“I have managed projects of 800 people. I never let the engineers talk to the client. That is what project managers are for–to talk to the client. I am here to take over this project and make it happen.” (more…)
Archive for the ‘brandy’ Category
Mining Project Management–Redux ad Absurdum
Posted in brandy, consulting, tagged peer review, project management. bullshit on May 15, 2013 | 5 Comments »
California Dreaming: Orange County Illusions
Posted in brandy, California, consulting, North America, tagged California, Huntington Beach, orange county, republican on May 14, 2013 | 1 Comment »
I am in Huntington Beach, California and thus California Dreaming. Or at least living the dream that is Orange County—a bastion of white, Hispanic, and Vietnamese wealth, power, and privilege. The Bentley now stands outside the small townhouse where once (fifteen years ago) there stood a cheap American car driven by old people, now dead. The hue of colors at the pier is vast–although, thankfully, there are still young ladies in bikinis (of all hue) on roller-blades bedecking the streets. As my son once said: “Dad, no man should be enabled to fall in love so often during a mere walk down the street.” (more…)
The Cost of Mine Tailings Management
Posted in brandy, consulting, feasibilty studies, mining, Tailings, tagged closure, cost, CostMine, estimate, feasibilty, filter press, Tailings on May 9, 2013 | 4 Comments »
It costs between $1 and $40 a ton to build, operate, and close a mine tailings facility. That is as specific as I was able to be when answering a question today in response to an enquiry from Australia. There is a surprising paucity of data out there on the cost of tailings management. We have details of salaries & wages. We know the compensation of mining company executives. We know how much it costs to engage and retain even the most expensive consultant. But we have no data-base on tailings costs. (more…)
Escobal Mine, Guatemala Under Attack
Posted in About the news, brandy, consulting, Human relations and mining, Latin America, tagged amnesty international, escobal, Goldcorp, guatemals, mine, obama care, Tahoe Resources, terrorist on May 3, 2013 | 3 Comments »
![twins 0308(1)[1]](http://ithinkmining.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/twins-030811.jpg)
If you read this blog, you will know that in the past four or so years, I have visited the Marlin and Escobal Mines in Guatemala many times. (Do a search with these key words in the box at top-right to get all I have written about these visits.) (more…)
Met Opera’s Giulio Cesare: A Triumph for Natalie Dessay & Christophe Dumaux
Posted in brandy, opera, People, tagged Christophe Dumaux, david daniles, giulio cesare, guido loconsolo, met opera, natalie dessay, patricia bardon, richard ben abdeslam on April 28, 2013 | 1 Comment »
You know that summer is coming when you spend a rainy day in the movie house in Coquitlam watching the final Met Opera production of the season, and you walk out infused with music and fun to go to Wendy’s for a spicy chicken burger and a baked potatoes and you all three can talk of nothing else. (more…)
Feasibility Studies for Mining; Particularly for Tailings Facility?
Posted in acid mine drainage, brandy, consulting, decomissioning, environmental, Geology, Geotechnical, Human relations and mining, Tailings, tagged categories, decision making, pre-feasibility study. feasibiility study, Tailings on April 27, 2013 | 3 Comments »
![tumblr_mkp6emeM3k1qhs2doo1_500[1]](http://ithinkmining.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/tumblr_mkp6emem3k1qhs2doo1_5001.jpg)
Categories are constructs of our imagination. We define categories to aid our thinking, analysis, and decision-making. It is easier to respond immediately if a stimulus fits a preconceived category, than to analyze afresh. A rustle in the brush fits the definition of the category “Tiger in the woods; the tiger could kill us; therefore flee.” Why analyze the situation to decide that the wind is merely blowing through the trees and making a nasty sound? (more…)
Pergolesi. La Salustia. Opera and a Pipe.
Posted in brandy, California, opera, People, tagged la salustia, love, lust, opera, pergolesi, pipe, republican, sex, smoking on April 15, 2013 | Leave a Comment »
![tumblr_mkp6bh6kfZ1qhs2doo1_500[1]](http://ithinkmining.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/tumblr_mkp6bh6kfz1qhs2doo1_5001.jpg)
Friday and Saturday were given over to love (some may call it lust and the pleasures of the flesh.) Sunday was given over to good weather, a long bike ride, opera, and smoking a pipe. The most innocent of these is smoking a pipe. I first smoked a pipe when I was thirteen or fourteen–I cannot recall which. We sat behind the shed and puffed the pleasures of tobacco. I transgressed to cigarettes and cigars, and strong spirits, including brandy and cognac. (more…)
Judgement in Geotechnical Engineering and Mining
Posted in brandy, consulting, Human relations and mining, tagged geoechnical engineering, judgment, peck, terzaghi on April 6, 2013 | 4 Comments »
Here are a few random thoughts based on today’s events & activities. I do not give details, for that would excite the lawyers who protect intellectual property rights & patents. (more…)
Esmeralda and Quasimodo. Mining QA/QC Diversions.
Posted in brandy, opera, tagged ballet, Disney, esmerelda, qa/qc, quasimodo, Romeo and Juliet on April 1, 2013 | Leave a Comment »
The lady who organizes, manages, and dominates my opera and movie life called this morning and said: “I am not working today. There is a ballet at the Coquitlam movie house. I have never seen it, but it might be fun.” Reluctantly, for the sun was shining and my bike beckoned, I took myself off to the ballet. (more…)
Easter weekend for miners; Opera; Orpheus and Euridice.
Posted in brandy, Church, Global Warming, Mining history, opera, tagged easter, euridice, eurydike, Global Warming, gluck, lower seymour conservation area, opera, orfeo, orpeus on March 31, 2013 | 2 Comments »
On the mines of South Africa, a long time ago, Easter was a special occasion. It was the end of summer and the beginning of autumn; it was a long weekend when even the miners did not work; it was a family time; and we went to Church to pray for lives lost and redeemed. For through the year, there were always deaths and distress. After Lent, this seemed an appropriate time to reminisce. (more…)
Top Posts
- Mining engineers' starting salaries in top ten
- Mining truck driver wants job: do you have the right opportunity for Australia?
- Should I Become a Mining Engineer?
- Open Pits & Craters Change the Landscape. Civil Engineers Improve Society.
- Mining for Development 2013 from IM4DC
- Seeking work, miners are scammed by con artists: how to avoid the worst
- Consultant to Client Communication in Mining and On Projects
- About me and the blog
- A Civil, Mechnical, or Mining Degree from Wits: Which is Best for Mining Engineering?
- What Do Mining Engineers Do?
MINING.com- Copper peaks to six-week high on supply concerns due to Grasberg suspension May 22, 2013 Cecilia Jamasmie
- INFOGRAPHIC: Gold production costs around the globe May 22, 2013 Anthony Halley
- John Paulson-backed Detour Gold raises $153 million for Ontario mine May 22, 2013 Anthony Halley
- Fiji moves toward deep sea mining tests May 22, 2013 Anthony Halley
- Tanzania has enough diamond supply for the next 50 years: report May 21, 2013 Cecilia Jamasmie
- Commodity supercycle is essentially over: Citigroup May 21, 2013 Cecilia Jamasmie
- Coal ash heaps safe haven for endangered bees: study May 21, 2013 Cecilia Jamasmie
- Gold slips under $1,377 in wake of Bernanke, Fed’s minutes May 21, 2013 Cecilia Jamasmie
- Australia coal industry threatened by major strike May 21, 2013 Cecilia Jamasmie
- BMO predicts diamond prices to rise 6% per year May 21, 2013 Kerry Hall
Categories
- About the news
- acid mine drainage
- Africa
- Asia
- Australia and New Zealand
- blogs
- brandy
- British Columbia
- California
- Church
- Coal
- Colorado
- Commodity
- communication
- Community relations
- consulting
- Copper
- Cyanide
- decomissioning
- Diamond
- drilling
- due dilligence
- Engineering – General
- Enviromental
- Environment
- environmental
- Europe
- feasibilty studies
- First Nations
- Geology
- Geotechnical
- Global Warming
- Gold
- health
- health and safety
- Heap leach
- Human relations and mining
- Hydrology and hydraulics
- Investing & Finance
- Jobs and Salaries
- Latin America
- Law (Mining)
- Metallurgy
- mining
- Mining history
- Money & Mining
- mountaintop mining
- North America
- oil
- Oil sands
- Open Pit
- opera
- People
- Peru
- Policy and procedure
- Reclamation
- safety
- Software
- Tailings
- Uncategorized
- Underground
- Uranium
- Waste Rock
Recent Comments
FredW on Mining for Development 2013 fr… hardrockminer on Open Pits & Craters Change… hardrockminer on Consultant to Client Communica… Consultant to Client… on Mining Project Management… DaveS on Mining Project Management… Archives
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
