Canadian PhD candidate Sarah de Blois, over the course of her research work at Laurentian University, has uncovered some thought-provoking statistics on the state of women in the mining industry. Edited by Donna Schmidt For the progress women in the mining industry have made over the years, it may be surprising to learn that there is actually much more still…
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SPEAKING OUT FOR COAL
How the University of Wyoming is changing the commodity’s narrative. By Scott Quillinan, senior director of research, School of Energy Resources, University of Wyoming The state of Wyoming is a significant energy producer with its Powder River Basin (PRB) providing more than 40% of the coal produced in the United States. In 2021, the Wyoming coal industry mined roughly 239…
Read MoreBudge 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…
Read MoreCat’s far-reaching research, training hub: Tinaja Hills
North American Mining recently took an exclusive look at Caterpillar’s Tinaja Hills and Tucson Proving Ground complex in southern Arizona, gaining some remarkable insight into the OEM’s research and development and training efforts By Donna Schmidt Just north of the U.S.-Mexico border, overlooking a beautiful yet vast swath of one of the most beautiful desert areas of the American Southwest,…
Read MoreThe fascinating world of mining haul roads
Haul roads might not sound like the most exciting of topics. But scratch the road surface, and you’ll find a highly complex microcosm of the mining industry lies beneath. By Jonathan Rowland Why are good haul roads necessary?Much about the mining process is complex – from exploration through initial pit design to drill and blast optimization, and efficient minerals processing…
Read MoreBack to Bluefield
After a pandemic pause in 2021, the Bluefield Coal and Mining Show is returning to southern West Virginia. The Chamber of Commerce of the Two Virginias, organizer of the biennial Bluefield Coal and Mining Show, is preparing for a return of the event for the 24th time from September 14-16. This year’s theme: “A Show for Mining: Our Past, Present,…
Read MoreLoad and haul with Hydrogen
Hydrogen is one of the buzziest of sustainable buzzwords. Does it deserve the hype? By Jonathan Rowland A hydrogen milestone Much about the mining process is complex – from exploration May 2022 saw the launch of the world’s largest mine haul truck to be powered – at least in part – by hydrogen. Developed by Anglo American, the catchy-named nuGen Zero…
Read MoreSetting the Tone for Change
Women in Mining Profile: Caterpillar’s Denise Johnson The CV of Caterpillar’s Resources Industries Group President Denise Johnson is as impressive as it is broad. The Michigan State University (B.S. in mechanical engineering) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.S. in mechanical engineering and M.S. in business administration) alum began her career as an engineer in operations and product development within the…
Read MoreSolving the crimes of mine planning
Author Mark Bowater talks with North American Mining about his first-ever book, Crimes Against Mine Planning, and the industry’s biggest pitfalls. Edited by Donna Schmidt The challenges of mine planning can make the overall process feel like a never-ending uphill battle – but not so much when you know the potential pitfalls and how to rectify the issues. We can…
Read MoreMiners turn to unique leaching processes for copper extraction
Bacteria and newly developed chemicals provide an alternative to conventional leaching. Edited by Josephine Patterson Due to copper prices nearly doubling in the past two years, miners like Rio Tinto and Freeport-McMoRan have begun to use new leaching technologies to extract low concentrations of the in-demand product from waste rock, reported Reuters. Miners aim to use bacteria or other newly…
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