Open Cut

Improving the Reliability of Density and Grade Estimation from Borehole Geophysical Log Suites

Project Objectives

Coal density plays an important role in projecting and reconciling coal tonnage and quality variation. The best estimation of coal density is from direct measurement on core, but cored holes are sparse relative to chip holes due to the ....  read more

Tool for Rapid and Consistent Capture of Drill Core Observations

Central to all geological characterization, including the interpretation of vast amounts of geophysical data are geological observations made on drill core and chips. Two factors that impede the quality and reliability of these observations are inconsistencies of visual observations ....  read more

Quantitative Elemental Analysis of Major, Minor and Trace Elements in Coal and Host Rocks by Logging

Knowledge of the distribution of major, minor and trace elements in coals and interburden materials is increasingly important. Technological developments now suggest that such elemental distributions may be determined using a downhole logging tool. This study was undertaken to achieve two ....  read more

The Application of the Multi-Channel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) Seismic Method for Shallow Open Cut Coal Exploration

The Multi-channel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) is a recently developed seismic method to estimate S-wave velocity structure under the ground. It analyses the seismic waves in the frequency domain for the dispersion property of surface waves and estimates the distribution of the S-wave ....  read more

Towards 3D, Integrated P+PS Seismic Imaging of Coal Targets

Compressional-wave (P-wave) seismic reflection is a valuable tool used throughout the coal industry, for exploration (mainly 2D reflection) and mine planning (3D). Shear-wave (S-wave) reflection presents interesting theoretical potential, but is more difficult to implement. Previous ACARP ....  read more

Characterisation of Overburden Rock Mass and Top Coal Delineation Using Triaxial Drill Bit VSP Method

Coal loss and coal dilution is a serious problem in open pit coal mines. Poor structural characterisation of rock mass can lead to poor fragmentation which could hamper the productivity of draglines often used in cast blasting to remove the overburden. Coal loss and dilution can amount to ....  read more

Tertiary Volcanic Fields of Eastern Australia: Regional Characteristics and Implications for Coal Quality and Mining

ACARP project C22023 focused on the influence of Cenozoic basalts on coals of the Bowen Basin and nearby basins in eastern Australia. The project included a compilation of drillhole data, which illustrate regional-scale variations in the thickness of basalts. These thicknesses tend to be ....  read more

Rangal Supermodel 2015: The Rangal-Baralaba-Bandanna Coal Measures in the Bowen and Galilee Basins

This project compiled over 7000 company boreholes supplemented by more than 1000 open file petroleum (mostly CSG) wells to develop a regionally consistent stratigraphy for the Rangal-Baralaba-Bandanna Coal Measures in the Bowen Basin and the Galilee Basin.

The results are ....  read more

Non-destructive Characterization of Borehole Coal Samples Using X CT Technology

Exploration and development of a new coal mine and mine plan strategy depend on the characterization of borehole coal samples. Their washability characterization is one of the important, well-defined steps to be followed and has been achieved by conducting Float and Sink (FaS) testing as ....  read more

Structure Supermodel 2017 - Fault Characterisation in Permian to Jurassic Coal Measures

This report provides a detailed characterisation of deformation overprinting the Permian to Jurassic coal measures of Queensland. It addresses the ACARP objective to improve understanding of key aspects of Australia's coal basins and how they impact on mining conditions, by providing a ....  read more

Top of Coal Detection in a Rotary Air Blast Drill Rig

Accurately detecting the approaching top of a coal seam prior to blasting is fundamental to efficient coal recovery.  Previous investigations by member mining companies reported a 66% reduction in coal dilution through disciplined and detailed overburden drilling and blasting practices. ....  read more

XCT Prediction of Breakage and Washability of Borehole Cores

The most critical parameters for the efficient design and planning of coal mining and processing operations depend on the accurate prediction of coal breakage and washability characteristics of the coal resources. The aim is to establish the most “effective” liberation of the coal ....  read more

Geological Controls on Fluorine and Phosphorus in Bowen Basin Coals

Increasing global restrictions on fluorine in product coal prompted this project, using data and samples from the Late Permian Bowen Basin coal measures as case studies. In 2015, few mines had tested for fluorine and modelling of its distribution for coal quality control through selective ....  read more

Raw Ash to Yield Relationships

Correct outcomes in yield predictions for product ash from coal borecore exploration can be critical to resource predictive potential, market evaluation and economic mining outcomes.

An observation has been made over many projects that product yield can be estimated from borecores from ....  read more

Coal Spectral Libraries for Scanning Devices

The objective of this project was to create a public spectral library for coal samples, which did not previously exist. To achieve this, coal samples were scanned using commercially available hyperspectral systems in the Visible Near InfraRed (VNIR) from 450 nm to 1000 nm wavelength, ....  read more

Mapping of Elemental Coal Content for Exploration and Mining

This project has analysed the concentrations of 50 elements not typically measured in coal in nearly 90 Australian coal samples from Queensland and New South Wales. The project provides the first dataset and map of its kind for Australian coal.

Internationally, alternative coal use is ....  read more

Feasibility Study to Use Machine Learning for Rockfall Analysis: Stage 1

Rockfalls pose significant risks to human lives, machinery and portal structures located at the toe of highwalls in open cut mines, with the potential for considerable financial losses. An efficient mitigation can be provided when the energy at first impact at the bottom of the affected ....  read more

Elements in coal – a start-to-end analysis

This project explores the fate and concentration potential of critical elements present in coal measures, as they are moved through a processing plant, from start-to-end.

The project was very kindly supported by two mines:  

• Mine A provided 16 core samples and ten

Validation of Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) as a Rapidly Deployable Field Technology to Estimate Coal Quality

Rapid evaluation of a coal resource by in-situ characterisation downhole can dramatically enhance understanding of the resource, providing new knowledge regarding coal quality - particularly grade - to inform the mining process and improve yield.

LIBS is swiftly becoming an ....  read more

Utilising Hyperspectral Imagery Scanning for Geotechnical Characterisation

The project was undertaken to contribute to and improve the analysis and interpretation of data obtained from hyperspectral imagery for characterisation of the overburden material in open cut coal projects. In future geotechnical index parameters might be calculated with these in mind, along ....  read more

Statistical Analysis of Methods for selecting Lithological Boundaries from Density and Natural Gamma logs and assessing their ability to select Lithology Boundaries in Blast Holes

Before analysing geophysical data, it is essential to smooth the raw data. However, insufficient smoothing makes interpretation extremely difficult if not impossible due to noise obscuring meaningful data, and too much smoothing causes the loss of significant geological information. To ....  read more