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National Metal and Nonmetal Mine Rescue contest winners named
The U.S. Department of Labor announced the winners of the 2014 National Metal and Nonmetal Mine Rescue contest, a four-day event held Aug. 4-7 in Lexington, Ky., that featured 41 teams from 18 states. The Central Kentucky Mine Rescue Association, the Kentucky Crushed Stone Association and Carmeuse Lime & Stone hosted the competition. MSHA provided the field, written and technical problems, and judged contestants to determine the winners. Doe Run Co.’s “Maroon Team” from Viburnum, Mo., was declared the winner, and FMC Minerals’“Red Team,” Green River, Wyo., and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant’s “WIPP Red Team,” Carlsbad, N.M., rounded out the top three. In the field competition, five-member teams were required to search and account for all missing miners following standard mine rescue procedures. Finishing first place in the first-aid competition was Newmont Mining Corp.’s “Carlin Team,” Elko, Nev. In this contest, teams were required to be prepared to deal with medical emergency techniques, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation and control of bleeding, as well as the treatment of physical shock,… Keep Reading
McLanahan fills aggregate processing leadership role
McLanahan Corp. hired industry veteran Mark Krause as general manager of its aggregate processing division. Krause will be based in McLanahan’s office in Gallatin, Tenn., overseeing sales, customer service and engineering personnel at locations throughout the United States. Krause most recently served as a process optimization specialist and operations manager for Lafarge North America. “Mark brings experience and expertise in crushing and a unique insight into the client side of the aggregate industry,” says George Sidney, president and COO of McLanahan. Keep Reading
Missouri voters reject tax slated for roadway improvements
Voters in Missouri rejected a proposed sales tax designed to fund transportation projects. Primary elections were held Aug. 5 in the state, and a constitutional amendment that would help maintain Missouri’s roads and bridges was among them. Amendment 7 would have raised an estimated $5.4 billion over 10 years, according to reports. Opposition to the sales tax was made clear on election day, as voters in only 19 of the states’ 115 counties supported the tax hike, says the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Had voters passed the proposal, Missouri’s sales tax rate would have increased by three-quarters of a penny per dollar. The Missouri Department of Transportation says money raised through the sales tax would have supplemented federal funding and proceeds it receives from the state’s gas tax, which was last raised in 1992, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “We will continue our focus on safety, maintaining our roads and bridges, and providing outstanding customer service with the resources we have,” said Dave Nichols, director of the Missouri Department of Transportation,… Keep Reading
MSHA sues to allow inspectors into mine
The Associated Press reports that a sand and gravel mine in Jamestown, N.D., would not let MSHA inspectors enter the mine on three occasions to investigate complaints about safety. As a result, the U.S. Dept. of Labor filed a lawsuit against Northern Excavating Co. and the owner of the company, accusing it of violating federal law by not giving inspectors access to the worksite. According to the article, which appeared in The Washington Times, the mine’s employees notified MSHA in April of several health and safety violations. MSHA spokesman Jesse Lawder is quoted as saying the employees’ complaints “were not insignificant,” and noted inspectors have no way of knowing whether additional violations occurred until they gain access to the worksite. Reportedly, the company is accused of not providing its employees with protective equipment, and the owner of the company did not respond to the Associated Press’ requests for comment. For now, MSHA inspectors have no way of knowing why the mine is deemed unsafe by workers there. Filing a lawsuit… Keep Reading
MSHA summit focuses on fatal accidents
MSHA held a special summit with stakeholders, where it examined a recent uptick in fatal accidents. It provided more detailed information on the 19 deaths at metal and nonmetal mines that occurred since 2013 at crushed stone, sand and gravel, silver, cement, lime, gold, granite, clay and iron ore mining operations in 12 states across the country. Six deaths occurred at underground mines and 13 happened at surface mines. MSHA also issued a summary of the mining deaths that occurred in the United States during the first quarter of this year. On-the-job accidents killed eight miners from Jan. 1 to March 31. The previous quarter was marked by 15 deaths and an increase in fatal accidents from the metal and nonmetal sector. “We have seen a spike in deaths in the second quarter of 2014 as well, primarily in metal and nonmetal mining, which has experienced 19 fatalities since last October,” says Joseph A. Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. “MSHA takes this increase very seriously,… Keep Reading
How did Cat do that?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLhOOiPGrq4 Have you seen the video of the super-size Jenga game played with Caterpillar’s equipment? The company created the video to promote its Built For It Trials series. Nearly two million people have checked it out as of this writing. If you’re one of the few who hasn’t, you can see it here. If you’ve ever played Jenga, you know how tricky it is to pull out the rectangular blocks one at a time and move them to the top without making them all come crashing down. The game gets more challenging as the bottom of the stack has fewer blocks and the top has more. So how did Cat create this first video in its Built For It Trials series? The idea was to have five Cat machines play with 27 blocks, removing and repositioning them one by one without making the stack fall, the company says. A Jenga game and Matchbox-size cars were used to craft a plan of action. To make the blocks slide easier, they each… Keep Reading
A big show where there’s plenty to do
When colleagues ask what the 2014 ConExpo-Con/Agg show was like, how do you answer? I've been telling my coworkers that it's by far the largest trade show I've ever attended (and with more than 20 years experience as an editor, I've walked miles of show floors over the years). But I don't just say that because my feet ached for days after I left Las Vegas. ConExpo-Con/Agg is the largest trade show in North America based on net square feet, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The event was so massive, show organizers provided a shuttle service that transported those smart enough to use it to the indoor and outdoor exhibit areas. If that doesn't sound impressive, consider that ConExpo-Con/Agg featured 2.35 million net square feet of exhibit space and more than 2,000 exhibitors. No matter where you went during the show, which ran March 4 through 8, you were checking out new equipment, big and small. You couldn't miss the jaw crushers, engines, conveyer belts, and… Keep Reading
Case hosts discussion that results in call for action
Case Construction Equipment addressed the problem with this nation’s crumbling infrastructure during a lively panel discussion titled Dire States and a call for change. On hand were Jim Oberstar, former U.S. Congressman and chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee; Janet Kavinoky, executive director, transportation and infrastructure, U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Dan McNichol, author and infrastructure expert who recently circumnavigated the country to survey America’s infrastructure and raise awareness to the need for investment/development; and Jim Hasler, vice president, Case Construction Equipment to participate in its Dire States program. Politico transportation reporter Adam Snider to serve as moderator will be the moderator. It was a fitting end to McNichol’s infrastructure road trip throughout the United States to help raise awareness of the infrastructure crisis. The Case booth event featured his battered and rusty 1949 Hudson he drove to help illustrate his point. Companies waste millions of dollars when poor road conditions cause their trucks to be delayed. "If we don't make these investments business suffers,” said Oberstar. “There is… Keep Reading
McLanahan rolls out 4 new products, launches new website
McLanahan Corp. rolled out four new products during ConExpo-ConAgg, it announced at a press conference during the show. They include a cone crusher, deep cone thickener, jaw crusher and filter press. President and COO George Sidney Jr. attributed the company's success and longevity to the relationships it has with its partners. "What do you like and what don't you like?" is what McLanahan wanted to know, and their partners delivered. Sidney said the company asked that question for 18 months before designing its Freedom Series jaw crusher. "Take in the unique features of this machine," he said during the press conference. "They are subtle but they are revolutionary." Also introduced was a new cone crusher that rounds out that suite of equipment for the company. The company said this product line is meant to provide a safer, simpler and smarter solution for producers. Also announced were a deep cone thickener designed to drastically reduce the footprint of ponds on a site as well as a filter press with improvements geared to help eliminate ponds and the need for a full-time operator. Sean… Keep Reading
