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Leading Practice Drill Pad Methodology

Julius Marinelli

Consultant

Exploration Geologist

1

Leading Practice

Drill Pad Methodology


Today’s Presentation Outline

History

Preparation

Construction

Safety and Environment

Design Evolution

Rehabilitation

Community

2


History

1900

3


History

1953

4


History

1990

5


History

Today

6


History

Stats

How

many

drill

pads?

7


Preparation Site selection and

layout

Stakeholder

access negotiation

Regulatory

documentation

Contractor and

equipment

selection

8


Site selection and layout

Mt Carrington Drake

NSW gold-silver

3000 historical holes

Exploration and

resource targets

9

Number of holes

Angle and azimuth

Ground check, peg

and photograph

WRM – 2011

60 pads,+10000m



Proactive

management of

impacts

Initial ground

check

10



11

Potential for harm

• Tree overhang

• Buried assets

Distance from

drainage

Flora and fauna

Slope of site

Water supply

Waste disposal

Site specific



Flora and fauna

12

Vulnerable bird

species

Habitat trees –

Casuarina seed

cone count

30 on ground is

critical



Flora and

faunaGlossy Black

Cockatoo

Red Tailed

Cockatoo

13


Stakeholder Access &

Negotiation Communication

Regulatory

documentation

14

Landowners

Forests NSW

Requirements• Agreement

• S30

• SDN

• REF

• Mine Ops Plan


Stakeholder Access &

Negotiation

15

Administered

by Environment

division in

Resources and

Energy

Liaising with

Forests NSW

establishes

requirements

for FMZ’s


Contractors and Equipment

Selection – Drillers and Earthmovers

Smallest footprint possible

Experience and safety record

Reliability and communication

Local knowledge

Drill Management Plan

16


Construction

Tree audit for

Forestry

Payments for

larger trees

Earthmoving

contractor shown

pad design

15m x 10m plan

agreed

17


Construction

Track making that

minimises excavation

Best chance for flora

regeneration

18


Construction

Storage of topsoil

and vegetative

matter

Pad base set for

strata protection

Sediment fencing

minimises

washaways in wet

weather

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Construction Plastic lining fitted

to capture

accidental fluid

spills

Bunding around

perimeter to

contain potential

fluid spills

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Construction

Coconut fibre

matting

provides good

working surface

Minimises

hazards

Absorbs

accidental spills

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Construction

Barrier fencing

for visibility –

day and night

Sign-off for

each pad

Mobilise

equipment onto

site

22


Safety & Environment

Review all

aspects of setup

once all

equipment is

set up

Confirm

prestart

checklist

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Checklists

sign off

Site Prep

Size etc.

Access

Water

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Site Prep

Bunds

Turnaround

Sed fence

Sketch

25



Rig setup

PPE

First aid

Guards

Documentation

26



Rig setup

Comms.

Fire ext.

Containment

27



Rig Pack-up

Removal

Cap hole

Pad and

access rehab

28


Evolution of Drill Pad Methodology

REX Minerals

2008 – Hillside SA

Wheat paddock

Plastic and sand

Adaptability of

method

Tableland and

range forests

Replace sand with

Coconut fibre

mats

29



REX Minerals

REX Minerals

2008

South Australia

Hillside copper

Wheat paddocks

Flat terrain

Cropping –

grazing land

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REX Minerals Wheat paddock

No surface

scrape

Plastic cover

sheeting

Sand on

plastic

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REX Minerals

Wheat paddock

Bunding

Barrier

fencing

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REX Minerals

Wheat paddock

Whole set up

Hay bales as

light and noise

barriers

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REX / White Rock Minerals NE NSW 2009

(State) Forest

and/or

undulating

terrain

Excavation

Plastic lining

Sand on plastic

Bunding

Barrier fencing

Sediment fencing

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White Rock Minerals

2010 program

issues

Problems emerged

Wet weather

Sand washes away

in heavy rain

Sand gets in

equipment

Construction and

clean-up costs

escalated

35



White Rock Minerals 2010-11 Solutions

discussed

Needed to lessen

impact

Smaller rig – smaller

pad

Smaller excavator or

backhoe

Replace sand with

coconut fibre matting

Make Mats recyclable

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White Rock Minerals 2011 - Solutions

implemented

Cost savings

Use of mats up to 3

times

No need to collect

sand and dispose

Backhoe costs lower

per hour vs. excavator

Speedier rehab

37



WRM / REX Minerals

Solutions

successfully

implemented at

WRM

Now used by

REX Minerals in

wheat

paddocks

38



REX Minerals

Solutions

implemented

Easy and

speedy rehab

on pastures

and crop land

39


Rehabilitation

Discussions with

Forests NSW

Landholders

Re-use

disturbed

topsoil and

vegetative

matter

Documentation

signoff

40


Rehabilitation

Example –

immediately

after

41


Rehabilitation

Example –

after 9

months

42


Rehabilitation

Example –

after 2

years

43


Community Showcase

methods to

mines

inspectorate

Community site

visit days

44


Community

Primary school

site visits

45


In Summary

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Preparation

Construction

Safety and Environment

Designcontinualevolution

Rehabilitation

Community


Thank You

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