Conference Service Mandl

abstract: Topics will include:

* Exploration and orebody delineation

* Project valuation and funding

* Current and future mine design and layout

* Current and future mining operations

* Mineral processing, smelting, and refining

* New technologies for mining and processing

* Mining Charter and legislation

* Platinum marketing, uses, and applications

* Environment and sustainability

The slogan 'Platinum in Transformation' was selected to describe the changing nature of all aspects of platinum mining, beneficiation, and marketing.

The conference is planned to begin on 5 October 2008, to allow for some introductory social activities (on the Sun City golf course, for example) on the Sunday preceding the three-day conference. Post-conference plant visits will be arranged for those interested on Thurday 9 October.

abstract: The conference has been created to meet and exchange ideas concerned with working in hazardous areas, thus preventing accidents and injuries in the workplace. It will serve to highlight technologies, best practices, and accelerate improvements in standards and regulations to reduce accidents and injuries, and to reduce the economic impact of electrical accidents. You will be sharing your experience and know-how with engineers, technicians and other technical professionals who are all eager to eliminate accidents and injuries.

The conference will present an industry-wide forum to examine and discuss the latest local and international practices and standards in safety control systems. The conference is emphatically not aimed at allowing vendors to “sell” their products but rather on practical applications and solutions.

abstract: The potential of microwave technology, which exploits the differing thermal dielectric properties of minerals to enhance grain boundary fracture, has been understood for more than 20 years, but has not been considered commercially viable until recently because of the large amount of energy required. However recent developments, such as pulsed microwave technology may overcome this. As microwave technology is aimed at improving mineral liberation, its major use will probably be in comminution, and will bring real advantages to the processing of ores, such as diamonds, where the valuable mineral needs to be recovered intact. However there are many aspects of mineral processing and extractive metallurgy where the use of microwaves will have importance, and the areas that have been intensively researched over recent years include:

abstract: Toxic metals can affect human health. Some toxic metal anions, including arsenic, antimony, selenium and tellurium are by-products of the mining and processing of major metal ores, such as those of copper, lead and zinc.

These by-product metals can find their way into soils and ground water. Arsenic, for instance, occurs naturally in many complex mineral rocks, and in this form is relatively harmless, but when exposed to air and water, it becomes soluble and toxic to plants, animals and humans. Both mining and drilling wells for drinking water can expose the arsenic and turn it into two soluble forms, arsenate and arsenite.