Attention, Students: U.S. Mining Industry a Viable Career Option

When asked what they want to be when they want to grow up, not many small children would mention the US mining industry, but perhaps that's only because many of them lack awareness of those sorts of jobs. After all, lessons about industry and "community helpers" in kindergartens and primary schools across the country focus on careers that tend to enjoy a lot of public face time: doctors, fire fighters, nurses, police officers, and so forth.

Unless youth grow up in areas where mining is prominent, many of them might overlook career opportunities that may actually be perfect for them. Although some students might find the idea of a mining career off-putting, not all mining jobs involve going down into the mines and, well mining. The industry needs engineers, marketing directors, mechanics, geologists, upper-level managers, and so forth.

The good news is that the U.S. academic world brims with degrees that make mining careers possible. Not only that, there so many schools that have earned reputations for producing high-quality employees that Mining Global put together this list to help students pursue the best of the best.

Perhaps the time has come for high school teachers and academic advisers to be more proactive about the wide array of jobs available within the U.S. mining industry and the benefit of earning specific degrees from schools well-respected for their contributions to mining. Not only would the students benefit from being better informed, but the industry itself would benefit from an increase in qualified, well-educated employees.

Remember that we carry a full complement of big tires for all of your mining needs. Feel free to contact us for the best deals.

Image credit: "Monroe Community College Graduation" by David Maiolo - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

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Big Tires, Big Fires: A Few Thoughts on Fire Prevention

If you're interested in learning more about devastating tire fires, you won't have to look far. A quick internet search reveals tales of fires at tire-shredding companies, junkyards, tire warehouses, and landfills. After some careful reading, you'll note that some articles are preventative, highlighting proposed solutions to ward off danger, while others are merely descriptive, chronicling the destruction as fires blazed out of control.

Although the EPA does not consider tires a hazardous waste product, they do note the dangers of tire fires and recommend caution, since once tire fires start, they are very difficult to extinguish.

According to California's Rubber Manufacturer's Association, one of the best preventative measures is simply to keep tires from piling up in the first place. According to their report, finding alternative uses for big tires is the first and best step toward accomplishing this. (For more ideas on this, see our previously-published posts here and here).

Of course, this suggestion does not apply to tire wholesalers and shipping companies, who must keep a stock of tires on hand. They are encouraged to follow the most current protocols for storing and distributing big tires. This would include conforming to all local, state, and national fire codes.

Please note that as purveyors of big tires, we always consider the safety of our employees and customers first.

No matter what your big tire needs, we are the ones to call. Please feel free to contact us for the best deals.

Big Tires, Big Fires: A Few Thoughts on Fire Prevention appeared first on BuyBigTires.com.

Are you going to the 2015 OTR Tire Conference?

If you are going to the TIA 2015 OTR Tire Conference, then be sure to drop by and see us at our table. We are a general sponsor of the conference this year and we are looking forward to seeing all you too! To learn more about this year's conference, please visit TIA's website.


We also have some OTR tires that we are looking to move this week.

5pc - 45-65R45 Michelin XLDD2 - $18,500.00 each

4pc - 1800R33 Michelin X-Quarry - $4,600.00 each

2pc - 20.5R25 Michelin X-Mine - $3,650.00 each

2pc - 23.5R25 Titan STL3 - $2,150.00 each

2pc - 17.5x25 Xtreme 20ply L5S - $600.00 each

All prices are in USD, and plus freight. If you have any questions please let us know. We look forward to hearing from you. Contact us to purchase any of the above or to get a freight quote.

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Australian Mining Industry Wobbling as Commodities Plummet

Amid reports of falling commodities prices, the Australian mining industry's response does not strike a note of confidence. First, it's been reported that with the slump in mining comes a natural trend away from mining-related office space. Global property news service PropertyWire reports a substantial drop in the number of square meters reserved for such purpose. Second, the miners themselves face concerns; after all, if their export markets shrink, the number of employed workers will naturally shrink as well. According to ABC Rural, as commodity prices tumble, investors are also starting to walk away. None of these factors are good for morale, of course. Neither is the fact that some workers have already lost their jobs.

"We've just lost 140 workers at Prominent Hill, which is 20 kilometres further up the road," [a source] said. "So that's already 140 people already back in the unemployed section looking for work. It doesn't look good for people at the moment" (Rural).

Unfortunately, the disheartening news doesn't stop there. On top of everything else, the Australian government has also been accused of shady financial practices intended to save the iron ore sector. According to one American iron ore miner, the government is "'manipulating' its currency to save iron ore experts," although at the time this blog post is being written, this accusation comes from only a single voice. We'll keep an eye out for other news stories and voices claiming the same. It's our hope that the situation in Australia will turn around soon; that jobs will be saved; and the industry will maintain the solid reputation that it has held for decades. The commodities markets are notorious for their big price swings and we sincerely hope that the recent slump in commodity prices turns around due to renewed demand as soon as possible. Remember that we carry a full complement of OTR tires for all of your mining needs. We routinely ship mining equipment tires to Australian mines. For the best deals around, contact us!  

Image credit: Flag of Australia at Wikimedia Commons. Yellow line arrow added in house.

Australian Mining Industry Wobbling as Commodities Plummet appeared first on BuyBigTires.com

Falling Oil Prices Signal Cost Reduction for Rigid Haul Truck Operation

There's no getting around the practical uses of rigid haul trucks. Without them, the huge loads of the mining industry would be impossible to transport to processing without massive human effort. But there's also no getting around the fact that most heavy moving equipment isn't exactly fuel efficient. That's why the falling oil prices have mining executives feeling cautiously optimistic. Not only do the falling prices benefit the consumer directly through decreased prices at the pumps, but the falling prices have the added benefit of reducing the cost of mining and shipping--which in turn leads to further cost efficiencies down the road. We have no guarantee that the low oil prices will continue to fall or remain static in the short to medium term. To that end, researchers and developers are encouraged to continue in their quest to make heavy equipment more fuel efficient. According to the Rocky Mountain Institute, an organization that had some early success as of 2008, there's still a long way to go in this area:

Within existing technological and logistical constraints, these innovations (which don't include such further opportunities as hybrid-electric powertrains or auxiliary power units to displace idling) could thus cut the average fuel used to move each ton of freight by ~64 percent. This would annually save the current U.S. Class 8 fleet about four billion gallons of diesel fuel and 45 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions (Rocky Mountain Institute - Download the PDF abstract here).

Of course, the best possible solution would be continued advancements in the area of fuel efficiency coupled with continued falling oil prices, but we're not sure how future circumstances will favor such an alignment. As the old saying goes, it's hard to make predictions, especially about the future. Remember that we carry a full array of big tires for all of your rigid haul trucks, from 130T up to Ultra Class. Feel free to contact us for the best deals.

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Front End Loaders: Unsung Heroes of Winter Storm Juno

When you think of front end loaders and other heavy moving equipment, winter may not be the first thought to spring to mind; however, the fact remains that for many people living in the Northeast, these machines are the season's unsung heroes. Not only do front end loaders help to keep roadways clear and deal with piles of snow after major storms, but they also come in handy in the event of other disasters as well. Take, for example, an incident that occurred during the recent mega blizzard that blanketed the Northeast in early January: the storm which the media nicknamed Snowpocalypse Juno. Two days after Juno dumped several feet of snow on a southern Maine town, a local apartment complex caught fire. As if that weren't disaster enough, a poorly-plowed driveway almost lead to further destruction:

“The snow was a huge, huge impediment. We couldn’t get the trucks in the driveway,” [the fire chief] said. “There’s no excuse for that. They need to take responsibility for their building.” Firefighters had to haul hose lines through 3-foot snowdrifts from the street to the building before they could start trying to extinguish the fire (Portland Press Herald).

Fortunately, a front end loader was brought in later to help clear the snow, ensuring that in the event of a further emergency situation, rescue vehicles would have access to the building. Do you have any stories to share about heavy equipment being used to clean up after Winter Storm Juno? Share them with us in the comments. Whether you use your loader to clear snow, earth, rock, or sand, remember that we carry a full supply of loader tires. Feel free to contact us for the best deals.

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