Field Trip Hazards and Controls, Pilbara Iron Core Deposits, IROC Centre Operations and Iron Ore Production Methods

This article discusses the hazards and controls during field trips, formation of Pilbara iron core deposits, IROC centre operations and iron ore production methods. It also provides insights into the purpose of IROC centre and new hazards associated with mining systems.

SOLUTIONS TO THE QUESTION – PERTH BHP CENTRE
1. (a) DESCRIPTION OF DANGEROUS ACTIVITIES THAT MAY BE UNDERTAKEN DURING
FIELD TRIP
-Boarding vehicles: There is never a guarantee that one will reach safely in his/her
destination. However, there are often greater chances of arriving safe. Therefore, this is
considered dangerous activity as there are slim chances of being involved in an accident.
-Climbing heights- This is also a risky activity that we are likely to engage in as we
attempt to discover the machineries that are often placed slightly above the ground.
There are risks of missing steps. Besides, we are likely to be exposed to moving objects
such as loaded conveyors.
- Walking on the shop floor (aimlessly) – There are normally earth movers working at
the site 24 hours per day (of course with work shifts). Now, there is a risk of being hit
with a moving vehicle if safety is not observed by the visitor.
-Floor skidding as one walks
Some surfaces may be oily due to the nature of work at the specific stations. For
example, it is common to find spilt oil at the boiler section; therefore, should one not be
keen while walking around, chances of skidding are very high.
-Tripping on the rugged terrain as one maneuvers them
In some sections of the mine, we are likely to navigate rugged terrain (ugly landscape as
a result of the mining activity). Although some are normally protected zones (especially
large manholes), however, expectedly, one if not careful, may trip and fall into the small
ditches and ground patches.
-Milling around flying objects
Normally, it is required that only those who have safety training should access the
workshop. However, due to human miscalculations, one may be hit with a flying object
such as a metal piece as production shop floor is often a buzy place and objects flying
may be one of the common occurrences.
(b) HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHOSEN ACTIVITY

FIRE- This can be due to electric faults, flammable materials and substances such as fuel
at the site.
CHEMICAL INHALATION- Visit at the field may expose us to inhalation of dangerous
chemicals in confined spaces especially with poor ventilation.
SHARP OBJECTS- carelessly stored objects with sharp insertion and edges may be
hazardous to the workers and visitors should one skid on the floor where these objects
are placed.
NOISE
It is expected that noise will be in plenty at the site. Noise is a major cause of
occupational conditions such as hearing problems and breakdown in communication
which may lead to other forms of hazards springing into action such as fire.
VIBRATION
Like noise, prolonged exposure to vibrations may be very harmful to our bodies as they
cause Musculo-skeletal diseases and nerve damages. Vibration at the site is expected
and this will come from moving vehicles, rotating machine components and drilling
actions among others.
EXTREME TEMPERATURES
There are sections whose ambient temperature may be greatly uncomfortable for
visitors. Our bodies cannot sustain certain temperatures ranges. Exposure to extreme
temperatures can be a great risk.
ELECTRIC SHOCK
Mainly naked wires are the major causes of electric shock. Although we are likely not to
handle the wires and cables, however, it is one of the identifiable hazards as exposure to
it can cause great damage to our bodies.

DIMLY LIT ROOMS
Dimly lit rooms especially in underground tunnels where iron ore deposits are often
accessed may lack sufficient natural lighting and as a result cause visibility problems and
hamper work-related activities.
DUST
Iron ore mining produces a lot of dust that is harmful to the humans as it is among the
major causes of occupational diseases such as lung cancer among the mine workers.
1(c) Controls associated with the above-mentioned activities;
S/NO ACTIVITY (Dangerous) Controls Rating
1 Boarding vehicles Safe driving 2
2 Climbing heights Use of guides and guiding sticks 1
3 Shop floor walking Safety boots 1
4 Floor skidding Safety boots 1
5 Rugged terrain skidding Guides 2
6 Milling around flying objects Helmet, eliminate hazard 1,5
7
QN 2) Summary of the geology that describes formation of the Pilbara iron core
deposits
When they formed
-It dates back to ancient times when there was a vast deposit of dated Zircon mineral
grains at Jack Hills. Besides, some mineral deposits would be found along the Narryer
Terrane as a result of sedimentation process. This is the current Swan Coastal Plain. It is
estimated that these iron ores could be as old as 4.4 billion years (Geology for Investors,
2018).
Formation of banded iron deposits

-Formation of the banded iron can be explained as that which originated from the
archaic cratonic nuclei that progressively grew into larger cratons and ultimately into
supercontinents. This occurred about 130million years ago. In this era, that major
minerals were formed in Western Australia; hence apart from the iron ore, there are
other mineral deposits encountered in the region such as gold, nickel, heavy mineral
sands, diamonds and bauxite. It is estimated that the mineral deposits at Pilbara mines
could be 2.5billion years old. Besides, in some literature quarters, it is postulated that
these mineral ores could have come as a result of volcanic eruption which caused them
to be nearer the earth surface. Due to weathering and other geological processes,
various chemical deposits were banded with magnetite, cementite and haematite to
form the rich iron ores (Mining Technology, 2018).
Role of microbes in the formation of those deposits
Microbes are organisms that facilitate both chemical and biological changes in the earth
substances to turn into valuable minerals. It is believed that these microorganism
normally take in iron same way humans take in oxygen and after oxidation, they respire
the iron oxides which are then either dissolved or suspended in the nearby water body
(which could be either an ocean or a river). Once they find their way into water bodies,
and as weather changes continue, and due to accumulation in the water body, they
tend to be precipitated on the now dry river beds and as a result form the impervious
iron ore.
QN 3) (a) Purpose of the IROC centre in Perth
The major purpose of IROC centre is to provide centralized state-of-the-art real-time
control of the mining operations in the BHP company; it is built with modern
infrastructure integration and therefore, it provides meticulous working environment
such that key performance indicators are projected on several large screens. Hence it
provides an opportunity for near-100% mining system and facility availability for

continuous monitoring and coordination hence maximizing installed system capacity
and reduced variability.
(b) Operations at the IROC centre control
The specific operations at the centre include:
-Real-time performance monitoring. Performance of the field activities are closely
followed to ascertain compliance with the SOPS (Standard Operating Procedures)
-Process performance variation. In this case, it is expected that there will be process
variations. These are checked and identified in a continuous basis.
-Compliance assessment fortified with operational benchmarks. Based upon the
observations, the centre determines whether all the standard requirements have been
met or not. Workplace safety is one of the parameters that the centre examines as work
ensues in the field.
-Performing continuous improvement in iron-core-mining especially in reduction of
carbon footprints. Because of the highlighted issues, recommended improvements are
to be pursued within the confines of the standard requirements.
-Performing remote sensing of field activities and reporting. Video and sound capturing
is done and this is projected on large screens. Normally, sensing is done to keep track of
the activities and alert the authorities of impending danger.
-Data capturing and relay to build on the existential communication infrastructure such
as CCTVs and radio system. Data is normally captured and used for analysis and
reporting.

-Management of mine fleet. Fleet management system is normally embedded in the
entire infrastructure such that efficient fleet control is attained. In large and complex
mines, it is expected that there will be several activities that may be challenging to
control. However, with an appropriate system in place, IROC has realized tremendous
gains in terms of cost and ease of doing work. In fact, this has contributed positively to
mines work place safety.
(c) Why BHP decided to build an IROC centre in Perth
BHP is in the process of revolutionizing its key operations in the mining sector towards
boosting worker safety and profitability. In that regard, they built IROC centre to
increase its real-time visibility across Pilbara hence helping grow further the volumes of
production of Iron ore while being extra mindful of the overall safety concerns
associated with the activity. They are modernizing the existing remote control
infrastructure through capacity expansion and growth. Hence centralized location of
Perth provides an edge in real-time control of the mining operations remotely across the
covered area of Pilbara Mines.
(d) Summary of the major mining and processing methods used for iron ore
production
-The major miming method is open cast. The ores are in abundance near the surface
hence the method is the most suitable. However, in some cases, deep pit mining
method has been employed. However, choice would depend on the geological make-up
of the area under mining. Once the ores are extracted from deep underground, they are
transported to the processing centers via a rail track system. They are poured and
ground to small particles in a primary crusher. Next stage is screening, where they are
graded based on the grain size. High grade haematite has a grain size of about 30mm
and magntietite grain size is about 6mm (Sutherland, 2014). They are then separated via
gravity. The iron core can now be transported to the steel manufacturers for further
treatment via a heavy loaded railway system.

(e) What new hazards and workplace issues associated with this mining system
The deep underground method would normally be accompanied by collapse of weak
rock structures and flooding which exposes workers to secondary hazards such as falling
objects and sinking man-holes. However, the system is normally fortified with metal
shafts such that they resist the probability of shaft wall collapse; although this is quite
expensive for a small mine.
REFERENCE
Geology for Investors. (2018). Iron Deposits – Banded Iron Formations (BIF) | Geology for
Investors. [online] Available at: https://www.geologyforinvestors.com/banded-iron-formations-
bif/ [Accessed 31 May 2018].
Mining Technology. (2018). Channar Iron Ore Mine, Pilbara - Mining Technology. [online]
Available at: https://www.mining-technology.com/projects/channar-iron-mine-pilbara/
[Accessed 31 May 2018].
Sutherland, K. (2014). Mining: Filtration prospects for the iron ore mining industry. Filtration +
Separation, 51(6), pp.29-32.