Connecticut's Surprising Spot in U.S. Mining Industry's History

When we talk today of the U.S. mining industry, few of us would think to mention Connecticut. The fact remains, however, that the New England state holds an interesting place in mining history.

Connecticut's complex geologic past provided our forefathers with a substantial mineral legacy. Significant iron ore deposits, copper ore, garnets, marble, limestone, basalt and brownstone all provide or have provided for profitable mining operations in our state at one time or another (Connecticut Antique Machinery Association).

As more significant deposits of iron, copper, and other minerals were discovered in the West during the country's expansion, however, Connecticut neglected the mining of most natural resources, with one exception: pegmatite.

First mined in Connecticut in 1825, pegmatite is the source of several minerals still considered important today: feldspar, quartz, and mica. Used in electronics, these minerals are no longer mined primarily in Connecticut, and residents seeking to view pegmatite would be best served in looking for samples in museums and the homes of mineral collectors. In addition, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection owns several abandoned pegmatite quarries and allows mineral clubs access for collecting on a limited basis.

Connecticut was never considered a significant contributor of gold, but the state does contain small amounts of placer gold. Reports from prospectors in Connecticut show that panning for several hours might produce a few flakes of color; gold acquisition in the state amounts to little more than a hobby.

Although Connecticut is no longer considered a primary mining state, its past does demonstrate an interesting place in U.S. mining history. No matter where you happen to work, remember that we carry a full supply of OTR tires for all of your mining needs. Please feel free to contact us for the best deals.

Image credits:
"Flag of Connecticut" by Jean-Pierre Demailly, xrmap authors, Commons users (SVG) - from the xrmap flags collection, version 2.7. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons
Mining Museum Blasting Exhibit at CTAmachinery.com

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Brazilian Mining Downturn Not a True Reflection of the Industry

The primary source of Brazil's economic woes?

It's been a tough year for the Brazilian mining industry; however, that's not entirely their fault. Other factors have been at work. For one thing, the downturn is related in some part to the country's overall industrial downturn. Inflation, rising interest rates, and government spending cuts have worked together to weaken consumer demand.

Because everything rises and falls on leadership, Brazilians have no one to thank but their leaders. We use that term leader quite loosely in this instance. The country's president faced impeachment at the beginning of October; however, her accusers hardly fell on the side of righteousness:

The real tragedy is that in this political drama those involved are almost all villains. Within the PSDB (Social Democratic party), which narrowly lost the elections to the PT (Workers’ party) in 2014, every political hopeful is in search of a strategy to guarantee a seat in government, putting their personal ambitions above the interests of the country (The Guardian).

With such shenanigans taking place at the highest levels, is it any wonder that the country's industries are suffering?

Many have directly blamed the government for Brazil's steadily sinking GDP, claiming that the recent mining downturn is more a political problem than an industrial one. We tend to agree with this assessment.

Since we routinely ship tires to mines in both North and South America, we have a vested interest in seeing things turn around; but that's not our greatest concern. We stand with the hard-working men and women of the mining industry. We wish our Brazilian brothers and sisters the best of luck in the days to come.

If you have any questions or comments, or if you would like to hear about our latest deals, don't hesitate to contact us.

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Positive News for Beleaguered Australian Mining Industry

Amidst continued worrying reports from the much-beleaguered Australian mining industry come a few rays of sunshine.

Positive News for Beleaguered Australian Mining Industry:

First, Market Watch reports that Australia leads the iron ore mining market in recently released projections.

The Global Iron Ore Mining Market to 2020 research report says worldwide iron ore reserves were 190 billion tonnes (Bnt) as of January 2015, with Australia accounting for the largest share at 53Bnt or 27.9% of the total.

In these reports, Australia edges out other heavy hitters Brazil, Russia, China, and India to claim the top spot. Let's hope for the sake of Australian miners that the global economy picks up again soon so they can mine those reserves..

Second, Australian miners have hopes that their new prime minister Malcolm Turnbull will kickstart reforms to revive the sector. Although the changes are not unopposed, the prime minister's strong history of economic reform success has many excited about the possibilities.

Third, one silver lining of the decade-long downturn has been its effectiveness in leading recent graduates from university to diversify their skills base. Although many of these enhanced training programs have been put into place to prevent the loss of skilled and highly-trained individuals during a time of crisis, they've still served to form a more well-rounded and informed group of laborers in the end.

When the industry does turn around eventually, the sector will find itself more equipped than ever before to handle the work load. As we keep our eye on Australia's situation, we look forward to bringing you more positive news in the days to come.

Remember that we carry a full stock of OTR tires for all of your mining needs--whether at home or abroad. Please feel free to contact us with questions or to hear about our most current deals.

Image credit: "Rays of Sunshine" by Gnumarcoo - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

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Hitachi, Cat, and Terex: The Big Three of the Rigid Haul Truck Scene

When it comes to articulated and rigid haul trucks, three big names spring immediately to mind: Hitachi, Caterpillar, and Terex. All three have made a name for themselves through their product lines and are worthy of due consideration.

Hitachi

With five haul truck models currently on the market, Hitachi was proud to announce their newest two in 2015, the EH3500AC-3 and the EH4000AC-3, with 200-ton and 243.6 ton payload, respectively. Both boast increased mobility, productivity, and operability, as well as increased safety features. Bigger and safer: a killer combo.

Caterpillar

Cat has a long and proud history of producing quality mining equipment, including many models of articulated and rigid haul trucks. Their latest offering, The Cat 789D Mining Truck, claims to combine high production, availability, and payload to deliver the lowest-in-class cost per ton. We were especially interested to note that the specs include larger tire options for increased tire life (and therefore lower tire costs in the long run).

Terex

With three articulated dump trucks and four rigid haul models currently on offer, Terex can hold its own against Hitachi and Caterpillar. Their truck with the largest maximum payload is currently the TR100, built to face the steepest, deepest, and largest mines and quarries in the world. Best of all, Terex promises that the TR100 has minimum maintenance requirements, making it perfect for use in extreme conditions.

Who you got?

Who makes your favorite articulated dump truck or rigid haul truck? Terex? Caterpillar? Hitachi? Or another brand? Let us know in the comments.

No matter whose trucks you use--one of the big three or another contender--remember that we carry a full line of OTR tires for all of your mining needs. For more information on our current deals, please feel free to contact us.

Image credits (top to bottom): Hitachi Construction, Cat.com, TerexTrucks.com

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Big News in the Tire World: Two Inventions that Have Us Excited

It's come to our attention that there have been some recent developments in the tire world. Not content to keep them to ourselves, we've brought them to you for your advisement and to seek your input. Below you'll find two of the newest developments.

Two Inventions that Have Us Excited:

High-Tech Rubber that Can Heal Itself

According to our friends over at Mental Floss, a German research company may have found the solution to the flat tire problem once and for all. They've hit upon a method that allows rubber to heal itself. A procedure called vulcanization is already used by manufacturers to make tires less rigid and more durable. With the new method, however, vulcanization becomes passé. Durable could soon turn to self-healing. Check out the video below to see a demonstration of the self healing rubber.

By applying a carbon and nitrogen additive to commercial rubber, the Dresden-based chemists have created a way to avoid the need for vulcanization so that the rubber can reform bonds when they break.

"Tire Unloader" Provides a More Safe and Efficient Method to Unload Tires

A recent press release alerted us to one California inventor's recent creation: a tire-unloading ramp that simultaneously cuts down the risk of injury while also increasing efficiency. How helpful it will be would depend on the needs of those who would use it, but we have to admit that the set-up sounds interesting.

Tire Unloader would consist of an aesthetic-looking unit producible from aluminum. The unit would measure 32 inches high, 4 feet long and 1 foot wide. The ramp would feature a mud flap on its surface in order to enhance traction, a rubber traction support at the front and back of the base (for stability), and a counter. The user would place the unit in front of a stack of tires so that he or she can roll each tire down the ramp and off the truck.

We're always interested to learn more about what's going on in the world of tires. Be sure to let us know what you think of these two inventions in the comments. Do they sound practical?

If you want to learn about our latest deals, please feel free to contact us.

Image credit: Dennis Wilkinson on Flickr

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Alaska: Still a Major Player in the U.S. Mining Industry

With President Obama's recent visit to the Yukon and Arctic in the beginning of September, all eyes turned north--including ours. If Alaska's raw power and sweeping beauty are not enough to pique your interest, perhaps knowing that Alaska has long been an important player in the U.S. mining industry might give you an added reason to add the state as an item of interest.

Since President Obama became the first sitting U.S. President to visit Arctic Alaska, we thought we would use his trip as an opportunity to highlight some of the regions mining distinctives, perhaps overlooked by those of us in the "Lower 48."

Production

According to the Alaska Miners Association, Alaska has six major producing mines and eight more advanced exploration projects. Together, they're quite productive.

The AMA provides the following production statistics:

• $3 billion in gross mineral production value from Red Dog, Greens Creek, Fort Knox, Pogo, Kensington, Nixon Fork and Usibelli Coal mines, placer mines, and rock, sand, and gravel operations
• More than 300 placer mines produced 85,000 ounces of gold
• $80 million in production value from more than 120 active rock quarries, and sand and gravel operations
• Export value of $2 billion, or 38% of Alaska’s total exports (2011)

Future

The Alaskan mines have not only proven productive in the past, but they also seem to face a bright future. In one of its latest editions, North of 60 Mining News announced that although commodities prices have been in somewhat of a slump, the recent rise in gold prices has already had a positive impact on mines where gold is a primary or secondary commodity, such as Fort Knox, Pogo, Kensington, and Greens Creek mines.

Many states carry a proud mining tradition, and Alaska is no exception. We look forward to seeing more positive developments in the days to come.

Remember that we carry a full stock of OTR tires, and that we routinely ship to mines all over North America--and beyond. Feel free to contact us to ask about our current deals.

Image credit: "Flag of Alaska". Licensed under CC0 via Commons

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Canadian Mining Industry Complicit in Eritrea's Labor Scandal?

Recently, the Canadian mining industry was called out by members of United Nations for taking advantage of conscripted laborers in the small North African country of Eritrea.

Sheila Keetharuth, the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights in Eritrea who collected the evidence, said in July: “Forced labour was used, especially in the construction phase, for the simple reason that all construction [operations] are done under the government.” (The Guardian)

Since the Eritrean government can force all citizens over the age of eighteen to serve in the government or work for the military, it is not an illogical assumption that some who worked on the project could have been conscripted laborers.

Canadian-owned Nevsun Resources, however, defends its operation at the only operating mine in Eritrea, stating that they do not employ forced laborers. They have released a report conducted by an independent consulting group in which they refute the UN's claims. Furthermore, Todd Romaine, who works as the company's vice president for social responsibility, says that their mine adds value to the ongoing development in Eritrea by stemming unemployment.

We're sure we haven't heard the last of the investigations into whether or not the UN's claims are valid. Whatever the true situation, we look forward to seeing mining sectors developing in smaller countries like Eritrea--especially countries that lack industry and economic development for their people. We only hope that these developments don't come at the cost of the citizens liberty and health.

Remember that we carry a full line of OTR tires for all of your mining needs. We routinely supply mines throughout the African continent and Canada. Please contact us to hear how you can take advantage of our current deals.

Image credit: "Un-eritrea". Licensed under Public Domain via Commons

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News from the World of Loader Tires: Snippets from Around the Web

If you're trying to keep up with news from the world of loader tires, you've come to the right place. We've scoured the internet to glean the most interesting stories and put them here in one place for you, summarizing the most pertinent details for your information.

No need to thank us. It's what we do.

News from the World of Loader Tires: Snippets from Around the Web:

• "New Michelin Loader Tire Beefs Up Productivity in Heavy-Duty Applications" - This new tire demonstrates improved operational efficiency and incorporates new technology in order to form a superior product. According to the director of Michelin's North American Marketing department, "This tire enables operators to maximize their operating time and face their productivity challenges head-on. And longer tire life is better for the environment with fewer raw materials being used and fewer tires to be recycled."
• "Another truck load of tires recycled" - We're always happy to hear about recycling programs including tractor tires and loader tires. A recent drive in Coldwater, Michigan, was able to fill an entire semi-trailer with recyclable tires.
• "Manitex International, Inc. Announces Expansion of ASV Product Line" - This new line of skid steer loaders comes as a joint venture between Manitex International and the Terex Corporation, representing many years of product development. Managers involved in production expect reliability, productivity, and high customer acceptance levels, but only time will tell.

Remember that we carry a full supply of OTR tires for all of your big rig needs. Feel free to contact us at any time with any question that you might have.

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3D Printed Tires: The Future of the Tire Industry?

3D printed tires for prototype model car
via Stratasys Blog

Unless you have been hiding from the internet, chances are high that you have already heard of 3D printing, the system by which raw materials are set down, layer by layer, to build tangible objects. Although many people are aware of the process in theory, they're shaky on the specifics of how it works. This helpful graphic courtesy of T. Rowe Price demonstrates how materials such as plastics, resins, polymers, and even gold and silver are laid down, layer upon layer, in order to form a solid object. As layers form, lasers are used to solidify the substance. It is all very impressive.

Since the inception of 3D printing in the mid-1980s, it has come to be used in many different areas, including the fields of medicine, manufacturing, and transportation.

Within the automotive field specifically, 3D printing has become standard use in the building of prototypes, granting designers greater flexibility for experimentation without increasing their costs. In 2014, both Ford and Local Motors went on the record to state how heavily their design teams now depend on 3D printing during product development.

Although 3D printing is not currently used in automotive production beyond the prototype phase, there is some evidence that 3D printing will soon become a standard solution for the production of hard-to-find, out-of-stock parts or aftermarket items. Here at the Buy Big Tires office, we've been speculating if the 3d printing industry will soon branch out to include 3D printed tires. It sure would be cool when a customer called and asked for any OTR tire big or small, common or rare we could always reply: "we can have that tire printed for you today!"

VIDEO: 3D Printing a Rubber Tire with Flex EcoPLA

The idea of 3D printed tires carries its own set of pros and cons, however.

Pros of 3D printed tires:

• Accessibility. Customers would no longer need to wait for out-of-stock items; they can be printed immediately in-house.
• Affordability. By eliminating the need for the supplier to carry so much money in inventory, 3D printing lowers costs for both suppliers and consumers. What's more, the price would further decrease through reducing labor, equipment, carrying costs, and transport costs. Eventually, new tires may cost the same as used ones do now.
• Convenience. With 3D printers, customers could simply call a few hours ahead and have a new tire printed with almost any tread with any color they desire.
• Specifics. With total control, suppliers can produce a tire as heavy-duty or light as the customer's needs require.

Cons of 3D Printed Tires:

• Initial Expense. The high capital costs of industrial 3D printers could make the shift cost-prohibitive for some businesses.
• Expertise. The difficulty of working with tire materials (primarily rubber and steel) in this new way could require further research and development as well as more advanced 3D printing technology.
• Potential Infringement. Intellectual property rights of individual tires (tire tread designs, etc.) must be taken into consideration. If the manufacturers hold these rights, would individual businesses be required to pay royalties for the right to print their own tires with these tread designs?

Perhaps these aren't so much cons as they are potential hurdles. However, with so many distinct advantages in the offing, doesn't it seem prudent for the tire industry to give 3D printing a shot?

We're curious to hear your feedback on this. Do you see 3D printing as the future of the tire industry? Do you recognize potential advantages and disadvantages that we have failed to mention? Be sure to sound off in the comment section. We'd love to hear from you.

If you have further questions or comments, please feel free to contact us.

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