OBAMA HAZING US ON COAL
Obama promised that he would make coal produced electricity prohibitively expensive. And, he is keeping his promise. The Obama Administration is using the "Sue and Settle" strategy to override state environmental efforts and impose the agency's more-expensive rules. In December, the EPA proposed new Nitrogen Oxides regulations and before the ink had dried, the EPA claimed that the emissions of nitrogen oxides by coal plants in Arizona created "haze" in the Grand Canyon and other national parks.

THE SEARCH FOR CLEAN COAL TECHNOLOGY
Anti-coal environmentalist and politicians may want to eliminate coal as an energy resource, but that is impossible without pushing the world back into another Dark Age. Worldwide, 23% of our primary energy needs are met by coal and 39% of our electricity is generated from coal. About 70% of the world's steel production depends on coal.

SOLAR ENERGY NOT THAT CLEAN
Obama is ramping up his efforts to replace coal with solar power during his second term. And, although solar power has its applications, especially in remote locations, it is uneconomical compared to coal powered electrical energy. And, it might surprise you to learn that solar energy has a larger and more destructive environmental footprint than you think

April/May 2013

REMEMBERING THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH
Although everyone knows about Sutter's Mill, many of the stories of the California Gold Rush have been forgotten. Here are a few of those stories about the people and the gold they sought. Did you know that the phrases "bull market" and "bear market" came from the California gold fields? They were coined by famed journalist Horace Greeley, who wrote for the New York Tribune. While visiting the California gold fields he happened to attend a bull and bear fight in Columbia.

WYOMING DOMINATES SODA ASH MINING
Most of us don't think of soda ash (also called bicarbonate of soda or baking soda) unless we have an upset stomach or plan to bake some biscuits. However it's also used in glass manufacturing, paper, food additives, laundry products, medicine, air pollution control and animal feed. In fact, glassmaking consumes about half of soda ash output.

JUNIOR RESOURCE STOCKS ARE IN FREE FALL - BUT WE HAVE JOY IN SASKATCHEWAN WITH URANIUM AT PATTERSON LAKE
The annual Prospectors and Developers annual meeting in Toronto, in early March is over and done with and as over 30,000 attendees walked the halls to observe the multitude of juniors through seniors' resource company's boths looking for the next uber discovery they were overwhelmed with the diversity of products being promoted but heard nothing but negativity about the mineral industry.

SAVE ENERGY - USE HIGH EXPLOSIVES
Energy costs aren't just hitting us at the gas pump. They impact every facet of mining - from haul truck operations, to milling, to reclamation. And, in many cases, there is no way to lower those costs. However, you can cut your energy bill with high explosives. High explosives (HE) are a cheaper source of energy than diesel and you can save a considerable amount on your fuel bill if you make full use of HE technology at your mine site.

THE BANG ISN'T THE ONLY RISK OF HIGH EXPLOSIVES
It's common to think that the "bang is the biggest risk of high explosives. However, there are serious health and environmental risks associated with explosives and explosive residue that workers must be aware of. A good example is nitroglycerin. Although it's the basis of dynamite and other high explosives, it is also a powerful medicine for people with heart conditions. Nitroglycerin affects the cardiovascular system, blood, and nervous system of humans.

New World Resources' Goals to Become the Number One Miner and Marketer of Metallurgical Coal in Europe
The creation of New World Resources by tycoon Zdenek Bakala out of the remnants of the Czech coal industry and its subsequent IPO was aimed at producing a miner capable of consolidating Central Europe's fragmented coal industry. Not for want of trying, NWR's efforts have so far been in vain, and its new chairman now says the miner intends to spread its net wider, including as far afield as the US.

KINROSS DISCOVERS GOING UNDERGROUND IS GOOD
"Going underground," usually implies doing something bad. In the case of Kinross and its Buckhorn ore deposit in Washington, it means something good. Going underground has made it easier to mine for gold in the State of Washington, one of the most environmentally conscious states in the US. Despite a measure of hostility by bureaucrats and environmentalists, mining hasn't disappeared from the Northwest. There is no better example than the Kettle River - Buckhorn gold operation and its owners Kinross Gold Corporation.

Mining Affairs Forum
"Robin William's Peace Plan…and so much more" Back in March of 2003, a very special peace plan was circulated over the Web and attributed to actor and comedian Robin Williams. I remember seeing it the first time and hoped that it was truly from him. Alas, only one piece was from him, but overall, this plan from an unknown source really has some merit. So much so, that I would like to "Play it Again" to our readers for their enjoyment and thought-provoking lunchroom discussions.