• Major overhaul and restructure since previous edition • New coverage of hot topics including ethics, modern slavery and digital construction

A common perception of global resource scarcity holds that it is inevitably a catalyst for conflict among nations; yet, paradoxically, incidents of such scarcity underlie some of the most important examples of international cooperation. This volume examines the wider potential for the experience of scarcity to promote cooperation in international relations and diplomacy beyond the traditional bounds of the interests of competitive nation states. The interdisciplinary background of the book's contributors shifts the focus of the analysis beyond narrow theoretical treatments of international relations and resource diplomacy to broader examinations of the practicalities of cooperation in the context of competition and scarcity. Combining the insights of a range of social scientists with those of experts in the natural and bio-sciences-many of whom work as 'resource practitioners' outside the context of universities-the book works through the tensions between 'thinking/theory' and 'doing/practice', which so often plague the process of social change. These encounters with scarcity draw attention away from the myopic focus on market forces and allocation, and encourage us to recognise more fully the social nature of the tensions and opportunities that are associated with our shared dependence on resources that are not readily accessible to all. The book brings together experts on theorising scarcity and those on the scarcity of specific resources. It begins with a theoretical reframing of both the contested concept of scarcity and the underlying dynamics of resource diplomacy. The authors then outline the current tensions around resource scarcity or degradation and examine existing progress towards cooperative international management of resources. These include food and water scarcity, mineral exploration and exploitation of the oceans. Overall, the contributors propose a more hopeful and positive engagement among the world's nations as they pursue the economic and social benefits derived from natural resources, while maintaining the ecological processes on which they depend.

This book draws together international contributors to analyse a wide range of aspects of mining history across the globe including mining archaeology, technologies of mining, migration and mining, the everyday life of the miner, the state and mining, industrial relations in mining, gender and mining, environment and mining, mining accidents, the visual history of mining, and mining heritage. The result is a counter balance to more common national and regional case study perspectives.

In Mining Engineering operations, mines act as sources of constant danger and risk to the miners and may result in disasters unless mining is done with safety legislations and practices in place. Mine safety engineers promote and enforce mine safety and health by complying with the established safety standards, policies, guidelines and regulations. These innovative and practical methods for ensuring safe mining operations are discussed in this book including technological advancements in the field. It will prove useful as reference for engineering and safety professionals working in the mining industry, regulators, researchers, and students in the field of mining engineering.

Artisanal mining is commonly associated with violent conflict, rampant corruption and desperate poverty. Yet millions of people across Sub Sahara Africa depend on it. Many of them are living in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), home to important mineral reserves, but also to a plethora of armed groups and massive human rights violations. African Artisanal Mining from the Inside Out provides a rich and in-depth analysis of the Congolese gold sector. Instead of portraying miners and traders as passive victims of economic forces, regional conflicts or disheartening national policies, it focuses on how they gain access to and benefit from gold. It shows a professional artisanal mining sector governed by a set of specific norms, offering ample opportunities for flexible employment and local livelihood support and being well-connected to the local economy and society. It argues for the viability of artisanal gold mining in the context of weak African states and in the transition towards a post-conflict and more industrialized economy. This book will be of great interest to researchers and postgraduates studying natural resources and development as well as those in development studies, African studies, sociology, political economy, political ecology, legal pluralism, and history.

Victor, Colorado -- the City of Mines - came into life in the early 1890s when a prospector who had been unsuccessfully searching for gold for nineteen years finally hit pay dirt. Victor, and the nearby Cripple Creek, became the two key towns in a strip of land just ten miles by six that offered up an extraordinary geological bonanza. People flocked into Victor in search of their fortunes and its population quickly rose to over 18,000. Flourishing businesses served the miners and the hundreds of surrounding mines, and an area which had once been isolated ranching country became totally transformed. The gold and the prospectors are now long gone, but Victor, with its current population of now only 450, still echoes this history in its streets and buildings.Anderson & Low discovered it by chance fifteen years ago and were immediately mesmerized by the town's individuality. With its sense of being a place outside of time - neither of the present nor of the past - it has drawn them back repeatedly.In their images they weave back-and-forth from expansive landscapes, through to expressive architectural images and intimate interiors. Whilst their subjects are primarily architectural, the human imprint of these historic structures is evident and powerfully conveyed. The result is a disarmingly intimate and moving study of a small American town.

Less than 200 km north of Pretoria, the majestic Waterberg plateau rises behind formidable ramparts that have long discouraged travellers and settlers. Reputedly used by President Kruger as a conveniently remote place to exile troublesome burghers, this rugged and scenic upland remained unknown to most South Africans until its development as an exclusive eco-tourism and hunting destination in the last 25 years. Despite (perhaps because of) its prolonged isolation and sparse population from the earliest times, the Waterberg has experienced a long and vibrant history. Yet until now, this is a history that has never been recounted in comprehensive, factual detail.

Waterberg Echoes tells the stories of the remarkable people who first settled the plateau and its surrounds and their tribulations from disease, agriculture and governmental neglect. It describes conflicts during the difeqane, the South African War and the 1914 rebellion; the stories of mines in the lowlands surrounding the plateau and the arrival of Herero refugees from Namibia in 1906; the spread of religions and education across the region; and the role of politics.

World coal production will increase up to 2040 and world energy consumption will be very much dependent on coal. For a better planning of coal mining operations, it is essential to know the strength, cuttability and workability of coal, which are interrelated. The main objective of the book is to combine the research studies and compile the book oriented to the coal industry, research students, practicing engineers, and coal mine panning teams. Key Features Covers all the subjects related to coal properties, mining and excavation in one book Presents a summary of physical and mechanical properties of coal belonging to a wide range of countries Includes typical examples of using physical and mechanical of coal in mine planning and in its industrial applications Explains use of cuttability characteristics of coal Describes planning of coal production using ploughs, shearers and surface miners

Stability of underground excavations is of great importance to an operating mine because it ensures the safety of the working people and operating equipment, and successful ore production. Due to the complex geological conditions and mine constructions, and variability and uncertainty in estimating rock mass mechanical properties, the assessment of rock mass stability for an underground mine is extremely challenging and difficult. Tackling of this difficult problem is not covered in detail in any of the textbooks currently available in the rock mechanics literature. This monograph aims to cover this gap in the rock mechanics and rock engineering field. This monograph provides detailed procedures for the stability assessment and support design for an underground mine case study. It covers the background of the mine site including the monitored deformation data, the state-of-art methodologies for the stability analysis of rock masses around underground excavations, performed laboratory tests, estimation of the rock mass properties, a brief theory and background of the 3-D Distinct Element Code (3DEC), and numerical modeling of underground rock mass stability including investigation of the effectiveness of rock supports. The monograph is an excellent reference for the senior undergraduates, graduate students, researchers and practitioners who work in the Underground Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering area in the Mining Engineering, Civil Geotechnical Engineering and DEM (Distinct Element Method) Numerical modeling.

Explores mechanics and demand of ground support technology Covers whole gamut of theories, laboratory and field test results and case studies related to ground support technology Includes comprehensive database of Mesh, rockbolts, cablebolt, shotcrete capacity Examines ground support scheme testing and explanation Discusses comprehensive case studies including de-stress blasting

This book provides an overview of crude oil refining processes and presents a deep analysis of the current context and challenges imposed on players in the downstream industry. Crude Oil Refining: A Simplified Approach covers traditional processes of the refining industry, the impact of current trends, and technological routes available to help these players survive in a highly competitive environment. FEATURES Offers a simplified approach to crude oil refining processes Discusses economic information related to the downstream business, including refining margins and profitability Introduces newer trends in the industry, such as petrochemical integration, crude-to-chemicals refineries, and renewables coprocessing in crude oil refineries Presents the challenges related to these new trends and offers technological solutions to overcome them for profitable and sustainable operations Describes how the use of biofuels can minimize the environmental impact of transportation fuel in nations of high demand like Brazil Offering a contemporary view of current challenges and opportunities in the downstream oil and gas business, this practical book is aimed at readers working in the fields of petroleum and chemical engineering.

Many of the struggles that we are currently experiencing when attempting to implement Lean in the construction environment are the direct result of applying Lean tools out of proper context. Understanding Lean as an overall operating system will help to avert this all too common pitfall. An in-depth exploration of the application of Lean initiatives in the construction industry, Lean Culture for the Construction Industry: Building Responsible and Committed Project Teams, Second Edition provides updated chapters with new insights on the relationships between owners, architects, general contractors and subcontractors - demonstrating how Kaizan events focused on building positive culture through vulnerability-based trust improved processes and eliminated work stoppages. Lean tools alone don't lead to successful Lean initiatives: the missing piece is culture. Written by a veteran consultant in the construction field, the book draws a connection between how construction professionals act as leaders and how their attitude and behavior affect productivity and waste daily. While value stream mapping is an important tool for righting broken processes and resolving conflicts, future state maps will fail if leaders continue to work in silos, protect their territories, and don't see that their success is directly tied to the success of their co-leaders. The author expands the notion of ethics beyond the simple litmus test of right and wrong, so team leaders can adopt professional and productive attitudes and behaviors toward the implementation of Lean improvements. This book demonstrates how, in an industry where waste is rampant, and depends on wide range of people and personalities to successfully build a job, Lean thinking can make the difference between a profitable, competitive construction team, and mass inefficiencies, stunted profitability, and lost future opportunities.

This book examines rare earth elements (REEs), materials, and metals that are critical to modern life. These serve as crucial ingredients in the latest technologies including electronics, electric motors, magnets, batteries, generators, energy storage systems (supercapacitors/pseudocapacitors), specialty alloys, and other emerging applications. REEs are used in various sectors including health care, transportation, power generation, petroleum refining, and consumer electronics. The Science of Rare Earth Elements: Concepts and Applications defines these elements, their histories, properties, and current and potential future applications across a wide range of industries across the world. It also discusses the environmental benefits, such as components in electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar applications, and energy storage systems. Conversely, the book also examines the liabilities of mining these REEs.

This edited volume features a collection of extended versions of 13 papers originally published in the proceedings of the 12th Asian Pacific Conference on Shell & Spatial Structures held in Penang, Malaysia in October 2018. All chapters in this book have been written by experts from Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, Hong Kong, China and Japan, and compiles recent advances in the analysis, design and construction of shell and spatial structures specifically in the Asia Pacific region. The contents of the book include (i) the application of advancement in analysis technique and computer technology to the realization of complex and iconic spatial structures, (ii) advanced stability analysis of novel structural forms, (iii) lessons learnt from the health condition of existing spatial structures and damaged spatial structures, (iv) promising ideas and new structural concepts, (v) fundamental study on numerical method for analysis, (vi) design of large-scale and space smart structure system and (vii) educational instructions for beginners in structural design. Researchers, practitioners and contractors in structural engineering, architecture and the built environment with a special interest in shell and spatial structures will find this book useful as it contains a wealth of information on their analysis, design and construction. University students will also find this book a valuable reference for their research studies.

Diamonds are a multi-billion dollar business involving some of the world's largest mining companies, a million and a half artisanal diggers, more than a million cutters and polishers and a huge retail jewellery sector. But behind the sparkle of the diamond lies a murkier story, in which rebel armies in Angola, Sierra Leone and the Congo turned to diamonds to finance their wars. Completely unregulated, so-called blood diamonds became the perfect tool for money laundering, tax evasion, drug-running and weapons-trafficking. Diamonds brings together for the first time all aspects of the diamond industry. In it, Ian Smillie, former UN Security Council investigator and leading figure in the blood diamonds campaign, offers a comprehensive analysis of the history and structure of today's diamond trade, the struggle for effective regulation and the challenges ahead. There is, he argues, greater diversification and competition than ever before, but thanks to the success of the Kimberley Process, this coveted and prestigious gem now represents a fragile but renewed opportunity for development in some of the world's poorest nations. This part of the diamond story has rarely been told.

Natural Gas Hydrates, Fourth Edition, provides a critical reference for engineers who are new to the field. Covering the fundamental properties, thermodynamics and behavior of hydrates in multiphase systems, this reference explains the basics before advancing to more practical applications, the latest developments and models. Updated sections include a new hydrate toolbox, updated correlations and computer methods. Rounding out with new case study examples, this new edition gives engineers an important tool to continue to control and mitigate hydrates in a safe and effective manner.

Polymer Concretes: Advanced Construction Materials provides a comprehensive study on polymer concrete (PC), discussing historical perspectives of its use, the classification and applications of PC, and the advantages and disadvantages of its use. Materials such as resin, aggregates, micro fillers, fibers, and nanofillers are systematically summarized, as well as their effects on PC. Also examined are the properties, fabrication methods, and the standards for testing the material properties, as well as the future outlook for PC applications. This book: Investigates the various properties of PC Covers the physical, mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical, and environmental properties of PC Examines fabrication methods, standards for testing, and the future outlook for various applications The book is ideal for students taking related courses in Civil, Mechanical, Chemical, and Material Engineering. It also serves as a useful guide for researchers in the areas of concrete and construction materials, composites and nanocomposites, and advanced materials, as well as professionals working in fields such as construction, precast concrete products manufacture, transportation and road construction, architecture, and more.

Structured into fourteen chapters, this volume covers various aspects of kiln maintenance and deals with the wear of components, operational parameters and their impact on the condition of the kiln, maintenance-friendly design considerations of kiln components, on-line techniques for condition monitoring, repair during operation, effective management of a kiln shutdown, and some management approaches. It presents systematic analyses of the problems encountered during the life span of the kilns and suggests appropriate method(s) to tackle them and meet the needs of engineers and operators involved. Written in simple language, containing a good blend of theory and practice, and supported with practical reference tables and figures, this book is intended for engineers, operators and maintenance workers working with cement kilns. The author, Dr. J.P. Saxena is an absolute expert in the field.

Discusses advances in the computation of phase diagrams Offers expanded treatment of eutectic solidification with practical examples and new coverage of ternary phase diagrams, covering the concepts of orthoequilibrium and paraequilibrium Updates discussion of bainite transformation to reflect current opinions Includes new case studies covering grain refiners in aluminium alloys, additive manufacturing, thin film growth, important aerospace Al-Li alloys, and quenched and partitioned steels, and metastable austenitic stainless steels. Each chapter now begins with a list of key concepts, includes simpler illustrative exercises with relevance to real practical applications, and references to scientific publications updated to reflect experimental and computational advances in metallurgy

This textbook provides an introduction to the field of mineral economics and its use in understanding the behaviour of mineral commodity markets and in assessing both public and corporate policies in this important economic sector. The focus is on metal and non-metallic commodities rather than oil, coal, and other energy commodities. The work draws on John Tilton's teaching experience over the last 30 years at the Colorado School of Mines and the Catholic University of Chile, as well as short courses for RioTinto and other mining companies. This is combined with the professional consulting and academic research of Juan Ignacio Guzman over the past decade, in order to demonstrate the industry application of the economic principles described in the earlier chapters. The book should be an ideal text for graduate and undergraduate students in the fields of mining engineering and natural resource economics and policy. It should also be of interest to professionals and investors in mining and commodity markets, and those undertaking continuing education in the mineral sector.

Since prehistoric times, the process of cutting rock to make millstones has been one of the most important industries in the world. Different civilizations and cultures have produced their own styles of grinding stones, which have been used in mills to process wheat, corn, and other grains into the flour and meal that was necessary to feed a growing population. The earliest rotary millstones, known as querns, were turned by human power. Later in history, larger millstones were manufactured that required animal, water, or wind power to turn them. These larger millstones required less human effort and ground greater quantities of grain, but also required regular maintenance and replacement. As a result, millstone quarries increased greatly in number and size in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with the largest quarry sites extending as far as nearly a half-mile square to about 12 square miles.The first part of this book compiles information on the millstone industry in the United States, which dates between the mid - 1600s and the mid - 1900s. Primarily based on archival research and brief accounts published in geological and historical volumes, it focuses on conglomerate, granite, flint, quartzite, gneiss, and sandstone quarries in different regions and states, along with a general overview of the rise and fall of the American millstone industry. The second part focuses on the millstone quarrying industry in Europe and other areas. Of the European millstone industry, the quarries of France, Germany, and Great Britain are most extensively documented, although the quarries of Albania, Austria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland are also addressed. The book includes 84 photographs, 16 tables, and a helpful glossary of specialized and technical terms.

No engineering structure can be built on the ground or within it without the influence of geology being experienced by the engineer. Yet geology is an ancillary subject to students of engineering and it is therefore essential that their training is supported by a concise, reliable and usable text on geology and its relationship to engineering. In this book all the fundamental aspects of geology are described and explained, but within the limits thought suitable for engineers. It describes the structure of the earth and the operation of its internal processes, together with the geological processes that shape the earth and produce its rocks and soils. It also details the commonly occurring types of rock and soil, and many types of geological structure and geological maps. Care has been taken to focus on the relationship between geology and geomechanics, so emphasis has been placed on the geological processes that bear directly upon the composition, structure and mechanics of soil and rocks, and on the movement of groundwater. The descriptions of geological processes and their products are used as the basis for explaining why it is important to investigate the ground, and to show how the investigations may be conducted at ground level and underground. Specific instruction is provided on the relationship between geology and many common activities undertaken when engineering in rock and soil.

The first comprehensive work on one of the most important underground mining methods worldwide, Geotechnical Design for Sublevel Open Stoping presents topics according to the conventional sublevel stoping process used by most mining houses, in which a sublevel stoping geometry is chosen for a particular mining method, equipment availability, and work force experience. Summarizing state-of-the-art practices encountered during his 25+ years of experience at industry-leading underground mines, the author: Covers the design and operation of sublevel open stoping, including variants such as bench stoping Discusses increases in sublevel spacing due to advances in the drilling of longer and accurate production holes, as well as advances in explosive types, charges, and initiation systems Considers improvements in slot rising through vertical crater retreat, inverse drop rise, and raise boring Devotes a chapter to rock mass characterization, since increases in sublevel spacing have meant that larger, unsupported stope walls must stand without collapsing Describes methodologies to design optimum open spans and pillars, rock reinforcement of development access and stope walls, and fill masses to support the resulting stope voids Reviews the sequencing of stoping blocks to minimize in situ stress concentrations Examines dilution control action plans and techniques to back-analyze and optimize stope wall performance Featuring numerous case studies from the world-renowned Mount Isa Mines and examples from underground mines in Western Australia, Geotechnical Design for Sublevel Open Stoping is both a practical reference for industry and a specialized textbook for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate mining studies.

This practical handbook of properties for soils and rock contains in a concise tabular format the key issues relevant to geotechnical investigations, assessments and designs in common practice. There are brief notes on the application of the tables. These data tables are compiled for experienced geotechnical professionals who require a reference document to access key information. There is an extensive database of correlations for different applications. The book should provide a useful bridge between soil and rock mechanics theory and its application to practical engineering solutions. The initial chapters deal with the planning of the geotechnical investigation and the classification of the soil and rock properties, after which some of the more used testing is covered. Later chapters show the reliability and correlations that are used to convert that data in the interpretative and assessment phase of the project. The final chapters apply some of these concepts to geotechnical design. The emphasis throughout is on application to practice. This book is intended primarily for practicing geotechnical engineers working in investigation, assessment and design, but should provide a useful supplement for postgraduate courses. It evolved from the need to have a "go to" reference book which has both breadth and depth of information to apply immediately to projects. To keep to a handbook size one has to compress/restrict details to a few key bullet points - but a comprehensive reference list provides the "appendix" for additional information if required. This 2nd edition keeps to that format but contains updated information and adjustments that take into account feedback received since initial publication.