Mining

Omya Inc. has received a draft certification to dispose of its chemically tainted calcium carbonate waste in a lined facility in Vermont. The $1.5 million lined tailings management facility dovetails with the company's $10 million dewatering plant. The plant removes 85 percent to 90 percent of the water from the waste, which is pumped back into the plant for reuse. The draft certification requires a single, high-density polyethylene double liner and leachate collection system. Learn more here.;

The International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) has published its fifth edition of "Recommended Descriptions of Geosynthetics Functions, Geosynthetics Terminology, Mathematical and Graphical Symbols." The project provides IGS members and users of geosynthetics everywhere a current base of information for an ever-changing array of products, applications and terminology. Download a copy in PDF today. Learn more here.;

At the Geo-Frontiers 2011 conference, there will be a technical session on Concrete Protection Liners co-chaired by Ian D. Peggs (icorp@geosynthetic.com) and Peter Dimaio (peterd@aks.co.za). All those working on tunnels, wastewater treatment basins, process chemical containment, or any other aspect of concrete protection using geomembranes or thicker polymeric sheet products, are invited to submit abstracts through www.geofrontiers11.org before 8 March 2010. Learn more here.;

Abu Dhabi's Royal Falcon Mining, a wholly owned subsidiary of PAL Group, has announced it has confirmed the presence of very high-grade gold and broad zones of gold-copper-bismuth mineralisation near the Swedish capital, Stockholm. The drilling operation started during August this year near the historical mining centre of Falun, which was first mined in around 700 AD, before closing in 1992 after operating for more than 1,400 years. Learn more here.;

WI Environmental LLC, an environmental solution company, has announced it has completed successful testing on acid mine drainage (AMD) and has passed all U.S. EPA tests including the TCLP test for leachability. Its trademarked product XR-88, removes and stabilizes heavy metals from acid mine drainage, including lead, nickel, cadmium, zinc, chromium, hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) compounds and arsenic to name a few.

Geo-Frontiers 2011 brings together the North American Geosynthetics Society (NAGS), the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Geo-Institute (GI) and the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI). It will be held 13-16 March 2011 in Dallas, Texas. The Call for Abstracts has been issued. Current tracks include Soil/Rock Mechanics and Modeling; Geotechnical Testing and Site Characterization; Foundations and Ground Improvement; Slopes, Embankments, and Earth Retaining Structures; Geosynthetics; Geoenvironmental Engineering; Geo-Hazards (Earthquakes, Landslides, Erosions, Others); Transportation Materials and Pavements; and Other Geotechnical Related Issues. Abstracts of 200-300 words are due 8 March 2011. Learn more. Learn more here.;

NAUE GmbH and Co. KG, manufacturers of the Secugrid geogrids (among many other successful, global geosynthetic products), has developed a free game for the holidays: BallGrid! Players throw snowballs into a Secugrid matrix with points awarded based upon where in the grid the snowball lands. Watch the wind! And, one hint: special points are awarded for the snowman's hat. Play it online today. Learn more here.;

After a four-year legal battle, a mining company has paid the government a record $1.79 billion to settle claims for hazardous waste pollution across 19 states, federal agencies announced Thursday. Officials said the payment on behalf of the company, the American Smelting and Refining Company, or Asarco, was the nation’s largest environmental bankruptcy settlement. Learn more here.;

To build a $140-million cobalt mine in a national forest in Idaho, tiny Vancouver junior miner Formation Metals Inc. turned to the state's chief rainmaker, Cecil Andrus. Mr. Andrus was Idaho's longest-serving governor, a Democrat who was elected four times. The company wanted to unearth a metal used in turbines for jet engines and batteries, where demand could spike as electric cars become more common. It would be the only cobalt-focused mine in the United States. More than $600 million in cobalt is used in the United States each year. The top cobalt producting countries are the Democratic Republic of Congo and Canada. Learn more here.;

At least seven Superfund sites in EPA Region 7, including five in Missouri and one each in Kansas and Nebraska, will receive a total of $282 million, plus interest, to fund environmental cleanup and restoration work as a result of a legal settlement in the largest environmental bankruptcy case in U.S. history. The seven sites in Region 7 are among more than 80 Superfund sites in 19 states receiving portions of a $1.79 billion settlement from the reorganization of the American Smelting and Refining Company LLC (ASARCO). The funds will be used to pay for past and future costs incurred by federal and state agencies to address environmental contamination caused by ASARCO's operations around the country.

Five Superfund sites in Missouri will receive nearly $70 million for environmental cleanup and restoration. The money comes from a $1.79 billion settlement with Arizona-based mining company Asarco LLC for cleaning up 80 polluted sites in 19 states. The U.S. Justice Department announced the settlement Thursday. More than $37 million will go toward cleanup of three sites in southeast Missouri: Big River Mine Tailings/St. Joe Minerals Corp.; Federal Mine Tailings; and Madison County Mines. Two sites in southwest Missouri will get $32.8 million. Those sites are Jasper County/Oronogo-Duenweg Mining Belt, and Newton County Mine Tailings. Learn more here.;

Due to popular demand, and after three sell-out sessions in 2009, Applied Market Information Ltd. (AMI) has added two new European dates in 2010 for the Middle East Plastics Industry Strategy Seminar: 27 January 2010 in Brussels, Belgium and 16 March 2010 in Cologne, Germany. Read more about this event in Jon Nash's letter.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO), a worldwide authority institution for standards, is featured in the latest issue of FITA's "Really Useful Websites" newsletter. FITA is an international federation of trade associations. The newsletter regularly includes import and export tips, international business networking opportunities, trade websites, and country profiles. The current profile: Nigeria. Learn more here.;

Andrew Aho, Executive Director of the Geosynthetic Materials Association (GMA), writes: "Geotextile manufacturers are keen to update the specifying community regarding specifications that are outdated and no longer acceptable in the industry. Two tests retired by industry approval standards continue to creep into the occasional specification: the Mullen Burst Test and the Puncture Strength Test. The Mullen test was devised in 1887 by J.W. Mullen as a measure for the puncture strength of paper. Eventually it was adopted by the textile industry along with the Puncture Strength Text. In the 1970s these tests were available to the geotextile industry." Read more, including an open letter to specifiers of geosynthetics.

Waterproof Membranes 2010, the 4th international industry conference organised by AMI, will take place at the Maritim Hotel in Cologne, Germany on 30 November-2nd December 2010. The focus is on roofing membranes and geomembranes. On the first evening there is a welcome cocktail reception and registration, followed by a 2-day programme of expert presentations. A small specialist exhibition runs alongside the conference. Abstracts are invited through 28 May 2010. Learn more here.;

Fort Knox in mid-November poured its first gold dore' bar produced from the recently completed valley heap leach facility, a project that will help add at least five years onto the life of mine. Crews completed the in-heap storage pond, placed liner for stage one of the heap leach, constructed a spillway and laid piping before mine crews began stacking gold-bearing crushed rock this fall. Learn more here.;

David Suits, the Executive Director of the North American Geosynthetics Society (NAGS), has written to say that NAGS has extra copies of the Geo-Frontiers 2005 proceedings on CD. He's offering these proceedings for just $25 while supplies last. (Link to the order form below.) Geo-Frontiers 2005 was the first joint conference between ASCE's Geo-Institute, NAGS, and IFAI. These same entities are now teaming up to hold Geo-Frontiers 2011 in Dallas (13-16 March 2011). Download the special offer for the 2005 proceedings here and catch-up on these important publications.

As the demand for geoelectric integrity surveys performed as the final stage of liner construction quality assurance (CQA) increases, the number of surveyors certified by the TRI-CORP Liner Integrity Center (T-CLIC) also increases. To date about 200 people have taken the 1-day classroom and 1-day, hands-on instructional course at the TRI campus or at other locations. Read more about this important movement in liner integrity verification.

The U.S. Forest Service is developing an environmental cleanup plan for the San Mateo Uranium Mine under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act. The site is located on the Mount Taylor Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest, Cibola County, approximately 12 miles northeast of Grants. The recommended cleanup alternative is to consolidate the waste rock piles and place them in an on-site repository. A geomembrane would be placed above the waste rock in the repository and would be covered with clean soil, re-vegetated, and armored with rock. Learn more here.;

Colorado Lining International is pleased to announce that Greg Scales has joined the firm's sales division as Outside Sales for the East Coast Region. He will be based in Asheville, North Carolina. Mr. Scales has 20 years of professional experience in the geosynthetic industry. He graduated from the University of Louisville School of Engineering with Bachelors of Applied Science in Civil Engineering (1983) and from Webster University with a Master of Arts in Marketing and Management (1985).

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has launched an online discussion forum designed to enhance communication between EPA and the public on contaminated sites, waste management, and recycling issues. The forum, which is a public comment board, is another important component in EPA's ongoing efforts to increase transparency and public engagement.

The newest IGS News is available! Volume 25, No 3 from the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) contains a message from IGS President Fumio Tatsuoka; another excellent report from Jorge Zornberg, this time on IGS in the Americas; reports on IGS meetings and actitives, including an announcement of an IGS Photo Contest to coincide with the soon-to-be relaunched website; 2010 IGS elected positions candidates; conference reports; chapter news; and much, much more. Read the latest in PDF today. Learn more here.;

P4 Production LLC, a southeast Idaho phosphate mining company, has reached agreement with five federal and state agencies, as well as the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, to develop comprehensive cleanup plans for three phosphate mines near Soda Springs, Idaho. The agreement requires P4 Production (a subsidiary of the Monsanto Company) to complete remedial investigations and feasibility studies for the Ballard, Henry, and Enoch Valley mines. The Ballard Mine was operated from 1951 to 1969, the Henry Mine was operated from 1969 to 1989, and Enoch Valley Mine was operated from 1989 until recently. They are all currently inactive.

Forester Communications--publisher of magazines such as Erosion Control, MSW Management and Stormwater--has launched a website for Forester Events. The company, as many in the field knows, manages events such as the annual StormCon conference. New symposiums in sectors such as energy, water conservation, municipal solid waste and grading and excavation contracting are forthcoming. Track the latest at the new Forester Events website: http://www.foresterevents.com/ Learn more here.;

After several weeks of testimony before the Canadian parliament over allegations Canadian extraction companies behave badly abroad, mining representatives had their turn to fire back last week. Among the speakers was Barrick’s Vincent Borg, Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications. Barrick got a chance to refute claims of irresponsible tailings and acid rock drainage management at mines like the North Mara Mine in Tanzania--a site at which thieves have damaged the liner on multiple locations. (Liner sections are stolen for roofing.) Barrick has quickly replaced the liner in these events. Learn more here.;