Sand and gravel consumption in Phoenix

An article in this months issue of Mining Engineering reports that per capita consumption of sand and gravel aggregate in 2006 in the metropolitan Phoenix area was about 18 tons (20 short tons).    The study examines the geology of the aggregate resources along the Agua Fria River which is a significant source.

Geologic study of gravels of the Agua Fria River, Phoenix, AZ

W.H. Langer, E. DeWitt, D.T. Adams and T. O’Brie, Mining Engineering, Feb, 2010, p27-31.

Solar power on mine tailings

For the past couple of years there's been a lot of chatter about the idea of covering mine tailings with solar panels.

Well, at the SME meeting that just ended in Phoenix, I spoke with Nathan Barba and Stacey Abend, who run Solarmax Arizona.  The have an experimental installation of their solar photo voltaic geomembrane strips on slopes at Biosphere II and propose  placing them on tailings piles as part of reclamation activities.  The panels are impermeable, preventing erosion, while producing electricity.

Rockfall, flooding reported

This weekend's heavy rains across the state after a wetter than normal winter so far, are keeping everyone alert to landslides and flooding hazards.  I've only seen a couple of ADOT highway hazard notices:

Event Id	349228
Location	On State Route 88, EW-bound from mile post 213.0, 3.50 miles East of Salt River to mile post 244.0, at state route 188 junction
Duration	from Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:05 PM to Tue, 2 Mar 2010 12:30 PM
Description	closed due to flooding

Event Id	349362
Location	On State Route 366, East-bound from mile post 124.40, 1.0 miles West of ARCADIA FOREST CAMP
Duration	March 1 from 2:28 P.M. to 3:30 P.M.
Description	rockfall. Caution

Why you don't cross flooded washes

The El Niño rains have saturated the ground in southeastern Arizona, and new rainfall flows off quickly, producing hazardous road conditions.  The van in this picture was being driven on Happy Valley Road in the Eastern Rincon Mountains Feb. 23 when the driver tried to cross a flooded wash.  The current pushed the back end of the van downstream, rotating it about 110 degrees so that it pointed directly up stream.  The driver could not open the doors because of the water pressure, but was able to climb out the window and, holding on to the strap, get away from the vehicle.  He then walked to a rancher’s house on a cold, wet night.

[Thanks to AZGS geologist Jon Spencer for the description and photo]

Big turnout for SME conference in Phoenix

The annual national meeting of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME) opened at the Phoenix Convention Center yesterday with short courses and last evening's icebreaker social.  AZGS is exhibiting at the meeting, sharing a booth with the State Land Dept.   We have maps, reports, and publications on display, plus we are offering live demos of the AZGS' run Geoscience Information Network showcasing Arizona geology, mineral resources, and mining projects.

As things got underway last night, I ran into SME president Will Wilkinson (with Freeport McMoRan) who said there are 630 vendors in the exhibit hall, the largest since 1999.   Technical talks got underway today and continue through Wed.  [right, exhibit hall, credit SME]

I've been invited to speak at the Environmental Division luncheon tomorrow and will describe the national data network we are building and how it can be used in the mining community.

Bill will create Mining Advisory Council to oversee state agencies

House Bill 2617 is becoming more like a mining omnibus with the addition of amendments that create a Mining Advisory Council (ARS 41-4601) to oversee state agency rules, policies, and budgets.  The list of provisions in the bill already covered lots of ground before the latest changes.  

Provisions (prepared by Legislative staff):

·          Removes the requirement of three additional years experience in mining, smelting or open pit mining as a qualification of the Inspector.

·          Broadens the qualifications of the Inspector to having at least four years experience in any type of mining rather than underground mining.

·          Allows an agency to charge a person a fee during any fiscal year in which the agency’s budget is less than the amount budgeted for that agency in FY 2009-10.

·          Allows a person to request an agency to expedite an application review by requesting that the agency use the services of an outside consultant and agreeing to pay the agency the consultant’s services as provided by statute.

·          Requires the Council to accept early review petitions of a proposed rule pursuant to current law.

·          Establishes a mandatory 60-day comment period for persons to provide written or oral comments, on proposed rules to the Council.

·          Prohibits an agency from adopting requirements that exceed or conflict with relevant federal requirements, unless authorized by law.

·          Allows an agency to adopt federal rules pursuant to current law or to adopt rules to reflect local conditions as long as the rules are consistent with and do not exceed federal requirements, except if authorized by law.

·          Requires the Council to accept early review if the early petition is filed by a person adversely impacted by the proposed rule.

·          Extends the date an agency issuing licenses must have final rules in place establishing a timeframe to deny or grant each type of license that it issues to December 31, 2011. 

·          Changes the penalty fee for an agency failing to comply with the overall timeframe to 5% of the total fees received by the agency for reviewing.

·          Changes the compliance period timeframe to begin on September 1, 2011 for agencies that have established timeframes before July 1, 2011 and by September 1^st of each year thereafter for all agencies that issue licenses.

·          Allows groundwater withdrawn as part of a mitigation of a nonhazardous release or in connection with an aquifer protection permit to be used to fill or refill a body of water.

·          Exempts treatment and reinjection of groundwater into the aquifer by a reinjection well or other means that occur as part of a mitigation activity pursuant to current law or in connection with an aquifer protection permit issues to a metal mining facility.

·          Includes all withdrawals and uses of groundwater related to a mining operation, as well as compliance with applicable environmental controls, in the definition of mineral extraction and processing use of groundwater for the purposes of groundwater statutes.

·          Allows groundwater to be transported away from a groundwater basin in connection with a remedial action pursuant to CERCLA or current statute as part of mitigation activities or in connection with an aquifer protection permit issues to a metal mining facility.

·          Requires the Director of ADWR to approve or deny the drilling of a well within 45 days after receipt of the notice of intention to drill if the proposed well is located within one mile of a mitigation of nonhazardous releases site.

·          Stipulates that persons are not required to file a certificate of disclosure with ADEQ in proceedings in which ADEQ or the state of Arizona is or was a party.

·          Specifies that point source discharges to navigable waters are not considered to be discharging facilities.

·          Requires the Director of ADEQ to confirm that a violation occurs at the applicable point of compliance before determining whether to revoke a general permit.

·          Clarifies that the following changes be made regarding mitigation activities as they pertain to applicability of requirements under ADWR:  

Ø        Any person conducting mitigation activities must obtain and comply with applicable permits, approvals or other authorizations required by ADWR.

Ø        Authorizes the Director of ADWR to waive it’s applicable permits, approvals or authorizations if it is determined that the permits, approval or other authorization unreasonably limits the completion of mitigation activities as long as the waiver does not conflict with the statutory intent of the permit, approval or other authorization.

Ø        ADWR must expedite the processing and issuance of permits, approvals or authorizations to facilitate the prompt conduct of mitigation activities.

Ø        If ADWR fails to issue or deny a permit within 120 days from the receipt of a completed application for a permit, approval or authorization, ADWR may authorize the party conducting the mitigation activities to proceed with that action without any penalties for failure to obtain a permit, approval or authorization and is still required to comply with the substantive requirements of such permit, approval or authorization.

Ø        The person conducting the mitigation activities who uses groundwater withdrawn in an active management area must continue to pay the groundwater withdrawal fee for the groundwater the person withdrew and used or received and used.

·          Mandates the Director of ADEQ and the Director of ADWR to coordinate efforts to expedite mitigation activities, including obtaining information pertinent to mitigation investigations and beneficial use of water withdrawn for remediation or mitigation purposes.

·          Authorizes the Director of ADWR to waive any regulatory requirement adopted pursuant to water law with respect to a site or portion of a site as part of mitigation order issues or other mitigation activities undertaken for that site or portion of that site if the regulatory requirement conflicts with the implementation of the mitigation activities, provided that the waiver does not result in adverse impacts to other land and water users.

·          Defines the terms license and CERCLA.

·          Makes technical and conforming changes.

Copper prices jump on Chile quake uncertainties

Chile is the world's largest biggest copper producer.   Saturday's giant earthquake in Chile was well south of most of that nation's copper mines, "But there was sufficient infrastructure damage to the country, especially to power supply, that around 17 percent of the country’s copper production was disrupted. Seventeen percent of Chile’s copper production equates to almost 5 percent of world copper production," according to a report in Business Week. 

As a result, copper prices surged 5.6% on world markets, pushing them to a 5-week high, with the biggest jump in 11 months, before retreating some.

Analysts expect most of the mines to get back online quickly if they haven't already resumed production, but there are worries about power, transportation, and export capabilities.

Arizona produces more than 60% of the copper used in the U.S. so the higher prices and possible reduced supply from Chile are having an impact on local mines.

Freeport McMoRan's Candelaria mine [right. Photo credit, Freeport]  is reported as restoring operations after power disruptions following the quake but otherwise reports no damage.