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Features
EXPLORATION
More efficient, but
more expansive!
Spending
is at an all-time high, technology is rapidly
advancing—and costs are rising............read
more
by Russell A, Carter, Managing Editor
SURFACE MINING
Safford Moves Toward
Startup
Phelps
Dodge’s newest mine is progressing on schedule....read
more
SAMPLING & ANALYSIS
Customers Benefit from Metso's research
...able to obtain fast results for a difficult processing problem at Metso Minerals.......read more.
SLOPE STABILITY
Stabilizing Influence
With worker safety and overall productivity at stake, mines are paying more attention......read more.
SUPPLIERS REPORTS
Sandvik Adopts New Strategy
In a relatively short period of time (10 years), Sandvik has developed into.....read more.
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 An
Exonerated
An Exonerated Ness Files Lawsuit Against
The New York Times - During
late April, an Indonesian court ruled
that PT Newmont Minahasa Raya, a subsidiary
of Newmont Mining Corp., and its President
Rick Ness are innocent of all criminal
charges of pollution and regulatory
violations. Ruling on evidence presented
during the 21-month trial–one of the
longest criminal proceedings in Indonesian
history–the court held that Buyat
Bay is not polluted. It further found,
as Minahasa contended, that the company
was in compliance with all regulations
and permits during its eight years
of operations from 1996 to 2004.
“I’m thrilled that after nearly two
and one-half years of false allegations,
my name, and that of my fellow employees,
has been cleared and our reputations
restored,” said Ness. “This is a victory
for everyone who believes in justice
........ read
more
Steve Fiscor, Editor in Chief
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Sherritt Bids for Dynatec - On
April 20, 2007, Sherritt International and
Dynatec Corp. announced an agreed, all-share
offer by Sherritt for Dynatec that valued
Dynatec at about C$1.6 billion. Both companies
are Canadian. Sherritt’s primary objective
in making the offer is acquisition of what
will be Dynatec’s 40% interest in the Ambatovy
laterite nickel project in Madagascar. Dynatec
currently is 45% owner and operator at Ambatovy.
Sumitomo Corp. and Korea Resources Corp.
each own 27.5%. Korea Resources is leading.........
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NovaGold,
Teck Cominco to Partner on $2B Galore Creek
Project Development - NovaGold Resources
Inc. and Teck Cominco Limited announced the
formation of a partnership that will invest
$2 billion to build the Galore Creek copper-gold
mine in northwestern British Columbia (See
E&MJ, April 2007, p. 8, “Galore Creek
Receives Environmental Certificate.”) On closing
of the transaction, NovaGold and Teck Cominco
will each hold a 50% interest in the partnership.
To earn its 50% interest in the Galore Creek
partnership, Teck Cominco will fund approximately
$478 million....... read
more
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| CVRD
Boosts Its Planned 2007 Capital Spending to
$7.35 Billion - CVRD increased its 2007
capital-spending budget by about $1 billion
to $7.351 billion as of late April 2007, up
from a planned $6.334 billion announced in
January (E&MJ, March 2007, p. 18). CVRD
Inco’s Goro laterite nickel project in New
Caledonia is the largest beneficiary of the
increase, with 2007 spending on the project
now planned at $938 million, up from an earlier
total of $680 million. Goro will produce 60,000
mt/y of finished nickel and... read
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| Study
Looks at Risk Management Challenges in Mining
Industry - The world’s largest mining
houses believe embedding risk management throughout
their organizations is the key risk challenge
in the next three to five years, according
to a recent report. Attitudes to Risk in the
Global Mining Sector, an Ernst & Young
survey of most of the top 40 global mining
houses, shows that a significant number of
respondents (29%) nominated embedding risk
management as the key future challenge. The
report on the global....read
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De
Beers Launches South Africa’s First “Mine
on a Ship” - Cape Town, South Africa,
in late April, De Beers celebrated the naming
and blessing of Peace in Africa, the first
marine diamond mining vessel to operate in
South African waters.
The company will mine for marine diamonds
in the Atlantic, off Namaqualand in the
Northern Cape Province. The company described
the launching of Peace in Africa as the
culmination of 23 years of exploration and
...... read
more
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| Anglo
American Adds Latin American Assets -
In late April 2007, Anglo American announced
plans for two acquisitions having a combined
value of more than $1.55 billion that have
the potential to add significantly to the
company’s minerals production in Latin America.
On April 23, Anglo agreed to acquire a 49%
interest in the Minas-Rio iron ore project
in Brazil through transactions valued at $1.15
billion. On April 30, in Peru, Anglo won a
government auction of the Michiquillay copper
project with a bid of $403 million...
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Cameco Discusses Cigar Lake Flood Remediation
- Cameco Corp. has provided three reports
on the aftermath of the flooding that stopped
underground development at the Cigar Lake
uranium project in northern Saskatchewan on
Oct. 23, 2006. On March 30, 2007, the company
released a 173-page Technical Report prepared
in compliance with Canada’s National Instrument
43-101; on April 28, in its report on first-quarter
2007 financial results, the company summarized
progress being made to restore the underground
workings at Cigar Lake.... read
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PotashCorp Will Spend $775 Million on
Cory Expansion - Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan
announced that it will begin a major de-bottle
necking and expansion project that will increase
potash production at its Cory, Saskatchewan,
Canada, operation by 1.2 million metric tons
(mt) from 2006 levels. The project will cost
approximately $775 million, which includes
$70 million for 750,000 mt of new compaction
capacity....read
more
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Lake Shore Gold Moves Ahead on Timmins
West Project - Lake Shore Gold Corp. said
it has received notice of acceptance of its
certified closure plan for the Timmins West
project from the Ontario Ministry of Northern
Development and Mines (MNDM). Acceptance of
the plan by MNDM was necessary before the
company could start advanced exploration or
mine production. The closure plan is an environmental
review of the project, describes measures
to rehabilitate the site, and provides financial
assurance for the rehabilitation. Lake Shore
now can....read
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| Report Terms Conditions Favorable
to Start Canariaco Norte Cu Project
- Candente Resource Corp. reported that an
updated Preliminary Economic Assessment (PAEE)
completed by MineFill Services, Inc. for its
Canariaco Norte porphyry copper deposit in
northern Peru shows robust economics for a
starter pit, which the company said represents
only about 10% of the entire known deposit.
According to the company, the Canariaco Norte
deposit hosts a total resource of 820 million
mt, grading an average of……read
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 Codelco Gives Salvador Division
a Reprieve - Codelco CEO José Pablo
Arellano told a news conference recently that
the Chilean state-owned mining company’s Salvador
Division, slated to shut its oxide operations
in 2008, will instead continue to mine and
process oxide ore through 2010. Arellano said
the decision was based on technical and financial
considerations supported by an opportune hedging
operation. “This decision will benefit both
Codelco and local stakeholders and boost the
proceeds we deliver to all Chileans.” The
Salvador Division produces…. read
more
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Mundo Minerals Announces Go-Ahead
for Brazilian Gold Mine - Mundo Minerals
recently received board of directors approval
for the development of its 100%-owned Engenho
gold project in Brazil and the acquisition
of the advanced Torrecillas gold project in
Peru. The Perth, Australia-based company said
it plans to fast-track the development of
Engenho towards first production by late March/early
April in 2008—slightly ahead of its original
schedule…. read
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2006 Record Earnings Year for Rio
Tinto, Fueling Global Growth - Solid
global demand and high prices coupled with
a strong operating performance in challenging
conditions resulted in a third successive
year of records earnings and cash flow, the
chairman of Rio Tinto told the company’s annual
meeting of shareholders in London in mid-April.
“In 2006, we achieved underlying earnings
of more than $7 billion…. read
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Exploration Spending Increased in
Australia During 2005-2006 - A recent
report in Minfo, a periodical published by
the New South Wales Department of Primary
Industries, indicated that national exploration
spending in Australia during 2005-2006 rose
by 20.6% to a record A$1.240 billion. Spending
increased in all jurisdictions except Western
Australia where a 3% drop occurred, but Western
Australia remained dominant…. read
more
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Jinshan Begins Engineering Study
for Expansion of Its CSH 217 Mine
- Jinshan Gold Mines has initiated an engineering
study to expand projected gold production
at its 96.5% owned CSH 217 gold mine to
approximately 180,000 oz/y. Jinshan is on
schedule to commence commercial gold production
in July 2007, starting at an initial production
rate of 117,000 oz/y. The expansion study,
being prepared principally by KD Engineering
Inc., is designed to incorporate the mining
of measured and indicated resources in the
…. read
more
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Alcan, Ma’aden to Develop $7-Billion
Aluminum Complex in Saudi Arabia
- Alcan announced on April 30, 2007, that
it has signed a Heads of Agreement with
Saudi Arabian mining company Ma’aden to
develop a proposed $7-billion integrated
aluminum “mine-to-metal” project including
bauxite mining, alumina refining, power
generation and aluminum smelting. Alcan
would hold a 49% stake in the project and
would provide technology and operating management
support …. read
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BHP Billiton Buys One-Third Stake
in Guinea Bauxite Project - BHP Billiton
in late April announced the acquisition of
a 33.3% interest in Global Alumina’s Sangaredi
refinery project in Guinea, West Africa, for
$140 million. The project comprises the design,
construction and operation of a 3-millionmt/
y alumina refinery, 9-million-mt/y bauxite
mine, and associated infrastructure. A mining
concession covering 690 km2 has been secured
and a mineral resource of 233million mt bauxite
(at 39% Available Alumina and 1% Reactive
Silica) has been reported. This is considered
sufficient to support the development, but
further exploration work…. read
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Angloplats to Establish Center for
Miner Training - Anglo Platinum
approved funding for a R283 million ($39.6
million) Mine Training Center to be located
at its Twickenham mine property to serve
the social and labor requirements of its
new mining projects. Construction will begin
in June 2007 with the first trainees expected
to be enrolled in 2008. The Mine Training
Center will accept 2,000 new trainees per
year and will supply trained employees to
new and existing mining projects on the
Eastern Limb of……
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Coal
& Allied Announces Production Cutback-
Coal & Allied has announced production
cutbacks at its three Hunter Valley, New
South Wales, sites. Port and rail allocations
will be reduced for the remainder of 2007.
Coal & Allied Managing Director Douglas
Ritchie said the cutbacks were unavoidable
given the reduction in allocation levels.
“We need to reduce our total production
this year by approximately 20% to adapt
to these revised allocation levels,” Ritchie
said. “The changes are being implemented
to bring our production levels into line
with…. read
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Xstrata Coal Makes an Offer for
Gloucester Coal- Xstrata Coal announced
that it has entered into an agreement to acquire
Gloucester Coal Ltd. for A$391 million. Gloucester
Coal’s operations further extend the life
of Xstrata’s New South Wales mines, with good
potential to add to the resource and reserve
base through near-mine exploration and further
resource conversion. “Our ability to blend
thermal coal production from Xstrata’s existing
Hunter Valley mines with Gloucester Coal’s
thermal coal product, together with the addition
of a high-fluidity coking coal to our portfolio…...
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more
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| China’s
Coal Imports Hit New High - Chinese
coal imports for the first quarter of 2007
exceeded exports for the first time. Fuelled
by a need to power its robust economy, the
world’s largest coal producer is expected
to import more and more coal in the near
future. China might see a rise in prices
within the next two years despite them rising
sharply last year. The country imported
14.3 million metric tons (mt) of coal in
the first…... read
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| Rail
Capacity Limits Richards Bay Expansion
- Rail utility Spoornet would not have sufficient
capacity on the rail line to the Richards
Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) by 2009 to meet
the port’s expanded export capacity, Business
Day recently reported. The shareholders
of RBCT, who include Anglo Coal, BHP Billiton
Energy Coal SA and Xstrata, announced last
year they had committed R1.1 billion to
expand the port’s capacity by 19 million
metric tons (mt) to 91 million mt of coal
a year by…... read
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Exploration 2007: More Efficient, But More Expensive
Spending is at an all-time high, technology
is rapidly advancing—and costs are rising.....
By Russell A. Carter, Managing Editor
As with most activities currently associated
with mining, mineral exploration spending
was up—way up—in 2006 and all indications
are that this year’s total will reach another
record level, riding an economic wave spawned
by a perfect storm of industry trends that
include continued high demand for mineral
commodities, a shrinking pool of large new
ore body discoveries, and higher expenses
due to sharply increased labor and material
costs……. read
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 Safford Moves Toward Startup
Phelps Dodge’s newest mine is progressing
on schedule
By Russell A. Carter, Managing Editor
After more than 10 years of planning, permitting,
land negotiations and hoping for an upturn
in the price of copper, Phelps Dodge Mining
Co. is rapidly advancing its Safford project—billed
as the largest new copper mine built in
the United States in over 30 years—toward
completion on the site of a defunct underground
mine. According to the company, Safford
is on schedule for initial copper production
in early 2008. Located 8 miles north of
the town of Safford, at the base of the
Gila mountain range in eastern Arizona,
the open-pit mine site will encompass about
3,000 acres...... read
more
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Customers Benefit from Metso Minerals’ Research and Test Center
An Australian company was able to obtain fast results for a difficult processing problem at Metso Minerals’ unique crushing and screening test facility....
Queensland Energy Resources Ltd. (QERL), based
in Queensland, Australia, is an energy development
firm that has set out to do what no other
company has done—develop a commercial-scale
oil shale production facility. Oil shale is
a fine-grained sedimentary rock that contains
oil in the form of a chemical compound called
kerogen. A thermal process, commonly known
as “retorting,” is used to extract this compound
from the shale. During retorting, the shale
is heated to 500°C where the kerogen forms
hydrocarbon vapor, which is then condensed…...
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Stabilizing Influence
With worker safety and overall
productivity at stake, mines are paying more
attention than ever to slope stability concerns.
New technology can provide most of the answers.
Slope stability is just one of many facets
of surface mining that require a clear balance
between safety and finance—with steep pit
slopes generally favoring enhanced economics
and shallower slopes more amenable to worker
and equipment safety— but it’s also one of
the few elements of mine design for which
inattention, incorrect calculations, inclement
weather or even just bad luck can result in
such spectacular and often calamitous results.
Few companies engaged in surface mining are
immune from slope stability problems of varying
severity..... read
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Sandvik Adopts New Strategy to Deal with the Modern Mining Business
In a relatively short period of time (less than 10 years), Sandvik has developed into one of the world’s most complete suppliers of equipment and solutions to the mining and construction industries
Acquisitions played a major role in that
growth. At one point the company had as many
as 23 brands, including many famous mining
brands such as Tamrock, Toro, EJC, Voest-
Alpine, Driltech, Mission, etc. Naturally,
the company had an enormous presence at bauma
2007, which was held in Munich during April.
It used that venue to explain the company’s
new strategy and the rationale behind its
brand consolidation. With 42,000 employees
operating in 130 countries, Sandvik had SEK
72 billion ($10.1 billion) in sales last year.
The company is divided into three distinct
areas..... read
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 Underground Miner Emergency Shelter
- Strata Products’ Portable Fresh Air Bay is designed to provide 96 hours of breathable air to trapped miners.
The bay is a portable, inflatable refuge chamber that can be inflated and filled with fresh air as it is deployed.
Medical-grade oxygen cylinders and a CO2 scrubber maintain the fresh breathable air inside….
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 New
Features for Tunnel Rigs Add Accuracy, Analysis
and Safety- Atlas Copco has added
a number of options to the list of features
available on the Rocket Boomer E-series, the
company’s series of face drilling rigs for
medium to large tunnels. Rigs now can be delivered
with upgraded Tunnel Manager software, a new
rod handling system specially designed for
the rig series, and Atlas Copco’s Tunnel Profiler
scanning system. Atlas Copco offers three
upgraded packages of its Tunnel Manager software,
designed to provide informative and intelligent
data support for drifting and tunneling….
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 PC-Based
Similator Trains Mining Truckers
- Simlog Inc. recently introduced an economically
priced, PC-based off-highway truck simulator
for the mining industry. The Montreal, Canada-based
company’s Off-Highway Truck Personal Simulator
incorporates Simlog’s “unique focus on instructional
design to provide a comprehensive yet portable
training tool that knows how to teach,” according
to Paul Freedman, Simlog founder and president.
A total of six simulation modules of increasing
difficulty are provided to bring trainees
up to speed…… read
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 LeTourneau’s
Mine Site Training Programs - Electric-wheel
loader manufacturer LeTourneau offers onsite
training programs that comprise of three levels:
basic machine familiarization; practical applications
and general digging theories, providing the
skills needed to operate the machine in a
variety of working conditions more productively;
and an advanced course using tools such as
benchmarking and other data collection to
help design a digging style…. read
more
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 Terex
O&K Unveils New Hydraulic Excavators-
Terex O&K recently released two new hydraulic
excavators: the RH 340-B and the RH 70. The
mining-class RH 340B— successor to the popular
RH 340, — is available in both front shovel
and backhoe configurations, each powered by
twin Caterpillar 3512C or optional Cummins
QSK 45 diesels, with both options delivering
2,240 kW (3,000 hp). The new model features
a more powerful hydraulic system with higher-capacity….
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Laser-Scanning Robot Runs Underground
Surveys - U.K.-based 3D Laser Mapping
has developed a laser-scanning robot to provide
a mobile electronic eye in hazardous environments,
including underground mine spaces. The robot,
named 3D-R1, employs state of the art laser
scanning units combined with wireless communications
and advanced robotic technology that allows
a 3D map of the surrounding area to be created….
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 Conveyor
Accessories for Improved Efficiency-
Superior Industries has unveiled several products
to enhance conveyor efficiency and safety.
The Sentinel belt speed sensor is intended
to alert an operator when there is a conveyor
belt problem. The sensor— which will indicate
if the belt is slipping or if it has stopped
moving due to breakage or other problems—does
not require installation of extra rolls and
easily mounts onto any CEMA rated idlers or
return rolls…. read
more
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 Outotec
Exhibits Flotation Advances- Outotec,
formerly Outokumpu Technology, exhibited some
significant innovations in its flotation technologies
for delegates at the AusIMM 2007 Mill Operators’
Conference held in March 2007 in Perth, Australia.
The enhancements to TankCell technology— including
FloatForce and Flow- Booster features—were
outlined by Outotec at showings of a 300-m3
TankCell, the world’s largest mechanical flotation
cell….read
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 ABB’s
Drives Power Cerro Verde’s Grinding Line Expansion-
ABB’s mineral business unit recently noted
that the start-up of copper concentrate production
at the Cerro Verde copper sulphide expansion
project in Peru began at year-end 2006, assisted
by installation of ABB-supplied drives for
the mine’s ball mills and high pressure grinding
rolls. According to ABB, the Cerro Verde order
was valued at more than $41 million and was
placed by…. read
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| JULY 23-27, 2007: 62nd ABM International
Annual Congress, Vitória, Espírito Santo,
Brazil Contact: Associacção Brasileira
de Metalúrcia e Materias ABM; Tel: 55 11 5534
4333; Fax: 55 11 5534 4330 E-mail: marli@abmbrasil.com.br;
Web: http://www.abmbrasil.com.br
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| AUGUST 23-24, 2007: New South Wales Mineral Exploration and Investment Conference, Sydney, Australia
Contact: Kelly Alert, NSW Department of Primary Industries; Tel: 61 2 8289 3929; Fax: 61 2 9286 3208; E-mail: kelly.allert@-dpi.nsw.gov.au; Web: http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au
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| SEPTEMBER 9-13, 2007: Dam Safety '07, Austin, Texas, USA
Contact: Association of State Dam Safety Officials; Tel: 859-257-5140; Fax: 859-323-1958; E-mail: info@damsafety.org;
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| SEPTEMBER 10-14, 2007: Extemin 2007, Lima, Peru
Contact: Mariel Sovero; Tel: (51-1) 313-4160; Fax: (51-1) 313-4160; E-mail: msovero@iimp.org.pe
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| SEPTEMBER 12-14, 2007: International Symposium on Rock Slope Stability, Perth, Western Australia.
Contact: Australian Center for Geomechanics; Tel: 618 6488 3300; Fax: 61 8 6488 1130; Web:
http://www.slopestability.com
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| For a full calendar of
mining industry conferences and events -
click here
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 The
Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and
Petroleum announced the appointment of Jim
Gowans, president and CEO of De Beers
Canada Inc., as president - elect of the institute
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 E.
James Comer has been named the 2007
John E. Willson Distinguished Alumnus Award
winner. Most recently, Comer was mine manager
for the Coal Creek mine, Arch Coal Inc. He
retired in January of this year after serving
38 years in the mining industry. His career
spans both underground and surface mining
of metals and coal, with extensive experience
in mine operations, mine development, engineering
support, and management. The Willson Award
was established in 2000 to recognize graduates
of the University of Utah’s mining engineering
program who have set a high standard of accomplishment
in the mining industry. Comer is a 1969 graduate.
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 Bass
Metals Ltd. announced the appointment of Lee
Henley as the company’s financial
controller. |
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 Larry
C. Giffin has announced his retirement
as president of Stedman after serving in the
position since 1984. He will continue to work
with the company as a consultant. The company
announced the promotion of Dennis
M. Gilmour to president.
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 Cambrian
Mining recently announced the appointment
of Mark Alexander Burridge
as chief executive. He succeeds John
Byrne who will become executive chairman.
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 Minco
Silver Corp. appointed Dwayne Melrose
to the position of VP, Exploration, for the
Minco Group of companies. |
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 Cattron
Group International announced that Laércio
Neves, general manager of Cattron-Theimeg
Americas Ltd., will assume responsibility
for managing South American marketing and
sales. |
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 ESCO Corp.
recently announced that Cal Collins,
former vice president of Administration, Secretary
and General Counsel, has been named group
VP, Engineered Products, North American Operations.
The company also announced that Pat
Fonner, former vice president, has
been named group VP, Engineered Products,
Global Sales and Marketing. |
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