| |
MiningWeek Online
October 29, 2004 Volume 10, Issue 42
This Week's Issue:
MINExpo® 2004 draws mining industry purchasing decision makers
The 1,226 exhibitors who participated in MINExpo INTERNATIONAL® 2004 enjoyed a high-quality audience that included not only the upper management of many producing companies but also those with key input into their company’s purchasing decisions, according to final registration demographics.
The most significant official demographics demonstrated the high quality of attendees::
- 73 percent of MINExpo® registrants were responsible for specifying, recommending or having final approval over their company’s purchases;
- 34 percent upper management;
- 21 percent of attendees were from overseas.
In terms of the primary business by mining sector, coal represented 43 percent; precious metals, 17 percent; industrial/nonmetallic minerals, 16 percent; other products, 13 percent; nonferrous metals, 6 percent; and ferrous metals, 4 percent. The total number of registrations for the show was 30,159, with a verified attendance of 26,866.
Commenting on the demographics, NMA President and CEO Jack N. Gerard said: “The high quality audience at this year’s show produced thousands of well-qualified leads for exhibitors, and reinforces MINExpo’s reputation as the world’s most important and influential mining exposition. No other mining industry event attracts a broader market of both international buyers and attendees from all 50 U.S. states. As successful as this show was, we look forward to providing an even better showcase in 2008. We thank everyone – especially NMA members who were exhibitors and attendees – for making MINExpo 2004 one of the best events in the show’s 69-year history.”
Back to top
Papers from MINExpo® sessions available on show website
Presentations given during the 23 MINExpo sessions and workshops are now available on the show’s web site, www.minexpo.com.
“The very strong attendance at the sessions reflected the excellent quality and timeliness of the presentations”, said Douglas Hardman, president and COO, J. H. Fletcher and Company. Hardman and Donovan Symonds, executive vice president of Norwest Corporation, served as program co-chairman for MINExpo.
Sessions covered the following areas: Air, Bulk Materials Handling, Coal, Exploration, Exporting, Financial, Human Resources, Industrial Minerals, International, Metals Forum, Metal Commodities, New Mine Development, Processing, Reclamation,Safety and Health, Solid Waste Management, Surface Mining, Technology, Underground Mining, and Water Mitigation. For the first time, professional development hours were available to MINExpo attendees.
Back to top
Don’t forget to vote Tuesday, November 2nd!
With only a few days left before the election, NMA would like to encourage you to vote on November 2. This election could prove to be the closest in our country’s history; so encourage your friends and family to go out and have their voices heard. For more information on the candidates, visit www.minethevote.org.
Back to top
MSHA, Kentucky kick-off mining anti-drug, alcohol initiative
A new public education and outreach initiative designed to warn the mining community about the dangers of drug and alcohol use and abuse in the nation’s mines was kicked off this week in Frankfort, KY.
The initiative was announced at a press conference by Dave D. Lauriski, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health, and LaJuana Wilcher, secretary of Kentucky’s environmental and public protection cabinet.
Lauriski and Wilcher announced a joint Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) – Kentucky/Southern Appalachia Summit on Drug Abuse planned for early December in Kentucky. Details will be available on MSHA’s web site (www.msha.gov) next week. The summit will include representatives from the mining industry, labor, public health experts, and federal, state and local government personnel who deal with mining issues.
Lauriski also announced the assignment of Ray McKinney, a senior MSHA safety and health official, to oversee critical issues within the Southern Appalachian region. He will be based in Pikeville, KY, and will direct the agency’s accident prevention efforts, focusing primarily on eastern Kentucky, Southern West Virginia and Virginia. He will also serve as the primary liaison with state officials to improve health and safety in the region’s mines.
Back to top
New Facts About Coal and Minerals available from NMA
NMA recently published Facts About Coal and Minerals 2004-2005, a concise but informative booklet containing the most frequently requested information about the U.S. mining industry.
Among the salient statistics and facts is information on resources, production, utilization, mining’s workforce, the environment, transportation, exports and trade. Included are relevant data tables, “fast facts,” interesting “quick questions” about mining and minerals, and links to relevant web sites containing the most current information.
Facts About Coal and Minerals tells the story of a modern, high-tech industry providing products essential for America’s prosperity, security and economic growth. Each NMA member company is entitled to 25 free copies of the booklet; additional copies may be purchased for $2.50 per copy. Non-members may purchase the book for $15 per copy.
For more information, see the flyer attached to this issue of Mining Week, or contact NMA’s publications sales office via fax at 202-463-2665, or e-mail Joyce Selig at jselig@nma.org.
Back to top
Army COE proposal would amend permit procedures for fulfilling NHPA
An advanced notice of proposed rulemaking by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) would amend its regulations governing permitting procedures under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).
The corps said it is amending its 14-year-old rules because of amendments to the NHPA in 1992, and due to changes to the rules of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (Council) in 2000 and 2004. The latter changes in the Council’s regulations were the result of successful litigation by NMA in NMA v. Slater and NMA v. Fowler.
Specifically, the Corps proposes four alternative approaches:
- Revise Appendix C to incorporate the current requirements and procedures at 36 C.F.R. § 800 (Council regulations);
- Revoke Appendix C and use 36 C.F.R. § 800, subpart B, when reviewing individual permit applications, and utilize federal agency program alternatives at 36 C.F.R. § 800.14 for general permits;
- Revoke Appendix C and use 36 C.F.R. § 800 subpart B for all individual and general permits; and,
- Revoke Appendix C and develop non-regulation alternative procedures in accordance with 36 C.F.R. § 800.14.
NMA members seeking additional information should contact Bradford Frisby at 202-463-2643 (bfrisby@nma.org) or Karen Bennett at 202-463-3240 (kbennett@nma.org).
Back to top
Fish and Wildlife Service proposal would designate critical habitat for flycatcher
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has issued a proposed rule that would designate critical habitat for the federally endangered southwestern willow flycatcher, which was placed on the endangered list in 1995.
FWS originally designated critical habitat for the flycatcher in 1997 in response to a lawsuit by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), but the designation was vacated by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2001 because of a faulty economic analysis. FWS delayed re-proposing critical habitat for the bird until it was again sued by CBD.
The proposed critical habitat encompasses 376,095 acres on a combination of federal, state, tribal and private lands in southern California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah, south-central Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico.
Comments on the proposal are due Dec. 13, 2004. NMA members seeking additional information should contact Katie Sweeney at 202-463-2627 (ksweeney@nma.org).
Back to top
EU to lift sanctions on U.S. exports as result of American Jobs Creation Act
Following President Bush signing into law the American Jobs Creation Act, European Union (EU) Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy said the Trade Commission will recommend lifting current sanctions on some 1,600 exports.
NMA supported the American Jobs Creation Act, which repeals a law that resulted in a decision by the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the U.S., allowing the European Union (EU) to impose tariffs on American exports to EU countries. Under the WTO ruling, the EU was authorized to impose tariffs on U.S. exports of up to $4 billion annually. The EU began imposing a 5 percent tariff on some 1,600 exports beginning in March 2004. The tariffs increased by 1 percentage point a month and most recently were 12 percent.
Among other things, the new law creates a corporate tax deduction for income from domestic manufacturing operations that includes extraction, as sought by NMA. For more information, see Mining Week, Oct. 14, 2004.
The EU Commission said it will recommend that the European Council of Ministers lift the sanctions against the U.S. as of Jan. 1, 2005. In his statement, Lamy did raise potential issues with the two-year transition period and a grandfather provision in the bill that extends ETI (extra-territorial income) benefits for exporters who entered into binding contracts before Sept. 17, 2003. Lamy said the commission will go to the WTO dispute settlement system regarding WTO compliance with the new legislation.
Back to top
Newsbits
Foundation Energy Sales Inc. said it has promoted Phillip R. College to assistant vice president-sales and Joanna Haselman to director, sales and services. College has been with the company since Jan. 1, 2002, serving as director-industrial coal sales. Haselman started with Foundation in 2001 as director of distribution . . . . Cleveland-Cliffs has appointed Timothy H. Schaedig as operations controller. In his new capacity, he will provide direction of mine control activities with a strong focus on operating cost performance analysis, budgeting and forecasting, the company said . . . . The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) said Excelsior Energy Inc. and ConocoPhillips will construct and operate a 531-megawatt Mesaba Energy Project in Hoyt Lakes, MN, as part of the Clean Coal Power Initiative. The project, selected for a $36 million award, will provide more than 1,000 local construction jobs during the three years it takes to build the plant, and at least 150 permanent high-tech jobs when commercial operations begin. The facility will demonstrate advanced power generation systems using Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC).
Back to top
|
