November 2016 Issue No 009
GineersNow Engineering Magazine
Caterpillar Inc: A look at the company's social impact. Exclusive interview with Jean Savace, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Caterpillar Inc.
Exclusive: Mining industry, social good, philanthropy, CSR, social impact, social innovation.
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Caterpillar Inc's CSR, Technology and Heavy Equipment Products - GineersNow Engineering Magazine
1. NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
1
WORLD’S FIRST ENGINEERING NEWS
FOR YOUNG ENGINEERS
NOVEMBER 2016 ISSUE NO. 009
CATERPILLAR INC.
A Look At The Company's
Social Impact
Exclusive Interview with Jean Savage, a Vice President
and Chief Technology Officer of Caterpillar Inc.
A CLOSER LOOK AT
THE MINING INDUSTRY:
• How Mining Companies Give
Back To Communities
• 10 Issues and Trends that Affect
the Mining Industry
• The Role of Mining in Society
• 25 Awesome Things You Didn’t
Know About Gold
• Latest Trends in the Mining
Industry
FEATURE STORIES:
• Filipino Electronics Engineer
Motivates Future Engineers
Through Song
• Why Engineering Students
Hate Losing Their Calculators
• The Six Engineers That We All
Have to Deal With
• What Lies Ahead for
Construction Equipment
• The Most Dangerous
Engineering Jobs
2.
3. Ems Bagatsing
Sales & Marketing Director
Ems@LincolnMartin.com
Robert Bagatsing
Editor-In-Chief
editor@GineersNow.com
Engr. Alice Hernandez
Senior Editor-At-Large
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South Asia
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Senior Editor
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Contibutor
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Creative & Layout
4. Note
Editor's
Mining is not exactly a favorable
topic in the public eye. It’s
surrounded with controversies
and several issues that affect the
livelihoods of different people.
Some would argue that mining has a
negative impact on our environment
and different organizations and
agencies have focused on closing
down several mining operations.
Others would point out that
contrary to popular belief, mining
is essential to our daily lives. The
minerals and metals mined out
of the ground have played crucial
roles in the development of our
society - from manufacturing to the
advancement of our technologies.
This is why mining companies
have created initiatives that
would give the public a better
view of what mining and mining
companies can do and how different
communities can benefit from
them. Through their Corporate
Social Responsibility programs,
different mining companies make
an effort to improve the livelihood
of different people affected by
the operations. They incorporate
sustainable programs that would
help men and women make a living
even after the mining operation in
the area is closed.
We have to admit that not all
companies follow responsible
mining practices and they give
mining a very bad name. However,
we must not also ignore the benefits
the public got from the resources
extracted through these processes.
While mining has its cons, it surely
has plenty of pros. And through the
right campaign, we would be able to
inform and educate the public about
what mining can really do to us.
In the November issue of
GineersNow magazine, we are
sharing several stories about the
latest technologies developed for
mining, the latest trends in this field
and several interesting historical
facts involving it. We’ve also featured
stories focusing on corporate social
responsibility programs - answering
the “what, where, how and why’s”
of these programs. This is our
campaign to give the public more
information about this unpopular
field and why it’s important to
educate ourselves about it.
Our special cover story features
Caterpillar, Inc.’s Chief Technology
Officer and one of its Vice
Presidents, Jean Savage. In this
exclusive interview, she discusses
the latest trends and the future of
equipment and heavy machinery
industry. She also discusses the
importance of their company’s CSR
programs and how each program is
helping different individuals.
With so many stories that focus on
mining and its related fields, it is
our responsibility to deliver these
stories to you. By giving the public
the positive aspects of mining,
more people may be encouraged
to push for better programs, laws
and practices that not only stop
illegal mining process but also help
different communities have more
sustainable programs during and
after mining operations. As you can
see, the mining field is not really the
villain here. It’s not.
5. CONTENTS
06
14
21
23
24
26
PAGE TITLE
28
31
PAGE TITLE
CATERPILLAR INC.: MORE
THAN JUST A BUSINESS
THE ROLE OF MINING IN
SOCIETY
IS MINING ENGINEERING FOR
YOU?
WORLD’S LARGEST
LAND VEHICLE
10 BEST YOUTUBE
CHANNELS THAT FEATURE
THE MINING INDUSTRY
FILIPINO ELECTRONICS
ENGINEER MOTIVATES
FUTURE ENGINEERS
THROUGH SONG
$30 BILLION MARKET FOR
CONSTRUCTION ELECTRIC
VEHICLES
25 AWESOME THINGS YOU
DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT GOLD
32
34
38
42
WHICH COUNTRIES HAVE THE
LARGEST GOLD RESERVES?
LATEST TRENDS IN THE
MINING INDUSTRY
WHAT ARE THE MOST
COMMONLY MINED
MINERALS AND METALS IN
AFRICA?
10 ISSUES AND TRENDS
THAT AFFECT THE MINING
INDUSTRY
44
47
48
58
60
66
69
74
FOUR INCREDIBLE OPEN
PIT MINES
THE SIX ENGINEERS THAT
WE ALL HAVE TO DEAL WITH
THIS IS MINING IN HELL
ON EARTH
JHARIA,THE HOME OF
INDIA’S BLACK DIAMONDS
WHAT LIES AHEAD
FOR CONSTRUCTION
EQUIPMENT
CIVIL ENGINEERS WHO
SHAPED THE CONSTRUCTION
INDUSTRY OF TODAY
EXPLORING THE DEEP SEA
FOR MINERALS
INSIDE THE
WORLD’S LARGEST
UNDERGROUND MINE
78
80
HOW MINING
COMPANIES GIVE BACK
TO COMMUNITIES
BEAUTIFUL MINERALS AND
STONES YOU WANT FOR
YOUR COLLECTION
COVER STORY
6. COVER STORY
CATERPILLAR INC.:
MORE THAN JUST A
BUSINESS
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
6
The company has given back to our communities
since before the Foundation was created in
1952--philanthropy is a part of our DNA.
9. NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
9
A
mong the Fortune’s
Top 100, there is that
one company whose
trademark is in the manufacture
of construction and mining
equipment, diesel and natural
gas engines, and industrial gas
turbines. For the past 90 years,
that company has committed
itself in providing machines and
solutions through its hundreds
of offices and facilities across
the world. It has proved to
be a global leader in creating,
building, problem solving, and
innovating, while answering its
call for philanthropy.
Caterpillar Inc., that company
which has shaped the world
we live in today, has more to it
than just business. It thrives in
an engineering industry with its
exemplar products and services,
at the same time focusing in its
sustainability.
Jean Savage, Chief Technology
Officer and a Vice President of
Caterpillar with responsibility in
the Innovation and Technology
Development division, tells us
more in this exclusive interview
on how the company instills
its universal mission to the
employees, what it can provide
to its customers, what it has
recently come up with, and the
company’s social impacts and
corporate social responsibility.
About Caterpillar
Are you an educational
institution, social enterprise,
non-profit or private company?
How big is your company?
Caterpillar is a public company
among Fortune’s Top 100. We
have about 100,000 full-time
employees globally. Caterpillar
operates hundreds of offices and
facilities across the world.
Describe your mission, vision
and values.
Our mission is to enable economic
growth through infrastructure
and energy development, and
to provide solutions to support
communities and protect the
planet. The 21st-century world
you see today has been built with
the help of Caterpillar machines
and solutions. We’ve spent the
past 90 years creating, building,
problem solving, innovating,
testing, servicing and improving.
In the process, we’ve built a
global leader.
Our Values in Action unite us
as a company and serve as the
foundation that has helped us
succeed in the past and will
continue to help us succeed in
the future. Our Values in Action,
the Caterpillar’s Worldwide
Code of Conduct, is a guide
that defines how we work and
how we treat each other and
those with whom we work,
live, and serve. Caterpillar has
always taken a leadership role in
regards to holding itself to the
highest ethical standards.
Our core values remain constant-
• Integrity: The Power of
Honesty
Integrity is the foundation of
all we do.
• Excellence: The Power of
Quality
We set and achieve ambitious
goals.
• Teamwork: The Power of
Working Together
We help each other succeed.
• Commitment: The Power of
Responsibility
We embrace our responsibilities.
• Sustainability: The Power of
Endurance
We are committed to building a
better world.
Where is this company headed?
What’s your future expansion
plans?
The enterprise strategy positions
Caterpillar to be the leader
everywhere it does business.
Everyday, Caterpillar employees
deliver sustainable solutions
for customers, enabling them
to succeed and drive positive
change around the world.
In return, this enables us
to consistently reward our
stockholders. Over the past
century, Caterpillar has made
progress possible. Looking to
the future, Caterpillar is poised
to respond to the challenges
and opportunities of an ever-
changing world and growing
global population.
More About Jean Savage
Jean Savage is originally from
Ohio, now living in Peoria,
Illinois. She is a retired Military
Intelligence Officer for the U.S.
Army Reserve, who holds a
bachelor’s degree in electrical
andcomputerengineeringfrom
the University of Cincinnati
and a master’s degree in
engineering management
from the University of Dayton.
She has worked in engineering
and manufacturing for nearly
30 years. She joined Caterpillar
in2002andhasheldleadership
roles in the company’s Rail
and Advanced Components
divisions. Prior to joining
Caterpillar Inc., Jean spent
14 years with Parker Hannifin
Corporation, a leader in motion
and control technologies and
systems.
The enterprise
strategy positions
Caterpillar to be the
leader everywhere it
does business"
COVER STORY
What the Company Can
Offer
What are the most successful
products that you have
launched and why were they a
success?
For 90 years, Caterpillar Inc.
has been making sustainable
progress possible and driving
positive changes in every
continent. Customers turn to
Caterpillar to help them develop
infrastructure, energy and natural
resource assets. Caterpillar is the
world’s leading manufacturer
of construction and mining
equipment, diesel and natural gas
engines, industrial gas turbines
and diesel-electric locomotives.
The company principally
operates through its three
product segments - Construction
Industries, Resource Industries
and Energy & Transportation -
and also provides financing
and related services through its
Financial Products segment.
What kind of support do you
offer to your clients?
Our vast dealer network helps
Caterpillar and our customers
win around the world. Cat®
dealers share our passion,
enhance our competitive edge,
and ensure that our customers
receive maximum business value
from our products and services.
10. NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
10
Caterpillar provides employee
equipment training on job sites,
supplying aftermarket parts and
service support and offering
e-business and equipment
management solutions.
Where are these products made
or manufactured?
Our products are manufactured
globally.
The Trends
What are the latest trends
in equipment and machinery
industry?
Caterpillar has spent over 90
years committed to innovation
and technology that help our
customers succeed. Most of this
Sustainability is
part of who we
are and what we do
every single day"
innovation has been, “in the
iron.” Now, our focus has to be on
making the iron smart.
What will be the future of
equipment and machinery
industry? How will the products
look like?
“Making the iron smart,” means
bringing digital solutions
designed to improve productivity,
efficiency, safety and profitability
to our customers. This is not
technology for technology’s sake.
It is technology that’s focused on
solving, and even anticipating,
customer problems. We’re taking
the machines, locomotives,
engines and parts we’re so well
known for and making them
smarter, while also equipping
the people who operate them
with data that makes them more
productive, enhances safety and
improves sustainability. This
includes harnessing technology
like augmented reality,
autonomy, connectivity and light.
At Caterpillar, we win when our
customers can make more money
with our products, services and
solutions than they can with
any competitor. And that’s what
Smart Iron is all about.
Caterpillar’s Social
Impacts
Describe the CSR history and
philosophy of the company?
The Caterpillar Foundation
started in 1952, and has
invested more than $650M
in communities worldwide.
Part of our Corporate Social
Responsibility is also our focus
on sustainability. Sustainability
is part of who we are and what
we do every single day. We
recognize that progress involves
a balance of environmental
stewardship, social responsibility
and economic growth.
What are the causes? Who do
you fight for? What do you
stand for?
Our Foundation's mission is to
alleviate poverty and put 50
million people on the path to
prosperity.
How many employees are
involved?
Giving back and being proactive
members of our communities is a
natural part of who the company
and our employees are. We
encourage our employees to give
back to their communities via
volunteering, and the Foundation
matches employee and retiree
donations dollar-for-dollar to the
United Way, colleges/universities,
arts & cultural, environmental
and policy organizations. We also
match their donations to the Red
Cross for disaster relief.
When did the company start in
this endeavor?
The company has given back to
our communities since before the
Foundation was created in 1952
- philanthropy is a part of our
DNA. Most recently, we pioneered
Corporate Social Innovation
(CSI) work. This is beyond
Corporate Social Responsibility-
-we believe this work is more
than something we ought to do,
Trivia
Caterpillar can give
customers visibility to
their global, mixed-fleet
ofassetsthroughanasset
management portal that
delivers real-time data
on location, shift-based
utilization, idle time, fuel
consumption and more.
This information helps
contractors improve
efficiency and drive
unproductive time, or
non-utilized time out of
their business.
11. NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
11
but indeed something that can
address real human needs with
our innovation via products and
philanthropy. Giving back is not
an afterthought. The company
builds the physical and societal
infrastructure (roads, bridges,
energy access and more) and
the Foundation builds the
human infrastructure - ensuring
people have their basic needs
met (food, shelter, water, energy
and disaster relief), education
(literacy/numeracy, workforce
readiness and mentoring/
leadership) and environment
(restoring natural infrastructure
as it relays to poverty alleviation).
Which organizations or
individuals do you support? Do
you have a partnership with
COVER STORY
other non-profit organizations,
government, international
agencies or schools? If yes,
why? What are the objectives?
Starting in 2009, the Foundation
moved from a transactional
model to one where we measure
outcomes (changes in knowledge
and behavior) in addition to
measuring outputs. We have to
measure our PROI - philanthropic
return on investment. We run
the Foundation like a business.
We focus on the root causes of
poverty, which is why we added
policy work to our portfolio.
The best grant cannot achieve
efficient and effective success
if the policies behind it don't
support the work. For example,
if we invest in education in a
developing country, but there are
laws that exist making it legal
for girls to marry when they are
8 years old, it makes it almost
impossible for them to get an
education. So we invest in policy
in addition to our other initiatives.
We cannot do this alone - we
need foundations, corporations,
governments and non-profits
working collaboratively to
address the world's issues. We
call this approach "Together.
Stronger."
What are your most successful
CSR initiatives? Why were they
a success?
There are many different
investments we have made which
are very successful in alleviating
poverty. Policy investments can
affect millions and support larger
initiatives. We have invested in
policy work with:
• One Campaign: investment in
Agriculture policy in Africa called
Do Agric! which has been highly
successful to ensure African
heads of state maintain or
increase their commitments to
investment in agriculture
• One Campaign: investment in
energy policy - The Electrify Africa
act recently passed, impacting
more than 100 million on the
continent of Africa, to help them
get access to energy.
• United Nations Foundation: Girl
Up policy grants - the Girls Count
legislation passed to ensure
children in developing countries
are registered at birth regardless
of their gender
• Global Poverty Project: The
Water for the World Act passed,
helping millions get access to
water and sanitation
• Global Poverty Project: the
Global Food Security Act recently
passed, helping ensure basic
12. NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
12
needs are met.
All of these investments help
alleviate poverty and make our
other grants more effective.
What are the social impacts of
your CSR initiatives? Can you
quantify them?
We have an outcome-based
measurement process that
helps us measure the impact
of our investments. And we
expect a philanthropic return on
investment.
What are your future CSR
initiatives?
We hope to continue on the
path to alleviating poverty.
And, ultimately, we hope future
generations ask "What was
poverty?"
Advice to the Young
Engineers
Always remember who rings
your cash register! This may
COVER STORY
sound silly, but as careers have
shifted from the storefront to
the office, engineers have lost
sight of what the customer needs
to be successful. Whether you’re
designing heavy equipment or
kitchen sinks, you have to stay
focused on what the customer
wants and what they are willing
to pay for. One tool that has
helped us in this focus is Agile
development. Agile is the
methodology and discipline to
harness innovation and drive,
quickly, to a commercialized
solution for customers. Cross-
functional Agile teams
collaborate – leveraging their
diverse knowledge, experiences
and skill sets – to deliver products,
in small increments, to customers
and use their feedback to learn
whether the solutions are
delivering the desired value.
Agile is the
methodology
and discipline to
harness innovation
and drive, quickly,
to a commercialized
solution for
customers"
14. THE ROLE OF
MINING IN
SOCIETYBy Engr. Prince Joseph Erneszer A. Javier and Engr. Mae Lean I. Langcay
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
14
15. Mining as a process is arguably
one of two key foundations of
modern society -- the other one
being agriculture.The same way
we get crops and meat from
agriculture, we get raw materials
needed to create a whole range
of products that we use from
mining. Even during the stone
age, people have been collecting
stones and sharpening them
to make various tools and
weapons. Today, our demand for
stones, metals, and other mined
materials is higher than before
due to the technologies we use
-- cars, computers, appliances,
cell phones, houses, you name it.
Virtually everything we use today
need raw materials from mining
-- either as their components or
as components of the machines
that are used to make them.
Beyond this, mining can
contribute to social development
and development of science and
technology, while mitigating its
environmental impacts. Many
modern mining operations
contribute to national economies,
community development, and
environmental enhancement.
Satisfying the needs of
communities, following local
and national regulations, while
implementing environmental
programs to mitigate and even
improve the environment are
the hallmarks of what is called
"responsible mining." Science and
technology benefits from mining
as well. This is because the
challenges encountered in mining
operations encourage creative
thinking in order to come up
with innovative solutions. Mining
also opens up opportunities
for more detailed study of the
Earth especially the crust. These
solutions can spill over to other
industries and aspects of our
lives. Society depends on mining
on plenty of things.
What is mining and how did
the materials from mining end
up in our smartphones? SME
Mining Engineering Handbook
defines mining as "the set of
the processes, the occupation,
and the industry concerned
with the extraction of minerals
from the earth." It involves four
major steps namely, exploration,
development, production, and
finally, closure and rehabilitation.
The first step in any mining
Photo by RiskManagementMagazine
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
15
16. project is to conduct geologic
investigations to locate the
deposit. This stage, called
exploration, involves surveying of
rocks on the surface and drilling
for rocks that are hundreds of
meters below the surface, among
other things. Based on the
information gathered, which are
called geologic data, a 3D model
of the mineral deposit can be
generated by a computer. The
possible economic value of the
mine based on all the geologic
data will then be evaluated.
The next stage of mining is
development which involves
construction of surface
infrastructure, initial clearing
of mining area, and initial
excavation or tunneling to reach
the ore deposit. Production will
commence after fully developing
the mine. During the production
stage, either a large hole is
gradually opened up on the
ground creating an open pit
or the minerals will be mined
from underground tunnels. The
excavated ore will be transported
to the processing plant on
the surface near the mine.
Afterwhich the ore will undergo
a series of processes of mineral
concentrating, melting, and
refining until the final product
is produced, like copper plates,
or gold bars. This product will
then be used by manufacturers
to make various tools, electronics,
and machines.
A mine can operate for decades
until it runs out of economic
mineral reserves. When the mine
closes, it must be rehabilitated
into the pre-mine environmental
conditions or into sustainable
income-generating projects like
resorts, agroforests, or parks.
Mining deals with extracting
minerals from the earth. The raw
materials dug up from the mine
undergo a series of processes until
the final products are produced.
These final products are finally
used to manufacture various
things that we use everyday.
Mankind has been mining for
materials since tens of thousands
of years ago. In fact, mining
and the development of human
civilization and culture are so
intertwined that major stages
in human history are identified
by various minerals or their
derivatives: Stone Age, Bronze
Age, Iron Age, Steel Age, and
Nuclear Age. During the Stone
Age, man used wood, stone, bone
and ceramics for shelter, weapons
and utensils. Other materials
such as ceramics, clay, salt and
meteoric iron were used as
ornaments, decoration, jewelry,
coinage, and components of
cosmetics.People eventually
used minerals to make various
components for shelters as well
as transportation equipment.
Copper, discovered in Cyprus in
2700 BC, became a sought-after
component of tools, weapons,
and kitchen utensils. Uranium,
which was first extracted from
the Habsburg silver mines in
Bohemia in the middle ages,
was initially used to color glass
and ceramics. The radioactive
properties of uranium were then
discovered, eventually leading to
the development of the nuclear
bomb and eventually nuclear
power plants in the 20th century,
signalling the beginning of the
nuclear age.
Metallurgy, the process of
separating or mixing metals,
began as early as 7000 BC
with copper being melted and
cast into objects, followed
by lead, silver, gold, and iron.
Advancements in metallurgy
made it possible to mix metals
into their alloys forming bronze,
iron and brass. During the 18th
century, iron metallurgy made
great strides and made Industrial
Revolution possible, a period
during which the economy of
an underdeveloped country
could be transformed into an
industrial economy, stimulated
by the availability of energy and
metal sources. This developing
technology was accompanied
by a revolution in science and
engineering. The machine age,
a product of the industrial
revolution, needed certain
minerals as raw materials and
as a source of energy, making
industrial power a measure of
nation's political and military
power, and economic wealth.
Today, our modern society
needs these raw materials for
machineries used in various
industries, electronics for
computers and communication,
and nuclear fission for warfare
and electrical power generation.
The demand for raw materials
from mining is ever-increasing
in order to sustain our growing
needs for infrastructure, goods,
and services.
Virtually all things we use today
are products of mining. Copper,
for example, is used to make
various kinds of products like
electrical wire, cookware, pipes,
car parts, paint, and electrical
appliances. Iron is a common
component of paint, cosmetics,
and fertilizers, and when
mixed with carbon forms steel.
Nickel when mixed with steel
produces stainless steel which
is used for various objects like
sinks, kitchenware, and musical
instruments. Gold is primarily
used for jewelry but is also used
for electronics and electrical
appliances. Chromite is used for
stainless steel production and
also in the tanning process of
Photo by InfoMine
Photo by ALS Global
Photo by TheAusIMMBulletin
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
16
17. leather. Aluminum is used for
cans, kitchenware, and airplane
parts, among others. Calcium
carbonate, fluoride, and titanium
are used for toothpaste. Lithium
is an integral component of the
batteries of our smartphones.
Plenty of things we use have
components that came from
mining. We can go on for hours
enumerating them all.
The raw materials that we need
to manufacture various products
come from several mines around
the world.
Copper for example comes
from mines in more than 50
countries, the largest of which
is the Escondida Copper Mine.
The Escondida Copper Mine in
the Atacama Desert of Northern
Chile, had an estimated 32
million tonnes of copper reserves
in 2012. In 2013, the mine
produced 1.1 million tonnes of
copper, equivalent to around five
percent of total global copper
production in that year.
Aluminum comes from the rock
called bauxite, with Australia as
the biggest producer, producing
almost 80 million tonnes of
bauxite in 2014. This is equivalent
to around 30% of the world's
total output for that year. The
largest bauxite mine in the world
is the Huntly Mine in Australia,
which produced 18 million tonnes
of Bauxite in 2006.
In the case of the Philippines,
copper, gold, and nickel are
mostly mined and exported. The
largest gold producers in the
Philippines are Masbate Gold
Project in Masbate Island, Didipio
Copper Gold Project in Nueva
Vizcaya, and Padcal Copper-
Gold Operation in Benguet. The
Toledo Copper Operation in Cebu,
meanwhile, is the largest copper
producer in the country. And the
largest direct shipping nickel ore
producer is the Rio Tuba Nickel
Project in Palawan.
There are more mines for
different materials around the
world including mines for coal,
diamond, graphite, gypsum,
lithium, natural gas, platinum,
salt, selenium, sulphur, talc,
titanium, and uranium, to name
a few.
Since mining involves intensive
earth excavation and use
of various chemicals for ore
processing,mining,ifhaphazardly
done, can negatively impact
the environment and local
communities where it operates.
But such impacts can be avoided
by practicing responsible mining.
A responsible mine follows the
law and uses best international
practices for its operations, social
programs, and environmental
management. Responsible mines
exist and they play a major role
in economic improvement and
community development.
Three examples of responsible
mining companies in the
Philippines are OceanaGold
Philippines Inc. (OGPI), Rio Tuba
Nickel Mining Corp. (RTNMC) and
Silangan MIndanao Mining Co.,
Inc. (SMMCI).
OGPI, an open pit gold-copper
mineinNuevaVizcaya,focuseson
improvement of local education
opportunities, community health
and infrastructure, cultural
preservation, business and
development opportunities,
conservation of the environment,
and local employment support
through its 'We Care" Program.
"OceanaGold is now ready to
construct our 18-classroom
building. They also provide us
with instructional materials, and
other supports such as special
trainings. With the support of
OceanaGold, I believe that
ENVHS will become a very good
school. We will meet the standard
given to us by the Department
of Education.", Osmundo Espejo,
school principal of Eastern Nueva
Photo by Expatch
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
17
18. Photo by TIBCO
Photo by Phys.org
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
18
19. Vizcaya National High School.
With its exemplary efforts
to implement development
programs for the community and
environment, OGPI received a
gold award for best workplace
practice at the 7th Annual Global
CSR Summit and Awards held in
Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
RTNMC, a nickel ore mine in
Palawan, implements community
initiatives to modernize health
centers, eradicate malnutrition
and decrease infant and
maternal mortality rate. The
mine also regularly conducts
sanitation and health awareness
campaigns, and medical missions.
The company allotted funds for
its Indigents and Indigenous
Peoples’ hospitalization program,
giving 45,944 individuals free
hospitalization and treatment at
the company’s hospital; Other
social projects include coffee
farming projects that provide
a stable source of income for
farmer-members from eight
impact barangays, financial
assistance to improve school
facilities, and provision of
education-related materials.
RTNMC restores mined-out areas
as close as possible to its pre-
mining condition or develop
them for other uses, where
the surrounding communities
will benefit. Because of these
initiatives, RTNMC was awarded
the Presidential Mineral
Industry Environmental Award
for environmental excellence in
2015.
SMMCI, a pre-operating mine in
Surigao del Norte, administers its
community assistance program
by involving the impacted
communities in activities that
enhance quality of life, imparting
them with entrepreneurial skills,
providing seed capital in small-
scale livelihood projects, and
creating organizational forums
to inform people about the
positive and negative effects
of the mining project. Narcita
Ajoc, a member of a People's
Organization in the province and
one of the beneficiaries of the
program said, "SMMCI provided
us with financial literacy,
bookkeeping, entrepreneurship
and leadership training." In 2015,
SMMCI selected and funded 11
academic researches, sponsored
80 out-of-school youths in their
Technical-Vocational training,
and built eight school buildings
benefiting 4000 students in the
province. SMMCI also donated
dormitory buildings, medical
equipment and ambulance to
the communities, while at the
same time improving their water
systems. Among the recognitions
and awards SMMCI received
are the Safest Mine Award
(Exploration Category) and First
Runner Up for Best Mining Forest
(Exploration Category) for its
reforestation efforts.
According to the Philippine Mines
and Geosciences Bureau, as of
January 2015, mining companies
in the country have committed
a total of around $130 million
for social and community
projects, which will benefit 711
barangays. And around $660
million have been committed
for environmental management
and rehabilitation programs. 95
companies participated in the
government's Mining Forest
Program, successfully planting
around 21 million trees over
20,000 hectares to date.
Responsible mining also exists in
other parts of the world. Sullivan
Mine, located in Northwest
Canada, developed a ski hill
and provided low-cost land for
a golf course, which were later
bought by the local government
after mine closure. The previous
mining area then became a year-
round resort, attracting major
investments. Another is a bauxite
mine,AlcoaofAustraliaLtd,which
was listed for fifteen consecutive
years on the UN Global 500
Roll of Honor for Environmental
Achievement for its rehabilitation
works on the Darling Plateau. Its
rehabilitation works averages to
600 hectares yearly, and involves
best practices for landscaping,
pre-ripping, soil return, fauna
habitat return, final contour
ripping and seeding, recalcitrant
planting, fertilizing, ongoing
monitoring, and management
of rehabilitated area. Finally,
BHP Billiton launched in its
Mozambique operations in 2014
the Leadership Enhancement
and Development (LEAD) Project,
pledging $8.8 million over five
years to the new agricultural
initiative to benefit farmers from
three districts in the area. The
project aims to work with more
than 50 producer organizations
that represent farms to
increase their income and
business opportunities, improve
production capacity through
farm-level training and provision
of facilities, access to financing,
BHP's project is expected to
directly benefit 6,500 households
in the area. To date, around 30
farmer field schools have already
been established.
Responsible mining, defined as
mining that utilizes best practices
in community development and
environmental management and
rehabilitation exists.
Some governments are now
acknowledging their role in
enforcing responsible mining
in their countries by ratifying
and implementing laws that
require companies to allocate
funds for social development,
environmental management,
and environmental rehabilitation.
In the Philippines, the Philippine
Mining Act of 1995 requires that
companies implement social
development, environmental
management, and rehabilitation
programs as applicable during
the exploration, development,
production, and closure stages.
During the development stage,
mines are required to allocate
10% of its total cost for
environmental management
programs. Mines in the
production stage must allocate
1.5% of their total operating
cost for social development
programs as well as 3% of their
mining and ore processing cost
for environmental programs.
Governments should be partners
in making responsible mining
a reality, through the laws that
they pass and implement.
Mining provides jobs that
improve the economies and
quality of life in the nearby
communities. According to the
Mines and Geosciences Bureau
of the Philippines, around
235,000 workers are employed
in the minerals industry in the
country. With a multiplier effect
of 4, which means that for every
job generated four more jobs are
indirectly created in the upstream
and downstream sectors, roughly
940,000 jobs are indirectly
generated by the mining industry.
A research paper published in
2014 examined employments
generated by mines in three other
countries, namely Escondida
Mine in Chile, Tenge Fungurume
Mine in Katanga, Democratic
Republic of Congo, and various
mines in Zambia. The study
found that 2810 workers were
directly employed in Escondida
Mine in 2003. And around 11,500
jobs were indirectly created by
the mine. In 2012, the Tenge
Fungurume Mine in Katanga,
Democratic Republic of Congo,
directly created 6,600 jobs and
indirectly created 10,500 more
jobs. In Northwestern Province,
Zambia, mining companies
created around 18,000 direct
jobs and 26,000 indirect jobs.
Thousands of jobs generated
directly and indirectly due to
large scale mining operations
can contribute to poverty
reduction. The paper concluded
that "the transformation of a
subsistence economy into one
that is at least partly monetary
also creates the conditions for
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
19
Science and
Technology also advances
through mining
20. economic diversification and
empowerment of the poor."
Aside from creating jobs,
implementing community
development programs and
implementing environmental
management and enhancement
programs, mining also tangibly
contributes to the national
and local economy through
various taxes and royalties. In
the Philippines, companies are
required to pay an excise tax
equal to 2% of revenue and
corporate income tax equal to
30% of net income, on top of
many other local and national
taxes. The taxes and fees
collected from mining amounted
to around $450 million in 2014.
40% of this fund goes to the
local government while 60% are
kept by the national government.
In Brazil, 3% of the net income
arising from sales of mineral
products constitute the Financial
Compensation for the Exploration
of Mineral Resources (CFEM).
The CFEM is distributed to the
states, municipalities and federal
government directly affected by
the mining industry.
Mining contributes to society
by providing jobs that can add
wealth to the communities,
by implementing social and
environmental programs using
best practices, and by paying
various taxes and fees to the
national and local governments.
Science and technology also
advances through mining.
The challenges encountered
in mining encourage creative
thinking to develop innovative
solutions to overcome those
challenges. Such solutions can
propagate to other industries
and to our daily lives. Take for
example the the steam engine
that propelled the Industrial
Revolution in Europe and
paved the way to the modern
combustion engine. This
technology was initially used to
quickly and cheaply pump water
out of British underground coal
mines in the 17th century --
replacinghorsestraditionallyused
in dewatering systems. Because
of the challenge of dewatering
the mine, some people came up
with inventions to effectively
and cheaply drain the mines,
starting with a man named
Savery who invented the first
steam engine for water pumping.
The steam engine design was
further improved by others, most
notably Watt, who coined the
term "horsepower" when he was
calculating the number of horses
replaced by one steam engine.
In the 1800s, the steam engine
became portable enough to be
used in the first steam-powered
locomotive in Britain. The use of
the steam engine for locomotive
was then followed by the use
of steam engine to propel ships
in the United States. Initially
used as a water pump to drain
water from coal mines, the steam
engine quickly gained popularity
in other industries, especially in
transportation, which quickened
the trade of goods and propelled
the industrial revolution.
Mining opens opportunities
to gather information about
underground regions of the
Earth's crust either through
drilling or through excavation.
Such information can help us
better understand how the world
works. For example, geologic
data can help improve our
understanding of how magmas
move and cool or how minerals
are deposited in the Earth's crust.
Exciting archeological and
paleontological findings are
sometimes unearthed because
of mining operations. In 2011,
a three-dimensionally preserved
fossil of an armored marine
dinosaur (either plesiosaur or
ichthyosaur) was discovered in
the Millennium Mine in Australia
while an excavator was digging
oil-rich sand. And just this year,
Namdeb Diamond Corporation in
Namibia unearthed a gold-laden
Portuguese ship that sank around
500 years ago by draining the
part of the sea where the ship
was submerged -- a feat made
possible because of the mine's
access to large equipment.
Mining can contribute to science
and technology by imposing
challenges that encourage
innovation, by opening up
opportunities to study the
Earth, and by sometimes
excavating artifacts and fossils
that can help archeological and
paleontological research.
Besides agriculture, mining is
arguably a foundation of modern
human society. We depend on
its products to maintain and
advance our quality of life. Since
the stone age, we have been
relying on mining to acquire raw
materials that we need to make
the products that we use.vIn the
modern world we live in, our
demand for raw materials is ever
increasing. We need to mine
for materials to make our tools,
weapons, gadgets, appliances,
vehicles, and communication
infrastructure, among others.
Mining also contributes to the
local and national economies
by generating jobs and paying
taxesandroyalties.Beyondthese
contributions, mining advances
science and technology by
encouraging innovation and by
aiding geological, archeological,
and paleontological research.
We can expect society to
continue to depend on mining
for years to come, with more
mines opening up to meet
the world's demands. The
vision then is a much more
responsible mining industry
that is increasingly disposed
to ensure mitigated impacts
and sustainable enhancement
programs in the communities
and the environment around it;
supported by fair and effectively
implemented government
regulations.
Do you think we can rise to
the challenge?
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
20
Photo by PhilippineLifestyleNews
21. NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
21
Photo by GurukulVidyapeeth
When choosing the course you’ll
be taking in college, there’s
a lot to consider before you
finally settle with an answer
for yourself. First, there’s your
interest in a certain field.
Then you have to consider the
opportunities available once
you graduate.
Mining engineering involves
extracting different metals
and minerals in the most
efficient way possible. Given
the concerns people have for
the environment nowadays,
mining engineers not only have
to think of the efficiency, one
must also consider finding the
process which least affects the
environment negatively. Lastly,
mining engineering involves
safety as well. So if you decide
to be involved in mining, your
role as a mining engineer involves
finding the safest, most efficient
and responsible mining methods
for your company.
However, before you worry about
those things, you may want to ask
yourself these questions:
1. Do you like being outside
the walls of an air-conditioned
building?
2. Do you excel (or even
understand) different math and
science lessons?
3. Are you curious on how things
work?
4. Do you love solving problems?
5. Are you interested in natural
resources?
6. Would you even consider
working underground?
7. Can you communicate well with
other people?
If you’ve thought long and hard
and answered “Yes!” to all the
questions mentioned above, then
mining engineering may be for
you! Mining engineering can be
fun if your interest generally leans
on math, sciences and outdoors.
For more details about the course,
you may want to ask the local
mining engineers in your area
or ask your guidance counselor
to help you decide whether you
should pursue this or not.
IS MINING ENGINEERING
FOR YOU?
22. Almost every material now is
being utilized to be recycled. From
paper, plastics, tin, and wood, these
materials compose new products
that are useful to mankind. But
how about recycled aggregate for
concrete? That we haven’t found
yet.
Well, until the research led by
Yahya “Gino” Kurama, a professor
of civil and environmental
engineering and earth sciences
from the University of Notre Dame
will produce significant results in
finding alternatives for recycled
aggregate, civil engineers will
have to deal with the conventional
structural concrete with natural
aggregates.
Much has been developed about
partial replacement of the binding
element in structural concrete,
which is cement, with industrial
by-products such as fly ash, slag,
and silica fume. But no research
has been forwarded towards the
replacement of coarse aggregates,
which Kurama and his team have
found ground on.
Their concern lies on the
conservation of coarse aggregates
such as crushed rock and gravel,
which composes a large part
of a given concrete volume.
The mining, processing, and
THE SEARCH IS ON
FOR CONCRETE
WITH RECYCLED
AGGREGATES
Photo by WikipediaCommons
transportation operations for
these aggregates consume large
amounts of energy and adversely
affect the ecology of forested areas
and riverbeds. They are devising
ways to find a substitute for natural
aggregates.
Of course this won’t be as easy as it
looks. Initial research of the team
had studied 16 recycled aggregate
sources in the Midwest of the
United States to evaluate their
capacity as a structural material,
but to no avail. The study has to be
expanded to many more sources
from the eastern, southern and
southwestern U.S. with the help of
the University of Texas at Tyler and
New Mexica State University.
Factors like durability and life-
cycle costs are being looked at
to ensure this upcoming new
aggregate as a viable alternative.
More importantly, it will be
tested to its effects in pre-stressed
concrete and also in pre-cast.
There are already existing
applications of recycled aggregate
inconcretebuttheyaremerelyused
in non-structural construction like
sidewalks and roadways. That’s an
old age development. What we’re
looking for now is a new material to
be used as an alternative aggregate
for structural concrete, to be used
in buildings and bridges.
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
22
Photo by Cameco
CANADA’S
URANIUM
MINING
CONSIDERED
CLEANER
THAN MOST
Canada is one of the world’s
largest producers of uranium
with an estimated 582,500
tonnes of it found in the country.
Most people would give mining
a bad name. Mining uranium
has always been looked down
on by environmentalists due to
the bad reputation of producing
high amount of greenhouse
gases. However, researchers from
the University of Saskatchewan
believe that the amount of
greenhouse gases produced
from uranium mining and milling
is little compared to the total
emissions produced by nuclear
power generation.
The study states that only a gram
of greenhouse gases is produced
from mining and milling uranium
for every kilowatt-hour of power
from the power generated by
uranium. According to the author
of the paper David Parker from
the University of Saskatchewan,
"This is the first rigorous look at
greenhouse gas emissions from
uranium mining and milling in
Saskatchewan. And it’s more
detailed than the few studies that
have been done before.”
If compared to the production
of power from coal and natural
gas, uranium produces 12 grams
of CO2 emissions per kilowatt
hour from nuclear power, while
coal produces 800 grams of CO2
per kilowatt hour and 500 grams
from natural gas. This study was
presented and published last July
29, 2016. It’s supported by the
Sylvia Fedoruk Canadian Centre
for Nuclear Innovation.
23. WORLD’S LARGEST
LAND VEHICLE
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
23
If you think you’ve seen the world’s
largest land vehicle and it’s not an
excavator, think again.
Currently holding the world’s biggest
land vehicle is the Bagger 288
excavator which is built by Krupp
(now ThyssenKrupp) of Germany
and now owned and operated by
RWE AG, a large utility company.
The bucket wheel excavator is
intimidatingly humongous at 311
feet in height, 705 feet in length and
46,600 tons – in contrast, Titanic was
46,328 tons. It takes five people to
operate it having a 70-foot diameter
bucket wheel, with 20 buckets that
can scoop earth material of over 530
cubic feet. In a day, the Bagger
288 can process 100,000 cubic
yards of material equivalent to
2,500 truckloads.
The original function of this earth
digger is to work in open-pit coal
mines in Germany, which might
be in halt with country mandating
a shutdown of all German coal
mining by 2018. Its design and
manufacture took five years, not
including the assembly which is
another five years, totalling to a
cost of $100 for its production.
Being a huge vehicle has its
downsides – it can only go one-
third of a mile per hour on 3 rows
of caterpillar track assembles.
Moreover, every highway it
crosses needs to be fully rebuilt
because of its weight, basically
destroying everything that is in its
path. It needs tons of people for
its mobility too, a good 70 men
to prepare the way. Its preferred
transferring was through
caterpillar treads rather than
disassemble-and-reassemble
because it is less expensive.
The Bagger 288 replaced NASA’s
Crawler-Transporter in the throne
of the world’s largest land vehicle.
Photo by TwisterSifter
24. NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
24
10 BEST YOUTUBE
CHANNELS THAT FEATURE
THE MINING INDUSTRY
In the millions of videos uploaded
to YouTube everyday, there is
that very small percent dedicated
for people who like to study
and know more about mining.
Companies and groups involved
in the mining industry have taken
to YouTube to educate and reach
more people through presenting
videos containing information,
operations, initiatives and future
plans.
If you’re one who likes to discover
the world of mining, this list of
YouTube channels is for you (all
embedded videos are owned by
the respective channels:
Newmont Mining
This YouTube channel features
videos that range from their
involvement in the news, the
history of mining ad Newmont,
and more importantly the
economic impact of mining.
Barrick Gold Corp.
Being the largest gold producer in
the world, Barrick Gold has got to
spread the news through videos.
They have a small collection of
video features that might interest
mining enthusiasts.
The National Mining
Association
If you are looking for Mine Expo
coverage over the years, this is it.
The National Mining Association
has a rich collection of videos,
including CoreSafety Modules
that will help you in mining
management, and personal
interview that will make you
understand more about mining.
NSW Mining
Making it in this list is another
association called the NSW
Minerals Council. It is the leading
mining association for New
South wales in Australia, with
a YouTube channel filled with
videos on a variety of mining
topics, with focus on women
in mining, new technological
advances and updates for mining
in Australia.
International Council on
Mining & Metals (ICMM)
With more than 40 videos in their
channel, International Council on
Mining & Metals (ICMM) is true
to its commitment in meeting
mining with sustainability.
Its YouTube displays a variety
of workshops, programs and
updates on the mining industry,
which reflects the organization
composed of 22 large mining
companies and 32 most
distinguished association in the
sector.
World Gold Council
The YouTube channel of
World Gold Council boasts of
insights about the gold market,
empowered by interview with
members of the council. This
is your go-to channel when it
comes to gold trends.
Joy Global
Joy Global takes their
manufacturing of mining
equipment to YouTube. Featured
in their channel are videos about
their products and systems
that can be eyegasmic –worth
mentioning is the conveyor
systems.
Sandvik Mining
This YouTube channel by Sandvik
Mining is rich of uploads about
mining processes. One could
learn so much through their
channel with their lots of videos,
plus it’s more engaging because
of the organized selections.
Anglo American
Probably one of the most
important YouTube channels
about mining in this list, Anglo
American presents videos that
justify their mark in the world
of mining. They claim to be one
of the largest diversified mining
companies in the world, and their
uploads align so well with that.
Caterpillar Mining
Save the best for last, they say.
Caterpillar Mining provides
YouTube users the finest viewing
experience there is for followers
of mining, with their growing
video collection. This channel
just proves how Caterpillar leads
in this industry, through their
videos featuring new equipment,
updates, and innovative videos.
25. Photo by StartSelect
Photo by Youtube
Photo by Youtube
Mining is known to be a
dangerous and dirty work,
usually involving long shifts.
Some people might be
interested in exploring this
world regardless of that, but
it can be unsafe because of
the unfamiliarity of work
environment. So what better
way can mining be more
of a personal experience?
Simulation games, of course!
Plunge into the underground
or open-pit deposits using
simulators that will give you
an idea of how life is like
being a miner or a mining
engineer. These three games
will definitely help:
Underground Mining
Simulator
Published by Excalibur
Publishing, the Underground
Mining Simulator explores
mining of coal, iron, salt and
gold mines. In this application
for PC, one can experience
mining through explosives,
drilling equipment, and face
tunnelling machine.
Mining and Tunneling
Simulator
Also available on PC, the
Mining and Tunneling
Simulator focuses on blasting
3 SIMULATION
GAMES ABOUT
MINING
WORTH A TRY
rocks and drill tunnels. You are
going to excavate materials
through a shovel dozer, with
other operations involving
cranes and trains. You also
have to steer all vehicles like
the maintenance van, crane,
tunnel drilling machine or the
fire brigade. This is made by
Libredia.
Surface Mining
Simulator
This PC application embarks
you on tasks involving mining
on the surface of minerals like
coal, turf, gravel, sand and
rocks using wheel loaders,
bulldozers, crushing machines
andconveyors.Youareallowed
to create, edit and exchange
machines, if you like; but the
greatest takeaway of this
Ingress simulator game is you
will feel like you’re running
your own mining business.
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
25
26. FILIPINO ELECTRONICS
ENGINEER MOTIVATES FUTURE
ENGINEERS THROUGH SONG
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
26
So, how bad do you want that
engineering license?
You’vedoneyourbestinengineering
school and finally graduated, but
it doesn’t end there. After that,
there’s another challenge to face
that will complete the first step
towards professionalism—taking
your licensure examination.
Reviewing for your licensure
examination can be very stressful
mentally. This isn’t just any
normal exam wherein you could
procrastinate reviewing for a week
or two. Usually it takes a few
months to cram 4 (or more) years
of your engineering knowledge into
your brain before you can say that
you’re ready to take the licensure
examination. The anxiety is real!
That’s why Emanuel Gabriel, a
Filipino engineer, created a cover
Photobyyoutube
By Cielo Panda
of Travie McCoy’s and Bruno Mars’
hit song, Billionaire, to motivate
future licensure examination
takers everywhere.
Engr. Emanuel got the top
spot in the Philippines’ 2014
Electronics Engineering Licensure
Examination, and was one of the
5th placers in the 2013 Electronics
Technician Licensure Examination.
He was also Magna Cum Laude
in the course BS Electronics
Engineering at the Polytechnic
University of the Philippines-
Maragondon. Currently, he is an
instructor at Excel Review Center,
a licensure examination review
center in the Philippines.
According to Emanuel, he already
had the feeling that he would pass
both exams, and he was aiming to
be at the top—and he succeeded
on both examinations.
He created the cover because he
was inspired by his students. “I also
did it to lessen the nervousness
of all engineers-in-the-making
who will take the exam, especially
my students,” Emanuel said. “I
want to be part of an engineering
student’s success that’s why I’ve
decided to choose a teaching
career. I feel very happy that I will
always be part of their success.”
He added.
Here’s a piece of advice from
Emanuel for the future batches
of engineers around the world:
“Always have a timeline, put more
effort on your studies, but make
sure that you also have your
leisure time. Always take notes, it
will surely help you.”
27. HUGE GOLD
NUGGET FOUND BY
LUCKY AUSTRALIAN
A BIOLOGICAL
EXTRACTION
FOR MINING AND
BIOENERGY
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
27
Imagine having the shock of
your life when you find a real
gold nugget using a metal
detector. This Australian
prospector thought he
was just looking at an old
horseshoe when he saw a
4.1kg gold nugget at the
southern edge of Central
Victoria’s Golden Triangle. It
is located in South Australia.
He said, “I thought it was
rubbish at first, maybe an old
horseshoe. About 12 inches
below the ground, I could
just barely make out the top
of something.” Later on, he
realized it was real gold as
he dug deeper. “It wasn’t
an old piece of steel in front
of me. I had just unearthed
a colossal gold nugget – a
once in a lifetime find! (…)
I didn't think nuggets of this
size were still around.”
He then named the gold
“Friday’s Joy.”
Juan Enriquez, a futurist
who professes the changes
that genomics will bring in
business, technnology and
society wants us to change
how we approach fuel or
bioenergy. Genomics, or
a branch in genetics that
deals with the analysis
and sequencing of an
organism's genome, is a
way in order to deal with
how bioenergy should be
utilized. Bioenergy on the
other hand, is what you get
when you use agricultural
or forest residues, organic
wastes and crops as a means
of extracting energy to
produce heat, electricity and
fuels. And genomics come
into play when the DNA
component and the biology
of the biomass resources are
altered to produce energry
instead of the usual massive
extraction (and destruction).
According to Enriquez,
mankind has always
resorted to brute force in
acquiring natural resources
and it would be better if
the thinking jumps from an
engineering approach, to
a chemical and to finally a
TheluckyAustralianhasbeen
doing this during weekends
for the past ten years. As
soon as he discovered the
gold, he went out for a few
drinks with his friends (whom
he’ll be sharing the money
they’ll get with), wrapped
the gold in foil and placed it
inside an oven.
How much do you think the
discovered gold will sell?
Minicab reports that it is
expected to sell for more
than US$190,000. It was a
lucky find indeed.
biological one. Let's say
for example the works
of the Nobel Prize and
Congressional Medal of
Honor winner Norman
Borlaug. He developed
and taught people a
more efficient war of
growing grains as part of
the Green Revolution. So
in order to grow plants
with just massive land
cultivation and employing
machineries for faster
production, the biology
behind the grains must
be utilized first. Enriquez
said that a huge part of
the destruction brought
about by coal mining
will be lessened if a
more biological way of
extracting it is developed.
How is coal produced?
How can the gases be
collected? Bioenergy
should transition from
a brute force method
of acquiring biomass
resources into a biological
force.
Photo by MinicabPhoto by TEDTalks
28. $30 BILLION MARKET FOR
CONSTRUCTION ELECTRIC
VEHICLES
Electric vehicles for
construction, agriculture and
mining will be a $30 billion
market in 2025. Komatsu, John
Deere, Caterpillar, and others
manufacture the big vehicles
- mainly hybrid - while other
manufacturers offer smaller,
pure-electric versions.
Pureelectricisalegalrequirement
indoors. Outdoors, fuel saving
and better performance attracts.
Cranes and man lifters have
many applications. Their
production volumes are larger
than most people realise. So it is
with the electric versions set for
253,000 to be sold in 2025.
This is an industry about to
change radically. For example, in
mining, over 90% of the world's
mines are open cast. They are
often in remote places up to 4000
meters above sea level, where
shipping diesel can cost more
than buying it. Consequently,
there is now a move to have 350
kW giant haul trucks working
the floor and separately the top of
the mine with electric rail-veyors
lifting the ore from bottom to
top. In an all-electric solution
new pollution laws can be met,
image improved and money
saved, the electricity coming
from the mine's own wind
turbines and photovoltaics.
Battery swapping and fast
charging of those batteries
means 350 kWh batteries
suffice - big but no larger than
those in other EV sectors.
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
28
Photo by komatsu
29. SCOTTISH RESEARCHERS
FOUND BETTER WAY TO
RECOVER GOLD FROM E-WASTE
Gold can be found in today’s printed
circuit boards (PCBs) so it makes
sense that researchers would find
a way to extract them from used
PCBs.This recycling method is crucial
in today’s gold recovery processes
as mining companies are having a
hard time in exploring new sources
of this precious metal. According
to researchers, around 7% of the
electrical waste the world produces
is gold.
Now, Scottish scientists from
University of Edinburgh have
released their new findings on a
better way to extract gold from
old gadgets. Published in the
journal Angewandte Chemie,
their method of recovering gold
is safer and more effective than
current techniques. They have
estimated a total of 300 tonnes
of this precious metal recovered
from used electronics each year
if implemented.
Funded by the Engineering
and Physical Sciences Research
Council, the method involves
dissolving the metal parts of the
PCBs in a mild acid, then adding
an oily liquid, which contains a
chemical compound from the
team. This allows the gold to be
extracted from the other metals.
Professor Jason Love, the
research leader, said, "We are
very excited about this discovery.
We have shown that our
fundamental chemical studies on
the recovery of valuable metals
from electronic waste could have
potential economic and societal
benefits.”
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
29
Photo by CleanAgency
30. FIND OUT WHAT
DRONES SEE
WHEN FLYING
THROUGH A
MINING STOPE
What you see is not always what
you get.
The most-coveted medal for the
2016 Summer Olympics to be
held in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil
is not exactly what its name
implies: the 500-g gold medal
barely contains the precious
yellow metal, only about 6 grams,
with the rest, 494 grams, as silver.
But its maker assures that the
gold is to have a certain amount
of purity and of very high quality
amid the lustrous coat. This
medal costs US$568.02.
The other medals also have the
same weight. The silver medal is
92.5% pure silver, according to
the production manager of the
Olympic medals at the Brazilian
Mint, Victor Hugo Criado
Berbert. It is worth about $315.
WHAT THE
2016 RIO
OLYMPIC
MEDALS ARE
MADE OF
The bronze medal, on the other
hand, is made in part from the
same copper that are in Brazilian
coins.
The gold and silver medals have
their silver coming from mirrors
and plates. A total of 1.6 tonnes
of silver was used in 812 gold
medals and 812 medals. On the
other hand, about 172 ounces of
gold were used to create all 812
gold medals.
In total, the makers Brazilian
Mint spent over $228,000 worth
of gold and over $1 million worth
of silver at current prices.
Best of the best athletes in this
year’s Rio Olympics will take
home medals 85 mm in diameter,
11 mm high in the center and 6
mm high on the edges.
Photo by Rio2016
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
30
Newmarket Gold has
designed their own drone
to inspect open stopes for
misfires and to map the
surrounding walls inside
a mine. Ion Hann,Mine
Manager of the Fosterville
Gold Mine, said that the
mine had already been
built and developed last
year and is providing
remarkable advances in
mining today. They hope
to reach the stage where
drones enter the mining
industry as a standard
for emergency responses,
which includes search
and rescue scenarios
underground.
There are numerous
possibilities of this type
of technology being
introduced in the mining
Drones find another purpose as miners
develop their own mining drones.
industry. It can be used
to aid with operator
training during field work,
where a live feed can be
sent to the trainer while
operator plans a heading.
Hann commented that
their ultimate goal is to
get the drones into an
autonomous state so the
risks of site inspections and
re-entries would lessen as
operators would be able to
do it on the surface.
by Cielo Panda
Photo by Youtube
31. 25 AWESOMETHINGSYOU
DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT GOLD
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
31
Gold is one of the substances
that are equated with
extreme value. Have you
ever wondered why? Why is
gold considered one of the
most valuable metals in the
universe? One of the reasons
could be because it’s one of
the rarest metals on earth,
but there are other metals
that are even rarer. So what’s
the deal? Well, out of all
the rare elements like silver
and platinum, gold has one
distinction that makes it
stand out—it’s yellowish.
Also it doesn’t react with
other elements so it doesn’t
tarnish. All the others are
grayish. Gold was used as a
currency of choice in the past,
but even though it isn’t used
as currency anymore, it still
retains its value. Here are 25
awesome things you didn’t
know about gold.
#25 A ton of old cell phones
will give you more gold than 1
ton of gold ore
#24 If all the gold in the
ocean was taken out, there
would be enough for every
person on Earth to have 9
pounds.
#23 Hungarian chemist
Gold was used as a currency of choice in the past, but even though it isn’t used as currency anymore, it still
retains its value. Here are 25 awesome things you didn’t know about gold.
George de Hevesy melted
down the gold Nobel Prizes
of German physicists Max
von Laue and James Frank
so that Nazis wouldn’t
confiscated them. They were
recast after the war.
#22 Have you ever
wondered why sailors often
wore gold earrings? It’s so
that if they drowned and
washed up on the beach,
the earrings would serve
as payment for a proper
Christian burial.
#21 The Olympic gold
medal is only 1% gold.
#20 In Dubai, there are
ATM’s that dispense gold
bars!
#19 Most of the gold that
is found in the Earth’s crust
was placed there by asteroid
strikes.
#18 Most of the gold on
Earth is in the core because
it sank to the center while
the Earth was being formed.
#17 In 1859, gold miners in
the Rocky Mountains woke
up at 1am to eat breakfast
because the aurora was so
bright that they thought it
was morning.
#16 Did you know that
ice cream testers use gold
spoons so that they would
avoid the after taste of using
regular spoons?
#15 Roman politician Gaius
Gracchus has a bounty put
on his head of its weight in
gold. The head was delivered
but the bounty wasn’t paid
because the person who
captured the head filled it
with lead.
#14 Did you know that
aluminium used to be the
most valuable metal on
Earth? Rich people would
eat using aluminium cutlery
will poorer people would use
gold!
#13 Mansa Musa, the ruler
of the Mali Empire, spent
so much gold in Egypt that
he devalued it and almost
destroyed the economy.
#12 According to list25,
Chinese prisoners are forced
to mine gold in the game
World of Warcraft. There are
sources that report nearly
100,000 virtual gold farmers
throughout the country.
#11 LEGO used to give a
25.65grambrickofgoldtoits
employees who completed
25 years of service.
Photo by Envirotect
#10 Did you know that gold
is actually edible?
#9 Gold can be found on
every continent.
#8 Gold is usually forcibly
extracted from water during
earthquakes because of the
pressure deep within the
Earth’s crust.
#7 The leaves of the
eucalyptus tree have been
found to contain some
traces of gold.
#6 All the gold ever mined
in human history can fill
up three Olympic-sized
swimming pools.
#5 Almost half of the gold
came from Witwatersrand,
South Africa.
#4 The fear of gold is called
Aurophobia.
#3 Indian housewives hold
almost 11% of the world’s
gold. That’s more than the
US, Germany, Switzerland
and the International
Monetary Fund combined.
#2 The largest gold bar in
the world weighs 250 kg or
551 pounds.
#1 Your body contains
around .2mg of gold which
is mostly found in your
bloodstream.
by Cielo Panda
Photo by MIT
33. NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
33
“Who owns most of the
world’s gold?”
When this question was
asked by the people
behind Karus Chains, which
obviously uses so much gold
that asking where most of
the gold comes from matters
so much to them, it only
opened to more questions
about our resources of gold.
Should it be a question of
which countries mine the
most gold and not just who,
as if a person? Or a question
of which countries buy the
precious metal? Maybe of
the export and imports of
gold? But when the company
who offer high quality silver
and gold chains for men got
to their senses, they found
the perfect question: which
countries have the largest
gold reserves? And so they
also found the best answer.
With data coming from
International Financial
Statistics 2016, Karus Chains
detailed a map to that will
determine which nations
hold the most gold reserves.
In the map, one can find 20
countries, which hold 88%
of the total gold reserves,
with their corresponding
share in the world’s gold.
Check the map:
THE
?
35. NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
35
Latest Trends in the Mining Industry
GineersNow Feature Admin 28.03.2016 76
Share minus Via Mining Your Future TV
Show The new Certiq machine monitoring
system from Atlas Copco Rock Drills AB
is now the standard for the company's
construction and mining machines. The
Certiq system is based on telematics, i.e.
wireless data transmission. It allows the
owners and operators of above and below-
ground drilling equipment for example to
monitor the performance of their machines
at any time and from any location. With
the real-time data available, owners and
operators can optimize their machines'
equipment to ensure that they achieve
maximum productivity and profitability.
The Certiq software collects and records a
huge amount of data while a machine is
operating. These data are then shown on
a special web portal in the form of easy-
to-understand graphics. Users can easily
log on to the portal with their unique login
data in order to monitor an individual
machine or an entire fleet. The system not
only tells users how a machine is currently
being used or was used in the past but
also gives details of machine availability
rates, maintenance requirements and
much more. The system even produces
performance reports automatically and
sends them via e-mail to the owner or
operator of the machine.
Bell Equipment has complemented its
E series generation of articulated dump
trucks with a total of four new models.
With the current Bell B25E and B30E dump
trucks, the new mid-range B35E and B40E
models and the new B45E and B50E large
dump trucks, Bell continues to focus on
the “classic” categories and still offers the
world's largest 6x6 program. The Bell B35E
and B40E models are following the general
market trend with considerably higher
nominal loading capacities. Bell Equipment
has made the step towards EU4/Tier4
final with new six cylinder engines from
Mercedes-Benz optimized by MTU for off-
road operations.
Trackman rubber caterpillar tracks from
Continental AG help to ensure safe driving
in the construction sector. They resemble
closed drive belts with a tread profile
on which heavy equipment and traction
machines such as transporters or road
building machines run. Thanks to the new
Armorlug technology, the rubber caterpillar
tracks offer even better performance and
last longer. A number of layers of material
embedded in the drive studs strengthen the
material and thus increase its durability.
The conveyor belt solutions for the efficient
transport of goods are reliable, economical
and environmentally friendly too.
Visitors to the trade fair will be able to
find out about the latest product solutions
in the area of inclined conveying, closed
belt systems, heat-resistant conveyor
belts, energy-optimized transport or
lightweight PVC belts. Cummins Inc.,
Columbus, Indiana, USA, will present the
next generation of ultra-clean engines
which meet the EU's Stage V emissions
regulations for construction machines and
mining/materials handling equipment
which are due to come into force in 2019.
The engines which produce anything from
55 to 300 kW not only satisfy the “virtually
zero emissions” requirement of the Stage
V regulations but also offer an increase in
power and torque of up to ten percent. The
improvements in engine power for Stage
V are achieved thanks to an innovative
approach when it comes to combustion,
airflow and fuel injection systems which
allows Cummins to exploit the full potential
of the four-cylinder QSF3.8 and QSB4.5 as
well as the six-cylinder QSB6.7 and QSL9—
with no increase in cubic capacity.
Zetros is a range of HGVs from Daimler AG's
Mercedes-Benz brand. They are primarily
designed for heavy off-road use. With their
Photo by Siemens
LATEST TRENDS
IN THE MINING
INDUSTRY
36. NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
36
conventional bonnet design, they offer
very good off-road performance and are
low in height. To allow easy maintenance,
the engine is accessible without having
to tip the driver's cab. The Zetros has
a long-bonnet design and is available
exclusively with permanent all-wheel drive.
Its standard wading depth is 800 mm,
while 1,190 mm is optionally possible. The
Zetros features an OM 926 LA six-cylinder
diesel engine with a cubic capacity of 7.2
l and a power output of 240 kW. Engines
with Euro3 and Euro5 emissions values are
available. The drivetrain has permanent
all-wheel drive as well as a transfer case
with an off-road gear ratio of 1:1.69. The
Zetros comes as standard with a nine-
speed manual gearbox. However, it is also
available with a fully automatic gearbox
from Allison.
Construction machines, vehicles and
equipment as well as mining machines are
the principal applications for engines from
Deutz AG. The manufacturer will unveil its
newly developed TCD 2.2 diesel and gas
engine as well as the established TCD 2.9 in
a gas version. With up to 55 kW, the TCD 2.2
is a further option for materials handling
and compact construction machine
applications in particular. Unusually, the
engine will be launched in both a diesel and
a liquid gas (LPG or fuel gas) version. The
gas version will produce 42 kW and is an
innovation within Deutz's otherwise diesel-
driven product range. The TCD 2.2 will go
into production in 2019 to coincide with
the EU Stage V emissions norm coming
into force. All TCD 2.2 and 2.9 models use
the same engine platform. This means
numerous synergy effects for customers
when it comes to integration, for example
with regard to connections or the supply of
spare parts.
With the LF-21H, GHH Fahrzeuge GmbH
is launching a high-performance LHD with
a 21 t loading capacity. The so-called
Efficient Drive System (EDS) was optimized
specially for mining applications. The
environmentally friendly Deutz engine
satisfies the highest EU Stage IV emissions
norm, as a result of which the need for
underground ventilation is minimized. In
addition to the standard version, the LHD
is available in various cab versions, thus
allowing it to be used even in situations
with a roadway height of just 2.5 m. A
Z linkage designed for ore mining allows
the very highest breakout forces and is
designed for loading corresponding dump
trucks.
The Hazemag Group develops and
manufactures machines and other systems
for the construction and mining industries.
The products and systems are used to
prepare and enhance raw materials in
the construction industry and to travel
underground routes in coal, salt, potash, ore,
platinum and diamond mines for example.
The Lehigh Cement Company (Heidelberg
Cement Group) has ordered a semi-mobile
limestone crusher from Hazemag for its
Union Bridge site. The system will process
up to 2,500 t of limestone per hour—with a
feed size of up to 2,000 mm. The material is
discharged from a 400 t feed hopper using
an HAF 25160 apron feeder. The fines in
the feed material are screened at 100 mm
using an HRS 2638 roller screen.
Herrenknecht AG supplies tunneling
machines with diameters of 0.10 to 19 m
for all geologies worldwide. The company
also supplies deep drilling rigs and drilling
machines for vertical and inclined shafts.
One innovation which is to be presented
at bauma is a slant directional drilling
(SDD) rig. Slant directional drilling is an
alternative drilling technique which allows
shallow, conventional or unconventional
oil and gas deposits to be exploited. It is a
symbiosis of horizontal (HDD) and vertical
directional drilling (VDD). While the entry
angle with HDD is between eight and 18
degrees, it is 90 degrees with respect to
the earth's surface with VDD. Deposits at
low depths for example can be reached
quickly using an angle of 30 degrees, while
the angle allows a horizontal deflection for
further drilling.
Keestrack N.V. will present the new H4
caterpillar mobile cone crusher (35 to 50
t transport weight). At the heart of the
model designed for high-quality secondary
or tertiary production with a handling
capacity of between 120 and 200 t/h
is the proven cone crusher technology
which was optimized specifically for
mobile use. According to Keestrack, the
innovative crusher control and monitoring
solutions which have a direct influence
over the output capacity and product
quality are particularly groundbreaking.
As the successor to the Galleon range,
the Keestrack H4 has a completely new
frame design which allows not only high-
performance pre- and post-screening
Photo by ResolveImmix
37. NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
37
equipment but also the use of innovative
drive technologies. As a result, the Keestrack
H4 is the world's first mobile cone crusher
to offer a highly efficient three-deck post-
screening module with an oversize material
recycler for the production of three high-
grade end products in one pass. Keestrack
is offering a choice of two economical drive
combinations: direct diesel drive of the
crusher with electrical or electro-hydraulic
peripherals (conveyors, screen units etc.)
or the fully hybrid/“plug-in” version with
an electrical crusher drive system powered
by an on-board diesel generator or mains
electricity.
With the Mobicone MCO 11 PRO mobile
cone crusher, Kleemann GmbH, a Wirtgen
Group company, is heralding the launch of
itsnewlydevelopedPROLine.Itoffersquarry
operators particularly robust machines
for high-performance applications. The
machine is driven by a powerful yet
economical diesel-electric drive system
which allows operation with an external
power supply. The cone crusher with a
maximum feed capacity of up to 470 t/h is
equipped with the innovative Continuous
Feed System (CFS) which ensures efficient
use of crushing capacity. The MCO 11 PRO
is also ideal for use in linked combinations
of machines. In addition, the machine can
be transported in one piece and can be
quickly put into operational position thanks
to hydraulic moving machine components.
Kögel Trailer GmbH & Co. KG will present
the new Kögel Multi. This versatile trailer is
particularlysuitablefortransportingbuilding
materials and for weather-resistant freight.
The platform semi-trailer has a reinforced
chassis and a semi-trailer load capacity of
15 t to meet the heavy-duty requirements
in the construction industry. Depending on
the application, the trailer's aluminum walls
can be removed. This makes the Multi ideal
for transporting various building materials.
In response to customers' requirements,
Komatsu Mining developed the new
PC7000. Komatsu designed the 677 t
machine with a view to creating the safest
and most efficient large hydraulic excavator
in its class. The PC7000 is powered by two
1,250 kW diesel engines and is optionally
available with an electric drive system. With
its 36 m³ shovel or backhoe bucket, the
PC7000 is designed for use in a range
of conditions. The PC7000 is tailored to
the 240 to 290 t 830E and 860E dump
trucks from Komatsu. Drivers will notice the
machine's improved control system. After
all, Komatsu has optimized both the shovel
design and the hydraulic system. As a result,
the machine can swing around more quickly
and the shovel can penetrate the material
more easily.
To coincide with bauma, Liebherr-
International Deutschland GmbH will
launch the Liebherr PR 776, the first
infinitely variable hydrostatically powered
crawler tractor in the 70-ton category.
Designed for the most demanding mining
and quarrying applications, it is powered
by a Liebherr twelve-cylinder diesel engine
with a maximum power of 565 kW. It
has a maximum operating weight of 74
t and can be equipped with blades with
a capacity of 18 m³ (semi-U blade) or 22
m³ (U blade). Thanks to its modern drive
concept, the new PR 776 crawler tractor
is extremely economical. The infinitely
variable hydrostatic drive system which
is used in all Liebherr crawler tractors is
an innovation in this class of machines.
Another advantage of the modern drive
concept is the needs-based feed pressure
supply. If, for example, the full feed pressure
supply is not required during operation, this
is automatically returned.
Photo by Africa
38. NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
38
WHAT ARE THE MOST
MINERALS AND META
While there are people who object to mining,
those who support it are actively campaigning
for responsible mining in their areas. The world is
full of resources that we can use to advance our
technology and provide a supply to our daily needs,
so people should see that there is importance
in mining. However, governments and private
companies should only allow practices that includes
rehabilitation of the mine. If they tolerate mining
companies who just leave mines as they are after all
the resources have been taken away, communities
will have to suffer from different consequences later
on.
Minerals mined are used for different purposes, but
they all have one thing in common: everybody needs
them. These minerals are mined and processed
later on so that the public can use them for the
production of the latest technology, for vanity
purposes and even for the toothpaste we use to
brush our teeth with. You see, mining is crucial for
human kind and these minerals mined have played
important roles in our lives now.
In this list, we’ll be giving you the minerals commonly
mined in Africa.
Gold Photo by MarketWatch
Silver Photo by Wikipedia
Quartz Photo by UniversityOfPittsburgh
39. NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
39
T COMMONLY MINED
ALS IN AFRICA?
Cobalt Photo by Roger'sMinerals
Tin, tantalum and tungsten
Photo by Emaze
Fluorspar Photo by Minmat
Bauxite Photo by Geology
Platinum Group Metals
Photo by SpecialtyMetals
40. NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
40
AUSTRALIAN
MINING ACTIVITY
INCREASES URANIUM
CONCENTRATION IN
THE ANTARCTIC
Photo by ABC
41. NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
41
Researchers from the University of
Maine believe that the increasing
mining activity in Australia
causes the increase of uranium
concentrations in the Antarctic
today. The mining activity involved
is the open pit mining in Australia.
The results of this study will be
published later on in the next
issue of Atmospheric Environment
Journal.
Australia has around 40% of the
world’s uranium reserves but
despite the high percentage of
reserves, this industry is not a
major employer in Australia. The
country exports almost 7,000
tonnes of yellow cake annually.
According to the lead researcher
Mariusz Potocki, who is a doctoral
candidate and research assistant
with the Climate Change Institute:
“Uranium concentrations in the
ice core increased by as much
as 10^2 between the 1980s and
2000s, accompanied by increased
variability in recent years.”
He and his team also adds:
“Since other land-source dust
elements don’t show similar
large increases in the ice core,
and since the increased uranium
concentrations are enriched
above levels in the Earth’s
crust, the source of uranium is
attributed to human activities
rather atmospheric circulation
changes.”
If the uranium concentration
continues to increase, this will
surely affect a lot of health issues
including genetic mutations,
cancer and other major health
problems.
42. The mining industry has
been in a complicated
position in recent years.
Several mining companies
have been affected by
many trends that have been
inconsistent, causing fears
that the business might
collapse anytime. Some
days, there is hope for them;
but mostly they fall to the
downward spiral.
That is the reality in mining
right now. Down cycles in the
industry have been endless,
with commodity prices
getting weak, declining
grades, and demand falling
off. This causes companies
to come short in capital and
10 ISSUES AND TRENDS THAT
AFFECT THE MINING INDUSTRY
slow down in exploration
spending. On top of that
are the regulations, tax
burdens and stakeholder
expectations which are
nowhere near the end.
Yet amid all that weight
on the shoulders of these
mining companies, they
continue to operate. They
look at opportunities of
growth, and track the trends
to change the way things
are.
Deloitte, a company that
provides business insights,
listed the top 10 issues
mining companies had
and still to face with the
rest of this year. It tackles
trends that cover all aspects
affecting the mining
industry.
Operational excellence
If mining companies want
to survive, they have to
maintain the good parts in
their industry. They need
to push strategies including
energy efficiency programs,
adoption of lean practices,
investment in innovation,
and data integration.
Efforts should also be done
in supply chain optimization,
back office outsourcing,
operating model review,
improved capital allocation,
working capital efficiency,
Photo by Decanter
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
42
by Dion Greg Reyes
43. Global energy mix
The biggest threat for mining
companies is renewables. Its
flourish has been apparent in
recent years, losing the gains
of miners.
But ironically, fossil fuels are
needed in the production of
alternative power sources.
What mining companies
could do is pay close attention
to global energy demand
patterns and shift to the likely
stronger demand for uranium
(for nuclear generation) and
commodities used in battery
storage (to address the
intermittency of renewable
generation).
Stakeholder dialogues
Miners are also affected by
the increased expectations
from stakeholders, making
it harder to survive in the
thriving industry.
The challenge is to find a
way for new tactics that
work, because the old ones
will no longer do. They need
to explore a new form of
stakeholder engagement to
meet demands of multiple
groups
Capital crisis
For an industry going
downwards, it’s difficult
to attract capital. Mining
companies will be at
risk if they don’t seek for
alternative sources of
financing to push through
their operations.
They have to be creative for
sure in finding new financing
options. Suggestions include
commercializing dormant
assets, pooling resources,
pursuing debt reduction
strategies, considering
crowdfunding, and seeking
government funding.
Tax management
There are new regulations
that change the tax
implications associated with
arangeofbusinessactivities.
This affects miners through
heightened scrutiny of their
tax compliance, substance
and transfer pricing policies.
Miners could assess their
operational and corporate
structures, on top of
understanding the financial
implications of the new tax
rules.
Mergers & acquisitions
Contrary to predictions,
the mining M&A has been
disappointing. Deals in the
mining industry are mostly
divestments and rescue-type
deals in the recent years.
But amid the situation,
today is the best time to
make acquisitions, especially
uncontested assets.
Safety, security, and
health
Workers should never be
discounted in the equation.
Actually they have to
be empowered, through
expanding their safety,
security and health. Mining
companies need to enhance
safety records and security
postures, by strengthening
their safety analytics,
adopting more robust mental
healthpolicies,improvingtheir
security protocols, employing
risk monitors, conducting risk
assessments and improving
crisis management.
greater collaboration, and
accountability.
Innovation
There is new technology
everyday and mining
companies seem to not
embrace modernization.
But when they do, if at all,
they don’t engage with it
externally and only adopt
with the old techniques.
Mining companies need to
take advantage of networks,
machine learning, genomics,
wearables and hybrid
ships that will drastically
improve operations. In the
manufacturing side, it’s
possible to have collaborative
ecosystems, digital workforce
engagement, improved asset
management, 3D printing
and modularization.
China’s pivot
Being a powerful nation
with a global impact, China
has domestic trends that
change the miners’ markets
– especially now that they
decided to change the way
they manage currency
value. Large-scale mining
companies should be
aware of the repercussions
of China’s decisions, and
develop plans relative
to China’s investment
initiatives and leveraging
Chinese expertise in design,
construction, and financing.
Adjustment to the new
normal
It’s likely that the trends
won’t change for a while,
so miners should be able to
adopt somehow. One way
to do that is to ramp up
in production, in an attempt
to reduce unit costs and to
consolidate market shares.
Finding that balance
between current and future
demand factor require the
ability to scale production,
labor and other inputs and
outputs.
Photo by Bolour Kavir
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
43
44. Photo by jpgmag
Photo by Mining.com
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
44
Mining is a demarcated topic. Do
you know the reason behind it?
Just because on one hand mining
provides you with all the essential
materials that are needed for the
civilization to move forward, while
on the other hand, it can lead to
some damaging effects on the
environment. No matter what
effect it has, you will just be awed
if you take a look at some of the
mines that have been listed here.
FOUR
INCREDIBLE
OPEN PIT MINES
The Moab Mine
This mine is situated 20 miles
west of Moab in Utah. This is a
distinctive mine. You might ask
why. Because it has a unique
method to extract out potash. This
mine began operating in 1965 as
a conventional underground mine
which later transformed into an
amalgamating solution mining
in order to extract potash. It also
uses solar evaporation in order to
re-crystallize the product that was
taken out.
Diavik Diamond Mine
This mine started its production in
the year 2003. What’s incredible
about this is its location. It is
situated in the island just in the
center of Lac de Gras. You will be
able to travel to this mine through
the seasonal winter road only
for two months of the year. The
amazing fact is that this winter
road is build over a frozen lake. If
not by road, you can access this
mine through air.
45. Photo by SquareSpace
Photo by AmusingPlanet
NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
45
Bingham Canyon Mine
This mine is in operation since
1906 in USA and has a pit of more
than 0.6 miles depth and about 2.5
miles width. It is absolutely hard
to believe that this mine covers an
area of about 1,900 acres. This is
such a significant development of
USA that it has been designated
as a National Historic Landmark in
the year 1966.
Mir Mine
This is an open pit diamond mine
which is presently inactive. This
mine located in Mirny of Russia
covers an area of 525 meters and
has a depth of 1,22 ft and width of
1,200 meter.
46. NOVEMBER 2016
Mining Engineering and Its Importance
46
Why
Engineering
Students
Hate Losing
Their
Calculators
If it was just an ordinary day
for a student who majors
in business or art, it really
wouldn’t ruin his day if he left
his calculator with him. In fact,
if there’s any calculations he
needs in the university, he really
wouldn’t need a calculator. He
can just pull out his smart phone
and tadaaa, he can move on to
the next problem easily.
But if you ask an engineering
student what he/she can’t
survive without, without a doubt
one will answer a scientific
calculator. Amazing how one
scientific calculator can make or
break an engineering student’s
academic path. One wrong
input and boom! you’re going
to have to tell your parents
that they will have to wait for
the next year to see you march.
Clearly, engineering students
are synonymous to a scientific
calculator.
I remember taking an exam
once. Before the exam started, I
was outside the room panicking
heavily as soon as I figured
out that I wasn’t able to
bring my calculator with me.
I could feel myself sweating
hard because failing this
exam was going to take a toll
on my academic status. If I
didn’t bring a calculator with
me, I was doomed. And just
like any engineering student
who badly wants to pass an
exam, I started running around
the halls and randomly asked
people if they have a “handy-
dandy” calculator they can
let an unfortunate student
borrow. Luckily for me, most
students that day knew what
one’s fate will be if one forgets
a calculator in an engineering
exam so people were willing to
let me borrow theirs. Of course,
I was able choose one.
Yousee,ourscientificcalculators
are considered the most
important thing we can ever
have in our bags. We all know
we cannot leave and start the
day in class without one. This is
why every engineering student
absolutely hates it when it’s
left in the house. This is why
engineering students dreads
losing it. Scientific calculators
are LIFE. The more complicated
the buttons are, the better the
chances of an engineering
student gets in passing…
maybe. But it doesn’t give
away the fact that a scientific
calculator is an engineering
student’s best friend.
So if you happen to see a poor
unfortunate soul looking for a
calculator to borrow, pity the
student and let him/her use
yours. Remember, it could
happen to you and you need
someone to help you as well.
Photo by PicsArt
Photo by PaulAllenEngineering