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Open Cut                                          reports

Open Cut

Safety, productivity and the right to operate are priorities for open cut mine research. We have supported work on an automated swing loading system for electric shovels, the science of rehabilitation and minimising mining impacts on neighbouring communities.


Rock Mechanics (23 Reports)

Autonomous Sensors for Monitoring Spoil Dumps and Tailings Dams

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C2603219/03/2020
Author: Byron Wicks | Mining3

A critical parameter in determining slope stability for spoil piles and tailing dams are groundwater conditions.  Current technologies such as cabled or standpipe piezometers are used to collect groundwater information from spoil pile. However, this type of information is difficult to ....  read more

 

Autonomous Water Pressure Sensors for Spoil Dumps and Dams

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C2905218/10/2023
Author: Byron Wicks | Mining3

The geotechnical integrity and stability of a mine spoil dump or tailings dam can be weakened by factors including abnormal pore pressures and movement induced by ground water permeating the embankment or the foundation of these structures. These factors greatly affect the design, layout, ....  read more

 

Baseline data for the development of automated characterisation of waste materials

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C2904401/05/2023
Author: Stephen Fityus, John Simmons, Klaus Thoeni | The University of Newcastle

The primary purpose of C29044 was to assemble a set of high‐quality data on a diverse range of characterised spoils that could be used (by C29048 Image Based Automated Characterisation of Waste Materials) to calibrate a “machine learning” model to recognise spoil category ....  read more

 

Bulking and Subsequent Self-Weight and Saturation Settlements, and Geotechnical Stability, of Deep Coal Mine Spoil Piles

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C1902201/03/2015
Author: David Williams | The University of Queensland

Australia's open cut coal mines are extending to ever increasing depths, with correspondingly deeper associated spoil piles. As the depth of spoil increases, the net bulking of the spoil becomes critical to the design, sizing, geotechnical stability assessment, and cost estimation, of both ....  read more

 

Coal Subsurface Mapping

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C2503501/04/2021
Author: Andrew Strange and Zak Jecny | CSIRO

This two stage project developed a machine-mounted sensing system that measures the depth of an underlying coal seam floor boundary during rip and stack mining. The earlier stage demonstrated a prototype ground penetrating radar (GPR) sensing system towed by a mobile platform across a ....  read more

 

Effective Slope Monitoring for Open Cut Coal Mines

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C1702310/09/2012
Author: Albert Cabrejo, Neal Harries | GroundProbe

This research project has been undertaken with the aim of improving knowledge in the behavior of the rock slopes at Australian coal mines. A large database of Slope Stability Radar (SSR) deformation data has been searched and analyzed for rock failures using parameters related to deformation ....  read more

 

Energy Adsorption Capacity of Muck Piles and their Status as Engineered Hard Barriers

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C2103212/02/2017
Author: Klaus Thoeni and Anna Giacomini | The University of Newcastle

Windrows or safety berms are used in mine sites to protect haul trucks from rolling over an edge and to avoid collisions. Their current design is based on rules of thumb and the behaviour of windrows in mining applications is still poorly understood. It is, however, well known that the problem ....  read more

 

ESFC-Based Trigger Levels For Monitoring Pit Wall Stability

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C1503301/11/2011
Author: John Simmons | Sherwood Geotechnical And Research Services

Project C15033 involved detailed theoretical and fieldwork-based investigations of a perplexing geotechnical hazard for open cut coal mining.  Sudden composite-style failures of highwalls typically occur while coal mining activities are taking place at pit floor level.  Within the ....  read more

 

Estimation of True Deformation Vector from Slope Radar Monitoring

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C2704601/12/2019
Author: Marc Elmouttie, Peter Dean, Matt Van De Werken | CSIRO

Slope deformation radar monitors are now widely used in open cut coal mining for monitoring highwall and low wall deformations. Their introduction has facilitated better management of risk associated with slope failure during mining and therefore protection of personnel and equipment. A well ....  read more

 

Geotechnical Hazard Awareness Video for Open Cut Coal Mines

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C2603301/06/2018
Author: Ismet Canbulat, | The University of New South Wales

THERE IS NO FINAL REPORT AVAILABLE FROM THE ACARP WEBSITE - DO NOT CLICK 'GET REPORT'.

Safety training means helping people to develop skills, telling people what they should or should not do, or it simply provides them with information (HSE, 2016). Safety training ....  read more

 

Groundwater Pressures and Flows within Spoil Dumps

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C2803801/11/2022
Author: Stephen Fityus, John Simmons, Olivier Buzzi | The University of Newcastle, Sherwood Geotechnical & Research Services

This project addressed the knowledge gap on the position of the groundwater surface, which is a key factor for reliable waste rock dump stability analysis.

The data and information assembled in this report suggests that water tables in in‐pit waste rock dumps depend on a host of ....  read more

 

Image Based Automated Characterisation of Waste Materials

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C2904809/04/2024
Author: Simit Raval | University of New South Wales

Accurate geotechnical characterisation of mine spoils is critical to enhance dump stability which eventually leads to safe mining operations and optimal environmental rehabilitation. Conventionally, classification of spoils in relevant CoalSpoil (previously known as BMA) categories relies on ....  read more

 

Improved Management Of The Rock Fall Hazard At The Base Of The Highwalls

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C1902601/07/2012
Author: Anna Giacomini, Cedric Lambert, Klaus Thoeni | University of Newcastle, University of Canterbury

Rockfalls are a significant safety hazard in open pit mines and underground mine entries from open cut highwalls. The project aimed to gather coal-mine specific data on rock falls with and without rock fall netting, and to outline a more rigorous approach to the design of face bolting, rock ....  read more

 

Improved Structural Mapping of Pit Walls Using UAV-based Mobile Laser Scanning

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C2603022/12/2018
Author: Simit Raval, Bikram Banerjee, Johnson Shen, Hossein Masoumi & Dwayne Tannant | The University of New South Wales, University of British Columbia

This project evaluated the suitability of a UAV-LiDAR system for mapping structural characteristics of pit walls compared to terrestrial laser scanning and UAV-photogrammetry. A UAV-LiDAR system was integrated, tested in a controlled environment and then deployed in an active mine environment. ....  read more

 

Improving Blasting Outcomes & Reducing Geotechnical Risks

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C2804101/09/2021
Author: Italo Onederra, Felipe Chacon, Sarma Kanchibotla | University of Queensland

This project has been the first attempt to integrate developments in blast modelling with geotechnical analysis to improve blasting outcomes and minimise geotechnical risks.

The project's three main objectives include:

  • The development of preliminary documentation for
 ....  read more

 

Investigations For Open Pit Geomechanics Using Geophysical Logs

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C2002501/05/2013
Author: Peter Hatherly, Terry Medhurst,Binzhong Zhou | Coalbed Geoscience, PDR Engineers, CSIRO

With the move towards deeper open cut coal mines, there is a need for on-going developments in technologies which allow management of geotechnical risk and the maintenance of high levels of productivity. Areas where development is required include highwall stability monitoring, semi-automated ....  read more

 

Low-cost terrestrial stereo-pair photogrammetric monitoring system for highly hazardous areas

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C2905001/05/2023
Author: Klaus Thoeni, Davide Guccione, Anna Giacomini and Riccardo Roncella | The University of Newcastle, University of Parma

Rigorous geo-hazard management practices require accurate spatial data to classify the type of instabilities, monitor their activity and predict their evolution. Terrestrial laser scanners and ground based radar systems, often implemented in mobile vehicles, are widely used within the mining ....  read more

 

Open Cut Mine Wall Stability Analysis Utilising Discrete Fracture Networks

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C2002901/04/2012
Author: Marc Elmouttie, George Poropat, Philip Soole | CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering

Identification of geotechnical hazards in pit walls is an ongoing operational requirement in open pit mining. Improvements in techniques for hazard identification have significant safety implications as open cut operations get deeper and the risks of wall failure increase. The hazards of ....  read more

 

Pit Wall Strength Estimation With 3D Imaging

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C1803001/05/2011
Author: Hua Guo, Shivakumar Karekal, George Poropat, Philip Soole and Cedric Lambert | CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering

Since discontinuities, such as joints, faults, and bedding planes in a rock mass are generally weaker than the intact rock, they often govern the strength of the rock mass and thus control the stability of pit walls. Reliable and efficient estimation of the shear strength of the discontinuities ....  read more

 

Predicting the Impact of Complex Joint Structures on Mine Operations

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C2701113/05/2021
Author: Anna Giacomini, Olivier Buzzi, Stephen Fityus, Marc Elmouttie, Jane Hodgkinson and Peter Dean | University of Newcastle, CSIRO

The aim of this project was to develop a method for improved prediction of the spatial distribution of rock mass defects and their properties (including fracture frequency) ahead of mining.  Current best practice dictates that both slopes and blast patterns are designed for the ....  read more

 

Rockfall Hazard Matrix for Risk Reduction in Mine Sites

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C2302608/09/2016
Author: Anna Giacomini, Federica Ferrari, Klaus Thoeni, Cedric Lambert | The University of Newcastle and Golder Associates

Rockfall is a major safety hazard in open pit mines which can also have financial consequences should the production be temporarily stopped for safety issues. The safety of the workers in all the areas potentially affected by rockfall has to be rigorously ensured and the risk of not being able ....  read more

 

Shear Strength Characterisation of In-pit Mud to Ensure Low Wall Stability

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C2504001/06/2019
Author: David Williams | The University of Queensland

High wet season rainfall totals between 2008 and 2013 resulted in the extensive flooding of open cut coal mines, particularly in the Bowen Basin and the formation of in-pit “mud” up to 10 m deep.  To re-start mining and spoiling in-pit, it has proved necessary to remove the ....  read more

 

The Stability of Very High Spoil Piles

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C2001901/07/2016
Author: John Simmons, Stephen Fityus | Sherwood Geotechnical and Research Services, University of Newcastle

ACARP Project C20019 was commissioned to investigate the strength of spoil materials and groundwater conditions within spoil dumps, and provide guidance for reliable geotechnical design. The design reliability issue arose because current designs are based on precedent testing and experience ....  read more

 

Underground

Health and safety, productivity and environment initiatives.

Recently Completed Projects

C33029Review Longwall Face Ventilation To Mitigate Goaf Gas Emissions Onto Walkways And Tailgate End

As longwall mining increasingly targets deeper coal seams, managing ...

C29009Control Of Transient Touch Voltages During Switching

There have been an increasing number of electric shock incidents rep...

C29025Effectiveness Of Shotcrete In Underground Coal Mines

The primary objective of this project is to quantify the effectivene...

Underground

Open Cut

Safety, productivity and the right to operate are priorities for open cut mine research.

Open Cut

Coal Preparation

Maximising throughput and yield while minimising costs and emissions.

Recently Completed Projects

C34041A Coal Spiral For The 2020S

The objective of this project is to develop an enhanced coal process...

C33057Foreign Contaminants Detection On Conveyor Belts Using Digital Imaging Processing Techniques And Coal Penetrating Sensors

This project was initiated to tackle the ongoing issue of foreign co...

C29065Wash Plant Fines Testing Methods Enhancement

Accurately estimating the proportion of expected fine size material ...

Coal Preparation

Technical Market Support

Market acceptance and emphasising the advantages of Australian coals.

Recently Completed Projects

C34054Scoping Study: Design Of Cokes From Biomass-Coal Blends For Sustainable Blast Furnace Ironmaking

There is an increasing focus on improving the environmental sustaina...

C34058Strength Development In Fouling Deposits

When coal is combusted in a boiler, the fly ash that is produced flo...

C34059Coke Reactivity With CO2 And H2O And Impacts On Coke Microstructure And Gas Diffusion

With the global shift to low-carbon ironmaking, partial substitution...

Technical Market Support

Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from the production of coal.

Recently Completed Projects

C34066Safe Operation Of Catalytic Reactors For The Oxidation Of VAM Operating Under Abnormal Reaction Conditions

The catalyst Pd/TS-1 has shown excellent activity in oxidising venti...

C28076Selective Absorption Of Methane By Ionic Liquids (SAMIL)

This third and final stage of this project was the culmination of a ...

C29069Low-Cost Catalyst Materials For Effective VAM Catalytic Oxidation

Application of ventilation air methane (VAM) thermal oxidiser requir...

Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Low Emission Coal Use

Step-change technologies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Recently Completed Projects

C17060BGasification Of Australian Coals

Four Australian coals were trialled in the Siemens 5 MWth pilot scale ga...

C17060AOxyfuel Technology For Carbon Capture And Storage Critical Clean Coal Technology - Interim Support

The status of oxy-fuel technology for first-generation plant is indicate...

C18007Review Of Underground Coal Gasification

This report consists of a broad review of underground coal gasification,...

Low Emission Coal Use

Mining And The Community

The relationship between mines and the local community.

Recently Completed Projects

C16027Assessing Housing And Labour Market Impacts Of Mining Developments In Bowen Basin Communities

The focus of this ACARP-funded project has been to identify a number...

C22029Understanding And Managing Cumulative Impacts Of Coal Mining And Other Land Uses In Regions With Diversified Economies

The coal industry operates in the context of competing land-uses that sh...

C23016Approval And Planning Assessment Of Black Coal Mines In NSW And Qld: A Review Of Economic Assessment Techniques

This reports on issues surrounding economic assessment and analysis ...

Mining And The Community

NERDDC

National Energy Research,Development & Demonstration Council (NERDDC) reports - pre 1992.

Recently Completed Projects

1609-C1609Self Heating of Spoil Piles from Open Cut Coal Mines

Self Heating of Spoil Piles from Open Cut Coal Mines

1301-C1301Stress Control Methods for Optimised Development...

Stress Control Methods for Optimised Development and Extraction Operations

0033-C1356Commissioned Report: Australian Thermal Coals...

Commissioned Report: Australian Thermal Coals - An Industry Handbook

NERDDC