The announcement by SAMSSA came at the annual Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention and trade show in Toronto last March.

For SAMSSA Executive Director Paul Bradette, the new name and logo represent much more than a rebranding: they serve to connect MineConnect members to all of Northern Ontario and the entire global mining community.

“Part of that brand change was to let our members and non-members know we have undergone a significant organizational change and now offer a more in-depth value proposition to support our membership in growing their business,” says Bradette.

Taking over from Dick DeStefano, who had lead the Sudbury-based organization since 2003, Bradette points out that the rebranding now encompasses far more than just Northern Ontario’s largest city. “We wanted to be more inclusive,” he says. “We wanted to truly be a pan-northern Ontario organization that represented the interests of the mining supply and services sector.”

New name, renewed vision
Taking over the organization in March 2019, Bradette was the ideal candidate to replace DeStefano, who was earlier quoted by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) in May 2019, saying that “[Sudbury] would have stayed invisible” were it not for SAMSSA bringing together “manufacturers, service providers and financiers.”

Among the many responsibilities of the new executive director — direction, leadership, and collaboration with all levels of government are just a few — DeStefano’s replacement needed to possess significant knowledge of the mining sector, be a relationship-builder, and have experience in creating and leading trade missions outside the Province of Ontario.

Prior to MineConnect, Bradette’s roles included that of a Trade and Investment Specialist for over 15 years at the Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines. Initially working as a northern development advisor and later a trade and investment specialist, he led about 45 international trade missions within the mining supply and services space to Australia, Chile, South Africa and other locations.

Responsible for developing and implementing the Mining Supply and Services Export Assistance Program, Bradette was also behind many reverse trade missions, which saw some of the world’s biggest mining companies visiting suppliers in Northern Ontario.

Working with an intern marketing person and a part-time director of membership relations, Bradette and MineConnect now represent upwards of 190 member companies, which range from small operations with one or two employees to major listed companies.

Membership has its perks
Employing around 23,000 workers, generating $1.7 billion in yearly salaries and benefit, and producing some $5.5 billion in annual revenue, Northern Ontario’s mining supply and services sector is a force of nature.

Serving this redoubtable industry, MineConnect strives to provide member companies with a competitive edge both in Canada and internationally. From lead generation to events and trade missions to connecting with others in the growing mining industry, the benefits of becoming a corporate or associate member of MineConnect are many.

Information-packed and easy to navigate, MineConnect’s website at https://mineconnect.com/ features a ‘Find a Supplier’ section. Here, suppliers can be searched for by keyword or through one of a dozen convenient links to specialties like blasting, bulk handling equipment, health and safety, mobile mining equipment, and battery electric vehicles.

This lead generation component is a tremendous asset for members of MineConnect, which recently launched a regional and international marketing campaign.

“Whether they are mining operators, contractors, or EPCMs [engineering, procurement and construction managers], this drives them to our website so they can source out whatever solution they’re looking for,” says Bradette. “Our intent is to get the eyes of the mining world on this cluster. Some of the best innovations in mining today were born in Northern Ontario and through these companies, so our goal is to shine a light on this.”

No matter where mining businesses are located worldwide, it is easy for them to go to the website, navigate to the exact category, and find the products and solutions they need.

Best of all, anyone clicking on the members, through the website, directs inquiries straight to the member’s inbox, because, naturally, they themselves are best qualified to respond to questions.

MineConnect members also have access to additional resources including mining contacts, an operational map of Ontario mines, a list of mines coming online, funding programs, and other valuable resources to smooth their way.

“At the end of the day, our primary mandate here is helping our members grow their business,” says Bradette, “and that’s what we are all about. Our mission statement is ‘Suppliers of Choice to the World.’ Everything we do is in support of pushing that mission statement forward.”

The rise of BEVs
Worldwide, Battery Electric Vehicles — BEVs for short — are taking the mining sector by storm.

Although BEVs have been in existence for decades, recent years have seen advances in technology bring dramatic improvements in efficiency and cost saving. Since they neither use polluting fuel like diesel nor consume oxygen while operating, BEVs are ideal for underground use. Vibrating less than their gas-powered counterparts, BEVs also generate little heat and noise, producing far better working conditions for employees.

Fully aware of the many benefits of BEVs, MineConnect acts on behalf of its members involved in this pioneering industry. Following a trade mission to Chile last year, the organization invited executives from Chilean state-owned copper-mining company Codelco to visit Sudbury, and four different mine sites, and meet representatives from several companies involved in BEVs.

“Quite frankly, we are leaders in battery electric vehicles,” says Bradette. “Northern Ontario was the first to develop a BEV; we were the first in Northern Ontario to adopt it; and we were the first fully electric mine to do full adoption, so that’s pretty significant. We continue to be leaders in the space.”

Along with other major advances in health and safety and tel-robotics, including remote control and collision avoidance technology, BEVs represent just how sophisticated mining has become.

“Mining is a very innovative industry, and people that aren’t involved in it probably don’t get a full appreciation of some of the innovations it makes,” Bradette says. “We’ve got companies that are replicating the Amazon model and are doing it 5,000 or 6,000 feet underground.”

U.S. expansion
Although COVID-19 continues to affect the global economy, Bradette says the virus has resulted in few shutdowns, since mining is an essential industry. “So I think in comparison to any other sector, we’ve done remarkably well,” he shares.

“People need to understand that perspective. As an association it impacts our value proposition because it is built on network and events and conductivity with members — that’s taken a bit of a backseat — and we’ve had to re-purpose, like everybody else. I think also with our suppliers the key piece is getting to trade shows, because they want to showcase their technology.”

While some major trade show opportunities like MINExpo INTERNATIONAL®, which is held every four years, have been cancelled or rescheduled because of the pandemic, Bradette believes MineConnect and its members will emerge a lot stronger, owing to the sector’s willingness to adapt to new technologies.

Other major events like PDAC have announced that their 2021 event will be entirely virtual. “We will still have a presence. We need to be there, there is absolutely no doubt.”

Looking forward to the future and a post-COVID world, MineConnect will also be opening a new office in Elko, Nevada in March. Bradette has travelled to Elko – famous worldwide for its gold mining – many times, and has formed a network. Close to other mining states including Arizona and Utah, Nevada is ideal for growing a new arm of MineConnect.

“I think that market is ready now,” he says. “Over the last decade, they’ve transitioned quite a bit into hard rock, which is what we specialize in, as opposed to open pit. So I think there is tremendous opportunity.”

Planning to hire a coordinator to set up meetings and trade shows and recruit Nevada operators to visit Northern Ontario post-COVID, Bradette believes this value proposition will support MineConnect members and help develop new markets.

“The intent here is to get the global mining community’s eyes on this very specific cluster,” he says. “Innovations that have come out of Northern Ontario and these companies have really changed the face of mining in a number of different ways, and it’s our objective to get more eyes on it – whether regionally or internationally – so others can discover technologies that are available now. We will continue to do the research and development necessary to remain leaders – it’s one thing getting there, and it’s something different to stay on top of the hill.”

The post Digging Deep to Improve Mining Technology Worldwide<p class="company">MineConnect</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

Established in 1961, the group was led by various municipal managers and supervisors in southern California who were already focused on sanitation and waste collection worker safety. Originally, it was named the Governmental Refuse Collection and Disposal Association (GRCDA) and it directed most of its attention toward training and information sharing. Today, SWANA has approximately 11,000 members in 47 chapters throughout the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Basin.

Membership in SWANA comes with a diverse range of benefits for various companies and agencies affiliated with the solid waste industry. “One of the primary benefits is being part of the large SWANA community, which provides networking and information-sharing opportunities at state and provincial chapter meetings and events, national conferences such as WASTECON, and digitally through our webinars and on-line forum,” explained Biderman.

Another advantage of SWANA membership is education through industry-leading certification programs. The organization certifies more than 500 people each year and the most popular certification is the Manager of Landfill Operations (MOLO) program.

In the United States, SWANA has recently expanded its advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C. with Congress and federal agencies. Its objective is to address a wide variety of important topics impacting solid waste employers and employees, and one of the most notable of these is safety.

SWANA’s website states that solid waste collection employees have the fifth highest fatality rate in the United States. There are numerous safety hazards associated with solid waste collection, processing, and disposal such as vehicular accidents and exposure to medical waste and dangerous materials. SWANA is committed to improving safety and has developed various programs and initiatives to protect employees in the field of solid waste collection. “SWANA believes that every solid waste worker should be able to go home at the end of his or her shift safely, and that every solid waste employer has a responsibility to provide the tools and resources to help make that happen,” said Biderman.

The national epidemic of distracted driving as a result of the widespread use of cellphones has worsened the hazardous conditions for waste collectors. Over the past several decades, there has been a significant increase in the number of times a garbage collector was hit by another vehicle and that number has continued to rise. With a substantial number of collectors on the street all over the country, there is a high risk of injury or death with distracted drivers on the road. SWANA is helping to mitigate this problem through advocacy. It is pushing for states to increase the penalties against drivers who drive into collection workers or garbage trucks, similar to the heightened penalties for accidents involving emergency responders. The initiative has been successful in much of the U.S., with 30 states giving special protection to solid waste workers. These laws are known as “Slow Down to Get Around” laws, and additional information can be found on SWANA’s website: swana.org.

Other examples of SWANA’s dedication to improving safety in the solid waste industry include: providing state-of-the-art safety training at its national conferences and through its state chapters; establishing a Safety Ambassador program several years ago that appoints a safety ambassador in each SWANA chapter as a principal resource for members at the local level; hosting Hauler Safety Outreach events at disposal facilities, beginning in 2018, which provide an opportunity to reach many front-line drivers and helpers who are not SWANA members; and asking solid waste employers to take a Safety Pledge declaring they agree not to work in an unsafe manner. As of March 1, 2020, more than 3,500 people had taken the Safety Pledge. SWANA will continue to provide valuable information and resources that help to reduce fatalities, accidents, and injuries – though this goal comes with its fair share of hurdles.

One of the principal challenges facing the solid waste collection industry is that, even though it is recognized as an essential service, it is not compensated as such. If the cost of garbage collection is compared to any other utility service including electricity, cable TV, or water, garbage collection costs significantly less. For approximately 15 to 25 dollars a month, $300,000 trucks are sent to people’s homes each week to pick up and transport their waste and recycling.

COVID-19 is the latest example demonstrating how essential solid waste collection is to the public. As people quarantined themselves, garbage collection continued because otherwise it would lead to adverse public health threats. People are accustomed to paying very little for such an important service, and hopefully one silver lining to the pandemic will be an increased appreciation for the essential service of garbage collection. The maker of Glad garbage bags teamed with SWANA to develop a “Sanitation Workers Support Fund” to recognize waste collection workers and provide money to those workers who tested positive for COVID-19 or to their family if they died.

Notwithstanding COVID-19, the solid waste industry requires collectors to work in a very unpredictable environment. They work in all types of weather conditions and have no control over what is put into the trash. This is a work setting that can be challenging on a daily basis, which makes it difficult to attract and retain workers. “Although many six-year-olds are fascinated by garbage trucks, not a lot of people grow up wanting to be in the solid waste industry, so we have difficulty recruiting and retaining qualified workers, particularly as drivers or mechanics,” shared Biderman. To overcome this challenge, SWANA supports efforts in the industry to expand the use of social media to recruit younger workers. It also encourages reaching out to veterans coming out of the military who have the technical skills to operate heavy equipment.

SWANA also recently began a Young Professionals program to recruit younger employees aged 22 to 35 into the association. The concept is to make it easier for these new generations of employees to participate in the organization and give them the opportunity to network with each other. The program has grown rather rapidly and now has nearly 1000 young professionals, also known as YPs. The YPs make up nearly ten percent of the association and they are a welcome source of energy and new ideas. SWANA has also made its membership free for any full-time college student. “We want to try to attract students into our industry because it’s a terrific industry to be part of. The people are great, it’s very recession-resistant, and there’s opportunity for professional growth and success,” explained Biderman.

The International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) connects solid waste management companies and organizations around the world to resources and to each other. SWANA is the U.S. and Canadian representative for the IWSA. Outside of North America, Australia, and Europe, solid waste management is often found to be lacking in rigorous environmental, health and safety regulation. SWANA has been working closely with other members of the ISWA to implement more effective safety standards around the world.

“It’s a long-term goal of ISWA to make safety a higher profile activity of the organization and I expect that SWANA will play a leading role in helping to make that happen,” said Biderman.

Toward this goal, in early 2019 the organization applied for and was awarded a U.S. State Department grant to conduct landfill training and capacity building in Colombia. Through this effort SWANA aims to help that region bring a strong, safe regulatory structure to solid waste management. SWANA sent a team of experts to a number of Colombian landfills to assess the current operations and met with regulatory officials from all of the agencies that regulate various aspects of landfill operations in that region. A specialist was brought on to analyze the gap between Colombian and U.S. regulatory standards, and Colombian landfill operators came to the United States in November 2019 for a tour of modern American landfills and to meet with government officials. A week-long classroom training program in Bogota was scheduled to take place in June, and that will be replaced by a virtual educational program likely to occur later this summer. SWANA expects more than one hundred participants from throughout Latin America in this program, which will be free.

In December 2020, SWANA will begin to develop a new five-year strategic plan and hopes that it will be as successful as its 2015 strategic plan, which helped the organization grow from 8,200 to more than 11,000 members over five years. “The solid waste industry is always changing and SWANA continues to change as well. We are diversifying our educational offerings to provide more digital training opportunities, and updating MOLO to incorporate the latest technological and other operational innovations,” said Biderman.

The solid waste industry is often overlooked, but it should be appreciated as a critical service that is essential to the quality of life within every community all over North America. SWANA has established itself as a leader in safety and advocacy for this critical industry. As its chapters continue to expand, and its leaders fight for its members’ interests, SWANA is helping to make solid waste collection a safer and more efficient process.

“SWANA is an essential resource for the solid waste industry. Regardless of whether you work for a governmental agency, small hauler, big company, or a company that sells to the industry, you should be an active member of SWANA.”

The post Advocating for Safety in the Solid Waste Industry<p class="company">The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA)</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

“Texas is the number one oil and natural gas-producing state in the country. Many sources have described our state as an energy superpower in its own right. Texas alone produces forty percent of the crude oil in the U.S. and the Permian Basin [in Texas and New Mexico] is the most productive oil field in the world,” states TXOGA President, Todd Staples.

He adds, “No matter how diversified our state’s economy has become, oil and natural gas remains the backbone of the Texas economy and has been the catalyst for fueling our state’s success.”

Indeed, the statistics are astonishing. In 2017, the Texas oil and natural gas sector was worth $463 billion and accounted for twenty-nine percent of gross state product (GSP). Some 348,570 people were employed in the industry, earning an average salary of $129,991.

Founded in 1919, TXOGA is the biggest and oldest state-wide trade association that speaks for this enormous sector.

TXOGA “represents every facet of the oil and gas industry from small independents to major producers. Collectively, the membership of TXOGA produces more than ninety percent of Texas crude oil and natural gas. Our members operate over eighty percent [of Texas] refining capacity, and they’re responsible for the vast majority of our state’s pipeline,” explains Staples.

TXOGA is marking its centenary in various ways. The association’s members are funding the renovation of an oil and natural gas exhibit at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin. The revamped exhibit will be unveiled this fall as part of TXOGA’s centenary celebrations.

“We’re sharing stories from men and women of the industry and [highlighting] the innovation that has revolutionized the industry and the environmental progress that we have made over one hundred years,” he states. As it enters its second century, TXOGA is focused on “ensuring that Texas remains a competitive place to do business,” says Staples.

“We have four focal points for association activities that we address: legislation, regulation, judicial affairs, and public affairs. We have a strong member-supported committee structure and mobilize representatives of our member companies that have expertise. There is no other organization in the state that can marshal the spectrum of expertise on industry issues like TXOGA can,” he continues.

Membership in TXOGA offers other benefits as well. “Safety is the number one priority of our member companies. So, TXOGA has a workers’ compensation safety group. Along with others, this group produces safety modules that are available for training purposes. We have a very strong workers’ compensation insurance program through Texas Mutual that offers affordable and quality workers’ comp benefits to eligible member companies. We also have a partnership with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas that makes it possible for small businesses to provide affordable group health insurance coverage to its employees through our Association Health Plan,” he states.

The association engages in robust promotional and lobbying activities. Most of the latter is directed at the Texas Legislature, though some issues, such as environmental reviews and interstate projects, involve federal officials. TXOGA works with state legislators to keep taxation rates fair and regulations reasonable.

Public education also plays a big part in what TXOGA does. The association strives to highlight the role of oil and natural gas in the Texas economy. As Staples points out, you do not have to work for the sector to benefit from it. Texas oil and natural gas companies paid $14 billion in state royalties and state and local taxes in the fiscal year 2018, an increase of twenty-seven percent from the previous fiscal year. Between fiscal years 2007 and 2018, state royalties and taxes paid by the industry added up to more than $133 billion.

This money is used to finance road construction, support first responders, and fund education. Texas currently boasts a $44 billion Permanent School Fund and a $22.6 billion Permanent University Fund, both of which are funded with oil and natural gas royalties. The Texas Permanent School Fund supports public school education from kindergarten through grade twelve in Texas and recently became the largest educational endowment in the nation.

TXOGA also wants to educate the public about the benefits of hydraulic fracturing, also known as ‘fracking,’ a practice much criticized by environmentalists. Fracking allows oil and natural gas companies to access formerly unreachable deposits. The ‘shale revolution’ as it has been dubbed has proven to be a massive benefit for America, says Staples.

“Consumers should fully be informed that fracking is the reason we have access to affordable and reliable energy sources today. The shale revolution has elevated the United States to become the number one oil and natural gas producer on the planet. Because of the shale revolution, the U.S. is far less dependent on other nations for our energy needs. We have become a major energy exporter – something that was unthinkable a decade ago,” he says.

Tapping into new domestic supplies of oil and natural gas means more than just cheap fuel for your car. According to TXOGA, roughly ninety-six percent of everyday consumer items from laptops and shampoo to cellphones, eyeglasses and medical devices are fashioned from petrochemicals.

“Study after study has confirmed that fracking does not harm drinking water or air quality regardless of the misinformation campaigns that people are exposed to. Expanding the use of natural gas produced through fracking is one of the reasons carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. are near thirty-year lows,” insists Staples.

On that same note, TXOGA is determined to publicize efforts the oil and natural gas sector has made to create a cleaner environment. “Our industry truly stands out as the leading investor in zero- and low-carbon technology. Our industry is a leader in carbon sequestration and capture technology,” he says.

According to TXOGA, the oil and natural gas industry invested over $300 billion in greenhouse gas mitigating technologies between the years 2000 and 2016. Thanks to industry-financed research and development and refiners producing cleaner gasoline and diesel fuels, new cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs give off roughly ninety-nine percent fewer emissions than vehicles did in 1970, reports TXOGA.

The association supports pipelines as the safest method of transporting natural gas and oil and notes that under Texas regulations, oil and natural gas-producing wells must meet strict building standards. Wells must feature multiple layers of cement and steel to protect groundwater and they are rigorously tested before being put to use.

Staples also cites the Environmental Partnership, an initiative of many U.S. oil and gas companies to share best practices to reduce methane emissions and implement other green measures.

The industry’s efforts “are working. Methane emissions from oil and natural gas systems are down fourteen percent from 1990 to 2017 all the while production has skyrocketed,” he says.

While supportive of an all-of-the-above energy approach, including renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power, TXOGA wants the public to understand that “oil and natural gas will continue to be the dominant energy provider for the foreseeable future, as these resources are the only ones capable of delivering the reliable, affordable, and abundant energy our nation demands,” explains Staples.

Being the dominant energy provider comes with its own set of challenges, however. “With record production and all forecasts indicating we will continue to grow, our state needs expanded infrastructure to transport oil and gas to communities and to our export facilities. We know there are billions of dollars in pipeline projects planned and underway that will produce thousands of jobs and substantial revenues, and will add to our energy strength and energy security. Developing this infrastructure is absolutely essential to remaining the dominant world player and for our own domestic energy security,” he notes.

He forecasts a bright future, for both the Texas natural gas and oil industry and the association that represents this sector.

“This industry is committed to partnering tried and proven technology with innovation and ingenuity in order to address challenges and environmental issues. I see no signs of slowing down. Our industry partners are committed to safety and environmentally responsible methodologies and will continue to be the world leaders. At TXOGA, our responsibility is to be a strong advocate for the industry and to be partners for growth,” states Staples.

The post Fueling the Economy, Enhancing Security and Improving the Environment<p class="company">The Texas Oil and Gas Association</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.