Mining

Dan Rohe, president of Environmental Protection, Inc. will present information on the use of PVC geomembranes at the Colombian Mining Conference 2012, to be held in Santa Marta, Colombia from July 17 to 19. The conference is the 9th version of the Intersectoral Mining Congress in South America. Conference topics will include items such as new port developments for mining in Colombia, the Infrastructure on the TLC (river), environmental impact analysis vs the growth of the national economy through mining, and the new mining code, among others. Santa Marta is the only port on the Colombian Caribbean that has rail service, which interfaces with the Interior Andino, the valley of the Magdalena and the Cesar coal zone.

CETCO Lining Technologies has announced the official release of three new product lines in its GCL portfolio. The names of the new product lines are InterLoK, Resistex and Continuum. Each product features a unique engineered clay technology designed by the research and development team at CETCO to enhance the permeability and/or chemical resistance. InterLoK, Resistex, and Continuum GCLs are now available in the U.S. with an expected release in Europe later this year.

GSE Environmental's "Geosynthetics for Success" Technical Seminar Series returns with two dates in August and another in October. These events bring top-tier speakers together on major engineering topics, new technologies, new designs and more. For attendees, it is an opportunity not only to learn about the latest regulations and engineering approaches but advances in geosynthetic technologies that are helping make some applications possible and others more economical and sustainable. Professional development credits are also available for attendees. In August, the technical seminar series will arrive in Australia, first in Perth (August 7) and then in Brisbane (August 9). In October, the seminar returns to the USA for a session in Chantilly, Virgina. Learn more.

CETCO Lining Technologies has published a paper from Christos Athanassopoulos, P.E., CETCO, and Richard J. Vamos, Ph.D, P.E., DAI Environmental, Inc., on "Carbon Footprint Comparison of GCLs and Compacted Clay Liners." Geosynthetic clay liners can have a significant impact carbon footprint reduction in construction when measured against the thickness of compacted clay required to equal GCL performance. The reduction in truckload traffic alone (550 for CCL, 3.5 for GCL in this analysis) represents a significant carbon footprint savings. Athanassopoulos and Vamos's work includes excellent comparative tables of the carbon footprint aspects of site work and two appendixes demonstrating the full methodolgy used to reveal these project savings.

The 6th edition of AMI's Waterproof Membranes conference will be held 11-13 December 2012 at Hotel Nikko in Düsseldorf, Germany. This annual gathering focuses on the exchange of technical information on geomembranes and roofing/architectural membranes. Research updates, market data, case studies and manufacturing advances are presented. Learn more about the event, registration, and sponsorship opportunities at the event website. Learn more here.;

By most reports, 2012's construction activity has been furious. Many manufacturers have moved advanced expansion plans begun or announced in 2011, and those decisions seems to be paying off as the on-site services side of the industry (e.g., installation and CQA) also reports significant increases in business. A number of companies have even hired on multiple new full-time employees and expected a considerable growth in seasonal work positions. But as the mid-year work dies down (at least enough to breathe), events take over the calendar. Here are four events (3 in Europe, 1 in the US) Geosynthetica is looking forward to.

ASTM International Committee D35 on Geosynthetics has announced that D7748, 12e1 Standard Test Method for Flexural Rigidity of Geogrids, Geotextiles and Related Products has been editorially changed. This test method covers the measurement of stiffness properties of geogrids, geotextiles and geogrid-geotextile composites all of which are referred to as geosynthetics within this standard. Bending length is measured and flexural rigidity is calculated through use of the cantilever test procedure. Learn more here.;

From 23 to 25 May 2012 the annual meetings of the European Committee for Standardization on Geosynthetics (CEN TC 189) took place at UNI in Milano. For the first time, the meetings were chaired by Daniele Cazzuffi (CESI SpA, Milano), who was unanimously elected President of the Committee in January 2012, for a period of three years 2012–2014. Cazzuffi is a geosynthetics veteran who also previously served as president of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) Council. The annual meetings in Milano were attended by more than 100 experts from 12 European countries and from the United States.

The Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) has just published its White Paper #22: "Selected Geosynthetic Opportunities Associated with Energy Production and Transmission." The 16-page paper (available here as a PDF) from Drs. Robert and George Koerner looks at global energy use, geosynthetics in key sectors (e.g., oil and gas, mining, hydroelectric), and geosynthetics in renewable energy. The authors write, "...the geosynthetics community should focus efforts by being proactive with respect to the various energy sources as applies to federal and state agencies, public advocacy groups, local citizen groups and all related stakeholders." A chart of energy sources and the geosynthetic applications associated with them is included. Read more.

Black & Veatch's 2012 Electric Utility Report, which summarizes a broad survey of the energy field, indicates that the industry believes "...there will be some certainty [in terms of legisation] on carbon; that prices for electricity will continue to rise; that while coal has a future, renewables have a growing but limited one; and that water is a critical environmental concern." Concerns over nuclear storage have grown, and the potential impact of renewable energy technologies on energy prices (already upwardly pressured) ranges wildly. Download the 74-page report (PDF).

The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) held its sixth short course in Salt Lake City, Utah on May 21. The course was attended by one hundred and two (102) people. The excellent and timely presentations focused on the use of fabricated geomembranes for coal combustion residuals, oil and gas related activities, and mining applications. In addition, the course included two excellent local speakers to bring local experience and issues to the attendees. Joergen Pilz, Design Engineer with Rio Tinto, gave the following two presentations: (1) use of geosynthetics in mining applications in the morning and (2) four mining related case histories in the afternoon. Steven Bartlett, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Utah, gave an informative presentation on geofoam and use of geomembranes to protect geofoam in a variety of applications. Learn more.

Cooley Group, a leading designer, developer and manufacturer of high performance, sustainable, engineered membranes for some of the world's highest-profile advertising, chemical containment, military, environmental protection and roofing initiatives, has announced additional developments that underscore the Company's commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility. The developments are part of a larger and continuous social responsibility commitment by Cooley to lead the industry's sustainability efforts; better serve its customers through the sustainable solutions the Company deploys; support the communities where Cooley works; and protect the broader environment.

The International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) has announced that the IGS French Chapter has translated the engineering document "Recommended Descriptions of Geosynthetics Functions, Geosynthetics Terminology, Mathematical and Graphical Symbols." Originally drafted in English, this internationally unifying publication has been translated completely by French Chapter Members Dr. Nathalie Touze-Foltz (IGS Council Member) and Dr. Camille Barral.

TRI Environmental, Inc. (TRI), a leading international geotechnical, geosynthetic and erosion control materials services company, has announced the acquisition of advanced testing equipment from the former Bathurst Clarabut Geotechnical Testing (BCGT) office in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Among the noteworthy testing capabilities: a specialized large-scale testing apparatus for analyzing the connection strength of segmental retaining wall blocks, a mobile very large-scale (VLS) shear box—one of a few of its kind in the world—for on-site waste shear strength testing up to 3 ft cu samples, six segmental retaining wall creep frames, and a plain loading device to facilitate bench-scale bearing capacity studies for geosynthetics used in soil improvement applications.

Geosindex.com is a new geosynthetic data website with sortable product data tables on geomembranes, geogrids, geotextiles, other geosynthetics. The website continues to evolve with more international manufacturers adding products and updating data and linked specifications. Learn more.

In December 2011, Fiberweb turned its corporate focus to the global geosynthetics and technical fabrics markets. With a long history of material innovation to draw from, Fiberweb has also rebranded its company as "The Next Answer" and redesigned its website.

Solmax International, a manufacturer of polyethylene geomembranes and pre-fabrication specialist with PVC geomembranes, seeks a Senior Technical Manager to join its team. Solmax, based in Varennes (Montreal) Canada, was recently named one of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies this year and exports to 60+ countries. The Senior Technical Manager is expected to support the Americas and Europe Sales team in supporting, developing and expanding the clientele and market coverage. Learn more.

Tensar is appointing Mala Nanda as Vice President and General Manager Asia Pacific, in a company move which emphasizes its commitment to the area. Based in Shanghai, Mala Nanda has exceptional experience in the construction supply sector, particularly her impressive progress with Owens Corning since 1994, latterly becoming General Manager, Asia Pacific South and winning company awards. Her brief tenure there included developing and investing in the Indian sub-continent, and developing the Australian market.

On Wednesday, 23 May 2012, at 2:00 pm EDT, Maccaferri will host a free instructional webinar on MSE Wall Design & Installation. This presentation, with Q & A time allotted, will offer a non-credit 0.15 CEU certificate to participants. Key topics include: Wall and reinforced soil slope (RSS) components and design details; Code of practice and method of design for MSE walls; Design difference between MSE walls and RSS; and Installation of MSE walls and RSS. Learn more.

The 6th edition of AMI's Waterproof Membranes conference will be held 11-13 December 2012 at Hotel Nikko in Düsseldorf, Germany. This annual gathering focuses on the exchange of technical information on geomembranes and roofing/architectural membranes. Research updates, market data, case studies and manufacturing advances are presented. Learn more about the key deadlines (abstracts, early registration) and sponsorship opportunities.

The 28th International Conference on Solid Waste Technology and Management will be held in Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A. on 10–13March 2013. Participants are expected from over 40 countries. Researchers, educators, government officials, consultants, managers, community leaders and others with expertise in solid waste are invited to submit papers for oral presentation or poster session at the conference. Papers related to all aspects of solid waste technology and management are of interest, including landfill design, energy recovery, regulations, liners, caps, gas and leachate management, ash containment, mining and mineral wastes, and much more.

Colorado Lining International, Inc. is excited to announce the addition of Joe McCullough as its newest Regional Sales Manager. Joe will be located in southern California and will be focused on sales and service for flexible membrane projects in the western United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. He previously worked for Watersaver Co., Inc.

Manasanat's Mohammad Reza Ashgbousi has shared with us some notes from a pipeline protection project in the Persian Gulf's South Pars/North Dome Gas Field. (With 51 trillion cubic meters of natural gas and 7.9 billion cubic meters of condensate natural gases, South Pars/North Dome is the largest gas field in the world and is shared by Qatar and Iran.) Here, a 650m-long, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipeline for water outfall was protected by a geotextile-backed, flexible concrete block mattress (CBM) system. Read more about this protection application in the oil and gas sector.

Raven Industries, a leading manufacturer of technologically superior blown and cast films is looking for a dynamic leader to help expand material and product development efforts. Utilizing a deep understanding of polymer processing, polymer science and material properties the ideal candidate will design and develop innovative new products, lead and direct Research & Development and Quality Assurance efforts and assist sales and marketing in product launches. This innovative leader will also serve as a resource to sales and service representatives for technical information.

The Geosynthetic Institute's (GSI) first newsletter of 2012 is, as expected, a crowded issue. This issue includes an overview of multiple research projects being conducted by the Geosynthetic Research Institute (GRI), such as the "Exposed Lifetime of Facing Geogrids Used at Landfill Berms"; an update on special information projects being created by Jamie Koerner (e.g., allowable leakage rate for waste ponds); an update on the Institute's wall certification program; and much more. Read it here (PDF)