The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has issued a final rule to better protect the nation’s miners from health hazards associated with exposure to respirable crystalline silica. It lowers the permissible exposure limit to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air for a full-shift exposure, calculated as an eight-hour, time-weighted average. If a miner’s exposure exceeds the limit, the…
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Taseko strikes deal for Gibraltar ownership
Canadian-based Taseko Mines has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the remaining 12.5% interest in the Gibraltar copper-molybdenum mine in British Columbia from Dowa Metals & Mining and Furukawa. Under the terms of the deal, Taseko will acquire Dowa and Furukawa’s shares in Cariboo Copper for a minimum of C$117 million payable over a period of 10 years, plus…
Read MoreTying up loose ends
Well, it’s finally here. Like it or not, we are in the last few weeks of 2023, a time to wrap up projects, assess the status of others, and for some, to look introspectively at what’s to come. There are a number of newsworthy turns in the industry that involved parties did a great job of keeping details under wraps…
Read MoreSedgman secures engineering contract for Eskay Creek
Skeena Resources has selected Sedgman, a wholly owned subsidiary of CIMIC Group, to deliver the basic engineering and feasibility study update for its Eskay Creek revitalization project in northwest British Columbia, Canada. As part of the contract, Sedgman will support Skeena Resources to further optimize the overall project outcome, which involves flow sheet and site plan review. “Sedgman has the…
Read MoreBeat the heat: MSHA issues health alert
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has reminded producers that mining in hot work areas during the summer can cause serious health issues for miners. Everyone needs to recognize the hazards of heat stress and mine operators should provide heat-stress recognition training, monitoring and personal protective equipment. Symptoms of Heat Stress Heat Stress Prevention Treat Symptoms DO: DO NOT:…
Read MoreRevolutionizing mining with AI
Burgex Mining Consultants recently had a mining dialogue – with an interviewee that exists only in the depths of technology. What did ChatGPT share about its knowledge of mining and artificial intelligence’s role in transforming operations and even reclamation? By Stuart Burgess Today I virtually sat down with one of the leading artificial intelligence (AI) platforms trained specifically in language…
Read MoreNet-zero mining
Net zero is one of today’s buzziest of buzz words. But it is more than clickbait. Achieving net zero is the challenge of a generation. What progress is being made and where to do we go from here? By Jonathan Rowland There are “few more pressing challenges facing all industrial and economic sectors than the need to rapidly decarbonize in…
Read MoreMSHA impact inspections target 25 mines
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration released the findings of monthly impact inspections at 25 U.S. mines in January and February 2023. MSHA conducts impact inspections at mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to factors that include poor compliance history; previous accidents, injuries, and illnesses; and other compliance concerns. The impact inspections resulted…
Read MoreA fast-tracked plan to mine the moon
By Donna Schmidt Do a Google search for “Is it possible to mine the moon?” and the responses are as varied as our galaxy. For many within the industry, the idea of lunar mining has long been a sought-after achievement – it has just been a question of when and how. Score one for the U.S. in this regard, as…
Read MoreStrata’s Communication Systems Make History
StrataConnect DigitalBRIDGE and IoT Gateway recently recorded a first: the ringing of the NYSE opening bell for mine owner Idaho Strategic Resources by its crew – who were located deep underground thousands of miles away at the Golden Chest (GC) gold operation. By Donna Schmidt Underground communications technology has never stopped evolving from the moment the technology made its way…
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