Factors To Consider When Undertaking New Mining Projects (conserving water techniques)
No commentsBy Dominic Donaldson
Mining projects, by their very nature, are huge endeavors. The factors that have to be taken into consideration are both complex and far-reaching and are becoming more and more important.
As well as clearing large areas of land to make mining projects possible, there are often logistical factors and infrastructure issues involved; roads and houses may need to be built, and in some cases entire communities spring up as part of a large project.
Some of the major factors to be considered, and also the ones with increasing importance, are the environmental consequences of a mining project. In light of recent studies on pollution, ozone and global warming, it is clear that certain behaviour is no longer acceptable in the 21st century.
As scientists study new data about the environment and our planet, it is becoming clear that everyone has to respect the world we live in and adapt accordingly. This includes mining companies.
As well as important minerals and resources, mining areas can contain potentially hazardous material that needs to be dealt with appropriately and in a manner in accordance with environmental laws. Environmental laws are now established as an important way of minimising the impact of human activity on the environment and on humanity itself.
To obtain important metals such as iron, silver and copper, extracting sulphide ores from the ground is a necessary evil. In environmental terms one of the unwelcome by-products of this is the production of sulphuric acids and metal ions.
These do not occur when the mineral is underground, only when it is exposed to oxygen or water. Factors such as this need to be taken into account from the initial stages of planning right through to the execution of any new mining venture.
Mining also involves the use or destruction of many resources which are important to people but geographically located near mining projects. As well as mining being responsible for about 10 per cent of the world’s energy consumption, it can also require agricultural land to be destroyed or flooded.
This can affect lakes and rivers that are used for drinking water or fishing, and crops local people rely on for food being taken away.
As well as all the issues involving the extraction or destruction of resources, there is also the human factor to consider. People have land taken away by large scale mining projects, land that is not only physically important but is often historically or spiritually important.
The people effected by these projects must be involved in the decision making process at every stage and on every level. If this is not dealt with properly then problems will arise that can seriously effect a project financially and even lead to a project being delayed or not going ahead at all.
To overcome all these issues, and overcome them effectively and with minimal disruption, it is necessary to undergo a thorough consultation process, taking into account financial, environmental and social considerations.
In an increasingly environmentally friendly world the mining industry are facing a new list of challenges and responsibilities. Things that it hasn’t had to consider in the past are now of paramount importance.
Mining companies need to create or assess their policies on managing the environment, waste, water and other resources as well as having a clear and sustainable strategic plan. Without these things in place any company undertaking a mining project is neglecting its responsibilities and not fulfilling its potential.
Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the engineering industry.
Find out more about mining in the engineering industry at URS Corp.
Leaving no stone unturned - The new direction in road maintenance
By ASI Solutions ASI Solutions
Massive international growth potential for UK breakthrough in road maintenance
ASI Solutions plc (ASI) the first UK company to develop a fast, low-cost and permanent way to eliminate defects on roads and footpaths is experiencing an unexpected surge in demand to roll out its sustainable, high performance road preservation and repair processes across multiple countries.
To service major market opportunities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, ASI has set up a joint venture based in Hamburg, however the UK parent company is also now being asked to supply its processes into many other regions including Eastern Europe, Russia, Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. For example, just this week a delegation of around 40 senior road maintenance engineers and contractors from Georgia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Russia and Iran visited the company at their own request to discuss transferring these UK innovations back into their own countries. ASIs breakthrough processes have already been used routinely by around half the local authorities in the UK.
Sonia McLintock, sales and marketing director at ASI is delighted with the worldwide interest that the company is currently receiving, Many countries are looking for better, faster ways to repair potholes and improve the condition of their roads and it is not just a case of throwing more money at the problem. Rhinopatch was developed because traditional dig out and replace techniques simply do not work and they are no longer sustainable either financially or environmentally.
Our repair process delivers a joint-free, permanent answer at a fraction of the cost of traditional approaches and is completely sustainable as all materials are recycled within the damaged area being repaired. It is also fast enough to allow three or even four times the number of surface defects to be repaired in a working day and thats great news for both road users and tax payers.
The German joint venture company, which is also being announced today, is ASIs first dedicated operation outside the UK although the companys second major move into the European market. In September, ASI confirmed a licensing deal covering Cyprus, Turkey and Greece and further announcements for other regions are expected over the next few months.
Asphalt Strassen Instandsetzung GmbH (ASI GmbH) will introduce the parent companys breakthrough performance processes throughout Germany and is an ASI joint venture with;
LT Linnhoff Maschinenbau GmbH, who design and manufacture the companys patented infrared heaters on a worldwide basis;
and Klingenberg Consulting GmbH, a business development consultancy with strong links into the countrys network of approved maintenance contractors and national/community road authorities.
ASI GmbH is headquartered in Hamburg and will initially supply three of ASIs key processes: Rhinopatch for routine repair of potholes and other road surface defects; Rapidrhino for an ultra-fast response to emergency repairs; and Rhinophalt, an asphalt preservative that prevents surfaces ageing and deteriorating in the first place. The preservative can be re-applied every few years to significantly extend the functional life of new or existing roads and to eliminate the increasing costs, traffic chaos, driver frustration and very high carbon dioxide emissions associated with surface dressing or resurfacing.
All processes are expected to be well received by Germanys road authorities who are urgently looking for better ways of dealing with the poor condition of the nations roads and a growing number of potholes. ASI GmbH is already off to a flying start with two Hamburg-based firms who have signed up to use the Rhinopatch process for all their road repair contracts on the citys roads.
Tim Batzer, managing director of Werner Batzer is delighted with the results his company is achieving, At last we can make a real and long-term improvement to the roads in Hamburg. With traditional techniques the joint between the existing and repaired surface was always a permanent weak point that can open and allow water to penetrate but with Rhinopatch there are no joints. The process is also fast, safer for our road maintenance teams and quiet enough to allow off-peak working.
Rhinopatch is already the UKs most widely specified infrared road repair process and is unique in being both Highways Agency- (HAPAS) and British Board of Agrment approved (BBA). Rhinophalt is currently BBA-approved and in the final stages of receiving full HAPAS-accreditation. ASI and ASI GmbH are also working together to finalise all relevant European and international approvals to further accelerate market penetration and fast uptake.
ASI Solutions plc is author of this article on Sustainable Road Repair .
Find more information about Sustainable Road Repair here.
Your Source For Conserving Water Solutions
Renewable Energy for Everyone
By Cedric DSilva
Affordable Renewable Energy for Everyone
Have you ever wanted to power your home or office with renewable energy, but thought it was too expensive? Or you didn’t want to deal with installing and maintaining equipment?
Now there is a way that everyone can use solar, wind, and other renewable energies, at a fraction of the cost. Even renters can power their homes with renewable energy.
Renewable energy certificates (aka green tags, green energy certificates, or tradable renewable certificates) make it easy and inexpensive for anyone to reduce or eliminate the environmental impact of their electricity use.
Each certificate represents the delivery of a specific amount of renewable power (usually one megawatt-hour) into a regional or national energy “grid.” This replaces the non-renewable fossil fuels that would have otherwise been used with non-polluting energy from solar, wind, biomass, and other renewable sources.
While the renewable energy you pay for may not flow through the wires in your own home, the resulting overall benefit to the environment is the same as it would be if you installed solar panels or wind turbines directly on your own property.
The certificates are purchased in addition to paying your regular energy bill. So it doesn’t cost less than standard electricity, but its a small premium to pay to keep toxic pollutants produced by the burning of fossil fuels out of the environment. And it supports the market for renewable energy as a whole, which ultimately will bring the price down for renewable energy and make it more generally available.
These certificates are available on the internet, but not widely known. Green energy certificates are currently being marketed to big businesses that use a lot of energy and can make a big impact with their purchase, but anyone can buy them.
I recently purchased renewable energy certificates to offset the electricty I use in my own home and home office. Though my purchase is only 15 MWh per year for my 1500 square foot house, every little bit helps establish the market for renewable energy. It prevents the emissions of 20,700 pounds of carbon dioxide annually, equivalent to planting 1,500 trees or removing 2 cars from the road for one year. I pay only $40 a month (in addition to my regular energy bill) for solar, and other renewables cost even less.
Cedric DSilva
Age: 43
Position: CEO: Bits,Pieces and Fishes And CDS People
Previous jobs: Worked as Mechanical Engineer in several countries around the world
Education: Bachelor’s degree
Residence (Dual) : Mumbai, India; Calgary, Canada.
Other interests: Travel, golf, Adventure, Ornamental Fish Breeding
Monday, November 17th, 2008 at 11:05 pm and is filed under environmental. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
