The Australian Centre for Geomechanics (ACG) is a not -for-profit mining research centre based at The University of Western Australia, Perth.The ACG undertakes research, education and training activities in the geomechanics disciplines to provide industry with the necessary tools and knowledge to ensure that safety is not simply a top priority on par with productivity, but rather an ethic that guides everything.

The Australian mining industry urgently needs to respond to the challenges and opportunities presented by the current economic climate.Industry must be in a position to readily exchange information on the challenges being faced and identify and develop the tools and practices that will enable operation optimisation.These developments will concurrently improve mine safety and community and environmental performance generating sustainable growth.The industry in its entirety cannot evolve to meet these challenges without developing highly relevant and defined research projects.The ACG continues to effectively respond to industry's needs by initiating innovative research that provides ongoing benefits and viabilities instead of “quick - fix” solutions.

Ground support remains one of the largest costs of development mining. At the same time, it is the main means of reducing rockfall/rockburst risk in underground mines. The challenge to the mining industry lies in keeping these risks as low as practicable, despite the increasing hazard associated with deepening of mineral resources. Controlling the costs and cycle time of installing efficient ground support systems remains at the forefront of most mining operations' priorities.

The ACG has been working on a stope design research project since late 2017, looking at new ways of performing stope reconciliation and optimising open stope design.

As mines continue to extend deeper and open pits expand, strainbursts and rockbursts are increasing the cost of mining safely, i.e. ground support requirements, microseismic monitoring, restrictions to production and sequencing, as well as delays in re-entry, sometimes leading to the premature closure of a mine. These problems are a major threat to the future exploitation of deep resources. Several strainburst/rockburst risk management approaches are available and are currently used by many mines. However, once the mining method and sequence are determined, the hazard state is more or less locked in, leaving implementation of appropriate support as one of the only short-term controls of excavation damage potential. Knowledge of the location of potential bursts is key to appropriate and timely selection.

The Australian Centre for Geomechanics presents numerous events each year for the global mining industry.Our conferences, seminars, short courses and workshops are available to a wide spectrum of the industry workforce and are aimed at developing personnel highly skilled in the understanding and application of geomechanics principles.Through the continuing education and training programs of the Centre, particular emphasis is placed on technology transfer, as well as on bridging the gaps between the disciplines of geotechnical engineering, mining engineering and structural geology.

Visit the ACG's Events Website for more information and to book into future events.

The global mining industry continues to evolve at a rapid rate and mining professionals are asked to explore new ways of enhancing their performance and contributions. The ACG's specialised publications can help industry personnel maintain and develop their skills, knowledge and capabilities. Achieving high safety standards continues to be recognised as one of the basics for mining companies to become successful. It is therefore not surprising to find that the improvement for mine safety is consistently at the top of the priority list of most mining companies. The ACG addresses this industry concern through the provision of current, comprehensive and specific geomechanics related publications. Mining is carried out in an environment that undergoes frequent and varied changes. The factors that affect the safety and productivity of a mine must be considered at a number of different levels prior to and during the extraction process. Workers are required to readily identify and avoid potential hazards. As these skills are likely to arise without prior experience, they must be imparted through state-of-the-art training. Recognising the vital importance of employee training to improve mine safety and production performance, the ACG's training platform is designed to enhance the competency, knowledge and skill base of the mining workforce. For many mining companies, ACG training products have become an integral and essential component of their training programs.

To view the full range of ACG publications and products for purchase, visit our online shop.