SAs we approach springtime in the Midwest, most
of us turn our attention to the renewing process, which brings new life to a
dormant landscape. As the winter
landscape slowly transforms itself into a verdant scene when the fresh warm air
of springtime rejuvenates all in it’s path, it’s time again for me to blow
the breath of fresh air into the Chicago Section countryside.
Where am I going with this? In
order for the Section to bloom, we will need new energized individuals whom
would like to step up and bring their own voice to the Section and the Executive
Committee. More direct: we need to prepare for our yearly version of
elections (or re-elections as it seems to have been during the past few years).
Hopefully this analogy has gotten your attention and with any luck
that’s where it breaks down. For
other than possibly myself (the hot-air windbag), I’m not suggesting we are a
bleak and dormant committee or Section. In
fact, just the opposite. I am
extremely pleased with the support I get from the Committee and you.
However, all organizations need new life from time to time to move them
forward. Last year we voted to
allow our Section Chair to serve longer than two consecutive years, a
retrospective, after-the-fact patch, to allow me to serve a fourth consecutive
term. I enjoy serving you and would
continue to serve as long as you keep giving me your vote of confidence.
On the other hand, I would be equally willing to step aside if anyone is
interested. Think about it.
We will be gearing up for new elections (and appointments) in May or
June. Let me know some of your
thoughts or intents…and let’s enjoy the spring. --Gordie
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This Meeting
“Supervisor
Training and the Availability of Skilled Miners"
Mining companies
are experiencing a shortage of experienced workers and supervisors due to a
retiring existing workforce and the growth in the industrial minerals and coal
mining industries. The success of new mining projects may depend on the
availability and skills of a new workforce. While the new workforce may not have
the experience or skill level of the current workforce, they are expected to
perform their tasks efficiently and safely. Training new supervisors could be a
key element in the safety and operating performance of mining companies world
wide.
Bill Huber and Hersh Hayden from Weir International Mining Consultants,
Inc. will present topics from supervisory training and safety leadership
programs developed and instructed for the National Stone, Sand and Gravel
Association and mining companies. The presentation focuses on how supervisor
training programs can accelerate the learning process for new supervisors and
assimilate experienced supervisors into a new work culture.About the
Speaker
Bill
Huber is a Vice President
with Weir International Mining Consultants. He has more than 30 years of mining
experience including positions in engineering, safety and direct mine management
at major mining companies. Bill has successfully directed programs that improved
productivity, reduced cost and enhanced safety
Hersh Hayden is a senior Engineering Manager with Weir International Mining
Consultants. He has more than 35 years of operating and engineering experience
in the mining industry, with expertise in mine management and operations. He has
instructed classes to prepare miners to become certified mine foremen and to
perform the practical duties of mine management. Hersh is a Certified MSHA
Instructor.
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Last Meeting
Our
February speaker was Jason Ryan, blasting engineer, gave us a very technical
talk concerning “Practical State-of-the-Art Blasting”.
He started with a brief discussion of what is important in blasting,
including recent developments in drilling technology and moved quickly into
product developments including gassed and doped-emulsion explosives and
electronic detonators. He finished
with a discussion of computer modeling and how it can help you get your
fragmentation without bothering your neighbors.
He did a great job of showing what the cutting edge in the technology can
do for you in a practical way, and why. He
also showed showing how the modeling can be used to predict vibration, and what
the new electronic detonators with their precision timing can do for you, and
what they will not do for you in minimizing the vibration and improving
fragmentation.
Jason Ryan graduated from Laurentian University in
Sudbury, Ontario as a mining engineer, with emphasis on blasting.
He recently worked for Austin Powder as technical field representative
and most recently sales in our Midwestern region.
His talk for us was his last public presentation for Austin Powder
regarding technical blasting issues, since he has recently moved to Denver to
work manufacturing explosives for Orica
Upcoming Speakers
In
April – Roadheader Applications
– from Bruno Reumueller of Sandvik/Voest Alpine Mining
In
May – To Build Excellence at a
Indiana Limestone Quarry by Y.J. Zheng, Chief Engineer of Indiana Limestone
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GEM/PIE
News
Upcoming Event: The Mansion Rocks
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Don't forget to pay your 2003-2004
dues. Click here for details.
Click here for
the 2003-2004
Officers
Speakers for Upcoming Meetings?
If
you would like to present a talk or have a subject matter that you are
interested in hearing presented at a meeting, please give
Frank Kendorski, of
Agapito Associates who is our Program Chair.
He can be reached at:
e-mail:
frank@agapito.com
phone: 630-792-1520
New
to the Chicago SME Website: Corporate Sponsor Links
The
Chicago SME section has added a sponsor page of links
on our web site. The links will be
added for a small annual fee, with the money going solely to support our GEM
(Government, Education & Mining) Committee outreach efforts.
This money goes to sponsor a variety of teacher education, Mineral
Information Institute education materials, student scholarships and more.
If your company wants a link on the web site, the
annual cost is $25 for the name and link, or $50 if you add a logo.
This is a small way to add to your company exposure and support
educational efforts by the industry at the same time.
For information, call Gordie Stevens at 630-795-7246 or
e-mail him at gstevens@patrickengineering.com
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| |
|
The
Mansion Rocks
Celebrate
the Geologically Related History of the Hegeler Carus Mansion
Rocks
& Minerals for Today’s Society
Noon-4
PM
Sunday,
March 20th 2005.
1307
7th Street
LaSalle,
IL
Sponsored
by the Illinois Aggregate Producers Association
IDNR’s
rolling Rock Box will be there!
Admission
is $8. For more information call 815-224-6543 or go on line at: www.hegelercarus.org
Submitted
by Linda Hiltabrand of the DNR
|
|
The
2005 Wheaton College Science Symposium
March
30-April 1, 2005
Geoscience
in Global Ministry
Symposium
is Free
The
symposium will offer presentations from practitioners with experience in
community development and other forms of international service.
Theme presentation topics include water resources (exploration,
drilling, delivery and recycling), energy resources (fossil fuels and
alternatives), ecological evaluation and preservation, and the
geological components of holistic community development (including
agriculture, sanitation, land-use planning, mining and many others).
Presenters include Chris Walley, former head of the Geology
Department at the American University at Beruit.
There
will also be demonstrations of appropriate technologies, a tour of local
water recycling facilities and a special session for student posters and
other displays. Informal dinner sessions will allow those interested to
meet and share ideas and have time to interact with the presenters. A
breakfast on Friday, April 1st will be for students to learn more about
opportunities for international service.
The
schedule includes evening presentations until 9 PM on Wednesday and
Thursday evenings.
This
three-day event is unique in its focus on the importance of geology for
international development projects. Wheaton College and the participants
in the symposium also represent a distinctive Christian perspective on
service in missions.
For more
information call Jeff Greenberg Wheaton College; phone (630) 752-5866
or via e-mail at
jeffrey.k.greenberg@wheaton.edu
Submitted by Jeff Greenberg
|
|
Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers
ANNUAL CONVENTION
Thursday
May 15, 2005
Springfield,
IL
Cost
is $125 + hotel
For
information call
the
association at
217-241-1639
or go
to the web site and e-mail the IAAP
The
format and time schedule will be similar to last year’s meeting.
Web
Site:
http://www.iaap-aggregates.org/default.asp
|
26th
Annual Fundamentals of
Grouting
Course
Colorado
School of Mines
Golden,
CO
May
2-6, 2005
Contact:
Dr. Scott Kieffer
http://www.mines.edu/academic/mining/faculty/Kieffer/Skieffer_Homepage.htm
|
Supervisor
Training Programs
for
Quarry Managers, Foremen and Operations Personnel who manage people
Weir
International Mining Consul-tants has
worked with the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA)
since 2000 to develop and serve as instructors for two supervisory
training programs. The Basic Supervisory Training Program's features
topics relating to safety, process control and communications with a
target audience that includes newly appointed supervisors, as well as
supervisors with 5 to 10 years of experience.
The Advanced Supervisory Training Program provides an in depth
look at the process control and communications topics presented in
the Basic Program and was developed for supervisors with at least 5
years of experience.
NSSGA
offers the programs several times during the year in various parts of
the country. These
courses are taught by Chicago section members Hershiel Hayden and
Bill Huber of Weir International Mining Consultants.
Basic
Program will be offered in the
Chicago area in November 2005. The Advanced Supervisory
Training Program is scheduled from May 2 through May 4, 2005 in
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Interested
persons can get additional information from the NSSGA web site, www.nssga.org
(look on the right side, scrolling down under Environment, then Training
is the easiest way to find it), otherwise call Steve Lenker of the NSSGA
at 703-525-8788
Submitted
by Bill Huber
|
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Bob
Archibald Incoming Chairman of Construction Materials and Aggregates Committee
Local
SME member Bob Archibald of Fox River
Stone was elected incoming Chairman of the SME Construction Materials and
Aggregates Committee (CMAC). This is a standing committee - at the same
level as the current five divisions within SME - and operates autonomously from
the divisions.
The
Industrial Minerals Division requested that CMAC consider becoming part of the
Industrial. Minerals Division. The CMAC executive committee met with the
Indust-rial Minerals executive committee to discuss the potential merger.
Later it was discussed at the CMAC meeting and put to a vote, and the
merger was disapproved by unanimous vote. CMAC members agreed that due to
the size of the aggregates industry versus all other mining segments in the US,
a separate Construction Materials Division seems appropriate. Therefore
the CMAC decided to stay separate with the intent of ultimately gaining Division
status.
Gaining
division status is a very lengthy process. One of the keys to success is
gaining broader participation in the CMAC activities from producers throughout
the country. This is the short term mission of the current CMAC membership
and Archibald’s mission personally. The best way to do this is to
present useful programming related to construction materials at the annual
meetings. Although we have had very good programming at the past two
annual meetings, the CMAC group is re-doubling their efforts to provide superior
programming for the 2006 meeting in St. Louis. Local member John
Head of Continental Placer is the CMAC
representative planning these sessions.
We
also look forward to support from the local chapters in getting the word out.
That's where this newsletter will volunteer to assist. Big press on this
issue would be has been requested by Bob, and strong support for SME
Construction Materials and Aggregates Committee by senior management of the
aggregate companies in the Chicago area will be greatly appreciated. You
can expect to hear more on this topic via this newsletter in the next issue.
Bob
Archibald can be contacted at Fox River Stone
at (847) 742-6060 or via e-mail at bob@archibald.com.
Submitted by Bob Archibald
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Reclamation
Award Presented to Southern Illinois Stone
Southern
IL Stone Company is the winner of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources,
Office of Mines & Minerals, Mined Land Reclamation Award for 2005 in the
non-coal category.
Southern Illinois Stone Company at Buncombe, IL, has reclaimed this site
for forage and wildlife habitat. They
have worked with their local high schools to utilize the area as an outdoor
classroom. Bird houses of various kinds have been installed to attract
different species. In summer 2004
they hosted the Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers Teacher Workshop
field trip, which gave 30 teachers a chance to see a working quarry.
Southern
Illinois Stone Company is to be commended for upgrading the wildlife habitat on
their property and enabling a local farmer to use a portion of the reclaimed
area for pasture and hay harvesting. The
company had to overcome a backlog of reclamation left by a previous operator.
Their philosophy is that reclamation work is a part of production, not an
after-thought, and it is carried on regularly as part of day-to-day operations.
It is always done concurrently with production. The reclaimed area was
carefully structured to provide adequate drainage.
The goal was to reclaim the areas back to a natural state as much as
possible and be attractive to wildlife. The
land uses designated for this area are for wildlife and pasture.
These
areas were a challenge because the surface was uneven with rocks and boulders
left behind, there was little growing medium left, and several areas had
drainage and erosion problems. In
addition, the quarry has been developed into three ledges because of various
limestone formation characteristics. The
spoil taken from each ledge is segregated and placed in sequence into the
reclamation fill area. This more
complicated handling is done to better duplicate conditions in the pre-mining
state, plus some of the spoil works better as a growing medium than another
type.
National
Reclamation Awards
Southern
Illinois Stone Company will also be nominated for two national reclamation award
programs presented by the National
Association of State Land Reclamationists
and the Interstate Mining Compact Commission.
Your company may also be eligible.
The 2006 Program Announcements will be mailed around May 1 with
applications due October 1 so you can get some good photos this summer.
Your Mine Safety-Reclamation staff would be happy to assist in these
efforts. Contact Linda Hiltabrand
via phone at 815-433-7050
or e-mail at lhiltabrand@dnrmail.state.il.us
Submitted by Linda Hiltabrand, DNR
Illinois
State Geological Survey to Celebrate Its Centennial Year
The Illinois State
Geological Survey will celebrate its 100th anniversary in a series of
events during the year 2005-2006. The
current geological survey was founded on May 12, 1905, re-establishing a
geological survey that had existed from 1851-1875.
As
a part of the Survey’s Centennial Celebration, the Survey will be hosting the
2005 national meeting of the Association of American State Geologists at St.
Charles, Illinois, on June 11-15. Other
special activities in honor of the Survey’s centennial year will include
seminars for the public with distinguished invited speakers, special centennial
field trips, an open house at the Natural Resources Building for high-school and
university students and special guests, and a flagship publication, a book on
the “Geology of Illinois”. Also
planned is the publication of a new geologic map of Illinois and special
publications on Illinois’ state parks. The
Centennial Celebration will set the stage for a second hundred years of credible
science and engineering on behalf of the public and private sectors.
Further information may be found on the ISGS website.
Contributions
in support of the Survey’s Centennial Celebration are currently being
accepted. They are tax deductible.
Checks may be sent to ISGS Centennial, Illinois State Geological Survey,
121 Natural Resources Building, 615 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign, IL 61820 and
made payable to University of Illinois Foundation/Illinois State Geological
Survey or UIF/ISGS noting the funds are for the ISGS Centennial Celebration
activities. For some of you who
have already contributed, the Survey expresses its thanks and appreciation.
For
information contact Morris Leighton at e-mail:
leighton@isgs.uiuc.edu
or on the ISGS website at http://www.isgs.uiuc.edu/
click on Centennial Celebration in upper right.
Submitted by Morris Leighton
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Monday March 7, 2005
Engineering &
Mining Journal (E&MJ) to be Merged With World Mining Equipment
Mining
Media, the US-based parent company of Engineering & Mining Journal (E&MJ)
and Coal Age, has purchased the title and assets of World Mining Equipment (WME)
from UK-based Metal Bulletin plc. WME will
be merged into Mining Media's flagship title E&MJ that has served the global
mining market for more than 140 years. The resulting E&MJ/WME will be the
only audited international mining magazine, with proven worldwide circulation of
over 20,000 and readership approaching 100,000. Mining Media will add WME's
industry conferences, including the Haulage and Loading and Drilling &
Blasting shows, to its range of events that include the National Coal Show,
Longwall USA, Coal Quality and MineWest. WME's
upcoming Drilling & Blasting Conference, scheduled for April 17-19, 2005 in
San Antonio, Texas at the Hilton Palacio Del Rio, will take place as planned and
will have the full promotional support and backing of Mining Media.
From
WME news, submitted by Dick Phelps
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