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Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220101519
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$450,000.00
Summary
Sedimentary basins: Windows into the dynamics of Australian lithosphere. This project aims to investigate the structure and stability of the Australian continent. It will focus on improving predictive models of sedimentary basin development on the edge of thick lithosphere, which host large quantities of metal, hydrocarbons, and freshwater. Understanding their formation will enhance the ability to locate resources in frontier areas. The research combines state-of-the-art geodynamical modelling w ....Sedimentary basins: Windows into the dynamics of Australian lithosphere. This project aims to investigate the structure and stability of the Australian continent. It will focus on improving predictive models of sedimentary basin development on the edge of thick lithosphere, which host large quantities of metal, hydrocarbons, and freshwater. Understanding their formation will enhance the ability to locate resources in frontier areas. The research combines state-of-the-art geodynamical modelling with the burgeoning quantity of geophysical and geological data collected by the government and research community. The project would build Australian research capability and stimulate novel approaches to critical problems, highlighting opportunities at the interface between academic and industry geoscience.Read moreRead less
A benign alkaline process for scarce metal extraction and reagent recycle. A benign alkaline process for scarce metal extraction and reagent recycle.. This project aims to selectively extract base and precious metals from their ores in saline and non-saline environments, building upon a patented process utilising edible glycine under oxidising and mildly alkaline solutions. Extraction processes of metals from primary resources mostly use harsh, toxic and/or non-recyclable reagents. Exploratory r ....A benign alkaline process for scarce metal extraction and reagent recycle. A benign alkaline process for scarce metal extraction and reagent recycle.. This project aims to selectively extract base and precious metals from their ores in saline and non-saline environments, building upon a patented process utilising edible glycine under oxidising and mildly alkaline solutions. Extraction processes of metals from primary resources mostly use harsh, toxic and/or non-recyclable reagents. Exploratory research has already indicated the potential for easy metal recovery from their alkaline glycinate solutions and recycling of the lixiviant (glycine). Anticipated outcomes are a safe, non-toxic process for extracting metals from primary resources.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
Maximising value in underground mine planning. Mining is crucial to Australia’s economy, contributing 8 per cent of GDP and 55 per cent of the value of goods exported. Working with mining companies Rand and Tribune, this project tackles issues faced in underground mine planning. While integrated optimisation of design and production in open cut mining is well established, no equivalent capability is available for underground mines. This project aims to develop innovative techniques to optimise t ....Maximising value in underground mine planning. Mining is crucial to Australia’s economy, contributing 8 per cent of GDP and 55 per cent of the value of goods exported. Working with mining companies Rand and Tribune, this project tackles issues faced in underground mine planning. While integrated optimisation of design and production in open cut mining is well established, no equivalent capability is available for underground mines. This project aims to develop innovative techniques to optimise the design of the access network and the production scheduling in an underground mine in order to maximise value over the life of the operation. The outcome intends to be a new strategic software tools for the sector, underpinning increased efficiency and sustainability of Australian mines as well as international competitiveness.Read moreRead less
Real-time global optimisation for distributed parameter control systems. This project aims to develop real-time optimal control algorithms for distributed parameter systems involving both time and spatial variables and multiple time-delays, with a focus on mining and energy applications. Current optimal control algorithms for such systems are too slow for real-time use and often get trapped at local optima, which can be vastly inferior to the global solution. This project will result in a new op ....Real-time global optimisation for distributed parameter control systems. This project aims to develop real-time optimal control algorithms for distributed parameter systems involving both time and spatial variables and multiple time-delays, with a focus on mining and energy applications. Current optimal control algorithms for such systems are too slow for real-time use and often get trapped at local optima, which can be vastly inferior to the global solution. This project will result in a new optimal control framework, underpinned by recent advances in constraint propagation, switching surface optimisation, and input regularisation. It will result in cutting-edge mathematical tools to complement and exploit new technologies and optimise key processes in natural gas liquefaction and zinc and alumina production, increasing efficiency and reducing the ecological footprint. This project will lead to new cutting-edge control algorithms for replacing the inefficient manual operations endemic in Australia’s natural gas and mineral processing plants.Read moreRead less
Maximisation of value in underground mine access design. This project represents a major advance in the problem of optimising the mine value associated with the access infrastructure of underground mines and providing powerful planning tools for management. The usefulness to the mining industry of the methods and algorithms the project is pioneering lies in their accuracy, flexibility and generality. Not only can they be used for benchmarking value in the design of specific mines, but they can ....Maximisation of value in underground mine access design. This project represents a major advance in the problem of optimising the mine value associated with the access infrastructure of underground mines and providing powerful planning tools for management. The usefulness to the mining industry of the methods and algorithms the project is pioneering lies in their accuracy, flexibility and generality. Not only can they be used for benchmarking value in the design of specific mines, but they can also determine the profitability or viability of mines under the use of new technologies. This is an important project for ensuring that Australia's mining industry remains efficient and internationally competitive. Given Australia’s economic dependence on mineral resources, it will also benefit the country as a whole.Read moreRead less
Controlling density, viscosity and crystallisation in emulsion explosives to enhance safety and efficiency of blasting operations. The performance of emulsion explosives used throughout the mining industry can be severely compromised by the effects of shear arising from pumping and detonation shock waves. Understanding how shear affects droplet coalescence and crystallisation is critical in differential energy blasting, where emulsion density and composition vary widely along the bore hole. This ....Controlling density, viscosity and crystallisation in emulsion explosives to enhance safety and efficiency of blasting operations. The performance of emulsion explosives used throughout the mining industry can be severely compromised by the effects of shear arising from pumping and detonation shock waves. Understanding how shear affects droplet coalescence and crystallisation is critical in differential energy blasting, where emulsion density and composition vary widely along the bore hole. This project aims to contribute to the understanding of the effects of shear, and develop new methods and additives to stabilise droplets and bubbles over a wide range of compositions and conditions. The goal of this project is to improve the efficiency and safety of rock-blasting operations, reduce environmental impact, and reduce operating costs, giving the Australian mining industry a competitive edge.Read moreRead less
Engineering service work, global production networks and employment relations in Australian mining. Leading segments of Australian mining have embraced automated mining. This project will focus on the world's two leading engineering companies - Komatsu and Caterpillar - which are providing and maintaining this equipment. This restructuring is grounded in global production network theory and labour skill issues at the centre of this technological transition.
Energy dissipation characterisation in dynamic brittle fracture. Energy dissipation in dynamic fracture of brittle materials is pivotal in mining, civil engineering and defence. The project aims to develop a novel experimentally-validated multiscale theory, with associated models, for characterising and predicting the complete dynamic fracture process of brittle materials. This theory is expected to generate close-to-reality simulations critical for understanding fundamental aspects of energy di ....Energy dissipation characterisation in dynamic brittle fracture. Energy dissipation in dynamic fracture of brittle materials is pivotal in mining, civil engineering and defence. The project aims to develop a novel experimentally-validated multiscale theory, with associated models, for characterising and predicting the complete dynamic fracture process of brittle materials. This theory is expected to generate close-to-reality simulations critical for understanding fundamental aspects of energy dissipation in dynamic fracture. The outcomes will enable an optimised control of the fragment size in block cave mining and mineral processing, forecast and prevent fatal rock bursts in underground mines, and minimise catastrophic failures in critical infrastructures challenged by extreme loading, e.g. explosions.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC190100017
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,703,664.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Integrated Operations for Complex Resources. This Training Centre aims to increase value in mining through clever applications of ‘lean processing’ and train the next generation of scientists and engineers in advanced sensors and data analytics in complex resources; knowledge priorities for the mining industry. Sensor information will be linked to the resource’s in-place knowledge to enable data analytics of all embedded knowledge. Processing can then be tuned to resource ....ARC Training Centre for Integrated Operations for Complex Resources. This Training Centre aims to increase value in mining through clever applications of ‘lean processing’ and train the next generation of scientists and engineers in advanced sensors and data analytics in complex resources; knowledge priorities for the mining industry. Sensor information will be linked to the resource’s in-place knowledge to enable data analytics of all embedded knowledge. Processing can then be tuned to resource attributes, maximising value ‘on the fly’. Benefits will include increasing certainty on product quality and maximising throughput and recovery. Outcomes will include new tools to rapidly model geological and geometallurgical uncertainty with sensor inputs, to track the resource to product and enhance interpretation.Read moreRead less