Blog
When Dual-Seam Mining Looks Simple on Paper
Recently, our team completed a technical due diligence review on a proposed underground longwall extension designed to sustain metallurgical coal production from an established open pit operation. On paper, the project looked robust. The geology was well understood, the economics were competitive, and the development pathway appeared clear. But when we looked deeper, one issue stood out to the MEC technical team. The complexity of dual-seam mining The operation planned to extract two seams in sequence. This approach is becoming more common as companies seek to maximise resource recovery and extend mine life. However, dual-seam mining introduces geotechnical challenges [...]
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, [...]
