ARC Centre of Excellence - in Ore Deposits. Australia's minerals industry faces a two-fold challenge - to find new ore deposits and to mine them with maximum efficiency and minimal environmental impact. Those challenges demand a new generation of focused ore deposit research, tailored specifically for the Australian context. The Centre of Excellence in Ore Deposits will provide the foundation of fundamental research required by a successful, efficient and sustainable Australian minerals industry ....ARC Centre of Excellence - in Ore Deposits. Australia's minerals industry faces a two-fold challenge - to find new ore deposits and to mine them with maximum efficiency and minimal environmental impact. Those challenges demand a new generation of focused ore deposit research, tailored specifically for the Australian context. The Centre of Excellence in Ore Deposits will provide the foundation of fundamental research required by a successful, efficient and sustainable Australian minerals industry. The Centre will also play a leading role in the undergraduate and postgraduate training of future geoscientists. The concentration of internationally recognised researchers in the Centre will ensure it maintains its premier position in the international ore deposit research arena.Read moreRead less
Geochronology, Metallogenesis and Deposit Styles of Loei Foldbelt in Thailand and Laos PDR. The Loei volcanic-plutonic belt occurs in Thailand and Laos PDR between two major crustal terranes in mainland SE Asia: Shan-Thai in the west and Indochina terrane in the east. Several skarn type copper-gold and porphyry related epithermal gold deposits are distributed along the Loei belt, and yet these deposits are not well documented in the literature. Detailed metallogenic relations and evolution of th ....Geochronology, Metallogenesis and Deposit Styles of Loei Foldbelt in Thailand and Laos PDR. The Loei volcanic-plutonic belt occurs in Thailand and Laos PDR between two major crustal terranes in mainland SE Asia: Shan-Thai in the west and Indochina terrane in the east. Several skarn type copper-gold and porphyry related epithermal gold deposits are distributed along the Loei belt, and yet these deposits are not well documented in the literature. Detailed metallogenic relations and evolution of these mineral deposits are also poorly understood; it is not known whether they formed from single, long-lived intrusive-centred mineralised systems or multiple/episodic mineralised systems. Understanding the geotectonic and metallogenic relations of this belt have a direct benefit to Australian companies exploring in SE Asia, and the research results also can be applied back in Australia for exploration of Cu-Au deposits.Read moreRead less
Numerical modelling of deformation partitioning and its role in metamorphism, tectonism and mineralization. Targeting blind mineralization is the biggest problem facing the Australian mining industry. The modelling developed in this project will integrate deformation, fluid and chemical processes and provide a means for understanding the deformation partitioning that localizes epigenetic ore regionally as well as along portions of large-scale structures. Applying this to known ore deposits may ....Numerical modelling of deformation partitioning and its role in metamorphism, tectonism and mineralization. Targeting blind mineralization is the biggest problem facing the Australian mining industry. The modelling developed in this project will integrate deformation, fluid and chemical processes and provide a means for understanding the deformation partitioning that localizes epigenetic ore regionally as well as along portions of large-scale structures. Applying this to known ore deposits may delineate adjacent plus regionally distributed zones where the deformation event responsible for mineralization is locally present at sufficient intensity to form ore. This would allow targeted deep drilling in ground with no ore close to the surface saving millions in drilling costs and dramatically increasing the financial viability of this industry. Read moreRead less
Development of a new stochastic short-term production scheduling optimisation approach for open pit metal mines. Stochastic short-term production scheduling (STPS) in open pit mines provides a new framework allowing production schedules to manage risk robustly despite uncertainties in geological and mining conditions. STPS depends on both mining (stockpiling process, multiple ore types and processors, waste production, equipment mobility, feasible sequencing) and geological (in-situ ore variabil ....Development of a new stochastic short-term production scheduling optimisation approach for open pit metal mines. Stochastic short-term production scheduling (STPS) in open pit mines provides a new framework allowing production schedules to manage risk robustly despite uncertainties in geological and mining conditions. STPS depends on both mining (stockpiling process, multiple ore types and processors, waste production, equipment mobility, feasible sequencing) and geological (in-situ ore variability, geological uncertainty, simulated 'future' grade control data) factors. Formulations require development of innovative stochastic goal programming techniques and high-order spatial stochastic simulations. STPS has a major impact on multi-million dollar mining cash flows and affects environmental sustainability. This project represents a strategic priority for some of Australia's largest mining companies.Read moreRead less
Crustal Growth in the Northern Tasmanides. The Australian and Queensland governments have invested over $3 million to undertake deep crustal seismic imaging in northern Queensland, providing an extensive new geophysical dataset capable of modelling crustal architecture and geological evolution to unprecedented levels. However, such models will remain untested unless the data is groundtruthed by analysis of rocks at the surface, providing a geological framework for extrapolation into the deep Ea ....Crustal Growth in the Northern Tasmanides. The Australian and Queensland governments have invested over $3 million to undertake deep crustal seismic imaging in northern Queensland, providing an extensive new geophysical dataset capable of modelling crustal architecture and geological evolution to unprecedented levels. However, such models will remain untested unless the data is groundtruthed by analysis of rocks at the surface, providing a geological framework for extrapolation into the deep Earth. The framework critically describes when and how crustal blocks were assembled, and the integrated information will generate evolutionary 3D models that will substantially improve mineral exploration targeting in the region.Read moreRead less
CO2-brine behaviour in high temperature geological processes: Microanalysis and significance. This project clearly lies within the national research priority of developing deep earth resources. It may strengthen our economic fabric through mineral deposit discoveries in Australia as well as other circum-Pacific countries. The proposed research will also indirectly enhance our understanding of the relationships between geosphere, biosphere, fluids and global greenhouse warming. By strong national ....CO2-brine behaviour in high temperature geological processes: Microanalysis and significance. This project clearly lies within the national research priority of developing deep earth resources. It may strengthen our economic fabric through mineral deposit discoveries in Australia as well as other circum-Pacific countries. The proposed research will also indirectly enhance our understanding of the relationships between geosphere, biosphere, fluids and global greenhouse warming. By strong national and international collaborations and our use of innovative frontier technologies of fluid microgeochemistry, we will expand recognition of Australia's world-class research capacities.Read moreRead less
The Influence of particle shape fragmentation and compaction on 3D hopper flow. According to world-leading material scientist Patrick Richard, "Granular materials are ubiquitous in nature and are the second-most manipulated material in industry (the first one is water)". Our research will produce massive three dimensional computer simulations predicting and analysing the influence of particle size and shape on the morphology of industrial and natural granular flows. The results will have directl ....The Influence of particle shape fragmentation and compaction on 3D hopper flow. According to world-leading material scientist Patrick Richard, "Granular materials are ubiquitous in nature and are the second-most manipulated material in industry (the first one is water)". Our research will produce massive three dimensional computer simulations predicting and analysing the influence of particle size and shape on the morphology of industrial and natural granular flows. The results will have directly and immediately relevant applications in a range of Australian industries, including mass mining and minerals processing and will further make a major contribution to understanding and modelling a variety of geo-hazards.
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Fluid mixing in hydrothermal systems. Mixing of fluids within permeable rocks can cause significant chemical changes to the fluids and the rocks, for example it causes metals to be dissolved and transported. Accumulation into mineral deposits requires concentration mechanisms which are uncertain due to difficulty of detecting ancient fluid pathways. We will analyse these ancient fluids using new microanalytical and other combined techniques, thereby testing the role of fluid mixing as a mechanis ....Fluid mixing in hydrothermal systems. Mixing of fluids within permeable rocks can cause significant chemical changes to the fluids and the rocks, for example it causes metals to be dissolved and transported. Accumulation into mineral deposits requires concentration mechanisms which are uncertain due to difficulty of detecting ancient fluid pathways. We will analyse these ancient fluids using new microanalytical and other combined techniques, thereby testing the role of fluid mixing as a mechanism for efficient metal precipitation. The research has significance for exploration and models for mineral deposits, and for characterising other geological fluids, and provides opportunity for technical breakthroughs in microanalysis of fluid inclusions.Read moreRead less
Polymetallic phytoextraction applied to mine waste. Phytoextraction involves the use of hyperaccumulator plants to grow and concentrate a metal. Subsequently, the crop is harvested and the metal extracted. The aim of this research is to investigate the uptake and chemically induced uptake of heavy metals (Ni, Co, Au, Ag, Cu, Pb, Zn, Pt, Pd, Cr) by plants grown on mine tailings and mine waste materials. Outcomes will include practical methods of metal extraction that are cheap to employ where met ....Polymetallic phytoextraction applied to mine waste. Phytoextraction involves the use of hyperaccumulator plants to grow and concentrate a metal. Subsequently, the crop is harvested and the metal extracted. The aim of this research is to investigate the uptake and chemically induced uptake of heavy metals (Ni, Co, Au, Ag, Cu, Pb, Zn, Pt, Pd, Cr) by plants grown on mine tailings and mine waste materials. Outcomes will include practical methods of metal extraction that are cheap to employ where metal concentrations are subeconomic and of potential environmental impact during mining and after mine closure.Read moreRead less
Genetic Algorithms for Open-Cut Mine Scheduling. Open-cut mining depends heavily on long-term scheduling. This project will apply a novel artificial intelligence method, genetic algorithms, to mine scheduling. The aim is to create an improved scheduler as a drop-in replacement for today's methods, which generally assume perfect knowledge of the ore body and future prices and costs. This project will optimize schedules that cope with uncertainties, by searching the possible scenarios to automa ....Genetic Algorithms for Open-Cut Mine Scheduling. Open-cut mining depends heavily on long-term scheduling. This project will apply a novel artificial intelligence method, genetic algorithms, to mine scheduling. The aim is to create an improved scheduler as a drop-in replacement for today's methods, which generally assume perfect knowledge of the ore body and future prices and costs. This project will optimize schedules that cope with uncertainties, by searching the possible scenarios to automatically find the best options for different future contingencies. This will produce flexible schedules, to maintain mine viability and job security despite unpredictable economic fluctuations. About 40% of Australia's exports come from mining, so this proposal will benefit the nation's economy, and make secure mining jobs in rural and regional areas.Read moreRead less