Strata’s Communication Systems Make History

StrataConnect DigitalBRIDGE and IoT Gateway recently recorded a first: the ringing of the NYSE opening bell for mine owner Idaho Strategic Resources by its crew – who were located deep underground thousands of miles away at the Golden Chest (GC) gold operation.  By Donna Schmidt Underground communications technology has never stopped evolving from the moment the technology made its way…

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Budge the Sludge

Ore mine uses air cannons to unclog chutes. By Mike Moody, business development manager, Martin Engineering No matter what type of ore is being extracted from a mine, mucking with front loaders can be accompanied by wet fines that cling to every surface. Once loaded into a hopper or conveyer transfer chute, viscous material can quickly build up on the…

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Going big at Laurel Branch

Central Appalachian surface coal mines: they’re all the same, right? The crew at Clintwood JOD would beg to differ, especially as it relates to their Laurel Branch operation in remote Hurley, Virginia, that North American Mining magazine recently toured. By Donna Schmidt Surface coal operations dot the landscape in southern West Virginia, southwestern Virginia and eastern Kentucky. There are some…

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Sandvik bringing BEV fleet to Foran

Foran Mining has chosen a battery-electric vehicle fleet from Sandvik for its McIlvenna project in Saskatchewan, Canada, as it prepares the site to be the first carbon-neutral copper development in the world. Sandvik’s biggest BEV fleet to date will include seven Sandvik LH518B loaders, six Sandvik TH550B trucks, four Sandvik DD422iE jumbos, two Sandvik DL422iE longhole drills and one Sandvik…

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Caterpillar acquires Tangent Energy Solutions

Caterpillar has acquired Tangent Energy Solutions, an energy-as-a-service (EaaS) company that provides customers with turnkey solutions for reducing energy costs, increasing energy efficiency, reducing emissions, monetizing electric grid support, and providing resiliency for customer operations. The acquisition of Tangent Energy, the company said in May, also positions Caterpillar to work directly with utilities and energy providers to supply distributed energy…

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Mining, milling begins at Tahuehueto

Canadian-based, Mexico-focused producer Altaley Mining has commenced pre-production mining as well as mill commissioning at its Tahuehueto gold operation in Durango, Mexico, and officials are now eyeing first deliveries of concentrate. Officials said the processing facility at the operation is online and now allows for milling from one ball mill of up to 500 t/d with flotation cells, concentrate thickeners…

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Magna Gold reports fatal mine collapse

Canadian miner Magna Gold Corp. reported a fatal accident that involved three employees at its San Francisco mine in the northern Mexican state of Sonoraon. The miner said the accident occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m. local time on February 15. Three mine employees were in the fine ore storage area when a cave-in occurred.  Magna Gold activated its safety protocols…

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MSHA issues reports for year’s first four fatalities

On February 23, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reported that on Jan. 14, a 44-year-old contract laborer with 13 years of total experience received fatal injuries when he fell 27 feet to a concrete surface.  At the time of the accident, the contractor was on a belt conveyor in a coal preparation plant and was working to replace…

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MSHA rolls out safety campaign

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has announced the “Take Time Save Lives” campaign to reach miners, promote best practice resources, and ensure mine operators have the tools they need to fully train miners to use equipment. “The purpose of this new campaign is simple: mine operators need to take the time to train miners on equipment and safety…

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