Australian Mining and Mining Education -A Health and Safety Perspective Assoc. Prof. Mehmet S. Kızıl The University of Queensland, School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, Australia
UQ s World Ranking 43 47 65 85
The University of Queensland
Background to MEA
What is Mining Education Australia? MEA is a national education joint venture between four major mining education providers in Australia. MEA provides a common curriculum for 3rd and 4th year mining engineering. It is financially supported by the Minerals Council of Australia ($1.1 million/year). Development was supported by a $1.35 million grant from the Federal Government through the Collaboration and Structural Reform funding scheme.
MEA Strategies A new curriculum was designed and courses were developed. Collaborative course teams. Shared development of material and teaching. Common education standards; Implementation of tools and processes for cross university student collaborative assessment, moderation and evaluation processes. Student exchange program. Program leaders committee. And Twice yearly academic workshops.
Mining Program SEM 1 Engineering Design 2 Introduction to Engineering Problem Solving MINING ENGINEERING UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM Calculus & Linear Algebra I OR Elective Calculus & Linear Algebra I OR Elective 3 Introduction to Mining Fluid Mechanics 4 Soil Mechanics Physical & Chemical Processing of Minerals Earth Processes & Geological Materials for Engineers Multivariate Calculus & ODEs Analysis of Eng & Sci. Data Structural Mechanics in Mining Resource Geology & Surveying Engineering Mechanics: Statics and Dynamics OR Elective Engineering Mechanics: Statics and Dynamics OR Elective Earth Processes & Geological Materials for Engineers OR Elective Calculus & Linear Algebra II 5 Resource Estimation Mining Geomechanics Mining Systems ELECTIVE 6 Mine Planning Mine Ventilation Rock Breakage ELECTIVE 7 Mine Geotechnical Engineering Mining Research Project I 8 Mine Management Mining Research Project II Hard Rock Mine Design & Feasibility Coal Mine Design & Feasibility ELECTIVE ELECTIVE
Mining Streams
MEA provides more than 85% of Australia s Mining Engineering Graduates 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Other 15 14 11 15 16 25 30 30 35 35 MEA 95 92 99 110 134 150 175 173 206 200 MEA Other
New Engineering Building
Immersive Learning Centre
Computer Lab
Ventilation Lab
UQ Experimental Mine
447 Mines 120 Gold 120 Coal 207 Others Image of Australia's Infrastructure/Cities in 2004 - extract from History of Minerals Industry - www.australianminesatlas.com.au
World s Minerals Production Bauxite Aluminium Coal Diamond Gold Copper Iron Ore Nickel Silver Zinc China 3 1 1 10 1 3 1 6 3 1 Australia 1 4 4 5 2 6 2 3 4 2 Russia 9 2 5 1 4 8 5 1 9 Canada 3 4 8 9 9 4 6 USA 5 2 3 4 8 6 4 Indonesia 4 6 6 7 5 2 South Africa 7 5 7 10 India 6 3 4 5 Peru 6 2 2 3 Mexica 10 1 7 Chili 1 5 Botswana 2 Kongo 3 Norvey 8 UAE 9 New Caledonia 5 Bahrein 10 Papua New Guinea 5
Mineral Industry Contribution to Australia (2010/11) Export income: $138B 54% of total goods and services Exploration: $5.7B Research and Dev: $4.2B Employment: Direct: 187,400 Indirect: 599,680 Wages: $18B Tax & Royalties: $21B
Five stages in the life of a mine DEVELOPMENT 2 to 10+ years EXPLORATION 1 to 10+ years $1- $5 million PROSPECTING 1 to 2+ years $50K- $100K REHABILITATION EXPLOITATION MINING AND PROCESSING 5 to 20+ years
Access for Underground Coal Mines
Longwall Mining Method
Current LW Face Longwall Ventilation System Current Devt Face Maingate MAINS Tailgate Mined out Panel - GOAF
Soma Colliery Ventilation System 35 m 3 /s
Identification of Faults and Folds Seismic Methods 6m LW103 LW104 6-7 m
Roadway Support
Roof Bolt and Cable Application in a Roadway
The Worst Mining Accidents in the World Date Country No of Fatality Location 1942 China 1549 Honkeiko mine. 1906 France 1099 Courrières mine. 1914 Japan 687 Mitsubishi Hojyo mine. 1960 China 684 Laobaidong mine. 1963 Japan 458 Mitsui Miike mine, 833 Injuries 1913 England 439 Senghenydd mine 1960 South Africa 435 Coalbrook mine 1972 Zimbabwe 426 Wankie mine 1866 England 388 Senghenydd mine 1965 India 375 Dhanbad mine 2014 Turkey 301 Soma
Mining Accidents in Turkey in the last 30 years
Australian Mining Industry Safety Record The total number of fatalities in major mining accidents in Australia is 656! Mine type Coal 397 Metal 235 Unknown 24 656 Mining method Surface 132 Underground 492 Unknown 32 656
Mining Accidents Accidents are not unique to mining, they can happen in any industry. The most important thing is to eliminate the hazards that cause accidents in order to prevent or minimise accidents. In Turkey, it has become a common practise for stakeholders to blame each other for the accident rather than examine the reasons behind the accident and learn lessons from it in order to prevent similar events in the future. What happened in Soma and what lessons have we learned from the Soma mining accident?
Health and Safety Management System
Summary of Mining Gases
Gas Explosion Methane Oxygen Spark
The Gas Hazard Range of gases/contents CH 4, CO 2, H 2 S, N 2, mixtures 0 20 m 3 /t Increasing with depth Usually req. drainage >200m Most req. drainage >6m 3 /t Local variations req.drilling CH 4 content distribution (1-9m 3 /t) at a Queensland longwall mine
Surface to In-seam (SIS) Drilling
Underground In-Seam Gas Drainage Holes
In-seam Drainage Operations
In Seam Drainage Plant
Gas Utilisation Pipelines Electricity Flaring
Grasstree 32MW Power Station - fuelled on mine gas
Real-time Gas Monitoring System
Sensor Locations
Tube-Bundle Gas Monitoring System
Dust Management Potential health impacts Pneumoconiosis (<10micron) Silicosis Cancer? Respiratory inconvenience Mine hazards Visibility Explosibility Controls Dilution Segmentation into return airways Water sprays, scrubbers, infusion PPG Mixing with inert dusts Airstream Helmet Legislative requirements 3mg/m 3 for exposure
Methane Measurement by Laser 1 CH4 0.8 H2O CO2 H2S NH3 Absorbance 0.6 0.4 CO NO Interference free 0.2 0 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 Wavelength (nm) C r o s s s e n s i t i v i t y o f m e t h a n e a b s o r p t i o n s p e c t r u m t o t h e o t h e r m i n e g a s e s
Investigation of an All-fibre Methane Sensor for Underground Coal Mines Hollow core fibre D-fibre Tapered fibre
Belt Conveyor Fire Monitoring System using Fibre Optic and Laser FAN Anemometer
Gas content (m 3 /t) Portable Gas Content Analyser 7.00 6.00 5.00 4.00 3.00 2.00 1.00 0.00 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 Time ( mins) CH4 (m3/t) CO2 (m3/t) Total gas (m3/t)
Coal Dust Explosion Research 1s 10s 0% 20% 40% 180 160 y = 0.4629x + 67.572 R 2 = 0.993 60% 80% 100% Grey Scale 140 120 100 80 60 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 Average Particle Size (Micron)
In Conclusion: There is an urgent need for a policy change in Turkey in the area of Mining Health and Safety. The Government, Industry, Universities and non-government Organisations must collaborate rather than throw blames at each other whenever there is a mining accident. Future mining engineers, industry representatives, mine inspectors and mine workers need to be properly educated and trained at highest standards possible in the area of health and safety and modern mining techniques in order to improve Turkey s poor safety record. I believe that almost every accident is preventable and nothing is more important than a human being s life! Let Soma be our last major mining accident
Longwall Simulation