AWARD-WINNING professor Gideon Chitombo has been recognised for his innovations in the mining industry, including his involvement in Ernest Henry Mining's (EHM) transition into the underground phase of their operations.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The EHM site in Cloncurry transitioned from open pit to underground mining in December last year, with Dr Chitombo's research playing a major role in its development.
Underground sub-level caving was one of the concepts implemented on the advice of Dr Chitombo.
"My involvement with EHM has been in regards to mining methods, and as being part of our research, they have benefited greatly," he said.
Mr Chitombo consults with engineers at EHM, and said the site would continue to apply his research as part of their project going forward.
EHM's underground project director Chris Carr said Dr Chitombo's input was important to the sustainability of the underground transition.
"The work Gideon has led through the Mass Mining Technology Group, of which Xstrata Copper is one of a number of sponsors, was instrumental to the design and operating practices of our Ernest Henry underground mine," he said
Dr Chitombo is majorly involved in investigating the possibility of 'super caves', that allow up to 100,000 tonnes of ore to be safely and economically extracted per day from a single panel.
Dr Chitombo said discovering alternative forms of mineral extraction was what he was passionate about.
He said the EHM ore body was not being suited to traditional stoping methods, and instead, sub-level caving was implemented.
Sub-level caving starts from the above the ore body and is much cheaper, with no need for back-filling as the drilling and blasting goes downward.
"I'm driven by a desire to prepare the resources industry for a future in which minerals will not be easily accessible and we need to work harder to extract them," Dr Chitombo said.
The Queensland innovator is based at the WH Bryan Mining and Geology Research Centre for Sustainable Minerals Institute at The University of Queensland, and admitted the resources industry was embarking on a challenging period despite the mining boom.
"The demand for minerals won't change any time soon, but we have to deal with energy shortages and environmental restrictions," he said.
"It's a real balancing act, in terms of getting the production done, but also doing it correctly with a view to sustainability."
Dr Chitombo recently took out honours at the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) awards recently.
The engineer took out the ATSE Clunies Ross award for contribution to improving efficient and effectiveness of mineral extraction.
"I never expected anything like this," he said.
"To be acknowledged for something I thoroughly enjoy doing is a real surprise and very rewarding."
He's now working on the next generation of caving mines or 'super caves' such as Newcrest Cardia East in NSW, along with internationally significant work on collaboration for large open pits and mines at depths of more than 1500m. His passion for mining began in Zimbabwe, where he was born, but now calls Australia home.
Dr Chitombo was recently appointed as Professor and Chair of Minerals Industry Engagement and is the Technical Director of the Mass Mining Technology (MMT) project.
Working with leading mining experts, the project has focused on critical reviews of conventional caving design approaches, collation of common caving practice.
The project has also played a major role in increasing the understanding of the caving fundamentals which are caving mechanics, gravity flow, fragmentation as well as confined blasting as applied to sublevel caving.
He said his long-term interests are centred on future mass mining methods which are likely to include large cave mines, he describes as Supercaves, ultra-deep pits and well as in-place mineral recoveries. damage.
