It was once a quietly operated surface operation, like many of its contemporaries in southern West Virginia. Today, under the ownership of Coal-Mac and Mitch Potter, it is in its prime and exemplifies a safe, efficient, well-organized operation that others look to as an example of how to do things well. By Donna Schmidt Coal-Mac was once the only purely…
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CONSOL Energy’s NotSoFast initiative, which highlights the crucial role coal plays in both the energy and non-energy needs of society, is a first-of-its kind program with global implications. NAM talks exclusively with the miner about the program, its efforts to date, and how the program is influencing the future of coal. Edited by Donna Schmidt Anyone whose life touches coal…
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It’s true: There’s no real definition of a “normal day” in mining anymore. Operators now worry about so many more factors than they used to – how to power equipment more efficiently, how to reduce the mine’s footprint, how to save even more money and, of course, how to continue a journey of constant improvement overall. This is all while…
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As the western United States continues to advance a number of new projects, streamlined mine permitting has once again become a hot topic. North American Mining magazine talked to Stantec Project Manager Sierra Marke about smoothing the path on these projects’ journey to operation. Edited by Donna Schmidt The western U.S. states are stuffed with mining opportunities, and with quickly…
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Wyoming’s L&H Industrial recently worked with two major western clients on a customized solution for their hydraulic equipment – and what ended up being a tailored outcome for one was a perfect fit for the other. By Donna Schmidt From the copper mines of Arizona to the coal mines of Kentucky, mining equipment works hard – until it doesn’t. Then…
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Maintenance: is there a secret to success? NAM wanted to know, and opened up the floor to three companies from the core sectors of surface mining infrastructure – trucks and conveyors – to try to get the answers. By Donna Schmidt It seems like the ever-elusive answer to a key question: how can surface mining be more efficient? There are…
Read MoreIn the very hours I write this column, the American mining community is marking Stand Down to Save Lives, an annual initiative called by federal regulators to bring attention to the need for eliminating safety and health hazards and mine sites. In its May 13 announcement of the May 22 effort MSHA noted that, at that time, 12 fewer miners…
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Check out this (magnetic) conversation suspended magnets with Eriez Director of Minerals and Materials Processing Jose Martin. It will stick with you. Edited by Donna Schmidt Thanks for talking to North American Mining magazine exclusively about this topic, Jose. Can you explain, for those not in the know: What are the different types of suspended magnets? What are the uses,…
Read MoreAs mining news headlines go, just as in life, you should always look for the positive. Markets will wane, production numbers will drop, but a higher tide is always around the bend in this uber-cyclical industry. Right now, amid an issue that highlights critical minerals, there is a trend of encouraging news for lithium projects. In early April, Surge Battery…
Read MoreThe West Virginia Training and Conference Center sees thousands (24,000 in 2023) through its doors each year, each with the desire to elevate their skills with cutting-edge education and facility features. North American Mining magazine took a tour of this Appalachian coal country education gateway. By Donna Schmidt A group of miners are in the center of a mine emergency,…
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