Academic literature on the topic 'Gold Australia Metallurgy'

An eminent Geologist, Shri R.H.Sawkar breathed his last peacefully on the morning of June 1,2022 at the age of 87 in his home at Bengaluru. Shri R.H. Sawkar is survived by his Wife, Son, Daughter and Grand-Children and their families are settled in Bengaluru. Born on March 29, 1935 to Hem Reddy Sawkar and Lingamma Hiregoudar, he is from Magala Village, Huvinhadagalli taluk, Vijayanagar dist, Karnataka. He had four brothers and two sisters. He graduated with B.Sc. (Hons) in Geology in 1959 and M.Sc. in Geology in 1961 from Mysore University followed by Diploma in Aerial Photo Interpretation and training in I.T.C (Australia)-Mineral Exploration and Mine Development Programme under Colombo Plan. He was sportsman, swimmer and wrestler. Started his career in Dept of Mines and Geology, Govt of Karnataka as Assistant Geologist in1959. During 1959 -1964, he was associated for the exploration of Iron ore of West Coast, Clay & Feldspar deposits in Goribidanur taluk, mineral resources of South Canara, Limestone deposits in Bijapur and Belgaum, Gold deposits of Gadag Gold Fields, Karnataka. From 1964-1966 as Geologist (Jr.) he was deputed to National Mineral Development Corporation Ltd (NMDC), here he was associated with the exploration of Iron ore deposits of Kudremukh area, for the preparation of the detailed project report for Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Ltd for mining iron ore. During 1966 -1970, he was associated the Dharwad division inspection of mining leases, exploration of Iron, Manganese ores of North Canara,Bauxite deposits of coastal area, site selection of Vijayanagar steel Plant, Karnataka. From 1970 - 1976, on deputation, he was associated with the Mysore Minerals Ltd (Karnataka State Minerals Corporation Ltd) as Project Manager and Agent for ore production, sales, shipment, transportation, mine planning, exploration of various minerals, etc. During 1976-1985, on deputation, he worked as Project Manager of Karnataka Copper Consortium Ltd. for the exploration and mine development of Kalyadi Copper Project, Ingaldhal Copper Mine, assisted the Karnataka State Govt in the merger proposal of these copper companies with the Hutti Gold Mines Co Ltd (HGML), merger took place with HGML on 12.07.1985. From1985 -1995, he worked in different capacities in HGML for the Chitrdurga Copper Unit, Gadag Gold Project and Corporate Planning etc. After Retiring from HGML on 31.3.1995 as Executive Director, he worked in HGML as Technical Advisor up to 1.6.1997. He was associated with all the leading earth science associations in India and abroad. Currently, he was Secretary General of the Geological Society of India and actively associated with the MEAI, Rashtriya Jal Biradari, Water Development Rural and Urban societies, Dam Safety etc. He was a member of various State and Central Govt committees. He has presented and published several papers in the national and international seminars and also chaired the technical sessions. He was actively involved as advisor/consultant to the exploration, mining and metallurgy industries. He travelled widely, a simple man with tons of curiosity to discover new things. He guided and inspired the many. Shri R.H. Sawkar will remain in the hearts of the many. He will be missed deeply by his family and colleagues.

The gold metallogeny of Australia is predominantly confined to the Archaean and Palaeozoic Provinces. The Archaean gold occurrences are predominantly hosted in ultramafic-mafic dominated greenstone belts, with less associated tofelsic-volcanic and sedimentary sequences. Most gold occurrences are confined to shear zones or faults, and adjacent discoveries of economic laterite-hosted deposits, host rocks. Recent are presently under investigation and will supply a significant proportion of production in the future. The Proterozoic gold deposits of Australia , are confined to geosyncinal sequences, commonly turbidites (eg: Telfer), with other hydrothermal deposits associated directly to granites. An important feature of the North Australian Craton deposits, is the spatial association of most deposits to granite bodies, although a genetic link has not been established conclusively. The Roxby Downs deposit in South Australia is a unique occurrence of gold in association to copper, uranium and R.E.E. This deposit is tentatively related to intraplate alkaline-magmatism, with further work necessary. The most significant recent discovery of gold mineralization in Australia is in the Drummond Basin in Queensland. This epithermal is tentatively related to mineralization within the Georgetown Inlier. The latter mineralization is Permo-Carboniferous, in a Proterozoic (and possibly Archaean) sequence of schists. It is tentatively suggested that all the gold mineralization in northern Queensland may be related to single tectonic event, a feature which requires further study . Other mineralization in the Phanerozoic includes the turbidite-hosted metamorphogenic deposits of Victoria, the rift related deposits in New South Wales and magmatic related deposits in Queensland. The gold deposits in Australia may in the future be classified in a tectonogeological framework, similiar to the layout of this dissertation, particularly once further data becomes available on recent discoveries.

Several deposits in the Mt Isa - Cloncurry region have been studied, including those held by Australian Resources near Selwyn (Plume, Slate Ridge, Mobs Lease and Straight Eight),in particular, with respect to cobalt and gold mineralisation. Cobalt is associated with pyrite, pyrrhotite and arsenic sulfosalts. Other cobalt deposits in the Eastern Fold Belt of the Mt Isa Block were studied; these include the Queen Sally, Lorena and the Great Australia mine. Varying styles of Co-bearing mineralisation were encountered. In the Queen Sally mine a curious vanadium - substituted heterogenite has been found. This is only the world's second reported occurrence of this mineral of the halotrichite group. At the Great Australia, primary Co mineralisation has been shown to be confined to one generation of cobaltian pyrite. Several generations of pyrite are noted for this and other deposits.
Master of Science (Hons)

The subject of this thesis is the development of alternative approaches to environmental management and mine closure plans using case examples of the Big Bell/Cue Mining District and as a working example, an area of unconfined washout of historical gold-mine process tailings located in this arid inland region of Western Australia. This is considered appropriate in the light of the social and political thrust for industry to develop simultaneously positive economic, social and environmental outcomes from their activities. The Big Bell mining operation ceased mining in June 2003 and the Mine Closure Plan reflected a classical approach of minimization of public liability and strict compliance with legislative requirements. During the life of the modern mine the approach to rehabilitation was similarly classical in its approach It is intended for this document to inform the mining industry using the case example of the now closed Big Bell Mine as to how greater long-term outcomes may have been achieved for the State and the region for the future. This thesis specifically investigates alternative ways to approach rehabilitation in arid areas of Western Australia using the washout area as an example and trial area. This thesis has approached the issue by addressing the quantification of what has occurred through the gathering of baseline data of the case study area and then by the implementation of a series of relevant trials to identify appropriate eco-functional process-sensitive methods for rehabilitation as an alternative to current industry practice. Trials investigating the use of "retention banks" and "clay/seed balls" and the use of ex-mine milling waste carbon were conducted to investigate relevant possible techniques suitable for arid mine-site waste dump rehabilitation. Data analysis indicated that the main reason for the high level of degradation within the case study area is due to the smothering effect of the fine clayey tails cover and due to acidity of the tailings. A detailed examination of 92 soil samples found water infiltration of tails-washed areas as half that of control areas. Acidity of alluvium has declined from pH 5.2 to 3.8. The acidity has penetrated at depth to hardpan. Trials were commenced to rehabilitate the area using a combination of earthworks (retention banks and· scarification), pH- adjustment (using ex-mill carbon and crushed lime), and the use of native seed pelletised into clay-balls. The introduction of ex-mill carbon was shown to be effective in ameliorating pH in the tails wash area and improving its capacity to regenerate. Considering it is a widely available waste product with the gold mining industry it should be seriously considered in its application for rehabilitation purposes, and specifically in areas affected by severe acidification and desertification particularly by mismanaged tailings with pyrite content. The use of clay balls should also be subjected to further investigation. It is at least equal to the traditional use of raw seed and fertilizer with immediate and abundant rainfall. As this almost never occurs, it should prove to be superior, in delivering higher rates of viability for seed used. The thesis then attempts to integrate this study within the context of the wider issues of environmental management, specifically the best practice of mine closure plans and the adoption of sustainable economic, social and environmental outcomes from mining as an integral part of responsible operational environmental management plans. The thesis argues that the environmental management planning and specifically the Mine Closure Plan should not waste the myriad of opportunities that are the by-product of mining for the long-term sustainable benefit of the wider region. It is argued that if mining companies are serious about sustainability, then they cannot continue with short-term cycles of mining and closure. However to be realistic it will take concerted willingness from all stakeholders to pursue these outcomes. While a given mining operation can offer extensive resources and assets to support this approach the commercial and legislative pressures of core mining activities necessarily mean that mines are in fact encouraged to simply return the environment back to as natural state after operations are complete. Invariably this means hundreds of millions of dollars of infrastructure are levelled and scrapped to avoid all future liability, whilst the potential for sustainable outcomes is essentially ignored. The same Government that enforces the Mining Act and has a State Sustainability Strategy imposes the conditions which create unimaginative classical mine closure plans. Government, industry and the residents of regions must work together to seriously develop sustainable outcomes to mining.