Projects

Current areas of research in the School of Mining Engineering include:

Geomechanics

S. Saydam, P. Hagan, B. Hebblewhite, R. Mitra, D. Chalmers, H. Massoumi, W. Timms

The main areas of research include:  

  • fundamental and applied rock mechanics issues of significance to the Australian mining industry;
  • excavation design for mining methods such as block caving, deep open pits, Longwall Top Coal Caving and other extreme mining environments;
  • Caving mechanics including sub-level caving, block caving and longwall non-conventional coal mine subsidence behaviour under irregular topography along with improved remediation techniques;
  • Seismicity, high displacement mining environments, fundamental rock behaviour and computational geomechanics;
  • ground control technologies and improvements of ground support techniques:
  • fracture mechanics related to rock excavation stability;
  • rockmass characteristics for CSG and CO2 sequestration;
  • rockmass characteristics of aquifers and aquitards; and
  • tomography and acoustic emission monitoring of rocks.

sustainable mining practices

D. Laurence, B. Hebblewhite, W. Timms, S. Raval, R. Taplin

The main areas of research include:

 

  • Sustainability impacts of unplanned mine closures;
  • Mine safety;
  • Community engagement;
  • Mining legislation and policy;
  • Environmental and social impact assessment;
  • Other current areas of research interest include implementing sustainable mining practices in India and China;
  • Remote sensing and imaging the mining environment;
  • Mine water, Coal seam gasification (CSG), seepage barriers, water quality, virtual water;
  • Gender issues in mining;
  • Mining laws and policies; and
  • Sustainability in mining education

 

Mine to mill

P. Hagan, B. Hebblewhite, S. Saydam, D. Chalmers, S. Ata, R. Mitra

The main areas of research include: 

  • Mine optimisation;
  • Geostatistics;
  • Mining systems (LTCC, Seabed Mining, Coal Seam Gasification); 
  • 3D visualisation of mine design and planning;
  • Mineral processing (Flotation, froth behaviour, ultrasonic agglomeration); 
  • Retained gas measurement;
  • Mine safety technologies;
  • Eliminating underground mine disasters;
  • Gas management and monitoring;
  • Application of ventilation on demand for underground mines; and
  • Use of effective “permitted explosives” for underground coal mining.

innovative education and training

C. Daly, R. Mitra, S. Saydam, P. Hagan, D. Laurence, B. Hebblewhite, S. Raval, S. Ata, W. Timms, H. Masoumi

The main areas of research include: 

  • Evaluation of the learning effectiveness of these resources for student education;
  • Evaluation of the learning effectiveness of these resources for community awareness and engagement;
  • Evaluation of the learning effectiveness of these resources for mine simulation; and 
  • Cross institution collaboration with education schools on distance learning.