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The push of a button ignited 182 pounds of explosives and sent more than 10 million pounds of steel crashing to the ground Saturday Morning.

The demolition of the old Inner Belt Bridge went off without a hitch -- a half second of spectacular, controlled destruction that wowed a crowd of onlookers who gathered at East 14th Street and Broadway to watch the Interstate 90 span over the Cuyahoga River disappear.

Mongolia ended a four-year moratorium on issuing mineral exploration licenses, boosting opportunities for mining companies as the nation seeks to spur investment.

A law passed by parliament on July 1 also extends periods of exploration to 12 years from nine, according to Otgochuluu Chuluuntseren, director general of the Ministry of Mining’s strategic policy and planning department.

Indian coal-based power plants are struggling to keep up with daily demand and almost have of them only have enough stocks to last a week, the minister of state for power, coal and new and renewable energy said earlier this month.

Speaking to the upper house of parliament, Piyush Goyal called power utilities to increase coal imports to meet fuel shortages and avoid the every day more frequent blackouts, The Economic Times reports.

The mining industry has grown quite a bit in the last few years. The increasingly unstable markets have caused companies to start thinking outside the box for new ways of increasing productivity while also decreasing costs.

One of the latest advances has been the launch of driverless trucks. The ingenious idea, which almost seems straight out of a George Luca film, has been largely put into action by mega mining companies Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton. The move has the potential to cut operational costs tremendously while simultaneously increasing productivity and mine-site safety.

The world's biggest miner, which employs about 16,000 people in its iron ore division, announced earlier this year that 170 jobs would go at its Whaleback mine in the Pilbara iron ore belt. A further 100 people have been let go at the division's Perth headquarters. Iron ore prices have fallen more 31 per cent this year due to slowing demand growth in China, the main market for Australian ore.

"This is about continuing to safely improve our business and ensuring we are a competitive, world-class operation," BHP's spokeswoman said, adding that reducing the payroll was part of a wider focus to contain costs.

ISEE is seeking nominations of candidates for the ISEE Board of Directors fall 2014 election and for the annual awards banquet. ISEE members should get their nominations in today to ensure they will be considered for the fall elections and next year's award banquet.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is proposing to amend hazardous materials regulations by establishing standards for the safe transportation of bulk explosives, according to a Federal Register notice set to be published Tuesday.

It said the rule making would be responsive to two petitions submitted by industry representatives concerning the continued use of renewal applications, and the incorporation of an industry standard publication. "Further, developing these requirements would provide wider access to the regulatory flexibility currently only offered by special permit and competent authorities," the notice said.

The June 27 order from U.S. District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson prevents Arch Coal Inc. from expanding coal mining into a roadless area southeast of Paonia. For detailed maps, aerial views and onsite photos of the area, view this report posted by WildEarth Guardians.

The judge also called into question the legality of the Colorado-specific roadless rule for national forest lands in the state, finding that the rule didn’t adequately assess how the rule affects climate where it carves out exemptions for mining.

6 p.m.
July 17, 2014
William Tell Inn, Countryside, IL 60525

July 22-24, 2014
Baltimore, Maryland

August 8, 2014
Norwood Hills Country Club
Norwood Hills Country Club Drive, St. Louis, Missouri

August 27, 2014
Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs baseball game
1050 Ironpigs Way, Allentown, Pennsylvania