| External Collaborators / Partners | University of Queensland (SMI and CRC ORE), AMIRA International, CSIRO and a wide range of other national and international institutions, organisations and industry companies |
|---|---|
| UTAS Collaborators | School of Earth Sciences |
| Funding Source | ARC and Industry |
| Project Status | Current |
Objective: To create and develop a series of small-scale, low-cost practical geometallurgical tools, protocols, proxies and processing indices for the purpose of ore-body domaining and whole mine optimization.
Geometallurgy is an exciting, cross-disciplinary activity that is having a significant economic impact on the mining industry. The ability to create and calibrate a geometallurgical ‘toolkit’ for an ore deposit at different stages in its life cycle leads to improved decision making and early recognition of processing options.
The three broad variables that control the economic viability and performance of an ore deposit are the amount of CAPEX required to put a deposit into production; cost per unit metal produced, net of by-products and co-products (C1 costs); and metals pricing. Of these variables, only CAPEX and C1 costs can be controlled.
The geometallurgical approach, developed in AMIRA P843 and P843A, utilises calibrated, small-scale tests to create proxies, which are used to define optimal processing domains within an economic envelope. The definition of an economic envelope is directly related to the conversion of resources to reserves, based on a series of modifying factors as defined by the JORC code or equivalent. This early detailed understanding of an ore body represents a significant leap forward from previous methods, which often relied on statistically insignificant bulk tests within a resource, defined on the basis of conventional grade-tonnage distribution.
Core Projects:
Project P4A (AMIRA P843A) – GeMIII Geometallurgical Mapping and Mine Modelling – is split into the following six themes, plus a sub-project covering case studies and technology transfer:
Theme 1 (P4A1) – Predictive Environmental Indices
Theme 2 (P4A2) – Integrated Blast Modelling
Theme 3 (P4A3) – Deterministic Comminution Modelling
Theme 4 (P4A4) – Texture-based Liberation and Recovery Modelling
Theme 5 (P4A5) – Predictive Leaching Indices
Theme 6 (P4A6) – Specialist Analytical and Support Software
(P4A7) Case Studies and Technology Transfer
SUMMARY OF TWO SPECIFIC PROJECTS WITHIN PROGRAM 4:
Theme 1 (P4A1) - Predictive Environmental Indices
Leader: Bernd Lottermoser
This theme provides early predictive information of intrinsic rock characteristics likely to impact on environmental performance and management during mineral processing, product manufacture and waste disposal. The underlying aim is to develop the foundations for a more predictive (and proactive) approach to early environmental characterisation that supports more effective management and valuation during mineral processing, and subsequent storage of waste. Ultimately, this will improve mine closure outcomes.
Theme 6 (P4A6) - Specialist Analytical and Support Software
Leader: Ron Berry
UTAS has installed a Renishaw laser Raman fast mapping system with 4 lasers. The aim in GeMIII is to use this machine to test the applicability of laser Raman mapping to geometallurgy. The configuration has been optimised for fast mapping and initial tests indicate high-quality spectral data can be recorded at 3 micron pixel resolution and 50 milliSecs/pixel. Classification options will be fully tested over the next six months.
A program (STORC) has been developed to measure structure orientations using high-quality photographs of oriented core.
Berry, R.F., Hunt, J.A., and McKnight, S.W., 2011, Estimating mineralogy in bulk samples: GeoMet 2011 - The First AusIMM International Geometallurgy Conference, Brisbane, Queensland, 5-7 September 2011. Proceedings, p. 153-156.
Foster, J.G., and Walters, S.G., 2011, Geometallurgy: Controling CAPEX and breaking the cost-curve: Geomet 2011 Conference, Brisbane, 5-7 September 2011.
Hartner, R., Walters, S.G., and Berry, R., 2011, Optical and SEM-based microscopy integration for optimisation of geometallurgical modelling and ore deposit characterisation: GeoMet 2011 - The First AusIMM International Geometallurgy Conference, Brisbane, Queensland, 5-7 September 2011. Proceedings, p. 157-162.
Hunt, J., Berry, R., and Bradshaw, D., 2011, Characterising liberation and flotation potential using image analysis, simulated fragmentation and small scale flotation: GeoMet 2011 - The First AusIMM International Geometallurgy Conference, Brisbane, Queensland, 5-7 September 2011. Proceedings, p. 331-334.
Hunt, J., Berry, R., & Bradshaw, D., 2011. Characterising chalcopyrite liberation and flotation potential: Examples from an IOCG deposit: Minerals Engineering, v. 24(12), p. 1271-1276.
Parbhakar-Fox, A.K., Edraki, M., Walters, S., and Bradshaw, D., 2011, Development of a textural index for the prediction of acid rock drainage: Minerals Engineering, v. 24(12), p. 1277-1287.
Members (External)
Assoc. Professor Jeff Foster (Program Leader) Jeffrey.foster@utas.edu.au
Assoc. Professor Ron Berry Jeffrey.foster@utas.edu.au
Dr Julie Hunt Julie.Hunt@utas.edu.au
Assoc. Professor Andrew McNeill Andrew.McNeill@utas.edu.au
Professor Bernd Lottermoser Bernd.Lottermoser@utas.edu.au