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North West QLD Branch

March 2021 Technical Session

2
PD Hours
Reduced Development through improved Rise and Widening Firings using Orica WebGen™ at Ernest Henry Mine.

About this event

Historically, production from sublevels of the Ernest Henry Mine (EHM) started from blind uphole rises at the end of slot drives.

Where previous investigations considered removing these slot drives and starting production with independent ore drives, any development savings were consumed when drives were extended to minimise ore loss.

Since 2017, EHM and Orica have been investigating opportunities to optimise drill and blast practices by implementing Orica’s Wireless Electronic Blasting System (WEBS).

Michael Hawtin aims to present findings from the use of this novel design, to reduce ore drive development metres by utilising the WebGen™ 100 system to combine a rise with pre-charged widening firings.

Speaker/s

Michael Hawtin

Lead Resource Engineer, Ernest Henry Mining Pty Ltd
Michael is a geologist with 12 years’ experience in mine geology, mine
engineering, exploration and leadership roles in open cut and underground
operations throughout Australia and overseas. Michael is a graduate of
Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, with a degree in
Geoscience.
Previously, Michael has worked in various technical and operational
positions both domestically and internationally with key achievements
including innovative drilland blast designs incorporating wireless blasting
systems leading to significant reduction in mine physicals and mine specific
sampling theory with multiple copper species across oxide, supergene,
transitional and fresh ore types.
In 2017, Michael re-joined Ernest Henry Mining Pty Ltd as the Lead
Production/Drill & Blast Engineer before transitioning to the Lead Resource
Engineer role where he assists improving resource efficiency through flow
modelling, opportunity analysis and geo-metallurgical mine scheduling.
Location

Buffs Club, Lodge Room
35 Grace Street, Corner of Grace and Simpson Street
Mount Isa, QLD 4825

Thursday, 11 March 2021
6.00pm – 9.00pm (UTC+10:00)

Date and Time

Thursday, 11 March 2021
6.00pm – 9.00pm (UTC+10:00)

Venue

Buffs Club, Lodge Room
35 Grace Street, Corner of Grace and Simpson Street
Mount Isa, QLD 4825
View Google Map

Cost

AusIMM Members $0.00
Non Members $0.00

Includes canapes.
2
PD HOURS
Register now

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