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Archive for January, 2008

A snippet of South African mining history: Ma Brett’s Boarding House

Posted in Africa, Mining history, People on January 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment »

Here is a photo of my maternal grandmother.  After my grandfather died leaving her with three children (one my mother) she opened a boarding house for miners in Brakpan, South Africa.  Ma Brett’s Place it was called.  For many years or so, she cooked, cleaned, and cared for the single miners working the local mines.  At last a [...]

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Western Canada mine exploration health and safety deconstructed

Posted in drilling, health, health and safety, North America, safety on January 24, 2008 | 1 Comment »

A sobering set of conclusions from a volume called Safety Guidelines for Mineral Exploration in Western Canada published by AMEBC. Twenty-three years of data compiled by the Health & Safety Committee focuses attention on the most common causes of exploration accidents. The following observations reflect this experience and are provided for the benefit of present and [...]

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Theologians attack mining from a base of ethical and economic ignorance

Posted in About the news, communication, Community relations, Cyanide, decomissioning, due dilligence, health, health and safety, Human relations and mining, Investing & Finance, North America, People, safety on January 21, 2008 | 1 Comment »

Christopher Lind, a theologian at some Toronto University writes a try-to-feel-good attack on mining entitled Mining Companies Challenged by Demands of Ecojustice.  Because he attacks without substance, I feel it fair to counter with vigour.  The good Anglican starts by asking a perfectly reasonable question:  Is social justice compatible with environmental justice? If social justice [...]

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Vale hefts billions to take-over Xstrata

Posted in About the news, Investing & Finance on January 21, 2008 | 1 Comment »

Now it is Vale blustering through the banking landscape to take over Xstrata.  $150 billion here or there is peanuts in these stories.  That is the number in one new story.  Another story talks of $70 billion.  Another of $35 billion.  I suppose in these matters ten to a hundred billion is indeed peanuts. The devil [...]

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WITS GOLD: Will you buy when they list on the Toronto Stock Exchange tomorrow?

Posted in About the news, Africa, Investing & Finance, People on January 20, 2008 | 1 Comment »

Cambridge House International Inc. filled the halls at the 2008 Vancouver Resource Investment Conference today.  They advertise only 300 seats available, but I bet there were at least that many seated and that many more standing to hear the presentations and wondering around the halls of exploration companies.  The demographics of those attending ranged from the [...]

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Tico Times tells the Bellavista human story; greed, incompetence, and distress

Posted in About the news, Cyanide, Enviromental, Human relations and mining, Investing & Finance, Latin America, Law (Mining), Mining history on January 19, 2008 | 6 Comments »

From the Costa Rica Tico Times comes a long article on the human impact of the closure of the Glencairn Bellavista mine as a result of the downhill sliding of the heap leach pad.  As told in the Tico Time we learn of the joys of a mine bringing money and employment to the locals, [...]

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Mining property investment – Buy near old mines

Posted in Investing & Finance on January 18, 2008 | Leave a Comment »

Real estate investment advice on a mining-related blog?  Indeed.  The best advice is at this link, from which I copy the picture above.  Seems you can get great second property bargains in the old mining towns of the West that are now being clean up.  Kellogg, Idaho is the latest opportunity. I can attest to [...]

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Sweeney Todd holds lessons for the new Galore Creek management team

Posted in About the news, Community relations, Hydrology and hydraulics, North America, Tailings on January 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment »

Sweeney Todd is modern grand opera.  It won Golden Globe Best Actor and Best Picture in the category musical comedy.  It is neither a musical nor a comedy.  It is grand opera.   The little old couple behind me who came expecting warbling tones and frilly dancing left in disgust.  I revelled in every note and [...]

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S-MINER Act passes the House, and the industry howls

Posted in About the news, Human relations and mining, Law (Mining), North America on January 16, 2008 | Leave a Comment »

Yesterday I mused on the White House decision to veto mine safety legislation. Today a news release from the Industrial Minerals Association – North America hit my desk.  They say they are disappointed at the passage of the S-Miner Act by the U.S. House of Representatives which passed today by a vote of 214 to [...]

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Miners

Posted in About the news on January 16, 2008 | 1 Comment »

A friend sent me this.  I post it in respect.  For once I am speechless.  I do not know where it originates, whom it shows, or even if it is serious, or cynical, or comical.  Help!

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