Mineral Sand Ore Mining and MonitorPro
Figure 1: Concord heavy mineral sands mine, Virginia. Source: USGS Website (2016).
What are Mineral Sand Ores?
Mineral sand ores contain titanium-bearing minerals of ilmenite, rutile, and leucoxene, as well as the mineral zircon. They also contain trace quantities of the radioactive elements of uranium and thorium.
How are Mineral Sand Ores Formed?
These minerals originate in sediments contained within igneous and metamorphic rocks which are eroded by numerous natural processes including waves, rivers, and wind.
These sediments are then transported, deposited, and reworked by the same processes which eroded them, which in turn results in them being sorted by factors, including density and size. This in turn concentrates the heavier mineral grains and forms mineral sand deposits (Source: USGS).
Why are Mineral Sand Ores Important?
Rutile, leucoxene, and ilmenite are mainly used in the building and construction industries. The titanium dioxide (TiO2) contained in these sands is a compound used primarily to produce white pigments, widely used in paints, plastics, papers, and inks. Products with a higher TiO2 content are used in the manufacture of titanium metal, as well as in the welding flux industry.
Due to the increase in demand for these products the market is likely to continue to see an increase over the next decade.
Mineral Sand Ores Distribution
Mineral sand ore deposits are distributed globally, with some of the largest reserves found in Australia and China.
Figure 2: Geological setting and resources of the major rare-earth-element deposits in Australia. October 2014, Ore Geology Reviews, 62:72-128
Mineral Sand Ore Mining and Environmental Regulations
Due to the impact of mineral sand ore mining on the local environment and ecosystems, many rules and regulations have been implemented to ensure that the resulting effect of this mining is significantly reduced. These rules and regulations mean that large and varied amounts of environmental data need to be monitored, recorded, and managed to ensure that mining industries adhere to the local legal requirements.
Using MonitorPro for large environmental dataset management:
Managing these large datasets requires more than just a spreadsheet system, to ensure data is held together in one centralised location that can be accessed by a number of different users in multiple locations. Many auditors also prefer to work with a commercially accepted software certified by a regulator which cannot be attained using spreadsheets.
For more information on why MonitorPro is better than using spreadsheets check out this news article on the 10 reasons not to use spreadsheets for environmental data management.
MonitorPro is Perfectly Suited for the Management of Mineral Sand Ore Environmental Data
For over 10 years we have had users in the mineral sand ore mining sector, with numbers steadily increasing over that time. Clients in this sector range from operations in the US, Africa, and Australia, all seeking to better manage their environmental obligations, monitoring, and compliance.
MonitorPro has a suite of features built around our client’s processes in a range of industries. With flexibility at the core of everything we develop, it has been a seamless fit to support the demands of our mineral sand ore clients.
How MonitorPro helps environmental data management in the mineral sand ores industry:
While clients use MonitorPro for more standard environmental monitoring purposes, such as groundwater, surface water, and air quality, several specific types of monitoring are more prevalent in mineral sand mining. One aspect is the clearing of land and its subsequent restoration.
Clients therefore use MonitorPro to track land restoration, seed collection, flora surveys, and fauna movements. Another key characteristic of mineral sand ore mining is the radiological implication the ore presents. Users therefore use MonitorPro for radiological surveys of various types, to enable the tracking of the levels of radiation and any possible contamination.
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About MonitorPro
The complete, professional environmental data monitoring solution, MonitorPro is the IT solution trusted by environmental teams worldwide to manage their environmental compliance and data collection. MonitorPro is a web-based or locally hosted solution for the collation of ALL sources of environmental data, where it is generated by loggers, laboratories, weather stations, calculations, or other data repositories. MonitorPro is the first EHS Software solution to receive an MCERTS accreditation from the Environmental Agency.
About EHS Data
EHS Data is a world leading UK based software company providing Environmental Data Management Solutions to over 1,000 sites in 40 countries worldwide. For over 20 years, our versatile software solution, MonitorPro, has helped organisations save time, improve planning, quality control, site analysis and reporting to manage environmental obligations and sustainability.
ISO 27001
EHS Data is ISO 27001 certified.
A Carbon Negative Business
In 2020, EHS Data attained Carbon negative status and is committed to maintaining this status each year.
