanding of blast movement and the effects on ore dilution and ore loss by the mine geology team. In addition, the discussion of blasting tie-in plans between geology and blasting personnel has been improved which leads to more favourable blasting practices that take ore movement into account.

Aug 22, 2011

By W A. Peck

Raise boring is the preferred option for constructing ventilation shafts in Australia. The trend has been towards larger diameters and longer single-pass shafts, and if at all possible, reaming through to the surface. The risk of raise failures, due to missed, unforseen or latent ground conditions has therefore been increasing, along with the need for better, more confident stability assessments.While the stability of specific weak zones and structures must be assessed individually, empirical rock mass classification schemes have been successfully used for about the last 20 years to assess general raise stability; eg the McCracken and Stacey method (M&S).Unfortunately M&S, as originally documented in McCracken and Stacey (1989), did not include a database of raise diameter and rock mass conditions versus actual performance. Nor was there a procedure for assessing the risk of failure due to adverse ground conditions. Peck and Lee (2008) published an Australian database of raise bore performance. Raise diameter and ground conditions, in terms of a lower bound Qr value, were presented for 50 cases versus raise performance. This paper updates the 2008 raise performance plot with more and SRF-corrected data. McCracken and Stacey (1989) had previously recommended that additional geotechnical data should be acquired and analysed when the proposed raise plotted on the unstable side of raisebore stability ratio (RSR) = 1.3, but the Australian data used in this study also suggests that all sites with Qr Contributions and sensitivities of various rock mass parameters (RQD, Jn, Ja, Jr, Jw, SRF, time-dependent weathering/deterioration) to raise stability and risk of failure are discussed. Numerous case studies are used to illustrate issues with stability assessments.As raises can now be remotely supported using sprayed fibrecrete, questions of time-dependency are also discussed. In recent times, contiguous piles, ‘mini-piles’ and grouting have also been successfully used to presupport or otherwise improve the stability of near-surface sections of weathered, or poor quality rock masses.

Mar 21, 2011

By G Kirk

Definition and delineation of in-pit ore and waste material are the most significant tasks for an open pit production geologist; adding or destroying value in the mining value chain. Anglo American’s Mogalakwena Platinum mine, an open pit operation in South Africa moving 100 Mt/a, has recognised the value of improved material definition and is in the process of changing from blasthole to reverse circulation (RC) sampling for in-pit grade control. This is aimed at obtaining more representative samples, which are required to maximise ore recovery, minimise waste dilution and to increase the accuracy and confidence of production forecasts. Early in the project, it was realised that the key risks for implementing RC grade control were related to change management processes, rather than failure of technology. Recognising the importance of this issue, Mogalakwena chose an integrated implementation approach that incorporates all stakeholders of the mining cycle in order to develop a process that delivers maximum value and is sustainable within an active mining environment. The following core goals were addressed over five phases of project implementation: extensive definition and design of integrated project implementation, comprising: project buy-in and ownership from all key stakeholders, including survey, geology, mine planning, drill and blast, load and haul, maintenance, supply chain and finance; and detailed analysis of all potential issues and possible solutions, allocated to stakeholders as part of the scoping process; optimising hole patterns and drilling procedures, focusing on delivering maximum value for minimum cost using multiple scenario analysis from borehole data and operational sequencing requirements; and evaluation of lessons learnt during project implementation in order to optimise the technical solution and operational efficiencies. Although this project is not yet finalised, Mogalakwena Platinum Mine is already providing a blueprint for the effective development, implementation and optimisation of sustainable in-pit grade control RC drilling for other open pit mines within Anglo American plc.

Aug 22, 2011

By A G. Sheard

Fire safety requirements inside tunnels have become more demanding as tunnel designers consider the impact of potentially larger fires. Tunnel ventilation equipment is required to clear hot gases in the event of a fire. This is vital to maintain smoke free escape routes for people trapped in the tunnel and to facilitate safe access for emergency services. As the fire becomes larger, the temperature of clearing hot gases increases. Traditionally, engineers have taken into consideration gas temperatures of 250°C when designing tunnels. Because of larger fires, engineers must now design equipment to clear hot gas up to 400°C.Increasing the temperature of hot gases to 400°C requires tunnel ventilation equipment that goes beyond historic limits. As temperature rises, material strength reduces, consequently mechanically constraining fan aerodynamic performance. Developing tunnel ventilation equipment suitable for clearing hot gases at 400°C requires a fan technology that is more typical of industrial turbomachinery. The standards EN 12101-3:2002 and ISO 21927-3:2006 defi ne the necessary design criteria and testing methodologies to verify that a range of tunnel ventilation equipment is capable of extracting hot gases.This paper describes the process by which the authors certified in accordance with EN 12101-3 and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 21927-3 a range of powered ventilators suitable for clearing smoke and hot gases at 400°C for two hours. Proving the high temperature capability of the new range provided a challenge as a consequence of the large physical sizes and high motor powers involved. Additionally, the need to install vertically, as well as horizontally, imposed high thrust loads on motor bearings, further complicating both mechanical design and testing. The paper presents the methods by which the authors overcame these challenges.

Mar 8, 2011

By E J. Cowan

Efficiency demands that mine geologists devote the most time to tasks where they can have the biggest effect on production. One of the most time-consuming tasks is geological interpretation of the orebody and turning this into a block model for the planning engineers.The current best practice for mines that require a geologically constrained resource model involves capturing the interpretation of geologists as three-dimensional (3D) wireframes. However, there is significant overhead in the production of valid wireframes from sectional and plan interpretations. This overhead consists of the mundane tasks of digitising polylines, then building 3D wireframes and validating them. While software can simplify this task, the current process is not the best use of a geologist’s time. Under time pressure exerted by planning engineers and the time required for modelling from polylines, geologists are forced to roll-up the presence of other elements or impurities into the interpretation and encode them in the polylines, even though it is often desirable to consider these other factors separately.While it might seem unlikely that mine geologists can produce constrained geological models without the intermediary of wireframes, the technology to accomplish this is getting closer.In this paper, the results of a trial at the Savage River magnetite mine, which is owned and operated by Grange Resources Ltd, are reported. The trial was for a ‘direct-to-block’ implicit geological modelling method. The focus was on creating a geological attributed block model from drill hole geological log data; resource estimates were not determined. The categories modelled were air, waste, low-grade ore, medium-grade ore, and high-grade ore. The block model outputs either resulted in a proportional block model (categories expressed as percentages within equivolumetric blocks) or a sub-blocked model (parent block and one sub-block), which is the preferred block model output at the Savage River mine. When compared to the traditional best practice modelling method, which takes 43 work days, the wireframe-free modelling method took only 26 hours from initial modelling, using both exploration and grade control data. An update using appended drill hole data is achievable within one day. These results represent time savings of more than one order of magnitude compared to the traditional workflow, and, as such, these figures merit serious consideration for the use of the direct-to-block modelling approach at other operations.With these time savings, geological and estimation models can be kept updated constantly; geologists will not need to set aside two months for quarterly or half-yearly modelling of the drill hole data for resource review. Such dramatic time savings will allow for the better use of highly skilled geologists, who are in short supply in the current market, and will also impact directly on downstream mining engineering workflows.

Aug 22, 2011

IN the underground department of a mine, we may fairly say that "good management is based upon three elementals: first, sound engineering; second, proper coordination and efficiency of every human unit; third, economy in the purchase and consumption: of supplies.This paper is practically an analysis of the second element; which stands out prominently as the most important in the winning of successful results. The human units are divided into officers and men. The officers intermesh. One man takes responsibility where another throws it down; incessantly new conditions are arising where they may be doubtful of their powers; and always, on account of the three shifts, varying methods of work are coming into conflict. This very often results in disorganization. What is most necessary to guard against this is an esprit de corps, which would influence officers to stifle personal feelings for the general welfare of the department, To secure co-operation and loyalty of the staff, the writer recommends for the mines of the field a system of profit-sharing. Distributed on a salary basis, together with liberal holidays (not less than three weeks in each year) on full pay...

Jan 1, 1912

By D J. Brake

There has been a strong trend over the past decade in hard rock mines towards the use of very high powered auxiliary (or secondary) fans; in many mines, the installed power for the secondary ventilation system now exceeds that of the primary ventilation system. This also reflects the trend to use two-stage auxiliary fans pushing air into a single ‘trunk’ duct that in turn splits into multiple branches with multiple outlets feeding multiple workplaces. This often produces a poor result in terms of face flows due to the high resistance, high leakage and badly managed duct outlets, as well as high fan capital and operating (power) costs, which in turn also results in a higher cost for the underground power reticulation/distribution systems. This paper explores the reasons why this trend exists and what ventilation practitioners can do to utilise less expensive systems that simultaneously deliver better workplace conditions. It includes a case study.CITATION:Brake, D J, 2017. Auxiliary ventilation design – why and how mines waste so much power on inferior systems, in Proceedings Australian Mine Vent Conference 2017, pp 27–34 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 28, 2017

THE Taranaki oil-field is situated on the western side of the North Island of New Zealand, at about its widest part, and may be said to be the most compact and fertile part of the Dominion, for, with the exception of the upper half of Mount Egmont and of the ranges adjoining, which absorb 36,000 acres, the whole of the area, minus what is taken up by the rivers and streams is suitable for settlement, and certainly two-thirds is good land. The gross area of the district is 2,417,299 acres. The principle rivers are the Wanganui, Mokau, Waitara, Patea and Waiwakaiho. Mount Egmont, which is 8260 ft. high, used to be called Taranaki, and from it the district takes its name (the Maori meaning of which is "sloping peak ").THE OIL-FIELDThe discription of an oil-field now-a-days usually resolves itself into a mass of figures and statistics, of great interest and value to the engineer and commercial man, but practically indigestible to the general public. It is the realm of the financierand the captain of industry.

Jan 1, 1912

By D Matthews

With a brownfield project comes control integration challenges. The Khumani Iron Ore Mine’s second phase expansion posed a number of challenges as there was substantial brownfields work conducted. The fi rst phase was the compilation of the modifi ed process functional specifications for the project. The second phase was an audit on all of the operational sequences; this included a comparison between the SCADA sequences, sequential starts analysed from the historian data (with the potential for improvements made by the plant operators in manual start-ups) and what was proposed in the process functional specification. Differences, inclusions and missing equipment were highlighted. The third phase was the comparison of interlocking and control in the PLC with the updated process functional specification; this was done during the coding process. Running parallel to the three phases was the SCADA integration; tie-ins to the existing SCADA were conducted on maintenance days and shutdowns, in many instances with ‘dummy’ equipment to get the operational staff accustomed to the new interface. This paper details each of the phases, the success of this methodology as well as the pitfalls experienced.

Jul 11, 2011

THE Phillips River gold and 'copper field is situated on the south coast of Western Australia, about 200 miles east of Albany, 180 miles west of Esperance, and: 250 miles south of Southern Cross, forming the southern extremity of what Mr. H. P. Woodward classes as the fourth belt of Pre-Cambrian rocks, and the first auriferous belt, whicf extends northward through Southern Cross, Mount Magnet, and Cue. The field may be considered the premier copper producer of the State. The first mineral discoveries were made about 1892; when gold, copper, and iron pyrites were found; but, owing to the isolation of the district and the scarcity of water, both in the locality and on the route thereto, little work was done for some years. In1899, however, payable gold reefs were opened up, and the district began to attract attention.The southern portion of the district is composed of limestone and sandstone rocks, forming the coastal series, and is for the most part flat, broken only by a few low hills and ridges, except to the west, where Cape Barren and Eyre's Range stand out...

Jan 1, 1917

By A Dennis, T Hunter, R Coleman

For metallurgical plant design, it is necessary to progress through successive phases of test work, piloting and process development before involving all the other engineering disciplines and “freezing” the process design criteria and flow sheet. This process usually relies upon the experience, skills and personal preferences of various technology providers, study and engineering entities, test work and metallurgical laboratories and, most importantly, the owner’s team and its operators. Current industry trends include lower grades, more complex orebodies, geometallurgy in defining orebody variation and design envelopes, more common “hybrid” plant processes and the market demands for more reliable, timely and predictable early plant performance.This paper will discuss interaction of these trends and provide guidelines for the level of detail and technical complexity required for a number of different “typical” examples. The paper will pay particular attention to the study definition level translated into the required detail and certainty needed by the overall process “owner” and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) equipment suppliers to ensure the best real plant performance. Some recent case studies will be discussed. In many projects, at a late stage of project definition, it has become common practice to undertake a “value engineering” phase. Although it could be argued that this should be undertaken earlier, it is largely driven by an overall need to reduce capex and “optimise” the perceived “fat” built into the project during the detailed design process. This value engineering can be very counterproductive to project timing and operational performance and warrants discussion.The paper is intended to promote discussion on a topic of wide interest. The authors’ diverse backgrounds and experiences are integral to the views in this paper.CITATION:Dennis, A, Coleman, R and Hunter, T, 2017. Critical process design considerations from test work to operations, in Proceedings MetPlant 2017, pp 12–30 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 11, 2017

By A Datar, D Mulligan

The extractive phase of broad-scale mining can have major impacts on landscapes and associated ecosystems. Post-mining ecological rehabilitation typically starts with reconstructing topography. A fairly common industry practice has been to use landform elements such as plateaus, terraces, and gentle slopes for stabilisation purposes. However, this approach can lead to the generation of fairly uniform landforms that do not necessarily reflect natural ecosystems. Previous research in undisturbed and agricultural landscapes shows that ecological attributes and diversity in microclimates is positively correlated with landform heterogeneity. An objective of this study was to investigate if those findings are still valid in post-mining rehabilitating landscapes on North Stradbroke Island, Queensland, Australia. We investigated the relationship between landform heterogeneity and status of ecological recovery. The landform heterogeneity is measured through variance in three landform characteristics (relief, slope, aspect) using remote-sensing data and the status of ecological recovery is represented by ecological indicators measured through field surveys. The results indicate strong correlations between landform heterogeneity indices and native vegetation species richness with sensitivity to the spatial scale of investigation. It is recognised that climate, substrate and rehabilitation practices act as primary drivers of rehabilitation success. However, the results indicate that, in some examples, landform heterogeneity (heterogeneity in relief and slope angles) contributes up to 30 to 50?per?cent of the variance in native vegetation species richness. While the primary drivers of ecological recovery are difficult to control over extensive areas and extended time periods, landform heterogeneity provides a tool to indirectly control the micro-environmental parameters to improve ecological recovery. Reducing the uncertainties in the choice of ecological and landform indices and the degree of landform heterogeneity suitable for particular rehabilitating landscapes would be site specific. The introduction of desired landform heterogeneity may provide a very effective tool for significant improvement in ecological rehabilitation across broad-scale post-mine landscapes, an outcome of benefit to industry, government and local communities.CITATION:Datar, A and Mulligan,?D,?2014. Do we need to change the way we set up the stage?, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2014 , pp 29–46 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 16, 2014

By T Baumgartl, R I. Maczkowiack, O White, P D. Erskine

Queensland legislation, industry codes and policies relating to mine rehabilitation and closure create the expectation of successful progressive rehabilitation and that the post-mining environment is being returned to a condition suited to a pre-agreed, beneficial end use. Yet none of the rehabilitated mined land in the Bowen Basin has been certified as successful by authorities suggesting there is a gap between current rehabilitation and the full environmental outcomes that the legislation could deliver. We tested the veracity of this perspective and reflect on where responsibility for any discrepancy lies.We first reviewed current Queensland legislation and industry codes relating to stakeholder engagement, rehabilitation, closure planning and post-mining land use. We tested the accessibility of the documentation trail for several recent coal-mining projects in the Bowen Basin and examined the level of detail in approval documentation. We then assessed the rehabilitation performance reports of these mines in relation to the contents of their approval documents. Legislation, guidelines and codes repeatedly emphasise the need to plan for closure before mine operations begin and to progressively perform rehabilitation with an agreed end-use in mind. Early stakeholder involvement in these processes and transparency of actions and outcomes are also encouraged by government publications. Overall, in terms of transparency, we found that relevant documents are generally available to the persistent enquirer. However, the rehabilitation and closure undertakings given in both mine company and regulator documentation were commonly generic and rehabilitation obligations were not explicitly incorporated into rehabilitation plans. Rehabilitation reporting was also weak in that no distinction is required between successful and unsuccessful revegetation, nor to closure objectives and mine completion criteria. Responsibility for the apparent disconnect between regulatory intent and actual performance appears to begin with the regulator too readily allowing generic information and in not requiring performance reporting to correspond with approved post-mine conditions. As a result, companies may have a much greater rehabilitation and closure risk than mine management expects. More poignantly, the checks and balances that are in the legislation are not yielding the environmental outcomes of which they are capable.CITATION:White, O, Maczkowiack, R I, Erskine, P D and Baumgartl, T, 2012. Walk or talk - Is the current mine approval process in Queensland delivering rehabilitation and closure success?, in Proceedings Life-of-Mine 2012 , pp 59-68 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 10, 2012

By E A. Gunn, J Zhou

In this paper a project to develop a joint optimisation/simulation model for production planning in a mine-mill complex is presented. The system involves a mill receiving ore from a number of different locations, each with a unique mineral composition. The mill consists of several crushing and grinding circuits that function in series and parallel. Scheduling the flow of materials through the mill is complex due to constraints on throughput imposed by the millÆs design, the length of time material can be stockpiled on the surface, varying input mineral composition, and throughput targets for a range of output products.An optimisation model is used to create a set of campaigns (ore feed rates) over a given planning horizon under the assumption of deterministic mill throughput. A simulation model is used to evaluate the production plan under assumptions of stochastic machine failure and operational losses created by the need to cycle between input feeds. Campaign scheduling has two important implications for the simulation. First, during any campaign, multiple ore types may need to flow through the mill. However, the mill must be controlled to ensure that only one type of ore can be in a crusher, a grinder or a storage bin at any point in time. Second, as the mill switches from one campaign to another, the set of ores being processed may differ. Thus, the flow of ore through the equipment during a campaign changeover must be controlled to ensure that one or more of the ores from the current campaign can be completely eliminated before the ores from the new campaign are introduced.The simulation architecture employed for this project is Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) combined with MS-Excel as a user interface. A fixed step discrete event orientation is assumed as the simulation framework. A set of model constructs was built for the project with a specific Canadian milling operation in mind, but was designed to be representative of a broad class of milling operations. The constructs are implemented as class objects within the VBA structure, each with a number of properties and methods. The collection of VBA objects forms a composable modelling toolkit. These objects can be linked together by users, via MS-Excel, to represent a broad range of milling operations.

Sep 26, 2011

By P Minkkinen

"Pierre Gy showed in his early works that the results in estimating the variance of the mean value of continuous lots depends on sampling mode (random, stratified or systematic), except in the theoretical case that the measurand is randomly distributed in the lot. The experimental variance estimate calculated from samples taken from the lot is independent of sampling mode but depends on sample size and the type of the lot heterogeneity. Variography can be used to estimate the variance of the lot mean for different sampling modes.Gy also defined weighting error, which is made if a simple average is calculated from the assays of samples taken from a continuous object (eg from a process stream) where the flow rate varies with time and is correlated with the concentration of the analyte in the stream.The effect on sampling uncertainty of the three sampling modes and their interaction with the following factors in estimating the uncertainty of the mean concentration is studied using simulated lots, and lots having heterogeneity patterns similar to those of real data sets, including the effect of: the type of heterogeneity (random, grading and clustered heterogeneity patterns) increment size and number employing composite sampling weighting error. CITATION:Minkkinen, P, 2017. Dependence of the variance of lot average on the sampling mode and heterogeneity type of the lot, in Proceedings Eighth World Conference on Sampling and Blending, pp 319–330 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

May 9, 2017

By S Hanke, J Burden, P Spies

The Waterview Connection will complete Auckland’s long-planned Western Ring Route, a 48 km north-south motorway alternative to State Highway 1 that bypasses the central city to the west. The project involves construction of 5 km of new motorway – half of it underground in tunnels – to connect the Southwestern (State Highway 20) and Northwestern (State Highway 16) motorways.The Western Ring Route will link the major population and industrial centres of Manukau, Auckland and North Shore to give the region the connected and resilient strategic road transport system it needs to underpin economic growth and sustainable development. It will also provide a direct motorway link between Auckland’s central business district (CBD) and international airport.The project involves construction of twin 2.4 km driven tunnels with an outside diameter of 14.41 m beneath residential suburbs, a major arterial road and a rail corridor. Enabling works began in January 2012 while tunnel construction using an earth pressure balance (EPB) tunnel boring machine (TBM) began in November 2013.This presentation introduces the Waterview Connection project, its role in the development of the Auckland motorway network, its procurement process, the alliance delivery model and an overview of the project’s design features and construction progress to date.Design and construction highlights of the presentation include the TBM start-up, turnaround and breakthrough arrangements as well as the experience gained during the first tunnelling drive. The presentation also covers an innovative process developed for invert construction behind the TBM that is independent of tunnel excavation.CITATION:Spies, P, Burden, J and Hanke, S, 2014. The Waterview Connection Project – progress to date, in Proceedings 15th Australasian Tunnelling Conference 2014 , pp 519–540 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 17, 2014

By P B. Hills

This paper discusses the computerisation of the drill hole database, some historical records and the creation of a three-dimensional model of the gold bearing structures for resource estimation and mine design at the Beaconsfield Gold Mine in northern Tasmania. The phase of the work reported here commenced in November 1997 and was completed in March 1998. The historical mining on the Tasmania Reef had reached a depth of 450 m below surface when work ceased in 1914. Production up to this time was 854 000 ounces gold. Recent activity has concentrated on testing depth extensions of the previously mined ore structure, to a depth of 1000 m below surface, and the establishment of an underground mining operation to exploit this resource. The lode structure at Beaconsfield is a typical mesothermal vein style deposit. Gold is contained within narrow quartz, carbonate and minor sulphide reefs or veins. Reef width is variable from a few centimetres to several metres with æsplitsÆ or bifurcations being common. The reef averages 2.7 m true width in the economic zones. The key feature of this style of mineralisation is that reef continuity can be confirmed by drilling to a high level of confidence, but the gold grades are somewhat more erratic in nature. The resource estimates were based entirely on drill data. The drill intercepts on the reef were coded for each split directly into a database and these allocations validated graphically. The distribution of grades and widths show an increasing gold grade with reef width for both the drill hole and historical data. The same histogram patterns, mixed populations and overall arithmetic average grade for the historical mine (at 21.52 g/t > 3 g/t Au) and new drill data (at 21.55 g/t > 3 g/t Au) would indicate that there has been no major change in the overall style or grade of the ore from the historically mined areas to the new resource. The reef, host geology, area of historical workings and resource zones at the Beaconsfield Mine were defined as a series of closed wireframes. The Tasmania Reef was modelled as five mutually exclusive wireframes, one each for the Main Reef, Footwall split, Second footwall split, Third footwall split and Hangingwall split. The data for this exercise was extracted directly from the drill hole database, stored in Microsoft Access format. The formation of the solids was largely automated with manual validation and refinements allowing for multiple runs using different interpolation methods and combinations of drill holes. A rotated 3D-block model in the plane of the Tasmania Reef was created to contain the grade model and allow for tonnage, grade and reef width estimates. An inverse distance squared (ID2) interpolation method was used with ranges of 25 m along strike and 125 m down plunge with blank areas infilled with 50 m by 250 m. Each reef split was filled separately using only drill intercepts from that split. The method was independently validated used MIK methods. Longitudinal sections have been prepared showing gold grade, reef width and width +grade. Estimates were also made for arsenic, sulphur and other minor elements. The long sections show three distinct mining zones. A method is presented for the conversion of the resources to reserves by the addition of mining parameters for minimum mining width, minimum pillar, cut-off grade and internal and external dilution. The selection is done on columns within the block model, and allows for all splits to be considered at once. Multiple runs can be made for varying combinations of parameters to test different mining methods and their impact on reserves, mine life and NPV.

Jan 1, 1999

State ownership of minerals results in domestic legislation regulating mining operations. The mining industry today is dominated by a number of transnational companies, each subject to internal and external pressures for a more responsible approach to resource management. Thirty to 40 major companies are responsible for the bulk of the worldÆs mineral production with the balance coming from state-owned, second tier and junior companies and from artisanal miners.Mining companies operating within competitive commercial environments formerly focussed on mineral production. Companies worked to standards and expectations then current which largely failed to recognise the impact of mining activities on community interests. The mining industry acquired a reputation for arrogance, and for placing profitability ahead of issues considered equally or more important by local communities. Current perceptions continue to reflect disquiet about industry attitudes towards traditional land-owners and access to their lands, to environmental contamination, handling and storage of waste materials, utilisation of water and electricity, and to rehabilitation of worked out areas. Major international mining companies concerned at continuing criticism sponsored a series of initiatives with the objective of providing guidance on working harmoniously within the community. Industry commissioned studies, performed through the agency of disinterested parties, resulted in May 2002, in a Declaration being issued at an International Conference in Toronto. The Declaration was based on, but did not reflect all of the recommendations of the MMSD Report, æBreaking New GroundÆ.This paper considers whether benefits would result from the negotiation of a legally binding and enforceable international protocol encompassing the objectives of the MMSD report or the Toronto Declaration. It attempts to identify the problems associated with implementing and enforcing international mining law, should it be introduced. Aspects of mining operations having cover under customary international law are reviewed, as are rights, obligations and remedies for breaches of national mining law. Conclusions are drawn based on established procedures relating to implementing international agreements. The continuing ability of mining companies to operate within communities will result from each satisfying the communityÆs expectations rather than by complying with largely unenforceable legislation.

Jan 1, 2004

By Baker G

The detailed mineral composition of the lead-zinc ores at Captain's Flat was first studied in 1942 (Edwards, 1943).At that time the workings did not extend far below the 750ft. level. Since then development has been extended to the 1,390ft. level, and -at the request of the management of Lake George Mines Ltd., an examination of the ore from the deeper levels has been made as part of the research programme of the Mineragraphic Section of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization.This account is. based on that examination (Mineragraphic Rept. No. ,537, C.S.I.R.O.)GENERAL GEOLOGYThe geology of the Lake George Mines has been described briefly in The Geology of Australian Ore Deposits (1953), and in much greater detail in an unpublished report by K. Glasson (1952). The area consists of fossiliferous Upper Ordovician sediments overlain by volcanics (Kohinoor VoJcanics), and by fossiliferous Silurian sediments. The volcanies comprise a series of· flows ranging in' composition from dacite to rhyolite, with interbedded tuft's and shale lenses.The region has been strongly folded. The regional strike is from 340° to 355°, and dips are from 75°W. to 75°E, A major syncline, pitching 200 N., occupies the centre of the area. The Kohinoor Volcanic'l outcrop as two bands which represent the east and west limbs of this syncline.The Volcanks in the western limb, with whIch the orebodies are associated, are more strongly sheared than those in the eastern limb.

Jan 1, 1953

By J OÆDriscoll, R Butler, L Winter

The iron ore mining district of Labrador West and adjacent Quebec is Canada's largest iron ore producer with almost 50 years of production. The area is currently experiencing a period of renewed activity not seen in decades that includes new mine development, mine expansion and exploration for new iron ore resources. All of the past and present production and exploration programs in the district are centred on the Lower Proterozoic Superior-type iron formations of the Knob Lake Group, located within the Grenville tectonic province of the Canadian Shield. The Knob Lake Group is a continental margin sedimentary sequence which was deformed and subjected to greenschist to upper amphibolite facies metamorphism during the Grenville orogeny. Regional deformation and metamorphism plays a key role in making the iron formation of the Knob Lake Group economic. The distribution of orebodies in the district is controlled by superimposed F1/F2 synclines which causes thickening of the iron formation through repetition. Ore mineralogy consists of specular haematite, magnetite and locally martite with quartz as the major gangue mineral. Regional metamorphism has caused an increase in grain size of the ore minerals making it more amenable to concentrating and pelletising. Altius has been active in Labrador West since 2003 and is now the second largest licence holder in the district with several iron ore exploration projects. The Kamistiatusset project is located in the heart of the region's transportation, power and mining infrastructure. The property has seen limited previous exploration, but covers several significant iron ore prospects. Work by Altius includes a helicopter-borne magnetic survey, ground magnetic and gravity surveys, geological mapping, sampling and 6000 m of diamond core drilling all of which confirm both a favourable geologic setting and ore mineralogy.

Jan 1, 2009