Year 11 2B - Sustainable Resource Use - Bauxite Mining

1. Students are to study and apply content to at least:
One non-renewable resource activity from a mining context within
any region in Australia – a mineral or fossil fuel

2. BBaauuxxiittee MMiinniinngg iinn tthhee
WWoorrlldd
• Bauxite is found in 43 countries in the world including
Brazil, France, Ghana, Jamaica, Vietnam, West Africa and
Australia (among others)
• Bauxite is most commonly found along the central tropical
(equitorial) belt, where conditions are hot and wet
• This is because bauxite is formed by rainfall and leaching,
which produces lateritic soils (bauxite is found in laterites)
• ALCOA
• Worsley

3. BBaauuxxiittee MMiinniinngg iinn
WWeesstteerrnn AAuussttrraalliiaa
ALCOA (Aluminium Company of America)
•Alcoa operates three bauxite mine sites within the South-west
corner of Western Australia
• Huntly
• Willowdale
• Jarrahdale (closed in 1998)
•Alcoa Refineries are located at Pinjarra, Wagerup and
Kwinana
•Worsley also operates bauxite mines within the area e.g. Mt
Saddleback

4. BBaauuxxiittee MMiinniinngg
Bauxite is found within the caprock layer of the soil profile,
30cm to 2m below the surface of the Jarrah forest.
Bauxite is mined through the following series of processes:
- Exploration Drilling
- Mine Planning
- Clearing
- Top Soil and Overburden Removal
- Secondary Overburden Removal (SOBR)
- Backfilling and Drilling
- Breaking Caprock
- Mining, Crushing and Conveying
*We will spend more time looking at the mining process, including
INPUTS, THROUGHPUTS and OUTPUTS over the coming weeks*

5. WWhheerree iinn tthhee ggrroouunndd
ddooeess bbaauuxxiittee ooccccuurr??
In Western Australia bauxite occurs at a depth of
approximately 50cm (this depth varies across the
scarp) consisting of the caprock* layer and friable**
bauxite layer (loose gritty layer beneath the hard
caprock) to an average depth of 4-8m.
Above the caprock is the soil layer which
consists of overburden and topsoil.
*a layer of hard impervious rock overlying and often sealing a
mineral deposit e.g. coal, bauxite, oil, gas etc
**easily crumbled

6. CCaapprroocckk LLaayyeerr

7. LLooccaattiioonn aanndd SSppaattiiaall
DDiissttrriibbuuttiioonn
• Describe and map the location (site and situation) of
both resource activities

8. LLooccaattiioonn aanndd SSppaattiiaall
DDiissttrriibbuuttiioonn
• Describe and map the location (site and situation) of
both resource activities
• SITE: the actual location of a settlement or activity on earth.
Composed of physical characteristics of the landscape specific to
the area e.g. landforms, climate, vegetation, water, soil and even
wildlife.
• SITUATION: the location of a place relative to its surroundings
and other features and places. Factors include accessbility to the
location (e.g. transport links), location relative to other towns and
cities, or features (e.g. 25km South-east of Perth)

9. SSIITTEE::
BBaauuxxiittee mmiinniinngg iinn WWAA
• South-west corner of Western Australia (SW of WA) is
rich in bauxite deposits
• Small areas of bauxite occur on the undulating mid-slopes
of the Darling Range
• Huntly, Willowdale and Mt Saddleback bauxite mines
are found within this region
• ALCOA and Worsley lease large sections of the
Darling Range for bauxite mining
• Refineries are found on the flat Swan Coastal Plain

10. SSIITTUUAATTIIOONN::
BBaauuxxiittee mmiinniinngg iinn WWAA
• Bauxite mining occurs within the Boddington-Pinjarra region of
the SW WA
• The ALCOA mining lease situated to the east of South West Hwy
and South Western Railway between Mundaring in the north and
Collie in the south
• Huntly mine is situated approximately 80km south-east of Perth,
and north of Dwellingup
• Willowdale mine is located east of Wagerup, where refinery
operations for bauxite extracted from the Willowdale bauxite
mine occurs.

12. LLooccaattiioonn aanndd SSppaattiiaall
DDiissttrriibbuuttiioonn
• Explain the physical and cultural factors affecting their
location
PHYSICAL FACTORS:
• This refers to the actual physical features that account for the
existence of bauxite and the physical features that make bauxite
mining a viable resource activity in the area.
• Factors include: Climate, soils, topography and landforms, water
availability

13. CClliimmaattee
• Bauxite is formed under warm, moist climatic
conditions in regions that have pronounced wet and
dry seasons
• Darling range bauxite deposits were built up during
past geological ages when the climate was tropical
and considerably wetter than it is today
• Today, climate of the SW WA, where large deposits of
bauxite is found, is Mediterranean with hot, dry
summers and cool, wet winters, receiving ~700-
1000ml of rainfall per year.

14. SSooiill
• Bauxite deposits are found in the largely infertile lateritic soils of
the south-west WA region
• High rainfall leached the highly soluble minerals out of the soil
• Less soluble minerals remained in the soul profile where they
accumulated as pebble-like gravels
• Upper layers cemented together to form a caprock layer (often
referred to as the laterite)
• Beneath this caprock is a layer of loose, friable bauxite gravels

15. SSooiill
• You need to be able to draw and label a diagram of the soil
profile where bauxite is found.

16. TTooppooggrraapphhyy
• Bauxite deposits are found in the gently undulating mid-slopes of
the Darling Escarpment on the western edge of the Darling
Range
• The Darling Escarpment rises from the Swan Coastal Plain to a
height of ~300m
• Refineries are located on flat stable lands, e.g. Pinjarra on the
Coastal plain at the base of the Darling Escarpment.
• Bauxite extracted from Huntly mine on the Darling Escarpment is
transported downslope on a conveyor belt to Pinjarra refinery on
flatter, more stable lands

17. TTooppooggrraapphhyy
Swan Coastal Plain Darling Range

18. LLooccaattiioonn aanndd SSppaattiiaall
DDiissttrriibbuuttiioonn
• Explain the physical and cultural factors affecting their
location
CULTURAL FACTORS:
• This refers to the cultural features including transport and
settlement that have made bauxite a viable resource to mine
• Factors include: location to towns and cities, transport links
including roads and railways

19. CCuullttuurraall FFaaccttoorrss
• Bauxite mining occurs in the south-west region of Western Australia, amongst a
number of settlements including, Dwellingup, Boddington and Wagerup
o This provides good access to employment and labour, making the resource
activity viable in the area
• Mines are located close to refineries which are located near well-developed
settlements and therefore have easy access to well-developed infrastructure E.g.
Pinjarra Refinery, Kwinana Refinery etc
• Bauxite mining occurs relatively close to the coast, which allows east
access to ports including Kwinana, Fremantle and Bunbury for easy
export and import of mineral and material
• Mines are easily accessible via well-developed transport links.
o For example the ALCOA mining land lease is located near or along pre-established
road and railways such as South Western HWY and South Western
Railway.
TIP: you need to be able to draw and label these on a sketch map!

20. CCuullttuurraall FFaaccttoorrss
• Settlements provide access to local employment e.g. Perth,
Pinjarra, Dwellingup and other SW towns
• Transport links e.g. South Western Hwy and Railway
• Close to ports e.g. Bunbury, Kwinana, Fremantle
• Well-developed infrastructure provides relatively cheap access
to water, power and gas e.g.

21. CCuullttuurraall FFaaccttoorrss

22. SSppaattiiaall AAssssoocciiaattiioonn
• Describe the associated natural environment i.e. soils,
vegetation, climate, wildlife
DESCRIBE the associated natural environment – no need
to account for the natural environment or discuss the
interrelationships.
- Use facts and figures
- Refer to any available diagrams or graphs
- Use SPECIFIC examples

23. CClliimmaattee
• Mediterranean Climate in the west to Semi-Arid in the
east
• Hot, Dry Summers
• Mild, Wet Winters
• 600-1100mm Rainfall to the west (Seasonal)
• 400-600mm Rainfall in the east
• Average temperature of ~(26) in summer and ~(15) in
winter

24. VVeeggeettaattiioonn
• Bauxite deposits are found within the dry sclerophylous or Jarrah
forest which is the predominate vegetation type in the SW region
of WA
• Dry sclerophyl plants have adapted to the Mediterranean climatic
conditions and the infertile soils of the region (xerophytic
adaptations e.g. lignotubers, taproot systems, sclerophyllous
leaves)
• The ALCOA and Worsely bauxite mining lease also extends into
the Wandoo woodland (york gum, salmon gum trees) on the
eastern edge of the Darling Range

25. TTooppooggrraapphhyy aanndd
DDrraaiinnaaggee
• Bauxite mining is located in the South-west corner of Western
Australia in the undulating slopes of the Darling Ranges
• The Darling Range is at the western edge of the Great Western
Plateau
• The topography of this area consists of steeply sided river valleys
separated by long round summits
• Many small streams dissect the land and flow through the region
in westerly direction down the darling escarpment

26. SSooiillss
• Laterite soils: red, gravelly, infertile
• 2 billion years of weathering and leaching of nutrients = infertile soil
(little Nitrogen/phosphorus)
• Jarrah Forests on gravelly soils with hard caprock (duracrust) of laterite
rocks. This weathers into loamy or sandy gravel soils with clay base.
• Bauxite is found in the lateritic caprock and in the loose, friable layer
underlying the caprock
• Swan coast plain where refineries and ports are located are situated on
loose, sandy soils of the Swan Coastal Plain

27. SSooiillss//TTooppooggrraapphhyy

28. WWiillddlliiffee
• Animal Species are well adapted to low rainfall and long summer
drought
• Have low water requirements (reptiles and marsupials)
• Extract water from food
• Feed at dawn and dusk avoid heat (e.g. Kangaroos)
• Many nocturnal (e.g. Possums)
• Habitat – many nest in local vegetation. (Numbats, hollow logs,
Sclerophyllous forest
• Food – obtain indirectly or directly from vegetation (Possums eat
gum leaves, Numbats eat termites which live off dead wood in
Sclerophyllous forest)
• Protection – Camouflage, dull grey – green & browns of SW veg
results in animals with dull grey/brown fur.

29. WWiillddlliiffee
Numbat – Small marsupial lives in Sclerophyll
forest and woodland. Food from termites from
under logs, nests in hollow logs and burrows
underground to avoid heat.
Western Grey Kangaroo – Widespread, low
water requirement, fur helps lose heat and
colour good camouflage, feeds at dawn and
dusk.

30. SSppaattiiaall AAssssoocciiaattiioonn
• Describe the cultural environment associated with the
resource activity e.g. bauxite and it’s associated refinery
and transport network
• The cultural landscape of bauxite mining is shaped by
the mining process itself.
• The cultural landscape exists as a result of the
processes that take and the buildings and features that
are necessary for this resource activity.

31. SAMPLE EXTENDED RESPONSE
QUESTION
Account for the location of a non-renewable resource
activity that you have studied (10 marks)
•A good answer will explain how physical and cultural
features have affected the location of the non-renewable
resource activity

35. Note the vehicles of this actively working pod

50. CCuullttuurraall LLaannddssccaappee
• Open cut mine site
o Patchwork – not all forest is mined.
o Excavators and blasters used to remove topsoil, overburden and caprock
removed.
o Front end loaders and haul trucks work on site to remove and carry bauxite to
the crusher
• Road Network
o Network of wide dirt roads connecting mine site, crusher and admin
buldings/depot
o Water traps prevent runoff into forest (prevent spread of Jarrah dieback)
• Crusher
o Huge 500+ ton machine, three stories high
o Simply a crushing plant reducing bauxite gravels to a finer consistency

51. CCuullttuurraall LLaannddssccaappee
• Conveyor Belts
o Many km’s long (~22km)
o Transports bauxite from the mines (crusher) to the refinery
o Elevated to allow passage of animals underneath
o Covered by a metal roof (protection)
• Rehabilitation Sites
o Patchwork of rehab sites throughout the Jarrah forest
o Noticeably different to natural forest
o Parts of the forest were mined and sites rehabilitated at different times
• Refineries
o Converting bauxite to alumina is an industrial procress which requires a
large, flat site
o Dominated by industrial buildings and structures e.g. electrical plant, tanks
and pipes.
o Many railways onsite that connect port to refineries

52. CCuullttuurraall LLaannddssccaappee
• Port
o Bunbury, Kwinana, Wagerup
o Consist of land backed wharf, numerous large covered storage facilities to
store alumina and special landing facilities
• Town sites
o Kwinana, Pinjarra, Wagerup, Dwellingup & Bunbury townsite
o Suburban/residential buildings
o Homesteads
o Various urban services (library, shops, schools, petrol stations etc)
• Agriculture
o Sheep, grazing and cattle
o Buffer zones with trees surround Pinjarra & Wagerup refineries

53. SAMPLE EXTENDED RESPONSE
QUESTION
Previous years in-class assessment:
DESCRIBE and ACCOUNT for the cultural landscape
which has resulted from bauxite mining in the south-west
study area(10 marks)

54. SSppaattiiaall IInntteerraaccttiioonn
• Using a systems model, describe the development and
use of both resources – inputs (physical and cultural),
throughputs and outputs.
SYSTEMS MODEL:

55. IINNPPUUTTSS
• Anything that is PUT IN to the a system or process to achieve a
desired output or outcome. Resources such as people, raw
materials, energy, information, finance etc…
• Physical (natural) inputs
• Cultural (manmade) inputs
• Lets look to the mining process:

56. PPhhyyssiiccaall IInnppuuttss
• There are a number of physical or natural inputs that affect the
systems model of this non-renewable activity. These inputs affect
the location of bauxite mining and need to be considered or
altered to allow for this activity to take place.
• Climate (Rainfall and Temperature)
• Soils
• Flora (Vegetation)
• Fauna (Wildlife)
• Topography and Drainage

57. PPhhyyssiiccaall IInnppuuttss:: CCLLIIMMAATTEE
((RRAAIINNFFAALLLL AANNDD TTEEMMPPEERRAATTUURREE))
• Mediterranean
• Hot, dry summer and mild, wet winters
• 600-1100mm Rainfall
• Average temperature 26 degrees in summer and 15
degrees in winter
• Bauxite formed in more tropical conditions when it was
much hotter and much wetter

58. PPhhyyssiiccaall IInnppuuttss:: SSOOIILL
• Red, gravelly laterites
• Bauxite occurs in lateritic soils
• Formed in tropical conditions due to leaching

59. PPhhyyssiiccaall IInnppuuttss:: FFLLOORRAA
((VVEEGGEETTAATTIIOONN))
• Jarrah forest
• Wandoo woodlands to the eastern section of the
ALCOA and Worsley land lease
• Vegetation is cleared to allow for bauxite mining
activities to take place

60. PPhhyyssiiccaall IInnppuuttss::
TTOOPPOOGGRRAAPPHHYY &&
DDRRAAIINNAAGGEE
• Bauxite mining activity is found in the gently
undulating slopes of the darling ranges
• Bauxite pods are cut into the slopes (often mid slopes)
• Drainage is affected as landscape is totally altered –
hydrology is taken into consideration when rehabing
the pit. Runoff from gravel roads is diverted.

61. CCuullttuurraall IInnppuuttss
• CAPITAL
• LABOUR
• ENTERPRISE
• TECHNOLOGY

62. CCuullttuurraall IInnppuuttss:: CCAAPPIITTAALL
• GIS and digital mapping of the resource location and
availability (determines location, depth of bauxite)
• Buildings, offices, maintenance sheds/garages
• Machinery: crusher, excavator, blasters etc
• Vehicles: Dump trucks, front end loaders, utility
vehicles etc
• Safety equipment: goggles, ear plugs, PPE etc
• Misc tools

63. CCuullttuurraall IInnppuuttss:: LLAABBOOUURR
• Human labour
• A LOT of human labour is involved in bauxite mining
There is a variety of occupations that all work together
to ensure the safe, sustainable (to an extent) and
viable operation of this resource activity.
• CEO and businessmen, government officials admin
and community relations officials, scientists,
geologists, geographers, mine planners and GIS
developers, hydrologists, environmental protectionist,
Miners, heavy duty machinery operators, rehab
workers etc…

64. CCuullttuurraall IInnppuuttss::
EENNTTEERRPPRRIISSEE ((mmaannaaggeemmeenntt))
• ALCOA and WORSLEY are the two major mining companies that work
out of this region
• Government and various government organisations have made it
possible for these two companies to operate out of this region
• Cheap access to water, power and infrastructure
• ALCOAa’s operations are overseen by the Mining and Management
Program Liaison Group (MMPLG)
• Chaired by the Department of Industry and Resources, on behalf of the
Minister for State Development, with representatives from the
Department of Parks and Wildlife (DoPW), the Department of Water
(DoW).
• The MMPLG is responsible for reviewing mine plans and associated
activities and making recommendations to the Minister for State
Development.

65. CCuullttuurraall IInnppuuttss::
TTEECCHHNNOOLLOOGGYY
• Trucks (measure the weight of the bauxite)
• Bayer Process itself
• Technology embedded within machinery and
processes to produce the product
• GIS (Geographical information systems): accurately
maps the location and depth of the resource
• Other systems that allow machinery to make the work
more efficient. For example, systems will alert the
machine operator when they are out of the mineral
range so that only what is required is being taken from
the ground.

68. TTHHRROOUUGGHHPPUUTTSS

69. TThhee MMiinniinngg PPrroocceessss
• Exploration Drilling
• Mine Planning
• Clearing
• Top Soil and Overburden Removal
• Secondary Overburden Removal (SOBR)
• Backfilling and Drilling
• Breaking Caprock
• Mining, Crushing and Conveying
• Transport to Refinery (conveyer belt)
• Refining
• Smelting

70. TThhee 44--sstteepp BBaayyeerr
PPrroocceessss

71. MMiinniinngg

72. TTrraannssppoorrtt vviiaa
DDuummppttrruucckkss ttoo CCrruusshheerr

73. CCrruusshhiinngg

74. TTrraannssppoorrtt ttoo RReeffiinneerryy
vviiaa CCoonnvveeyyoorr BBeelltt

75. RReeffiinniinngg

76. WWaatteerr CCoonnttrrooll

77. DDiisseeaassee CCoonnttrrooll

78. RReehhaabbiilliittaattiioonn

80. OOUUTTPPUUTTSS

81. AALLUUMMIINNAA

82. NNEEWW LLAANNDDSSCCAAPPEE

83. SAMPLE EXTENDED RESPONSE
QUESTION
Semester 2 EXAM 2012:
Use a systems model to describe how physical and cultural
inputs interact with throughputs to produce the desired
outputs of your chosen non-renewable resource activity. A
good answer will include a well-drawn systems diagram
specific to your chosen resource (9 marks)