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By L. G. Trudell, J. W. Smith, K. E. Stanfield

Representation of actual oil yields from sections of the Green River formation oil shales by two types of drill - cutting samples was evaluated . Average oil yields of single sets of mud cuttings from hydraulic rotary drilling in Colorado and gas cuttings from pneumatic rotary drilling in Utah were compared statistically with yields of core samples taken from adjacent holes . Oil yields from gas cuttings were identical to oil yields of core samples . Mud cuttings appeared to represent a section of the formation conservatively , the deficiencies increasing with increasing richness of sample . Because a large amount of the oil - yield data currently available for the Green River formation is based on mud- cutting samples , development of a valid correction method by additional testing is needed .

Jan 1, 1963

By J. Petit

"In July 2004 workers at the ABI Smelter in Bécancour (Quebec, Canada) went on strike. Contingency plan were ready to face the situation and plan was done to operate one potline out of three. Two lines were stopped; keeping in mind the restart on cold metal after the strike was over. The subject to be presented and shared includes a summary of work organization including training, schedule of restart, pot cleaning, pot preparation, crash start method, follow up after crash start, safety and environment. This major project has been a very big challenge. It shows that people involvement is a must and the key success. It is then true to say : ""People who believe in success will work and act in order to get there"" and ""People who don't believe in success will act in such a way to fail"" Then both will prove they were right to think their own way ! Sharing such experience can be interesting because it's a true story and people like true stories."

Jan 1, 2006

These tentative inspection standards have been prepared as a guide for the Federal inspection of the anthracite mines of the United States. The Federal Coal Mine Inspection Division is not a mining-law-enforcement

Jan 1, 1943

By Shengqin Zhang, Yousef Mohassab, Feng Chen, Hong Yong Sohn, Mohamed Elzohiery, Amr Abdelghany

A novel ironmaking process is under development at the University of Utah aimed at producing iron directly from iron oxide concentrate in a flash reactor. This process will reduce hazardous emissions and save energy. The kinetics of magnetite reduction with hydrogen was previously investigated in our laboratory in the temperature range 1150 to 1400 oC at large temperature increments (~100 oC increments). Due to the significant melting that occurs above 1350 oC, the reduction kinetics was measured and analyzed in two distinct temperature ranges of 1150 to 1350 oC and 1350 to 1600 oC (~50 oC increments). Experiments were performed using magnetite concentrate particles of different sizes under various hydrogen partial pressures and residence times. Reduction degrees of more than 90 % were achieved in a few seconds at temperatures as low as 1250 ºC. Different rate expressions were needed to obtain reliable agreement with experimental data.

Jan 1, 2016

By S. Norman Kesten

The Galena mine is located astride the Polaris fault in the Coeur d'Alene district of northern Idaho. The surface installations are about a mile up Lake Gulch, the mouth of which is about 2.4 km (1 112 miles) west of the old town of Wallace. The mine had its beginnings when the first claims were located in the early boom days of the district in the 1880s and when the first underground ore bodies were opened up in 1917. During the ensuing 14 years, ore was mined from which were recovered 5.4 Mkg (12 million lb) of lead and almost 14.2 Mg (112 million oz) of silver. Workings consisted principally of a vertical shaft from surface to the 800 level and an offset underground shaft to the 1600 level, together with extensive lateral openings. High-grade silver-copper ore was discovered near the Silver Standard fault in the Sunshine mine, a few miles to the west, on the 1700 level in 1930. By 1937, the Sunshine and adjacent mines were producing silver-copper ore on a regular basis. In 1943 additional ore of a similar type was found along the Chester fault, to the east of the principal Sunshine workings. The interest of American Smelting and Refining Co. (renamed ASARCO in 1975) was aroused and the company's geologists determined that the Galena mine, idle since 1931, provided a geological environment in which similar ore might be found. After negotiations were initiated with the owners of the property, Callahan Zinc-Lead Co., the property in question was deeded to Callahan's wholly owned subsidiary, Vulcan Silver-Lead.

Jan 1, 1990

By T. J. Morris

"From November 2014 through September 2016, Westmoreland’s Coal Valley Mine utilized a Marion 7450 electric walking dragline to extract 1.2 million tonnes of a vertically-dipping, 52-meter wide, fault-thickened seam, beneath a conventionally-excavated pit bottom. Mine planning and operational hurdles encountered throughout a kilometer of mined strike length included mitigating highwall instability in both hanging and footwall slopes, water management, and end-of-life machine reliability and maintenance. The most substantial challenge has been the depressed global coal market. However, the successful application of this mining method significantly aided the overall cost of production at the site. The valuable experience gained from this project will be extended to future mining areas where this technique can be similarly applied. INTRODUCTION Coal Valley Mine is located approximately 220 kilometers southwest of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Since commercial production began in 1978, more than 84 million clean tonnes of coal has been produced and sold domestically as well as exported overseas for power generation. While the existing processing plant has a nameplate capacity of 4 million tonnes per year, the site has operated at a 2 million tonne rate since 2015 due to depressed export markets. Westmoreland acquired the mine as part of its purchase of Sherritt Coal Operations in April 2014. The mine operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with an IUOE workforce of 261. GEOLOGICAL SETTING The geology of the Yellowhead Tower mining area differs significantly from previous mining areas at Coal Valley. The Mynheer coal seam discussed herein consists of steeply dipping, highly-sheared, thrust-faulted, and heterogeneous coal pods. Deep set, southwest striking thrust faults were the likely mechanism for the podding and have resulted in overturned, rolled and highly sheared seams with zone thicknesses of up to 65 meters.The hanging wall is characterized by soft bentonitic mudstones and siltstones, overlain by massive competent sandstone. The footwall is defined by a hard volcanic tuff, interbedded with thin, sporadic coal seams. The sandstone above and volcanic tuff below constrained the faulting system within this zone, enabling the mass podding that has afforded the opportunity for large-scale mining."

Jan 1, 2017

By Robert E. Sorenson

EXPLORATION for deep-seated orebodies in the Silver Belt area of the Coeur d'Alene mining district is complicated by meager surface expressions of diagnostic criteria, lack of knowledge of the significance of specific alteration phenomena, and the great expense involved in the exploration for ore shoots, the tops of which often occur near sea level elevation or below and as much as 4000 ft or more below the surface. Except for the early studies of Ransome and Calkins in 1903 and 1904,' little geological work was done in the Coeur d'Alene district for many years, and it is only during the last 15 to 20 years that complete and careful geological mapping has been applied to most of the mines in the area. Much early information, which now would prove invaluable, is lost in hundreds of miles of caved and inaccessible mine openings not mapped by mining geologists. In more recent years mining geology has become a tool of greater use in the district, and some measurable progress is being made in the accumulation of observations that are adding gradually to the knowledge of ore deposits in the district. The recognition of alteration phenomena and related features by Hoyt S. Gale3 in 1935, followed by the work of Shenon and McConnel in 1936-37,4 changed many of the concepts formerly held and opened the way for more critical study and mapping of alteration effects. Mapping of these effects has been in progress for several years but no well-organized, careful, and complete laboratory study of the alteration has been made by mining companies or by government agencies. Recently, Thomas Mitcham of Columbia University has been occupied in the collection and study of specimens carefully selected from several producing mines in the Silver Belt as well as from several prospects exhibiting alteration effects. Mr. Mitcham and the writer have discussed some of the preliminary results of his investigations, which indicate that definite and interesting material is forthcoming from his studies. Work of this kind, aided by careful observation by district geologists, should advance the knowledge of the environment of Silver Belt ore shoots and establish additional criteria for recognizing meager shallow expressions of deep-lying orebodies. Structural details in the Silver Belt area are extremely difficult to decipher on the surface because the area is almost completely covered by a deep mantle of surface debris and soil. A dense growth of small trees and buck brush adds to a geologist's difficulties. Often large areas reveal only scattered small outcrops with great intervening areas where the underlying formations must be deduced from small altered rock fragments. Some considerable success in obtaining surface information has come from bulldozer roads and cuts in selected areas. As this type of work receives more attention, knowledge of the surface expressions of formations, alterations, faulting, and veining is expanding and giving more reliable information to guide deeper development. Lack of diagnostic marker beds in the district contributes to a geologist's difficulties in determining fault displacements. In the Silver Belt, known commercally important sulphide orebodies commonly are associated with siderite and quartz gangue. Some of the veins at shallow horizons above productive ore shoots are composed of quartz with light-colored carbonate minerals such as calcite, ferrocalcite, ferrodolomite, ankerite, and carbonates with variable amounts of manganese. The relation of these carbonates to commercial orebodies is a problem offering possibilities for research. Shallow exposures of veins composed of quartz and the light-colored carbonates, often with some associated barite, grade into quartz and siderite veins at deeper horizons. The vertical range of these carbonates has been partially established for some veins, but no reliable method has been devised for predicting where the change in a vein may take place. Careful observation and analysis of carbonates may make it possible to predict more closely where the change to siderite may be expected. In 1926 Shannon5 pointed out some of the characteristics of the carbonate veins of the district and included a few chemical analyses. Some of the Silver Belt ore shoots have small commercial outcrops, and very shallow development of some properties has led to the opening of small ore shoots." Several small ore shoots developed at shallow depths have not been explored at deep horizons, and some important ore shoots with no commercially significant exposures at shallow horizons have been developed. The greatest problem of the mining geologist working in the Silver Belt area is to find the all-important link between the very meager shallow expressions of mineralization and the rich ore shoots that may be found below. To develop criteria for use in the recognition of the weak upper expression of ore shoots, the experience of past development programs must be relied upon heavily. The investment of more than a million dollars in the exploration for such ore shoots requires some reliable criteria if these ore shoots are to be found. Management needs some assurance that the risk involved is justified by well-developed and acceptable geological inference. The richness of some of the ore shoots found thus far has contributed greatly to the justification for a bold approach, but many negative results of blind exploration programs would lead eventually to extreme caution on the part of management. Fortunately, recent experiences of development programs have been quite successful. It is hoped that added knowledge. of the environment of Silver Belt ore shoots will contribute greatly to the sureness of approach toward their development. The Coeur d'Alene mining district is located in the panhandle of Idaho in Shoshone County. The population of the county is either employed in the

Jan 1, 1952

By Jyri Talja, Shaolong Chen, Hannu Mansikkaviita

"Drying (water removal) prior to smelting is always economically feasible. Unnecessary heating of vapour can thus be eliminated resulting in savings of5-15 MUSD every year.Thermodynamically removal of one ton of water out of copper concentrate at 100 °C (with 10 % moisture) requires approximately 3150 MJ/tH2o, consisting of heating of the water (377 MJ), heating of the concentrate (509 MJ) and water evaporation (2260 MJ). This is quite independent of the selected drying technology. In reality some more heat is needed as higher temperature is practiced to enhance the drying performance and to reduce the equipment size.Major nominator in drying energy efficiency is amount of gases, which depends greatly on the drying technology. Dryers based on direct heating with fossil fuels have high gas flow rates, and thus they require additional energy of about 1400-1600 MJ/tH2o, compared to indirect modemsteam drying at 250-400 MJ/tH2o.Significant benefits in energy consumption (900-1300 MJ/tH2o) with additional potential for a bonus profit of 2-4 MUSD/y year, together with full elimination of some 40 000 tpy CO2 per mid-size dryer is available by selecting sustainable, energy efficient steam drying.IntroductionRemoval of water from the concentrate is very energy intensive thus having a significant environmental impact. However, drying prior to smelting is always economically feasible and very often viable also from the perspective of process operations. This environmental impact of drying can, however, be decreased or even fully eliminated with proper selection of the drying technology.Energy incorporated in drying consists always of a number of phases like liquid (water), solids (concentrate) and gases (water vapour, purging I dilution air, combustion gases). Each phase is heated to a specific temperature during the drying process.Heating of water, heating of the concentrate and water evaporation consumes more or less the same amount of energy despite of the drying technology (3150 MJ per ton of water). In conventional drying this amount of energy is achieved by combustion of fossil fuels wirg subsequent CO2 emission. Alternatively, chemical energy derived from sulphide smelting can be utilized in a form of steam thus generating zero emission ofCO2, in modem steam drying."

Jan 1, 2012

By R Norris, M Dunne

Substantial efforts by the industry, as well as by process and equipment designers, have resulted in many innovative developments that provide cost effective reductions in water usage. This paper showcases four emerging best practices in industry including examples of recent installations. Belt press filters are a small fraction of the operating and capital cost of alternative ædryÆ tailings technologies. This gives operators who must ædryÆ their tailings a competitive advantage and makes such operations much more sustainable. The new generation of belt filter presses use less energy, produces lower cake moistures and better disposal stacking properties. The need for tailings storage facilities may be eliminated or in some cases high-grade tailings can be dewatered and sold as a low value product. Mining applications include sand tailings, sinter plant waste, coal tailings and power station fly ash. Flip-flow screening machines are proven worldwide in the dry classification of coal and other minerals, reducing the size of beneficiation plants, whilst reducing energy, water demand and media consumption. They also allow the screening of wet/sticky materials not able to be sized using conventional screens. Lamella separators are used for toxic water clarification and/or sludge thickening in many downstream metal industries with the underflow often dewatered in a belt filter press. Such low cost, high capacity thickeners could also be used instead of conventional thickeners at smaller mines. The simple and reliable continuous washing upward flow (CWUF) sand filters have been used for treatment of waste water from coal preparation plants and steel works as well as in the production of potable water. The filtered waste water from mining processes can then either be reused or discharged from site. Other installations include cleaning mine water to prevent the blocking of dust suppression spray nozzles.

Jan 1, 2006

By G. Cavanough, A. Torrance

Emulsions have been developed for over forty years to become the most common water-resistant explosives used in the mining industry. An emulsion is a common commodity, with many examples in our day to day lives of one immiscible liquid dispersed in another. They have varying degrees of stability from a few seconds to years. What makes their application in explosives unique is twofold. They contain a high concentration of salts in the dispersed phase and also have a far larger volume of dispersed phase than continuous phase. The continuous phase contains at least 75% by weight of an oxidizer such as ammonium nitrate dissolved in water. The crystallization point of these solutions is often >60oC which means that the formation of the emulsion has to occur at an elevated temperature. Once the emulsion is cooled, its structure helps to prevent the formation of crystals in an otherwise unstable system. At room temperature there is a considerable potential for the small oxidizer droplets to crystallize which is countered by the strength of the oil layer and also the size of the emulsion droplet. If the emulsion droplet is too large then crystals can form which may lead to rapid deterioration of the emulsion and overall crystallization, accompanied by a temperature rise as the heat of crystallization is released from the emulsion. The size of the emulsion droplet is critical in preventing crystal growth and subsequent droplet coalescence and emulsion break down. One method of examining emulsions and understanding their structure is to use optical microscopy to measure droplet size and also emulsion deterioration from shearing, temperature cycling and when contaminants are introduced, such as detergents, different oil types, coating agents and dust particles. This paper reports on advanced techniques to quickly assess emulsion quality and stability

Jan 1, 2024

By M. R. Khalesi, S. Bellec, C. Bazin, D. Hodouin

Batch grinding tests conducted on a gold ore indicated that gold is not randomly distributed within the size fractions of the ground ore. Since gold leaching performances were found to be dependent of the size of the gold carrying particles an integrated gold ore grinding-leaching simulator should incorporate a method to predict the gold size distribution of a ground ore. The paper describes the results obtained from batch grinding tests showing the non random distribution of gold within the size intervals of a ground ore and the initial developments of a grinding model to predict the gold size distribution in a batch grinding product.

Jan 1, 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 Y G. Anoman

This paper discusses the operating model within Endeavour Mining Corporation regarding the options of owner mining against contract mining. It’s based on the concept of ‘are we carrying out the most efficient mining’ regarding cost and performance. This question can only be answered through an extensive contract mining tender process and conducting a comprehensive comparison to evaluate the transition viability. Karma mine, located in Burkina Faso, is the subject of this paper. The Tender model included sales of equipment, parts and tooling associated with the traditional Load and Haul Schedule of Rates (SOR). The methodology focused on the structure of the tender process, which consists in the development of a SOR based on haulage profiles and mining schedule. This is a new Endeavour framework that allowed the bidders to compete on an even level. This was performed using a systemic analysis which encompassed all the elements involved in a transition such as the Human Resources (HR), taxes and customs implications, directs and non-direct costs (Finance and interest on assets, depreciation, insurance), contractor risk profiling. It was assessed against the normalised internal pricing tender-based. This paper gives an insight into how a West African mining operation addressed the sensitivities of the HR functions against the commercial aspects. This was one of the most successful transitions in West Africa and was carried out during the COVID crisis. The outcome of this project has created value by detailing a lesson learned model for both commercial and HR aspects. This discusses the commercial comparisons along with the internal model with the underlying HR functions as a risk factor that could have jeopardised the continuation of the operation. This resulted in a smooth transition with the additional cash flow generated by the sale of the parts and equipment turned Karma into a viable operation.

Jun 22, 2022

By G. Avramovic-Cingara, H. J. McQueen

The microstructure of commercially pure aluminum was investigated by using polarized optical microscopy (POM), orientation imaging microscopy (OIM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. Specimens were deformed in torsion at 400°C and equivalent strain rate of 0.1 s-1, to various strains of 0.2, 0.5, 1, 4, and 6. The results indicate that POM can usefully reveal grain and subgrain structures over a large field in aluminum. TEM is most suitable to study dislocation substructure and evolution of subgrains. While TEM microscopy and OIM are capable of resolving individual subgrains, OIM can not reliably distinguish subgrains with small misorientations, particularly in samples with low strain. On the other hand, the OIM technique is very useful in the analysis of many regions surrounded by high, medium, and low angle boundaries (HAB, MAB, LAB). Various misorientation maps were studied using different data processing methods. The analysis revealed that the subgrain size is relatively insensitive to strain. The fraction of low LAB ( < 5°) decreased and HAB (>15°) increased conversely with increasing strain, whereas MAB (5-15°) remained stable. The development of an increasingly bimodal grain boundary misorientation distribution is consistent with the predominance of dynamic recovery (DRV) in the evolution of microstructure, combined with geometrical dynamic recrystallization (gDRX), now called grain-refining DRV.

Jan 1, 2006

By J Herrmann, J Richards, B Hutchison

An extensive trial of laser-based survey and monitoring systems at Hillgrove Resources Kanmantoo Copper Mine in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, has proved the capabilities of the system in monitoring rock movements on open pit walls. Initially, the trial involved deploying a Maptek I-Site 8820 laser scanner and the proof-of-concept Maptek Sentry software in the Nugent Pit to monitor ductile rock movements located up to 260 m away. The system was proven to be capable of monitoring various rock movements from 1.5 tonne rockfalls up to a 40 m high toppling wall failure. Data collected from smaller rockfalls was used to help build a database for Hillgrove’s rockfall management program. As part of the trial, the laser scanner was deployed to monitor a ramp movement event, as well as the toppling failure, adjacent to an IBIS slope stability radar. Both devices monitored the slump and the slowly developing toppling movements, with similar results. Although the radar was used as the successful ‘critical alarm’ device for the toppling failure, post-failure analysis showed the laser-based system to be capable of performing a similar role in the ductile rock regime; albeit over much shorter distances than the radar capability. A second laser scanner was deployed to monitor Kanmantoo’s Emily Pit in early December 2014, where it successfully provided critical alarm warnings for a block topple event. Sentry software, which takes advantage of Maptek I-Site 3D spatial imaging technology, was first released in November 2014 to meet industry demand for a cost effective, flexible system to detect movement. Sentry has now been re-launched as a fully transportable monitoring system. Deployed in a custom trailer, the system offers a power and communications module, cellular and Wi-Fi networking and a stable bollard for the I-Site laser scanner and Sentry software. This paper will present rock wall movement data from the Sentry trial and a subsequent two years of monitoring of the open pit walls at the Kanmantoo Copper Mine, at distances out to 750m. In addition, examples of remote geological mapping and small rockfall detection, using the laser scans, will be described. The Sentry system has proven to be beneficial for the continual improvement of slope monitoring and risk management at hard rock mines. CITATION:Hutchison, B, Richards, J, Richards, J and Herrmann, J, 2018. Mine rockfall and rock wall failures – proven digital laser-based approach for monitoring slopes at the Kanmantoo Copper Mine, in Proceedings The Fourth Australasian Ground Control in Mining Conference (AusRock), pp 463–472 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 30, 2018

By B. K. Choi, G. E. Kim, S. Noh, T. K. Kim

Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steel has been developed as the most prospective core structural material for next-generation nuclear systems because of its excellent high strength and irradiation resistance. In ODS steel, finely dispersed nano-oxide particles with a high number density in the homogeneous grains can be very attractive to achieve superior mechanical properties at high temperatures, and these favorable microstructures can be significantly changed using process parameters during the mechanical alloying procedures. In this study, the effects of mechanical alloying times on the microstructure of 10Cr-1Mo ODS martensitic steel were investigated. Pre-alloyed powders with Y2O3 powder were mechanically alloyed for various milling times using a high energy horizontal ball-mill apparatus (model: symoloyer CM20). Powder properties such as the mean particle size, size distribution, and crystallite size were evaluated. Uniaxial hot pressing was employed to consolidate the milled powders. The results of a microstructural observation after the MA and UHP processes indicated that the homogeneity of the martensitic structures was considerably increased with the longer milling time. It is thus concluded that the mechanical properties of the ODS martensitic steel are greatly dependent on the mechanical alloying times.

Jan 1, 2015

By H He, S Tillotson, S Gibbons, J Shaw

"Water evaluation and management during mining exploration and operational activities is crucial to minimise direct and indirect operational costs and also in delivering mining companies the less tangible, but equally critical æsocial license to operateÆ.Mining is often carried out in remote areas, where the mine will be the most significant and visible user and potential contaminator of water resources. However, wherever it is located, a mineÆs use of water must be managed in the context of two key aspects: the natural parameters of the resource; its abundance, its temporal variability and its chemical and physical qualities other users of the resource; other industry, potable water supplies and ecological requirements of local habitats.It is vital, therefore, that this commodity be assessed to an appropriate degree to help establish the viability and sustainability of the mining project and identify those other stakeholders who may be affected by the mining companyÆs activities.This paper outlines the background to catchment-scale model and presents a cost-effective method for establishing a robust water baseline and creating a water management tool to be used throughout whole mine life cycle. Numerical surface and groundwater modelling has long been established as a tool for reactive management, following collation of yearsÆ worth of data. Now, using freely available remote sensing data and desk study information, analytical modelling techniques can be used cost effectively to provide mining companies with a tool for assessing and managing their water consumption requirements at the outset of a new project venture.The paper includes a selection of case studies to show how the use of analytical modelling can be used as an evaluation and management tool to help not only assess general watershed parameters and water availability but also how it can be used as a tool to provide decision makers with the information to complete æwhat if?Æ scenario assessments. The case studies illustrate how a combined hydrological and hydrogeological model may enable identification of sensitive receptors, water competition issues and contaminant migration pathways to help manage the risks associated with water consumption and its potential contamination from exploration and operational activities.CITATION:Gibbons, S, Shaw, J, Tillotson, S and He, H, 2013. Catchment-scale water modelling and its role in risk management during mining exploration, in Proceedings Water in Mining 2013, pp 175-188 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne)."

Nov 26, 2013

By R Mann, R Prasad, S Vink, V Nanjappa

The level of salinity that various aquatic organisms can tolerate without incurring any adverse effects is dependent on several environmental and evolutionary factors. These factors include the relative concentrations of different types of dissolved salts in the water that makes up their habitat, the regimes to which organisms are exposed to waters of differing salinity levels (including naturally derived variations), the degree to which an organismÆs life history stages have adapted to salinity, an organismÆs ability or behaviour to avoid adverse levels of salinity and an organismÆs capacity for osmoregulation.Release of saline water into rivers of the Fitzroy catchment has created concern about the impact on aquatic organisms. Not only is salinity itself a stressor on organisms but different ionic compositions will moderate the effects. Ecotoxicology experiments were conducted using artificial saline water based on mine water chemistry using sensitive macroinvertebrates collected from the catchment, as well as a range of laboratory organisms in accordance with the ANZECC and ARMCANZ (2000) guidelines. The 95 per cent ecosystem protection value calculated from species sensitivity distribution derived from the commercial tests was estimated to be ~2.0 mS/cm. For the protection of 99 per cent of the species the salinity has to be reduced by more than 50 per cent to 0.91 mS/cm. The electrical conductivity (EC) values, derived by commercial testing and species sensitivity distribution in this study suggests that salinity contaminant trigger values previously developed using a referential approach for protection of aquatic ecosystems from saline mine water releases in the Fitzroy may be conservative.CITATION:Vink, S, Mann, R, Nanjappa, V and Prasad, R, 2013. Determining the impacts of salinity on freshwater organisms, in Proceedings Water in Mining 2013 , pp 149-154 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 26, 2013

By E Widzyk-Capehart, P Vallejos, R Asenjo, J Ruiz-del-Solar

Throughout the minerals industry, it is evident that a new wave of technological innovation is needed as the mining sector looks for ways to achieve higher security and safety as well as higher production rates with less investment. Innovation has always been one of the key factors in achieving success within the mining industry. However, its importance will be especially relevant in the coming years if negative trends in commodity prices and new challenges facing the industry (lower grades, deeper mines and economy of scales) are to be overcome and the future sustainability and profitability of the sector ensured.The drive towards fully autonomous operations has begun, with the implementation of automated systems in both surface and underground operations. However, these automated systems are currently planned and realised with well-defined automated tasks within structured environments and isolated spaces. Currently, there is no interaction between automated systems, manned systems or humans, which creates physically isolated environments.For fully autonomous and continuous operations, the automated systems need to operate in environments that enable flexible interactions between automated machines, tele- and manually operated machines and humans.In this paper, we address the automation paradigm considering the synergistic collaboration between humans and automated systems. In this paradigm, humans and machines would interact in a flexible, collaborative and synergistic way without the need for isolation. The implementation of this concept within mining operations will have to be underpinned by science and technological developments and will require adaptation from many fields, including robotics, automation, distributed systems, communication, human factors, pattern recognition and mine design.The paper also presents the research and development work being undertaken at the University of Chile’s Advanced Mining Technology Center, in collaboration with the Chilean mining industry. This will provide the basis for flexible interactions between humans and technology-based systems towards a future of autonomous and continuous mining systems.CITATION:Ruiz-del-Solar, J, Widzyk-Capehart, E, Vallejos, P and Asenjo, R, 2015. Synergistic collaboration of humans and automated systems – innovative steps towards fully autonomous and continuous mining systems, in Proceedings Third International Future Mining Conference, pp 83–94 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Nov 4, 2015

By V Srinivasan, P Knights, C T. Farrelly

By 2025, with the widespread industry adoption of remote operation centres and advanced analytics, mining companies will find themselves making better, more informed decisions across the value chain. Process automation will drive significant business integration and reorganisation. Better collaboration between functions will make cross value chain optimisation a reality. Wherever possible decisions will be automated, based on analytical models and embedded in an enterprise decision management (EDM) architecture. This will take care of many of the minor day-to-day or the minute-to-minute decisions that consume operators and managers today. More flexible information technologies and architectures derived from the extensions to Web 2.0 and service oriented architecture (SOA) will solve many of the integration issues of today. The ongoing business imperatives for doing more with less people will make true collaboration with partners such as mining contractors, equipment vendors, transport providers, suppliers and maintenance contractors commonplace throughout the industry. All these organisations will be linked in and share common goals and objectives in real-time while providing visibility of internal constraints and available capability, allowing optimised decisions to be made across the extended enterprise. Humans will increasingly move to a more supervisory role and will use advanced collaboration to quickly solve complex abnormal issues that span the value chain out to the extended enterprise. The open collaboration and communication models instilled in the workforce through the widespread use of social networking technologies will drive thought leadership far beyond current æbest practiceÆ thinking. This will encourage the mining industry to extract the business value from rapidly converging fields of study such as environmental sciences, neuroscience, psychology, engineering, information technology and business finance. The future of mining will see a more uniform distribution of data savvy workers between the ages of 20 - 40, forcing a change in current operations. This group will drive the adoption of ubiquitous computing, augmented reality, presence and digital labelling. The enterprise will shift from a relatively static disparate set of functions to a digitally aware, integrated and interactive environment with information available, in context and just in time, to those who need it. The networked virtual enterprise will therefore be a reality.

Jan 1, 2008