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Fast-Tracking Early Economic Decisions for an Undeveloped Gold Project
Introduction Early-stage studies for mining projects often struggle to balance cost, speed, and clarity. For a Queensland gold project with a 32koz defined Mineral Resource, the client needed early direction on whether the asset was worth deeper investment—and they needed it quickly. Challenge After releasing the maiden MRE, the client was trying to answer some big questions: What’s the right development path for the asset? What plant size makes economic sense? How big does the resource need to be to meet internal financial metrics? Traditional concept studies can cost $100k+ and still miss the early directional insights the [...]
Using Neural Networks to Improve Grade Confidence in a Complex PGE–Magnetite Deposit
Introduction For deposits with complex geology and variable metallurgy, traditional modelling methods can struggle to capture grade behaviour with enough confidence for feasibility-level decisions. In this Western Australian PGE and magnetite project, MEC was engaged to assess whether advanced modelling approaches could better represent grade continuity ahead of future development studies. Challenge The resource contains mixed grade populations and complicated geological controls. The client needed a way to improve confidence in grade variability and continuity before committing to mine design, metallurgy planning, and strategic investment decisions. Neural network modelling has potential in this space but is still relatively new [...]
Environmental Compliance Auditing for Queensland Mine Sites: A Case Study
Introduction In Queensland, mining operations must complete independent audits every three years under their Environmental Authority (EA) and Progressive Rehabilitation and Closure Plan (PRCP) Schedule. These audits confirm that rehabilitation progress, environmental controls, monitoring programs, and public reporting all meet regulatory requirements. Many sites struggle to keep up—especially when audits fall during peak operational periods. When documentation is incomplete or outdated, it can slow down approvals, introduce unnecessary risk, and put hard-earned environmental progress at stake. Challenge Several clients approached MEC after recognising gaps in their audit readiness. The issues were common: Rehabilitation progress wasn’t well documented or [...]
Optimising Stockpiling Strategy for Vanadium Mining: A Case Study
Introduction In metals mining, the performance of the processing circuit and final product qualities can be affected by the deleterious elements found within the orebody. At MEC, our team was tasked with solving a critical challenge in a Vanadium mining study. The objective was to maintain a threshold on the deleterious element : V ratio for the first 24 months of mining and annually thereafter. Challenge The client faced a significant issue: the mine schedule could not progress without verifying that the deleterious element : V ratio would meet the required head grade to support the processing plant. The [...]
Top Five Open Cut Mines from Around the World
Open-cut mining (coal and metals) is used when the minerals are found over a large area and relatively close to the surface. It is a surface mining technique that extracts rock or minerals from the earth by their removal from an open pit or borrow. Unlike the deepest underground mines, which are mostly concentrated in South Africa, the deepest open pit mines are scattered across the world in some of the most amazing places on the planet. Here are the five largest open cut mines from around the world: Mirny, Russia The Mirny Mine, based in the Sakha Republic, [...]
Potash – The Essential Element
Potash is the general term for potassium bearing minerals. It was named after the extraction process used in the pre-industrial era when wood ashes were immersed in water and leaching took effect. When the solution evaporated sediment of potassium carbonate was left behind on the inside of the large iron pots. Potassium is a highly reactive alkaline metal and is not found in isolation in nature. It readily forms compounds in the form of chlorides, nitrates, carbonates, bromides, cyanide, sulphates and hydroxides. Known by its chemical name K, potassium is an essential element to both plant and human life. Potash is the seventh [...]
Top 3 Nickel Uses
Nickel is a chemical element with symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. It belongs to the transition metals category and it is hard and malleable. The metal is extracted from its ores by heating and reducing the ore. Nickel-containing materials play a major role in our everyday lives – from food preparation equipment through to mobile phones, medical equipment and transport, buildings and power generation. Australia’s share of world economic resources of nickel was 23 per cent in 2014. The Philippines is the world’s largest nickel-producer, closely followed by [...]
Reduce Operating Costs through Effective Bulk Dozer Push
In an open cut mine, bulk dozer push can be one of the most cost-effective methods of moving overburden. Under the right application, the unit cost of dozer push sits somewhere between a dragline and truck/shovel excavation. So, if geotechnical conditions are favourable and the dozer fleet is sufficient, dozer push should be considered to replace some of the truck/shovel prime. Dozer push can also be used to replace dragline prime. This is because it can speed up the linear progression of the dragline – which in many cases will lower the dragline unit cost rate and increase coal uncovery. So how [...]
Top 3 Bauxite Uses: Australia’s Heavy Metal Duty
When it comes to bauxite, Australia is king. It is the world’s largest producer of bauxite, representing up to 30 per cent of global production, followed by China, Brazil, India and Guinea. In addition, Australia is the second-largest producer of alumina after China. In 2017, a combination of low freight and increased supply is expected to ensure that bauxite prices remain low, despite growing Chinese third-party demand. Bauxite is the main raw material used in the commercial production of alumina (Al2O3) and aluminium metal, although some clays and other materials can also be utilised. It is typically soft, ranging in [...]
Top 3 Nickel Uses – The Power Metal
Nickel is a chemical element with symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. It belongs to the transition metals category and it is hard and malleable. The metal is extracted from its ores by heating and reducing the ore. Nickel-containing materials play a major role in our everyday lives – from food preparation equipment through to mobile phones, medical equipment and transport, buildings and power generation. Australia’s share of world economic resources of nickel was 23 per cent in 2014. The Philippines is the world’s largest nickel-producer, closely followed by Russia, [...]
