Adelaide Branch November 2021 Newsletter

Headlines

• Chair’s Report
• September Technical Talk with Ben Heard: Small Modular Reactors in the Australian Context
• October Technical Talk with Nicole Galloway Warland: A green approach to extracting copper and gold at Alford East, South Australia
• AusIMM Social Responsibility Forum 2021
• AusIMM Adelaide Student Chapter: Quiz Night
• WIMNet Social Painting Event
• Upcoming Events
• Social Media, Sponsorship & Advertising, Contributions

Chair’s Report

Stuart Emery FAusIMM

Welcome to the AusIMM Adelaide Branch November Newsletter. We’re getting closer to the business end of the year, and this brings us to the time of some big local AusIMM events.

Our most prestigious event of the year is the Essington Lewis Memorial Lecture, which this year will be held on 18th November at the National Wine Centre and presented by OZ Minerals CEO and Managing Director, Andrew Cole. This is the Adelaide Branch’s annual free public lecture. It was first held in 1975 and has continued every year since with continuous support from BHP. The honour board in the picture below lists the names of the 47 lecturers, and there are some very impressive names indeed.

Don’t miss this year’s lecture – registrations are filling fast. However if you can’t make it in person, you can register to watch the live-stream.

One week later is another important date on the SA resources industry calendar – the SA Exploration and Mining Conference. This one-day conference is a joint venture of the AusIMM with the Australian Institute of Geoscientists, the Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists and the Geological Society of Australia. It covers all aspects of the industry in SA, from grassroots exploration to advanced stage projects and operating mines. This year’s conference is on the 26^th November at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

As we move towards 2022, the Branch Committee would love your feedback on our activities and what you’d like to see in the future. Launching along with this newsletter is a survey where you can let us know what you think. As a sweetener, there is a $50 voucher towards AusIMM publications or events for one lucky respondant.

Finally, I’d like to call on our local AusIMM members to consider joining our Adelaide Branch Committee. It’s a rewarding way to give back to the industry and our fellow professionals. In particular, I’d like to call for people with expertise in IT to help with our push towards live-streaming our events. The current team is doing a great job, but needs some more backup to help share the load. Also people with an interest in social media to help increase our reach and maintain our online messaging would be much appreciated. Even if you don’t have these specific skills, all enthusiastic helpers will be welcomed. 

Whether you are able to join the committee or not, all local members are invited to the AGM on 2^nd December, 6pm at the Stamford Grand Hotel, Glenelg followed by a gourmet BBQ dinner with the summer sunset as the backdrop.  This is a completely free event for members and partners, thanks to our Branch Partners Bureau Veritas, OZ Minerals and the AusIMM Management Team. 

Look out for the registration email.  I hope to see you there.

Cheers,

Stuart Emery FAusIMM (Adelaide Branch Chair)

 

September Technical Talk with Ben Heard: Small Modular Reactors in the Australian Context

By Mark Mcgeough (MAusIMM)

Over 70 members attended the September technical lunch at the Pavilion to listen to a talk by Ben Heard on 'Small Modular Reactors in the Australian Context.' This presentation was also live streamed for a wider audience.

As per usual two students gave a presentation on their honours projects before Ben. These five-minute presentations give an opportunity for AusIMM student award winners to present in front of a live audience. For this technical lunch, we had Reuben Downie (studying B Chem/Engineering and Finance) talk on the 'Optimisation and energy ultilisation of the steelmaking process.' He spoke about the opportunities to using excess heat from blast furnace slag to provide heat for industrial processes. He has modelled that 50% of the heat could be recovered to produce both fuel gas and a suitable slag product for construction processes.

The second student, Josiah Park (B. Geology) spoke on the 'Hydrothermal Alteration of the Carrapateena deposit.' In this study, he was looking at the alteration of the host Donnington Suite granite, as you moved closer to the deposit. He explained that away from alteration monazite is large and euhedral and relatively undisturbed while close to the deposit the monazites become smaller and ragged.

Josiah Park introducing his presentation.

For the main presentation, Dr Ben Heard introduced himself as the Senior Energy Consultant at the Frazer-Nash Engineering Group. This is a global group that help organisations and governments deliver innovative systems, engineering and technology solutions to make lives safe, secure, sustainable, and affordable.

Ben described current state of the Small Modular Reactor (SMR) industry showing examples of a number of current prototypes. He explained that innovation in the nuclear industry is very hard as there are numerous controls and regulations that must be imposed. In the Australian context he highlighted the potential for small reactors to be able to power the grid that moves renewable electricity from regional areas to the main population centres. He also explained that SMR’s have very low CO2 emissions but could have a shelf life of 60 to 80 years. Their size ranges from 1.5 Mwh to 400Mwh operating at temperatures from 350° to 1000°. The key for the practical use of SMR’s is affordability in the short term. They need to be able to outperform gas power.

Ben then went on to describe the effort being made to develop harmonised regulations across a wide group of countries so that advances in nuclear technology could be built easily in many countries without having to worry about country specific, policy and regulations. He suggested the name, the Adelaide Group that would consist of up to 15 countries with around 750 million people to harmonise nuclear regulations.

Ben Heard closing his presentation.

After a great talk, there were many questions from the audience, both online and in the room. Dave Thomas gave the Vote of Thanks for Ben

If you were unable to attend, watch the September Technical Talk here.

 

October Technical Talk with Nicole Galloway Warland: A green approach to extracting copper and gold at Alford East, South Australia

By Stuart Emery 

The October Technical Lunch was very well attended, with around 80 attendees between in-person and online. The day started with student presentations from Zarin Tasnem and Dana Imbrogno. Zarin spoke about her research project into the effect of using a vertical roller mill on the subsequent mineral separation via flotation, while Dana provided a good introduction to the main speaker, discussing the mineralogy of the copper coast.

Nicole Galloway Warland is well known to local members through her association with the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and also as Managing Director of Thor Mining. In this presentation, Nicole introduced the projects of Thor Mining, focussing on the Alford East deposit near Wallaroo in South Australia. An important aspect of the project is the need to work with the local landowners and to find a way to extract the copper and gold resources with minimal disruption to agricultural activities. As such, it was found that the deposit was suitable for in-situ recovery using a novel, environmentally friendly glycine lixiviant.

Trials are underway or planned into the hydrogeology of the deposit, including how the lixiviant will circulate; and also into the hydrometallurgical response.

Thor has a clear pathway to development and production. Site tests will continue through 2022, before a feasibility study in 2023.

Finally, Mark McGeough, Adelaide Branch committee member and fellow Director of Thor Mining officially thanked the three speakers.

If you were unable to attend, you can watch the recording of the October Technical Talk here.

 

AusIMM Social Responsibility Forum 2021

By Janine Herzig FAusIMM (CP), Adelaide Branch Committee/ESG Committee

AusIMM’s Social Responsibility Forum was held online on 7^th and 8^th October 2021, bringing together experts and practitioners at multiple levels of understanding and capability to discuss environmental, social and governance (ESG) best practice in resources.

There were over 80 attendees across all AusIMM’s Communities of Interest (COI) in a highly interactive Forum, facilitated by AusIMM’s ESG and Social Responsibility Committee led by Bruce Harvey and with support from the Consultants Society and Social & Environment Society. There were four representatives from the Adelaide Branch – myself, Chris Sykes, Sanaz Orandi and Richard Lilly.

ESG performance has been high on the agenda for the AusIMM and the resources sector collectively in recent years and this Forum built on the successful inaugural Social Licence to Operate Forum held in person in 2019. Following this first Forum AusIMM developed a Social Responsibility Framework, a Social Performance Chartered Professional discipline, a Professional Certificate course in ESG and Social Responsibility and has ensured ESG considerations are embedded into the JORC and VALMIN Code review agendas.

The forum participants came from a broad array of disciplines and geographical locations and featured invited speakers and panellists – Professor Daniel Franks, Stephen McIntosh, Jill Terry and Tim Gerrard – offering both internal and external perspectives. The overarching aim was to encourage guidance and input from participating members on an ‘action agenda’ for the next 2 years – quite simply, ‘what does AusIMM need to do next?'

Topics for the breakout groups were: 1. Society, 2. Sustainability, 3. Investors, Lenders and Shareholders, 4. Workforce, 5. Exploration and Resource/Reserve Definition, 6. Mining, 7. Mineral Processing and Waste Management, 8. Mine Closure Planning, Transition and Re-purposing.

I was fortunate to facilitate breakout groups 4 and 7 and had some really great engagement and suggestions for initiatives come out of these.

Each breakout group focussed on some key focussing questions which were then reported back to the plenary by the breakout leaders. Some common themes were:

• The significance of the role of industry professionals when it comes to understanding and adapting to changing societal expectations
• A require to 'change the conversation' in the broader community when it comes to resources and tap into other professional sectors to promote resources as highly skilled and exciting career options
• A need to address the deficit in supply and demand for ESG professionals and develop a pipeline of competency
• An imperative to support industry professionals to evolve from Awareness to Understanding or Competence over the next few years
• The importance of due diligence and auditing throughout the life cycle of a project to ensure commitments made don’t drop off once the finance is secured
• The need to design for closure and minimising ESG impact via rejection and preconcentration, reduced footprint, energy and water consumption and waste
• The importance of reprocessing and re-purposing waste streams
• A need to have multi-disciplinary Boards and support all professionals to develop the skills and competencies and confidence required to serve on Boards
• Ensuring ESG considerations are adequately embedded into the JORC and VALMIN Codes and that Competency is properly defined and assured.
• The need for continuing Professional Development initiatives by the AusIMM and collaboration where it makes sense.
• The importance of language and respect for all stakeholders and the need for professionals to feel empowered to 'speak out' when necessary
• A need to further refine the competencies within AusIMM’s Chartered Professional program and to include a feedback loop for applications and audits.

The organising Committee would like to thank all those who participated, presented and assisted with the planning and delivery of the Forum and we look forward to finalising a report on outcomes and recommendations for the Policy and Advocacy Committee of the AusIMM Board in coming weeks.

AusIMM Adelaide Student Chapter: Quiz Night

By Elyse Bosch (AusIMM Adelaide Student Chapter President)

The Adelaide Student Chapter ran a quiz night on the 22^nd of October. The evening saw drinks flowing and an abundance of pizzas for everyone. We were very pleased with the turn out with 9 tables in attendance. There were some fabulous table themes, with special mention to the ‘In our element’ team taking out best dressed.

There were 6 rounds and several bonus games that gave everyone great opportunities to win some prizes. A very huge thank you to Richard Lilly for doing a NExUS/Mt Isa Mines sponsored round. We really appreciate the support.

The competition was incredibly fierce with the scores listed below:

Up Schist Creek	41.5
Double Denim Venom	41
Mind Benders	40
Take me to bedrock	39
Drill it Dry	37.5
In our Element	35
Golden Oldies	32
Quiz in our Pants	31.5
Team Avatar	29.5

The Student Chapter wants to thank everyone that helped set up and pack up on the evening. The support was awesome. Enjoy the fabulous photos of some of the teams below!

WIMNet SA Vintage Van Gogh - Paint & Sip

By Sanaz Orandi MAusIMM

Research shows creative activities can relieve stress, aid communication and help the arrest of cognitive decline. Just 45 minutes of creative activity has been shown to significantly lessen stress in the body. WIMnet SA put this hypothesis to the test by organising a social painting event on Wednesday 22 September 2021.

The event was held at one of Adelaide’s best Paint and Sip Venues, Vintage Van Gogh studio. Twelve members and guests from across the resources sector attended the event and enjoyed a fun evening, learnt to paint 'Spruce the Moose' over a 2-hour ‘Paint and Sip’ class, guided by a talented local SA painting instructor. They all left relaxed and stress free after creating their own masterpieces which were taken home.

The sponsor of this event were BHP, OZ Minerals and Department for Energy and Mining, South Australia.

 

Upcoming Events

AusIMM Adelaide Branch 47^th Essington Lewis Memorial Lecture

The AusIMM Adelaide Branch is pleased to announce it will be holding its annual Essington Lewis Memorial Lecture on Thursday 18^th November 2021 at the National Wine Centre with Andrew Cole on his talk titled 'Shaping a Future with Purpose.'

Date: Thursday 18 November 2021
Time: 5.30pm – 8.00pm (UTC+09:30)
Venue: National Wine Centre, Corner of Hackney Rd & Botanic Rd, Adelaide

Registrations are open so make sure you register today at this link here.

SA Exploration and Mining Conference

Date: Friday 26 November 2021
Venue: Adelaide Convention Centre

Find out more and register. 

 

Adelaide Branch 2021 AGM & Dinner

Join the Adelaide Branch committee for the Annual General Meeting including the voting for nominees for the 2022 Branch Committee. We are inviting nominations to join the Adelaide Branch Committee, via the attached nomination form. The AusIMM Adelaide Branch invites you to the Stamford Grand Hotel, Glenelg for the Annual General Meeting followed by a gourmet BBQ dinner.

Date: 2 December 2021
Time: 5.30pm – 9.00pm (UTC+09:30)
Venue: Stamford Grand Adelaide Hotel, 2 Jetty Road, Glenelg

Register now for the Adelaide Branch 2021 AGM and Dinner! This is a free event however registration is essential and numbers are limited.

 

Adelaide Branch 2022 Photo Competition

The AusIMM Adelaide Branch Committee is running a photo competition for 2021 / 2022 and is inviting all AusIMM members to enter for your chance to win a $200 voucher to spend at the AusIMM online store or conference!

The Branch wants to update its Facebook & Community of Interest website cover photo with your best mineral industry photo. Entries close 31 March 2022 and the winner will be announced shortly thereafter. The best entries will be posted on our Facebook page and in our regular newsletter. Entry is free, however only one photo per person. We look forward to seeing your photos. Happy snapping!

To enter: Send your mineral related photos with your name and a description of your photo to adelaide@ausimm.com.au.

 

Technical & Social Calendar 

***Please note due to the current COVID-19 restrictions events could be subject to change.

Adelaide Branch Technical & Social Calendar 2021 (as of 30/09/21)

DATE	VENUE	EVENT	TOPIC	SPEAKER/s
18 Nov	National Wine Centre	Essington Lewis Memorial Lecture	Shaping a Future with Purpose	Andrew Cole
26 Nov	Adelaide Convention Centre	SAEMC	Various	Various
2 Dec	Stamford Grand Glenelg	2021 AGM	N/A	N/A

 

AusIMM Conference and Functions 2021

*** Please see links to to the AusIMM website for official details relating to conferences

DATE	VENUE	EVENT
8 – 10 Nov 2021	Perth	Iron Ore Conference 2021
6 – 8 Dec 2021	Perth	International Future Mining Conference

 

Social Media

Remember to follow the Adelaide Branch on Facebook for all the latest local events.

Connect with AusIMM across our various social media pages:

Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn / Youtube

           

Sponsorship and Advertising

The Adelaide Branch is looking to partner with the industry in 2021 to sponsor our Technical & Social events. We have a range of various sponsorship packages available to suit your needs, including our Monthly Technical Lunches, AGM and sponsoring the Adelaide Student Chapter.

For a sponsorship pack with further details please contact us at adelaide@ausimm.com.au.

 

Contributions

Contribute to the Adelaide Branch Online Newsletter!

If you have any feedback, would like to make a suggestion or contribute with an article or comment piece, please email the Branch via: adelaide@ausimm.com.au.

Please submit articles as unformatted text files, and photographs as separate images. If photographs are of individuals, please supply names for figure captions.

Contributions for our next newsletter are required by 9th December.

 

DISCLAIMER: The AusIMM is not responsible for statements made or opinions advanced by authors in this publication and accepts no liability (including liability in negligence) for and gives no undertaking concerning the accuracy, completeness or fitness for purpose of the information provided.

 

Sponsors

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