1. technology and computing

Section B
october | november 2014
www.minersnews.com
Tyco SimplexGrinnell Introduces Smart New Fire Alarm
Panel for Small- and Mid-Sized Projects and Applications
Simplex 4007ES Panel Offers the Benefits of
Advanced Technology in a Smaller Package
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Furthering its commitment to bring customers the benefits
of technology and innovation, Tyco SimplexGrinnell is introducing the Simplex 4007ES
– a small, expandable fire alarm panel offering features and functionality normally
associated with large systems.
The Simplex 4007ES comes in two distinct models and with a 4.3-inch color
touchscreen display, enabling buildings owners, facility managers, architects and
engineers to meet the range of fire and life-safety protection needs in small schools,
medical office buildings, strip malls, restaurants and other similarly sized applications.
Designed specifically for small- and mid-sized projects, the Simplex 4007ES panel
meets a key market need and expands Tyco SimplexGrinnell’s eServices capabilities.
eServices is the integrated suite of technology and service capabilities that greatly
enhances the overall value and cost efficiency that Tyco SimplexGrinnell can provide in
fire and life-safety environments.
Simplex 4007ES Addressable Panel: This panel brings the benefits of TrueInsight
remote fire alarm system diagnostics and TrueAlert ES addressable notification to new
construction projects. TrueInsight Remote Service alerts expert Tyco SimplexGrinnell
technicians to system issues and upcoming maintenance needs, such as detectors
that will soon need cleaning. For TrueInsight customers, Tyco SimplexGrinnell provides
increased uptime, fewer disruptions and a 90% first-time fix rate for resolving system
issues. TrueAlert ES notification, the family of addressable notification appliances from
Tyco SimplexGrinnell, offers exceptional design and installation flexibility, revolutionary
self-testing capability, and lower overall costs of ownership.
The Simplex 4007ES panel, being demonstrated for the first time at the Tyco
SimplexGrinnell booth (#1225) at the NFPA Expo in Las Vegas, can provide reliable, costeffective protection for new construction, upgrade projects and retrofit applications. At
the same time, the 4007ES panel can connect customers to the value-added benefits of
eServices technology – more design flexibility, easier installation, improved operational
efficiency, robust data management and reporting, and lower life-cycle costs.
Simplex 4007ES Hybrid Panel: Combining conventional and addressable technology,
this model is ideal for upgrades and retrofit projects. It enables customers to connect
a Simplex 4007ES panel to a conventional, hard-wired fire alarm system. This 4007ES
hybrid panel can leverage existing wiring infrastructure and peripheral devices
while also providing an easy, cost-effective path to ultimately convert the system to
addressable technology.
“The introduction of the Simplex 4007ES panel represents a key advancement in
technology and our ability to serve the needs of customers in the small- and mid-sized
market,” said John Haynes, Global Director of Simplex products, Tyco Fire Protection
Products. “The new panel enables us to use addressable technology to deliver gamechanging features and value while also supporting customers looking for cost-efficient,
forwarding-looking retrofit solutions. As a technology leader, Tyco is excited to bring the
industry a small panel with large panel capabilities.”
Your most valuable
asset isn’t the
material you pull
out of the earth.
About Tyco SimplexGrinnell
Tyco SimplexGrinnell is a longtime leader in fire and life safety, with one million
customers and a history that dates back to the mid 1800s. Tyco SimplexGrinnell is
advancing safety and security with a comprehensive array of fire alarm, fire sprinkler,
fire suppression, emergency communications, integrated security, sound, and
healthcare communications systems and services. Tyco SimplexGrinnell has 11,000
employees and serves customers through 150 company-owned offices in the United
States and Canada. For more information, visit www.simplexgrinnell.com.
Tyco SimplexGrinnell offers comprehensive safety
solutions that protect people, property and production.
Our expertise spans the full mining life cycle, from approval
and build to operation and reclamation. We draw on our industry
leadership, state-of-the-art technology and deep understanding
of mining operations to deliver cost-effective fire protection,
security, life safety and communications that keep your facilities
up and running while keeping them safe and compliant.
At Tyco SimplexGrinnell, we are constantly developing ways
to advance safety and security.
Learn how we can help make your world—and what’s
under it—safer. Visit us at www.TycoSimplexGrinnell.com.
Safer. Smarter. Tyco.™
hard rock & aggregates
hard rock & aggregates
Forget Silicon Valley, the Mining and Aggregate Business is High Tech
By Harold Hough
Anyone who thinks mining is a low tech business is misinformed. Today’s
modern mining operation has more computer processing capability onsite than the average start-up Silicon Valley computer company does.
Then there are companies like Modular Mining, which dwarf the average
Silicon Valley computer company, but thrive by providing high tech
computer solutions to the mining industry.
The computer revolution has profoundly affected the mining industry.
Computers are part of every sector of the industry, from the software
that designs new heavy equipment to the computers in engines that
keep providing a steady stream of telemetry back to the maintenance
department.
The computer revolution and heavy equipment manufacturers like
Caterpillar have given the industry robotic mining equipment, while
Silicon Valley is still playing with robotic vacuum cleaners. Caterpillar
Mine Ventilation Consultants (Canada) Inc.
(mine ventilation nets, types of fans, regulators, and
doors, mine air quality, temperature of the air and
rock-also for Permafrost, tunnels and water pressure
tunnels construction, reports)
Tel: +1-613-314-6092 • +1-613-422-3900
Email: mineventilationconsultantsjc@gmail.com
Website: http://ventilation.wix.com/website
B-2
October/November 2014 | #166 | www.minersnews.com
manufactures MineGem underground robotic miners. The Caterpillar
system uses computers and lasers to allow underground mining equipment
to move from loading to dumping areas without a driver. While traveling
through the tunnels, the equipment is kept on track with lasers that make
sure the equipment doesn’t run into the wall.
This automation is also improving safety. In Nevada, Newmont has
expanded its mining to lower grade deposits. However, it has found itself
working around older operations that mined the high grade gold ore and
then moved on – often leaving miles of dangerous underground tunnels.
Experts estimate that the Nevada contains some 300,000 abandoned
mines, 50,000 of which are classified as potential public hazards. This is
where remote controlled heavy equipment comes in.
Underground tunnels pose more than a sinkhole problem for heavy
equipment. A dozer working on a slight slope may cause a void to
collapse, causing a slight slope to become a dangerous incline – causing
the equipment to tip over or even tumble down the slope in a landslide.
Once again, the mining industry and heavy equipment manufacturers
led the way. While Silicon Valley is currently focused on products like
Anybots that allow your remotely controlled robot to go to meetings half
a world away, the mining industry had already pioneered a way to handle
heavy equipment remotely.
The answer for Newmont and other mines is a simple add-on developed
by Caterpillar. It’s called Command and it can be purchased with new Cat
equipment or added on. The controls are portable and are easily carried
by an operator as they move around the site. The equipment can also
be used in environments that might easily tire an operator or pose other
environmental risks.
Unlike totally automated equipment, which is becoming more
common around mine sites, Command is a remote controlled device that
is controlled by the equipment operator within sight of the equipment.
Since the controls are just like those on the dozer, a heavy equipment
operator familiar with dozer operations can quickly learn how to use
them.
If an unstable area needs work, the operator can move the equipment
to the site and then carry out the job from a safe location with Command.
There are also several automatic shutoffs in the system is the equipment
loses contact with the remote control device, the operator trips and falls
down, or an emergency shutoff switch is activated on the cab, remote
console, or mine control center.
A less exciting, but more common use of computers is one that tracks
the location of equipment, monitors the condition of the equipment, and
gives the operator updates as necessary. Heavy equipment manufacturers
offer such systems, and there are currently thousands of pieces of
equipment that use these systems to increase the productivity of their
operations. Other subsystems like tire condition monitors are offered by
other companies that can interface with these systems.
Computers are critical in maximizing the mine’s operation. Modular
Mining’s IntelliMine helps the mine’s management optimize the haul cycle,
while monitoring the equipment and helping schedule maintenance. By
carefully monitoring telemetry from the equipment, they can also detect
equipment problems before they even breakdown.
Even the design of equipment has been radically changed thanks to
computers. Caterpillar uses computers to maximize their equipment
design. With it, Cat can determine the probable stress points even before
the first prototype is built. In fact, with it, they can custom design a
truck body that will enhance performance at your specific mine, while
maximizing durability. This allows management to better enhance mine
efficiency at the lowest cost.
While some may think mining is just picks and shovels, mining has
evolved into a high technology industry that leads the economy in high
tech applications. In many cases, high tech computer solutions have come
out of the mining industry long before the “wiz kids” of Silicon Valley ever
knew there was a problem, much less a computer solution.
Updated Annually
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EPA agrees to delay Pebble Project ban for now…
EPA acknowledges its action against the Pebble Project is unprecedented, agrees to not issue any
recommendation prior to January 2, 2015.
RENO (MINEWEB) - Northern Dynasty’s Pebble Project finally caught a break as a federal court judge validated an agreement
that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it would stay its Section 404(c) Clean Water Act regulatory process against
the Pebble Project until at least January 2, 2015.
An order by U.S. District Judge H. Russel Holland Wednesday noted that EPA’s regional administrator “will not issue any
recommendation on its pending, proposed determination regarding the Pebble Mine Project prior to January 2, 2015”.
Judge Holland said his court must resolve the motion for a preliminary injunction filed by the Pebble Limited Partnership
challenging EPA’s authority to pre-emptively impose development restrictions on Pebble prior to the submission of a proposed
development plan to state and federal agencies. The Partnership has also sued on the ground that EPA has not complied with the
Federal Advisory Committee Act and the Administrative Procedure Act in preparing the Bristol Bay Assessment study, upon which
the Section 404(c) regulatory process is largely based.
EPA’s attempt to expand its authority under the Clean Water Act by stopping the Pebble Project before the Pebble Partnership
even files for permitting has upset more than 180-plus national and state associations and organizations - representing mining,
agriculture, construction, housing, manufacturing, utilities, energy production and transportation - to stop the action.
Legislation has been introduced in Congress to clarify EPA’s role in the Clean Water Act Section 404 permitting process to
ensure that the agency doesn’t deny permits before applications for permits are filed.
The Pebble copper-gold-molybdenum project is located in the Bristol Bay region of Southwest Alaska. Measured and indicated
resources for the project include 55 billion pounds of copper, 67 million ounces of gold and 3.3 billion pounds of moly.
Miller joins JCB north American
dealer network
JCB’s North American dealer network has expanded with the addition of Miller
JCB. The full-service dealership will provide new and pre-owned heavy equipment
sales and rentals to the cities of Juneau, Ketchikan and Wasilla in Southeast and
South-Central Alaska.
Serving the Mining &
Construction Industries of Alaska
Miller JCB was founded in 2005 as Miller Construction Equipment Sales in
Juneau. “In partnering with JCB, the dealership will continue providing excellent
customer service while growing JCB’s presence in the state of Alaska. Three JCBdedicated salespeople and seven service technicians will ensure customers receive
knowledgeable and one-on-one attention at each location,” the company says.
Explosive Products and Supplies
Terrence Miller, Miller JCB’s president, is enthusiastic about the new partnership
and opportunities ahead for both JCB and the dealership. “We’re proud of the
strong reputation we've built in the region and of the success we’ve already had
selling JCB equipment,” he said. “Now, by offering JCB’s full line of equipment,
we can better meet customers’ needs and feel confident we’re providing a quality
product and resources.” More info, visit www.mcesalaska.com.
Anchorage, AK
Phone: (907) 349-1424
Fax: (907) 344-6780
Fairbanks, AK
Ketchikan, AK
(907) 456-8506
Taiga Ventures began in 1979 when Mike
Tolbert recognized a need within the natural
resource exploration industry for a variety
of remote logistics services. With a single
truck and a load of ambition, Taiga Ventures
quickly earned a reputation for providing
anything and everything that might be
needed for a successful project in the
most remote areas of Alaska. The desire to
provide the best and most modern facilities
and equipment has kept Taiga Ventures
going strong for thirty years and counting.
Taiga Ventures has provided the opening
camps for many large mining operation
in the state and hundreds of exploratory
camps for natural resource exploration.
Today’s industry requires significantly
more technology, environmental
protection and safety awareness. Taiga
Ventures continues to be at the forefront
by utilizing the vast knowledge and
experience of our local community.
Several of our remote systems are custom
designed and manufactured right here
in Alaska to meet our clients needs. This
coupled with our “can do” mentality
provides the client with the best there
is in this harshest of environments.
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October/November 2014 | #166 | www.minersnews.com
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Serving You Since 1979
Pure Nickel Announces Results for Salt
Chuck Drilling Program
NPH-14-15 targeted a southerly trending series of gold anomalies in soil in the central
part of the NPH area. This hole encountered anomalous disseminated chalcopyrite
mineralization across a broad interval (0.12% Cu over 71 meters apparent width).
TORONTO -- Pure Nickel Inc. (TSX-V:NIC) (the "Company") announced results for the
recently completed drilling program on its 100% owned Salt Chuck Copper (Cu) - Gold (Au)
- Silver (Ag) - Palladium (Pd) Property on Prince of Wales Island in south-eastern Alaska.
Nine holes totalling 1,700 meters were completed on the North Pole Hill (NPH) section of
the property from May 10 to June 23, 2014.
The results of the 2014 drill program indicate that the Salt Chuck Property hosts
numerous mineralized structures that locally exhibit elevated gold and copper values.
These structures may be related to a major fault that bisects the Salt Chuck intrusion in
the central part of the property, which has yet to be investigated. Soil geochemistry has
proven to be an excellent indicator of bedrock mineralization, and numerous anomalies
remain to be tested. Follow-up work will expand the soil surveys across the property, as
Drilling targeted selected soil geochemical anomalies that occur in the NPH area. well as initiate detailed geological mapping of the numerous mineralized structures.
Eight of the nine holes encountered pyrite-chalcopyrite mineralization associated with
hydrothermal quartz-calcite-epidote veining, similar to that intersected in 2012 drill hole About the Salt Chuck Property
NPH-12-04 (29.1 g/t Au and 0.79% Cu over 2.58 meters apparent width - see press release
dated December 11, 2012). The results clearly indicate that the soil anomalies reflect
The Salt Chuck Property consists of 146 contiguous federal lode mining claims located
underlying bedrock mineralization. David McPherson, President and CEO of Pure Nickel on Prince of Wales Island on the Alaskan Panhandle, and includes the former Salt Chuck
Inc. noted: "We have demonstrated the positive relationship between soil geochemistry mine. The island is accessed by ferry service, and direct access to the property is by welland mineralization, and we now know that there are multiple mineralized structures on maintained U.S. Forest Service roads and by water.
the property. Given that there are numerous untested gold, copper and palladium soil
anomalies, and that some of the largest structures have yet to be investigated, we believe
The former Salt Chuck mine, was the largest producer of palladium in the United States
that there is significant potential for further discoveries at Salt Chuck."
while it was in production from 1916 to 1941. It produced approximately 300,000 metric
tonnes of ore, reported by U.S. government summaries (1948) to be 0.95 % copper, 1.96
The first five drill holes were designed to test the continuity of high grade gold g/t palladium, 1.12 g/t gold and 5.29 g/t silver.
mineralization encountered during drilling in 2012 at site NPH-12-04, where a moderate
gold anomaly is present in the soil. Four of these holes encountered similar hydrothermal About Pure Nickel Inc.
sulphide mineralization associated with quartz-calcite-epidote veining. The best result
was in hole NPH-14-07 which intersected 14.1 g/t Au and 0.74% Cu over 0.5 meters
Pure Nickel is a mineral exploration company with a diverse collection of nickel, copper
apparent width. In addition, NPH-14-05 intersected 1.3 g/t Au over 1.1 meters apparent and platinum group element exploration projects in North America. In 2013 the Company
width, NPH-14-10 intersected 1.3 g/t Au over 1.0 meters apparent width, and hole NPH- completed an exploration program and a favourable nickel deportment study on the MAN
14-11 intersected 0.6 g/t Au over 2.0 meters apparent width.
Property in Alaska. In addition, the Company has completed a re-evaluation of its William
Lake Property as a bulk tonnage nickel prospect and continues to actively pursue other
Drill holes NPH-14-12 through 14 tested a northwest trending gold in soil anomaly in non-nickel properties in North America and overseas. CONTACT: Pure Nickel Inc., T. (416)
the eastern part of the NPH area, and each encountered pyrite-chalcopyrite mineralization 644-0066; info@purenickel.com ; www.purenickel.com
in quartz-carbonate-epidote veins. Moderately anomalous gold and copper values were
obtained from some of these zones, including 0.91 g/t Au over an apparent width of 0.34
meters in hole NPH-14-14, and 0.42% Cu over 2 meters apparent width in NPH-14-12.
While these intersections are not ore grade, they do indicate that a significant mineralizing
system is present on the property.
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www.minersnews.com | #166 |October/November 2014
B-5
ALASKA
DOMESTIC MINING
Who’s mining the store?
Everything you need. The products you want.
The services you expect.
Fish and Coal Together: How ‘Either/Or’ Becomes ‘Both/And’
By Kathryn G. Arlen
“The Chuitna Coal Project is not a choice between a coal mine and fish—it is designed for BOTH,”
states PacRim LP’s mantra for the future coal mine located just 45 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska.
We’ve
been keepingthat
minesphilosophy:
in Alaska running
And Dan Graham, PE and Chuitna Project Manager, further
emphasized
“I just
for more
than a25responsible
years. We do itdevelopment
by having
think that as an industry we all need to approach our projects
from
perspective…and particularly for us, with the sensitive issue
salmon.
to extend your
theof
fuel,
lubricantsYou
andhave
other petroleum
efforts if you expect to move your project forward.”
products you need right here when you need
The future surface coal mine, with projected life span of 25 years, expects to produce an
them – at competitive prices.
average 12 million metric tons of sub-bituminous, ultra low sulfur coal per year, depending on
market demand. But it will also simultaneously protect and enhance the local environment, as
sophisticated
distribution
system plus
Graham explained both in a Sept. 16 presentation to theA Alaska
Miners
Association
Fairbanks
membership and in a follow-up interview.
close relationships with our suppliers and
PacRim’s plan may seem simple, at least in intent, butfreight
still creates
impressive
challenges.
companies
allow Delta Western
to As
Graham explained “…the two keys are creating new [fish] habitat downstream before we start
deliver the precise product you need, the
mining, and then, when we’re done, constructing habitat within the [former] mine area as part of
moment you need it. And now joining forces
the reclamation plan.”
with Inlet Petroleum
Company you canmine
countand
Considering all the intense publicity surrounding the proposed
Pebble Copper/Gold
its possible adverse affects on Alaska’s salmon industry, any
mention
oflubricants
“fishingyou
and
mining” in
on us
to have the
prefer
the same sentence is bound to draw attention and many questions.
Butfuel
“the
scope
issue
and the quality
brands
youand
expect,
as they
have are completely different from ours,” Graham first discussed, and continued stressing how the
well as products ranging from filters to
coal industry in particular needs to be sensitive to environmental issues: “It’s not an ‘either/or.’
absorbents,
fuel additives
and cleaners.Further
We don’t have one resource vs. another, we’re not in competition.
We’re
in partnership.”
emphasizing this concept he cited several highly successful reclamation examples from around the
state including the Denali Mine at Valdez Creek, Fish Creek at Fort Knox Mine [gold], Middle Fork
of Red Dog Creek at the Red Dog Mine [zinc], and others.
As Graham reiterated throughout his comments and presentation much current opposition
For all
of your
quality[and
fuel other
needs, companies]
to mining efforts centers on the “this can’t be done” criticism,
but
PacRim
us toll-free at 800.478.2688
intend to continue proving that successful and enhancingcall
environmental
reclamation can coexist
with necessary mining activity. Lakes now exist where none did before, natural stream beds resume,
wetland ponds form in depressions of reclaimed areas, ducks, beaver, moose, etc. utilize the areas,
and in many cases fish population has increased after reclamation efforts.
PacRim’s efforts will address two time periods: during the mine’s lifetime and after mining
has ceased. Some of the projects during mining include creating side-channels for salmon rearing
and spawning, adding nutrients, monitoring and adjusting [as needed], and implementing the ARED
system as an alternative plan if salmon don’t successfully spawn on their own. (With this approach
the fish are captured, their eggs fertilized, then the salmon are released into their natural habitat for
incubation, thus avoiding the “hatchery fish” label.)
During the traditional post-mining reclamation period habitat reconstruction will constitute the
main focus. Water supply, streams in particular, surface as a major issue.
“The first thing you have to do is look hard at what you’re dealing with, and in our case with the
Chuit River and its tributaries we’re mostly dealing with coho salmon.” The second issue is testing
fish numbers/population, then the third and fourth steps in this reclamation process focus on water
management (flow/discharge) and quality. “Our water source is mostly storm water. We don’t have
Alaskans
Serving
a processing wash, no chemical process involved, and that’s a key—this
is soft
coal,Alaska
ultra low sulfur.
Some power plants can get compliance [just] by burning this coal.” Thus, understanding “area
hydrology and hydrogeology in the area” is critical for generating a successful water management
plan for streams both below and adjacent to the mine site.
In addition to identifying and researching case studies from around the Pacific Northwest, Graham
39901 N. Glenn Hwy.
Sutton, AK 99674
(907) 745-5701
www.LFAV.com
Helicopter Charter
RAM® Truck Hemi® UNDERHOOD now
Available for Order
VMAC's latest UNDERHOOD air compressor
broadens product range
Nanaimo, B.C. - With VMAC's latest UNDERHOOD kit going into
production soon, dealers now have an opportunity to provide an
UNDERHOOD air compressor for the latest model of RAM® trucks with
Hemi® 6.4L and 5.7L engines. In the last year 49,015 new RAM trucks
were sold in the United States for commercial purposes. RAM has a
large and growing base of very loyal customers who have been asking
for a VMAC UNDERHOOD system to be available on this engine. This
system is a continuation of VMAC's support of the RAM truck. Last year,
VMAC announced the UNDERHOOD for RAM trucks with the Cummins
Natural
stream after
engine.
mine reclamation efforts, and a happy salmon enjoying his/her new home.
added
thattrucks
the state’s
Fish and
department
has been
both are
cooperative
and helpful
in “pointing
"RAM
with
theGame
Hemi
6.4L and
5.7L
important
vehicles
in
us towards the science behind the designing. But I wouldn’t say that turns into instant approval. We
the
North
American
commercial
truck
industry,"
says
Dan
Hutchinson,
still have to prove our design on its merits.”
VMAC
President
of Sales
andhoped-for,
Marketing.
are for
known
for
DesignVice
approval,
of course, translates
into that
eventual"They
“green light”
permitting.
their
and
like the
UNDERHOOD,
so we want
to
As
havestrength
many others,
“Wereliability,
are finding thejust
permitting
avenue
to be an incredible challenge,”
Graham
understandably
lamented.
“We for
are it."
in an EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) process that
provide great
products
normally
takes about two years, and we’re in year five and still have at least a year and a half to go.
It began in 2006.”
The
same expected?
reliable,
compact of things,”
powerGraham
the
Why issystem
this taking soprovides
long, or longerthe
than originally
“It’s combination
UNDERHOOD
is known
weighs
just 150 so
lbs
andhadleaves
behind
no
continued.
“For one, agencies
wantfor.
moreItand
more information,
we’ve
to go back
and gather
footprintbaseline
at allinformation.
on the truck
providing
70since
CFM
and
psi.
additional
Plus wewhile
have redone
the design
2006,
andup
thatto
has175
put things
on
until our new is
plan
is finalized. But
this is being
thoroughly
vetted.in Ithe
mean,
the of
levelthe
of
Itshold
performance
unrivalled,
providing
reliable
power
heat
scrutiny
that
is
being
given
to
this
project….”
one
can
conclude
is
quite
intense.
Australian Outback and the frozen Alaskan Slope.
And perhaps that is as it should be, as the project manager continued commenting on the “state of
world” from the mining perspective, citing such organizations as the powerful Sierra Club and its
the
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that it can, and we will continue to do it right.” Once again, another tangible example of transforming
the “either/or” dictum into a productive, inclusive “both/and” philosophy, with results.
Kathryn G. Arlen MA [professional communication] is a consultant and freelance writer in Fairbanks, Alaska. She
can be reached via email at mindmerger@hotmail.com.
Last Frontier Air Ventures is an Alaskan owned and operated
company that offers many years of expertise and experience
in the field of mining as well as good old fashioned
Alaskan customer service.
Last Frontier Air Ventures offers Helicopter Support for the
following anywhere in the State: Mineral Exploration, Survey,
Staking, Research and Development, Slung Cargo, Video and
Film Projects, Aerial Photography, Tours, Crew Transport,
Heli Skiing, Short and Long Term Contracts.
We have four Astar 350B2 Aircraft which can seat up to 5
persons in addition to the pilot with a sling load capacity of up to
2000 lbs load. All of our pilots are proficient with
precision long line, and mountain operations.
Last Frontier Air Ventures, being locally owned and operated,
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Mineral Exploration | Survey & Staking
Oil Field Support | Slung Cargo
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B-6
2014 | www.minersnews.com
#166 | www.minersnews.com
October/November 2011
For more information, please call us at 907-745-5701 and
visit our website at www.LFAV.com
OIL INDUSTRY: Exploration, survey, development, support
MINING INDUSTRY: Mineral exploration, survey, development, drilling program support
UNIVERSITIES/SCIENCE FOUNDATIONS: Exploration, survey, support
STATE/FEDERAL AGENCIES: Exploration, survey, development, support
FILM INDUSTRY: Aerial film and Cineflex video, locations and support
TOURSIM INDUSTRY: Heli skiing, Heli hiking and Heli tours
Komatsu’s HD325-7 New Dump Truck
Komatsu America's HD325-7 is designed for sand and gravel and rock quarry
sites. The truck increases productivity while lowering fuel consumption to provide
a safer and more comfortable operator environment and offer improved durability
and reliability, says the manufacturer.
The truck has a SAA6D140E-5 turbocharged, after-cooled diesel engine
that provides a maximum net output of 498hp (371kW). Performance engine is
enhanced with an advanced cooling system and improved fuel pre-filters.
It has Komtrax technology that sends machine operating information to a website
for fleet monitoring.
The Komatsu designed electronically controlled countershaft transmission
selects the right gear according to vehicle speed, engine speed and the shift
position chosen, resulting in the best gear for any operating condition, according
to the manufacturer.
Low maintenance is gained from brakes that do not require adjustment for wear.
The braking system is designed with added reliability with three independent
The optional automatic retard speed control system with a large capacity hydraulic circuits that provide hydraulic back-up should one of the circuits fail.
retarder allows operators to set downhill travel speed at a constant level. Cooling This system eliminates air bleeding so water condensation — which can lead to
oil temperature is monitored so the speed is automatically lowered if the retarder contamination, corrosion and freezing — also is eliminated.
oil temperature rises.
Service filters and greasing points have been centralized for easier servicing.
Flat face-to-face O-ring seals are used to securely seal all hydraulic hose To minimize operating costs, oil change intervals also have been extended to 500
connections and prevent oil leakage. The main harnesses and controller connectors hours for engine oil and 4000 hours for hydraulic oil. Flange-type tire rims make
are equipped with sealed DT connectors to provide high reliability, and water and removal and installation of the trucks' tires easy. Komatsu's advanced onboard
dust resistance.
diagnostic system maximizes machine production time by identifying maintenance
items, reducing diagnostic times, indicating oil and filter replacement hours and
The truck's fully hydraulic controlled wet multiple-disc brakes ensure reliable displaying abnormality codes.
and stable brake performance. The continuously cooled wet-multiple disc brakes
also function as a highly responsive retarder, which gives the operator greater
Visit www.komatsuamerica.com for more information.
confidence at higher downhill travel speeds. Wet disc brakes are fully sealed to
keep contaminants out, reducing wear and maintenance.
Alaska’s largest supplier of Hose, Fittings, and Rigging
accessories is proud to support our states mining industry.
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www.minersnews.com | #166 |October/November 2014
B-7
Alaska Miners Association
Annual Convention & Trade Show
Celebrating 75 years!
We have moved to the Dena’ina Center this year!
Trade Show
With space for more than
160 10x10 booths and
tables, we can invite more
companies to participate.
Large equipment now
welcome inside!
Technical Sessions
& Training
Three days of technical
sessions that include
presentations on current
issues and project updates.
Also, choose from an
assortment of Short Courses
and underground or surface
MSHA refreshers.
Networking
Our always-popular
special events such as the
Suppliers’ Reception and
Closing Banquet give
people the opportunity
to network in a light, fun,
and social environment.
Convention Dates: November 3-9, 2014
To register, or for more information
go to www.alaskaminers.org
or call 907-563-9229
Photos courtesy of Mark Huffington
800.331.3522
B-8
www.samsontug.com
October/November 2014 | #166 | www.minersnews.com
Refinery closure drives up
Alaska asphalt prices
Prices for asphalt have spiked this construction season
following the closure of the Flint Hills Resources refinery in
North Pole, Fairbanks, Alaska.
The real price of asphalt oil has spiked about 20% over last year — about
$150 per ton — for construction projects in Fairbanks and more remote
locations, Exclusive Paving general manager Travis Cline said.
The reason for the cost increase is asphalt oil used for state Transportation
Department Northern Region projects must now be trucked up from Tesoro’s
Nikiski refinery.
Tracked bi-weekly by DOT, the base, or “rack” price of asphalt oil is actually
less than last year. Through September 4 the rack price was $600 per ton
and had been steady since June 20, as opposed to $619 per ton for the 2013
paving season.
While work on road projects occurs all summer long, most paving is done in
late summer and early fall.
“Those numbers, that they use for that index, that is what they get direct
from the manufacturer,” Cline said.
“That price doesn’t take into account the trucking. That’s why when it finally
gets to our jobs here in Northern Region it’s quite a bit more expensive.”
DOT Northern Region Construction Engineer Frank Ganley said the state was
initially hearing that asphalt was running about $100 more per ton than was
projected in many of the contracts it has with construction companies, but
added that the $150 figure is reasonable as well.
“A lot of that information we just don’t have yet from our contractors,”
Ganley said.
Contracts for this summer’s projects were bid and awarded last winter and
early spring, prior to when Flint Hills announced it would close its North Pole
refinery, which happened June 1.
He estimated Northern Region work would use about 25,000 tons of asphalt
oil this year, meaning it could cost the state and its contractors combined up to
$3.75 million more than projected.
Asphalt oil typically makes up about 6 percent of the final product that is laid
on the road surface. The rest is mostly sand and gravel aggregates.
DOT road construction contracts include a price adjustment clause that
requires contractors to share in the added cost, up to 7.5 percent, Ganley said.
“That cause was put in there to deal with the volatility of oil prices seven
and eight years ago,” he said. Cline said Exclusive Paving happened to get two
of the largest resurfacing jobs in Fairbanks — Airport Way and the Johansen
Expressway — at the wrong time.
“What a year to get have the big paving jobs when the price of (asphalt) oil
goes up like that,” he said.
Bids for future work in the region will include the new, added cost of
transporting asphalt oil from the Kenai Peninsula, rather than from an Interior
source, he said.
Preseason fears about Tesoro being able to meet the asphalt needs of the
entire mainland of Alaska have been quelled, according to state officials and
paving companies. This spring, a Tesoro spokesman said the company would
not have a problem meeting the demand.
Southeast paving projects are supplied with asphalt that is shipped up from
Seattle.
While supply from Tesoro has not been an issue, Lane Keator, Carlile
Transportation System’s Fairbanks terminal manager, said the logistics of the
trucking operation from Nikiski have contributed to the cost.
“The biggest challenge is probably maintaining the heat,” Keator said. “It’s
loaded hot in Nikiski and it’s a 12-hour, one-way trip minimum from Nikiski to
Fairbanks.”
Highly viscous asphalt oil is heated to 300 degrees Fahrenheit or more keep
it liquid.
Keator said Carlile and other companies that haul asphalt oil to the Interior
now have to pump it into heated tanks once they get to Fairbanks or North
Pole, allow it to reheat and then pump it back into the tanker trucks before it is
sent to its final destination, which could be as far away as Deadhorse or Eagle.
Luckily, the State of Alaska allows truckers to drive 15 hours per day, as
opposed to the 12-hour limit many other states have, he added. However,
drivers hauling asphalt north must “start fresh” in Nikiski, he said.
Tesoro has the ability to load about one truck per hour with asphalt oil, and
the added demand has required cooperation between dispatch centers to
make sure nobody is stuck in line at the refinery, Keator said.
“The trucking companies have worked well together to make sure we don’t
step on each others’ toes — to make sure nobody has to wait” at the asphalt
rack, he said.
UI Receives Grant for Recruitment,
Retention of Native STEM Students
MAPTS
www.mapts.alaska.edu
MOSCOW, Idaho – The University of Idaho is expanding and strengthening its efforts to
promote Native education through a new program to support recruitment and retention of
American Indian and Native Alaskan graduate students in science, technology, engineering
and math – or STEM – fields. The National Science Foundation recently awarded the UI College of Graduate Studies
nearly $600,000 to support this program, which will be implemented through the Pacific
Northwest Alliance: Collaborative Opportunities for Success and Mentoring of Students, or
COSMOS.
UI will work collaboratively with Montana State University, the University of Montana
and Washington State University, which have received similar grants to focus on recruiting
and retaining other minority students who are underrepresented in STEM. Together, the
institutions received a total of $2.4 million, the largest grant of its kind NSF has awarded
to date.
The grant will support UI’s work as it develops, implements and studies the effectiveness
of a discipline-focused, culturally relevant model for recruiting and mentoring Native
students. Once a model is developed, the university could adapt it for other minority
student groups and share it with other institutions.
Jie Chen, dean of the UI College of Graduate Studies, said he hopes this will raise UI’s
profile as a hub for graduate education among American Indians and Native Alaskans, and
help improve STEM education for Native students regionally and nationally.
“Recruitment and retention of minority students, particularly with underrepresented
students, is part of the mission of graduate education at this university. It is one of our most
important strategic goals,” Chen said. “Fundamentally we believe that diversity serves as
an engine that drives excellence. If we want to promote excellence in graduate education,
we have to put effort into promoting diversity.”
COSMOS co-primary investigator Ed Galindo, associate director of the Idaho Space Grant
at UI and director of the nonprofit Native American Research and Education Foundation,
said retention efforts are a particularly important piece of the puzzle.
“It’s one thing to get our Native students here on campus. It’s another thing that they
walk across that stage with diploma in hand,” Galindo said. “I’m very pleased we have
the opportunity to focus on getting Native students here and getting those students their
degree.”
UI will study ways to help Native graduate students succeed, including mentorship
programs. Galindo said all students, but particularly American Indian and Native Alaskan
students, benefit from finding a sense of place at a university, which includes feeling
welcomed, finding support systems and being part of a larger academic community.
Also working with COSMOS at UI are Yolanda Bisbee, the university’s tribal liaison,
who will help the project staff coordinate with Native populations, and Jerry McMurtry,
associate dean of the College of Graduate Studies, who will be the project’s liaison to
university faculty and the alliance with other institutions.
The grant was funded through the National Science Foundation’s Alliances for Graduate
Education and the Professoriate program.
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www.minersnews.com | #166 |October/November 2014
B-9
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
environmental management
Need Reclamation Hints? Check Out Your Local Aggregate Company
By Harold Hough
Although mining companies have an excellent reclamation record,
we seldom look to the aggregate segment of the industry for hints. Yet,
these companies are often the unsung heroes of reclamation, who have
frequently led the nation in quality reclamation.
There are several reasons for their excellent reclamation record. First,
since they are frequently family owned businesses with deep roots in
the community, they see the area not as a place to be exploited before
moving on, but as part of their family heritage. Consequently, they will go
above and beyond to restore the land.
Family owned aggregate businesses also have better connections with
the community and know what their neighbors want (they also have to
answer any embarrassing questions from their neighbors everyday at the
grocery store).
While a larger business may think they know the community’s needs and
think it is primarily good paying jobs, a family business may be better
able to cater to the community by focusing on popular recreational
outgrowths of reclamation like fishing, camping, and hunting. The result
is a reclamation project that appeals more to the residents.
Family aggregate companies also know that their aggregate resources
are limited and future family members may not be able to rely on the
aggregate business. This means they practice conservation. It also
means that the reclaimed land is more than just land – it’s what future
generations of the family must rely upon. That means that what is now a
gravel pit today may need to be profitable farm land 50 years from now.
Since small aggregate firms are more closely tied to the community,
they go out of the way to clean up problems – even ones they didn’t
cause. One example is the family owned Badger Mining, of Wisconsin.
When they decided to build a new corporate headquarters, they picked
an industrial wasteland that was a former dump for local foundries.
There was little vegetation at the site and erosion was a problem for the
neighboring wetland.
During the construction process, the company moved 150,000 yards
of fill and added topsoil to half the property, some of which wasn’t even
41st ANNUAL
December 11 & 12, 2014
Conference includes 2 sessions of technical
presentations, and 4 workshop sessions which
can provide up to 12 hours of continuing
education for licensed blasters in Kentucky.
In conjunction, there will also be a trade show
with over 50 exhibitors.
For more information go to:
www.kyblastingconference.com
Or call (859) 312-0625
B-10
October/November 2014 | #166 | www.minersnews.com
theirs. The company made the area a wildlife refuge with a four-acre fish
lake and a two-acre wetland. Piles of dirt that had blocked the flow of
water from the lake were removed so walleye could begin breeding in the
area once again.
Fortunately, as the aggregate industry has consolidated, the attention
to quality reclamation has continued, probably because the individual
sites are still run by the same family oriented people who have operated
the site for years.
One example is Titan America, which although an international
company still holds to its Greek, family oriented business model. It is also
associated with preserving wetlands and critical ecosystems in Florida.
As part of its plans to open the King Road Limestone Mine, Titan America
purchased and restored an area adjacent to the mine site to offset any
impact of the proposed limestone mine.
The area is part of the historic Gulf Hammock. Hammock is a term used
in the southeastern United States for stands of trees, usually hardwood,
that form an ecological island in a different ecosystem. Hammocks grow
on elevated areas, often just a few inches high, surrounded by wetlands
that are too wet to support them. Since the early 1800s, the hammock
has been disturbed repeatedly beginning with selective harvesting of
specific tree species (such as eastern red cedar for pencils), and more
recently, planted pine plantations.
Titan America intends to thin the trees until they more closely match
the density of natural tree cover in the hammock. They will also plant
more native species and remove nuisance species.
Another large aggregate company with a commitment to reclamation
is Lafarge. The rare Lakeside Daisy is currently known to exist at
only two natural sites in the United States: the Lafarge Marblehead
Quarry in Ohio and in Michigan. The Marblehead Quarry produces
approximately 4,000,000 tons of crushed limestone per year. Despite
that, the endangered Lakesite Daisy isn’t in danger of disappearing
thanks to the Lakeside Daisy Preserve, which encompasses 19 acres of
the old limestone quarries on the Marblehead Peninsula of Lake Erie.
The Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves works with Lafarge
Corporation to protect the Lakeside Daisy within the active limestone
quarry. This is one of Ohio’s most spectacular wildflowers. In early to
mid-May, its bright yellow flowers adorn the sun-baked landscape of
the Marblehead Quarry.
So, when looking for new, better reclamation ideas, don’t merely rely
upon the big mining companies. Look to the small aggregate operations
that have a commitment to preserving their community.
October 2014
October 7-9: 4th Water Management for
Mining. Crown Plaza Hotel, Denver, CO. Call 1818-888-444 or visit
www.infocastinc.com/mining-denver
October 9-10: 2014 National Drilling
Association Convention. Great Wolf Lodge,
Mason, OH. Call 1-877-632-4748 or visit
www.nda4u.com
November 2014
November 2-5: CalCIMA 2014 Education
Conference. Paradise Point, San Diego, CA. Call
Stephanie 1-916-554-1000 or visit
www.calcima.org
November 3-7: AMA Fall Convention—75th
Year. Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center,
Anchorage, AK. Call 907-270-9232 or Email
Amanda@alaskaminers.org
November 4-5: Asphalt Sustainability
Conference. Omni Royal Orleans, New Orleans,
LA. Visit www.asphaltpavement.org
November 5-7: Global Minerals Industry Risk
Management. Goodman School of Mines,
Laurentian University Campus, Sudbury, ON,
Canada. Email Leroy: dleroy@laurentian.ca or
call 1-705-675-1151 ext 7222
January 2015
January 26-29: Roundup 2015. Vancouver
Convention Center East, Vancouver, British
Columbia, Canada. Call 1.877.307.6918 or visit
www.amebc.ca/roundup-2015-home
February 2015
February 1-4: ISEE 2014 41st Annual
Meeting. Sheraton New Orleans, New Orleans,
Louisiana. Call 440-349-4400 or Visit
www.isee.org
February 3-6: World of Concrete 2015. Las
Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV. Call 1866-860-1983 or Visit www.worldofconcrete.com
February 15-18: 2015 SME Annual
Conference & Expo. Colorado Convention
Center, Denver, CO. Call 1-303-948-4200 or
email meetings@smenet.org
March 2015
March 17-19: World of Asphalt 2015. The
Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD. Call
1-800-867-6060 or visit www.worldofasphalt.com
December 2014
December 1-5: American Exploration and
Mining Association Annual Meeting. JA
Nugget Casino Resort, Sparks, Nevada. Call 509624-1158 or email info@miningamerica.org
December 9-11: Power-Gen 2014. Orange
County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida. Call
1-888-299-8016 or visit www.power-gen.com
December 11-12: Kentucky Blasting
Conference 2014. Lexington Center, Lexington,
Kentucky. Call 859-312-0625 or visit
www.kyblastingconference.com
Make sure your conference is listed by
sending or emailing us your information:
Miners News
PO Box 4965 * Boise, ID 83711
Or minersnews@minersnews.com
Thank you!
www.minersnews.com | #166 |October/November 2014
B-11
industrial minerals
industrial minerals
Special Sand Critical for Shale Oil Recovery
By Harold Hough
While the demand for many mined products is down, one of the
hottest mined products is sand, fracking sand, that is. Fracking sand is
used for hydraulic fracturing, which has been responsible for the boom
in oil production in the US. And, is so critical that demand for this
specialized sand has more than tripled in the last four years. In 2013, over
56 billion pounds of fracking sand was used to increase oil and natural gas
production,
Fracking sand is not your ordinary sand. It has many unique
characteristics that make it ideal for fracking. Fracking is the process of
retrieving oil, natural gas, or natural gas liquids from naturally impermeable
rock formations like shale. Hydraulic fracturing involves drilling a well into
the rock, sealing the portion of the well in the petroleum-bearing zone,
and pumping water under high pressure into that portion of the well. This
water contains sand and a gel to suspend the sand in the water.
Large pumps at Earth’s surface increase the water pressure in the
sealed portion of the well until it is high enough to exceed the breaking
point of the surrounding rocks. When their breaking point is reached they
fracture suddenly and water rushes rapidly into the fractures, inflating
them and extending them deeper into the rock. Billions of sand grains are
carried deep into the fractures by this sudden rush of water. Two to five
million pounds of fracking sand can be required to stimulate a single well.
When the high pressure pumps are turned off, the rock formation
deflates. However, the sand that was pumped in holds open the fractures
enough that oil and gas can pass out of the rock and into the well. The
sand also acts as a filter that prevents formation cuttings from entering
the well bore.
But, not all sand can be used in fracking. It has to be high purity silica
since that is the only type of sand that can stand the high pressures of
the deflating rock and resist chemical attacks in the harsh environment
underground. The grains have to be spherical so it can be carried in the
fluid without creating turbulence. And, the grains have to of a uniform
size in order to meet the needs of the rock formation and to prevent
clogging. Fortunately, there are certain specific sandstone formations
that are ideal like the St. Peter Sandstone, Jordan Sandstone, Oil Creek
Sandstone and Hickory Sandstone formations.
What makes these formations ideal is that they have undergone
For your mining operation we offer the unique ability
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For additional information please visit our web site.
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Vancouver, Washington • (360) 574-6722
B-12
October/November 2014 | #166 | www.minersnews.com
considerable weathering and erosion, which has washed other mineral
grains away and left sand grains with spherical shapes. Unlike other
sandstone formations, they haven’t undergone several tectonic upheavals
that deform and crack the sand grains.
Fracking sand also requires considerable processing after mining. It
needs to be washed to remove the undesirable fine particles, dried, and
screened to separate the different grain sizes. The grain size can range
from 0.1 millimeters to 2 millimeters, depending on the customer’s needs.
Some sand undergoes additional processing in order to make a
premium product for high pressure applications. Fairmont Minerals of
Ohio is a leader in hydraulic fracturing sand due their resin technology.
Their resin coated sand has helped the hydraulic fracturing industry by
allowing 2-4 times more oil and gas movement compared to raw frac
sand. Their products can withstand closure pressures of up to 10,000 psi.
Traditionally, most fracking sand came from formations in Texas and
Wisconsin. In fact, Wisconsin fracking sand is so valuable that it has
its own name, “Northern White,” which is 99 percent silica and has a
compressive strength between 6,000 and 14,000 pounds per square inch.
About 9,000 truckloads of Northern White leave Wisconsin each day for
the oil fields.
However, as demand has grown, sand mining companies are looking
at exploiting other sandstone formations that were ignored in the past
because the demand wasn’t there. Some of these new fracking sand
mining areas are found close to the surface in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri, and Nebraska. Since
weight is an important consideration, the closer the sand is to the oil
field, the more competitive it is. That means these Midwest States may
be providing fracking sand for a long time to come.
Atlas Copco among top ranked companies
in Dow Jones Sustainability Index
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. –Atlas Copco, a leading provider of industrial productivity
solutions, was again listed as one of the top companies in its industry in the prestigious Dow
Jones Sustainability Index for 2014/2015. The index lists the world’s leading sustainabilitydriven companies.
“It is gratifying that this well-respected index once again has chosen Atlas Copco for
inclusion,” said Mala Chakraborti, Atlas Copco’s vice president corporate responsibility. “It
is the result of our continued hard work on sustainable productivity.”
Atlas Copco was among the top tier in the Machinery & Electrical Equipment industry,
scoring particularly well in the categories Environmental Policy/Management Systems,
Environmental Reporting, and Risk & Crisis Management.
The DJSI World Index assesses some 2,500 public companies from around the world, and
only 10% of those end up being included in the index. The index helps identify and measure
the companies that represent an attractive investment opportunity by demonstrating an
ability to manage sustainability issues. The companies were also analyzed on factors
such as climate strategy, labor practices, occupational health and safety, and strategy for
emerging markets.
The DJSI ranking is based on research by RobecoSAM, a specialized and renowned
investment group, in collaboration with S&P 500. Sustainability leaders are known to
outperform their peers financially in the long term.
Earlier this year Atlas Copco was ranked number seven globally in the Newsweek Green
Rankings, one of the world’s foremost ranking on corporate sustainability. The company
was also recognized by the annual Global 100 list, presented at the World Economic Forum
in Davos, Switzerland, as one of the world’s most sustainable companies.
Atlas Copco is an industrial group with world-leading positions in
compressors, expanders and air treatment systems, construction and
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World Stone Industry Over $22bn
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Trade in natural stone in 2013 was over $22 billion with quarried and processed material
volumes totalling 265 million tonnes, up 5% over the previous year, according to the XXV
World Stone Report by Carlo Montani, in collaboration with publisher Aldus.
China, India, Turkey and Italy are the top four exporters with a 61% share of total, while
Italy stands at the top of the technologies sector, with one-third of the world market.
These are just some of the details in the report, which says that between 1990 and
2013, international natural stone production grew by 180%, from 46 to 130 million tonnes,
equal to 1.4 billion equivalent square metres (based on the conventional slab thickness of
2cm), while consumption levels boomed by 185%.
This is a trend of steady increase over the years that becomes even more apparent
when taking into account that the last half-century has seen more marble and granite used
than in all previous eras.
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For 25 years, the report has been an analytical and informative tool for all sector
operators, with more than 200,000 figures organised in tables and statistics.
Marble is increasingly used as a constructive and decorative material, with per capita
usage up in 2013 to 226m² every thousand units, against 215 the previous year and 135
in 2003.
This general expansion, however, is matched by progressive concentration of production
in a handful of countries.
“Since the 1960s, the balance of power has changed radically, with the top four producers,
China, India, Turkey and Brazil, expanding from 30% to 61% global production..,” says
Montani.
“As regards trade, 2013 posted values of US$22 billion, 58.5% of which is in the hands
of the top four exporting countries: China, Italy, Turkey and India.
“Stone boasts an extremely long history and will have an equally long future by combining
technology, aesthetics and professional values: in a word, quality. Translated into numbers,
prospects through to 2020 indicate total output of at least 170 million tonnes, equal to 1.8
billion equivalent m².”
Source:
http://www.aggbusiness.com/sections/events/news/world-stone-industry-trade-in-2013-in-excess-of-us22bn/
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www.minersnews.com | #166 |October/November 2014
B-13
mining history
mining history
Secret Unit of Miners Was Critical to a Major Victory in WW I
By Harold Hough
When we think of top secret military units, we usually think of the Seals, Green
Berets, and other Special Forces. However, in World War One, one of the most secret
military units in the British Army consisted of Welsh miners. The unit was so secret that
other soldiers were unaware of their existence and when these miners died during
operations, the families weren’t even told how and where they died. In many cases,
these brave miners remain in unmarked graves under the soil of Flanders and France.
A hundred years ago, in the autumn of 1914, the battle lines on the Western Front
had stabilized and a network of German and Allied trenches ran from the Swiss border
to the English Channel. No man’s land was crisscrossed with barbed wire and swept by
machineguns. To charge across hundreds of yards of such terrain was suicide.
It was the Germans who first came up with the idea of tunneling underground to
destroy part of the enemy’s trenches. On December 21, 1914, they set off 10 landmines
in the trenches of a British-Indian unit. But, the British were quick to respond. Within
weeks they had formed the first tunneling companies and a year later they had 25,000
trained tunnelers, mostly raised from coal mines in Wales.
Although the first tunnelers were recruited from sewer digging firms, the Army soon
realized they needed more experienced men. The soil of Flanders covered a layer of
unstable sand and then clay and chalk. In order to dig deep enough to reach the safer
clay and chalk layers and to make the tunneling effort harder to detect, they needed
professional miners who could dig tunnels over 80 feet deep and keep them free of
water and poisonous fumes.
This was where the Welsh coal miner was ideal. Not only was he comfortable
working underground, he was known for his work ethic and was usually shorter and
more muscular than the average Englishman. In fact, during the patriotic rush to join the
Army in the early days of the war, many miners were turned down for being too short
(the minimum height requirement for the British Army was 5’ 3”) or too old. Now coal
miners under the height requirement and up to 60 years old were in great demand.
Although tunneling under German trenches was a dangerous business, the members
of these tunneling companies didn’t get any public accolades for their work. In fact, their
work was highly secret. Troops not directly involved in tunneling (including attached
infantry) were not told about any mining effort because it took so long to complete
a tunnel – well over a year for the Messines offensive. Any leak of intelligence to the
Germans on a tunneling effort would mean the loss of a lot of time and energy. It would
also probably force the cancellation of a planned offensive.
Another reason for the secrecy was what could happen if the enemy did discover the
tunnel. The best method for destroying a tunnel was to build a counter-tunnel that would
come close to the first tunnel and then be loaded with explosive and set off. This not
only destroyed the original tunnel, but would often leave the miners trapped to die from
entombment, drowning, gassing or bleeding to death in cramped and claustrophobic
galleries beneath no man’s land.
In some cases, the enemy miners would unexpectedly break into each others tunnels
and fierce hand to hand combat with knives, shovels, and pickaxes would ensue.
AAMCOR, LLC
Atlas Electric Inc.
BWI Eagle, Inc.
Caribou Construction
Compliance Assurance Associates, Inc
Copeland Supply Co LLC
Cowin & Company
Crowder Supply Co, Inc
DMC Mining Services
ECRS/Metalocks
Embroideri with Wings
EVCO Plastics
F & H Mine Supply, Inc.
Florin Analytical Services
FLSmidth
Foam Concepts LLC
Force Control Industries
Golder Associates
Groundhog Mining & Milling Co.
Humboldt Readymix Inc.
Infomine USA, Inc
International Directional Services, LLC
ISEE 2015
Jentech Drilling Supply
Jordan River Galvanizing, Inc.
L.C. Vought Company
Nelson Irrigation Corporation
Northwest Mine Supply
Ore-Max Div. of Wade Rain, Inc.
Phoenix Process Equipment
Rastall Tool Corporation
Redcor Drilling, Inc
Rock Tools, Inc.
S & G Electric Motor Repair
Sacrison Engineering
Silica Resources, Inc.
Small Mine Development
SME 2015
Star Iron Works
Tandem Products
Traveling Safety Training
Woods Equipment Co.
World of Concrete 2015
B-14
Despite the dangers, these tunnels proved valuable to the war effort. In fact, one of
the most successful operations of the war, the Battle of Messines, couldn’t have been
won by the British Army without the effort of the Welsh miners.
The target of the offensive was the Messines Ridge, a natural stronghold southeast
of Ypres in Flanders. The general in charge, General Plummer was a cautious man who
wanted to limit British casualties. About 18 months before the battle, he had authorized
the laying of 22 mine shafts underneath German lines all along the ridge. His plan was
to detonate all 22 at one time - followed by infantry, heavily supported by the use of
artillery bombardments, tanks and the use of gas. Despite heavy German counter-tunneling, British miners were able to dig 8 kilometers
of tunnels and lay 600 tons of high explosives by the day of the attack. One tunnel was
destroyed by German counter-tunneling and hand to hand combat between German
and Welsh miners.
Although the Germans were expecting an attack and were in their defensive positions,
they didn’t expect what would happen next. 19 tunnels exploded simultaneously with
a blast that was heard in Dublin, Ireland and No. 10 Downing Street in London. 10,000
Germans were killed instantly and the stunned ones were left to face 9 British divisions
that moved forward. In a war where offensives could take months and where gains
were frequently measured in yards, The British reached their final objectives by mid
afternoon.
But, the victories of WW I had a high price. Hundreds of miners died in the tunnels,
their bodies often unrecoverable. Since the tunneling operations were so secret, the
families were merely told that they had died, but weren’t told how or where. And, since
many were killed deep underground, there was no grave – only a name of a memorial.
There was, however, a long term benefit to the mining industry. In 1915, the Royal
Engineers formed a mine rescue school to train soldiers and miners in mine rescue.
The school also designed and tested mine rescue equipment, including breathing
apparatuses. Much of this work would finally find its way back to the mining industry.
The value of what these miners did was noted by one of the most important field
commanders of the war. Writing at the end of 1916, Field Marshal Haig, commander
of British forces on the Western Front, noted: “The Tunneling Companies still maintain
their superiority over the enemy underground, thus safeguarding their comrades in the
trenches…Their skill, enterprise, and courage have been remarkable.”
P.S. If you have been counting the number of tunnels mentioned in the article, you
probably have noticed that two tunnels at the Battle of Messines are unaccounted for.
For some reason they didn’t explode and their location was lost. One of the mines was
detonated in a thunderstorm on June 17, 1955: the only casualty was a dead cow. The
second mine remains undetected nearly a century later.
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Section A
Company
The Battle of Messines
Pg#
A-5
A-10
A-8
A-2
A-20
A-5
A-12
A-22
A-7
A-12
A-13
A-5
A-7
A-7
A-4
A-23
A-7
A-6
A-9
A-22
A-19
A-13
A-21
A-9
A-12
A-23
A-15
A-14
A-3
A-11
A-13
A-23
A-14
A-9
A-5
A-23
A-23
A-17
A-21
A-16
A-14
A-19
A-24
Email / Website
www.aamcor.com
www.atlaselectricinc.com
www.bwieagle.com
www.caribouinc.com
csci@gobrainstorm.net
www.cowin-co.com
www.crowdersupply.com
www.dmcmining.com
www.casting-repairs.com
www.embroideriwithwings.com
www.evcogeologicalsupply.com
www.fhminesupplyinc.com
www.florinanalytical.com
www.flsmidth.com
www.foamconceptsllc.com
www.forcecontrol.com
www.golder.com
www.groundhogmining.com
tgsheppard@sbcglobal.net
www.costmine.com
www.ids-miners.com
www.isee.org
www.jentechdrillingsupply.com
www.jrgalv.com
www.rockdrillparts.net
www.nelsonirrigation.com
www.nwminesupply.com
www.ore-max.com
www.dewater.com
www.rastalltoolcorp.com
www.redcordrilling.com
marianoleary@comcast.net
www.sandgelectric.com
www.sacrison-engineering.com
www.sri-sand.com
www.undergroundmining.com
www.smenet.org
www.starironworks.com
www.tandemproducts.com
www.travelingsafety.com
www.woodsequipment.com
www.worldofconcrete.com
October/November 2014 | #166 | www.minersnews.com
Section B
Company
Alaska Miners Association 2014
Alaska Railroad Corp.
Alaska Rubber & Rigging Supply
CalCIMA 2014
Century Wireline Services
Delta Western Inc.
Geotemps, Inc.
Global Services Inc.
GPS Alaska
Kentucky Blasting Conference 2014
Last Frontier Air Ventures
Mine Ventilation Consultants (Canada) Inc.
Mining & Environmental Services
Mining & Petroleum Training Services
Orica Alaska
Oxford Assaying & Refining Corp.
P N D Engineers Inc.
Power-Gen 2014
Roundup 2015
Samson Tug & Barge
Somarakis Pumps
Spill Shield Inc.
Taiga Ventures
Tyco SimplexGrinnell
Pg#
B-8
B-9
B-7
B-11
B-13
B-6
B-2
B-9
B-6
B-10
B-6
B-2
B-12
B-9
B-4
B-5
B-13
B-16
B-16
B-8
B-12
B-4
B-4
B-1
Email / Website
www.alaskaminers.org
www.alaskarailroad.com
www.alaskarubber.com
www.calcima.org
www.centurywirelineservices.com
www.deltawestern.com
www.geotemps.com
www.globalsrvc.com
www.gpsalaska.com
www.kyblastingconference.com
www.lfav.com
ventilation.wix.com/website
www.minenv.com
www.mapts.alaska.edu
www.oxfordmetals.com
www.pndengineers.com
www.power-gen.com
www.amebc.ca/roundup-2015-home
www.samsontug.com
www.somarkis.com
www.spillshield.com
www.taigaventures.com
www.tycosimplexgrinnell.com
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