Open-pit mining , also known as open-cast or open-cut mining and in larger contexts mega-mining , is a surface mining technique that extracts rock or minerals from the earth.
50-547: The Kingston Butter Factory is a community arts centre in Kingston , Queensland , Australia. It is located adjacent to the Kingston railway station . The factory underpinned the local dairying industry for six decades. It is currently closed for refurbishment. Original plans for an innovation hub were scrapped. The new plans include an outdoor staged area capable of holding 5,000 people. A co-operative and historical society has temporarily relocated off-site. The original building
100-568: A meeting was held in Beenleigh to form a co-operative butter factory locally. The Southern Queensland Co-operative Dairy Company opened its factory in Kingston in June 1907. A piggery was established nearby in 1926 and pigs were fed on the buttermilk from the factory. The Kingston Butter Factory was enlarged in 1932 and operated successfully until after the war, when the dairying industry was being rationalised by
150-447: A mine that contribute to this load: drilling , blasting, loading, and hauling . Waste rock is hauled to a waste dump. Waste dumps can be piled at the surface of the active pit, or in previously mined pits. Leftover waste from processing the ore is called tailings , and is generally in the form of a slurry . This is pumped to a tailings dam or settling pond, where the water is reused or evaporated. Tailings dams can be toxic due to
200-429: A number of worked-out mines. After mining ends at a location, the mine area may undergo land rehabilitation . Waste dumps are contoured to flatten them out, to further stabilize them. If the ore contains sulfides it is usually covered with a layer of clay to prevent ingress of rain and oxygen from the air, which can oxidize the sulfides to produce sulfuric acid , a phenomenon known as acid mine drainage . This
250-411: A public meeting at Beenleigh Shire Hall saw around 50 dairy farmers gather. A ballot was held and a site near the railway with a good water supply was selected. In 1911, a railway siding for the factory was built. A modern brick building was built atop the old wooden structure in 1932. The weekly output of butter was between 40 and 50 tonnes by 1930. Peak production was reached in 1934. In July 1950,
300-477: A result of room and pillar mining . Untopping removes the overburden from above this, opens up the mine from above, and then allows the previously 'trapped' minerals to be won. Untopping was a feature of Welsh slate workings in the 1930s and 2000s, where Martyn Williams-Ellis, manager at Llechwedd found that earlier Victorian workings could be kept profitable with the newly mechanised techniques for bulk excavation to extract their pillars, and more recently across
350-450: Is a crucial aspect of determining whether or not a geotechnical engineering design for open-pit slopes is attainable. Groundwater control systems, which include dewatering and depressurization wells, may also have a large impact on local groundwater. Because of this, an optimization-based version of the control system is required to ensure that local and regional hydro-geological impacts are within acceptable ranges. Open Pit depressurization
400-573: Is a town and suburb in the City of Logan , Queensland , Australia. In the 2021 census , the suburb of Kingston had a population of 10,506 people. Kingston is a predominantly residential suburb, with a low mix of industrial, commercial and retail areas. The suburb is bounded in the south by Scrubby Creek, a tributary of the Logan River . It is the home of the Kingston Butter Factory . Kingston
450-509: Is determined by the size of the equipment being used, generally 20–40 metres wide. Downward ramps are created to allow mining on a new level to begin. This new level will become progressively wider to form the new pit bottom. Most walls of the pit are generally mined on an angle less than vertical. Waste rock is stripped when the pit becomes deeper, therefore this angle is a safety precaution to prevent and minimize damage and danger from rock falls. However, this depends on how weathered and eroded
500-401: Is the process of removing tensions or pressure from different areas of a mine. Depressurization helps to make open-pit mines more stable and secure. By using an integrated mine slope depressurization program the likelihood that mine plans can be achieved, and at an acceptable level of risk increase drastically. Depressurization allows considerable expansions of a mine, and can extend the life of
550-559: Is then generally covered with soil , and vegetation is planted to help consolidate the material. Eventually this layer will erode, but it is generally hoped that the rate of leaching or acid will be slowed by the cover such that the environment can handle the load of acid and associated heavy metals. There are no long term studies on the success of these covers due to the relatively short time in which large-scale open-pit mining has existed. It may take hundreds to thousands of years for some waste dumps to become "acid neutral" and stop leaching to
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#1732880464975600-613: The 2016 census , the suburb of Kingston had a population of 10,539 people, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people making up 5.9% of the population. 55.4% of people were born in Australia, followed by New Zealand 9.2%, Samoa 2.1%, England 2.1%, Myanmar 1.7%, and Afghanistan 1.4%. 64.0% of people spoke only English at home and other languages spoken at home included Samoan 4.1%, Karen 2.2%, Hindi 1.2%, Hazaraghi 1.1%, and Arabic 1.1%. The most common stated responses for religion were, again, No Religion 25.4% and Catholic 14.3%. The median age
650-634: The Lusatian Lake District , the Central German Lake District or the Upper Palatinate Lake District. A particular concern in the formation of these lakes is acid mine drainage . Open-pit mines create a significant amount of waste. Almost one million tons of ore and waste rock can move from the largest mines per day, and a couple thousand tons moved from small mines per day. There are generally four main operations in
700-574: The Philippines and Indonesia . In 2024, nickel mining and processing was one of the main causes of deforestation in Indonesia . Open-pit cobalt mining has led to deforestation and habitat destruction in the Democratic Republic of Congo . Open-pit mines operating in an area with heavy groundwater features may eventually face hydrology-related problems. This includes heaving and bursting of
750-541: The Wayne Goss government would rehabilitate the site and pay for families to be moved away. Envirotest released a revised report in May 1990. Eventually the state government resumed 46 properties and rehabilitated the area completing 1991, which is known as Kingston Park. The people of Kingston were moved on, Mount Taylor was sealed and landscaped, but no compensation came for residents who reported illnesses and deaths (Some place
800-418: The mineral resource is exhausted, or an increasing ratio of overburden to ore makes further mining uneconomic. After open-pit mines are closed, they are sometimes converted to landfills for disposal of solid waste. Some form of water control is usually required to keep the mine pit from becoming a lake. Several former open-pit mines have been deliberately converted into artificial lakes, forming areas such as
850-675: The Kingston Butter Factory registered as a wholesale milk vendor. The factory was closed in 1983. After funding by Logan City Council in 1998 it was transformed into a community arts centre. It was formerly home to a theatre company. The outdoor stage for entertainment launched in March 2022, with The Butterbox Theatre and Living Museum set to open mid-year 2022. 27°39′29″S 153°07′14″E / 27.65806°S 153.12056°E / -27.65806; 153.12056 Kingston, Queensland Download coordinates as: Kingston
900-543: The Kingston Gold Mining Company began an open cut operation and mining continued until 1954. The area became an unofficial waste dump. It was eventually backfilled and subdivided into a housing estate in the late 1960s. Kingston State Infants School opened on 27 January 1976. It closed on 17 December 1993. Kingston State High School was established in Bega Road on 24 January 1977. It was officially opened by
950-974: The Minister for Education, Val Bird . Its students come mainly from the residential suburbs of Kingston, Marsden , Browns Plains , Loganlea , and Woodridge . On 1 November 1999 it was renamed Kingston College . In 1985, the suburb of Logan Central was created, consisted only of the "Logan City Council Administration Centre and contiguous Council properties", but it was subsequently enlarged with land excised from both Woodridge and Kingston. Kingston Centre for Continuing Secondary Education opened on 4 February 1991. All Saints' Anglican Church at 52 Redford Street ( 27°39′13″S 153°06′33″E / 27.6537°S 153.1091°E / -27.6537; 153.1091 ( 6 July 2020 ) ) closed circa 1995. The Centre Education Programme opened on 1 July 1997. Groves Christian College opened on 1999. It opened its Maryfields primary campus on 21 January 2005. In
1000-402: The areas surrounding open-pit mines. Open-pit gold mining is one of the highest potential mining threats on the environment as it affects the air and water chemistry. The exposed dust may be toxic or radioactive, making it a health concern for the workers and the surrounding communities. Open-pit nickel mining has led to environmental degradation and pollution in developing countries such as
1050-419: The auction shows that the blocks were close to Kingston Railway Station and a selling feature of the estate was the extensive and picturesque views. Kingston State School opened on 8 July 1912. The other major industrial activity of the area was the Kingston gold mine at Mount Taylor. Although gold was discovered in 1885, a geological survey was not undertaken until 1913 and underground mining began. In 1932,
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#17328804649751100-440: The council and demanded action. Kingston residents could not afford a costly civil action so they went to the media and began a self-funded civic action. It took four years of fighting the council and local governments for the residents of Kingston to be vindicated when the Minister for Emergency Services, Terry Mackenroth, ordered a review of all scientific and medical evidence, offered full health tests for residents and announced
1150-453: The council was warning people to avoid the sludge. Surrounding soils and ground-water were also found to be contaminated. The ooze was corrosive to clothes and skin. Removal was met with re-occurrence within months. In May 1987, frustrated with the council inaction, the residents of Kingston formed an organisation called RATS (Residents Against Toxic Substances). Because of increased leukaemia and other diseases in Kingston, they condemned
1200-511: The displaced sludge and re-dumped it into the open-cut pit. In 1982, after the Logan Council took over the area, it discovered high levels of acid in the soil. In September 1986 residents, in the Diamond street area of Kingston, started to notice black sludge beginning to ooze from the ground and seep into their gardens and began to complain of health problems to the Logan Council. By April 1987
1250-587: The engineering required to seal the site and ongoing monitoring, was approximately $ 8 million. Although the Mount Taylor site was capped, sealed and vented in 1991, no toxic waste was removed. Some former residents believe there is still a toxic hazard risk in the future as a result. The Mount Taylor Parklands were opened on 19 October 1991. Kingston has two heritage-listed sites: Kingston Pioneer Cemetery (Bega Road) and Mayes Cottage (36 Mawarra Street). The graves of Charles and Harriett Kingston, after whom
1300-472: The environment. The dumps are usually fenced off to prevent livestock denuding them of vegetation. The open pit is then surrounded with a fence , to prevent access, and it generally eventually fills up with ground water . In arid areas it may not fill due to deep groundwater levels. In Germany, the world's largest producer of lignite (virtually all of which these days is mined open-pit), the former mines are usually converted to artificial lakes . To mitigate
1350-400: The figure at six deaths due to leukemia). The final medical report found no evidence of "a major toxic hazard" in Kingston but recognised the "stress on a number of residents because of the uncertainty". Kingston residents finally could not prove that dumped toxic chemicals caused leukaemia or any other disease. As of 2000, the total cost of this operation, including relocating infrastructure,
1400-565: The government. Peters bought the factory in 1958 and it ceased production in 1983. It now operates as a community arts centre and houses a theatre, arts and crafts stall and museum. The Kingston Butter Factory is on the Logan City Council Local Heritage Register for its historical, social and technological significance. In October 1885, 72 subdivided blocks of land named "Kingston Railway Station Estate" were advertised to be auctioned by John W Todd. A map advertising
1450-429: The hole. The interval of the benches depends on the deposit being mined, the mineral being mined, and the size of the machinery that is being used. Generally, large mine benches are 12 to 15 metres thick. In contrast, many quarries do not use benches, as they are usually shallow. Mining can be conducted on more than one bench at a time, and access to different benches is done with a system of ramps. The width of each bench
1500-454: The mine by 10 to 15 years. One technique used in depressurization is annealing. Annealing is the slow heating and cooling of a metal, alloy or glass. This slow heating and cooling relieves the internal stress of surrounding areas. Annealing will increase a material's workability and durability, which overall increases open-pit mine safety. When groundwater pressures cause problems in open-pit mines, horizontal drains are used to aid in accelerating
1550-450: The mine floor due to excessive uplift pressure. A groundwater control system must be installed to fix problems caused by hydrology. The formation of an appropriate open-pit slope design, changes throughout the life of a mine. It is based mainly on an ever-increasing understanding of the rock mass conditions, including groundwater and associated pressures that may be acting within the slopes. The reduction of groundwater related to pore pressures
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1600-508: The mine site. When the mine closed in 1955, the Albert Shire Council started to allow used recycled oil processing wastes to be dumped into a sludge pit on the site; this practice continued until 1967. From 1968 to 1973 the main open-cut pit was used as a domestic and industrial waste tip. In 1968 the council required the sludge pit to be filled as a condition of the land being divided for a residential subdivision. Workers simply moved
1650-446: The presence of unextracted sulfide minerals , some forms of toxic minerals in the gangue , and often cyanide which is used to treat gold ore via the cyanide leach process . If proper environmental protections are not in place, this toxicity can harm the surrounding environment. Open-pit mining involves the process of disrupting the ground, which leads to the creation of air pollutants. The main source of air pollutants comes from
1700-407: The problem of acid mine drainage mentioned above, flooding is often done with the water of nearby rivers instead of using groundwater alone. In some cases, calcium oxide or other basic chemicals have to be added to the water to neutralize the pH -value. Gold is generally extracted in open-pit mines at 1 to 5 ppm (parts per million) but in certain cases, 0.75 ppm gold is economical. This
1750-404: The rocks are, and the type of rocks involved. It also depends on the amount of structural weaknesses occur within the rocks, such as a faults , shears , joints or foliations . The walls are stepped. The inclined section of the wall is known as the batter, and the flat part of the step is known as the bench or berm. The steps in the walls help prevent rock falls continuing down the entire face of
1800-411: The school had an enrolment of 1,391 students with 103 teachers (89 full-time equivalent) and 63 non-teaching staff (56 full-time equivalent). Kingston State College is a government secondary (7-12) school for boys and girls at 62-84 Bega Road ( 27°39′51″S 153°06′44″E / 27.6641°S 153.1121°E / -27.6641; 153.1121 ( Kingston State College ) ). In 2017,
1850-452: The school had an enrolment of 118 students with 15 teachers (10 full-time equivalent) and 14 non-teaching staff (9 full-time equivalent). YMCA Vocational School is a private secondary (7-10) facility of YMCA Vocational School at 41-45 Mary Street for boys and girls at 53 Mary Street ( 27°39′26″S 153°07′21″E / 27.6571°S 153.1225°E / -27.6571; 153.1225 ( YMCA Vocational School ) ). In 2017,
1900-543: The school had an enrolment of 327 students with 21 teachers (19 full-time equivalent) and 35 non-teaching staff. Kingston Centre for Continuing Secondary Education is a secondary (9-12) Centre for Continuing Secondary Education at 62-84 Bega Road ( 27°39′51″S 153°06′44″E / 27.6641°S 153.1121°E / -27.6641; 153.1121 ( Kingston Centre for Continuing Secondary Education ) ). Open cut Open-pit mines are used when deposits of commercially useful ore or rocks are found near
1950-764: The school had an enrolment of 524 students with 43 teachers (39 full-time equivalent) and 33 non-teaching staff (20 full-time equivalent). It includes a special education program. Groves Christian College is a private primary and secondary (Prep-12) school for boys and girls at 70 Laughlin Street ( 27°39′39″S 153°06′36″E / 27.6609°S 153.1099°E / -27.6609; 153.1099 ( Groves Christian College ) ). It has its Maryfield primary (4-6) campus at Velorum Drive ( 27°39′37″S 153°05′56″E / 27.6604°S 153.0988°E / -27.6604; 153.0988 ( Groves Christian College (Maryfield primary campus) ) ). In 2017,
2000-466: The school had an enrolment of 876 students with 94 teachers (82 full-time equivalent) and 45 non-teaching staff (34 full-time equivalent). It includes a special education program. The Centre Education Programme is a Catholic secondary (7-12) school for boys and girls at 108 Mudgee Street ( 27°40′04″S 153°06′37″E / 27.6679°S 153.1103°E / -27.6679; 153.1103 ( The Centre Education Programme ) ). In 2017,
2050-412: The slope depressurization process. Which helps to prevent large scale slope failure in the mine. Horizontal drains are used to lower pore pressure by reducing groundwater head, which enhances slope stability. A form of open-cast quarrying may be carried out as 'untopping'. This is done where a previous underground mine is becoming uneconomic or worked-out, but still leaves valuable rock in place, often as
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2100-621: The suburb is named, are found in the cemetery, while Mayes Cottage is one of the earliest surviving houses in the town. Kingston railway station provides access to regular Queensland Rail City network services to Brisbane and Beenleigh . The Logan Motorway passes through the south of Kingston but has no entrance or exit points to the suburb. Kingston State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls at 50 Juers Street ( 27°39′34″S 153°06′41″E / 27.6594°S 153.1115°E / -27.6594; 153.1115 ( Kingston State School ) ). In 2022,
2150-558: The surface where the overburden is relatively thin. In contrast, deeper mineral deposits can be reached using underground mining. Open-pit mining is considered one of the most dangerous sectors in the industrial world . It causes significant effects to miners' health, as well as damage to the ecological land and water. Open-pit mining causes changes to vegetation, soil, and bedrock, which ultimately contributes to changes in surface hydrology, groundwater levels, and flow paths. Additionally, open-pit produces harmful pollutants depending on
2200-416: The transportation of minerals, but there are various other factors including drilling, blasting and the loading and unloading of overburden. These type of pollutants cause significant damage to public health and safety in addition to damaging the air quality. The inhalation of these pollutants can cause issues to the lungs and ultimately increase mortality. Furthermore, the pollutants affect flora and fauna in
2250-517: The type of mineral being mined, and the type of mining process being used. Miners typically drill a series of test holes to locate an underground ore body. From the extracted samples, they can determine the extent of the ore. This helps them determine the likely location of the veins or benches of ore and its commercial value. Open-pit mines that produce building materials and dimension stone are commonly referred to as quarries . Open-cast mines are dug on benches , which describe vertical levels of
2300-466: The wall. In some instances additional ground support is required and rock bolts , cable bolts and shotcrete are used. De-watering bores may be used to relieve water pressure by drilling horizontally into the wall, which is often enough to cause failures in the wall by itself. A haul road is usually situated at the side of the pit, forming a ramp up which trucks can drive, carrying ore and waste rock. Open-pit mines are typically worked until either
2350-430: Was 31 years, 7 years below the national median of 38. In the 2021 census , the suburb of Kingston had a population of 10,506 people. The Mount Taylor Gold mine was located on the corner of Queens Road and Kingston Road. It operated from 1898 to 1955. The Kingston toxic waste story began in 1931 when cyanide and other toxins such as acid waste used in the Mount Taylor gold refining process were disposed of around
2400-515: Was achieved by bulk heap leaching at the Peak Hill mine in western New South Wales , near Dubbo , Australia . Nickel , generally as laterite, is extracted via open-pit down to 0.2%. Copper can be extracted at grades as low as 0.11% to 0.2%. Open-pit mining is a common method to extract minerals and samples from the Earth. Due to being cost-effective, this method is very popular and is used all over
2450-573: Was also the site of an environmental disaster similar to Love Canal in Niagara Falls in the United States. The township was named Kingston in 1890 Charles and Harriet Kingston, who were residents of the district in the late nineteenth century. Like a number of other Logan City suburbs Kingston was once part of the Shire of Tingalpa . Dairying grew in importance in the area from the 1890s and in 1906
2500-485: Was first constructed in 1907. Construction was undertaken by Waugh and Josephson. The factory also made milk, cottage cheese, and baker's cheese. Until the late 1950s, the factory was operated as a co-operative . The factory was patronized by the Australian businessmen and politician William Stephens . Original plans for a manufacturing plant in the area emerged in 1900. The goal was to export products to Europe. In 1906,
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