The U.S. Congress recently passed Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), which guarantees $305 billion for America’s surface transportation system over the next five years. It will be sent to the president for signature, who has indicated his support, after The U.S. House of Representatives voted 359-65 and the Senate voted 83-16 in favor of the bill.

"This critical bill gives state and federal governments the funding certainty essential for informed infrastructure investment. Our industry is ready to get to work and help improve the condition, efficiency and safety of America’s roads, highways and bridges," said Michael W. Johnson, NSSGA president and CEO. "We commend members of Congress for seeing the value of a robust infrastructure to foster economic growth, maintain our global competitiveness and improve the quality of life for Americans."

During the holiday season, it can be easy to lose focus on matters that seem routine. At times like this, our thoughts can drift rather than staying focused on the important duties we are performing. Historically in December, miners engage in hazardous activities that result in fatalities. MSHA investigated four fatal accidents in December 2010.

Anglo American PLC, one of the world’s biggest miners, is planning to shrink by nearly two-thirds and shed 85,000 jobs as it attempts to deal with a global commodity slump that has entered a new and vicious stage.

While other miners have trimmed jobs, reorganized themselves and put assets up for sale, Anglo is the first of the world’s leading producers to commit itself to radical downsizing – a sign that it does not see any realistic hope for a near-term rebound in metal prices.

In a rare prosecution of a mining executive for safety violations, former Massey Energy chief executive Don Blankenship was convicted by a federal jury on one of the three counts brought against him in relation to the 2010 Upper Big Branch Mine collapse in West Virginia that killed 29 people.

An investigation of the event found a plethora of warning signs before the accident, including sparking machinery and a buildup of toxic gases. The jury found Blankenship guilty of conspiracy to violate mine safety regulations, which is a misdemeanor, but acquitted him on the more serious counts of deceiving investors and regulators.

Rio Tinto (ASX, LON:RIO) secured Tuesday a multi-billion agreement to finance a huge expansion of its giant Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold open pit mine in Mongolia and said that a final decision whether to forge ahead with construction will be made in the first half of 2016.

The $4.4 billion deal involves international financial institutions and export credit agencies representing the governments of the U.S., Canada and Australia, along with 15 commercial banks.

Book your hotel sleeping room reservations for the 42nd Annual Conference on Explosives & Blasting Technique now. Call the Paris Las Vegas Hotel at 1-877-603-4389. Please be sure to mention ISEE to receive the conference discount rate. The sleeping room cutoff date is Monday, December 28.

Paris Las Vegas Hotel is located right in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip. Dining, entertainment, nightlife and accommodations at this resort are très magnifique. The hotel captures all the details of the real Paris, right down to the cobblestone sidewalks and half-scale replicas of the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe. McCarran International Airport is conveniently located just two miles from Las Vegas Boulevard, with more than 900 inbound and outbound flights per day.

The deadline to submit photos to the 23rd Annual Photo Contest is quickly approaching. The contest has categories for blasters and drillers at work; construction blasting; quarrying and mining; demolition blasting; and specialty blasting. All submissions will be judged on composition, content and quality.

The deadline for submissions is Thursday, Dec. 31. Get yours in before the deadline for a chance to win a $500 gift certificate to the ISEE Bookstore.

The winner will be announced during our 42nd Annual Conference on Explosives and Blasting Technique held Jan. 31 to Feb. 3, 2016, in Las Vegas, Nevada. So what are you waiting for? Download an entry form today.

We’re now accepting submissions for the Blasters R Us Video Round Up. A highlight of the conference, this is your chance to witness what other blasters are doing across the country and see your blasting video on the big screen—popcorn included. Don’t miss out. Download a submission form, and email wahl@isee.org to upload your video today.

Make an instant impact in the blasting industry by donating items for the Society of Explosives Engineers Education Foundation annual auction. The money raised from this silent auction will provide scholarships to industry college students. The event will run from Saturday, Jan. 30 to Monday, Feb. 1 during the 42nd Annual Conference on Explosives & Blasting Technique. It will replace the live auction that is traditionally held during the awards banquet. To donate an item, download an auction donation form, and email a completed copy to lang@isee.org or call 440.349.4400.

Launched in 1975, the Annual Conference on Explosives & Blasting Technique is the world’s largest forum for commercial explosives and blasting technology, presenting the latest developments and bringing together researchers, educators, field blasters and manufacturers. The conference will be held Jan. 31 – Feb. 3, 2016, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Jan. 20-21, 2016
Beckley, West Virginia

Jan. 23, 2016
Lincoln, California

Jan. 25-27, 2016
Roanoke, Virginia
For more information, email jdahlgren@treadcorp.com or call 540-982-6881, ext. 211.

Jan. 28-30, 2016
Las Vegas, Nevada

Jan. 31 - Feb. 3, 2016
Las Vegas, Nevada