Chapter 10
I 1. Introduction
II 2. The Role Of Technology
III 3. Some Highlights Of Australian Minerals Technology
i Gold
ii Copper
iii Lead-zinc-silver
iv Technology in iron ore mining
v Iron and steel technology
vi Nickel
vii Mineral sands
viii Bauxite, alumina, aluminium
IV 4. Other Technological Achievements (in brief)
V 5. Export Of Technology
VI 6. Education And Research
VII 7. The Scientific Societies
VIII 8. Conclusion
References
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Lead-zinc-silver
Australia's importance in the world picture of lead and zinc production is based on an annual output of one-half million tonnes of each metal, which represents about 12 per cent of world production of lead and about 8 per cent in the case of zinc. Some 75 per cent of the lead and 60 per cent of the zinc is exported, representing approximately 20 per cent and 10 per cent respectively of total world exports. Australia is actually the largest exporter of lead. Production is derived basically from the three major mining fields of Broken Hill, Mount Isa and Read-Rosebery, and in each case silver is an important associated metal. The total annual output of silver is about 1000 tonnes or 8 per cent of world production. Although Broken Hill output may be expected to decline after its 100 years of production other new orebodies awaiting development should ensure continued prominence for Australia for some decades from the known reserves, and large prospective areas remain to be explored.
Broken Hill technology
Technologically the Australian lead-zinc-silver producers are outstanding in the fields of geology, mining and metallurgy and in the manner in which they have solved their highly individual problems. In many respects Broken Hill is the most outstanding of all inasmuch as it preceded the others by 50 years and in that period had already contributed several world ranking innovative mining and metallurgical practices from which the successive producers were to benefit; further it had trained two generations of professional and technical staff and experienced miners who were to discover new orebodies and bring them into production throughout Australia and beyond. Again, Broken Hill experience had generated expertise which was to spread into major metalliferous and coal mining, engineering, chemical and manufacturing industries, notably the steel industry and its group of associates, lead smelting, electrolytic zinc, fertilisers, cement, refractories, paper, timber milling, shipping and aircraft. Apart from the expertise, the revenues derived from the Broken Hill mining operations were likewise vitally important to national development in the broadest sense, including government administration, defence, education and research.
Observers and research historians have been quoted to the effect that no other single orebody in the world has had so great an effect on national development. Certainly the record is impressive: in its 100 years since discovery in 1883 production has been some 20 Mt of lead, 15 Mt of zinc and 26,000 t of silver from 160 Mt of ore averaging approximately 13 per cent lead, 11 per cent zinc, 150 g/t silver. The variety of the mineral assembly and the magnificence of the specimens in this coarse-grained orebody have inspired mineralogists throughout the century, and geologists from all countries have worked continuously in the effort to unravel the genesis of the orebody. The Broken Hill case has been in the forefront of the discussions throughout Australia, and indeed world wide, regarding the origins of strata-bound sediment-hosted deposits. The discussions continue in the geology departments of the producing mines in Broken Hill and elsewhere, and in the government geological surveys and research establishments and the universities. Hopes for a possible repetition of the great orebody have not been realized although the recently developed extension in length and depth at the north end will extend the life of the operations, whilst posing familiar but accentuated problems of temperature, ventilation and ground support.
Organisations in Australian Science at Work - Mount Isa Mines (M.I.M.)
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Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering |  |
© 1988 Print Edition pages 745 - 746, Online Edition 2000
Published by Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre, using the Web Academic Resource Publisher
http://www.austehc.unimelb.edu.au/tia/711.html