Vo l u m e N o .

2 4 May 2005

AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR GEOMECHANICS

NEWSLETTER

Planning of open pit mines

By Oskar Steffen, SRK Consulting, Johannesburg, South Africa
This article addresses the methodology of introducing risk management
into the development of mine plans for open pit mines. It is suggested
that the risk can be adequately defined by the cost of production and the
flexibility incorporated into the mine plan.

Mineral resource estimation

All planning functions commence

Handbook with an appreciation of the mineral

resource estimate. For planning
on Mine Fill purposes, it is assumed that the
Leading fill experts mineral resources have been
have created a unique properly categorised into the three
main classes, namely measured,
and practical source of
indicated, and inferred resources.
information on mine fill
For ease of reference these
practices and technology.
categories are referred to as CAT 1,
…mine fill – an integral CAT 2 and CAT 3 respectively.These
Figure 1. Characterisation of resources/reserves

component of the classifications are in effect statements of is dependant on an understanding of

mining method… confidence or ‘risk’ and need to be clearly geological and geotechnical information and
defined and included in the tonnage the confidence of design is equally based on
Contact the ACG to the degree of certainty which applies to the
grade curve, as shown in Figure 1.
obtain your copy. data available.
An understanding of the grade distribution
and tonnage distribution of the total Maintaining a consistent assessment
resource is fundamental in the first step of of confidence would require that the
composing a proper mine plan. confidence of the slope design should
What’s in this Volume?
match that of the mineral resource
Planning of open pit mines.................1 Slope stability estimation between different categories
The rehabilitation of As in the case of mineral resource
i.e. CAT 1, CAT 2 and CAT 3 respectively.
post-mining landscapes ......................6 estimation, the determination of slope angles
Continued on page 2
First International Seminar
on Mine Closure ...................................8
Australian open pit mining
rattles and hums.................................12
The practice of seismic
management in mines .......................14
Effective paste fill quality control....18
Paste 2006 comes
home to Europe..................................23
ACG event schedule
2005–2006 ............................................24
The views expressed in this newsletter are those of the
authors and may not necessarily reflect those of the
Integration of the three planning levels from life-of-mine, to long-term, to short-term planning, provides a robust
Australian Centre for Geomechanics.
planning procedure. Photo courtesy of SRK Consulting
Continued from page 1

KNOWLEDGE AND CONFIDENCE THEREIN

EXPLORATION INFORMATION

INCREASED LEVEL OF GEOLOGICAL

It is therefore proposed that for open pit
designs, the confidence for slope designs
should be categorised using the same RESOURCES RESERVES
fundamental approach as that adopted for
resource/reserve definitions.This can be
INFERRED POSSIBLE
illustrated in Figure 2.

Planning processes
Three distinct levels of planning are
recognised in developing the reserves:
• Life-of-mine plan (LOM),
• Long-term planning (LTP), which
follows from the LOM, and
• Short-term planning, (STP) which in
turn follows from the LTP.
Each of these stages of planning represent
different levels of risk and have different
objectives. It follows therefore that the
planning criteria for each planning phase
should be different.
Life-of-mine plan (LOM)
Development of the LOM plan is the first
step in the planning process and has the
following objectives:
• define the inventory of ore reserve that
is mineable within the assumed
economic parameter,
• define the production capacity for the
remaining life of mine,
• define the infrastructure requirements,
• determine the fixed capital costs, and
• provide information for strategic
decision making.
To achieve these objectives, certain
planning criteria need to be adopted.
Cut-off cost planning criteria
The cut-off cost criteria can be defined
as follows:
The LOM pit limits are such that no ore is
mined which will result in the final product
INDICATED PROBABLE
MEASURED PROVEN
GEOTECHNICAL, MINING, ECONOMIC, METALLURGICAL, MARKETING,
ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNMENTAL FACTORS MAY CAUSE MATERIAL
TO MOVE BETWEEN RESOURCES AND RESERVES
Figure 2. Classification of confidence levels
having a production cost greater than the All figures are presented in present-day
cut-off value. The specification of this cut-off value terms and represent the
cost is related to an acceptable risk. marketability of the ore reserve on the
Typical financial criteria that are in world market in competition to other
common use, such as net present value reserves. Figure 3 can therefore be used
in the marketing strategy of the mine
(NPV) or internal rate of return (IRR), are
which leads to strategic decision making
insensitive to the boundary limit location.
and provides the communication medium
These criteria are most sensitive to the
between marketing, management
price assumed for the product, the
production schedule for mining, as well as and planners.
the assumed discount rate. Since the In this figure, it is assumed that the cost of
mining schedule, i.e. the order in which production represents the minimum in
the ore and waste blocks are removed, is terms of the present technology for
still unknown at this stage, these criteria operations.The function of the mine
cannot be used effectively for this planning department is to constantly
purpose. When defining the total
inventory available for exploitation, it is
important that every block be afforded
an equal opportunity to contribute to
the profitability.
Assuming different cut-off costs, the total
inventory available in each incremental
cost can be calculated and presented on
a curve as shown in Figure 3.The average
cost of mining to within this cut-off cost is
represented by the average cost curve.
Figure 3. Reserve marketability

Copyright
© Copyright 2005. Australian Centre for Geomechanics (ACG),The University of Western Australia (UWA). All rights reserved. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced,
stored or transmitted in any form without the prior written permission of the Australian Centre for Geomechanics,The University of Western Australia.

Disclaimer
The information contained in this newsletter is for general educational and informative purposes only. Except to the extent required by law UWA and the ACG make no
representations or warranties express or implied as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of the information contained therein.To the extent permitted by law, UWA and
the ACG exclude all liability for loss or damage of any kind at all (including indirect or consequential loss or damage) arising from the information in this newsletter or use of
such information.You acknowledge that the information provided in this newsletter is to assist you with undertaking your own enquiries and analysis and that you should seek
independent professional advice before acting in reliance on the information contained therein.

2 Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter

review the operational methods adopted
and to implement those methods and
technology which will see a further
reduction in the cost of production.
Defining an acceptable cut-off cost
Deciding on an acceptable cut-off is a
business decision. It reflects the optimism
and the risk that the company is prepared
to accept in investing in the particular ore
reserve. Some guidelines and principles
underlying such a decision can be
postulated as follows:
• The tonnage versus cost relationship
(see Figure 3) for the ore reserve can
be a first indicator. Should the
relationship indicate an inflection point
then this could be taken as a decision
on cost limit since the risk of increased
cost is not matched with a
corresponding increase in product.
Since the risk level is largely determined
by the ore reserve reliability, this point
indicates a natural cut-off point.
• Where the inflection point is absent,
the next option is to consider the cost
in relation to other world producers.
Reference to a world producer cost
curve is therefore necessary as shown
in Figure 4.The relative position of the
planned operation on the world
producer cost curve is a function of
Figure 4.World producer cost curve
corporate philosophy on investment
risk as well as market image.
• Thirdly, the cut-off cost could be
based on the break-even equivalent
underground operating cost.These
cost comparisons are made on an
operating cost basis only, ignoring
capital. Clearly, the capital cost for
underground development and
establishment needs to be included
in the total evaluation exercise.
Long-term planning principles
Having defined the inventory and spatial
location of reserves and dumps from the
life-of-mine plan, the long-term plan must
now devise an operating and mining
strategy to achieve the following objectives:
• maximise value for investors,
• minimise risk to investors, and
• maximise life-of-mine.
These objectives are to some extent
contradictory and a maximum NPV
cannot correspond to a minimum risk or
a maximum life and therefore a suitable
compromise must be developed in the
long-term plan.
Business risk period (BRP)
In developing the concept of a business
risk period, it is necessary to distinguish
clearly between the risks associated with
Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter
business decisions which are time related
from those risks which are related to
nature, such as geology, ore reserves, slope
angles, weather etc.The business risk
period is one of the most fundamental
parameters that needs to be defined for
any business, and relates to the length of
time that is anticipated the business would
remain sound. For mines, the business
risk period is a function of the following
parameters:
• new discoveries that create competitive
changes in the market,
• the time taken for new mines to be
brought into production,
• changes in technology of geological,
metallurgical and mining applications,
• the position on the world producer
cost curve of the operation, and
• pay-back requirements on investments,
which would include a political risk.
Pushback expansions
Normal practice is to change the slope
angle as experience is gained with mining.
The flexibility to change is an important
mining strategy.
Provided that pushbacks fall within the
business limit boundary as defined
previously, the pushback width should not
have any cost implications to the overall
plan except by reducing unit operating
costs due to increased efficiencies.
The business period limits, therefore,
provide useful criteria for pushback design.
Scheduling
Accepting that the mining will proceed
along a basis of a defined cost of
production in terms of final product, many
potential scheduling options exist.
A series of sequential pushbacks can now
be planned and ranked in increasing order
of cost of production. Inventory that has
been defined for each of the pushbacks
can be scheduled in terms of production
cost.The only variables that can be
managed are the head grade and the
stripping ratio, which ultimately determine
the operating costs. Scheduling the
Continued on page 4
3
Continued from page 3
inventory and the logistics of the design
pushbacks can now be undertaken, based
on set criteria, e.g. maximum NPV,
minimum cost, specified costs etc. (for
different combinations of head grade and
stripping ratios over the long-term).
Comparative schedules can be produced
and an optimum selected.This optimum
should be defined in terms of the criteria
specified earlier.
Cost modelling
Accurate cost modelling forms an
essential part of this particular process.
Different cost models apply to the
different planning phases. Cost
components can be isolated in the
following manner:
• fixed costs: non-discretionary/
discretionary, and
• variable costs: non-discretionary/
discretionary.
In the case of the LOM plan, the cost
model should include total mining costs,
i.e. fixed costs, variable costs and all mining
equipment capital costs discounted into
the unit mining operating cost. In the case
of the LTP, only variable unit costs are
included as all capital items can be
accommodated into the cash flow analysis.
At actual pit closure, ultimate costs will
comprise only variable costs with fixed
and discretionary costs minimised.
Short-term planning
From a defined long-term plan, short-term
planning now applies to a one-year period
within a single business cycle. Short-term
planning has as its major objectives:
• grade control,
• cost control,
• equipment utilisation,
• capital productivity, and
• labour productivity.
The short-term planning process is
therefore concerned primarily with the
day-to-day scheduling of feed grade to
the mill and stripping requirements for
the first 12 to 18 months of the LTP.
Equipment utilisation includes the planning
4 Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter
Figure 5. Ore reserve reliability by category
for equipment replacement, repurchase
and manning schedules for determining
labour productivities. Short-term planning
must ensure that the long-term planning
goals are achieved on a daily, weekly and
monthly basis.
Planning risks
Risks associated with planning are related
to the confidence that applies to the
mineral resource (geology and grade
distribution), the mining plan (geotechnical)
and the business assumptions (price
fluctuations).These risks can be addressed
by upgrading information in the case of the
first two, and by providing flexibility within
the plan in the case of the latter. In all
these cases risks can be reduced by
incurring more expenditure but can never
be eliminated. Accepted risk levels will
vary from company to company.
Fault/event tree analyses provide a
formalised way of adjudicating the value
added by additional information.
Ultimately, the technical planning risks
can be presented as shown in Figure 5.
Categories 1,2 and 3 reserves represent
the different confidences of mineable
reserves, i.e. after the application of ore
reserve and geotechnical confidences to
the mine plans. It should be noted that
“reserve” in this context is not only the
primary grade data but all the information
that may impact on the marketability of
the product, e.g. contaminants,
particle size etc.
Figure 5 suggests that a decreasing
confidence should be incorporated with
the increase in the planning time scale.
The rationale behind the concept being
that the exploration program for mineral
resource definition should be closely tied
with the planning process to achieve
maximum benefit for the exploration
dollars. In this context, the exploration
includes orebody definition drilling and
geotechnical information gathering, but
excludes any greenfields exploration for
new resources.
Conclusions
Integration of the three planning levels
from life-of-mine, to long-term, to short-
term planning, provides a robust planning
procedure which allows for good
communication between all levels of
concerned personnel.The cut-off cost
criteria for planning is a practical and a
more useful means than the normal price
estimate or cut-off grade approach.
The application of the cost-based long-
term planning scheduling means that risks
can be properly assessed in terms of a
business risk period and the best solution
obtained between return on investment
and risk of operation.The end result of the
planning process is a maximum exposed
ore reserve for a given cost of production.
Please contact Dr Oskar Steffen for
further information via osteffen@srk.co.za
Dr Oskar Steffen,
corporate consultant,
SRK Consulting
2nd International Seminar on Strategic
versus Tactical Approaches in Mining
8–10 March 2006, Novotel Langley Perth, Western Australia
Strategic Mining focus to achieve long-
term goals by proactively
addressing potential industry
risks, gaps and uncertainties
Tactical Mining focus to achieve short-
term goals. The uncertain nature
and inherent risks in mining
tend to generate a reactive
approach
SEMINAR OBJECTIVE – to
promote best practices in
strategic planning activities in
Australian mines.
Mining is a long-term business that
requires extremely high levels of
investment. It also presents significant risks
related to uncertainties, but potentially
extraordinary financial rewards for
shareholders, industry stakeholders and
society.To maximise these rewards over
the lifetime of our precious (but limited)
minerals assets, long-term planning
processes must be implemented.The
temptation to access short-term gains at
the expense of longer term benefits must
be minimised.
When the minerals sector is at the
bottom of the “boom cycle”, companies
may address the economic challenge by
implementing common, short-term
measures such as cost-cutting. When times
are buoyant, the pressure is on to take full
advantage of the high mineral values,
foregoing the benefits of adequate human
resources or an established infrastructure.
Some mining corporations actively
counteract short-term drivers by having
the resources and processes in place to
provide effective and measurable strategic
planning. The benefits of such an approach
can easily be measured in billions of dollars
for global mining companies.
During this seminar, tactical and
strategic approaches to mining
will be explored through
comprehensive case studies.
The seminar will provide a forum
for industry to share their
experiences, their successes and
also some of the opportunities
that may have been missed due to
a lack of a long-term focus. Best
practices and long-term planning
processes will be comprehensively
discussed. This unique seminar will promote best practices in strategic planning
SEMINAR THEMES
Management of financial risks and • mine site facilities
mining project uncertainties • shaft versus decline
• geotechnical and ore reserves/ • equipment
resources risks Production strategies and mining
• geotechnical risks (slope stability, considerations
rockbursts, caving and non-caving, • mining methods (low cost versus
tailings storage facility, etc.) risks; block caving in hard rock)
• metallurgical (ore recovery) • use of mine fill
• natural disasters • stope extraction strategies
• political environment • open pit pushbacks
Human resources and • deep pit versus underground
infrastructure Enabling technologies and R&D
• skills shortage and retention of • mine automation
personnel • in-cycle shotcrete
• professional development and • thin spray-on liners
training • rapid development mining
• contract versus owner operators • seismic risk management
• consultants and corporate memory
Call for Papers
Submit your abstract by 3 October 2005
A series of three international seminars on Strategic versus Tactical Approaches in Mining
are planned for 2005–2007.The first seminar will be held in South Africa in September
2005. Following the 2007 seminar, to be held in Canada, the ACG will produce a hard
bound publication featuring the best papers from the 2005–2007 seminars.
Please email Josephine for more information, acg@acg.uwa.edu.au
Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter 5
The rehabilitation of post-mining landscapes
Mining activities offer several challenges to
environmental scientists and geotechnical
engineers in order to achieve a safe,
secure and sustainable landscape, once
the blasting and digging have stopped.
Most rehabilitation projects have specific
land uses planned as outcomes for the
renewed landscapes after mine closure.
The options open to a given mine site
depend on a range of diverse but
interacting factors such as the nature of
the overburden and waste materials,
climatic conditions, site hydrology,
resource availability, the governing legal
framework, and the needs and perception
of the local community.
The success of rehabilitation is
conventionally determined by the quality
of the reconstructed soil and its
vegetation cover. This requires the
interactions of geotechnical engineers, soil
scientists, hydrologists, botanists and local
stakeholders to determine the
appropriate types of land use and plant
species to be seeded.
Thoughtful management of early soil development underpins the long-term success of any revegetation
programme. For example, soil factors that affect seedling establishment may be of critical importance
6 Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter
By Mark Tibbett, Centre for Land Rehabilitation,The University of Western Australia
Ecosystem function
Sustainable ecosystem reconstruction
demands the initiation of suitable below-
ground and above-ground processes that
require careful manipulation of biotic and
abiotic components.Thoughtful
management of early soil and early
ecosystem development underpin the
long-term success of any revegetation
programme. Past experiences have shown
that the naïve planting of seedlings without
supporting ecosystem function will have
little chance of long-term success, even
when initial results are promising.
Ecosystem function in a terrestrial context
includes an eclectic range of measurable
parameters such as:
• soils with sufficient water holding
capacity and drainage,
• the recycling of litter and release of
nutrients,
• balanced microbial communities to
keep pathogens in check,
• a supply of suitable plant pollinators,
and
• mycorrhizal networks to support newly
emerging seedlings and encourage
ecological succession.
A well-planned and resourced rehabilitation is more
likely to be successful
It requires skilled workers to accurately
measure and interpret these parameters,
especially in an integrated fashion.
These issues can become still more
complex when dealing with partial failures
in rehabilitation or specific issues such as
environmental toxins. As a result, the
establishment of ecosystem function may
itself have to be partly experimental on a
site-by-site basis.This is because certain
components may be more sensitive than
others. For example, a site where some
metal pollution still exists may require the
use of tolerant Acacia species as nurse
plants for mycorrhizal fungi to develop
networks before more sensitive target
species such as Eucalypts can be
successfully grown in the developing soils.
Ecological succession
The development of ecosystem function
on mine sites is an example of de novo
ecosystem evolution.This is similar to that
which occurs on new landscapes after
volcanic eruptions or the retreat of
glaciers.The major differences on mine
sites occur due to extreme substrate
conditions.These are often associated
with waste rock or tailings that might be
highly acidic or caustic and require
containment and isolation or (preferably)
remediation, prior to attempting the
establishment of a viable ecosystem.
The development of a de novo ecosystem
progresses through a series of stages as it
matures.This is known as an ecological
succession and can be defined as a
sequence of ecological changes in an area
whereby one group of plant or animal
species successively gives way to another.
This culminates in what is known as a
“climax community”, the stable end-point
of ecological succession.This applies as
much below-ground as above-ground
communities, a fact too often forgotten
by restoration ecologists.
Monitoring & environmental
management systems
There is also a need for careful
monitoring during early ecosystem and
soil development as a complex, and
potentially chaotic, system stabilises after
the rehabilitation process. Monitoring is
essential for two reasons; (i) to check for
any reversal of site remediation, and (ii)
to assess the sustainability of ecosystem
function.This is best built into a
comprehensive environmental
management system and will require
monitoring of site stability, chemistry,
hydrology and the fate of indicator
species. In partnership with regulators, this
can include rehabilitation success criteria.
Success criteria must be established from
a credible scientific basis. As each minesite
Reading the Ground – an essential training
tool for underground mine operators
Following on from the
successful ACG
Securing the Ground –
A training video for
underground mine workers, the ACG has
developed a prequel video/DVD entitled,
Reading the Ground – A geotechnical
hazards awareness training video for
underground metalliferous mine workers.
While the Securing the Ground video
provided clear instructions on how to
minimise the risks of rockfalls using
techniques such as barring down and
ground support, Reading the Ground
provides workers with an overview of
basic geomechanics principles – what to
look out for and how to react.
and final land use is different, this requires
several years of research and monitoring
of early rehabilitation efforts. Without a
sound scientific basis, success criteria are
no more than educated guesswork and
can miss the keystone indicators of
ecosystem function.
Environmental management systems
provide a continual cycle of planning,
implementing, reviewing and improving
the actions that the mining company takes
to meet its environmental obligations. An
environmental policy, which states that the
company will implement the prevention
of pollution, and strive to improve its
environmental compliance, will be
developed with the regulators responsible
for the mine.The company should identify
environmental aspects of its operations
and determine the impact they have on
the environment.
Planning for success
A well-planned and resourced
rehabilitation programme is more likely to
be successful.This can be a very positive
outcome for a mining company in terms
For many mining companies, ACG training
products have become an integral and
essential component of their training
programs. Contact the ACG via
acg@acg.uwa.edu.au for more information.
The ACG is grateful for the industry
support of the Reading the Ground
Sponsors, namely:
• AngloGold Ashanti Australia Ltd
• Newmont Australia
• Placer Dome Asia Pacific
• WMC Resources Ltd
• Xstrata Mount Isa Mines
Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter
of public relations, return of bonds
secured by regulators, and the prospects
for permission to mine new leases. It can
also be a positive outcome for the local
community, the regulators and the
environment. Needless to say, an
unsuccessful rehabilitation can have the
opposite outcome.
For more information, please
contact Dr Mark Tibbett via
Mark.Tibbett@uwa.edu.au
Dr Mark Tibbett,
director, Centre for
Land Rehabilitation
A training tool designed to assist
new and inexperienced mine
operators to identify, understand
and react to potential
underground rock related hazards
• What to look for – identifying
geotechnical conditions
• Stress and its effects on ground
conditions in excavations
• On-the-job risk assessment methods,
applications and safer work
procedures
7

Global mine closure strategies
– what constitutes success?
The widespread challenges of closing mines in an environmentally and
socially acceptable way will be addressed by the international mining
community at the First International Seminar on Mine Closure
planned for Perth in September 2006.
Hosted by the Australian Centre for
Geomechanics, in collaboration with
the Centre for Land Rehabilitation,
The University of Western Australia, this
is the first time that a range of targetted
mine closure issues will be explored in
an international forum.
One of the greatest challenges facing the
global mining industry is the issue of
economic and socially acceptable closure
of mine sites.The increasing attention
being paid by the media to the legacy
of abandoned mine sites has focussed
public interest on mine closure issues.
In response, legislators and regulators are
implementing various financial instruments
to provide surety that closure will be
affordable.These are often underpinned
by various rehabilitation criteria that must
The 1st International Seminar on Mine Closure will provide an international forum for an exchange of ideas
on what constitutes acceptable closure
8 Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter
be met to avoid financial penalties.
An example is the environmental
performance bond requirement in
Western Australia, which is imposed to
ensure that the state is not exposed to
unacceptable costs should mine operators
fail to meet the rehabilitation
requirements of their lease. For tailings
storage facilities, for example, the amount
of the bond is AUD$12,000 per hectare.
Planning for land rehabilitation and site
closure from an early stage of a mining
operation is an important way of
decreasing the cost of the process.
It is also important to have clearly defined,
unambiguous and appropriate criteria
for what constitutes acceptable closure.
Approval for future mining projects will
more likely be obtained if the industry
demonstrates it is able to close existing
sites in a responsible and environmentally
and socially acceptable manner.
The organisers are delighted that the
world-first seminar will be held in
Australia. It is hoped that the event will
initiate an annual vehicle for legislators,
mine owners and operators, consultants,
service providers and researchers from
throughout the world to exchange views
on how best to ensure that future closure
of mine sites is achieved at minimum cost,
whilst ensuring that future environmental
and social impacts are minimised. By using
opportunities such as this for setting the
agenda for future research and
operational directions, the viability of
mining operations can be ensured.
The technical program will include
comprehensive and highly relevant
technical papers emphasising innovations
and application of state-of-the-art
technologies and closure strategies
from around the world.
SEMINAR THEMES
• regulatory expectations and
legal requirements
• financing closure
• case studies on mines that have
already been relinquished
• rehabilitation and success criteria
• planning for closure
• managing acid drainage
• addressing community concerns and
social impacts
• landform evolution
• primary successions and ecosystem
developments
• pedogensis on covers and wastes
More than 50 papers from leading
local and international mine closure
practitioners and strategists are
expected to be presented at this
unique, world-first mining event.
For more information, please contact
Josephine Ruddle at the ACG at
acg@acg.uwa.edu.au
RaSiM6 unleashes its energy
Perth was shaking and bursting with excitement as more than 500 mining
professionals descended to explore the latest technologies and applications to
access deep mining resources.
Delegates visited trade displays to keep abreast of the latest strategies and technologies to address rockburst
and mine seismicity challenges
The Australian Centre for Geomechanics
was pleased to host for the first time in
Australia the very topical and highly
regarded 6th International Symposium on
Rockburst and Seismicity in Mines.The 1st
International Symposium on Rockburst
and Seismicity in Mines was held in
Johannesburg in 1982. Since then,
symposia have been held every four
years: 1998 USA, 1993 Canada, 1997
Poland, and 2001 South Africa.
The RaSiM Symposia have long presented
an opportunity for researchers and
industry professionals to meet and
examine the latest technical findings, and
share ideas and experiences on one of
the most complex technical problems
facing mining around the world.
More than 150 delegates from
17 countries such as Chile, Germany,
South Africa, Russia, Poland, Japan, China,
Canada, USA and Finland attended the
three-day event held in March. Mining
engineers, seismologists, researchers,
scientists and academics explored the
latest advancements in seismic hazard
and risk management, mine design and
rockburst damage and support.
The staging of RaSiM6 was particularly
timely for WA, with mine seismicity and
rockbursting becoming an increasingly
widespread industry problem. Many WA
sites operate in a unique, significantly high
horizontal stress field that is responsible
for acute stress and rockbursting
conditions being reported in small mines,
at depths as shallow as 500 metres.
Whilst leading mining countries such as
South Africa and Canada have been
aggressively pursuing rockburst and risk
management strategies for a number of
years, Australia is a relative new-comer to
the arena. Prior to 1994, no Australian
mine had a seismic monitoring system
installed. Currently, there are more than
20 seismic monitoring systems installed in
mines throughout Australia.The ACG, well
supported by local industry, is researching
and developing new technologies,
instrumentation and procedures to
minimise the risk of rockburst fatalities.
This highly regarded event provides
industry professionals from throughout
the world to exchange the latest
information to minimise the hazards
associated with rockbursts and
mine seismicity.
Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter
The opening keynote address was given
by industry sage, Dave Ortlepp, who
presented a talk entitled, RaSiM Comes of
Age – A Review of the Contribution to the
Understanding and Control on Mine
Rockbursts. This address gave a broad
overview of the progress the RaSiM
Symposia have made to combat the
hazard of mine rockbursts during the
almost one quarter of a century of its
existence.The address aptly set the scene
for the Symposium. RaSiM6 was divided
into the following sessions: high stress
mining, source models and mechanisms,
seismicity in soft rock mines: coal and
potash, seismic hazard and risk, case
studies, laboratory testing and
experiments, mine design, rockburst
damage and support and instrumentation
and modelling.
RaSiM6 joined with AusIMM’s
Underground Operators’ Conference on
the common day, providing excellent
networking opportunities for more than
500 delegates.
The ACG was able to present this
Symposium for the first time in Australia
with the generous support of its
sponsors, namely, WMC Resources Ltd,
AngloGold Ashanti Australia and Barrick
Gold of Australia.
The RaSiM6 Symposium proceedings
feature almost 80 papers, many presented
at the Symposium.To obtain your copy,
please contact Jill at the ACG.
RaSiM7
The 7th International Symposium on
Rockburst and Seismicity in Mines
will be held in China during 2009.
For more information, please
contact Professor Tang,
Northeastern University, China via
tca@mail.neu.edu.cn.
9
Surface Support in Mining
By Kevin Rosengren, Kevin Rosengren & Associates
Surface support in underground mine
development has been a live issue in
Australia in recent years, more particularly
since the publication of the MOSHAB
guidelines in 1999. This book is therefore
a welcome addition to the literature on
the subject. It is handsomely produced
and its three editors,Yves Potvin, Dick
Stacey and John Hadjogeorgiou, have
international eminence, appropriately in
the three countries which have been at
the forefront of developments, namely
Australia, South Africa and Canada.
The book has two distinct parts:
Part 1 – Thin Spray-on Liners (TSLs) –
A Quick Reference Guide
Part 2 – International Seminars on
Surface Support – Proceedings
Part 1 lives up to its title and, in 40 pages,
summarises current knowledge on TSLs,
including a brief history, the types of
products available, occupational health and
safety, testing methods and field trials and
applications. This is a concise state-of-the-
art reference book that summarises a
great deal of information which, until now,
has been available in a variety of technical
papers in diverse locations.
Part 2 is a selection of technical papers
from three previous seminars on surface
Surface Support in Mining editors: John Hadjigeorgiou,Yves Potvin and Dick Stacey
10 Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter
support held in Perth, Johannesburg and
Quebec City in 2001, 2002 and 2003,
respectively. The bulk of these papers
(25) are on TSLs, in four categories,
namely, design, testing, testing for
rockburst conditions and field trials and
applications. The remaining papers are
related to shotcrete (15 papers), ore pass
lining (3 papers) and mesh (5 papers).
TSLs are 3–4 mm thick coatings, sprayed
on to exposed rock surfaces to seal the
surfaces and to provide some degree of
structural support. TSL technology
originated in Canada some 15 years ago
and has since progressed in Canada,
South Africa and Australia; in that order.
To date, it has achieved only limited
success in its original objective of
replacing mesh for general surface
support in underground developments
(Chapters 21, 22 and 25 of the book).
However, it has proved effective in certain
specialised applications.
As noted in the book, Australia’s
contribution has been relatively modest
to date, although trials have been carried
out in several mines. However, Australia
(read ACG) has taken the initiative in
organising the first surface support
seminar and publishing this book which is
the most significant publication on the
subject to date. Hopefully, this is a
portent for future developments.
Mesh has been the mainstay of surface
support in Australian mining for many
years and, no doubt, will continue to be
used extensively in the future. Its main
advantage is that no additional or
specialised equipment is required for its
application. However, in the past decade,
shotcrete has been used to an increasing
degree, fuelled by developments in fibre
reinforcement and cement additives.
Trials of boltless shotcrete have been
carried out in Canada (Chapter 34) but it
remains to be seen whether this will ever
be a practical reality.
This book will occupy a prominent
place on my bookshelf and is highly
recommended for any engineer
or geologist with an interest in
ground support.
To obtain your copy of the Surface
Support in Mining reference manual please
contact Jill at the Australian Centre for
Geomechanics.
Dr Kevin Rosengren,
principal, Kevin
Rosengren &
Associates
Handbook on Mine Fill – advancing the safe,
efficient and economic placement of fill
After more than two years in the making, the ACG was delighted to launch the
Handbook on Mine Fill at the AusIMM’s 9th Underground Operators’ Conference
dinner held in Perth in March 2005.
In 2003, a group of professionals lead by
Adrian Lang recognised the lack of
readily accessible information of this
very complex and multifaceted mining
discipline. While there was a plethora of
mine fill information dispersed through
conference proceedings, journal articles
and industry reports, there was no
current one-stop reference source.
The ACG set about to develop a
practical, invaluable tool for all mining
professionals to utilise when addressing
mine fill considerations.
Contributions from leading authorities
such as Tony Grice, Angus Henderson,
ACG Update
International events, publications launched, new research projects commenced … the ACG team have been
kept busy developing tools and knowledge to aid industry to improve mine safety.
The last six months have been particularly
challenging with our small crew presenting
Ground Support 2004 and RaSiM6, and
producing a number of publications,
research deliverables and training videos.
It has been well worth it! Response and
feedback from mining professionals
throughout the world clearly indicate that
our activities have had a positive impact
on industry.
Early this year Melissa McFetridge, our
Administrative Assistant, decided a change
of pace was needed and that it was
time to fly the coop to embark on a
nursing degree.
The ACG is delighted to welcome
onboard Jill Hollinshead. Jill joined the
Centre as the new Administrative Assistant
in January. With her enthusiasm, excellent
communication skills, event management
and public relations experience, and strong
Kugan Kuganathan and Adrian Lang have
seen the editors (Yves Potvin, Ed Thomas, Handbook on
and Andy Fourie) create a unique and Mine Fill content
practical tool for engineers. • Introduction
• Basic fill materials
To obtain your copy, please contact the
• Geomechanics of mine fill
ACG via acg@acg.uwa.edu.au
• Fluid mechanics
• Hydraulic fill
Industry Sponsors • Rock fill
The ACG gratefully acknowledges the • Paste fill
support of the Handbook on Mine Fill • Other fill types and practices
Sponsors. • Hazards, risks and environment
• Emerging technologies and
current research
• Glossary
• Extensive reference list
university background, Jill is a great asset to
the ACG.
2005 has already proven to an exciting
year for the ACG/UWA PhD candidates.
John Albrecht submitted his thesis entitled
Delineating Rockburst Damage to
Underground Development Subjected to
Seismic Loading in February. Supervised by
Congratulations Dr Michelle Owen!
Yves Potvin, John’s thesis originated from
the ACG’s Mine Seismicity and Rockburst
Risk Management research project.
The ACG was thrilled to see former
ACGer Michelle Owen on her whirlwind
trip to Australia in March. Based in
Washington, USA, Michelle is a senior civil
engineer with Bechtel. Michelle returned
home to present a paper at the RaSiM6
Symposium and to graduate with
a doctorate from The University of
Jill Hollinshead has joined the ACG team as the Western Australia.
Administrative Assistant
Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter 11
Australian open pit mining rattles and hums
By Gordon Sweby, Australian Centre for Geomechanics

The ACG’s research project “High

Resolution Seismic Monitoring in Open
Pit Mines” is well underway.The research
undertaken in this project aims to
demystify the intricate processes of slope
failure in active Australian open pit mines.
With industry support, namely from
WMC Resources Ltd, Xstrata Zinc and
Minerals and Energy Research Institute of
W.A. (MERIWA), the project seeks to
minimise the financial and safety risks
associated with potentially catastrophic
slope failures by detecting and analysing
the early microseismic warning emitted by
the failing rock.
Already microseismic monitoring systems
have been installed to establish the
potential, as well as the operating
constraints of seismic monitoring. An
Engineering Seismology Group Canada
Inc. (ESG) system is currently recording
data at WMC’s Mt Keith Nickel
Operation. Planning for an ISS system to
be installed at Xstrata Zinc’s Black Star
Open Pit (Mt Isa) is in the advanced
stages.
At Mt Keith, a staged approach has been
adopted, with three 6-uniaxial mini-
networks scheduled. The plan is to
Figure 2. Installation of wireless networked ESG Paladin system at Mt Keith
Figure 1. Position of trial monitoring sites at Mt Keith
identify the most active of the three
chosen sites and expand the array to a
24-channel network, consisting of four
triaxial and 12 uniaxial sensors. The three
trial sites are located at strategic positions
around the southern half of the current
pit (see Figure 1).
Site C was selected as the first trial site
and an ESG Paladin system was installed
and commissioned during March 2005
(Figure 2). After three weeks of
monitoring the system is performing
reliably and approximately 40 events have
already been located in the Site C study
area (see Figure 3).
A Siro3D mapping exercise has been
carried out at each of the three trial sites
to capture 3D spatial information for the
geotechnically significant structures that
occur at each site. This information will
be used, in conjunction with manually
mapped and core logged data, to
understand the mechanisms behind the
recorded seismic activity. The Siro3D
surface topography of trial site C, with
some of the identified major structures, is
shown in Figure 4.
Mt Keith will make use of an extensive
automated prism monitoring network,
which will provide the correlation link
between recorded seismicity and physical
movements.
Planning for the installation of a 24-
channel ISS system at the Black Star
Open Cut at Mt Isa is at an advanced
stage, with the system design and
specification nearing completion.

12 Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter

Figure 3. Seismic events from initial three weeks of monitoring Figure 4. Siro3D surface topography of Site C, showing interpreted major geological
structures. The uniaxial sensor holes and positions are also shown

The Black Star Open Cut commenced
operations towards the end of 2004 and
thus is in the early stages of development.
The chosen monitoring site is on the east
wall at the final pitwall position, which
Xstrata have deemed critical from an
infrastructure perspective (see Figure 5).
The Black Star site offers a unique
opportunity to monitor, from a
stress/deformation perspective, the
progression of the pit floor with depth,
and the interaction with underground
voids (Figure 5). The pitwall is extensively
monitored with movement detection
extensometers, which will provide the
necessary correlation data for linking
seismic activity with physical deformation.
This unique ACG research project aims
to develop innovative solutions that could
become critical to the success of future
deep open pit operations within Australia
and overseas.The direct benefits of
enhanced slope monitoring capabilities
will be more aggressive slope design and
a diminished risk of failure.The early
detection of slope failure will also
allow for tactical response to avoid the
loss of slopes.
Acknowledgment
The significant contributions made by the
sponsors (MERIWA, WMC and Xstrata
Zinc), both in the project justification and
funding, and the efforts of the site
personnel, are gratefully acknowledged.
For more information about High
Resolution Seismic Monitoring in Open
Pit Mines, please contact Gordon Sweby
via acg@acg.uwa.edu.au

Gordon Sweby,
project leader,
Australian Centre for
Geomechanics

Do we have your
correct address?
For free copies of the ACG
newsletter and updates on
Centre activities and initiatives,
please notify the ACG of any
corrections to your contact
details, including email address.
Email: acg@acg.uwa.edu.au
Tel + 61 8 6488 3300
Fax + 61 8 6488 1130
Figure 5. Black Star Open Cut (Stage 2 pit design) as viewed from the SE. The planned sensor holes and
triaxial (blue) and uniaxial (purple) positions are as shown relative to known underground voids

Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter 13

The practice of seismic management in mines: how
to love your seismic monitoring system
My experience at Mt Charlotte Mine may be aptly summarised thus:
“When I joined the mine in 1993 I was learning about seismicity. After three years I thought I knew everything. After five
years I realised I knew nothing. Now I think I know something.”
Mining induced seismicity and associated
ground control problems have a long
history in Kalgoorlie’s Golden Mile.
Documented seismicity at Mt Charlotte
mine goes back to March 1965, only three
years after bulk mining methods were
introduced to the mine. About 80 events
of Richter magnitude 2 or greater have
been recorded there since bulk mining
started. Understandably, large events make
managers, planners and engineers nervous,
sometimes to the point of closing mines
down.They rightly ask “why, and if so how,
could mining still be done safely and
profitably in this mine?” But knowledge
gained by linking seismic monitoring to
seismic management has allowed the mine
to survive.
Gothic cathedrals and gold mines
Time spent learning from history is never
wasted. An inspiring essay by Vaudeville
(1999) travelled back 700 years to the
Gothic Cathedral constructions of the
13th and 14th centuries. Stability of those
edifices depended on the constituent
parts forming a system, all parts being
necessary, and some being proactive
(flying buttresses and arches), and all
obeying the laws of mechanics.
Yet some constructions have collapsed,
while others still stand, showing that
unexpected catastrophic instability was a
real issue. Interestingly, we can recognise
mine seismicity also as catastrophic
instability. What does this parallel teach?
Further, we note that Gothic Cathedral
windows over the years became larger,
reducing massive stone walls to fragile
interstitial pillars. The mining parallel of
chasing percentage extraction is clear.
14 Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter
While attractive for different reasons, larger
stopes and larger windows both generate
a concentration of energy and may suffer
catastrophically in case of unanticipated
circumstances. As engineers, we generally
anticipate stability using calculation and
computer simulation. The paradox is that
the better the calculations or computer
simulations, and therefore the more trim
and perfect the constructions, the less they
can survive the unpredictable.
Thinking about and doing the computations
is just the middle step. The lesson for those
involved in seismic issues in mines is to also
think carefully about the first step
(documenting the data) and the third
(practical seismic management allowing for
variations, errors and unknowns).
Fortunately for miners, rock surrounding
the excavations has bulk, which by design
or accident can permit stable equilibrium.
The ancient stonemasons also tried to
avoid instability by adding bulk to their
designs. Each arch or column was figured
with ten times the calculated minimum
necessary cross-sectional area, so that a
ten times stress concentration due to
design or construction irregularities or
other circumstances could be met
without exceeding the perceived strength
of the stone.
Documenting the data
Seismic events may appear random, but
occur in clusters that show some fractal
characteristics, i.e. clusters are self-similar
(subsets in time or space look like the
whole) and are independent of scale
(they look similar when zoomed in).
Fractal character over time means that
analysis of cluster subsets gives valuable
By Peter A. Mikula, Mikula Geotechnics Pty Ltd
insight into future events in that cluster.
Seismicity often (not always) reveals its
character early, in smaller events and
lesser damage, giving time to study why it
is happening, and how to respond. Quite
simply, if seismicity is monitored and
analysed, seismic hazard can begin to be
understood. By contrast, no monitoring
system means no history and no learning.
Seismicity also shows elements of chaotic
behaviour. Chaos theory deals with the
behaviour of certain nonlinear dynamic
systems that are sensitive to initial
conditions. For example, cyclones are
sensitive to small changes in air
temperatures. As excellently described by
Lee et al (1989) for the Mt Charlotte
environment, “Stopes, Stresses, and
Structures” make up the initial conditions
influencing a seismic event:
• the pre-existing rockmass constitutive
properties, namely the pre-mining
stress regime, the rock properties, and
the geological faults and structures, and
• the imposed excavations – geometry,
position, mining sequence, and blasting
procedure.
This suggests that analysis of the above
initial conditions and the resulting
seismicity can be expected to improve
the ways of effectively managing mine
seismicity.The initial conditions are not
known to the required resolution to be
able to predict individual chaotic
rockbursts. However, the gross boundaries
of the initial conditions can be identified
and studied to examine how they affect
seismicity on a global, as opposed to
individual basis.

Figure 1. Unclustered events – shown by magnitude
Collecting seismic event data is a joint
effort between computers and engineers.
Using the fractal character of seismicity
to advantage, some form of clustering
of events is essential. Clustering can cut
thousands of events to only dozens of
clusters (see Figures 1 & 2).
A work schedule to ensure clustering
is done and a good system for the
collection of underground observation
and stope history data is paramount.
A monthly reconciliation of workplace
visits is wise, to compare design
expectations with actual performance,
and generate feedback. As the months
pass, a history of stope performance is
built up – exactly what is needed for
later analysis of seismic response.
Formulating design principles
Turning the collected data into design
principles or rules for a mine is quite
achievable:
• attempt to construct graphs, charts
and maps based on the data – this
crystallises the thinking process,
• run experiments to follow up on ideas
or trends. Trials, tests, research and
changes are normal, and
• investigate mistakes to be sure of
their causes.
Figure 2. Clustered events – represent 65% of the
total number of events but 96% of the seismic
energy recorded
I had a natural advantage at Mt Charlotte
– a good study mine, with essentially only
one rock type and two dominant fault
and structure orientations.This simplicity
allows better perception of the
importance of other parameters.
The continuity of over 12 years at the
mine was long enough to see several
complete stoping cycles, and to see the
results of designs and plans made some
years previously. Nearly 11 years of this
time was with the invaluable support of
a seismic monitoring system.
Beware optimism. Engage the services
of a good but pessimistic consultant and
ensure regular reviews of work.
Have many visitors and listen to them.
It is not a case of “I’ve heard it all
before” which really means “I am not
interested in changing, so why bother?”
Rather it is “How can I take another step
forward?” No-one has time to make all
the mistakes themselves.
Keep very good stope record systems
to manage the problem of changing
personnel and loss of historical
mining knowledge.
Examples of research undertaken at
Mt Charlotte include:
• Stress change monitoring experiment –
HI cells at the base of Cassidy shaft
Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter
Figure 3. B-Value history path chart, for four
clusters, over 6-monthly periods as indicated.
The MOB4 stope cluster stabilised.The CS3
and CDOB I2 clusters changed character when
production mining approached. The CDOB backs
cluster showed a one-year back-pedal during a lull
in production
since 1995 have returned intriguing but
low resolution data hinting at multiple
stress changes of up to 1 MPa over
time, changes apparently unrelated
to mining.
• Electromagnetic emissions (EME)
experiment – during a mass blast, an
attempt was made to relate seismic
events to EME associated with
fracturing of rock.
• B-Value History Path Chart – clustered
seismicity data is processed to generate
a cluster history path.This uses the
familiar “b-value” gradient and the
“Mmax” magnitude intercept to
characterise a cluster over successive
time intervals (see Figure 3). Trends
can be clearly seen and linked to
stoping milestones. Large changes in
b-value and Mmax occur over time
as seismic domains are crossed. It is
necessary to define seismic domains
(just like geotechnical domains) for
different temporal sources, as well as
spatial sources. (Note – Mmax is just
the x-axis intercept, not necessarily the
largest event that can occur!)
• Objective measures of excavation initial
conditions. Psychological studies have
found that individuals tend to make
irrational decisions, based on many
factors which need not include all or
only the relevant information. People
have a tendency to subjectively
Continued on page 16
15
Continued from page 15
emphasise recent experience or
successes at the expense of prior
history, as seen for example in runs on
the stock market. The Mt Charlotte
“14-Rules” – the mine’s original seismic
risk reduction checklist – were revised
to objectively relate initial conditions to
cluster character. The rules were
expanded, and now form the “21-Rules
seismic hazard management checklist.”
The outcome of the study is a chart
trending the initial condition score
versus Mmax (see Figure 4).
• CSOM (CSIRO Self Organising Maps)
Analysis.This is a data mining tool
developed by the CSIRO.
A preliminary trial assessed the
suitability of the 21-Rules database
for CSOM analysis. Figure 5 shows the
resulting component similarity plot, and
on this display the 21-Rules parameters
are positioned according to their
correlation with each other and their
impact on the overall analysis.
Practical seismic management
Rock is not like steel and concrete.
Rock has extra complexity and variability
which even if globally estimated is locally
unknown.The nature of rock invites
special study, knowledge, and methods.
Successful designs must allow for
variability of rock, errors and unknown
factors, so the geotechnical engineer has a
critical role in hazard management.
The seismic hazard management plan is
a statement of the action plans used to
manage seismic hazard, and is part of the
mine’s ground control management plan.
Figure 4. Relationship between cluster Mmax (from
the b-value charts) and the 21-Rules parameter score
16 Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter
Figure 5. CSOM analysis of Mt Charlotte 21-Rules
data, illustrating the similarity of the component inputs
Seismic management during the
excavation design phase starts with the
estimate of the hazard. If large seismic
events (exceeding a nominated tolerable
magnitude, with margin for unknowns)
are forecast, intervention is required:
• Change elements of design and/or
sequence as practicable to deal with
the identified contributing factors.
For example, if a pillar containing a fault
cannot be avoided, change mining plans
to ensure that the fault in the pillar is
not clamped.The intent is to remove
or hinder the mechanism of the
largest events.
• Use numerical modelling appropriately
to support proposed designs or to
quantify the differences between
competing designs.
• Define ground support, re-entry
windows, personnel access controls,
and any other stoping constraints,
with appropriate standard operating
procedures.
• Repeat the assessment process for
any subsequent changes made to the
initial design to suit the mine’s changing
requirements.
During stoping, seismic management
requires tracking events, clusters, and
cluster character, to define seismic hazard.
If seismic hazard increases, respond
by assessing options with management
and engineers, particularly if intervention
becomes necessary.The situation is similar
to open pit slope monitoring – if cracking
is detected, the response plan is activated.
It may be that during mining, increased
seismicity appears inevitable. If so, there
are three management options available.
These are to attempt to have the
seismicity occur as follows:
• at a chosen time, i.e. during blasting.
This is easier to achieve for stress
fracturing than for fault-slip events.
• at a chosen place, which is much harder
to achieve.
• at a chosen magnitude, done by
controlling fault-slip area, or modifying
rock stiffness by preconditioning,
destressing, or tight slot blasting
(Mikula et al, 2005).
Weather forecasters and
seismicity
I found at Mt Charlotte that it is difficult to
forecast the larger seismic events. Weather
forecasters have the same problem.
In climates where rainy days are few and
far between, forecasting rainy days has a
large error rate.This has partial similarity to
the forecast of the largest seismic events,
which are also few and far between.
Suppose a climate generates a known
pattern of five rainy days and 360 sunny
days per year. Also, suppose forecasters
select the correct weather for the day on
80% of days.Thus of 360 sunny days,
288 are forecast to be sunny, and 72 rainy.
So a rainy day forecast is wrong on
72 days and correct on four days per year,
which is about a 95% failure rate.
It is far easier to forecast the yearly
average climate than the specific storm.
So it is with seismicity forecasting –
practitioners should be cautious when
arriving at their assessments. Forecasting
typical cluster behaviour is easier than
forecasting a specific large event.
Seismic monitoring benefits
Two benefits of having a seismic
monitoring system in a mine are usually
given: reduced seismically related
production delays (more assured
production), and improved mine safety.
But there’s much more:
• dramatic reduction in seismicity
achieved,
• seismicity is part of the mine
vocabulary,
• seismic management is part of every
work item,
• chasing lower costs is subservient to
consideration of seismic potential,
• appropriate mining method changes
have been introduced,
• extraction ratios are improved, by
mining pillars and orebody extensions
that have previously been left due to
seismic risk – better use of finite
mineral resources,
• seismicity is correctly managed without
much additional cost,
• there is greater profitability in the ways
orebodies can be mined,
David Ortlepp Bursary Award
A South African mining engineer’s career-
long dedication to combating the
problem of rockburst and seismicity in
mines has been recognised with the
creation of an award in his name to
encourage more young people to
specialise in rock mechanics. Dave
Ortlepp has spent almost half a century
investigating and documenting mine
rockbursts and seismic incidents to the
extent that his volume of work and
knowledge on the topic is virtually
unrivalled.
Unfortunately, as illustrated by the global
shortage of qualified geotechnical
specialists, today not enough young people
are choosing to retrace his steps.There is
hope, however, that with the inauguration
of the David Ortlepp Bursary Award, the
situation will be addressed in a small, but
nonetheless significant, way.
Announced earlier at the International
Symposium on Rockburst and Seismicity
in Mines (RaSiM6) in Perth, the award
was conceived by the Australian Centre
for Geomechanics in conjunction with the
• there is confidence to go against usual
practice and intentionally fracture good
rock or blast tight slots to manage
seismic hazard, and
• there is guidance for extrapolating
designs to future greater depths and
higher stress environments.
Conclusion
Perhaps there is substance after all in my
claim that “now I know something about
seismicity.” None of this could have been
possible without that black box untiringly
listening for every seismic event
underground, and in that sense I can say,
“I love my Seismic Monitoring System.”
I am not a solo performer! “In everything
you do put God first, and he will direct
you and crown your efforts with success”
(Proverbs 3:6). My thanks to the CSIR for
the PSS seismic monitoring system
University of the Witswatersrand, and will
be administered by the South African
Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Explaining its dual purpose, ACG director
Yves Potvin said: “We have this huge need
to attract young people to specialise in
any rock mechanics topics so we need to
create some bursaries and scholarships to
get them in, and we have Dave Ortlepp
who has dedicated his life to the problem
of rockbursting.”
While the method for deciding recipients
is not entirely defined, the broad
parameters already set out are that the
award will be open to post-graduate
students worldwide; they must be
undertaking a research Masters or PhD; it
has to address the problems of rockburst
and seismicity; and it must be in an
English-speaking medium so that sponsor
companies can derive the benefits.
Seed funding for the bursary to the tune
of 60,000 rand has been secured via a
generous donation from ISS International
Ltd and a portion of the proceeds from
Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter
installed so long ago now at Mt Charlotte
Mine, and to KCGM for permission to
publish this paper.
For further information, please
contact Dr Peter Mikula via
pm@MikulaGeotechnics.com
References
Lee, M.F., Beer, G. and Windsor, C.R. (1990)
Interaction of stopes, stresses and geologic structure
at the Mt Charlotte mine, W.A. Rockbursts and
Seismicity in Mines (Ed: Fairhurst), pp. 337-343,
Balkema.
Mikula, P.A, Sharrock, G. Lee, M.F. and Kinnersly,
E. (2005) Seismicity Management Using Tight Slot
Blasting for Stress Control at Mt Charlotte Mine.
Sixth International Symposium on Rockburst and
Seismicity in Mines. Australian Centre for
Geomechanics, Perth.
Vaudeville, B. (1999) The folly of structures: An
apology for rigidity. Tekhnema 5 / “Energy and
Chance” / Fall 1999. Copy sighted at
http://tekhnema.free.fr/5Vaudeville.html.
Leading mine seismicity specialist, Dave Ortlepp
continues to combat the problem of rockburst and
seismicity in mines
the latest instalment of RaSiM, but the
main fundraising effort is just beginning.
Potvin called on large mining companies,
consultants and suppliers to pledge their
financial support in the interest of fostering
the next generation of Dave Ortlepps.
The selection committee, which will likely
comprise of SAIMM and sponsor
company representatives, will look to
award the first bursary next year.
This edited article is reproduced with kind permission
from Australia’s Mining Monthly.
17
Effective paste fill quality control
By Kim le Roux, Coffey Geosciences Pty Ltd

Introduction
Experience has shown that paste fill
performance is sensitive to the quality of
the paste fill. Therefore, an effective
quality control program is necessary to
ensure that paste fill consistently meets
the design requirements. Further, the
data obtained from the quality control
process provides the feedback necessary
to optimise the paste fill mix design.
A case study detailing an audit of the
paste fill system at a mine in Northern
Ontario, Canada is used to emphasise
quality control concerns that are common
to many operations. The audit covered
most aspects of the paste fill system, from
the paste plant design and operation to
placement control, and management
approaches.This article focuses on quality
control issues relating to slump and
strength. The case study illustrates how
the auditing process can provide the
information feedback loop vital to
improving the overall paste fill system.
Slump quality control
Slump is the focus of the existing quality
control program as it is easy to measure
and significantly influences paste fill
reticulation and strength characteristics.
If the paste is too viscous (low slump
value) it may be difficult to pump and can
lead to a build-up of pressure and failures
in paste delivery lines. Conversely, if the
paste fill has a low viscosity (high slump
Paste fill operators were initially trained to
use a combination of the instrumentation
feedback and slump test results to control
the mix. However, operator training
strongly emphasised the consequences of
paste line blockages and the message was
frequently reinforced by management.
Therefore, in response to slight elevations
in line pressure, operators tended to add
water to the paste fill mix regardless of
the measured slump. The outcome was
that the actual slump of the paste fill was
often higher than the design slump and
this negatively impacted on the strength
developed in the paste fill.
Data analysis and performance
implications
Slump data recorded in August 2003 and
January 2004 and summarised in Figure 1
shows that the paste plant consistently
failed to achieve the design slump, usually
producing paste fill with a slump of
8.5 inches (22 cm) and higher.
Paste fill strength is sensitive to the
water:cement ratio.The lower the
water:cement ratio the greater the
strength that develops. Slump is an
160
140
120
No. of Tests
indicator of the water content, and if the
cement dosage is held constant, slump
provides an indication of the water:cement
ratio.The higher the slump the higher the
water:cement ratio. High slump paste fill
therefore acts to reduce the effect of
the binder.
Slump recommendations
The following recommendations were
implemented to improve the quality
control of the paste fill slump:
• Training now emphasises the
importance of achieving the paste fill
mix design as well as explaining how
the slump, water content and
water:cement ratio are interrelated and
how they influence both the
reticulation and paste performance.
• Development of an internal audit
system that routinely reviews the slump
data to evaluate the overall
performance of the paste fill plant and
makes necessary adjustments.
• Development of an internal audit
system to evaluate the overall
performance of the paste fill plant to
determine if other factors are

value) there is a risk that it may settle out 100

in the paste line, which may also lead to a
80
build-up of pressure and potentially a
blockage of the line. 60
The consequence of paste line blockages
is the shutdown of the plant and 40
potentially a disruption to the mining
process. Current industry practice is to 20
install pressuremeters, fail safes, alarms,
0
and automatic shut-down mechanisms to
7 7.25 7.5 7.75 8 8.25 8.5 8.75 9 9.25 9.5
limit the likelihood of line blockages and
Slump (”)
damage to infrastructure.
Figure 1. Summary of standard slump cone test results measured in August 2003 and January 2004

18 Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter


Figure 2. Paste fill sample curing chamber and UCS testing station
contributing to the failure to
consistently achieve the mix design.
An example of this would be a faulty
pressuremeter or a misaligned shaft
in the mixer which produce erroneous
readings and may influence the
paste fill mix.
Paste fill strength
Implementation of the strength testing
component of the quality control
program was not initially effective due
to the original division of responsibility.
The paste plant operators were
responsible for casting test cylinders and
the geotechnical group were responsible
for the actual testing and data analysis.
Figure 3. Summary of the UCS test data for 3% binder paste fill
No individual was responsible for the
overall efficiency of the quality control
program.
Improvements were made by rationalising
the quality control process:
• responsibility for the paste plant was
assigned to one individual,
• the paste plant operators were
responsible for sampling, curing and
testing the samples, and
• the raw strength data was forwarded
to the geotechnical group for analysis.
The construction of a paste fill testing
area in the paste plant, which included a
humidity controlled curing chamber, as
Figure 4. Summary of the UCS test data for 4.5% binder paste fill
Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter
shown in Figure 2, also contributed to
improved quality control.
The audit revealed that the most
significant limitation to the successful
implementation of the strength testing
component of the quality control
program was that the strength data were
never reviewed. In fact, most of the data
had not been entered into the database.
This meant that the opportunities for
optimising the mix design could not be
identified, nor could the early detection of
any seriously underperforming paste fill be
used to mitigate a potentially dangerous
situation. It is the author’s experience that
the internal review of quality control data
is not optimally implemented at many
paste fill operations.
Analysis of existing data
The analysis of the existing strength data
suggested that the binder dosage of the
paste fill in secondary stopes could be
reduced. Paste fill in a secondary stope is
not exposed during the mining process
and therefore needs only enough strength
to resist liquefaction. In Clough et al
(1989), the liquefaction resistance
guideline of a UCS value of 100 kPa was
used to evaluate performance. Paste fill
with 3% binder dosage is routinely used
in secondary stopes and the UCS test
data shows that this material achieves the
100 kPa design requirement within the
first seven days of curing (see Figure 3).
The influence of slump on strength partly
explains the high degree of variability in
the measured strengths. An 8 inch
Continued on page 20
19
Continued from page 19
(20 cm) slump paste fill tends to develop
higher strength than 8.5 inch (22 cm)
slump material. The observed long-term
strength reduction is more likely due to
the poor initial curing conditions than any
real loss of strength. However, this should
be confirmed by testing the long-term
strength of properly cured samples.
In Figure 4, the strength requirements
for a free standing vertical paste fill face
are superimposed on the 4.5% binder
paste fill strength data. The strength
requirements were calculated using
relationships from Mitchell et al (1982)
– constant stope height and strike length
of 25 m and widths varying from 6 m
to 25 m.
The mine sequencing is such that the
paste fill is usually exposed after about
two months of curing.Therefore, the 56-
day strength is used to assess the stability
of the paste fill. The data shows that the
4.5% binder dosage provides more than
enough strength for a typical narrow
stope (6 m). It is also a suitable design
for a typical stope width of 15 m,
however, this mix design may not provide
enough strength for use in wider stopes
(>25 m). The high degree of variability in
the strength data makes it difficult to
predict the performance of the paste fill
in any particular stope and consequently
conservative approach to optimising the
mix design must be taken.
Strength recommendations
The most important area for improvement
is the assigning of responsibility to
individuals. Without a sense of ownership
the failure of only a small component of
the process can jeopardise the
effectiveness of the whole system.
Geotechnical staff should be trained on
the importance of analysing and reviewing
strength data. UCS test results must be
critically assessed before entering them
into the database to help identify
anomalous results. Further investigation is
20 Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter
required to determine if the anomalous
results are due to the sampling, curing
and testing process, or if they are
representative of the paste fill in the
stope. This information may provide
management with the opportunity to put
in place mitigating measures. Scheduling
of routine internal audits every six
months will provide the opportunity to
improve the paste fill mix design.
Improving communication between the
paste plant operators and the
geotechnical staff will facilitate the
incorporation of anecdotal evidence into
the data analysis process and provide the
backfill designers with a better
understanding of how the paste fill is
performing. Good communication is
particularly important for fly in –
fly out operations.
Final comments
Most, if not all, paste fill operators have
existing quality control programs and
procedures. However, many merely focus
on the paste fill viscosity and overlook the
importance of other key parameters such
as strength. Further, at many operations,
the most important aspect of the quality
control program, the information
feedback loop, is not effectively
implemented. Consequently, the
performance of the paste fill process is
not comprehensively evaluated and
opportunities to improve the system are
lost. In addition, potential deficiencies in
paste performance may only be identified
after failures have occurred.
While carefully controlling the viscosity of
the paste fill is critical to the success of a
paste fill system, it is also important to
implement strength testing as part of the
overall quality control program. Paste fill
strength may be influenced by the
chemistry and grind of the tailings as well
as the water content of the paste fill.
Since all of these parameters can vary
over time it is important to measure their
influence on strength and modify the mix
design accordingly.
Routine strength testing provides a
database that may supply the paste fill
mix designer with a comprehensive
understanding of the strength
performance of the paste and therefore a
greater degree of confidence in assessing
proposed design changes.
Research has shown that the strength of
the in situ paste fill may differ from the
strength of samples cast in the paste
plant. This suggests that testing of the
paste fill underground is the next logical
progression of the quality control
program. This may include “end of pipe”
strength testing and extend to
undisturbed sampling and in situ testing of
the paste fill. Subsequent to the audit
both “end of pipe” testing and in situ
testing have been undertaken as special
projects at the mine. The initial results
suggest that the in situ paste fill achieves a
higher strength than the paste plant
samples. However, more data confirming
that the underground strength is
consistently higher than the paste plant
samples is needed before reductions in
the binder content can be confidently
recommended.
For further information, please
contact Dr Kim le Roux via
kim_leroux@coffey.com.au
References
Clough, G.W., Iwabuchi, J., Rad, N.S., and Kuppusamy,
T. 1989. Influence of Cementation on Liquefaction of
Sands. Journal of Geotechnical Engineering. 115 No.
8:1102-1117.
Mitchell, R.J., Olsen, R.S., and Smith, J.D.1982. Model
Studies on Cemented Tailings Used in Mine Backfill.
Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 19 No. 3:289-295.
Dr Kim le Roux,
associate mining
geotechnical engineer,
Coffey Geosciences
Pty Ltd
Paste 2005 comes alive in Chile!
The 8th International Seminar on Paste and Thickened Tailings took place in
the Chilean capital, Santiago, from 20th to 22nd April 2005.
It was an outstanding success, with over
270 delegates from around the world
attending the event. With the production
of copper in Chile set to expand at
around 5.8% over the next few years
and with increasing pressures on water
resources and concerns about the risks
and liabilities posed by traditional tailings
storage facilities, it was clearly an ideal
time for an event dealing with alternative
strategies for mine waste management.
The two-day seminar consisted of
presentations by speakers from around
the world, followed by sessions of
vigorous debate in which many of the
concerns of the local industry were
clearly expressed. It seems that some of
the major concerns within Chile about
the adoption of thickened tailings systems
are the enormous volumes that would
have to be handled (volumes of tailings in
excess of 100 000 tonnes per day are
relatively common) and the lack of
proven ability to adequately thicken such
large volumes, the liquefaction potential
of thickened tailings and the lack of
appropriate legislation within Chile
recognising the potential use of thickened
or paste tailings. Whilst these topics may
be particularly relevant to Chile, they
were clearly of relevance to many
other delegates, as demonstrated in
the discussion sessions.
The opening keynote address was given by
Professor David Boger of The University of
Melbourne, who gave a talk entitled,‘Tailings
waste minimisation, rheology and the triple
bottom line’.This address set the tone for
the seminar, where highly technical aspects
relating to the rheology of thickened tailings
were debated alongside issues of
environmental responsibility and corporate
stewardship.The seminar was divided into
sessions dealing with rheology and
thickening, tailings transport, surface
disposal, and mine backfilling. Aside from
the papers that were presented at the
seminar, each session included a keynote
address and a general reporter’s address, all
of which are included in the published
seminar proceedings.
A noticeable development at this seminar
was the increasing number and diversity of
case studies that were presented from sites
that are implementing thickened tailings at
full scale.The days of only reporting on
laboratory and pilot scale tests, useful as
these studies are, are clearly over.The very
valuable experiences of operators present
at the seminar added great value to the
discussion periods as well as to the
information contained in the seminar
proceedings. Difficulties experienced, as well
as successes achieved, were openly
presented and debated, adding to the value
provided by the seminar.
Another noticeable aspect of Paste 2005
was the rapid and continuing development
of technology that is making the
economical and large-volume preparation
and transportation of thickened tailings an
achievable reality. Papers were presented
on advances in the design and operation
of thickeners as well as advances in
pumping technology, an example being the
possible pumping of relatively high yield
stress tailings using centrifugal pumps.
A variety of alternative strategies for
managing thickened tailings once they
reach the tailings storage facility were also
presented and a number of novel
concepts emerged.
An exceptionally well-organised technical
visit was arranged for the final day of the
Paste 2005 presented an insight into tailings activities in Chile
Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter
The ACG is pleased to present for the first time in
this series of International Seminars on Paste and
Thickened Tailings, the proceedings in an attractive
hard bound format.These proceedings provide a
useful source of reference material in this rapidly
growing area of tailings management
seminar, taking in the full spectrum of
tailings management activities in the
Chilean copper industry.This included
visits to closed and operating tailings
storage facilities, conventional thickener
systems, an operational pilot plant
thickener that included large outdoor
flume tests and a spectacular ‘tailings
cascade’, which forms part of a 86 km
long concrete channel transporting tailings
from the mine to the storage site.The
day was rounded off by a wonderful
lunch at the Cauquenes Thermal Springs
resort, where problems of “waist”
management were attended to by most
delegates.
To obtain your copy of the 8th
International Seminar on Paste and
Thickened Tailings proceedings, please
contact the ACG.
21
9th International Paste and Thickened Tailings
Seminar comes home to Europe
OK, so it is a bit of a stretch to claim that
Europe is the birthplace of mining, but
numerous modern mining projects have to
deal with Roman remains when assessing
environmental impact! The pyrite belt in
southern Spain and Portugal has been
providing copper and tin for over two
millennia, and judging by the recent flurry
of new mines and projects (Aguablanca,
Las Cruces, Aguas Tenidas and Lomero
Poyatos) the region will continue to be a
major European mining centre.
Paste backfill is not alien to the European
mining industry and the Bad Grund mine
in Germany developed one of the first
paste systems in the world during the
1980s. The system involved a highly
controlled mixture of tailings and coarse
aggregate up to 30 mm diameter, pumped
underground using piston pumps at
pressures in excess of 100 Bar.
The system provided excellent quality
tight fill at relatively low cement contents.
Paste technology is now widely accepted,
especially for large stopes where the
ability to continuously pour cemented
backfill can dramatically improve cycle
times when compared with conventional
The Aughinish Alumina Ltd's bauxite refinery, located on the southern bank of the Shannon estuary in western Ireland
22 Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter
hydraulic fill. Over 30 mines currently use
paste backfill and a number of these are
located in Europe.
While mining engineers were marvelling
about the advantages of paste backfill,
those involved in the disposal of tailings
on surface were also finding advantages
with reducing the water content in the
tailings. The use of thickened tailings on
surface was pioneered in the 1970s and
interest in such applications has
increased rapidly in recent years, given
the advantages with respect to stability,
reduced footprint, and water conservation.
Paste backfill in Europe
After the closure of the Bad Grund mine
in 1987, paste backfill briefly continued at
Bad Bleiburg in Austria until the mine
closed due to exhaustion of reserves.
A thickened tailings backfill plant was
constructed at the Galmoy Mine in 1997
and paste backfill reappeared in Europe in
1998 when the Cayeli Mine in Turkey
constructed a 90 tph plant. At about the
same time, the Neves Corvo Mine in
Portugal initiated strength and flow loop
testing leading to the commissioning of
their 100 tph backfill plant in 1999.
By Phil Newman, Golder Associates (UK) Ltd
The plant at Neves Corvo feeds both
borehole and truck, indicating one of the
advantages of paste backfill – the ability to
batch the paste via ready-mix truck to a
remote borehole, in this case, some 3 km
from the plant. In 2001, the Zinkgruvan
Mine in Sweden commissioned a highly
automated 90 tph paste backfill plant.
The most recent addition to the
European paste backfill portfolio was the
Lisheen Mine in Ireland. At 150 tph, the
plant is the largest paste backfill plant
constructed in Europe. The plant was
commissioned in 2004 and a site visit to
the surface plant facility is proposed as
part of the 9th International Seminar on
Paste and Thickened Tailings, to be held in
Limerick, Ireland, in April 2006.
A number of mines (existing and
proposed) are currently investigating
paste backfill in Finland, Sweden, Ireland,
Spain and Greece and it is likely that
more plants will be constructed and
commissioned in Europe in the
coming years.
Surface paste disposal in Europe
On April 25, 1998, a tailings dam failure of
the Los Frailes lead-zinc mine at
Aznalcóllar near Seville, Spain, released
4–5 million cubic meters of toxic tailings
slurries and liquid into nearby Río Agrio, a
tributary to Río Guadiamar.The slurry
wave covered several thousand hectares
of farmland, and threatened the Doñana
National Park, a UN World Heritage Area.
As a result of this failure, and the
subsequent cyanide tailings spill in
Romania in January 2000 (Baie Mare), the
European government embarked on a
review of mine waste management
practice culminating in the publication of a
BREF document (Best available
technology (BAT) REFerence document)
entitled “Reference Document on Best
Available Techniques for Management of
Tailings and Waste-Rock in Mining
Activites”, July 2004. The document talks
about both backfill and the use of
thickened tailings for surface disposal as
BAT to reduce the impact and risk of
tailings management. The document has
been finalised but not yet formally
adopted by the European commission
and it can be downloaded in its entirety
(557 pages) from the following website:
http://eippcb.jrc.es/pages/FActivities.htm.
The above document is already
influencing tailings and waste rock design,
particularly in Spain where the memories
of the Los Frailes event are still fresh.
Many new mines in the area are
proposing dry stacking (as filter cake),
thickened tailings disposal or a dual
disposal system utilising paste backfill and
surface paste disposal.
The aluminium industry has been
practising dry stacking of paste tailings for
many years and a fine example of the
technology can be found in Europe, at the
Aughinish Alumina Limited (AAL) bauxite
refinery in Limerick, Ireland. The facility
has been dry stacking red mud tailings
since 1983 and the current stack is
approximately 103 hectares in size and is
over 21 m high. The red mud vacuum
filtration process results in a filter cake,
which is re-pulped and sheared before
being pumped at pressures up to 100 Bar,
some 2 km to the facility.
The facility must conform with strict EPA
issued Integrated Pollution Prevention &
Control Licensing standards related to
seepage and dust control (the stack
incorporates an extensive sprinkler
system). Paste 2006 delegates will have a
unique opportunity to visit the facility
thanks to the generosity of AAL.
The use of paste for surface disposal is didn’t want to be rude but we have been
also the subject of an innovative research mining in this area for over a thousand
project at the Neves Corvo copper mine years….”.
in southern Portugal. The mine already London remains a major financial centre
operates a successful paste backfill plant, for the mining industry and its
and as this article is being written, the importance has grown during the current
commissioning of a 25 m3/hr pilot paste growth cycle with the AIM (Alternative
plant to trial surface disposal is ongoing. Investment Market) proving popular with
Following 4 years of laboratory and field many junior mining companies. The
trials, approximately 1 hectare of the concentration of mining consultants and
existing sub-aqueous slurry disposal facility mining suppliers that have their origins in
is being converted to sub-aerial paste Europe proves that the industry can
disposal. The pilot trial is expected to last live alongside an over-crowded and
6 months and some 50,000 m3 of paste increasingly sceptical populace.
will be stacked and monitored for at least
So, for the time being anyway, the
2 years. The trial provides a unique
European mining industry will run the risk
opportunity to monitor geotechnical and
of unearthing Roman remains to exploit
geochemical performance of stacked
new deposits in an environmentally
paste. The timescale of the project may
responsible manner.
appear long but the tailings are up to
For more information about Paste 2006
80% pyrite and significant work on the
please visit www.paste06.com
mitigation of oxidation impacts has been
completed. Beneficial physical
characteristics of paste, namely low
permeability and relatively high saturation,
allow cell construction and capping within
a timeframe conducive to a sustainable
closure program for the mine.
Summary Mr Phil Newman,
director, Golder
Although primary metal production in Associates (UK) Ltd
Europe does not account for a large
proportion of world consumption (1% of
Au and 7% of Cu), the continent still has
plenty to offer the mining and mineral
processing industry. Experience counts
for something and I am reminded of a
Swedish mine manager once telling me
after a difficult board meeting with their
new owners (not of European origin) “I
SARES 2005
3rd South African Rock Engineering Symposium
‘best practices in rock engineering’
10-12 October 2005
Randburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Please visit www.saimm.co.za for further information.
Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter 23
 ACG 2005–2006 Event Schedule*
Title Date Where

Creating Cost Effective Rockdumps and Stockpiles 26–27 May 2005 Hotel Ibis, Perth,WA
Advanced Geomechanics in Underground Mines 2–5 August 2005 Hotel Ibis, Perth,WA
• Sirovision-3D Mapping for Open Pit and Underground
Applications 2 August 2005
• Numerical Modelling and Seismic Monitoring 3 August 2005
• New Developments in Ground Support 4 August 2005
• Flac3D Numerical Modelling 5 August 2005
Blasting for Stable Slopes 6–7 October 2005 Hotel Ibis, Perth,WA
Underground Mining Methods Seminar Series
Open stope mining and caving geomechanics 25–28 October 2005 Hotel Ibis, Perth,WA
Tailings & Paste Management, and
Decommissioning & Water Management 30 Nov–2 Dec 2005 Hotel Ibis, Perth,WA
2nd International Seminar on Strategic
versus Tactical Approaches in Mining 8–10 March 2006 Novotel Langley, Perth,WA
1st International Seminar on Mine Closure 13–15 September 2006 Sheraton Perth Hotel, Perth,WA
Regional and on-site courses on demand throughout 2005:
• Management and Operation of Tailings Storage Facilities
• Ground Control at the Mine Face Training Course
• Practical Rock Engineering Skills Development
Ground control systems, rockmass characterisation, geomechanical stope design

* The ACG event schedule is subject to change.

ACG Corporate Affiliate Membership

The ACG is delighted to announce that Rock Engineering (Aust.) Pty Ltd and PT Freeport Indonesia are our newest Corporate
Affiliate Members.
Some benefits received by our highly valued Affiliate Members include discounted ACG course registration fees, reduced costs
for on-site training courses, publications and training tools.
For more information about the ACG’s Corporate Affiliate Program, please contact Josephine.

Management and Safety of Tailings Storage Facilities (TSFs)

The ACG seeks industry support to develop a training video/DVD to advance mine safety.The video aims to assist operators to
recognise and react to the potential hazards involved in managing and operating a tailings storage facility. Proposed content
topics include:
• risk management & geotechnical issues in tailings disposal
• failure types – early warning signs
• operational issues that lead to instability problems
• excessive seepage – recognition and response
The ACG invites your company to advance the safety conditions for TSF workers by becoming an active sponsor of this unique
project. Contact the ACG for further information.

Australian Centre for Geomechanics PO Box 3296 – Broadway, Nedlands, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA 6009
Ph. + 61 8 6488 3300 Fax. +61 8 6488 1130 acg@acg.uwa.edu.au www.acg.uwa.edu.au

24 Australian Centre for Geomechanics • May 2005 Newsletter