So last century
December 21 - 27, 2009
DECEMBER 14: ONE OF the keynote speakers at a worldwide gathering of caving experts planned for April next year is trying to engage the industry’s biggest companies in collaborative thinking about a “new paradigm” for large-scale underground mining. He says there is already acceptance that we “can’t cut and paste current methods” into future mine planning scenarios.
Change in the wind
December 21 - 27, 2009
FOR MANY mine sites ventilation power consumption and related expenditure is seen as a mostly hidden, inevitable cost of underground mining. Questions about why ventilation is not more actively targeted for cost reduction elicit a range of responses. But if these reasons had any real weight before it was due to a way of thinking that won’t stand too much scrutiny in future.
Tuning into wireless monitoring
December 21 - 27, 2009
BEACONSFIELD in Tasmania is the current banner Australian site for remote, real-time underground geotechnical monitoring. However, an industry wide shift is set to occur.
A digital underground "mine of the future"
December 21 - 27, 2009
THE ‘mine of future’ is much talked about and set as a lofty goal by mine operators. The classic picture of someone sitting back in a nice air conditioned office, overlooking a park, monitoring the automated mining processes occurring 3000km away sounds farfetched, but that truly is the end game.