Archive for December, 2006

Westar delays site selection for new coal plant

Westar Energy is postponing a decision on the possible site for a new base load coal plan, wanting to allow for further study about whether a coal plant remains the most viable option, the company announced Thursday.
“Our forecasts continue to show annual increases in our customers’ needs for electricity,” says Westar CEO James Haines.
But he […]

December 29th, 2006 - Posted in Coal, Mining News

Bauxite deal still in limbo

Guyana’s President, Bharrat Jagdeo expressed concern that government was “in the dark” about a 46 million dollar buy-out by China’s Bosai Minerals Group of a 70-percent share in a bauxite company controlled by Canada’s IAMGold Corporation.
Jagdeo said his administration would not recognize the deal because the government, which holds the remaining 30 percent share in […]

December 29th, 2006 - Posted in Mining News

UPDA Continues to Diversify Revenue Sources - US Petroleum Depot Subsidiary Prepares Petroleum Storage Facilities in South Texas

US Petroleum Depot, Inc., a subsidiary of Universal Property Development and Acquisition Corporation, has finalized the infrastructure design and is preparing to permit its petroleum storage facilities located in the Port of Brownsville, Texas and will soon launch the planned trading of petroleum condensate produced in Mexico by Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) (www.pemex.com).
The storage facility […]

December 29th, 2006 - Posted in Mining News, Oil and Gas

Zimbabwe holds 16,000 over mining

The three-week-long campaign targeted settlements around the mining fields and seized large quantities of gold and diamonds, state media said.
During the raids, police officers burnt temporary homes used by panners.
Tens of thousands have turned to mining following the collapse of commercial agriculture, correspondents say.
People dig or pan for gold or diamonds, risking their lives in […]

December 29th, 2006 - Posted in Mining News

Karzai Denounces Pakistan’s Mining of Border

President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan voiced strong opposition to Pakistan’s announcement that it was going ahead with mining and fencing the border between their two countries, saying that it would only hurt the people living in the region, not stem the problem of cross-border terrorism.
“Thousands and thousands and thousands of people have been maimed and […]

December 29th, 2006 - Posted in Mining News

Town in Romania debates mine proposal

It is a classic tale of the developing world: a rich North American company discovers gold under pristine land and encourages the villagers to leave, offering money, homes in the city, soft-focus TV ads that tout the benefits of the project, and some tough talk.
International environmental groups — complete with celebrities like Vanessa Redgrave […]

December 29th, 2006 - Posted in Mining News

170 miners evacuated over underground mine fire in Donetsk region

All mining operations were suspended at a mine in Gorlovka over an underground fire on Thursday.
As many as 170 miners were evacuated urgently from the mine, no one of them was injured, the central headquarters of the state military mountain rescue service of the Ukrainian Coalmining Ministry said.

December 29th, 2006 - Posted in Mining News

Richardton ethanol plant running

The manager of a Richardton ethanol plant says he expects the plant will have ethanol ready to sell after the first of the year.
Mick Miller is the chief executive officer of the Red Trail Energy plant. He says it’s now up and running, after some delays to make sure everything was working.
Miller says the Red […]

December 29th, 2006 - Posted in Alternative Energy, Ethanol

Ethanol-driven vehicle under test in Malawi

A Malawi project investigating ethanol-based fuels is conducting road tests on an ethanol-propelled vehicle.
Supporters of the project argue that a switch to ethanol fuel would not only benefit the environment but also increase employment in the country’s sugarcane industry and save on foreign exchange spent on fuel imports.
According to Freeman Kalirani, a lead researcher on […]

December 29th, 2006 - Posted in Alternative Energy, Ethanol

Two New Ethanol Plants Planned for Iowa

Construction of two new ethanol plants in Iowa will offer area farmers stronger local demand for their corn.
Bill Todorof, chairman of Cedar River Ethanol LLC, and Unity Ethanol LLC, made double announcements Wednesday, Dec. 27 of his companies’ plan to construct two ethanol plants - one in Ottumwa and the second near Ainsworth/Columbus Junction, IA.
Technology […]

December 29th, 2006 - Posted in Alternative Energy, Ethanol