Reuters Tue, 29 Jun 2010 11:30
South Africa will launch a new mining charter on Wednesday to increase black ownership in the sector after the previous agreement failed to do so, the department of Mineral Resources said on Tuesday.
"The leaders of government, business and labour will be signing a declaration as a sign of their support for the strategy," the department said in a statement.
A review of the previous charter was prompted by concerns that a target to transfer 26 percent of ownership in the industry to black people by 2014 may not be met.
The revised charter will seek to speed up black ownership, skills development, employment equity, procurement, housing and living conditions and mining beneficiation
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Hazmat team at gas leak site
2010-06-24 12:30
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Hazmat-team-at-gas-leak-site-20100624
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Hazmat-team-at-gas-leak-site-20100624
Fatal gas leak in Vereeniging
2010-06-24 12:00
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Fatal-gas-leak-in-Vereeniging-20100624
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Fatal-gas-leak-in-Vereeniging-20100624
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Vuvuzelas could damage hearing, say doctors
The blast of the vuvuzela plastic horns at World Cup matches is so loud that people in close proximity could suffer hearing damage, experts said on Monday.
The sound emitted by a vuvuzela is equivalent to 127 decibels, according to a South African survey.
That makes it louder than a drum's 122 decibels, a referee's whistle at 121.8 decibels -- and close to the noise of a jet taking off at 300 metres (yards), which is around 130 decibels.
Sound bursts at such high levels "are catastrophic" for hearing, as they destroy hair cells in the inner ear, of which there is a small and non-renewable population of only 15,000, said French specialist Mireille Tardy.
Decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale, which means that every 10-point rise in the scale reflects a tenfold increase in intensity.
At a distance of two metres (six feet), "10 vuvuzelas will be 10 decibels higher and 100 vuvuzelas 20 decibels higher" than a single horn, said Christian Gelis, a professor of biophysics.
"To be exposed to this type of volume raises the risk of immediate inner-ear trauma," with lasting damage to hearing, said Gelis.
At such levels, wearing good-quality earplugs that reduce the noise by 20 decibels will eliminate the worst risks but still not bring the wearer into the safety zone, said Gelis and Tardy.
The sound emitted by a vuvuzela is equivalent to 127 decibels, according to a South African survey.
That makes it louder than a drum's 122 decibels, a referee's whistle at 121.8 decibels -- and close to the noise of a jet taking off at 300 metres (yards), which is around 130 decibels.
Sound bursts at such high levels "are catastrophic" for hearing, as they destroy hair cells in the inner ear, of which there is a small and non-renewable population of only 15,000, said French specialist Mireille Tardy.
Decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale, which means that every 10-point rise in the scale reflects a tenfold increase in intensity.
At a distance of two metres (six feet), "10 vuvuzelas will be 10 decibels higher and 100 vuvuzelas 20 decibels higher" than a single horn, said Christian Gelis, a professor of biophysics.
"To be exposed to this type of volume raises the risk of immediate inner-ear trauma," with lasting damage to hearing, said Gelis.
At such levels, wearing good-quality earplugs that reduce the noise by 20 decibels will eliminate the worst risks but still not bring the wearer into the safety zone, said Gelis and Tardy.
(Read it on Global News: Vuvuzelas could damage hearing, say doctors) (Photo credit: http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/)
Canada: Fatal Accident at Niobec Mine
Press release IAMGOLD Corporation
TORONTO, ONTARIO, -- IAMGOLD Corporation regrets to report the death of an employee in an accident this morning at its Niobec Mine, 25 kilometres northwest of Chicoutimi, Quebec. Investigations are underway by the Company and the Commission de la Sante et de la Securite du Travail du Quebec (CSST).
The Company's onsite emergency response team was immediately activated and external emergency services personnel were called to the site.
The employee's family has been notified. Mining operations have been suspended today out of respect for the family and the Niobec employees. IAMGOLD is offering assistance and support to the employee's family and the entire Niobec workforce. The immediate thoughts of IAMGOLD's Board of Directors and management are with the family, friends and co-workers of the employee.
Editor: Mark Freeman (mark.freeman@industry.nsw.gov.au)
TORONTO, ONTARIO, -- IAMGOLD Corporation regrets to report the death of an employee in an accident this morning at its Niobec Mine, 25 kilometres northwest of Chicoutimi, Quebec. Investigations are underway by the Company and the Commission de la Sante et de la Securite du Travail du Quebec (CSST).
The Company's onsite emergency response team was immediately activated and external emergency services personnel were called to the site.
The employee's family has been notified. Mining operations have been suspended today out of respect for the family and the Niobec employees. IAMGOLD is offering assistance and support to the employee's family and the entire Niobec workforce. The immediate thoughts of IAMGOLD's Board of Directors and management are with the family, friends and co-workers of the employee.
Editor: Mark Freeman (mark.freeman@industry.nsw.gov.au)
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Northeast China Finds Coal Mine Blast Cover-up, Six Dead
Extract from CRIENGLISH.com
A coal mine blast in northeast China's Liaoning Province, which caused six deaths, was exposed Tuesday after having been covered up for more than a month by the mine owner.
The explosion happened in a coal mine named Xincheng in Benxi city of Liaoning on April 10, killing six, but the owner concealed the accident, said an official with the provincial administration of coal mine safety.
The administration started investigation into the accident on May 19 after receiving a tip-off about the cover-up, the official said. Investigation into the accident is still underway.
Editor: Mark Freeman (mark.freeman@industry.nsw.gov.au)
A coal mine blast in northeast China's Liaoning Province, which caused six deaths, was exposed Tuesday after having been covered up for more than a month by the mine owner.
The explosion happened in a coal mine named Xincheng in Benxi city of Liaoning on April 10, killing six, but the owner concealed the accident, said an official with the provincial administration of coal mine safety.
The administration started investigation into the accident on May 19 after receiving a tip-off about the cover-up, the official said. Investigation into the accident is still underway.
Editor: Mark Freeman (mark.freeman@industry.nsw.gov.au)
USA: Massey Worker Calls Mine 'Ticking Time Bomb'
Extract from Wall Street Journal, USA
BECKLEY, W.Va.—A miner working at the Massey Energy Co. mine when an April 5 explosion killed 29 of his co-workers, said the Upper Big Branch mine was a "ticking time bomb," with numerous safety problems, including poor ventilation for diluting explosive methane.
Stanley "Goose" Stewart, who was 300 feet into the mine and forced to evacuate when the explosion occurred, said he worried about ventilation conditions at the mine as far back as July 2009. He also said that Massey supervisors changed the mine's ventilation controls while miners were working, in violation of federal mine laws.
"Mine management never fully addressed the air problem when it would be shut down by inspectors," Mr. Stewart said. "They would fix it just good enough to get us to load coal again." He said that more recently there were "at least two fireballs" at the working face of the mine as a result of pockets of methane.
"That area was a ticking time bomb," Mr. Stewart said.
Massey has denied that there were safety problems at its Upper Big Branch mine. In a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing Thursday, Massey Chief Executive Don Blankenship said that the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration had required the company to use a ventilation plan at the mine that was more complex and that company officials resisted. He said he didn't know if that ventilation plan played a role in the April explosion. Mr. Blankenship said that the company doesn't put production ahead of safety.
In emotional testimony Monday before a half dozen members of Congress and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, Mr. Stewart and five family members of miners who were killed at the mine testified about poor safety conditions at Massey's mine prior to the accident that they either experienced or heard about from their relatives.
Steve Morgan said his son Adam Morgan, who was 21 years old when he was killed in the accident, would talk to him in the evenings about conditions in the mine. His son was sent home a week prior to the accident because of "high gas levels," Mr. Morgan said.
He said his son also told him about high levels of potentially explosive coal dust and problems with ventilation controls including curtains that were not used properly. Mr. Morgan said management dismissed his son's concerns when he reported problems.
"The boss pulled him to the side and said, 'If you're going to be that scared of your job you need to rethink your career.'" Mr. Morgan said. He added that he tried to talk his son into quitting his job two weeks prior to the accident.
Gary Quarles, father of Gary Wayne Quarles who was killed on April 5, said regulations need to be strengthened to make inspections by MSHA more effective. "When an MSHA inspector comes onto a Massey mine property, the code words go out 'we've got a man on the property,' " Mr. Quarles said.
Mr. Quarles said he currently works for Massey at the Parker Peerless mine but is off work because of trauma he suffered as a result of losing his son. Several other family members who are also miners said they have yet to return to work because of trauma related to losing their family member.
Clay Mullins, the brother of Rex Mullins, paused in his testimony several times as he fought back tears. He said he faulted MSHA as well as Massey for not shutting down the Upper Big Branch mine. "If the operator doesn't get that mine fixed then someone has to come in and say, 'Enough is enough. We're going to shut this until this problem is corrected.' "
Mr. Mullins said he previously worked at the Upper Big Branch mine. "When I was there before, we always took care of the problems that we had," Mr. Mullins said. "But things must have changed since we left."
Rep. John Kline (R., Minn.), of the House Education and Labor Committee holding the hearing, called the testimony "tough" and "compelling." He said, "There are clearly some things that shouldn't have happened based on your testimony."
Rep. George Miller (D., Calif.), chairman of the committee, said that tipping off the company about federal safety inspections "seems like an obstruction of justice."
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin said that more needs to be done to empower miners to speak out about safety issues because many currently fear intimidation by coal operators.
"It's quite disturbing what we're hearing," Mr. Manchin said. "We know from what we're hearing today that it was a time bomb waiting to happen."
Mr. Manchin proposed putting a certified mine safety team in every mine. "I envision teams of miners in each mine that are trained and certified to identify dangerous situations" that would be "protected by law from threats, harassment or intimidation."
During the hearing, Rep. Lynn Woolsey, (D., Calif.) called for stronger mining laws, tougher penalties and better protection for whistle-blowers, in the wake of the explosion.
"It's very clear that we are going to strengthen the mining laws," she said. "We are not up to par as to where we ought to be for 2010." Ms. Woolsey also said there are too many loopholes in the process of identifying and establishing a mine with a pattern of violations and subjecting it to tougher enforcement.
Earlier Monday, Ms. Solis addressed the family members and promised accountability and a thorough investigation into explosion. "We owe them action and we owe them accountability," Ms. Solis said. "We can all honor them that justice is served on their behalf and that an accident on this level never happens again."
At the same time, Ms. Solis defended the investigation by the MSHA. "The MSHA process will allow for unprecedented public participation," Ms. Solis said. "If you have something to say you'll have an opportunity to say it."
Editor: Mark Freeman (mark.freeman@industry.nsw.gov.au)
BECKLEY, W.Va.—A miner working at the Massey Energy Co. mine when an April 5 explosion killed 29 of his co-workers, said the Upper Big Branch mine was a "ticking time bomb," with numerous safety problems, including poor ventilation for diluting explosive methane.
Stanley "Goose" Stewart, who was 300 feet into the mine and forced to evacuate when the explosion occurred, said he worried about ventilation conditions at the mine as far back as July 2009. He also said that Massey supervisors changed the mine's ventilation controls while miners were working, in violation of federal mine laws.
"Mine management never fully addressed the air problem when it would be shut down by inspectors," Mr. Stewart said. "They would fix it just good enough to get us to load coal again." He said that more recently there were "at least two fireballs" at the working face of the mine as a result of pockets of methane.
"That area was a ticking time bomb," Mr. Stewart said.
Massey has denied that there were safety problems at its Upper Big Branch mine. In a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing Thursday, Massey Chief Executive Don Blankenship said that the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration had required the company to use a ventilation plan at the mine that was more complex and that company officials resisted. He said he didn't know if that ventilation plan played a role in the April explosion. Mr. Blankenship said that the company doesn't put production ahead of safety.
In emotional testimony Monday before a half dozen members of Congress and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, Mr. Stewart and five family members of miners who were killed at the mine testified about poor safety conditions at Massey's mine prior to the accident that they either experienced or heard about from their relatives.
Steve Morgan said his son Adam Morgan, who was 21 years old when he was killed in the accident, would talk to him in the evenings about conditions in the mine. His son was sent home a week prior to the accident because of "high gas levels," Mr. Morgan said.
He said his son also told him about high levels of potentially explosive coal dust and problems with ventilation controls including curtains that were not used properly. Mr. Morgan said management dismissed his son's concerns when he reported problems.
"The boss pulled him to the side and said, 'If you're going to be that scared of your job you need to rethink your career.'" Mr. Morgan said. He added that he tried to talk his son into quitting his job two weeks prior to the accident.
Gary Quarles, father of Gary Wayne Quarles who was killed on April 5, said regulations need to be strengthened to make inspections by MSHA more effective. "When an MSHA inspector comes onto a Massey mine property, the code words go out 'we've got a man on the property,' " Mr. Quarles said.
Mr. Quarles said he currently works for Massey at the Parker Peerless mine but is off work because of trauma he suffered as a result of losing his son. Several other family members who are also miners said they have yet to return to work because of trauma related to losing their family member.
Clay Mullins, the brother of Rex Mullins, paused in his testimony several times as he fought back tears. He said he faulted MSHA as well as Massey for not shutting down the Upper Big Branch mine. "If the operator doesn't get that mine fixed then someone has to come in and say, 'Enough is enough. We're going to shut this until this problem is corrected.' "
Mr. Mullins said he previously worked at the Upper Big Branch mine. "When I was there before, we always took care of the problems that we had," Mr. Mullins said. "But things must have changed since we left."
Rep. John Kline (R., Minn.), of the House Education and Labor Committee holding the hearing, called the testimony "tough" and "compelling." He said, "There are clearly some things that shouldn't have happened based on your testimony."
Rep. George Miller (D., Calif.), chairman of the committee, said that tipping off the company about federal safety inspections "seems like an obstruction of justice."
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin said that more needs to be done to empower miners to speak out about safety issues because many currently fear intimidation by coal operators.
"It's quite disturbing what we're hearing," Mr. Manchin said. "We know from what we're hearing today that it was a time bomb waiting to happen."
Mr. Manchin proposed putting a certified mine safety team in every mine. "I envision teams of miners in each mine that are trained and certified to identify dangerous situations" that would be "protected by law from threats, harassment or intimidation."
During the hearing, Rep. Lynn Woolsey, (D., Calif.) called for stronger mining laws, tougher penalties and better protection for whistle-blowers, in the wake of the explosion.
"It's very clear that we are going to strengthen the mining laws," she said. "We are not up to par as to where we ought to be for 2010." Ms. Woolsey also said there are too many loopholes in the process of identifying and establishing a mine with a pattern of violations and subjecting it to tougher enforcement.
Earlier Monday, Ms. Solis addressed the family members and promised accountability and a thorough investigation into explosion. "We owe them action and we owe them accountability," Ms. Solis said. "We can all honor them that justice is served on their behalf and that an accident on this level never happens again."
At the same time, Ms. Solis defended the investigation by the MSHA. "The MSHA process will allow for unprecedented public participation," Ms. Solis said. "If you have something to say you'll have an opportunity to say it."
Editor: Mark Freeman (mark.freeman@industry.nsw.gov.au)
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