Search

The vegetation cover dynamics such as the spatial extent and pattern of disturbance and recovery are necessary information in mining regulation and environmental sustainability assessment. The acquisition and further analysis of these dynamics are hampered due to that the vegetation cover in mining area changes both spatially and temporally. This paper aims to assess the capability of LandTrendr algorithm and Landsat imagery in surface mining area to detect the vegetation change and characterize the historical dynamics. Curragh coal mine site in Australia was taken as an illustrative application. The spatial extent, change pattern and attributes of vegetation disturbance and recovery during 1989–2014 were detected and mapped. The overall accuracy for disturbance and recovery classification are 85.21% and 86.59% respectively. The results show that more than 2982 ha out of 4573 ha of disturbed land in entire Curragh had been covered by vegetation, while 95% of the oldest part of the operation (Central Curragh) has been seeded and rehabilitated. The average value of cumulative Disturbance to Recovery ratio for entire Curragh mine site was about 59%. This suggests that the Curragh mine has been complying with mining legislation by undertaking progressive rehabilitation and vegetation establishment efforts. The advantage of LandTrendr is that it relies on free data from Landsat archive and has straightforward operating procedures. It can provide environmental assessment and rehabilitation with serviceable data including raster maps, yearly data, cumulative Disturbance to Recovery ratio and change attributes. The LandTrendr algorithm and Landsat imagery could be supplemented with field validation and study such as recovery success analysis to facilitate better environmental assessment and mining sustainability.

Following the birth of the first child from a transplanted uterus in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 2014, other centers worldwide have produced scientific reports of successful uterus transplantation, as well as more recent media reports of successful births. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine recognizes uterus transplantation as the first successful medical treatment of absolute uterus factor infertility, while cautioning health professionals, patient advocacy groups, and the public about its highly experimental nature.

In 1992, BHP Coal Pty Ltd, the operator of eight open-cut coal mines in the Bowen Basin of central Queensland, embarked on a major research and development program which still continues today. The Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation at the University of Queensland was one of the research groups that became involved with the program. A series of linked, multidisciplinary projects was developed, focusing on developing procedures to overcome, or at least minimize, the major impediments to the establishment and persistence of self-sustaining ecosystems on postmined land in the central Queensland coalfields. The research addressed both control and/or amelioration of factors that affect plant establishment, as well as control and/or management of those factors limiting growth and ongoing sustainability. Surface crusting, salinity, competition during establishment, and water availability had been identified as the major limitations to successful establishment, while among the sustainability issues, water availability, nutrient availability through the reestablishment of effective nutrient cycling, compaction, and erosion were identified as key issues. Linking both programs is the role of species selection, both plant and microbial, in fostering establishment and sustainability success (Figure 3.1). Figure 3.1 An overview of the major limitations to effective establishment and sustainability of ecosystems established on postmined land in the Bowen Basin of central Queensland. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780203740897/f817f29c-f580-4805-a8c5-e1f1c121dded/content/fig3_1.tif"/>

Open-cut coal mining in Queensland results in the formation of extensive saline overburden spoil-piles with steep slopes at the angle of repose (approximately 75% or 37o). These spoil-piles are generally found in multiple rows, several kilometers in length and heights of up to 50 or 60 m above the original landscape. They are highly dispersive and erodible. Legislation demands that these spoil piles be rehabilitated to minimize on-site and off-site discharges of sediment and salt into the surrounding environment. To achieve this, the steep slopes must be reduced, stabilized against erosion, covered with topsoil and re-vegetated. Key design criteria (slope gradient, slope length and vegetation cover) are required for the construction of post-mining landscapes that will result in acceptable erosion rates. A novel user-friendly hillslope computer model MINErosion 3.4 was developed that can accurately predict potential erosion rates from field scale hillslopes using parameters measured with a 3m laboratory tilting flume-rainfall simulator or using routinely measured soil physical and chemical properties. This model links MINErosion 2 with a novel consolidation and above ground vegetation cover factors, to the RUSLE and MUSLE equations to predict the mean annual and storm event erosion rates. The RUSLE-based prediction of the mean annual erosion rates allow minesites to derive the key design criteria of slope length, slope gradient and vegetation cover that would lead to acceptable erosion rates. The MUSLE-based prediction of storm event erosion rates will be useful as input into risk analysis of potential damage from erosion. MINErosion 3.4 was validated against erosion measured on 20 m field erosion plots established on post-mining landscapes at the Oakey Creek and Curragh coalmines, as well as on 120 and 70 m erosion plots on postmining landscapes at Kidston Gold Mine.

Coal combustion by-products (CCBs) generated from coal-fired power plants have been considered in some circumstances and in some applications as alternatives for natural materials. This review focused on the beneficial use of CCBs for mine sites. The alkaline pH of CCBs has been shown to play a neutralising role for acid mine drainage and the consequent precipitation of metals from solution, mainly as metal hydroxides. Coal combustion by-products have also been used for soil restoration, having been shown to improve one or more of the physical, chemical and biological properties of degraded soils which in turn has led to improvements in revegetation outcomes. In addition, fly ash has been used as a one of the materials in engineered covers that are constructed to encapsulate and isolate potentially hazardous mine wastes. The use of CCBs for mine void backfilling has been considered an opportunity for the bulk utilization of CCBs. Backfilling of underground mine voids with these materials presents the potential to reduce acid mine drainage, limit the risk of land subsidence and minimise and control the likelihood of mine fires. Even though the proactive use of CCBs may eliminate or reduce an environmental burden that remains if separate storage or disposal of these otherwise ‘waste’ materials is required, there may be adverse side effects that could occur through such uses of CCBs, such as the leaching of deleterious elements. Therefore, in the case of their use in mine backfilling, for example, possible environmental impacts need to be assessed and monitored during a testing phase in the context of other variables, and before backfilling with such materials is used on a large-scale. There is still a lack of well-researched information on the practical use of CCBs, and their potential environmental and health effects, and in their use for mine site rehabilitation purposes, effective guidelines and regulations are also limiting factors. In most countries, government regulations regard CCBs as a waste but not a hazardous waste. However, given the high potential CCBs have in a number of roles and functions relating to mine rehabilitation and mine closure, more research at the practical level, and more engagement at a government level, is required.

This analysis attempts to reconcile existing rehabilitation planning goals and implementation constraints in the form of a paradigm that considers potential and pragmatic ecosystem transformation pathways using the Australian post-mined landscape as a contextual backdrop for investigation. A feature of the framework is that ‘novel’ ecosystems and agro-ecosystems possessing a range of commercial and societal values could bridge the conceptual divide separating the ecological function of under-rehabilitated (e.g., derelict sites) versus re-instated ‘natural’ landscapes. Landscape suitability analyses are incorporated in an operative framework to emphasise the influence of regional landscape and climate in the implementation of such management strategies. Altogether, the paradigm could facilitate the identification of widely pertinent rehabilitation goals and assessment criteria with direct implications at the regional scale of post-industrial land rehabilitation.

Driven principally by government regulation and societal expectations, mining companies around the world are seeking to mitigate the environmental impacts of mining through mined land rehabilitation programs. The ultimate goal of rehabilitation is to establish an acceptable and sustainable post-mining land use. Mining companies worldwide face the challenge of specifying just what a sustainable post-mining land use will be. The problem is that while regulations require mining companies to assess post-mining land use sustainability, the mechanism for doing so and the factors that should be considered are not specified. We propose a risk-based approach to post-mining land use assessment with the aim of reducing the uncertainty of mine closure and the potential cost of repair of land degradation caused by inappropriate post-mining land use. Grazing is a commonly suggested post-mining land use, particularly in Australia where most mining activities occur on land previously used for cattle grazing. Grazing is also seen as a use suited to rehabilitated mined land because of the lower land productivity required compared to cropping. In this paper we develop a conceptual model of the factors influencing the land degradation risk posed by grazing on rehabilitated mined land. This was done through a literature review to identify potentially important risk factors, followed by a survey of graziers surrounding six open cut mines within the Bowen Basin Region of Queensland, Australia. The survey results were used to develop a profile of the risk factors likely to influence the land management behaviour of graziers within the Bowen Basin. The results of the research highlight that there are three main sets of factors that affect grazing risk on rehabilitated mined land. These are site biophysical characteristics that influence land productivity and commercial grazing viability, factors that influence the land management style of a grazier (principally stocking rate decisions), and factors that influence the commitment of a grazier to comply with any caveats placed on the management of the land. The profile of risk factors obtained for Bowen Basin graziers showed that grazing is likely to be a low risk post-mining land use where land productivity is high enough to support commercial cattle grazing and where land is managed by local graziers. Both the conceptual model and the profile of risk factors described in this paper are precursors to the development of a predictive risk assessment model.

This paper examines the minerals industry's response to sustainable development in the area of waste disposal and argues that leadership and guidance are still needed to forge collective agreement on norms and standards of practise. To encourage further debate, the paper develops a set of sustainable development principles for the disposal of mining and mineral processing wastes, and discusses the implications for current and future practise. In practise, the principles can guide waste disposal decisions through the consideration of what risk and magnitude, in any given local context, a particular management solution poses to their application. The sustainability challenge in the management of tailings and waste rock is to dispose of material, such that it is inert or, if not, stable and contained, to minimise water and energy inputs and the surface footprint of wastes and to move toward finding alternate uses. Future trends in mining and processing may compound the challenges of waste management, as lower ore grades increase the ratio of waste produced for a given unit of resource, and emphasise the urgency and need for the industry to adopt new approaches. New technologies and innovations, such as thickened tailings, dry stacking and paste backfill, have greatly increased the waste disposal methods available to meet the future challenges to sustainable development.

Sustainable development practices have become an integral part of most major mining companies’ business activities. However, the history of mining and the negative impacts it has had on the natural and social environment mean future mining activities, rightly or wrongly, will be judged against the legacies of the past and current poor performers. Legacy mine land, defined here as land which has been mined and is now being used for another purpose, or is orphaned, abandoned or derelict and in need of remedial work, is one management challenge that will be judged in the context of sustainable development. Globally, millions of such sites exist. Having criteria against which to measure progress toward or away from sustainable development goals is a key to delivering results. The aim of this research was to develop a sustainability criteria and indicators framework to suit the particular needs of legacy mine land. The resulting framework consists of 14 criteria and 72 indicators.

International audience; Phytomining technology employs hyperaccumulator plants to take up metal in harvestable plant biomass. Harvesting, drying and incineration of the biomass generates a high-grade bio-ore. We propose that ``agromining'' (a variant of phytomining) could provide local communities with an alternative type of agriculture on degraded lands; farming not for food crops, but for metals such as nickel (Ni). However, two decades after its inception and numerous successful experiments, commercial phytomining has not yet become a reality. To build the case for the minerals industry, a large-scale demonstration is needed to identify operational risks and provide ``real-life'' evidence for profitability.

Ecological restorations of contaminated sites balance the human and ecological risks of residual contamination with the benefits of ecological recovery and the return of lost ecological function and ecosystem services. Risk and recovery are interrelated dynamic conditions, changing as remediation and restoration activities progress through implementation into long-term management and ecosystem maturation. Monitoring restoration progress provides data critical to minimizing residual contaminant risk and uncertainty, while measuring ecological advancement toward recovery goals. Effective monitoring plans are designed concurrently with restoration plan development and implementation and are focused on assessing the effectiveness of activities performed in support of restoration goals for the site. Physical, chemical, and biotic measures characterize progress toward desired structural and functional ecosystem components of the goals. Structural metrics, linked to ecosystem functions and services, inform restoration practitioners of work plan modifications or more substantial adaptive management actions necessary to maintain desired recovery. Monitoring frequency, duration, and scale depend on specific attributes and goals of the restoration project. Often tied to restoration milestones, critical assessment of monitoring metrics ensures attainment of risk minimization and ecosystem recovery. Finally, interpretation and communication of monitoring findings inform and engage regulators, other stakeholders, the scientific community, and the public. Because restoration activities will likely cease before full ecosystem recovery, monitoring endpoints should demonstrate risk reduction and a successional trajectory toward the condition established in the restoration goals. A detailed assessment of the completed project's achievements, as well as unrealized objectives, attained through project monitoring, will determine if contaminant risk has been minimized, if injured resources have recovered, and if ecosystem services have been returned. Such retrospective analysis will allow better planning for future restoration goals and strengthen the evidence base for quantifying injuries and damages at other sites in the future.

The large number of wetlands treating mining wastewaters around the world have mostly been constructed in temperate environments. Wetlands have yet to be proven in low rainfall, high evaporation environments and such conditions are common in many parts of Australia. BHP Australia Coal is researching whether wetlands have potential in central Queensland to treat coal mining wastewaters. In this region, mean annual rainfall is < 650 mm and evaporation > 2 000 mm. A pilot-scale wetland system has been constructed at an open-cut coal mine. The system comprises six treatment cells, each 125 m long and 10 m wide. The system is described in the paper and some initial results presented. Results over the first fourteen months of operation have shown that although pH has not increased enough to enable reuse or release of the water, sulfate reduction has been observed in parts of the system, as shown by the characteristic black precipitate and smell of hydrogen sulfide emanating from the wetlands. These encouraging signs have led to experiments aimed at identifying the factors limiting sulfate reduction. The first experiment, described herein, included four treatments where straw was overlain by soil and the water level varied, being either at the top of the straw, at the top of the soil, or about 5 cm above the soil. The effect of inoculating with sulfate-reducing bacteria was investigated. Two controls were included, one covered and one open, to enable the effect of evaporation to be determined. The final treatment consisted of combined straw/cattle manure overlain with soil. Results showed that sulfate reduction did occur, as demonstrated by pH increases and lowering of sulfate levels. Mean pH of the water was significantly higher after 19 days; in the controls, pH was < 3.3, whereas in the treatments, pH ranged from 5.4 to 6.7. The best improvement in sulfate levels occurred in the straw/cattle manure treatment.

Rehabilitation of post-mining sites in semi-arid/subtropical environments of eastern Australia have a general objective to establish specific types of native vegetation communities as defined in mine closure plans and in relation to the specific biotic and abiotic requirements of such communities. Critical for the success of rehabilitation is the availability of water and hence the climatic characteristic of this geographical region which is defined by a number of weather-bound factors (e.g. potentially erratic rainfall and periods of drought and flooding). However, specific estimates of climate suitability are seldom incorporated into current mined land rehabilitation design. To address this, our analysis combined various broad-scale climatic parameters (i.e. primarily relating to rainfall) to assess bioregional suitability-susceptibility within the context of plant early-establishment in the objective of informing rehabilitation schemes as to the inherent environmental challenges influencing both short- and long-term ecological development. Following our survey of available climate data, we derived site suitability-susceptibility indexes (that are otherwise currently not available within rehabilitation schemes) and compared the performance of 9 mine site locations in which our Centre has been engaged in environmental monitoring (Weipa, Mt. Isa, Ernest Henry, Eromanga, Kidston, Curragh, Tarong, North Stradbroke Island, and Newnes Plateau). More specifically, the sites were ranked from most-to-least suitable and compared with natural vegetation patterns (as estimated by the mean NDVI). Overall, it was determined that regular rainfall and relatively short periods of water-deficit are key characteristics of climate suitability (as found among the relatively more temperate coastal-hinterland sites), whereas high rainfall variability and (or) prolonged seasonal drought are primary characteristics of unsuitability (as found among the arid central-inland sites). Conceptual and practical considerations are provided which could inform rehabilitation schemes as to the inherent environmental challenges influencing both short- and long-term ecological development.

Sustainable development practices are an established part of most mining companies’ business activities. However, several challenges for the industry and regulators remain. Turning sustainable development rhetoric into tangible, sustainable outcomes for mine land remains an issue of contention. In part this can be attributed to the history of mining and the negative impacts it has had on the natural and social environment. Future mining activities, rightly or wrongly, will be judged against the legacies of the past and current poor performers. Legacy mine land, defined here as “land which has been mined and is now being used for another purpose, or is orphaned, abandoned or derelict and in need of remedial work” presents a management challenge, particularly in the context of sustainable development. A review of the situation in Australia suggests in excess of 30,000 sites exist. Globally, millions of such sites are likely to exist. Having criteria against which to measure progress toward or away from stated sustainable development goals is key to delivering results. The aim of this research was to develop a sustainability criteria and indicators framework derived from several resource sectors (including mining, forestry and agriculture) but tailored to suit the particular needs of legacy mine land. A case study area located in southeast Queensland, Australia has also been used to refine the criteria and indicators framework presented here. Outcomes from the research to date indicate that current planning regimes in Australia barely address legacy mine land, that there is inadequate communication between local and state government, and land re-use objectives (where they exist) may not deliver sustainable outcomes over long timeframes. We propose that these may be common themes throughout mining-dependent countries, developed or developing. Managing legacy mine land against a ‘sustainability criteria and indicators framework’ will equip stakeholders with tools that will be of growing use as mining activities increasingly intersect with local communities. The resulting framework consists of 14 criteria and 72 indicators, in contrast to some existing non-specific schemes which have in excess of 130 indicators.

As a mine is closed, the management process is highly likely to be required to support on-going site management and reporting to stakeholders and regulators, for decades afterwards. It is essential, therefore, to ensure the maintenance of corporate memory by retaining essential site data. This site data will provide the foundation for the research science that may be needed to provide confidence on residual risk to regulators in order to gain relinquishment. Partnerships between tertiary institutions and corporations holding the mine sites provide one mechanism to achieve long-term stewardship of site information essential to meet regulatory requirements and support research to fill gaps in knowledge of site-specific natural systems and rehabilitation performance. A set of management system tools has been developed to manage and utilize the wide range of data, reports and images remaining at a number of closed mines, in partnership with the organizations ultimately responsible for the closed sites. This includes purpose-built software that combines accurate and to-scale three-dimensional photo images and scientific software to hold, display and interpret the wide range of environmental data at each site.

Many thousands of dollars are spent by mining companies on gathering and analysing monitoring data from mine on-site instrumentation (measuring surface water and groundwater parameters, dust and noise, constructed cover performance, meteorological conditions, etc), establishing transects or similar for following changes in soil or other substrates, flora and fauna, and many other ad hoc specific purpose sampling locations. The resulting documentation is available in many different formats, including site and monitoring reports, photos, videos and audio recordings and may be scattered over several geographical locations. Surprisingly, very little attention is given to make this complete collection of knowledge available when and where it is needed - to the decision makers who are responsible for planning sustainable rehabilitation strategies for mine closure and lease relinquishment. To enable researchers, industry and regulating bodies alike to develop a holistic view from these large volumes of diverse historic and current data and therefore to make informed decisions, a Windows PC based software application named Phoenix was specifically developed by the Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation (CMLR) at The University of Queensland.

A closure objective of Kidston Gold Mines Limited was to return a self-sustaining savannah woodland vegetation of native trees and introduced and native ground cover species to areas disturbed by its Kidston mining operation. One of the major areas of disturbance was the 310 ha tailings storage facility (TSF) into which approximately 68 Mt of tailings were deposited between 1985 and 1996. Early revegetation trials conducted in the early-mid 1990s demonstrated the capacity of the tailings to support vegetation growth without the requirement for a capping layer of soil or other cover material. The tailings storage facility was decommissioned at the end of 1997 and as the accessible area on the surface of the facility became progressively available (from March 1998 through to December 2001), planting and seeding of over 50 native tree and shrub species and 8 introduced and native pasture species was undertaken. With the support of drip irrigation over the first few months and initial fertilisation, the alkaline tailings have proven to successfully support the establishment and growth of a range of native tree and shrub species. Greatest success with upper-and mid-storey species has been where competition from introduced grasses has been minimised. Since 2001, up to four areas of different aged rehabilitation across the surface of the TSF have been monitored on an annual or biennial basis by The University of Queensland's Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation (CMLR). The overall aim of the Kidston monitoring program has been to assess the progressive development, functioning and composition of the rehabilitation areas prior to relinquishment by the company. This paper presents some background on rehabilitation works and research trials undertaken on the tailings and reports on the most recent findings from the vegetation monitoring that has been conducted on the four TSF sites (TD40, TDNA, TDNB and CTD) in the period 2001 to 2005. The 2005 findings are presented in relation to two unmined analogue communities and preliminary rehabilitation targets. Monitoring against these interim targets has proven to be a valuable process for tracking the structural and functional development of these vegetation communities. In addition, an ongoing assessment of the tailings attributes contributes to our understanding of soil development processes and hence the longer–term sustainability of the reconstructed ecosystem as the company aims towards lease relinquishment.

As an increasing number of mining operations approach closure, criteria by which to measure the success of rehabilitation efforts have become increasingly important and several workers have developed ecosystem success indicators (Tongway et al., 1998; Ludwig et al., 2003; Nichols et al., 2005; Grant, 2006). Mined land rehabilitation as ongoing process designed to restore the physical, chemical and biological qualities or potentials of air, land and water systems for post-mining land users (ANZMEC, 2000). Operators, regulators and communities need quantitative data on ecosystem development in order to support decision on mining relinquishment. Both regulators and mining operators are now addressing these issues throughout Australia, despite the relatively few examples of mine closure that have been reviewed publicly and approved (Nichols, et al., 2005). Mining for heavy mineral sands in the Tomago Sandbeds, north of Newcastle, NSW, by RZM Pty Ltd (RZM) has disturbed substantial areas of coastal vegetation. However, a continuous rehabilitation program, initiated by RZM soon after mining commenced in 1972, aimed to return to the mined area plant communities which would have , as far as practicable, similar species compositions and structures to those existing before mining (RZM, 1981; RZM, 2000). The ultimate long-term objective of RZM’s rehabilitation program is dune forests that are similar to undisturbed dune forests in the region. What is yet to be clarified is whether the rehabilitated ecosystems have reached the desired condition or whether the pattern of development indicates that the ultimate goal will be achieved. In judging rehabilitation success, numerous authors have used Odum’s (1969) succession traits as primary attributes (e.g. Ewel, 1987; Aronson et al., 1993; Aronson and Le Floc’h, 1996; Hobbs and Norton, 1996; and see review by Ruiz-Jaen and Aide, 2005), emphasising ecosystem or landscape approach for developing criteria of rehabilitation success (e.g. Tongway et al., 1998). However, in a changing environment, a quantitative, site-specific and process/dynamic approach is increasingly demanded (Parker, 1997; Cumming, 2003; Choi, 2004). In case of RZM, multiple disturbances have contributed greatly to the patterns of development of native forest vegetation on rehabilitated sites not only through the re-mining of a number of rehabilitated areas, but also through the occurrence of fires across the sites. These events raise further questions regarding the feasibility of re-establishing native ecosystems. The ability to judge the success or otherwise of rehabilitation is further complicated by a lack of knowledge on the basic ecosystem processes and the rate of ecosystem dynamics in many areas (Court et al., 1996; Ormerod, 2003; Maestre et al., 2006). To date, few studies have considered the effects of multiple disturbances during succession, especially on mine rehabilitation sites (Brennan, 2003; Ross et al., 2004). Therefore studies of ecosystem development on a rehabilitated mine site is of critical importance, especially when the complexity of rehabilitation progression is compounded by multiple disturbances. In this paper, the development of structural and functional attributes within rehabilitated sand mined sites with multiple disturbances was examined. Characteristics of ecosystem structure and function were accessed against the following criteria: first, the overall trend of condition on the rehabilitated sites should be towards that of a reference site, and second, age-related trends on chronosequence of rehabilitated sites should be repeatable over time. Mine Closure 2006 ― Andy Fourie and Mark Tibbett (eds) © 2006 Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, ISBN 0-9756756-6-4 Mine Closure 2006, Perth, Australia 781

We investigate the use of a lateral IMPATT diode built in 0.25/spl mu/m CMOS technology as a high frequency power source. These diodes are monolithically integrated in coplanar waveguides and characterized by S-parameter measurements from 40 MHz to 110 GHz. These measurements show excellent agreement with predictions of theoretical models. To our knowledge, this is the first such structure built in a standard CMOS technology.

Relative radiometric normalization (RRN) to remove sensor effects, solar and atmospheric variation from at-sensor radiance values is often necessary for effective detection of temporal change. Traditionally, pseudo-invariant features (PIFs) are chosen subjectively, where as an analyst manually chooses known objects, often man-made, that should not change over time. An alternative method of selecting PIFs uses a principal component analysis (PCA) to select the PIFs. We compare the two RRN methods using PIFs in multiple Landsat images of urban and rural areas in Australia. An assessment of RRN quality was conducted including measurements of slope, root mean square error, and normalized difference vegetation index. We found that in urban areas both methods performed similarly well. However, in the rural area the automated PIF selection method using a PCA performed better due to the rarity of built features that are required for the manual PIF selection. We also found that differences in performance of the manual and automated methods were dependent on the accuracy assessment method tested. We conclude with a discussion on the relative merits of different RRN methods and practical advice on how to apply the automated PIF selection method.

SiO vapour has been allowed to condense from flowing gas streams in the presence of a wide range of inorganic and organic vapour species to determine the effect of these species on the known habit of SiO of condensing to form microfibres of potential use as reinforcing fillers. Major changes in fibre morphology have been observed on condensation of SiO in an N2 stream containing gaseous AlCl3, GeCl4 or C2H2, or by condensation of SiO with other molecular species formed when Ga2O3–SiO2–Si, In2O3–SiO2–Si or GeO2–SiO2–Si mixtures were heated in N2 or B–SiO2 was heated in H2. The fibre morphology changed surprisingly little when SiO was condensed with vapours of transition-metal halides. The products were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), IR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and powder XRD. The work establishes that condensing SiO is an exceptionally versatile microfibre-forming system.

University-based research is recognised as an increasingly important factor for economic growth. One of the mechanisms for improving university research is to support the collaboration between research teams. Information systems that support collaboration have gained widespread application in industry in recent years. They offer organisations various facilities for managing, sharing and documenting mission-critical information. Two distinct types of systems have evolved – unstructured collaborative information systems and structured collaborative information systems. This paper presents the background to the development of a structured collaborative information system, designed to help manage information in a university-based research institute, and presents a detailed case study of the system in use.