Australia’s mining technology—ranging from the level of mechanical equipment and information-based management to safety management—is globally leading. Taking Australia’s lead-zinc mine as an example, this article briefly introduces Australia’s safe, efficient, and intelligent mining model for metal mines, covering aspects such as the mine’s organizational structure, mining processes, and equipment levels.

　　[Mineral Resources Australia Review] The mining industry is one of Australia’s pillar industries and traditional sectors. Australia boasts world-leading levels in mining technology, including mechanical equipment, information-based management, and safety management. Taking the Australian lead-zinc mine as an example, this review briefly introduces Australia’s safe, efficient, and intelligent mining model for metal mines, covering aspects such as organizational structure, mining processes, and equipment standards.

　　Mining Management of a Lead-Zinc Mine in Australia

　　[Overview] A lead-zinc mine located in New South Wales, Australia, is an underground mine with a long history of mining operations. The ore bodies are hosted in a variety of metamorphosed sedimentary country rocks, including sandstone, shale, gneiss, calcareous rock, and granite. The ore bodies have complex shapes and extend over a long strike length. 2km , inclined and extending from the surface down below the surface 1200m , average thickness 50 ~ 80m , up to the thickest 250m The main valuable minerals in the ore are galena and sphalerite, with minor amounts of pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, and arsenopyrite. The lead and zinc grades are relatively high, with an average grade of the raw ore being... 16.8% The ore and surrounding rock have good stability. The ore density is... 3.15t/m3， f Coefficient =8.5 ~ 17.9( Average 11.1) , the surrounding rock density is 2.7 ton /m3， f Coefficient =8.9 ~ 17.1( Average 12.1) 。

　　The mine employs a combined development approach using both ramp and shaft methods. The total number of development levels is: 25 One, the lowest midsection is located below the surface. 1200m , the mid-section height is 40 ~ 50m Whether to arrange section-level drifts between the middle sections is determined based on the orebody and engineering conditions; the height of the section-level drifts is determined according to the actual site conditions. The entire mine employs a mixed ventilation system, with the following arrangements: 11 an intake shaft, 3 A return air shaft. The mine’s total annual mining output is: 200 Ten thousand tons, with an original ore quantity of approximately 160 Ten thousand tons, with an excavation volume of approximately 40 Ten thousand tons. Metal content 12.8 Ten thousand tons. The average grade of the raw ore from the entire mine is approximately... 16.8% , Chulung selected average grade 8.0% Depletion rate 40% ~ 50% , loss rate 40%。

　　[Process Flow] The mining method currently employed at this mine is the deep-hole retreating backfilling mining method. (Long hole stoping) This mining method is widely used in underground mines in Australia due to its safety and efficiency. The process flow is as follows: : Use a tunneling jumbo to excavate and support the bottom roadway. (5.0 m × 5.0 m) , Ladi Lane directly serves as the upper part of the mining area. / Lower chamber. Subsequently, a rock-drilling jumbo is used to excavate upward. / Downward-sector blast holes. After the blast hole construction is completed, a staged blasting method is employed, with the charging cart retreating progressively as it loads explosives. Adopted. 6m3 The mine hauler with visual remote control loads the ore, and after loading is complete, it performs one-time backfilling. The ore is then scooped by the hauler and transferred to the loading machine. ( Payload 45 ton ) It is then transported to the main shaft, crushed in the crushing chamber, and conveyed to the loading chamber. From there, it is hoisted to the surface by skip buckets and finally transferred via conveyor belt to the ore-processing plant.

　　[Organizational Structure] Compared with domestic mines, this mine’s organizational structure is streamlined and highly efficient. The entire mine has only one General Manager and one Deputy General Manager, with the following departments reporting directly to them: 5 Individual departments ( Production unit ) , respectively : Mining Department, Equipment Management Department, Administrative Management Department, Safety Training Department, and Engineering Project Department. The total number of employees across the entire mine is approximately... 350 Person.

　　 (1) The Mining Department is responsible for production safety management underground. It comprises the Mining Planning Section, the Production Dispatch Center, the Geology Section, the Rock Mechanics Management Section, the Drilling and Blasting Work Area, the Tunneling Work Area, the Mining Shoveling Work Area, and the Logistics Team. 8 One unit.

　　 (2) The Equipment Management Department is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of all mining equipment. ( Includes all equipment underground. ) and production management at the ore-dressing plant.

　　 (3) The Administration Department is responsible for managing financial and accounting matters, human resources, logistics, and other administrative functions related to the mine.

　　 (4) The Safety Training Department is primarily responsible for safety training in mines, ensuring the implementation of safety regulations, and analyzing, compiling, and summarizing data on safety incidents.

　　 (5) The project department is primarily responsible for the preliminary preparatory work for the development of the new mine.

　　[Mining Technology Management] Compared with Chinese mines, Australian mines feature highly safe and efficient management. Its “ Safety and efficiency ” It reflects many distinctive features of the mine’s management, such as a stringent and advanced safety management system, cutting-edge process technologies, high levels of mechanization and informatization, and a highly specialized workforce.

　　[Advanced Safety Management] The company has consistently maintained a leading position in safety management, with an extremely low fatality rate per million tons of production. These achievements are attributable to the government’s stringent safety laws and regulations, as well as the company’s internal safety management procedures and advanced safety management concepts. Meanwhile, cutting-edge mining technologies have laid a solid foundation for safety management and played a crucial role in ensuring its effectiveness.

　　 (1) The federal government of the Liaoning Province limits its management of mining safety solely to the formulation of relevant legislation and technical standards. Each province... ( Territory ) In implementing federal laws, governments at various localities enact their own regulations and laws governing mining safety and occupational health, taking into account the specific conditions of each region. State-level governments exercise control over the mining industry by conducting reviews or inspections of mine design, production, environmental protection, and safe operations. If a mine fails to meet safety standards, the government may order it to cease operations. For enterprises, mine managers must register with the government, be thoroughly familiar with relevant policies and regulations, and ensure compliance with requirements related to safe production, environmental protection, labor protection, and employee occupational health.

　　 (2) The mine has a comprehensive and systematic set of safety management regulations and operational procedures covering all trades, equipment, and stages of work, which are strictly enforced. For example, all workers must undergo appropriate training and obtain the necessary qualifications before starting their jobs—this mirrors the standardized safety workflows commonly adopted in domestic mines. There are also stringent requirements for personal protective equipment (PPE): anyone entering the workplace must wear PPE correctly; otherwise, entry is strictly prohibited. For instance, when descending into the mine, workers must wear long-sleeved work uniforms with reflective strips, hard hats, and other required PPE. Rubber boots, miner’s lamp, oxygen self-rescuer, earplugs.

　　 (3) Proactive management and high-cost investments in mine safety serve as the cornerstone of sound safety management. In underground metal mines, the management of loose rock in roof strata has consistently been both the focal point and the most challenging aspect of safety management—and this area has also long been a hotspot for work-related injuries and fatalities. Recognizing the existence of these risks, the mine requires that all tunnels currently under construction or planned for future construction be supported using either anchor mesh or anchor mesh with shotcrete. ( And perform regular maintenance. )