THE GOLD INSTITUTE SUPPORTS MINING REFORM
The Gold Institute, Washington, hailed the recently introduced mining law reform legislation as a means of protecting the future viability of the hardrock mining industry while ensuring strong environmental protection and generating millions of dollars in federal revenues. The bipartisan bill is sponsored
by Senators Larry Craig (R-ID), Harry Reid (D-NV), and Frank Murkowski (R-AK), chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
"Passage of this legislation would ensure the survival of the domestic gold industry," says John Lutley, president of the Gold Institute. "The goal of any mining law reform should be to protect high-paying American jobs, prevent environmental degradation of our natural resources and produce a fair return to the federal treasury. This legislation meets that test."
Key provisions of the bill include the imposition of a 3 percent net royalty on all minerals produced on federal lands, with an exemption for small miners; charging fair market value for the surface value of the land, ending the current $2.50 to $5 per acre fee; requiring miners to comply with all applicable federal and state environmental laws and state reclamation programs; and creation of an Abandoned Mine Lands Program that directs a significant portion of the royalty receipts to fund state clean-up programs.
ALCHEM/DAIKI JOINT AGREEMENT
Alchem Aluminum, Coldwater, Mich., has signed an agreement with Daiki Aluminum, Japan’s largest secondary aluminum producer, and Toyota Tsusho America, Detroit. The technical cooperation agreement provides for the exchange of technical information between Alchem and Daiki, and allows Daiki to provide technical support to customers of both Alchem and Toyota Tsusho throughout North America.
The agreement will allow Alchem customers to draw on Daiki’s long experience in metal recycling. The technical support from Daiki will include analysis of and continuous improvement data on the alloy itself, suggestions for cost reduction, engineer’s visits to customer plants and specialized reporting designed to customer specifications.
NI-CD BATTERIES POWER FRENCH AUTOS
Forty-six out of 50 electric vehicles in a La Rochelle, France, demonstration project are powered by nickel cadmium batteries produced by Saft, Valdosta, Ga. These batteries, manufactured in Saft’s Bordeaux plant, have met and exceeded all expectations of battery life and performance since the project’s beginning in December 1993.
According to Jacques Mollard, director general of technical services for the city of La Rochelle, ni-cd batteries can be recharged frequently and accept rapid recharging. The batteries have accumulated 600,000 miles to date with no problems, and are nearly 100 percent recyclable at Saft’s recycling facilities. All metals and plastics are recycled, and the re-claimed cadmium is used in the making of new ni-cd batteries.
FEBRUARY STEEL SHIPMENTS UP
Shipments of steel mill products by U.S. mills in February were up 9.2 percent from shipments in the same month of 1994, according to the American Iron & Steel Institute, Washington.
The U.S. steel industry shipped 7.79 million net tons of steel in February, compared with 7.14 million in February 1994. February’s shipments were down 4.1 percent from the 8.12 million net tons shipped in January.
A year-to-year comparison of the first two months’ shipments shows the following changes within significant market classifications: service centers and distributors, up 6.1 percent; automotive, up 6.0 percent; construction and contractors’ products, up 17.4 percent; oil and gas, up 33.1 percent; machinery, industrial equipment and tools, up 20.3 percent; appliances, utensils and cutlery, down 3.3 percent; containers, packaging and shipping materials, down 14.6 percent; and electrical equipment, up 27.8 percent.
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