Reverse engineering nature: metal extraction through mineral replacement. This project aims to find new methods of copper recovery from low grade copper ores, which are currently uneconomic to mine. In nature, at the top of ore deposits and just below the water-table, is a region known as the supergene zone. Here mild oxidizing reactions take place causing primary ore minerals such as chalcopyrite to be replaced by more copper-rich, less refractory minerals. These processes are driven by disso ....Reverse engineering nature: metal extraction through mineral replacement. This project aims to find new methods of copper recovery from low grade copper ores, which are currently uneconomic to mine. In nature, at the top of ore deposits and just below the water-table, is a region known as the supergene zone. Here mild oxidizing reactions take place causing primary ore minerals such as chalcopyrite to be replaced by more copper-rich, less refractory minerals. These processes are driven by dissolution re-precipitation reactions (CDR reactions) and in many CDR reactions, the reaction mechanism, rather than intensive properties such as pressure and temperature, control the nature of the products and the overall reaction process. This project will explore the mechanism and controls on these reactions to see if they can be utilized in the mining industry to economically extract copper from low grade ores.
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Three-dimensional magnetotelluric imaging of lithospheric-scale mineral systems from source to deposit. Geochemical studies indicate that world-class mineral deposits are partly sourced from fluids emerging from Earth's mantle and lower crust. Finding major mineral deposits in the future will therefore require knowledge of which parts of the crust and mantle yield the most prospective locations. However, there are few methods that can image deep Earth resources, and these can be very expensive ....Three-dimensional magnetotelluric imaging of lithospheric-scale mineral systems from source to deposit. Geochemical studies indicate that world-class mineral deposits are partly sourced from fluids emerging from Earth's mantle and lower crust. Finding major mineral deposits in the future will therefore require knowledge of which parts of the crust and mantle yield the most prospective locations. However, there are few methods that can image deep Earth resources, and these can be very expensive. We propose to develop the magnetotelluric method as a low-cost and rapid approach for delineating 3D information on deep mineral systems beneath existing major deposits, and adapting this to explore in greenfield locations.Read moreRead less
Physical and Chemical Constraints of Fluid Activated Processes During the Polyphase Tectonic Evolution of the Olary Domain, S.A. The Olary Domain, eastern South Australia, underwent several phases of deformation and metamorphism. These events mobilised fluids leading, amongst other features, to the formation of breccia bodies and mineral deposits. The complex nature of the geological evolution of the region obscures relationships of fluid migration to the structural history. Fluid inclusion stud ....Physical and Chemical Constraints of Fluid Activated Processes During the Polyphase Tectonic Evolution of the Olary Domain, S.A. The Olary Domain, eastern South Australia, underwent several phases of deformation and metamorphism. These events mobilised fluids leading, amongst other features, to the formation of breccia bodies and mineral deposits. The complex nature of the geological evolution of the region obscures relationships of fluid migration to the structural history. Fluid inclusion studies and stable isotope analyses combined with structural analyses on micro to macro scales shall establish links between the thermal and structural evolution of the area. This will provide insigth into the scale and physico-chemical characteristics of fluids and mineralising processes an relate these to the tectono-thermal history.Read moreRead less
A Machine Learning driven flow modelling of fragmented rocks in cave mining. The project aims to develop an integrated method that uses micro scale and macro scale information to predict block scale behaviour so that a better cave mining design can be established. The role of various mineral composition on the energy storage and fracture properties of rocks will be investigated to examine rock fragmentation for block cave mining. Later Machine Learning based models will be developed to establis ....A Machine Learning driven flow modelling of fragmented rocks in cave mining. The project aims to develop an integrated method that uses micro scale and macro scale information to predict block scale behaviour so that a better cave mining design can be established. The role of various mineral composition on the energy storage and fracture properties of rocks will be investigated to examine rock fragmentation for block cave mining. Later Machine Learning based models will be developed to establish various predictive models for Block Scale rock mass behaviour and caveability of ore deposit. Finally, we will develop a new constitutive model based on a dual damage concept that will capture the rock fragmentation and simulate the cave propagation in a large scale mine layout using Smoothed-particle hydrodynamics.Read moreRead less
Multi-phase modelling and characterisation of mudrush hazard in cave mining. A mudrush is a sudden, uncontrolled flow of wet fine particles (mud) into an underground mine that damages equipment, infrastructure, and can even cause fatalities. This project aims to develop cost-effective management and monitoring of mudrush hazards within the at-risk Carrapateena cave mine operated by OZ Minerals. Building on recent technological and numerical advances, a novel experimental–theoretical–numerical ap ....Multi-phase modelling and characterisation of mudrush hazard in cave mining. A mudrush is a sudden, uncontrolled flow of wet fine particles (mud) into an underground mine that damages equipment, infrastructure, and can even cause fatalities. This project aims to develop cost-effective management and monitoring of mudrush hazards within the at-risk Carrapateena cave mine operated by OZ Minerals. Building on recent technological and numerical advances, a novel experimental–theoretical–numerical approach will be used to simulate mudrush risk based on moisture content, particle sizes, compaction, geological conditions, and seismic energy. Outputs will include a practical framework to boost the safety, productivity, and profitability of caving operations to benefit miners and the broader resources industry.Read moreRead less
Mobility of metals in hydrothermal solutions: critical experiments and numerical modelling tools to improve exploration success and ore processing. After more than 100 years of intense prospecting, ore deposits with a surface expression or a characteristic geophysical signature have been discovered. As a result, the industry needs innovative and quantitative exploration techniques. Geochemical exploration suffers from a growing gap between ever more powerful geochemical analytical capabilities a ....Mobility of metals in hydrothermal solutions: critical experiments and numerical modelling tools to improve exploration success and ore processing. After more than 100 years of intense prospecting, ore deposits with a surface expression or a characteristic geophysical signature have been discovered. As a result, the industry needs innovative and quantitative exploration techniques. Geochemical exploration suffers from a growing gap between ever more powerful geochemical analytical capabilities and the poor understanding of fundamental processes in hydrothermal systems. By combining new experiments on important geochemical systems (association between the trace elements Te and As with Au) with advances in numerical modelling of H2O-CO2-NaCl fluids, the project aims to bring geochemical exploration in line with geophysical exploration.Read moreRead less
Source to spectrum: Finding deposits beyond the Fe oxide-Cu-Au envelope. Source to spectrum: Finding deposits beyond the Fe oxide-Cu-Au envelope. This project aims to improve exploration models for the spectrum of deposits at Olympic Dam. The giant Olympic Dam iron–oxide–copper–gold (IOCG) deposit in the Gawler Craton, discovered 40 years ago, has contributed billions of dollars to the economy. A fluid flow event in the Olympic Dam created a vast, crustal-scale alteration system with a spectrum ....Source to spectrum: Finding deposits beyond the Fe oxide-Cu-Au envelope. Source to spectrum: Finding deposits beyond the Fe oxide-Cu-Au envelope. This project aims to improve exploration models for the spectrum of deposits at Olympic Dam. The giant Olympic Dam iron–oxide–copper–gold (IOCG) deposit in the Gawler Craton, discovered 40 years ago, has contributed billions of dollars to the economy. A fluid flow event in the Olympic Dam created a vast, crustal-scale alteration system with a spectrum of different mineral deposits, many of which are under-explored. This project aims to constrain the source of metal and fluids in the Gawler Craton deposits, determine crustal fertility for deposit formation and develop metal specific 'prospectivity maps' to improve exploration efficiency.Read moreRead less
A new damage model for rock burst in hard rocks during deep mining. This project seeks to develop a new model to predict incipient rock burst in deep mines. Violent sudden energy released during dynamic brittle failure of rocks can kill people and cause serious damages to mining infrastructures. The project aims to investigate formation of micro-fractures on the brittle shear zones during dynamic brittle failure of pristine rocks with a unique experimental methodology under high-pressure-tempera ....A new damage model for rock burst in hard rocks during deep mining. This project seeks to develop a new model to predict incipient rock burst in deep mines. Violent sudden energy released during dynamic brittle failure of rocks can kill people and cause serious damages to mining infrastructures. The project aims to investigate formation of micro-fractures on the brittle shear zones during dynamic brittle failure of pristine rocks with a unique experimental methodology under high-pressure-temperature condition. It is anticipated that a new micromechanics-based damage model for brittle rocks will be developed from this. Implementation of the new coupled thermo-mechanical damage model into a finite element should result in realistic simulation of deep mining operations to identify rock-burst prone areas and allow mining managers to avoid potential hazards.Read moreRead less
Controlling arsenic to unlock value in gold and copper resources. This project aims to characterise the transformation of arsenic between oxidation states during mineral processing. Up to one third of the world’s gold reserves are locked up in arsenic rich minerals and 5000 tonnes of arsenic is released annually from mine waste. The project will enable the development of process technology that immobilises and removes arsenic at the earliest possible stage. The use of novel time-resolved in-situ ....Controlling arsenic to unlock value in gold and copper resources. This project aims to characterise the transformation of arsenic between oxidation states during mineral processing. Up to one third of the world’s gold reserves are locked up in arsenic rich minerals and 5000 tonnes of arsenic is released annually from mine waste. The project will enable the development of process technology that immobilises and removes arsenic at the earliest possible stage. The use of novel time-resolved in-situ techniques proposed in this research will give vital information of the complex chemical pathways involved during processing which current characterization methods on pre- and post-processed species do not achieve.Read moreRead less
Critical metals from complex copper ores. The aims of this project address the critical mineral resource potential of complex copper ores. The research will generate new knowledge on the concentration, distribution, physical form and chemical speciation of critical minerals, including tellurium, cobalt and rare earth elements, in ores and processing streams using innovative approaches and utilising state-of-the-art analytical techniques. Expected outcomes include integrated models for critical e ....Critical metals from complex copper ores. The aims of this project address the critical mineral resource potential of complex copper ores. The research will generate new knowledge on the concentration, distribution, physical form and chemical speciation of critical minerals, including tellurium, cobalt and rare earth elements, in ores and processing streams using innovative approaches and utilising state-of-the-art analytical techniques. Expected outcomes include integrated models for critical element endowments in Australia's largest copper resource, Olympic Dam (S.A.). Future recovery of these elements would add significant value to existing operations, providing long-term economic and commercial benefits and would also contribute to Australia's transition to a low-carbon future.Read moreRead less