A New Approach to the Collection of a Large Suite of Dinasour Specimens. Monash University and the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, propose to cut of a tunnel in permafrost on the North Slope of Alaska during the early Spring. This is expected to lead to the acquisition of a new assembly of dinasour fossils. An important aspect of the project is its sponsorship by Big Island Pictures, Brisbane, who will produce a documentary about this unique experiment in palaeontological engineering. This no ....A New Approach to the Collection of a Large Suite of Dinasour Specimens. Monash University and the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, propose to cut of a tunnel in permafrost on the North Slope of Alaska during the early Spring. This is expected to lead to the acquisition of a new assembly of dinasour fossils. An important aspect of the project is its sponsorship by Big Island Pictures, Brisbane, who will produce a documentary about this unique experiment in palaeontological engineering. This novel approach to recovering dinosaurs will lead to a new and perhaps more complete assemblage of specimens, whilst attracting a vast audience and conveying to the public how innovative science is done. The public interest is attested to by the consortium of sponsors that has been assembled by Big Island Pictures including major television stations in Australia, USA, England, France, and Germany and the Film Finance Corporation of Australia.Read moreRead less
Rapid optimisation in underground mining network design. This project represents a major advance in the problem of optimising the infrastructure of underground mines and providing powerful planning tools for management. The software tools we are developing will prove important to the mining industry because of their accuracy, flexibility and generality. Not only can they be used for benchmarking in the design of specific mines, but they also provide a reliable method for testing the cost-benefi ....Rapid optimisation in underground mining network design. This project represents a major advance in the problem of optimising the infrastructure of underground mines and providing powerful planning tools for management. The software tools we are developing will prove important to the mining industry because of their accuracy, flexibility and generality. Not only can they be used for benchmarking in the design of specific mines, but they also provide a reliable method for testing the cost-benefit of emerging technologies. This is an important project for ensuring that Australia's mining industry remains efficient and internationally competitive. Given our economic dependence on mineral resources, it will also benefit Australia as a whole.Read moreRead less
Decision tools for underground mine development. The aim of this project is to develop innovative new strategic tools to assist senior mine management in planning underground mine operations. It will be based on modelling underground mine layouts using the theory of abstract mathematical networks. For many years, there have been well-developed methods of modelling and optimising the operation of open-cut mines. The design of the infrastructure of underground mines has a similar potential for opt ....Decision tools for underground mine development. The aim of this project is to develop innovative new strategic tools to assist senior mine management in planning underground mine operations. It will be based on modelling underground mine layouts using the theory of abstract mathematical networks. For many years, there have been well-developed methods of modelling and optimising the operation of open-cut mines. The design of the infrastructure of underground mines has a similar potential for optimisation and strategic modelling. This design optimisation will lead to huge savings in the costs of underground mines. Similar methods will be used to plan drilling programs, which are major cost items.Read moreRead less
Understanding cycles in mineral commodity price, a market model with uncertainty. Mining accounts for more than 8% of Australia's GDP, and almost 50% of Australia's total merchandise exports. Understanding phenomenological mechanisms for price fluctuations and using our dynamic price model can help determine better timing of investments in mining infrastructure. This knowledge will help Australia benefit from the upside of commodity 'cycles', super or not. The market model that will be develope ....Understanding cycles in mineral commodity price, a market model with uncertainty. Mining accounts for more than 8% of Australia's GDP, and almost 50% of Australia's total merchandise exports. Understanding phenomenological mechanisms for price fluctuations and using our dynamic price model can help determine better timing of investments in mining infrastructure. This knowledge will help Australia benefit from the upside of commodity 'cycles', super or not. The market model that will be developed in this project can be used to assist in better planning for commodity cycle upside, improving the overall efficiency of capital utilisation in the long term.Read moreRead less