Mining science and engineering providing solutions for Australia’s resource future

CSIRO's pioneering research into mine design, equipment and procedures is improving safety, reducing costs and improving efficiency. We aim to ensure that the mining industry is both sustainable, and environmentally responsible.

• 30 November 2009 | Updated 14 October 2011

• Background
• Areas of expertise
• Accessing the capability

Background

CSIRO bases the majority of its mining research at the Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies in Brisbane, Australia.

New mining technologies can significantly increase Australia's resource base by reducing economic risk and allowing the economic and environmentally responsible extraction of low grade or previously uneconomic deposits.

These technologies include the development of automated mining systems, conceptually new mining methods and technologies to predict and manage rock and strata conditions.

Over 60 per cent of technical problems faced by new and existing mining operations can be traced to geoscience-related inputs. It is vital to have an integrated geoscientific understanding of minerals and energy resources and the rock mass that hosts them.

Social responsibility is also on the industry agenda and emerging technologies will need to be considered against their acceptability to society – Industry's social 'license to operate'.

Areas of expertise

CSIRO is an integral part of the Australian minerals industry with a record of accomplishment in delivering innovative science and practical solutions to industry issues.

In consultation with industry CSIRO has developed an unequalled range of research capability covering the following fields:

• Mining Automation:
  • signal processing
  • sensing and communication
  • visualisation
  • automation.
• Mining geoscience:
  • geology and geophysics
  • coal characterisation
  • borehole logging
  • 3D imaging and data processing.
• Mining systems:
  • metalliferous mining
  • geomechanics
  • gas outburst control
  • large open pit
  • coal mining
  • environmental science and engineering
  • rock cutting.
• Science into society:
  • technology choices
  • behaviour and decisions
  • resource.

Accessing the capability

Our ability to integrate our diverse skills with other expertise across CSIRO and with a range of industry and academic collaborators makes us a unique mining research and development provider.

CSIRO has extensive links with the mining and associated mining services industry, which are coupled with the related research community to ensure our research is targeted directly towards industry needs. We work with stakeholders to apply our skills and expertise to real industry challenges.

Clients can enter into a number of different business arrangements with CSIRO including:

• commercial services
• research partnerships
• industry funded consortiums
• major strategic research alliances
• secondments and staff/student exchange programs.

Read more about CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering.