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When most people think of coal mining, they envision men in soot-covered clothes and hard hats digging at deposits in deep underground caverns. These mental images commonly include coal cars rumbling on rails as they emerge from the earth, filled to the brim with rocky ore. The world of modern, longwall coal mining is a far different place. Yes, it?s underground, the miners still wear hard hats and the environment is filled with soot. However, today?s mining operations are carefully monitored and the entire process is highly automated. Five kilometers (3 miles) underground, a sophisticated, high-powered mining machine moves steadily through a 2-m (6-ft) high tunnel at an average speed of 3.2 km/h (2 mph), carving out coal, then conveying it to a crusher and carrying it to the surface. Instead of digging out the ore, a longwall mining system slices it from the exposed tunnel face, using giant rotating shears. The shorn coal tumbles onto a conveyer below the shears and is conveyed to the stageloader, where it is crushed and dumped onto the main conveyer belt that eventually hauls it out of the mine. Integral to the longwall shear and conveyor is a moving metal roof that protects it from the thousand plus feet of ground above. The ceiling panels automatically advance above the shears, powered by hydraulic roof supports that stand on the other side of the tunnel, moving in a slow, sideways lock-step with the shears. This complex and massive machine makes longwall mining the most ef?cient and productive method for excavating coal. In fact, it produces 2.7 kt to 22.6 kt (3,000 to 25,000 st) of ore per shift, versus 544 to 907 st (600 to 1,000 st) for the conventional room-and-pillar mining. Using that method, miners develop one section of a mine at a time after carving out load-bearing columns of coal to support the roof above their heads. Longwall mining also is considered safer than the room-and-pillar method, largely because the process is mostly automated, requiring fewer workers. Still, longwall mining has its drawbacks: The equipment is expensive and the mining conditions are harsh. An entire longwall system can cost between $50 million and $100 million, while the electrical controls used to operate it can cost an additional $1 million to $2 million. These investments grind away all day, every day, in hot tunnels filled with coal dust.

By Yuting Xue, Danqing Gao, Brijes Mishra

Heterogeneity and discontinuity significantly affect rock strength. For accurate stability prediction, intact rock behavior is imperatively included in rock mass behavior. However, past research largely used arbitrary scaling approaches to produce rock strength. This paper considers a stochastic approach in order to determine the strength of a rock. Based on the laboratory data, a MATLAB® with extreme value stochastic model generates a database for each physico-mechanical property. Then FLAC® simulates laboratory-sized rock specimens. The grids developed in the numerical model can in turn develop random material properties in MATLAB®, which researchers then applied to the final FLAC® model. Model runs simulate the approach performed in the laboratory. The results from the model indicate that a stochastic approach produces strengths that are lower than a deterministic approach. Failure modes for each specimen are different, similar to observations in the laboratory. In addition, random density also influences the failure mode, highlighting the importance of stochastic analysis in rocks.

By Otto E. Zwanzig

You may think long before this talk has been completed that the speaker is belaboring the obvious. Please let me put to rest here and now any doubt which you may have in this regard by assuring you that is precisely my intent, and for a very specific reason. We all profess to know and recognize the obvious, but I am impressed increasingly how often we forget or fail to act upon the obvious. Shortly after starting my first job upon graduation from college, I was asked by my boss to participate in a course on practical communications, particularly as applied to conveying proposals effectively to the client -- be he customer or company president. The concept or philosophy underlying this program was so simple and obvious that in my youthful brashness I saw only a gross waste by the company of e good, solid $1930 in compelling me to take the course. The sequel to this experience occurred about five yews ago when I was directing a 300-man marketing group. At that time I enrolled a dozen of my department heads, and subsequently about a hundred other personnel, in the contemporary version of that sane program. Why? -- because they all knew the obvious, but I could see how imperfectly they were implementing it. Truly, a wide chasm exists all too often in our beliefs on the one hand and our practices on the other.

Jan 1, 1962

By M. Ghiani

Biohydrometallurgy originated, some forty years ago, from an environmental problem, namely the serious pollution of the Ohio river by acid drainage water coming from neighboring subbituminous coal mines. Studies aimed at elucidating the cause of the intensive oxidation of the iron sulfide (pyrite) inclusions of those coals, led to the discovery of a bacterium, Thiobacillus ferrooxidans (Temple and Colmer, 1951), capable of acting as a catalyzer, accelerating the otherwise very slow chemical oxidation of iron sulfide to rates many orders of magnitude higher. However, it is now recognized that the biotechnology of microbial mining dates back to 1963, when the ability of this bacterium to solubilize copper from sulfide ores was ascertained (Razzell and Trussell, 1963). Much research has been carried out on biohydrometallurgy over these last 25 years and is still being actively conducted all over the world. The interdisciplinary nature of this young branch of science and technology is reflected by the variety of experts involved: microbiologists, mining engineers, hydrometallurgists, physico-chemists, mineralogists, solid-state physicists and biochemists. This intensive research effort has provided a solid background on the fundamentals of this technology, although many important issues have still to be solved, amongst which the enzymatic mechanisms controlling biocatalysis of mineral sulfides dissolution, the influence of bulk- and surface solid-state physics of metal sulfides on dissolution mechanisms, the interaction of the various strains composing natural microbial floras. Their elucidation should permit the rationalization of biohydrometallurgical techniques and the optimization of commercial processes. Biohydrometallurgy has already achieved satisfactory results: copper recovery from submarginal copper sulfide run-of-mine ores (i.e. assaying less than 0.3% Cu) by in-situ, dump and/or heap leaching is successfully practised in many countries and uranium recovery through bioleaching is competitive with other leaching processes.

Jan 1, 1987

By J. Stowe

"While there has been continual improvement in the models for predicting deposition velocity and pipeline friction losses, the fundamental design philosophy for tailings pipelines has remained the same over the previous three or four decades: design the tailings pipeline to operate in turbulent flow without a deposit on the pipe invert for all expected process conditions. Recent improvements in the understanding of slurry pipeline flows allows for the design of pipelines operating with a deposit on the pipe invert, allowing the system to operate at moderate velocities for high flow rates, optimizing system energy requirements and maximizing pipeline wear life.Tailings pipelines are increasingly operated at higher solids concentrations when there is a greater likelihood the pipeline will operate in laminar flow due to the higher tailings slurry rheology. Historically, slurry pipelines have been operated in turbulent flow. We now know that laminar-flow pipeline operation is possible as there are several operational laminar-flow tailings pipelines. While our understanding of laminar-flow slurry pipelines is not complete, recent research provides guidance on how to approach the design of these pipelines.New sensor technology has led to the development of an instrument that provides reliable indication of bed-deposit height within a pipeline. This technology is particularly helpful in operating pipelines with a deposit and has application in better understanding the operation of laminar-flow pipelines. Failure of tailings pipelines can result in consequent damage to surrounding structures and unacceptable spillage into the environment. Modern pipeline leak detection technology allows operators to better manage this risk by ensuring safe and reliable operation of tailings pipelines.This article provides an overview of the each of the above advances in the design and operation of tailings pipelines.Operating tailings pipelines with a depositTailings pipelines, and slurry pipelines in general, are typically designed to operate without a deposit on the pipeline invert. Meaning, the minimum operating velocity exceeds the turbulent deposition velocity. This approach has been adopted due to concerns regarding potential blockage of a pipeline operating with a deposit."

Jun 1, 2019

By Bryan Ulrich

Knight Piésold?s annual roundtable discussion was held at the Red Lion Hotel and Casino in Elko, NV on March 14. This year the title was, ?Roundtable discussion on material co-disposal/ co-placement in the mining industry.? This topic was chosen because of the benefits that the mining industry could realize through the advancement of improved methods of storing tailings and mine waste and from reducing short-and long-term environmental hazards while reducing the footprint of these facilities and making strides toward attaining a walk-away solution. Knight Piésold had a local representative, Bryan Ulrich, as well as representatives from its Denver, CO office, including Tom Kerr, president of Knight Piésold?s U.S. practice, and Jeff Coffin, Ph.D., geotechnical engineer, to help facilitate the discussion. The event played host to about two dozen attendees from several western states. Attendees included personnel from more than 10 mining properties, various corporate offices and academia. The purpose of the roundtable was to exchange ideas and information pertaining to broad topics revolving around the subject of co-disposal/co-placement in the mining industry. Compared with traditional conferences and symposia, the roundtable forum tends to provide a less inhibited format for discussion. In the roundtable format, lively discussions and applicable tangential departures are encouraged. This was the seventh in the series of the Elko Roundtable events. Previous roundtables pertained to: ? Heap leach pad design, construction and operation. ? Design, construction and operation of tailings storage facilities. ? Site-wide water considerations. ? Mine closure and cover design. ? Strides toward sustainability in mining. ? High-density tailings, paste and filtered tailings. Acid rock drainage for engineers and environmental scientists.

Nov 1, 2013

By D. L. Ealy

At the Beckley Mine in southern West Virginia, forecasting unstable roof conditions in advance of mining is accomplished by using a rating system that combines historical information on mine roof failures with known mine geology. Failure frequency rates are derived for each category of roof rock composition, unit thickness, structure, and extraction ratio. In this manner, known geological environments are rated according to instability based on actual experience. Drill hole control and geological interpretation provide the basis for forecasting unstable conditions beyond working faces. The forecasting technique has assisted mine management in reducing fall frequencies by 80% over the past two years compared to the first five years of operation. This reduction in fall frequency was accomplished by modifying the plan of advancing sections to minimize mining exposure to unstable roof conditions.

Jan 1, 1980

By Carla L. Zenti

In recent years, considerable advances have taken place worldwide in the design and construction of first tunnel linings. With these advances, there is a tendency to move away from traditional support that includes heavy open profiles of rolled steel arches, to a lighter solution with the use of an optimized tubular steel cross section rib, and shotcrete reinforced with steel mesh and/or steel fibers, providing a continuous support (Lunardi, 1982). The development of tubular ribs has provided greater design options, increasing flexibility to engineers and contractors while providing a efficient and cost effective construction method. In this article, the authors describe numerical and experimental investigation on this problem, suggesting as a new first lining steel arch design approach by using tubular ribs cross section as new technical solution for first lining underground support.

Jan 1, 2012

By Harold D. Taylor

Cone fitting is a procedure which can be used to estimate the short range, linear portion of a variogram. Rather than combining data over windows In different directions and fitting by hand, cone fitting estimates the variogram in all directions at once using a multiple regression approach. The method automatically provides estimates of nugget effect, anisotropy, and initial slope of the variogram. This paper presents the results of simulation studies which have been carried out. These studies Indicate that the method works well and that it may be particularly useful for small data sets. The simulation studies also indicate that the local variogram may differ greatly from the theoretical variogram.

Jan 1, 1986

By MOHAMMED AMINE BELMI, ANAS DRIOUCH, ABDELAZIZ LAHMILI, LATIFA OUADIF

The mineral industry uses significant amounts of water in processing. Thus, sustainable practices with the processing of ores are of critical importance. An impact tester was used to measure the adhesion force between particles and a glass disk [1,2]. A removal force was caused by the impact of the disk/particle containing a puck with a stopper. Johnson-Kendall-Roberts (JKR) theory [3] was used to determine the interfacial energy between the particles and the substrate. Capillary condensation of water can occur between the particle and surfaces in humid environments. The adhesion of particles on rough surfaces has been studied previously [4-10]. The research presented herein combines both variables to separate particle types with minimal water usage.

By Edward R. Torak

The Ohio Coal Testing and Development Research Facility (OCTAD) was commissioned in 1992 by the Ohio Coal Development Office and the Ohio Power Company to support evolving process technologies that will lead to increased environ- mentally sound use of coal. OCTAD is equipped with advanced physical concentration devices and processes capable of beneficiating coal to levels beyond conventional practice. The first task of OCTAD operators was to test the cleanability of the Meigs Creek Seam Coal in advanced circuitry and compare the results to conventional cleaning levels. In testing the seams, OCTAD circuitry was configured to produce middlings on the coarse and intermediate size fractions. These middlings were subsequently crushed to a finer size (28M x 0) and subjected to cleaning in fine heavy-media cyclones and advanced froth flotation circuitry. Nearly thirty-six full-scale production runs at various operating conditions were completed during the campaign. The results of the test program are examined in this paper.

Jan 1, 1995

By Peter C. Finlayson

Rapidly rising gas and oil prices and the falling quality of coal is forcing energy users in many parts of the world to consider the application of low grade fuel, particularly coal, for steam raising and power generation. However, the use of such low grade coal is normally resisted by the consumer because of operational problems associated with high ash content, sulfur emission and, in some instances, slagging problems caused by low melting temperature constituents in the ash. Recently developed technology involving 'fluidized bed combustion' offers a potential solution to these operational problems. Much of the early work was conducted in Britain, where rig tests were commenced during the early 1960's. This has led on to the successful conversion and operation of a fluidized bed fired industrial boiler at the Renfrew works of Babcock & Wilcox Ltd. Orders for the first commercial boilers incorporating this technology have recently been announced. Significant development work on fluidized combustion is now being undertaken in various parts of the world, in particular North America, Germany and Japan, and the first large scale units are under construction or being commissioned. This paper concentrates on the development of the technology in Britain, outlines the reasons for applying fluidized bed combustion and de-scribes its application at atmospheric pressure for steam raising and at elevated pressure for power generation . Coal Processing Consultants is a Partnership between the National Coal Board and Babcock & Wilcox Ltd. of Britain and has been established in order to provide technical advice and economic evaluations on all aspects of coal processing and utilization. In view of the involvement of its Parents in the development and exploitation of fluidized bed combustion technology, Coal Processing Consultants has been retained by clients in various parts of the world to provide expert advice on the application of fluidized combustion for particular coals and project situations.

Jan 1, 1978

By Thomas P. Meloy

Comminution is an old art. Unfortunately the analysis of the unit operations has been handicapped by the lack of both theoretical and experimental information. Two types of infor¬mation are needed, one an understanding of what happens when a particle breaks in a brittle manner; and two, an understanding of what happens when the daughter fragments pass through the mill. This paper is concerned with the former, the catastrophic fracture of a brittle solid. Recently, successful theoretical attacks on the frac¬ture of brittle solids have yielded significant-results. New experimental techniques are yielding insight into the physical phenomenon occurring during brittle fracture. Many of the re¬doubtable shiboliths of the last century are either being laid to rest or verified.

Jan 1, 1965

By W. J. Atkinson, E. M. Anderson

FOREWORD This paper is based on the authors' experience gained in the environmental assessment of major uranium projects in the former Department of Science and the Environment and Department of Home Affairs and Environment of the Australian Government. The authors gratefully acknowledge assistance received from colleagues within the Department of Home Affairs and Environment in the preparation of this paper. Special thanks go to Mr K.E. Thompson of the Department's Environment Division for his valuable comments and criticism. The views expressed in the paper are those of the authors alone and not the Australian Government or Dames & Moore. INTRODUCTION Uranium has been mined in Australia since 1954. A number of small scale mining and milling operations were active in the Northern Territory, in South Australia and in Queensland in the late fifties and early sixties. However, in the late sixties there was an increase in exploration activities in the expectation of an upsurge in world demand for uranium Substantial new resources were delineated in the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. The most significant deposits were located in the Northern Territory, in what is called the Alligator Rivers Region located approximately 200 km east of Darwin. The Region is in the latitude of 13° South and thus lies within the Australian tropics (Figure 1). It consists of approximately 2.3 million hectares of natural wilderness containing much spectacular and attractive scenery. The area is noted for its abundant wildlife, particularly the waterbirds that gather on the flood-plains. Much of the vegetation is diverse and interesting. The Aboriginal population still maintains elements of the traditional way of life, and the spectacular Arnhem Land escarpment contains many of the best surviving examples of Aboriginal rock art. Numerous rich archaeological sites provide evidence of continuous human habitation for tens of thousands of years. Climatically, the Region is of the tropical monsoon type with a dry season from may to September and a "wet" from November to March. High intensity short period rainfall is characteristic, and the average annual precipitation is in the order of 1 350 mm. The monthly mean temperature ranges from 25° to 30°C throughout the year. The development of regulatory controls on uranium mining in the Alligator Rivers Region has been affected by the political status of the Northern Territory. While Australia is a federation, established as an independent self-governing country in 1901, it was not until 1978 that the Northern Territory became to any real extent self-governing. Prior to 1978, the Territory was administered through a special department of the Commonwealth (ie. the Federal Government). Under the Northern Territory (Self Government) Act 1978, administrative powers similar to those possessed by the Governments of the six founding Australian states were provided to the Territory Government. However, the Commonwealth government did not transfer to the Territory all such powers and functions, and in particular there has been, since 1978, a dual role for the Commonwealth and Territory Governments in the regulation of uranium development. Details of this role are provided later in this paper. RANGER URANIUM INQUIRY By 1973, major deposits had been discovered in the Alligator Rivers Region at Nabarlek, Ranger, Koongarra and Jabiluka. The estimated reserves and mine life expectancy of these deposits are given in Table I. Other radioactive anomalies have also been identified in the area but, as yet, they have not been delineated or evaluated. [ ] In 1974, an agreement was signed between the Commonwealth Government and Peko Mines Limited and the Electrolytic Zinc Company of Australia Limited for the joint development of the Ranger deposit. In July 1975, the Government announced a Commission of Inquiry under the provisions of the Commonwealth Environment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act 1974, into the proposed Ranger development. The inquiry was known as the Ranger Uranium Environmental Inquiry or more commonly, the Fox Inquiry after the presiding Commissioner, Mr Justice Fox.

Jan 1, 1981

During the past 20 years, FKC-Lake Shore, located in southern Indiana, has been working with Contitech, the German conveyor company, to push vertical conveyor technology to new depths and open up additional opportunities for underground mine owners. Historically, the underground mining industry has largely been unable to realize the benefits of these efficient systems due to the design limitations in maximum depth and capacity. Until recently, only relatively shallow depth mines with low production rates have been a ?t for a vertical conveyor system. This, however, is changing with technical advancements in the Pocketlift system. With each milestone, a new vertical conveyor record is set for depth and capacity. For instance, in 2002, FKC-Lake Shore set one such record with the installation of a Pocketlift system at a mine in the Illinois coal basin with a lift height of 273 m (896 ft) and a production rate of 1.8 kt/h (2,000 stph). Although it was unthinkable at that time, today?s vertical conveyors are capable of reaching lift heights up to 700 m (2,300 ft) with an average production rate of 450 t/h (500 stph). These new lift heights and production rates are opening the technology to more potential mine owners and shifting the way people look at moving material in the future.

By Hugh Jones

Mine planners are challenged to hold two seemingly opposing objectives: maximizing the mine?s operational efficiency while minimizing post-closure impacts. One of the most effective approaches to meet these objectives is to plan for mine closure from the start. Mine closure is typically viewed as the process that happens in the period of time when the operational stage of a mine is ending and the final decommissioning and mine rehabilitation is being undertaken. In reality, it is a continuous series of activities that begins with preplanning prior to the project?s design and construction and ends when long-term site stability is achieved and a self-sustaining ecosystem is established. Putting this model into practice as early as possible can significantly reduce the financial burden of mine closure and rehabilitation.

Jan 1, 2011

By Sandy Clamage

"Seeing the elephant" was a term often heard from 1849 to 1859, the period of the great California Gold Rush. The phrase was used by those who dreamed of instant wealth that was believed could be found in California's virgin earth and mighty rivers. When news of fabulous gold strikes throughout the Mother Lode reached far away places, thousands of gold seekers left home and family to join in this incredible adventure. The barren, placid state of California soon became one of the most bustling, populous areas in the West. Before the Rush Before 1848, Mexico ruled California. It was then a remote region, isolated from the urbane world of the East by 2900 km (1800 miles) of scorching desert and impassible mountains. By sea, it was 29 000 km (18,000 miles) via Cape Horn. Spaniards and Mexicans settled the coastal lands on tracts donated to them by the Mexican government. The inland area was the domain of Indians and a few settlers who also had been granted estates by the government. Among those settlers was Captain John Sutter. He had been fortunate enough to obtain about 11 leagues of land (spanning 100 km or 60 miles in length) from Governor Alvarado of Mexico. Sutter was somewhat of a visionary and possessed a gifted tongue. He managed to receive most of what he desired with minimal trouble. Enchanted with Sutter's personality, Alvarado promised him Mexican citizenship. Alvarado also commissioned him to become "representative of the government and officer of justice on the Northern frontier." With uncanny foresight, Sutter began building a fortress on his land in the Sacramento Valley. It later became known as Sutter's Fort. It was more than just a fort, however. It also became a stopping place and home for many foreigners and Americans who traveled to California, and it eventually became the mecca for overland pilgrims. Sutter engaged in many projects. These included a cattle ranch, fur trade and trapping, and the construction of an irrigation system. With the influx of immigrants over the years, the community around the fort grew rapidly. Lumber was much in demand and Captain Sutter agreed to supply the necessary capital for a community sawmill. The site chosen was some 72 km (45 miles) northeast of the fort on the south fork of the American River in the town of Coloma. During the course of its construction, Sutter's carpenter, James Marshall, discovered a problem with the tailrace on the mill. First Strike Early in the morning on Jan. 24, 1848, Marshall was checking the tailrace. He noticed an object shining in a foot of water at the bottom of a ditch. He reached down and picked it up. His heart began to thump wildly as he realized he was holding a gold nugget. Sutter planned to keep the find a secret for as long as possible. He knew very well that he could become an extremely wealthy man. The ever loyal Marshall remained faithful to his employer and the pair did their best to obtain more

Jan 3, 1985

By Patrick Sullivan

Over the past few years, successful operations for processing phosphates employing the Grate-Kiln System have been achieved. Control and instrumentation philosophy followed in these installations are described and analyzed. Concepts utilizing digital techniques and computer systems appropriate for similar installations are also discussed.

Jan 1, 1967

By Michael Chender

The rapid and continuing expansion of computer and communication capability is giving birth to profound changes in the business environment. Some commentators hold that the basis of the world economy has already shifted from industry to information. Regardless of the overall implications of these changes, it is now clear that every company potentially has both access to and a need for much more information for decision making than was the case a few years ago. The importance of information to the mining industry has been underlined by the rash of unexpected economic and political developments and by the accompanying market volatility that have marked the past decade. It should be abundantly clear to even the smallest mine operator that the price for his output can be instantly affected by unexpected developments halfway across the world. Nevertheless, many mining companies still are much less sophisticated about information than they might be. For many, the historical feeling that information is an unnecessary luxury for a production-oriented business still seems to linger. On the other hand, the overwhelming volume of source material, uncertainty as to its accuracy, and the problems of finding relevant material when needed, presents stumbling blocks to viable systems of information management. Introduction When a company needs certain information, it has two basic alternatives. It can either research and develop the information in-house or pay for someone else to do it. Few mining companies have the in-house capability to assemble information needed for careful planning. On the other hand, companies often engage consultants to find information that is in fact easily accessible. All too often companies give up on procuring needed information because of the frustration of not being able to find it, and of not wanting to pay seemingly exorbitant sums for someone else to produce it. The result is poor planning. This article addresses two aspects of the information problem-finding the right sources and then accessing the particular information desired, especially as it pertains to nonferrous metal exploration and development issues. In the first section, major English-language sources that report on exploration and development (excluding primary sources of geological information, such as technical journals) are discussed.* In the second section, some available techniques for efficiently accessing this information are presented, focusing on the new MINESEARCH database system. Part One: The Information Following the News The most obvious way to follow exploration and mining developments from a distance is through regular mining media. Many active mining districts have local newspapers, usually published in the district's major towns, that give extensive coverage to miningrelated activities. For instance, to follow activities in Idaho's Coeur d'Alene silver district, one might subscribe to the Kellogg Wardner News and/or the Wallace Miner. Similarly, one might get the Sacramento Bee for news of current mining developments in north-central California. The American Metal Market, published in New York, is the daily newspaper that covers the metals industry as a whole, both in the US and abroad. Its coverage is weighted towards the refining, manufacturing, and consumption end of the business, but it frequently carries stories on mining activity, company dealings, and market outlooks. For news of major mining companies, the daily Wall Street Journal provides occasional coverage of North American companies, while the Financial Times of London serves as probably the best single source for worldwide company information. International Coverage There are three metals industry weeklies that have broad international coverage and readership. These are Metal Week, Metal Bulletin, and Mining Journal. Each has its strengths. Metals Week, a McGraw-Hill newsletter, focuses primarily on news of the metals markets, concentrating on those developments that are seen to most directly affect the price of nonferrous metals. Metals Week is strongest on North American news. Metal Bulletin, published in London, is particularly strong on

Jan 4, 1983

By Ted H. Eyde

Improving the mineral industry's tarnished image describes in a nut- shell the reason why the Speakers Bureau of the Tucson Subsection of the AIME was formed. Let's go back in time about 3 years to the fall of 1971. Literally thousands of bills detrimental to the mineral industry were being introduced into Congress and State Legislatures. Unfortunately, many were being passed and signed into law. Clean air and water, zero pollution, preserve the environment, ecology, biodegradeable, wilderness were the words that the self- styled ecologists and environmentalists were preaching. The mineral industry either sat mute or in place of acting, reacted in a way certain to attract a maximum amount of bad publicity with a minimum amount of rhetoric. A mining company president, for example, commenting on the primary air standards in Arizona was reported by the press as having said, "we'll shut all the smelters down and put thousands of Arizonans out of work if we have to meet the Arizona standards." Or another defending a poorly planned highly visible open pit nonmetallics operation, "we'll take the whole mountain down if we want to, and nobody can stop us" and still another manager of Operations, "the bottom line is all that counts, to hell with all of this environmental nonsense."

Jan 1, 1975