Industry News
The downturn in the coal mining sector might have further to run and no upturn was expected anytime soon after investment bank Citi warned of a further decline in capital spending that would put pressure on the near-term prospects for a range of heavy engineering and mine-servicing operators. And the fall out might be felt more keenly in Queensland where many of the planned thermal coal mines might not proceed.
Visit http://www.smh.com.au/business/carbon-economy/coal-mining-downturn-to-be-prolonged-citi-20140812-1034fi.html to view the full article online.
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Alpha Natural Resources Inc., the second-biggest U.S. coal producer, plans to idle 11 West Virginia mines, and 1,100 jobs may be lost because of weak market conditions and increased government regulation. Notice was given to the workers July 31 and job reductions are currently planned to take place by mid-October, Bristol, Virginia-based Alpha said in a statement. The affected mines produced 4.2 million tons of thermal and metallurgical coal through the first half of this year.
Visit http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-31/alpha-plans-to-idle-coal-mines-1-100-jobs-at-risk.html to view the full article online.
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Australia’s federal government approved Monday one of the world’s largest coal mines, and the country’s biggest, but subject to 36 "strict" conditions focused on conserving groundwater. The $15 billion Carmichael Coal Mine and Rail Project, in the untapped Queensland's Galilee Basin, is being developed by Adani Group, an Indian conglomerate with interests spanning mining, energy and logistics.
Visit http://www.mining.com/australias-newest-and-biggest-coal-mine-gets-federal-approval-49875/ to view the full article online.
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The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) has endorsed Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes in Kentucky’s Senate race, despite Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s attempts to paint her as an enemy of coal. McConnell has made it a priority to tie Grimes to a variety of President Obama’s policies, including energy and labor policies that he said amount to a "war on coal." The most recent major example was the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed carbon pollution limits for power plants, which McConnell said would destroy coal and put miners out of work.
Visit http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/214192-miners-union-endorses-grimes-in-kentucky to view the full article online.
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A slew of investment in the Gulf’s aluminium industry is forecast to reach $55 billion by 2020, as compared to $30 billion in 2011. Expansion by smelters and new projects in the region are set to aid growth. The data was provided by the organisers of the Aluminium Middle East exhibition, who are gearing up to organise an exhibition next year at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Visit http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/content/en/mineweb-base-metals?oid=249929&sn=Detail to view the full article online.
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Regulatory Spotlight
The U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) has extended the deadline to Sept. 25, 2014, for comments regarding a recent petition to change the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, 30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq. The petition requests OSMRE amend its regulations governing the use of explosives to prohibit visible nitrogen oxide clouds in surface coal mining operations. Your thoughts will help the OSMRE director’s decision to grant or deny the petition. Comments will be accepted online or via mail.
Visit https://www.isee.org/news/110-office-of-surface-mining-reclamation-and-enforcement-seeking-comments-on-petition to view the full article online.
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Upcoming Events
The ISEE Conference Program Committee is pleased to announce the Call for Student Papers to be presented at the 41st Annual Conference on Explosives & Blasting Technique, the largest gathering of its kind involving field blasters, manufacturers of explosives related products, educators and researchers, to be held in New Orleans, Louisiana, Feb. 1 - 4, 2015.
Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/ise-nwl/articles/index.asp?aid=280973&issueID=37217 to view the full article online.
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Exhibitor registration kicks off this week for the 41th Annual Conference on Explosives and Blasting Technique held Feb. 1-4, 2014, at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel in New Orleans, La. Showcase your organization's latest technology, equipment, design, products and services to the global explosives marketplace. This annual event, with as many as 1,600 blasters, manufacturers, government officials and suppliers, is the premiere international forum for targeting the hands-on explosives user. Be sure to reserve your exhibit booth today. Register now.
Visit https://www.isee.org/2015-conference/exhibitors to view the full article online.
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Join more than 200 colleagues to learn, inspire and share knowledge across the mining, quarrying and construction industries—all with a blasting focus at the The 11th International Symposium on Rock Fragmentation by Blasting. Held Aug. 24-26, 2015 at the Sheraton on the Park Hotel, Sydney, Australia, Fragblast 11 A worldwide forum for scientific and technical updates on rock blasting and explosives engineering, organized by the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
Visit http://fragblast11.org/ to view the full article online.
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