This book assesses the state of the science on the environmental impacts of mountaintop mines and valley fills (MTM-VF) on streams in the Central Appalachian Coalfields. These coalfields cover about 48,000 square kilometres (12 million acres) in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee, USA. This book focuses on the impacts of mountaintop removal coal mining, which, as its name suggests, involves removing all -- or some portion -- of the top of a mountain or ridge to expose and mine one or more coal seams. The excess overburden is disposed of in constructed fills in small valleys or hollows adjacent to the mining site. Conclusions are drawn, based on evidence from peer-reviewed literature, and from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement released in 2005, and that MTM-VF lead directly to five principal alterations of stream ecosystems: (1) springs, and ephemeral, intermittent, and small perennial streams are permanently lost with the removal of the mountain and from burial under fill, (2) concentrations of major chemical ions are persistently elevated downstream, (3) degraded water quality reaches levels that are acutely lethal to standard laboratory test organisms, (4) selenium concentrations are elevated, reaching concentrations that have caused toxic effects in fish and birds and (5) macroinvertebrate and fish communities are consistently degraded.

This book examines uranium mining and management in the United States with a focus on federal considerations. From 2005 to 2007, uranium prices increased from about $20 a pound to over $140 a pound, which led to renewed interest in uranium mining, both exploration and extraction, on federal land in the U.S. In early 2012, thousands of claims have been filed to explore for and potentially extract uranium on federal land. This increase in claims filed, has raised concerns about the potential impacts that an increased level of uranium exploration and extraction could have on the environment. During uranium extraction, the waste rock piles that are formed can introduce radionuclides (such as radium) and heavy metals (such as selenium and arsenic) into the environment. Before the mid-1970s, many mines on federal land, were abandoned without any reclamation, leaving a costly legacy of abandoned mines that pose potential health, safety, and environmental hazards.

At any given moment in our history Australia has been in the middle of a mining boom. This book is a history of iconic Australian towns that have emerged as a result of these booms: Broken Hill, Mount Isa, Queenstown, Mount Morgan, Port Pirie and Kambalda. It covers past and present, showing that while some of these towns have declined they have all had thriving local communities. Unlike many mining books this is not limited to a single material like coal or gold, but traces the fortunes of a range of towns throughout Australia that have been at the centre of very different mining booms. Eklund is especially interested in the communities that have formed around these places, and tells how they started and how well they have fared. Sadly, the current 'fly in fly out' mining culture means we won't see the like of them again, which, as the author shows, is a great loss.

This book examines the 2011 edition of U.S. Geological Survey's Mineral Commodity Summaries (MCS), which includes information on events, trends and issues for each mineral commodity as well as discussions and tabular presentations on domestic industry structure, government programs, tariffs, 5-year salient statistics and world production and resources. In 2010, the value of mineral production increased in the United States, suggesting that the domestic non-fuel minerals industries, especially the metallic minerals industries, were beginning to feel the effects of recovery from the economic recession that began in December 2007 and lasted well into 2009. Some major mining sectors continued to struggle, however, with no increase in production or value of production.

People in Africa argue that natural resources are a blessing; it is the way these are plundered and used that can turn them into a curse. The continent has plenty of experience of such plunder. Rich in resources, Africa is a net supplier of energy and raw materials to the North. The climate crisis confronting the world today is rooted mainly in the wealthy economies' abuse of fossil fuels, indigenous forests and global commercial agriculture. But, without agreement about how to tackle this reality, the question often becomes what can be done about Africa. Or, sometimes, for Africa. This book looks at what has been done to Africa and how Africans should respond for the good of all. Bassey examines the oil industry in Africa, probes the roots of global warming, warns of its insidious impacts and explores false 'solutions'. Crucially, his intelligent and wide-ranging approach demonstrates that the issues around natural resource exploitation, corporate profiteering and climate change must be considered together if we are to save ourselves. What can Africa do? And can the rest of the world act in solidarity? If not, will we continue on the path laid out by elites that brings us ever closer to the brink? Many live in denial even as ecological and social disasters increase, but this is not inevitable and Bassey suggests how Africa can overcome the crises of environment and global warming.

Dramatic mine accidents early in 2006 have led to passage of the first major amendment to federal mine safety law since 1977. The Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act requires each mine to have an emergency plan, increased supplies of oxygen, and improved rescue teams. Penalties for violations have also been increased. Although the bill had wide support in Congress, some Members have characterised it as only a "first step," to be followed by additional measures that would include a lower maximum limit on dust concentrations, underground refuges, communications and tracking devices, and greater emphasis on enforcement of standards. On January 2, 2006, the nation was reminded of the dangers of underground mining, as 12 miners died in an explosion and fire in the Sago mine in West Virginia. Subsequently, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) issued new regulations; Congress has passed the first major revision of the mine safety law since 1977 and has taken further bills under consideration; and state legislatures in West Virginia, Kentucky, and Illinois have tightened their own laws. These responses have emphasised factors thought to have played a part in the Sago tragedy, including emergency oxygen supplies, tracking and communication systems, and deployment of rescue teams. There have also been proposals to increase the penalties for violations of safety standards.

This book documents the history of two celebrated mines in Sussex County, New Jersey, through the eyes of those who lived it. The two mines, consolidated in 1897 under the New Jersey Zinc Company, were recognised world-wide for their diverse and magnificent mineral deposits and are acknowledged as the birthplace of the US zinc industry. At its peak of operations in Sussex County in the first half of the 20th century, the Zinc Company employed over 2000 hourly workers. The Company developed the towns of Franklin and Ogdensburg for the miners, and one of them, Franklin, became known as the 'model mining town of America'. The book is divided into three parts: The Mines and the Miners; The Model Mining Town of America; and The Legacy and the Future. In the first two parts, the narratives explore the positive and negative aspects of life in the mines and in the company towns. In these sections, the author compares the lives of Zinc Company miners to those of other hard-rock miners in the US. The third part looks at the continuing educational impact of the mines, including the influence on the development of local museums and on the Smithsonian Institution's mine exhibit that opened in 1997.

Arthur Thurner tells of the enormous struggle of the diverse immigrants who built and sustained energetic towns and communities, creating a lively civilization in what was essentially a forest wilderness. Their story is one of incredible economic success and grim tragedy in which mine workers daily risked their lives. By highlighting the roles women, African Americans, and Native Americans played in the growth of the Keweenaw community, Thurner details a neglected and ignored past. The history of Keweenaw Peninsula for the past one hundred and fifty years reflects contemporary American culture--a multicultural, pluralistic, democratic welfare state still undergoing evolution. Strangers and Sojourners, with its integration of social and economic history, for the first time tells the complete story of the people from the Keweenaw Peninsula's Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw, and Ontonagon counties.

The history of mining is replete with controversy of which much is related to environmental damage and consequent community outrage. Over recent decades, this has led to increased pressure to improve the environmental and social performance of mining operations, particularly in developing countries. The industry has responded by embracing the ideals of sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Mining and the Environment identifies and discusses the wide range of social and environmental issues pertaining to mining, with particular reference to mining in developing countries, from where many of the project examples and case studies have been selected. Following an introductory overview of pressing issues, the book illustrates how environmental and social impact assessment, such as defined in "The Equator Principles", integrates with the mining lifecycle and how environmental and social management aims to eliminate the negative and accentuate the positive mining impacts. Practical approaches are provided for managing issues ranging from land acquisition and resettlement of Indigenous peoples, to the technical aspects of acid rock drainage and mine waste management. Moreover, thorough analyses of ways and means of sharing non-transitory mining benefits with host communities are presented to allow mining to provide sustainable benefits for the affected communities. This second edition of Mining and the Environment includes new chapters on Health Impact Assessment, Biodiversity and Gender Issues, all of which have become more important since the first edition appeared a decade ago. The wide coverage of issues and the many real-life case studies make this practice-oriented book a reference and key reading. It is intended for environmental consultants, engineers, regulators and operators in the field and for students to use as a course textbook. As much of the matter applies to the extractive industries as a whole, it will also serve environmental professionals in the oil and gas industries. Karlheinz Spitz and John Trudinger both have multiple years of experience in the assessment of mining projects around the world. The combination of their expertise and knowledge about social, economic, and environmental performance of mining and mine waste management has resulted in this in-depth coverage of the requirements for responsible and sustainable mining.

This guide reviews the way asphalt mixture can be specified, with particular emphasis on the test methods used to measure performance. The advantages and limitations of the tests are described for measuring the desired property, and engineers can specify a test according to the material's use. The book starts with a resume of specifications and their relative advantages and disadvantages for different situations. Then different properties are discussed in terms of: their specification; the test methods that can be used (primarily the EN 12697 suite of European methods, of which the author has been responsible for drafting); the extent to which the results predict performance; the levels that can be achieved with different asphalt mixes and types; what levels, if any, should be specified in various situations and pavement layers; and which other properties are adversely affected by enhanced performance. The final section covers various aspects of sustainability, with a strong emphasis on durability. Better understanding should enable clients and consultants who specify pavements to produce durable asphalt pavements more economically, and also help asphalt producers and students trying to understand the black art of asphalt.

This seminal work tells the story of Ghana's gold miners, one of the oldest and most militant groups of workers in Africa. It is a story of struggle against exploitative mining companies, repressive governments and authoritarian trade union leaders. Drawing on a wide range of original sources, including previously secret government and company records, Jeff Crisp explores the changing nature of life and work in the gold mines, from the colonial era into the 1980s, and examines the distinctive forms of political consciousness and organization which the miners developed. The study also provides a detailed account of the changing techniques of labour control employed by mining capital and the state, and shows how they failed to curb the workers' solidarity and tradition of militant resistance. Combining lively historical narrative with original analysis, this book remains a unique contribution to the history of Africa and its working class.

This proceedings volume consists of papers focusing on repairing, maintaining, rehabilitating, and retrofitting of existing infrastructures to extend their life and maximize economic return. Moreover, structural performance and material durability are discussed. Contributions fall under the following headings: (i) Concrete durability aspects, (ii) Condition assessment of concrete structures, (iii) Modern materials technology, (iv) Concrete repair, rehabilitation and retrofitting, (v) Performance and health monitoring, and (vi) Education, research and specifications. Major attention is paid to innovative materials for durable concrete construction, integrated service life modelling of reinforced concrete structures, NDE/NDT and measurement techniques, repair methods and materials, and structural strengthening and retrofitting techniques. For researchers and practitioners in structure and infrastructure engineering. Set of book of abstracts (546 pp) and a searchable full paper CD-ROM (1564 pp).

COST is an intergovernmental framework for European Cooperation in Science and Technology, allowing the coordination of nationally-funded research on a European level. Part of COST was COST Action C26 'Urban Habitat Constructions Under Catastrophic Events', which started in 2006 and held its final conference in Naples, Italy, on 16-18 September 2010. The participation of 23 European countries confi rmed the international interest of COST Action C26. The main objective of COST Action C26 was to increase the knowledge of the behaviour of constructions in urban habitat under catastrophic events (earthquakes, fi re, wind, impact, explosions etc.), in order to predict their response when both the applied loading and the inherent structural resistance are combined in such a way that the safety level reaches unacceptable values, leading in some cases to a premature collapse. The activity of COST C26 Action was developed by four Working Groups (WGs), each dealing with the main issues related to catastrophic events: WG 1 "Fire resistance"; WG 2 "Earthquake resistance"; WG3 "Impact and explosion resistance"; WG 4 "Risk assessment for catastrophic scenarios in urban areas". In addition, an "ad hoc" Working Group on "Lexicon" was created. The Final Report represents the results of the COST C26 Action, summarized in fi ve chapters: (I) Characterization of catastrophic actions on constructions; (II) Analysis of behaviour of constructions under catastrophic events; (III) Evaluation of vulnerability of constructions; (IV) Protecting, strengthening and repairing; (V) Strategy and guidelines for damage prevention, where each WG contributed to its specifi c subject. This Final Report of COST Action C26 Urban Habitat Constructions Under Catastrophic Events will be of interest to academics and engineers in civil and structural engineering, especially those involved in fire resistance, earthquake resistance,impact and explosion resistance, and resistance to Infrequent Loading Conditions.

COST is an intergovernmental framework for European Cooperation in Science and Technology, allowing the coordination of nationally-funded research on a European level. Part of COST was COST Action C26 Urban Habitat Constructions Under Catastrophic Events, which started in 2006 and held its final conference in Naples, Italy, on 16-18 September 2010. The main objective of COST Action C26 was to increase the knowledge of the behaviour of constructions in urban habitat under catastrophic events (earthquakes, fire, wind, impact, explosions etc.), in order to predict their response when both the applied loading and the inherent structural resistance are combined in such a way that the safety level reaches unacceptable values, leading in some cases to a premature collapse.

Urban Habitat Constructions Under Catastrophic Events collects 151 papers from internationally recognized outstanding experts from 46 countries that were presented at the final conference: 82 contributions from COST experts and 69 from external authors. They are subdivided into 5 sections, which exactly correspond to the 5 Chapters of the Final Report of the COST Action C26 activity:

(I) Characterization of catastrophic actions on constructions;

(II) Analysis of behaviour of constructions under catastrophic events;

(III) Evaluation of vulnerability of constructions;

(IV) Protecting, strengthening and repairing;

(V) Strategy and guidelines for damage prevention.

Urban Habitat Constructions Under Catastrophic Events will be of interest to academics and engineers in civil and structural engineering, especially those involved in fire resistance, earthquake resistance, impact and explosion resistance, and resistance to Infrequent Loading Conditions.

'New Challenges and Visions for Mining' contains selected papers from the 21st World Mining Congress & Expo (KrakA3w and Katowice, Poland, 7-11 September 2008), and will be invaluable to academics, professionals and engineers working in mining and rock mechanics.

In 1950, Mexican American miners went on strike for fair working conditions in Hanover, New Mexico. When an injunction prohibited miners from picketing, their wives took over the picket lines - an unprecedented act that disrupted mining families but ultimately ensured the strikers' victory in 1952. In ""On Strike and on Film"", Ellen Baker examines the building of a leftist union that linked class justice to ethnic equality. She shows how women's participation in union activities paved the way for their taking over the picket lines and thereby forcing their husbands, and the union, to face troubling questions about gender equality. Baker also explores the collaboration between mining families and blacklisted Hollywood filmmakers that resulted in the controversial 1954 film ""Salt of the Earth"". She shows how this worker-artist alliance gave the mining families a unique chance to clarify the meanings of the strike in their own lives and allowed the filmmakers to create a progressive alternative to Hollywood productions. An inspiring story of working-class solidarity, Mexican American dignity, and women's liberation, ""Salt of the Earth"" was itself blacklisted by powerful anticommunists, yet the movie has endured as a vital contribution to American cinema.

The First International Conference on Concrete Repair, Rehabilitation and Retrofitting (ICCRRR 2005) was held in Cape Town, South Africa, from 21-23 November 2005. The conference was a collaborative venture by researchers from the South African Research Programme in Concrete Materials (based at the Universities of Cape Town and The Witwatersrand) and The Construction Materials Section at Leipzig University in Germany. The conference has come at an opportune moment for concrete construction worldwide and sought to focus on an increasingly important aspect in modern infrastructure provision and retention: that of appropriately repairing, maintaining, rehabilitating, and if necessary retrofitting existing infrastructure with a view to extending its life and maximising its economic return. The conference Proceedings contain papers, presented at the conference, and classified into a total of 15 sub themes which can be grouped under the four main themes of (i) Concrete durability aspects, (ii) Condition assessment of concrete structures, (iii) Concrete repair, rehabilitation and retrofitting, and (iv) Performance monitoring and health assessment. The major interest in terms of submissions exists in the fields of concrete durability aspects in connection with material compositions, NDE/NDT and measurement techniques, repair methods and materials, and structural strengthening and retrofitting techniques. The large number of high-quality papers presented and the wide range of relevant topics covered confirm that these Proceedings will be a valued reference for many working in the important fields of concrete durability and repair and that they form a suitable base for discussion and provide suggestions for future development and research.

Increasingly stringent environmental regulations and industry adoption of waste minimization guidelines have thus, stimulated the need for the development of recycling and reuse options for metal related waste. This book, therefore, gives an overview of the waste generation, recycle and reuse along the mining, beneficiation, extraction, manufacturing and post-consumer value chain. This book reviews current status and future trends in the recycling and reuse of mineral and metal waste and also details the policy and legislation regarding the waste management, health and environmental impacts in the mining, beneficiation, metal extraction and manufacturing processes. This book is a useful reference for engineers and researchers in industry, policymakers and legislators in governance, and academics on the current status and future trends in the recycling and reuse of mineral and metal waste. Some of the key features of the book are as follows: Holistic approach to waste generation, recycling and reuse along the minerals and metals extraction. Detailed overview of metallurgical waste generation. Practical examples with complete flow sheets, techniques and interventions on waste management. Integrates the technical issues related to efficient resources utilization with the policy and regulatory framework. Novel approach to addressing future commodity shortages.

Since 1994, the European Conferences of Product and Process Modelling (www.ecppm.org) have provided a review of research, development and industrial implementation of product and process model technology in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Facilities Management (AEC/FM) industry. Product/Building Information Modelling has matured significantly in the last few years and has never been closer to having a permanent impact on the AEC/FM industry as a mainstream technology. In this context the 9th European Conference of Product and Process Modelling provided a forum for leading experts to discuss the latest achievements, emerging trends and future directions in product and process modelling technology in this dynamic and fragmented industry, focusing on integrated project working, value-based life cycle management and intelligent and sustainable buildings and construction. eWork and eBusiness in Architecture, Engineering and Construction 2012 provides a comprehensive overview of topics including BIM in all life-cycle stages, ICT for energy efficiency, smart buildings and environmental performance, energy and building simulation, knowledge and semantic modelling, visualization technologies as well as tools and methods to support innovations in design and construction processes. It further includes the proceedings of the 3rd Workshop on eeBuildings Data Models (Energy Efficiency Vocabularies), which aim to identify ICT Energy Efficiency Vocabularies and Ontologies to foster interoperability of Energy Efficiency Management Systems. eWork and eBusiness in Architecture, Engineering and Construction 2012 will be of interest to academics and professionals working in the interdisciplinary area of information technology in architecture, engineering and construction.

This book takes an unflinching look at one of the most contentious labour conflicts in North American history, and a brave indictment of the destructive collusion between business interests and Mexico's government.

This book deals with the inception and development of adjudication systems on the gold fields in New South Wales and Victoria in the 19th century. The sudden onset of the gold rushes in New South Wales and Victoria in 1851 created an immediate necessity for a system of resolving disputes among gold miners. Despite a large literature on the gold rushes generally, virtually nothing has been written on the adjudication systems. The aim of this work is to examine what these systems were, to discover what records of them have survived and to expose samples of those records. The work concentrates on the period from 1851 to 1875 when the adjudication systems were at their most active. It records the changing legislative provisions relating to adjudication in that period. It explores and contrasts the success of the early system in New South Wales with its failure in Victoria. The book explores what records survive of adjudications in both colonies and incorporates samples of them. It examines in some detail the career of Thomas Alexander Browne (who was the novelist Rolf Boldrewood) as the Commissioner at Gulgong in the early 1870s and who, atypically of Gold Fields Commissioners, was at odds with his community. It also examines the reported cases in the Supreme Courts concerning gold fields adjudication. The work thus presents, for the first time, an account of these adjudicative systems.

Through exclusive interviews with zama zamas, syndicate insiders, intelligence operatives, and law enforcement officials, Zama Zama sheds light on the hidden mechanics of this shadow economy. The book delves into the violent and treacherous underworld where gang wars, brutal enforcement tactics, and corruption are rampant. It reveals how illicit gold is smuggled and laundered through a labyrinth of private refineries and fraudulent mining permits, leveraging loopholes in South Africa's regulatory framework to facilitate an intricate VAT scam that reintroduces 'dirty gold' into the legitimate global market.

Beyond the borders of South Africa, the book explores how the illicit gold trade fuels international money laundering operations, linking underground mining to organized crime syndicates, terrorism financing, and global corruption networks.