Background Mobile phone applications (apps) have been shown to successfully facilitate the self-management of chronic disease. This study aims to evaluate firstly the experiences, barriers and facilitators to app usage among people with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and secondly determine recommendations to improve usage of diabetes apps. Methods Participants were aged ≥ 18 years with a diagnosis of T2DM for ≥ 6 months. Semi-structured phone-interviews were conducted with 16 app and 14 non-app users. Interviews were based on the Technology Acceptance Model, Health Information Technology Acceptance Model (HITAM) and the Mobile Application Rating Scale. Data were analysed using deductive content analysis. Results Most app-users found apps improved their T2DM self-management and health. The recommendation of apps by health professionals, as well as positive interactions with them, improved satisfaction; however, only a minority of patients had practitioners involved in their app use. All non-app users had never had the concept discussed with them by a health professional. Facilitators to app use included the visual representation of trends, intuitive navigation and convenience (for example, discretion and portability). Barriers to app use were participant’s lack of knowledge and awareness of apps as healthcare tools, perceptions of disease severity, technological and health literacy or practical limitations such as rural connectivity. Factors contributing to app use were classified into a framework based on the Health Belief Model and HITAM. Recommendations for future app design centred on educational features, which were currently lacking (e.g. diabetes complications, including organ damage and hypoglycaemic episodes), monitoring and tracking features (e.g. blood glucose level monitoring with trends and dynamic tips and comorbidities) and nutritional features (e.g. carbohydrate counters). Medication reminders were not used by participants. Lastly, participants felt that receiving weekly text-messaging relating to their self-management would be appropriate. Conclusions The incorporation of user-centred features, which engage T2DM consumers in self-management tasks, can improve health outcomes. The findings may guide app developers and entrepreneurs in improving app design and usability. Given self-management is a significant factor in glycaemic control, these findings are significant for GPs, nurse practitioners and allied health professionals who may integrate apps into a holistic management plan which considers strategies outside the clinical environment.

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The Lihir open pit mine in Papua New Guinea is located inside an old volcano where geothermal activity is strongly present. Outbursts of hot water and steam into the mining areas were a major safety concern. Passive seismic monitoring was carried out at the mine to investigate whether the geothermal activities could be detected and located using microseismic techniques in a mining environment. In this trial, sixteen triaxial geophones which can withstand temperature up to 200°C were used and installed in four deep boreholes inside the pit. The microseismic events were discriminated using the STA/LTA triggering criterion. During 6 weeks of monitoring, more than 17,000 events were recorded. Approximately 12% of the events showed harmonic vibration characteristics similar to those observed in other geothermal and volcanic areas, suggesting that the geothermal activity inside the pit was captured by the microseismic monitoring system. More than 75% of the events present both P and S waves and they were interpreted to be associated with rock fracturing due to stress release near the bottom of the pit. Many geothermal-type events were located in areas where shear events occurred, implying that the detected geothermal events were not far from the mining area below the pit and they may also be associated with mining. The borehole installation of the geophones significantly reduced the interference of mining noise and achieved good observation of the seismic events. However, equipment installation requires great attention as the geophones may be destroyed due to unexpected rising temperature within the boreholes.

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Elevated slope movements were observed on the northeast wall of the Ranger 3 pit during excavation of the final pit shell. Both prism and radar monitoring indicated that the movement rate and magnitude were greater in this area when compared to surrounding areas, and periods of acceleration were evident. Several months after the initial onset of movement, tension cracks were observed behind the upper pit crest. At that stage, several benches were yet to be mined at the base of the wall, and concern existed regarding the safety of operations below the moving wall. A calibrated three-dimensional numerical model was selected as the prime risk management strategy for mining the balance of the attainable ore in Pit 3. A detailed structural geological study was initially undertaken to provide reliable inputs for the modelling. The modelling was integrated into the overall risk management process, with the model being constantly updated based on the observed slope behaviour and the rock mass conditions being exposed at the toe of the slope. Ongoing and detailed calibration between the model behaviour and the comprehensive slope monitoring data was performed to provide a reliable understanding of the mechanism of movement, and to assess the likelihood of slope failure. Possible failure scenarios were also examined as a part of the risk management strategy, and strict operating procedures were implemented to minimise the risks associated with mining under an actively moving pit wall. Although the modelling indicated that ongoing slope movements could be expected, slope failure was not predicted, provided that final pit excavation would be completed, as planned, prior to the upcoming wet season. In light of these modelling results, mining continued in Pit 3 based on the original mine plan, and final pit excavation was successfully completed in late 2012. Backfilling of the pit commenced soon after. After initial discovery of the tension cracks, some consideration had been given to incorporating a step-out in the lower part of the wall in an attempt to stabilise the observed movements. The successful risk management process, including detailed numerical modelling, comprehensive slope monitoring and strict operational procedures, allowed the original mine plan to be achieved, and therefore avoided the significant loss of ore associated with the proposed design change. This paper summarises the numerical modelling methodology and results, the monitoring methods and data and the operational procedures that were used to successfully manage final pit completion. The Ranger Uranium Mine is located approximately 230 km east of Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory. The mine commenced operation in 1980 with the development of Pit 1, while Pit 3 commenced in 1997. The mine is operated by Energy Resources of Australia (ERA), which is a subsidiary of Rio Tinto. The mine experiences relatively high precipitation levels, with an annual rainfall of around 1,500 mm. The wet season extends from October to April; however the majority of ...

For open pit mining, understanding and managing slope performance is critical for both operations and closure. Towards the end of mine life, achieving reliability of slope performance in operations often necessitates real-time implementation of active slope stabilisation controls. This situation changes significantly towards closure, when production economics are no longer the priority, and resources for field monitoring control and active slope management diminish. The risk profile also shifts to a greater focus on stakeholder needs, including the environment and social acceptance, as land use changes. Although risk profiles will shift, the safety goal of 'zero harm' needs to continue to be achieved through all phases.Historically, most final pit slopes were not designed for closure. Rather, they tended to be optimised for production efficiency and thus were typically too steep for long-term reliability. The key question then becomes -what happens when the controls that have been put in place for maintaining their stability are decommissioned for closure? With sufficient understanding gained during operations, it may be possible to adequately forecast behaviour and define a Design Acceptance Criteria appropriate for the slope, for post-closure, once operational controls are decommissioned. This paper is hoped will help address this dichotomy and provides suggestions to meet industry objectives. It is also intended to promote discussion on this transition, such that industry and regulator perspectives can be accommodated alongside each other within the forthcoming Large Open Pit (LOP) Guidelines for Mine Closure handbook publication, currently in preparation under the auspices of the LOP initiative.

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