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| Getting it Right at the Outset - Sampling 2010 |
News Article | 17 June 2010 |
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The joint AusIMM and CSIRO conference, Sampling 2010 was held in Perth May 11th and 12th.
It proved to be an ideal platform that brought together managers, geologists, engineers, metallurgists, grade controllers, samplers, chemists and consultants involved in all aspects of sampling mineral commodities, including resource estimation, quality control and export.
The conference provided a great opportunity for networking, meeting respected international sampling experts, sharing ideas and catching up on the latest developments.
The success of this conference was, in part, due to sponsorship from those involved in the sampling industry.
Essa was proud to be the Principal Sponsor of Sampling 2010.
Essa is committed to supporting the sampling fraternity through sponsorship of major sampling conferences.
Essa was the diamond sponsor of the 4th World Conference on Sampling and Blending (WCSB4) in Cape Town, South Africa last October.
It was also the principal sponsor of WCSB3 in Porto Alegre, Brazil and the major sponsor AusIMM's Sampling 2008 conference in Perth.
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| Essa Conducts the Official Opening |
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Darryl Stevens, Essa CEO, had the honour to conduct the official opening (photograph, top right of this page).
Following is his speech.
The Sampling 2010 conference once again concentrates on designing and implementing sampling systems and protocols which will achieve the desired result at the outset.
Most sampling systems are implemented with a genuine desire to achieve a sample which can be used in a quality control process.
However, having observed many interesting and inventive sampling systems around the world, it is obvious that sometimes the desire to achieve any sample far outweighs the regard to adherence to basic sampling rules.
As a consequence the sample produced offers little of the information the user expects and the end experience is disappointing.
From the collective experiences of many in the room I’m sure we could host a complete conference discussing the art of getting it wrong.
So, here’s a great opportunity for us to focus on the positive processes and outcomes of sampling correctly.
Getting it right at the outset, the theme of this year’s conference, offers many enlightening papers which will provide users of sampling systems with the types of considerations which should be examined prior to embarking on process design.
This includes not only the protocols which are considered while adhering to the ISO standards but also the equipment which must perform reliably and accurately.
We hope many of you will leave the conference with the added knowledge to how to go about getting it right.
We trust you will find the conference and exhibition stimulating and informative.
Please take advantage of the networking opportunities and sample the depth of experience gathered here. We also hope you enjoy sampling some fine Australian wine and produce at tonight’s dinner
In opening this Sampling 2010 Conference may I extend thanks to the
- The organising committee and the diligent AusIMM support staff
- The sponsors and exhibitors
- The speakers
- And your attendance
Thank you and enjoy the presentations.
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| Sampling "Dream Team" |
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The conference concluded with a discussion forum where the delegates could “consult the experts” on difficult sampling problems.
The collective experience and expertise of the assembled mineral sampling experts on stage for this forum was world-class.
The panel included specialists from South Africa, France, the United Kingdom, USA, Denmark and Australia.
Topics covered during this lively session included:
- How can we better educate key people involved in the exploration, mining, processing and shipping of minerals about theory of sampling principles and practices?
- A vigorous debate about the merits and pitfalls of blast hole sampling and the representativeness of the sample generated.
- Reinforcing the conference theme, Getting It Right at the Outset, was how to get senior mining and exploration management to recognise the value of good sampling practice and to invest in it at the very beginning of new projects.
- This sentiment was echoed for plant engineering executives and the need to accommodate correct and proven sampling equipment in the initial design and costing stages.
- Independent accreditation of sampling equipment.
- The desire to conduct industry field sampler trials to prove up mathematical modelling hypotheses.
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The team assembled for the "Consult the Experts" session.
Back row:
Richard (Dick) Minnitt: JCI Professor of Mineral Resources and Reserves, School of Mining Engineering, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa
Kim Esbensen: Professor, ACABS Research Group, Aalborg University Esbjerg, Denmark
Dr Ralph Holmes (Conference Chair): Theme Leader - Iron Ore, CSIRO Minerals, Australia
Front Row:
Dominique Francois-Bongarcon: FAusIMM, President, AGORATEK International, USA
Simon Dominy: FAusIMM (CP), Executive Consultant and General Manager (UK), Snowden Mining Industry Consultants Limited, England
Francis Pitard: Francis Pitard Sampling Consultants, USA | |
| The Conference Organising Committee |
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Conference Chairman
Dr Ralph Holmes, Theme Leader – Iron Ore, CSIRO Minerals
Organising Committee
- Jim Docherty, SGS
- Simon Dominy, Snowden
- Frank Pachioli, BHP Billiton
- Antonia Riley, CSIRO
- Geoff Robinson, CSIRO
- Darryl Stevens, Essa Australia
- Mike Stewart, Quantitative Group
- Ben Ziegelaar, Bauxite Resources
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