27 ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF IN‑PLACE MINING TECHNOLOGIES: A TECHNO‑ECONOMIC CASE STUDY *B. Hurtubia1, A. Tordoir1, J. Sweet1, I. Dzakpata1 1Mining3, 2436 Moggill Road, Pinjarra Hills, Queensland, 4069, Australia, (*Presenting author: bhurtubia@mining3.com) ABSTRACT The mining industry is facing increasing challenges due to declining ore grades and rising demand for metals driven by global decarbonisation efforts. To meet this demand, larger amounts of material must be mined, transported and processed for the same metal output. This results in higher energy use, increased water consumption, more waste and greater environmental impact, putting additional strain on economic viability and sustainability. Although incremental improvements in processing efficiency and operational practices have partially mitigated these impacts, conventional mining methods remain fundamentally dependent on large-scale rock movement. In this context, In-Place Mining (IPM) has emerged as a transformative option offering a pathway to reduce material movement while improving resource utilisation through the use of selective extraction methods and on-site processing with fit-for-purpose technology stacks. In-Situ Recovery (ISR) is relatively established in specific geological settings, but other IPM approaches, including In-Line Recovery (ILR) and In-Mine Recovery (IMR), are less well understood and are not yet adequately captured in traditional mine evaluation frameworks. This paper describes the main IPM concepts, summarises key enabling technologies and assesses the capacity of ILR and IMR to unlock value from zones typically characterised as sub-economic under conventional approaches. To quantify this impact, integrated techno-economic evaluation models were developed, capturing mining, processing, capital and operational constraints within a single framework. Three comparative scenarios were analysed for an archetype iron-oxide copper gold orebody: conventional mining, conventional mining with ILR and the addition of IMR to extend value recovery after the completion of mining processes. The results demonstrated that IPM technologies could improve project NPV and indicated potential sustainability benefits through reduced material handling, improved utilisation of processing infrastructure and increased resource utilisation. This approach can support subsequent technology development and de‑risk future deployments, helping to position IPM as a enabler for lower-footprint, higher-value mining systems. KEYWORDS In-place mining, In-Line recovery, In-Mine recovery, techno-economic, sustainable mining.
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