With August looming closer, now is the time to start thinking about regional events that are taking place this fall in your area.

Northwestern Canadian Chapter is having their annual meeting October 14-16 (Best Western Vernon Lodge & Conference Centre - Vernon, BC, Canada) and AusIMM's Explo 2011 will be held November 8 & 9 in Melbourne, Australia. Within the U.S. there are several conferences that may offer state refresher training hours (make sure to check within your state). The 15th Pennsylvania Drilling and Blasting Conference is November 3 & 4 (The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel – State College, Pa.) and the Kentucky Blasting Conference is December 1 & 2 (Heritage Hall & Hyatt Regency Hotel - Lexington, Ky.).

For an updated list of events make sure to check out ISEE's Mark your Calendar page!

Mining quarry for jobs, neighbors unsure
from WREX-TV
A quarry on East State Street in Rockford, Ill., will soon re-open, with the potential of bringing work to area contractors. But some who live near it aren't too sure about the quarry resuming production. Right now, the quarry, owned by William Charles Construction, could resume normal mining as early as this fall. If the company's request to zone the mine for asphalt production goes forward, asphalt could be trucked out as early as next year. But getting the mine ready for asphalt production would take some work - and that could mean jobs.  More
 

Mountaintop guidance announced
from The Register-Herald
Amid mounting political pressure, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a controversial final version of a guidance on the practice of mountaintop removal coal mining in Appalachia. The guidance will affect the way the EPA moves forward in its efforts to reduce environmental impacts from mountaintop mining operations.  More
 

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Shell to drill $100 million well in Kalmykiya, Russia
from Oil & Gas Eurasia
Shell estimates that drilling a test well planned for the Barun-Yustinskoye block in Kalmykiya will cost $100 million, Shell Neftegaz Development (III) YEvgeniy Boyarshin said during public hearings. Boyarshin said that the test well was Shell's first exploration project in Russia. The exploration work is planned for five years, during which time Shell will drill the well.  More
 

Australian state sets limits on coal seam gas, fracking
from Reuters
Australia's New South Wales state has imposed restrictions of the burgeoning coal-seam gas industry and extended a ban on the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing or 'fracking' until year-end to balance the needs of mining and agriculture.  More
 

The hole truth in blast preparation
from Australian Mining
Accuracy is everything in drilling. If you are drilling a few centimeters off the mark you can ruin an entire's day work; put the set grid out or even miss mineralization completely. Accuracy is even more important when drilling blast holes. Drilling in this case is literally a science, where an out of place blast hole is able to completely ruin a well planned blast pattern.  More
 

Police ban circulation of explosives in Nigeria
from All Africa
Inspector General of Police Hafiz Abubakar Ringim has proscribed the circulation of explosives used for mining and other approved activities. Explosive products made by licensed companies are used for mining, quarry and for construction works. But the Boko Haram sect members have deployed and detonated roadside bombs in places, targeting their perceived opponents.  More
 

Chandor, India residents want blasting at quarry stopped
from The Times of India
Taking cognizance of the complaints made by the villagers of Cavorim Chandor against an illegal stone quarrying unit in the village, urban development minister and local MLA Joaquim Alemao visited the village assuring the villagers that measures to stop the blasting operations would be taken.  More
 

Copper Mountain Mining Corporation holds tour for dignitaries
from Similkameen Spotlight
Life has a funny way of coming around full circle. Princeton has been a mining town since way back when and now again in the year 2011, it is a mining town again. The Copper Mountain Mining Corporation has taken control of a mountain full of precious metal near town and is breathing new life into a community and a province that could use some good news about economic recovery and new business from an old source. In fact, the reopening of the mine is so significant it brought in a few good people for a viewing recently that had a whole lot of people talking.  More
 

South Africa coal strike seen hitting exports in 2-4 weeks
from Reuters
A strike by South African coal workers at major mining houses will start to hit exports in two to four weeks, after stockpiles are used up at the mines and Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT), mining industry sources said.  More
 

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