Corporate Body

CSIR/O Ore Dressing Investigations - collaborative venture (1934 - 1970)

From
1934
Australia
To
February 1970
Functions
Industrial or scientific research, Metallurgy and Mineralogy or mining

Summary

Ore Dressing Investigations was first established in 1934 as a collaborative venture between the Kalgoorlie School of Mines, the South Australian School of Mines and Industries and the University of Melbourne. Until 1950 the research was directed by the investigators. In February 1970 the CSIR/O Ore Dressing Investigations unit was disbanded with some of the staff and expertise joining the CSIRO Division of Chemical Engineering, while the majority was incorporated into the CSIRO Division of Mineral Chemistry.

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Details

From "CSIRO research for Australia" (1962) pdf page 46:
"Within the grounds of the University of Melbourne are two small C.S.I.R.O. Sections which are primarily occupied in serving the needs of the mining industry. They are called the Mineragraphic Investigations and Ore-Dressing Sections."

"The Ore-Dressing Section began in 1934, when the Commonwealth Government granted £5,000 per annum for research at three centres - the Universities of Melbourne and Adelaide and the Kalgoorlie School of Mines. The work at Adelaide ceased in 1948.

The Section studies the recovery of minerals from ores by many different methods, including cyanidisation, amalgamation, flotation, leaching and pressure leaching, and by gravity, electrostatic and magnetic methods. Most of the work is stimulated by requests from mining companies which need help in the concentration and refining of crude ores. Help has been given to many people, ranging from small
prospectors to giant companies.

The topics of investigation in both Sections have changed in step with the fluctuation in economic importance of metals. In the early 'thirties the emphasis was on gold, gradually shifting to lead and zinc. In the post-war years uranium ores were the centre of attention, giving place in turn to the titanium and zirconium minerals found in beach sands.

Much of the work of the Ore-Dressing Section has been assisted by contributions from industry, which has benefited a great deal from its work. Methods worked out by the Section for the recovery of many important minerals, including scheelite (containing tungsten) and ilmenite (containing titanium) are now in use by Australian mining companies."

Timeline

 1934 - 1970 CSIR/O Ore Dressing Investigations - collaborative venture
       1959 - 1988 CSIRO Division of Mineral Chemistry
       1962 - 1978 CSIRO Division of Chemical Engineering
             1975 - c. 1980 CSIRO Division of Process Technology
             1978 - 1987 CSIRO Division of Mineral Engineering
             1988 - 1995 CSIRO Division of Mineral Products
                   1977 - 1980 CSIRO Fuel Geoscience Unit
                   1987 - 1995 CSIRO Division of Mineral and Process Engineering
                   c. 1995 - CSIRO Minerals Division
                         1980 - 1987 CSIRO Division of Fossil Fuels
                         c. 1995 - CSIRO Minerals Division
                               1988 - 1990 CSIRO Division of Coal Technology
                                     1990 - c. 1995 CSIRO Division of Coal and Energy Technology
                                           c. 1995 - CSIRO Energy Technology

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Ailie Smith

Created: 13 July 2000, Last modified: 10 April 2025

EOAS ID: biogs/A000701b.htm

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