Artificial Intelligence will transform the mining industry over the next 30 years. In this thought provoking presentation, Ben will be covering some of the key theories that form the backbone of modern AI, like machine learning and neural networks as well as exploring the future potential of AI in the mining industry and what ethical challenges may be faced as it continues to evolve. He will also be exploring emerging mining technology applications and how embracing and learning how to use these applications are critical for future leaders in the industry.

Cyanide is among the most toxic chemicals widely employed in the cyanidation process to leach gold. Whether this is in a heap leach, intensive leaching, or Carbon In Leach (CIL) circuits, the use of cyanide is fundamental to the extraction of gold. The use of excess cyanide within these circuits can result in free cyanide reporting to tailings. To effectively monitor and control cyanide levels in CIL circuits, many online cyanide analysers have been developed. These analysers measure the cyanide concentration throughout the leaching circuit, reporting cyanide levels in close to real time. This gives operations the ability to monitor and control the dosing of cyanide far more accurately than with any form of manual analysis. These analysers require the use of a sampling system to deliver a suitable solution from the leach tanks to the analyser.

Many commercially available analysers are sold with a basic sampling system, consisting of a 10 micron screen, a peristaltic pump and a length of hose. While this system is economic, it is unreliable, leading to operations resorting to manual sampling techniques to control cyanide levels in tanks. Thus, the need for a reliable sampling system that can deliver a suitable solution to an analyser regularly and reliably exists.

Developed with Gekko Systems and designed to implement directly onto the groundbreaking Data Ground Station, a sampler was developed. This can reliably sample from multiple sources, including leach tanks and other equipment on the Data Ground Station, and was resistant to flow obstruction from gangue materials and calcium build up.

The use of this sampler will allow operations to reduce cyanide consumption by up to 20%, providing not only an economic benefit, but more importantly, a strongly positive environmental impact. By using the minimum cyanide concentration required for effective leaching, no free cyanide will be available to report to tailings, drastically reducing the environmental impact of gold mining activities.

As mining is widely considered to be a temporary use of the land up until when the ore body is economically depleted there is a push for mine closure practices to examine the geoheritage potential in mining areas to attract geotourism to assist in the regions’ economic transition post closure. The use of geotrails can leverage off the geoheritage potential which former mining areas contain. Improving the accessibility to geosites and former mining areas using proper planning tools through geospatial modelling and the Least Cost Paths Algorithm (LCPA) can achieve accessibility and enhance the tourism experience to former mining areas.

The West Coast of Tasmania is widely considered to be an area of outstanding geodiversity and geoheritage with current mining operations supporting the regional economy. The study site centred on a current mining lease and a historic underground metalliferous mining operation known as the Hercules Mine on the West Coast Ranges, south of Rosebery. In this study the authors used geospatial modelling to create a network of geotrails using the LCPA to link geosites in the area. Using geospatial datasets, multi – criteria decision analysis integrated with the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to appropriately weight eight criteria with three cost themed trails associated with mining heritage, natural diversity and wilderness adventure. These themes combined the use of a weighted linear combination model created three least cost paths linking the heritage across the study area. Field validation was undertaken to assess whether the original weighting was sufficient and reevaluated it to ensure the model geotrails were fit for purpose.

As the use of LCPA for geotrail planning has never been undertaken before this study opens up the potential use of the algorithm for developing recreation trails that in areas of outstanding geoheritage and as a geotourism tool when planning for mine closure.

An overview of the role that mine engineering plays across the life cycle of a mine, from concept to closure.