Details of the overall AMIRA P1202 project are outlined in the TMVC Theme 1 section of this annual report. The optional research module of P1202 (Module 4) is reported here in the Geometallurgy Theme, as it is the major geometallurgical research activity being conducted in the TMVC from year 4 onwards.
P1202 currently has six sponsors of Module 4 (BHP, FMG, Merdeka, Newcrest, Rio Tinto and Northparkes) with Rio Tinto and Northparkes joining the project in 2019. The Module 4 research initiative involves both near-mine exploration vectoring and geometallurgical assessments of the porphyry transition zone, where clay and mica alteration overprint early formed potassic alteration. The research team are working closely with Corescan at Module 4 sites to optimise mineralogical characterisation of the transition zone for exploration, evaluation and mining.
In 2019, the P1202 Module 4 research team continued research activities across several study sites, including field activities in Indonesia, Chile, Argentina, Fiji and Arizona. The research team are progressing well towards delivering on the project’s objectives to the sponsor group (including algorithms for textural classification of hyperspectral imagery, and new white micas mineral chemistry data sets and exploration tools). PhD students Javier Merrill, Kyle Eastman, Takeshy Coaquira and Angela Rodrigues (Monash) are continuing to generate exciting outcomes with impact through their case studies. Additional PhD students are expected to join the project in early 2020.
