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Archive for April, 2010

Bill Brown: groundwater in mining

Posted in consulting, Mining history, People, tagged , , , on April 29, 2010 | 1 Comment »

   

Here is a brief recollection of times past and how a consultant enters a new area of practice. (more…)

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The Golden Age of Mining: Peer Reviewers & Technical Editors

Posted in British Columbia, consulting, People, Tailings, tagged , , , , , , on April 27, 2010 | 2 Comments »

   I have leveled my fair share of criticism at peer reviewers.  I have leveled my fair share of criticism at technical editors.  I have fooled many a peer reviewer whose ego was bigger than their intellect.  I have never slipped a bad sentence past a technical editor.  Although some have said my prose is uneditable–too blunt, they say.  (more…)

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Jobs in mining: hired, fired, retired, and retrained from Australia to Canada

Posted in Australia and New Zealand, Colorado, Jobs and Salaries, People, tagged , , , , on April 27, 2010 | 18 Comments »

        

Here is an e-mail I received over the weekend.  A typical mother concerned about her son, a mining engineer, who cannot find a job in mining either in Canada or Australia: (more…)

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Weekend Musings: Goldcorp, Suncor, and Other Core Mining Concerns

Posted in British Columbia, consulting, Investing & Finance, opera, Tailings, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on April 26, 2010 | 1 Comment »

   It has been a good weekend, although some mining issues have caused me concern—not enough to induce worry, but enough to merit record in this posting.  Thus let us go through the main events of the weekend and follow the concerns that arise in the course of weekend pleasure.

On Saturday night, we went to see the Marriage of Figaro, put on by the Vancouver Opera.   I once again commend Goldcorp for being a corporate sponsor of the opera in Vancouver.  This is admirable and impressive.  (more…)

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Why Not? A Personal History of Mining in South Africa

Posted in Africa, Mining history, tagged , , , , on April 23, 2010 | 8 Comments »

    The weekend looms.  Nothing serious to say about mining.  Thus here is something I found last night in my e-files while cleaning things up.   It is a mere set of personal recollections fo growing up on a mine in South Africa in the 1950s.  Enjoy it for what it is. (more…)

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Dilbert on mining: why engineers earn more than writers

Posted in blogs, First Nations, Jobs and Salaries, tagged , , , , on April 23, 2010 | 1 Comment »

   

Vancouver weather today was gorgeous; warm and sunny.  I was able to ride my bicycle to and from work and revel in the clear mountains, still snow-capped, and the city towers, gleaming in the sun.  But I could not find a topic for this blog.  In spite of a visit to the 34th floor of a tower from which the views were superb and the mining company hospitable.  In spite of a luxurious Japanese lunch with a beautiful and charming lady. In spite of a mind-bending problem come over the phone from a distant client.  In spite of arranging travel to far places.  Each would take pages to describe in detail, but all are “confidential,” so I must refrain. (more…)

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How to avoid the failure of mine tailings impoundments, slimes dams, and earthquakes

Posted in Gold, Mining history, People, safety, tagged , , , , , on April 21, 2010 | 1 Comment »

   There is great danger in the power of one individual to exercise his will.  We can all point to disastrous mine failures where one individual exerted so much negative power that things were done wrong, an accident occurred, and people died.  (more…)

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Sudbury strikes one for Canadian miners’ rights

Posted in Human relations and mining, Jobs and Salaries, North America, tagged , , , , , on April 20, 2010 | 1 Comment »

  I write this piece on the 21st floor of one of the many very tall buildings in Toronto’s financial district.   I have spent the past two days talking to people in the local mining industry.  In between talking, I have of course also had to do some work to justify the costs of the flight and the hotel–and the plea from my daughter for $1,500 to pay for summer school.  Here are some impressions gleaned from the talking to local folk; these impressions are organized around the themes of strikes and foreign investment in Canadian mining. (more…)

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US Coal Mine Wages 2009/2010

Posted in Coal, Jobs and Salaries, North America, safety, Underground, tagged , , , on April 17, 2010 | 1 Comment »

    While politicians ponder how to reform the US coal mine safety situation, let us look at the wages paid to US coal miners.  We have previously dealt with coal mine salaries and coal mine executive compensation.  Now is time to look at the wages of those who do the work and the dying—and again our sympathies to the affected families.  (more…)

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Fraser Institute 2009/2010 Mining Survey: A Must-Read for Investors

Posted in British Columbia, California, Investing & Finance, tagged , , , on April 16, 2010 | 4 Comments »

  

This posting has proven popular with readers.  It deals with the 2009/2010 Survey of Mining Companies as prepared by the Fraser Institute.  The new 2010/2011 survey is now available at this link.   If you seek the most recent report, maybe go to the new posting.  If you are still interested in last year’ssurvey, continue and enjoy.

The Fraser Institute’s Survey of Mining Companies 2009/2010 is available at this link.  Its fifty-five plus pages should be mandatory reading for investors, mining companies, and regulators, and policy makers alike.  It is sobering to see the truth about mining and politics put in perspective.

(more…)

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