MY WORLD

[GrauGeist]

Congrats to your daughter for a job well done!

In two weeks, I will have been at this mine for three years, employee #44 out of 363. The starting elevation of the pit was 1163 meters(above sea level). The current elevation in the photo is 1025 and will go down to about 750ish or when the ore peters out. It is still expanding out to the right and the left, just by the haul truck on the ramp, and we are now stripping on the hill in the background, elev. 1066.

Aside from the fact that these were great photos, I am curious...

What does the mine do after the materials run out? Do they fill the place back in and plant seedlings or how does that all work?

Don't think I'm one of those tree-hugging dill-weeds. I was just curious what they do with such operations in this day and age. Back in the olden days, a mining operation would dig a pit and then leave it and move to the next site. We have a few hydraulic mine relics around here from the gold rush and to this day, the hillsides and canyons are still bare gravel with remnants of old water ditches and such.

 

[fubar57]

Dave, from what I've been told, every mine has to have a reclamation plan in place. This goes for the logging camps I worked in and the paper mill that shut down, everything back to nature. All the topsoil that has been removed is placed in several dumps around the site. This will be replaced once the end of life has occurred. The roads will be ripped up and replanted with trees. I seem to recall that the creek, which will be diverted, this summer, will be returned to it's original course, fill the pit, create a lake and be restocked with fish. It'll be 3 weeks before I get back to day-shifts to confirm this.



Geo

 

[GrauGeist]

Gotcha, Geo.

Here in the U.S., they've really cracked down on mining and logging, putting some heavy rules and restrictions in place.

The nearby quarry (Gray Rock) works under some heavy regulations. One of the funny stories I was told, is that they are required to build reservoirs to contain the runoff sediment, but since those catch-basins are just outside of Gray Rock proper and on government land, they have to apply for a permit to build a dam and a separate permit for a reservoir - all of which require an environmental impact study, periodic government inspections and civilian oversight. Add to this, the hippie tree-huggers that camp out in the woods across the way with thier telescopes, cameras and live video-blogs 24/7 making sure that the "evil corporation" that's "raping the land" abides by the rules...

 

[fubar57]

The tail end of a thunderstorm that shut down the pit for an hour...

This little surprise stopped the grader dead. If I catch the "protrusion"(have to be P.C. nowadays) just right and it doesn't give, it can launch the grader 10 to 14 ft off to the side.

"B"Crew photo, yours truly seated, first on the left.

 

[Gnomey]

Good shots Geo!

 

[Wurger]

 

[Shinpachi]

Nice shots!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Some great pics there Geo and congrats to the daughter on her run, that's one big grin she has.

 

[rochie]

Good stuff Geo

 

[GrauGeist]

Cool photos!

Is that a 990 everyone is gathered around?

 

[T Bolt]

 

[fubar57]

Cool photos!

Is that a 990 everyone is gathered around?

Thanks guys. Chris, that's our brand new 994, the largest Cat makes. Bucket capacity is about 32yd³ weighing about 40 tons.





Geo

 

[Crimea_River]

Great stuff Geo!

 

[GrauGeist]

Thanks guys. Chris, that's our brand new 994, the largest Cat makes. Bucket capacity is about 32yd³ weighing about 40 tons.

Geo

Gotcha!

Once they get to the 889, they are just freakin' huge!

 

[Wayne Little]

great pics George.

 

[ontos]

Nice shots Geo, congrats to your daughter she sure has a right to be proud of herself and her daddy too.

 

[fubar57]

Anatomy of a Dam, pt.II. From the left, waterside; Nag(Non-Acid Generating rock), the core is formed by "S", a clay like material, This is compacted by the sheepfoot and smooth drum roller. "F", filter. "T", transition. These two are made by crushing. "C" for common everyday dirt plus NAG.

Putting a new lift on. To the left is the water truck filling station

When the shovel has to move laterally, the operator picks up the electric cable by the "satellite", keeping the cable away from the tracks.

Occasionally, the crest of the dig face won't fall and is undercut so a dozer is called to knock it down.

View of the pit from the crusher ramp.

Geo

 

[Gnomey]

Nice shots Geo!

 

[michaelmaltby]

How's the fire situation in your neck of the woods, Geo?

 

[fubar57]

Very hot here Mr. Maltby. Visibility is reduced due to a 54,000ha. fire just west of Prince George. Fire bans are now province wide and the province has already blown it's forest fire budget. The brain dead provincial government decided not to renew it's contract with Pat Coulson who owns the Martin Mars are now suck holing to him to get him to use it for free. He has already signed a contract with another country, Japan I think so we'll see how this pays out.


Geo