The AusIMM Health and Safety Committee newsletter | Vol 1 2013

In this edition: From the Chair | The M-Tex Mining Collaborative Network | Ventsim | NSWMCHS Conference Research into mental health in mining | Committee and contacts | The Bulletin | Contribute | Social media

With recent AusIMM Board approval of funding for project

activity, the Committee is currently scoping out the details of a

priority project which will focus on the need for continual

improvement in the integration of best practice health and safety

in the work place.

It is intended that the outcome of this project will be structured

course material tailored for AusIMM members and delivered in

selected city locations. This material will be particularly of

benefit to CP members who are looking for professional

development courses to keep faith with their CPD commitments.

The AusIMM H&S Committee now has representation from all

the key operational areas of member workplace activity and has,

in recent years, overseen the development of H&S reference

material in both the Mine Managers' Handbook and Field

Geologists' Manual. These documents are recommended as

essential reference manuals for mining industry professionals.

In the latest AusIMM Bulletin, readers may well have noticed

that no recommendation was made in respect of the Jim Torlach

Health & Safety Award for 2012. We are now seeking member

assistance in ensuring that 2013 will see the nomination of well

qualified candidates, either individuals or teams who have

excelled in the implementation of outstanding H&S practice.

This year, The AusIMM has entered into a collaborative

relationship with the NSW Minerals Council with the objective

of working together on various activities that will enhance best

practice in H&S. We hope that this arrangement can be extended

eventually to mining councils in state/territory based

jurisdictions.

2013 is shaping up to be a busy and fulfilling year, with H&S

very much a 'top of mind' interest for us all.

Angus M Robinson FAusIMM(CP)

Getting on with the job

From the Chair

M-Tex Mining Collaborative Network

The M-Tex Mining Collaborative Network – unearthing solutions to mining sector challenges through fibre and garment engineering and textile technologies by Ashley Van Krieken MAusIMM, Network Liaison

The December issue of The Health and

Safety News introduced readers to a new

cluster facilitation and network

development project aimed at bringing

innovative textile and clothing solutions

to problems in the mining sector – the M-

Tex Network.

Since that time the Network has

progressed significantly receiving

positive responses from individuals in

both the TCF (textiles, clothing and

footwear) and mining sectors.

The first meeting of the Industry

Reference Group (IRG) provided

valuable direction for the project in

addition to also electing Angus M

Robinson, current Chair of The AusIMM

Health & Safety Committee, to the

position of Chair of the project’s IRG.

A number of recommendations flowed

from this meeting including the need to

have a corporate mining representative

on the IRG and the importance of

engaging with researchers – those both

external and internal to mining and

resource companies. A focus on

procurement staff to raise awareness of

the potential solutions and products

available was also discussed.

The Network currently has 16 TCF

members and five R&D providers in

addition to opening discussions with

national and state based mining

organisations. The most recent network

event saw several of these organisations

meet at CSIRO Clayton to discuss

potential projects, technologies and

research that could be advanced to the

minerals and resource sector.

Discussion was prompted by

presentations from Dr Stephen Giugni,

Deputy Director, Minerals Down Under

Flagship, CSIRO and Dr Bill Humphries,

Theme Leader, Future Manufacturing

Flagship, CSIRO.

Dr Giugni outlined a series of global

challenges facing the Australian mineral

and resource industry including

increasing environmental compliance,

declining discovery rates, increasing

production costs and skills shortages

before going on to outline some of the

projects and the work CSIRO is

undertaking in these areas. Dr

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Humphries focused on sustainable high performance materials and

their application over a range or areas including filtration, recovery

of valuable materials, geotextiles, safety clothing and safety

curtains.

At least one collaborative project was identified in the area of

personal protective equipment for the minerals and resources

industry with several other companies and researchers discussing

other ideas and applications of technology.

A core focus for the project in coming months is to get direct

feedback from the minerals and energy sectors on real problems

they are facing currently and those they anticipate. There was

considerable discussion on how textiles have been used by defence,

emergency services and even NASA to provide protection, comfort

and utility in extreme environments for both equipment and

individuals. The group also discussed the applicability of new

concepts and ideas in this area for the minerals and resources

industry.

For more information on the network please visit

www.m-tex.org.

Please direct any comments or issues you believe should be

addressed within this networking group to:

Ashley Van Krieken

Network Liaison

Email tatxan@bigpond.com.

M-Tex, continued

An essential element of modern mine

ventilation engineering is the ability to be

able to simulate existing as well as

proposed modifications to mine

ventilation systems.

Since the development of the theory of

mine ventilation, numerous methods

have been developed to achieve this goal.

In the modern mining world the

dominant method of achieving this is by

the use of computer programs, which

allow models to be correlated against real

mine ventilation measurements and then

allow modifications to the system to be

modelled with confidence. One example

of this type of software is the Australian

developed Ventsim software. Provided is

a brief history of the program’s

development.

In 1976 Malcolm Rose, Group Mining

Engineer MIM Holdings Ltd (MIM) and

Terry Fisher (Ventilation Superintendent)

invited Dr Malcolm McPherson from

Nottingham University to visit Mt Isa

with the intention of improving and

monitoring the ventilation of complex

and extensive copper, lead, zinc and

silver mine.

As a result Dr Kevin Gibson, a protégé of

Dr McPherson and a builder of the

modified original ‘Vnet software’ was

employed for two years to develop a

mainframe (Univac) ventilation model

and establish an acceptable correlation.

The model was developed and calculated

resistances and fan curves were

incorporated. The correlation (+90 per

cent) was achieved during the university

break of 1979 in Mount Isa (Brown,

Fisher and Gibson (1980)).

By 1980 MIM had a fully functional and

correlated ventilation simulation package

that enabled tracing paper plotted

emergency plans to be overlain on the

mine plans. At this stage the trackless

nature of the mine had necessitated nodes

in the model to use a nomenclature that

enabled 3D plotting.

These plans were invaluable in directing

persons to safety during emergencies

such as the 15 level conveyor belt fire

that shut the copper mine down for a few

days. Simulations were conducted from

surface to assist the fire directors. All

primary underground booster fan curves

were included in the model and each

primary fan had performance data for

every two degrees of adjustment that was

controlled from mine control on surface.

In 1992, a computer program called

AIRNET 2000 was developed for MIM

by Craig Stewart for MS-DOS desktop

computers to import and graphically

present and simulate models created on

the mainframe ventilation system.

Encouraged by the positive feedback

from AIRNET 2000, permission was

sought by Craig Stewart to independently

develop new software for Microsoft

Windows called ‘Ventsim’. In exchange

for the IP rights, MIM was given

Ventsim – A brief history by Dr Michael Tuck MAusIMM, Associate Professor of Mining Engineering, School of Science, Information Technology and Engineering, University of Ballarat

M-Tex Challenge Workshop

A key outcome of this R&D briefing was the creation of the first

Challenge Workshop for the network which is intended to bring

representatives from the TCF and mining industry together

alongside R&D institutions to network and collaborate.

The focus of this workshop is to take a broad overview of the

issues for the mineral and resources industry ahead of a facilitated

panel discussion with those attending. Two speakers – one from

an overall industry perspective and one from an individual

professional perspective have been invited to give their views on

the issues and challenges facing the industry now and into the

future.

This workshop is scheduled for Monday 25 March in Melbourne

beginning at 8.30 am and concluding at 1 pm. All AusIMM

members are invited and encouraged to attend this event to

contribute their ideas and thoughts on how TCF products may be

able to provide solutions to problems they or their companies

face.

If you would like to attend this free workshop and lunch please

register via

http://m-texchallengeworkshopmar2013.eventbrite.com.au.

Several of the network’s TCF participants will also be attending

the Mining Australia Expo on 20-22 March in Perth as well as

Austmine (as part of the federal government’s trade booth) also in

Perth on 20-24 May.

Ventsim

Page 3

Ventsim, continued

The NSW Minerals Council’s (NSWMC) annual Occupational

Health and Safety Conference attracts more than 500 delegates

from all levels of the NSW minerals industry workforce, major

product suppliers, contractors and representatives from

government, industry groups and unions. It is recognised as the

major health and safety conference for the NSW minerals

industry.

This year’s OHS conference asks a very simple question – what

does health and safety really mean and are we doing enough as

individuals and as an industry to manage the risks we face every

day?

The conference will shine a light on the many health and safety

systems used across the industry, with a particular focus on the

impacts of mental health and how we can address the risks

associated with this important health issue.

With registration available soon, the NSW Minerals Council has

generously offered to discount registration fees for AusIMM

members.

When: 19-22 May 2013

Where: Crowne Plaza, Hunter Valley, New South Wales

Registrations will open soon. Click here for further information.

Click here to view a YouTube video of the 2012 NSWMC

Occupational Health and Safety Conference.

New South Wales Minerals Council Health and Safety Conference What does health and safety really mean?

unrestricted use of the software.

During the late 1990s and early 2000s

new graphical features were added to the

software incorporating true 3D

representation and graphical

rotation of mine ventilation

models, as well as new

simulation features such as

contaminant simulation.

The final version of Ventsim

Classic (version 3.9) was

released in 2007, by which time

the majority of Australian mines

and universities had adopted it.

In 2008, Chasm Consulting was formed

by Craig Stewart to exclusively develop

a new version of Ventsim software from

the ground up. In mid-2009, the new

software program ‘Ventsim Visual’

underwent beta testing at a number of

consulting companies and mines and in

2010 the software was released for world

-wide distribution, gaining considerable

success in Australian and overseas

markets.

In 2011, Ventsim Visual Version 2 was

released; containing new features such as

gas simulation and recirculation

prediction and in 2012 Version 3 was

released with significant interface

revisions including multiple windows

and multi versioning of models.

At the end of 2012 Ventsim Visual

software is now in use at more than 800

mining companies, consultants and

government agencies around the world.

More than 30 universities now use the

software to help teach students about

mine ventilation (Ventsim 2012).

Perhaps the key to the initial success of

Ventsim includes the foresight of MIM

staff to manage ventilation circuits and

energy management, the appointment of

Craig Stewart to the ventilation staff at

MIM and exposure to the incumbent

software and the early adoption and

support by a number of key ventilation

consultants and professionals, which

provided critical feedback and gave the

software credibility to the wider market.

Receiving feedback from customers

during training or through on-site use

also greatly assisted the developers in

improving the software for the

customer’s needs.

A final key point in the software’s

success may be that for every algorithm

and ventilation simulation method

developed into the software, a

proportionally much greater time is spent

making the software interface easier and

more enjoyable to use, ensuring end

users can readily access and use the

available features.

Ventsim continues to be developed to

reflect changes in the computing

environment as well as the

changing needs of the mine

ventilation community. A good

example has been the inclusion

of auxiliary ventilation routines

and mine climate prediction

within a single computer

package. It is a true example of

how Australian mining

engineers and the Australian

mining industry are and have been at the

forefront of modern and innovative

mining research and practical application

for a number of years.

The author would like to thank Terry

Fisher, Craig Stewart and Rick Brake for

their invaluable input into this brief

paper.

References

Brown J R, Fisher. T H and Gibson K L,

(1980). The development, application

and correlation of computer simulation

techniques of the Mount Isa ventilation

system. Proc Second International Mine

Ventilation Congress. Mousset Jones P

(ed). Reno Nevada. SME.

Ventsim (2012) www.ventsim.com

… a true example of how Australian mining engineers and the Australian mining industry are and have been at the forefront of modern and innovative mining research and practical application for a number of years.

Conference

Page 4

Air pollution control

Air pollution control equipment manufacturers take positive stance in raising skills

Established in 1987, the Air Pollution

Control Equipment Manufacturers

Association (APCEMA) has had an

on-going involvement in air pollution

matters and continues to have a key role

in assisting industry to combat air

emission problems and thus address

health and safety responsibilities.

APCEMA comprises leading national

companies who manufacture and supply

advanced process and air quality

management products for Australian

industries (including mining) and world

markets. This capability is supported by

established international resources, a

commitment to quality, as well as a

commitment to applying state of the art

technology developed on the basis of

the wide experience of its members.

Many members are utilising their

expertise and experience in

neighbouring countries, thus playing an

important role in industrial pollution

control in south east Asia and the

Pacific Region.

A major part of the APCEMA strategy

to improve air quality is in the design

and implementation of educational

programs. The aim of these programs is

to raise the skills of end users, specifiers

and designers of pollution control

technologies and to foster the uptake of

best practice in their use.

Over a period of 20 years, APCEMA

has conducted technical courses

throughout Australia and overseas,

including government supported

projects aimed at raising international

awareness of Australian technology in

industrial air pollution control.

A more recent initiative is the conduct

of workshops for Environmental

Protection Authorities in Australia to

provide government regulators with

technology updates for utilisation in

environmental impact statements and

the resolution of community

complaints.

APCEMA’s courses are underpinned by

the key objectives of using proven

methodologies and expert advice in

helping participants to solve business

problems and to improve their ability to

cost effectively introduce, modify,

operate and maintain dust and fume

control technologies. The total number

of people who have taken part in these

programs is now approaching 9000.

APCEMA is managed by the Australian

Industry Group (AI Group), a peak

industry association in Australia which

along with its affiliates represents the

interests of more than 60 000

businesses. As a consequence,

APCEMA has a direct linkage to the

skills and expertise of major industry

body, recognised for their strong policy

leadership role in all environmental

issues. APCEMA utilises this linkage to

help drive its policy positions and to

provide input to the AIG’s decision

making process.

Membership of APCEMA is strong and

continues to grow. All members are

bound by a constitution to provide

quality products and services to

industry, and undertake to strictly

observe and comply with a business

code of ethics. A statement certifying

membership and observance to the code

of ethics is issued to all members for

use in tendering and business generally.

Currently, 20 leading manufacturers and

suppliers are full members of

APCEMA.

APCEMA has also established strong

and well developed linkages with the

Commonwealth Scientific and

Industrial Research Organisation

(CSIRO) and the various environment

and conservation state departments.

APCEMA has produced a Membership

Capability Directory. This is a

comprehensive listing of all APCEMA

members. The directory comprises

details of members' products and

services, full contact details,

information on domestic and overseas

market activities and examples of major

project involvement. The directory is

given wide circulation to relevant

government departments, environmental

regulators, and industry participants at

APCEMA' technical seminars.

Low pollution process technologies will

become increasing critical for industry

as we transition to a clean energy future

and APCEMA members stand well

placed to meet the demands of industry

and to bring forward new technologies

that can be adopted as cost effectively

as possible.

Further information on APCEMA and

the capabilities of its members can be

obtained at www.apcema.org.au.

Links

Health and Safety links

Government of South Australia: Occupational Health & Safety

Committee

Government of Western Australia Department of Mines and

Petroleum Mining Safety and Health

Minerals Council of Australia Safety and Health Performance

Minerals Industry Risk Management Gateway

Northern Territory Department of Mines and Energy H&S

NSW Minerals Council Mine Safety and Health

Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and

Mines Mining Safety and Health

Safe Work Australia – Mining

Queensland Resources Council Safety and Health

Tel: 1300 515951 Email: info@acrrmh.com.au

www.acrrmh.com.au

RELIABLE RESEARCH INTO MENTAL HEALTH IN THE MINING INDUSTRY!

An exciting spin-off from the Australasian Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health’s (ACRRMH) work with companies in mining, resources and remote construction is some early but significant research findings regarding the mental health and emotional wellbeing of employees, according to the Centre’s CEO, Dr Jennifer Bowers. Speculation and extrapolation abound but genuinely useful research and reliable, productive information about the mental health and wellbeing of workers in the mining and resources sector has been scarce until now. This is because the companies themselves and their employees are, understandably, reluctant to share sensitive information. “A key element of the ACRRMH’S suite of innovative mental health programmes and materials is our detailed wellbeing and lifestyle survey. The survey responses provide critical data and, at the same time, help establish benchmarks against which we can measure progress,” said Dr Bowers. “Our research is yielding solid information about mental health and wellbeing which will help identify impacts on productivity. These findings relate to social connectedness, physical fitness, gender and work practices. Decisions by boards and senior management can now be informed by some reliable data.” Concerned for a long time at the lack of reliable data about mental health in the mining and resources sector, the Centre has established a close working relationship with the The University of Canberra. Under the supervision of ‘healthy and sustainable communities’ research program director, Professor Helen Berry, Dr Léan O’Brien’s team has analysed the first tranche of ACRRMH surveys. “Fascinating and very useful indicators are beginning to emerge. This work is important and, in many ways, ground-breaking,” Dr Bowers said. “The methodology is sound and the sample sizes are large enough to support analysis and then to inform policies and practices. Our collaboration with The University of Canberra brings added strength and credibility to the findings.” Dr Bowers said that getting accurate, statistically significant results is always a challenge for university think-tanks and most other organisations. “But the ACRRMH is able to do what few other organisations can. We actually work out on remote sites and, because we’ve earned the trust and confidence of our clients, we can survey hundreds of employees on site and over time as we roll out our programmes,” she said. “The survey data, professionally analysed and reported on by our colleagues at The University of Canberra means that our clients will get a great deal of reliable data on which to base changes to OH&S and HR policies and practices,” she said. “Once we have delivered the report to and consulted with our clients, we look forward to sharing the findings with the mining, resources and construction sectors more broadly,” concluded Dr Bowers.

For media enquiries, Dr Jennifer Bowers – 0437823860 Embargoed: 10 March 2013

Committee and contacts

Health & Safety Committee members

Page 6

Secretariat and AusIMM contacts:

Wayne Robins

Senior Policy Manager, AusIMM

wrobins@ausimm.com.au

Phone: +61 3 9658 6116

Donna Edwards

Senior Coordinator, Society and Committee Services

dedwards@ausimm.com.au

Phone: +61 3 9658 6135

Jock Cunningham (CSIRO rep)

Terry Fisher

Bruce Ham

Allan Jackson

Jamie Ross

Ralph Rossouw

Geoff Sharrock

(AusIMM President)

John St George

Peter Tilyard

Chris Towsey

Michael Tuck

www.twitter.com/theausimm | www.facebook.com/ausimm | www.youtube.com/theausimm

www.ausimm.com.au/rss/rss/xml | search LinkedIn Group: AusIMM

Social media

Remember to connect with The AusIMM across our various social media pages.

The AusIMM is not responsible for

statements made or opinions advanced by

authors in this publication and accept no

liability (including liability in negligence)

for and given no undertaking concerning

the accuracy, completeness or fitness for

the purpose of the information provided.

The Health and Safety Committee is always looking for fresh ideas

to make the Health & Safety News as lively and interesting as

possible for our readers.

If you have any feedback, would like to make a suggestion or

contribute to the Health & Safety News with an article or comment

piece, do not hesitate to contact us.

Please email the Secretariat, Donna Edwards via

dedwards@ausimm.com.au.

Contribute

Contribute to Health & Safety News

Disclaimer

Angus M Robinson (Chair) angus@leisuresolutions.com.au

The Bulletin

If you are interested in contributing editorial to The Bulletin, please

contact the Editor via editor@ausimm.com.au.

August edition

Article proposal deadline 31 May

Regional Feature: New Zealand

New South Wales

Gold

Minerals Education

Health & Safety

October edition

Article proposal deadline 31 July

Regional Feature: Vic/Tas

Geometallurgy

Mine Ventilation

Water in Mining

Resource & Reserve Estimation

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