Events

There is always potential to innovate and improve a gadget or process, no matter how mature the technology may seem to be.

CEO of CRC TiME, Dr Guy Boggs (The University of Western Australia), and CRC TiME Research Director Professor Anna Littleboy (SMI) walk us through the fundamental aspects of this new 10 year project.

Improvements in productivity, efficiency and safety always rate in the top 10 trends, risk or opportunities from mining industry surveys. One area of focus to achieve productivity improvements over the past few years has been through the application of technology, automation and data analytics primarily focussed on existing mining equipment. This presentation will look at the current development of an automated system to enable precision mining by providing spatially dense knowledge of the rock, beyond grade, for short interval control – improving blast outcomes, material control and downstream processes.

Cashflow grade modelling is a major component of the strategic planning process. It combines geology, metallurgy, mine planning, marketing, environment, finance and a number of other aspects of an operation or potential operation to provide information crucial to the strategic planning process.

Post-mining land use and associated economies have become a priority issue in mine lifecycle planning. Julia Keenan from the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining presents on their recent scoping project which started from the position that reconceptualising mine ‘closure’ may enhance the industry’s contribution to sustainable development.

There is great opportunity to expand the depth and breadth of relationships between the METS and Research communities. Global pressures in mining present both opportunity and threat to METS companies looking to grow. The pace of change is fast, challenges are becoming more complex and competition is fierce. New partnership models provide the potential for quicker pathways to commercialisation for research and vital new innovation opportunities for METS companies.

Nikky LaBranche, Research Manager for Occupational Health & Safety and inaugural Industry Fellow in the Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre, discusses her work in particulates and mine dust lung diseases.

This webinar aims to convey the catalytic power and diversity of the microbial biosphere in transforming Earth surface environments; highlighting the broader, as yet unrealised potential to develop biotechnological processes for the mining industry.

Associate Professor Claire Côte, Director of SMI's Centre for Water in the Mineral Industry (CWiMI) discusses her work in Erosion and Sediment Control.

The Complex Orebodies Program is now into its third year of operation. This presentation will cover progress to date on the program, showcasing a range of the exciting projects, outputs, impacts and collaborations which have resulted so far.

In March 2020 the Federal Government announced a new $130 million Cooperative Research Centre on Transformations in Mining Economies (CRC TiME). The University of Queensland, through the Sustainable Minerals Institute, led the development of this cooperative research centre in partnership with The University of Western Australia.
This presentation will outline: the basic components of CRC TiME; the game changing value proposition which positions the mining industry as an agent of regional development; and the unique partnership that has drawn in mining companies, technology and service suppliers, state and local governments and groups representative of regional and community interests.

Real time measurement is essential for improved plant control. Bulk ore sorting is automated grade control between the mine and mill and sensing data can be used concurrently for multiple purposes (ore blending, diversion, reconciliation, metal accounting, feed forward control, etc).

The Australian Acid and Metalliferous Drainage (AMD) workshop is presented by the Sustainable Minerals Institute at The University of Queensland. The workshop, associated short courses, and site visit will provide excellent opportunities to network with speakers and delegates on the causes, management and amelioration of the impacts of AMD and Acid Sulfate Soils.

Climate change accountability plays a critical role in ensuring the security of the future of minerals supply. Mining has an important position in enabling our modern lifestyle and the development of infrastructure for green technologies; and, therefore, it is important to acknowledge and point out the risk of climate change on mining infrastructure. A comprehensive carbon accounting framework, that takes into consideration all mitigation opportunities, is required to implement climate change mitigation strategies within mining supply chain.

There are a host of non-technical issues that need to be addressed in order to successfully commercialise technology in the resources industry. Today we will talk about a range of actions which can greatly assist your technology to be implemented in industry.

Panel discussion and morning tea to celebrate International Women's Day 2020
#EachforEqual

Process water can potentially be reused in flotation, particularly in the reverse cationic flotation of magnetite concentrates – the Kryvyi Rih (Ukraine) case study concludes that unwanted silica content reporting to the magnetite concentrate during reverse flotation can significantly be restricted following the proposed methodology for reusing process water.

Tailings dam failures are unfortunately common, with recent failures having catastrophic consequences in terms of loss of life and environmental damage. David will present an overview of recent dam failures, technical causes and new methods of monitoring, failure prediction and closure practices that will reduce the frequency of tailings dams failures in the future.

Join us to acknowledge the research achievements and celebrate the success of our colleagues with the annual SMI Excellence Awards and End of Year Celebration. Please note: Just adding to your calendar does not register your attendance. Please use registration link.

In a first for UQ, this panel discussion is produced in partnership with ABC News 24 and will be recorded at UQ’s St Lucia campus for subsequent broadcast.
Chaired by UQ’s UNESCO Chair of Journalism and Communication, Professor Peter Greste, the program will unpack the sustainability challenges posed by mining.

Some production blast-hole drilling rigs are capable of measuring and storing various operational parameters while operating (Measuring While Drilling data-MWD). There are a number of examples from the literature where MWD data is used to predict rock properties such as lithology, strength and fractures. This study investigates the links between the MWD data acquired in laboratory and ore breakage parameters.

International Night is a longstanding tradition and way for SMI staff, students, and their families to celebrate and share their heritage with food.
Come along, enjoy the food your friends and co-workers have made, and have fun! Costumes are encouraged, and entertainment is provided for children.