Newcrest Mining (Australia)

Semiconductor lithography, a pivotal process in integrated circuit (IC) fabrication, accounts for approximately 30% of production costs and faces significant challenges as feature sizes shrink to sub-nanometer scales. Optical diffraction and process-induced distortions complicate precise patterning, necessitating advanced techniques beyond traditional Optical Proximity Correction (OPC). Inverse Lithography Technology (ILT) offers a mathematically robust approach to enhance pattern fidelity, yet its high computational complexity limits scalability. We propose Adaptive Reinforcement Learning for Lithography Optimization (ARLO), a U-Net-based framework integrating self-attention mechanisms and reinforcement learning (RL) to iteratively optimize photomasks using real-time lithographic simulations. Evaluated on the LithoBench benchmark, ARLO achieves a 37.8% reduction in [Formula: see text] Loss and a 74.0% reduction in Process Variation Band (PVB) compared to GAN-OPC, alongside 14.7% and 9.1% [Formula: see text] Loss reductions and 51.3% and 37.1% PVB reductions versus Deep LithoNet (DLN) and RL-ILT, respectively. Despite a higher shot count (181.4% increase vs. GAN-OPC, 59.0% vs. DLN-1, 29.4% vs. RL-ILT), ARLO maintains a competitive runtime of 0.035 seconds per patch. These results position ARLO as a scalable, efficient solution for next-generation semiconductor manufacturing.

Abstract Coal spontaneous combustion (sponcom) in longwall goaf poses a major safety hazard and environmental risk for underground mining operations. As a powerful numerical simulation tool, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) offers high efficiency, low cost, and intuitive visualisation capabilities, playing a pivotal role in uncovering the mechanisms of coal self-heating and assessing large-scale prevention and control strategies in field application. This review examines recent advances in CFD-based modelling of coal sponcom onset mechanism, behaviour and prevention. Key applications are highlighted, including thermal-gas-solid Multiphysics coupling, analysis of airflow and temperature evolution, and inert gas injection techniques in longwall goaf. The paper critically evaluates the strengths and limitations of existing CFD-based sponcom modelling approaches and identifies current research gaps. Finally, it outlines potential directions for future studies, focusing on the development of multi-scale coupled models incorporating reaction kinetics and byproduct migration, investigation of indicator gas behaviours under engineering interventions, and the establishment of dynamic risk assessment frameworks based on artificial intelligence learning.

Rapid economic growth has increased demand for mineral resources, accelerating the development of the mining industry. Mining companies often manage multiple projects simultaneously, facing challenges in performance, cost, and risk management. To address the lack of systematic evaluation frameworks in this domain, this paper establishes a comprehensive evaluation model for the entire process of mining projects. The comprehensive evaluation covers seven aspects: preliminary work, preparation for project implementation, project implementation management, settlement management, final investment cost, post-completion operation, and cost reduction and efficiency improvement. A total of 43 preliminary evaluation indicators were formulated, and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was integrated with the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) method. The model was applied to an automated control project for a gold mine backfilling station, yielding a final evaluation score of 75.7 that closely aligned with on-site investigation findings, thereby assisting management in formulating and implementing subsequent decisions.

Despite countless advances in recent years, exploration for volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits remains challenging. This is particularly the case in the Yilgarn Craton of Western Australia, where outcrop is limited, weathering is deep and extensive, and metamorphism is variable. At Erayinia in the southern Kurnalpi terrane, intercepts of VMS-style mineralization occur along ~35 km strike length of stratigraphy, and a small Zn (-Cu) deposit has been defined at King (2.15 Mt at 3.47% Zn). An extensive aircore and reverse circulation drilling campaign on the regional stratigraphy identified additional VMS targets, including the King North prospect. Through a combination of detailed rock chip logging, petrography (inc. SEM imaging), and lithogeochemistry, we have reconstructed the volcanic stratigraphy and alteration halos associated with the King North prospect. Hydrothermal alteration assemblages and geochemical characteristics at King North (Mg-Si-K enrichment, Na depletion, and high Sb, Tl, Eu/Eu*, alteration index, CCPI, and normative corundum abundance values) are consistent with an overturned VMS system. The overturned footwall stratigraphy at King North is dominated by metamorphosed volcanic rocks, namely the following: garnet amphibolite (tholeiitic, basaltic), biotite amphibolite (andesitic, calc-alkaline), chlorite–quartz schist (dacitic), and narrow horizons of muscovite–quartz schist (dacitic to rhyolitic, HFSE-enriched). The hanging-wall to the Zn-bearing sequence is characterized by quartz–albite schists (metasedimentary rocks) and thick sequences of amphibolite (calc-alkaline, basaltic andesite). An iron-rich unit (>25% Fe2O3) of chlorite–actinolite–quartz schist, interpreted as a meta-exhalite, is associated with significant Cu-Au mineralization, adjacent to a likely syn-volcanic fault. Extensive Mg metasomatism of the immediate felsic footwall is represented by muscovite–chlorite schist. Diamond drilling into the deep hanging-wall stratigraphy at both King North and King has also revealed the potential for additional, stacked VMS prospective horizons in the greenstone belt stratigraphy. The discovery of HFSE-enriched rhyolites, zones of muscovite–chlorite schist, presence of abundant sulfide-rich argillaceous metasedimentary rocks, and a second upper meta-exhalite horizon further expand the exploration potential of the King–King North region. Our combined petrographic and lithogeochemical approach demonstrates that complex volcanic lithologies and VMS alteration signatures can be established across variably metamorphosed greenstone belts. This has wider implications for more cost-effective exploration across the Yilgarn Craton, utilizing RC drilling to reconstruct the local geology and identify proximal halos, and limiting more costly diamond drilling to key areas of complex geology and deeper EM targets.

Informing groundwater recharge in arid environments is both challenging and necessary for understanding complex and changing water systems, and for making well-informed aquifer management decisions. The difficulty with interpreting aquifer recharge in arid environments lies in the sporadic and often unpredictable recharge opportunities. There is a gap between theoretical groundwater age distributions based on the physics of groundwater flow and the interpretation of real groundwater age tracer data. This gap is amplified in transient environments. This study uses a deconvolution approach constrained by probable recharge events to interpret variable groundwater recharge in the Weeli Wolli Creek alluvial fan, in the semi-arid Pilbara region. This approach is paired with spatial correlation to establish relationships between wells, making space a proxy for time in the recharge interpretation. Spatial correlation also helps address the data density requirement of deconvolution. The resulting model was able to identify specific events in the last 100 years as contributors to recharge, as well as highlighting effects of mine dewatering in the catchment. In addition, spatial interpretations showed water recharging along specific channels in the fan, and showed active channels varying over time. This level of detail in groundwater recharge studies is a move toward more meaningful environmental interpretation and aquifer planning.

The problematic of this research whether outlined in with the priest´s practice in the their space of action had contributed to the construction of place and of cultural everyday and religious of the parishes of the Alto São Francisco. The spatial snippet refers to one borderline region between the dioceses of Mariana, Olinda, São Paulo and the prelature of Goiás, territory of the west of Minas, in the Mariana's diocese, actualy denominated Alto São Francisco. The study of Church History in this territory is determinant to thing the eccleiastic historical space in the Gerais. The creating period of the five first parishes of actual diocese of Luz, borderline the time snippet, 1754 at 1832. The objective of research is to analise like the everyday practices of the priests in the their space of action had contributed to the construction of cultural place and religious of Alto São Francisco. Therefore, it were analysed the sources: Auto de Inquirição, of archive of Centro de Memória da Diocese de Luz, the letter pastoral of Dom Frei José da Santíssima Trindade (1821-1825), of Instituto Estadual do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico de Minas Gerais, the Juízo of Arquivo Eclesiástico Arquidiocesano de Mariana and the Constituições Primeiras do Arcebispado da Bahia. To auxiliary in the analise of the documentation we use concepts elaborated to Michel de Certeau and Nicola Gasbarro, such as: place, space, everyday, cultural action, cultural practises, orthodoxy and orthopractice.

Advanced wireline logging technologies like borehole magnetic resonance and borehole imaging are becoming more and more common in the mining industry. While sharing a common goal, quite often there is a limited overlap between geotechnical and hydrogeological studies. An integrated approach to data analysis and interpretation can provide a robust range of answer products that using one method alone could not. Borehole magnetic resonance provides a range of hydrogeological products including total porosity, permeability and hydraulic conductivity in a continuous log. Acoustic televiewers provide orientation of geological features and contribute to a structural interpretation and geomechanically evaluation. Availability of cores offer ground truth. While the individual techniques have their strengths, it is the combination of the data, together with conventional downhole geophysics, that can enable valuable intel for resolving orebody complexity. Linking various data sources provides and accurate classification of geological features and differentiation of open and closed fractures, as well as insights into anticipated aquifer properties. The synergies that emerge from integrating various data sources play a key role in resolving the complexity of natural deposits.

This study investigated the attenuation and release behaviour of copper ions using a standard kaolin-silt slurry as the synthetic tailings in a high solids/high salinity application before and after inline flocculation. A homogenous, synthetic tailings slurry was prepared in a 0.6 M NaCl solution and treated in a low-shear mixer by adding Magnafloc® 336 flocculant. Following the evaluation of morphological properties of both the untreated (UT) and polymer-treated tailings (PT), identical equilibrium tests were performed via the bottle-point method constant concentration technique. The maximum copper ions uptake capacity of polymer-treated tailings was 25% more than the untreated slurry at the equilibrium state in a chemisorption process in which the ions had the capability of binding onto one location on the sorbent, which could be influencing other binding sites on the same sorbent. Polymer treatment resulted in a highly porous structure that exhibited an increased capacity to adsorb and retain copper ions compared to the UT materials. This behaviour indicates the strong binding between the copper ions and active site of the treated tailings particles with greater capability of this material for preserving heavy metal ions within their structure across a wide pH range (2–10) compared to the UT materials. The results advance the fundamental understanding of how inline flocculation can considerably improve the sorption capacity of high solids/high salinity tailings favouring potential long-term rehabilitation purposes at mine closure and the role of sorption and desorption of heavy metal ions’ behaviour play to achieve this goal.