It's Time to Think About Boosting Mine Security - Have you tightened your mine security recently?  If not, you might consider having a security audit done.  With gold and silver at historical highs, mines are becoming an attractive target for thieves.

China Is World’s Largest Coal Consumer -   Although China's GDP is only 9.4% of the global economy, and its population is 19% of the world population, it is responsible for 46.9% of the world’s annual coal consumption.  And, although much of that coal is coming from Chinese coal mines, their demand for coal is helping the American coal industry.

When Enough Is More Than Enough: Federal Overkill In Alaska - Alaska’s wealth of natural resources, vital to both its own and national needs, constantly faces the frustrating challenges centered on mineral access and extraction--- especially in a state having millions of land acres either under Federal protection or open to review.

June/July 2011

Mining, Rare Earths, And Osama Bin Laden - It was great moment when US Navy SEALS dispatched Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan, nearly a decade after 9/11.  Although it doesn’t mean the War on Terror is over, at least one of its major players sleeps with the fishes today.

Gypsum Is A Multifaceted Industrial Mineral - For such a lowly industrial mineral, gypsum is extremely versatile.  What else was used in the pyramids and toothpaste, helps peanuts and mushrooms grow, and is the key ingredient in movie snow and the walls of your house.

Cripple Creek And Victor Mine Expands Operations -   The Cripple Creek Mining District has seen many boom and bust times in the last 120 years.  But, with gold over $1,500, the Cripple Creek and Victor Mine (CC&V) expanding operations, things are looking more like the boom times of old. 

Hysteria on the Military Front - Throughout history, America has been at war.  Once the war came to us, but in all other instances, it visited other nations and we opted to get involved.   Now that our military spending costs us $1 trillion a year ($9,000 per household), is it time to ask why we are waging some of the battles we have gotten involved in?  

A Beginners Guide To Mine Reclamation And Wetland Construction - Mine reclamation presents many challenges, but constructing or reclaiming a wetland is one of the most challenging.  Yet, its benefits as a trap for contaminants, home for wildlife, aesthetic appeal, and recreational uses make it a critical part of a reclamation program.

Where Have All The Robots Gone? - Where are those automated mining machines that we have been promised for over two decades at MinExpo?  The 1992 MineExpo was filled with equipment manufacturers who were promising automated mining fleets.  And, the same promise was floated in 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008.

Buffalo Bill – Arizona Miner - Colonel William “Buffalo Bill” Cody wasn’t always an Indian scout.  Nor, was he always touring the capitals of the world with his Wild West Show.  In fact, after leaving the Wild West Show, he became an Arizona mine owner.  Unfortunately for Buffalo Bill, he was a better Indian scout and showman than miner.

Blogs! - The term ‘blog’ is short for Web log and is a catch-all term for a Web site where people can say what is on their mind.  Blogs are certainly not a new development, but have turned into the ‘secret’ new media where what is happening in the world is discussed, dissected, torn apart, and reassembled. Blogs can be commentary on any particular subject, no particular subject, or an on-line diary.