How JCU helped a global resources company strengthen its operations
A partnership between MMG and James Cook University has improved understanding of the Dugald River orebody in North West Queensland, supporting safer, more effective mining operations at one of the world’s top 10 zinc mines.
Sixty-five kilometres north of Cloncurry, MMG was facing a familiar problem for underground mines: the grades were strong, but the structural model was not matching orebody behaviour – making mining and blasting more complicated.
Cutting across the zinc-lead-silver deposit were faults that hadn’t been picked up by the pre-mining drilling, which cuts narrow lines through hundreds of metres of rock, leaving everything in between to be interpolated.
MMG needed an updated structural model that better reflected the reality under the ground.
Photos of Dugald River mining operations courtesy of MMG.
A collaborative research partnership
Dr Nick Dyriw, Principal Exploration Geologist at MMG, says the company approached JCU to address this problem because of its long-standing relationship with the university, and a track record of industry-focused work.
“JCU has a history of producing applied research that we saw as an important component for what the site required,” Dr Dyriw says.
“This program drove intense collaboration between the researchers and the mine geologists that fostered a solid knowledge-sharing environment.”
The partnership resulted in a refined structural model for the mine, with the close collaboration allowing learning and outcomes to be implemented as the research progressed, meaning site teams could absorb updates more rapidly.
“The research output directly supports our operations to improve safety, mining performance and orebody knowledge,” Dr Dyriw says.
JCU's regional expertise
Dr Ioan Sanislav, Head of JCU’s Economic Geology Research Centre, says the university worked with MMG to produce a comprehensive and consistent structural model for mineralisation at the Dugald River mine.
“The partnership drew on our experience tackling similar issues for international mines, and deep knowledge of deposits in the Mount Isa region, including previous work on the Dugald River deposit,” Dr Sanislav says.
The project demonstrates how specialised geological research can be conducted with and influence a working operation to produce a lasting framework upon which site teams can build.
“Working with researchers at JCU provides a collaborative environment that ultimately improves the geoscience knowledge in Queensland,” Dr Dyriw says.