Make your plans now to attend ISEE's 43rd Annual Conference on Explosives & Blasting Technique and register before Nov. 30 to receive discounted early bird rates. As many as 1,600 blasters, manufacturers, government officials and suppliers gather from all over the world to gain new insights and to form new business alliances. Participation will be strong as the largest conference of its kind in the explosives industry comes together in Orlando. Register online today!

The Society of Explosives Engineers Education Foundation is seeking donations of unique items for the annual auction to be held during ISEE’s 43rd Annual Conference on Explosives & Blasting Technique in Orlando, Fla., Jan. 29 – Feb. 1, 2017. We hope you will be able to help.

This auction is a great opportunity to showcase your company name at the conference and help the foundation raise money for the ISEE Scholarship Fund. Since the foundation’s inception, over 500 scholarships valued at more than $500,000 have been awarded.

The ISEE is committed to keeping standards current with the best available technology and procedures. Existing standards are periodically reviewed and modified. The current standard under consideration is the Performance Standards for Blasting Seismographs 2011 Edition.

A draft standard is available below for public comment. Written comments that are received by Dec. 31, 2016, will be addressed by the standards committee in writing prior to revision of the standard. Visit the ISEE website to download the draft.

Do you have a knack for photography and some great shots of a recent job you’d like to share? Submit them to our 24th annual photo contest for a chance to win a $500 gift certificate to the ISEE Bookstore.

The winner will be announced during our 43rd Annual Conference on Explosives and Blasting Technique held Jan. 29 – Feb. 1, 2017, in Orlando, Fla.

It isn’t Donald Trump alone who’s making the mining industry great again. Though, he’s surely lent a hand.
His victory in the U.S. presidential election after pledging an infrastructure splurge pushed copper prices up 11 percent last week, the best performance in more than five years. Mining shares reached the highest in almost two years.

The gains, continuing this week, are a huge turnaround from the start of 2016. Commodity prices sank to near a seven-year low in January, with the some of the largest miners fighting for survival under the weight of their debt.

Number two gold miner in terms of output, Newmont Mining, last month said attributable production could be as high as 5 million ounces for in 2016 as expansion projects come on stream and new mines begin operating.

On Friday, Denver-based Newmont announced that it poured first gold from its Long Canyon mine in Nevada located 160 km from the company's existing complex in the US state. The company expects to declare commercial production next week.

On Dec. 7, 1992, an explosion that rocked the South Mountain number 3 coal mine in Norton, Virginia killed eight miners, and led investigators to find that failing to ventilate the mine properly, conduct pre-shift and weekly examinations, and apply proper amounts of rock dust contributed to the explosion.

To emphasize the unique hazards that falling temperatures and the onset of winter create in the mining industry, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration issued its annual Winter Alert message. In it, the agency reminds mine operators and miners to pay special attention to seasonal changes that may affect both surface and underground work environments. The campaign – which runs through March 2017 – emphasizes increased vigilance and adherence to safety principles during the colder months.

Ski patrollers are looking to the sky in the battle against deadly avalanches. Their new tool to deliver explosive charges to risky slopes? Drones.

The ISEE Board of Directors Election is underway, and eligible voters, all members in good standing with the exception of student members, can cast votes until Dec. 1, 2016. Eligible voters with an email on file should have received an email with step-by-step instructions for casting a vote online. Members who don’t have an email address on file will soon be receiving print ballots in the mail.

Elected officers and directors for 2017 will take office at the 43rd Annual Conference on Explosives and Blasting Technique to be held Jan. 29 – Feb. 1, 2017 in Orlando, Fla.

Your opinion matters. Take part in this year’s election. For more information, contact us at isee@isee.org.

For a limited time only, the Explosives Reference Database has been marked down to $360 for both ISEE members and non-members.

The reference database contains complete proceedings from all Annual Conferences on Explosives and Blasting Technique leading up to 2016, plus RIs and ICs from USBM, technical papers from the Journal of Explosives Engineering, and BAI’s High Tech Seminar proceedings. Created in Adobe Acrobat for use on Windows and Mac systems for easy navigation and use.

This is the last year the full database DVD will be available. Please note: The online database will still be available to ISEE members, and the annual conference proceedings will also still be available.

Supplies of the Explosives Reference Database are limited, get your copy today.

Did you know that all ISEE members have exclusive access to dozens of e-handbooks, guides, checklists and other industry tools? They're all available through the Blaster's Toolkit, conveniently located inside the Member's Hub of www.isee.org. From drill log sheets to tips on how to write effective news releases, the Blasters’ Toolkit was developed to give members instant access to information that can make their jobs easier.

Content is added to the toolkit on a regularly basis, too. One of the newest tools is the Introduction to Blasting: A Teacher’s Workshop presentation. It’s a free, downloadable PowerPoint presentation that highlights major aspects of the math and science blasters use every day with the goal of getting high school teachers interested in including blasting in their course curriculum.

To take advantage of these resources, visit www.isee.org and sign in with your email address on file with ISEE and your member ID number as your password. This will take users to the ISEE Member’s Hub, where the Blaster’s Toolkit is located. Check it out today.

Did you know the ISEE has an online career center that offers discounts to members looking to post jobs? Whether you’re a student looking for an internship or a business looking for a seasoned professional in the explosives industry, the ISEE job board, located at the ISEE website, is a great way to get noticed.

And one of the best parts is that it’s free for job seekers. Upload your resume today to get the attention of job posters or browse the job board for the latest openings. Visit the career center now.

Nov. 28-30, 2016
Ottawa, ON, Canada

Email Dean Nichols at dnichols@apt-research.com for more information.

Dec. 8-9, 2016
Lexington, Ky.

Dec. 10, 2016
5 p.m.: Board Meeting
6 p.m.: Member Meeting