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NSSGA names convention’s general session speakers
The NSSGA says former secretaries of the U.S. Department of Transportation Norman Mineta and Mary Peters will speak at the general session of its annual convention. They will address transportation reauthorization and offer insight on achieving passage of a long-term resolution, according to the organization. During the event, which will he held in Las Vegas March 3-6, the NSSGA will launch the new three-year plan it is developing. Keep Reading
Global demand for mining machinery expected to rise
The worldwide demand for mining machinery is expected to expand 8.6 percent per year through 2017 to $135 billion despite some sales weakness in the short term, a new study from industry market research firm The Freedonia Group Inc. shows. “Gains will be spurred by voracious demand for mined materials in China, India, and other developing nations as industrial output increases,” says Freedonia Group analyst Matt Raskind. The World Mining Equipment study reveals that rapid gains in mining equipment demand will occur in large developing markets such as Brazil and India, with China being the largest purchaser. Although metals account for a smaller share of mine output than minerals and coal in volume terms, machinery used in metals mining represents the largest segment of the global market, according to Freedonia Group. This is because the large amount of ore that typically must be removed per metric ton of primary metal product output. The demand for metals mining equipment will rise at the most rapid pace through 2017, stimulated by steel… Keep Reading
SME launches awards program, names first winner
The health and safety committee of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration Inc. (SME) will debut at its upcoming annual meeting an annual awards program that features three categories: Operational Excellence, Mining Individual Excellence, and Research and Educational Excellence. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) Office of Mine Safety and Health Research, Hearing Loss Prevention Branch is the first recipient of the Research and Educational Excellence Award. SME says this award recognizes a research institution exemplifying exceptional innovation and dedication toward advancement in technology or education for the protection and well-being of miners. “We are very grateful to receive the 2013 SME Health & Safety Research and Educational Excellence Award,” says Jim Thompson, chief of the Health Research, Hearing Loss Prevention Branch. “The recognition of the work HLPB has done to prevent miner hearing loss is very gratifying.” The HLPB was formed in 1999 to develop a research program in support of the noise requirements of health standards for occupational noise exposure. Its goal is to… Keep Reading
More than media
Sustainable screening solutions combine media panels with bigger-picture benefits. Sustainability is a major mission for CalPortland, the Northwest’s largest supplier of stone, sand, gravel, cement and ready-mix concrete. Operating in the Portland Harbor since the 1960s, the company transports its high-quality products into the marketplace primarily by barge, helping to alleviate road congestion and keeping prices competitive. With each barge representing between 60 to 100 truck loads, thousands of truck trips are eliminated annually. And that is just one example of the company’s many energy-saving practices. From its Santosh aggregate plant in Scappoose, Ore., sand and gravel is shipped up the Columbia and Willamette Rivers for use in general construction, FAA, WDOT and ODOT projects throughout the region. The operation mines a sand and gravel deposit established by the cataclysmic Missoula floods that swept down the Columbia River Gorge at the end of the last ice age. In line with the CalPortland mission, the Santosh Plant has often been recognized for its energy efficiencies, as it fosters a steady, sustainable… Keep Reading
Wear steel
Not all wear-resistant steel is the same, so find out exactly what you’re buying before placing your next purchase order. Nearly every piece of equipment features wear-resistant steel. As a consumable item, the steel wears out. No one has the time to test 17 different wear plates head-to-head. Nor do they have the time to track which wear plates went where and how long they lasted. Unfortunately, there is no industry standard for abrasion-resistant (AR) steel. Most people believe all AR400 is the same. But they definitely are not the same, and here is why: Few people understand AR steel because of inaccurate information. The truth is that any number of steels can be compared in minutes using data found online or in the manufacturer’s printed material. With the information, users will never have to install underperforming wear plates again. A quick education Let’s be honest: You don’t think about the wear-resistant steel in your equipment until it completely wears out. But you must take immediate action when it does.… Keep Reading
Lafarge sells Maryland properties to Bluegrass Materials
Lafarge North America Inc. says it will sell five aggregates quarries and related assets in Maryland to Bluegrass Materials Co. in a deal worth $320 million. “This acquisition significantly expands our footprint along the eastern seaboard,” says Ted Baker II, CEO, Bluegrass Materials. “We are delighted to bring these quarries and their employees into the Bluegrass family.” The sale, which includes operations in the greater Baltimore area and western Maryland, enables Lafarge to complete its strategy of refocusing on its core markets in the United States. The company now operates a network of integrated positions that are primarily located in the Great Lakes and Mississippi River regions. Its U.S. operations include nine cement or grinding plants and associated cement terminals, with a combined capacity of 11 million tons, as well as related aggregates and concrete businesses in these markets. Overall, the company’s North American market represented more than 21 percent of its sales in 2012. Bluegrass Materials currently owns and operates 11 rock quarries, one sand plant and two concrete block manufacturing… Keep Reading
Moving pains
Even tiny improvements when moving a portable plant can boost your bottom line. One of the first things we learn in this business is when it comes to operating a processing system, production is good and downtime is bad. But do we fully understand why? Keeping a portable processing plant up and running means more than just putting material on the ground to meet whatever demand or deadline exists. The portable plant operation is faced with the same challenges as any other business in the current economic environment. To maintain a competitive edge and remain profitable, it is critical to learn how and where to identify waste within an operation, and more importantly, how to reduce or eliminate wasteful activities. Let’s consider a simple example. The task of cleaning the barnacles off the bottom of a cruise ship in no way provides a more memorable experience for the tourist sleeping in the stateroom. This task is, however, essential for the vessel to remain seaworthy. Using this mindset, I am sure… Keep Reading
Smarter fill-ups
Aggregate producers should develop purchasing strategies for today’s volatile fuel-price market. Fuel costs can make or break the bottom line. Fleet operators sometimes build fuel-cost assumptions into their budgets, making it difficult to adjust to increasing or decreasing fuel costs. Effective fuel-cost management is a critical success factor. Starting in 2004, a “new normal” asserted itself within U.S. fuel markets. Day-to-day price swings of 3 cents or more – swings that previously occurred only 6 percent of the time – now happen almost half the time. Swings of 5 cents or more went from happening 1.6 percent of the time to happening 25 percent of the time. This volatility is now embedded within wholesale fuel markets, and it shows no signs of abating. Unfortunately, some fuel-purchasing managers use pre-2004 buying strategies that do not sufficiently address daily fluctuations in fuel prices. Many use spreadsheets and heuristics to time the market, or they lack diversification in their fuel portfolio. They believe they have adequate, contracted supply options. Some assume price swings… Keep Reading
McLanahan
McLanahan’s Universal jaw crushers are typically capable of achieving a six-to-one reduction ratio when used as a primary crusher. A variety of model sizes are available, and each crusher is designed with a deep crushing chamber for optimum nip, as well as with a steep toggle angle for maximum crushing force. A heavy-duty pitman and shaft arrangement offers reliability and durability, the company says. Yet another option is the Universal H-Series jaw crusher, which features adjust-on-the-fly technology. The technology provides hydraulic clearing when needed and allows operators to make adjustments while continuing operation. The jaw crusher also automatically resets when tramp iron passes through. www.mclanahan.com Photo: McLanahan Keep Reading
