Editors’ Blog
Optimizing the ‘rock factory’
Optimizing the “rock factory” was the common thread running throughout the 2011 Quarry Academy in San Antonio. The three-day program, operated by Sandvik Mining and Construction and Dyno Nobel, brought the latest concepts and technologies of each phase of quarry… Keep Reading
Safety reminders
Safety concerns with bulldozers and highwalls make up MSHA's latest safety alerts. A string of deaths in the mining industry linked to bulldozers and highwalls led MSHA to warn the community about potential dangers and to remind it about best practices. Meanwhile,… Keep Reading
Competitive fires
Martin Marietta Materials' takeover bid for Vulcan Materials has strengthened the competitive fire between the nation's two largest aggregate producers. And understandably so. The companies have been going at each other pretty good lately, since Martin Marietta announced its intentions on Dec.… Keep Reading
Tolls, not taxes
No more taxes, says a skeptical American public. Not that it’s much of a surprise, but a majority of Americans believe new transportation projects should be paid for with user fees instead of tax increases, according to a new national… Keep Reading
Disaster dollars
Money for highways means money for aggregate producers, and 2012 brings hope of a new highway-funding bill. For the first time since the previous bill expired in 2009, I’m optimistic that a reauthorization will finally get passed. But in a… Keep Reading
Construction challenges
FMI, provider of management consulting and investment banking to the engineering and construction industry, released its 2012 U.S. Markets Construction Overview, offering insight into some of the engineering and construction industry’s most complex business challenges. The publication focuses primarily on… Keep Reading
Taking inventory
It's that time of year when we take a look at where we are, and prepare for the year ahead. In the December issue of Pit & Quarry, which will be available in the coming days, we do that in… Keep Reading
Reading material
The U.S. Geological Survey now offers comprehensive data on 2010 crushed stone production in its Minerals Yearbook. The report, authored by Jason Christopher Willett, contains plenty of facts and figures, including total production (1.16 billion metric tons), total value of… Keep Reading
Four dead in four days
Four miners killed in four days. That's the bold headline in a MSHA safety alert poster, which includes a checklist of best practices on how the mining community can avoid these tragedies. While these deaths in the last four days… Keep Reading
