AZGS bills pass House Committee


The House Energy & Natural Resources Committee late this afternoon unanimously passed SB1171, dealing with statutory language clean-up following the consolidation of ADMMR and AZGS last summer, and SB1299, the sunset reauthorization of AZGS for 10 years. Now, the measures go to the full House for consideration.

The bills previously passed the Arizona Senate without discussion.
READ MORE - AZGS bills pass House Committee

More lawsuits over northern Arizona mining ban


The National Mining Association and the Nuclear Energy Institute filed suit against the U.S. Interior Dept. today, to overturn the 20 year ban on mineral exploration and mining on roughly 1 million acres of federal land in northern Arizona [right, hatched areas. Credit, BLM]. The case is National Mining Association v. Salazar, U.S. District Court, District of Arizona.

Gregory Yount, who heads up an Arizona mining company with claims in the area, filed suit earlier this month.

Arizona congressmen from the region tried to attach a rider to a federal transportation bill a couple of weeks ago, to remove the ban, but it failed on procedural grounds.

The Arizona [Flagstaff] Daily Sun editorialized last month that the issue over uranium mining are not as clear as most of the news coverage suggests:

There is no doubt a symbolic message being sent to tourists around the world when the Obama administration imposes a 20-year moratorium on uranium mining in a million-acre buffer zone around Grand Canyon National Park.

It reinforces the image of the Canyon as so special a place that this nation will take special measures to isolate it from industrial encroachment.

But for those of us living and working in the Grand Canyon region, the message is a little more murky. We know that mining will continue, that the risks are less clear-cut than the ban suggests, that regulations and enforcement needed to address those risks that are present are less than adequate, and that the underlying law is now a century and a half out of date.

In other words, it's a lot more complicated than the partisans on either side of this week's pronouncement would have you believe.

And "Depleted Cranium: the Bad Science Blog" takes on the misperception among many that the Grand Canyon itself was in danger of being mined.
READ MORE - More lawsuits over northern Arizona mining ban

Asarco celebrates 100 years in Arizona


Asarco celebrated its 100th anniversary of operations in Arizona, on Feb. 24. Ryan Randazzo of the Arizona Republic wrote up a nice short history of the company, concluding with a list of its current operations:

Ray and Hayden operations: A large open-pit mine, two concentrators, smelter and other facilities in Pinal and Gila counties. Produced 83.3 million pounds of copper cathode and 350.3 million pounds of copper anode in 2010. Spent $294.5 million on materials, energy, supplies, etc. that year. Employs about 1,400 people. [Right, Hayden stack. My photo]

Mission complex: Five open-pit mines in Pima County. Produced $183.9 million pounds of copper concentrates in 2010 and spent $118.4 million that year, including $35.4 million in royalties to the state and $23.4 million to the Tohono O'odham Nation. Employs about 600 people.

Silver Bell: Four open-pit mines in Pima County. Produced 46.3 million pounds of copper cathode in 2010 and spent $25 million that year. Employs about 155 people.

In addition, the Arizona Daily Star reports that Asarco plans a $60 million expansion of the concentrator at its Mission Mine south of Tucson, to increase production from 66,000 tons to 77,500 tons.
READ MORE - Asarco celebrates 100 years in Arizona

Arizona tribes awarded 3 renewable energy grants


The U.S. Dept. of Energy announced that 3 Arizona Tribes are among 19 clean energy projects chosen to receive more than $6.5 million. "These competitively selected projects will allow Native American Tribes to advance clean energy within their communities by assessing local energy resources, developing renewable energy projects and deploying clean energy technologies. These projects will help Tribal communities across the country save money and create new job and business opportunities." [Photo credit, US DOE]

Navajo Hopi Land Commission (NHLCO), Navajo Nation, Window Rock, AZ: $347,090
This project will conduct a feasibility study to explore potential renewable energy development on the 22,000-acre Paragon-Bisti lands in northwestern New Mexico. The study will examine the viability of developing up to 4,000 MW of solar power and the potential to deploy other forms of renewable energy at the site.

San Carlos Apache Tribe, San Carlos, AZ, $212,922
This project will conduct a comprehensive feasibility study to develop a solar energy generation facility on tribal trust lands within the Tribe’s reservation.

Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Tucson, AZ, $105,975
This project will assess the viability of 1 MW of commercial and community-scale solar development on Tortuga Ranch. It will also examine the potential to install solar photovoltaic and hot water systems on tribal buildings to supply a minimum of 30 percent of the facilities’ energy needs.
READ MORE - Arizona tribes awarded 3 renewable energy grants

House hearing on AZGS reauthorization Feb. 27


The Arizona House Committtee on Energy and Natural Resources will hold a hearing on the AZGS reauthorization (SB1299) and statutory updates (SB1171), at 2PM on Monday, February 27, in House Hearing Room 4 at the State Capitol.

The bills passed the State Senate without debate.

AZGS is "sunsetted" (ie, scheduled to be terminated) on June 30, 2012, unless the Legislature reauthorizes the agency. The Sunset Review Committee last fall unanimously voted to extend the life of AZGS for 10 years, the maximum allowed.
READ MORE - House hearing on AZGS reauthorization Feb. 27

Arizona falls 4 places in global mining ratings


Arizona is ranked 29th out of 93 mining regions in the world in combined policy and mineral potential, down from 25th out of 72 jurisdictions ranked last year in the Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining Companies 2011/2012. Wyoming and Nevada are the only two U.S. states in the top ten. Utah dropped out of the top ten and is now three notches below Arizona.

Since 1997, the Fraser Institute has conducted an annual survey of metal mining and explora tion companies to assess how mineral endowments and public policy factors such as taxation and regulation affect exploration investment. Survey results represent the opinions of executives and exploration managers in mining and mining consulting companies operating around the world. The survey now includes data on 93 jurisdictions around the world, on every continent except Antarctica, including subnational jurisdictions in Canada, Australia, the United States, and Argentina.

Arizona ranked highly in some of the roughly two dozen topical areas evaluated: 4th in the world in Infrastructure (includes access to roads, power availability, etc); 7th in Socio-economic agreements/community development conditions; 6th in Labor regulations, employment agreements, and labour militancy or work disruptions; 7th in Supply of labor/skills; 8th in Corruption (ie, whether corruption is a detriment to mining investment);

Arizona is the top-ranked U.S. state in Geological database (includes quality and scale of maps, ease of access to information, etc.) but 17th worldwide.

There are numerous other topics covered in this 131-page report.
READ MORE - Arizona falls 4 places in global mining ratings

Ore Nikel Ready on Stock Pile

Trading peminat ore nickel cukup banyak mencari cargo yang ready stock. Sayang sekali oleh beberapa sistem komunikasi pemasaran dan juga oleh kendala teknis sistem transaksi, beberapa tambang yang sudah produksi tidak mampu menembus pasar dengan baik. Melalui blog kami informasikan bahwa saat ini ada cargo yang ready untuk ditransaksikan. Diatas stock pile sudah tersedia ore 34 ribu Metrik Ton siap ditransaksikan.

Kelengkapan dokumen akan dikirim beserta penawaran kepada peminat yang sempat membaca blog ini. Tinggalkan profil anda pada buku tamu dan kami akan hubungi . Tks

Personal Contact :
Mohammad Naim 081546276777
Amaluddin 081524704359
E-mail : miningagency@gmail.com
www.cometomining.com


READ MORE - Ore Nikel Ready on Stock Pile

ASU report: Navajo Generating Station worth billions to economy


Salt River Project (SRP) reports that "Arizona stands to lose approximately $18 billion in gross state product between 2017 and 2044 - including up to 3,400 jobs each year - unless agreements can be reached to keep the Navajo Generating Station [right, credit SRP] in northern Arizona operating beyond 2019, according to a study prepared for SRP and the Navajo Nation by the L. William Seidman Research Institute at the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University."

SRP also said the plant's lease and various rights of way with the Navajo Nation are set to expire around 2019 and the NGS owners are currently negotiating extensions. SRP warned that the EPA "is considering additional technology that could cost more than $1.1 billion and would be difficult for the owners of NGS to commit to without certainty that the plant will operate beyond the year 2019." A similar situation led to the closure of the NV Mojave Generating Station power plant in Laughlin, NV a few years ago.

The ASU report, Navajo Generating Station and Kayenta Mine: An Economic Impact Study, concluded that "the closure of NGS - combined with the potential impact on nearby Kayenta Mine, the plant's coal supplier - could result in an annual loss of nearly 3,400 jobs and more than $602 million in adjusted state tax revenues for a period measured from 2017 to 2044."

The Sierra Club and other groups have filed a legal appeal challenging the Peabody Coal mining permit. It was revealed recently by Time magazine that the Sierra Club took more than $25 million from the natural gas industry to help fund a national "war on coal" that would create a larger market share for natural gas in power generation if coal plants were shut down.
READ MORE - ASU report: Navajo Generating Station worth billions to economy

Safford basin CO2 sequestration potential


AZGS has released a new report “Geologic Evaluation of the Safford Basin for Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Potential.” The 175-page report by AZGS geologist Brian Gootee includes a compilation and characterization of available geologic and well-log data that provides for detailed structural and stratigraphic analyses of the deep Safford Basin. The report is accompanied by a regional geologic map and map plate with 17 cross-sections profiling basin geometry. [Right, Safford basin outlined in red. From the report]

The Safford basin is filled with unconsolidated sediments and is roughly 155 miles long, 12 to 16 miles wide, has an average depth of 6,500 to 9,800 ft., and a maximum depth of 11,500 ft.
Basin-fill sediments are subdivided into the upper basin-fill (the top 2600 feet) and the lower basin-fill (from 2600 feet to the basin floor). The latter, comprising permeable gravel, sand, silt, and impermeable clay, gypsum and limestone, is the primary target zone for CO2 sequestration.
The Basin and Range tectonic and physiographic province of southern and western Arizona contains over 80 basins filled mostly with sand and gravel. The Safford – San Simon basin is the largest. According to Jon Spencer, AZGS senior geologist, “This new study was done to evaluate the potential to dispose of carbon dioxide deep beneath the surface in this basin.”

Suitability of the Safford Basin for CO2 sequestration remains unclear. According to Gootee, additional studies, including seismic-reflection profiling and deep drilling, will be necessary to adequately evaluate the basin for CO2 sequestration.

The report was carried out as part of a regional study under the auspices of WestCarb. Arizona is a member of the West Coast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (WestCarb), a consortium of seven western U.S. States and one Canadian Province. WestCarb is co-funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

The report and map plate are in PDF format and available for free download from the Arizona Geological Survey Document Repository. http://repository.azgs.az.gov/uri_gin/azgs/dlio/1388

Citation: Gootee, B., 2012, Geologic Evaluation of the Safford Basin for Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Potential, Arizona Geological Survey OFR-12-01.

[taken from the AZGS publication announcement]
READ MORE - Safford basin CO2 sequestration potential

Holbrook potash website, public meetings announced


The Little Colorado RC&D has gone live with a "comprehensive new website on plans for potash mining in the Holbrook Basin www.holbrookbasin.org. The possibility of potash mining in the Holbrook Basin brings the likelihood of jobs and economic and community development, as well as challenges for preserving the water supply and other natural resources. To begin building a network of stakeholders and to build capacity to give the community a voice in decision-making, the RC&D has initiated the Holbrook Basin Horizons project and developed the On-line Guide to Potash. The RC&D’s goal is to be a catalyst for local engagement in planning for potash mining by supporting education and outreach and serving as an intermediary support organization (ISO). Utilizing the RC&D Council and its extensive network, the RC&D Board has authorized Project Coordination, enabling the RC&D to serve as a liaison to state and federal authorities as well as local stakeholders, with the objectives of making the most of opportunities and minimizing risks." [Right, exploration core drilling in the Holbrook basin. Credit, Passport Potash]

In addition, the RC&D announced a series of public meetings in eastern Arizona on Holbrook basin potash projects.

In St. Johns at the Northland Pioneer College St. Johns Center, 65 W. Third West, all meetings from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM:
  • Monday, March 19 - Overview
  • Monday, April 23 - Environmental Aspects
  • Monday, May 21- Economic Aspects
In Holbrook at the Northland Pioneer College Painted Desert Campus, 2251 E. Navajo Blvd, Room 143, Nizhoni Center, all meetings from 6:00 - 7:30 PM:
  • Tuesday, March 20 - Overview
  • Tuesday, April 24 - Environmental Aspects
  • Tuesday, May 22 - Economic Aspects
These meetings are designed for Public Education and Outreach. For more information, please contact the RC&D at 928.524.2912 or e-mail at info@littlecolorado.net.
READ MORE - Holbrook potash website, public meetings announced

Florence Copper receives Pinal County air quality permit


Curis Resources announced that they received its renewed Air Quality Permit for the commercial operations at Florence Copper from the Pinal County Air Quality Control District (PCAQCD) on February 14, 2012. The company news release says "This permit provides Curis with clear guidelines to inform its design and ultimate operations of a commercial scale solvent extraction/electrowinning (SX/EW) plant at the Florence Copper site. It is valid for five years and is renewable again in 2017."

Curis has been locked in a high profile battle with real estate developers who raised concerns over the potential impacts on groundwater. In a recent presentation, Curis officials provided the figure at right on that issue.
READ MORE - Florence Copper receives Pinal County air quality permit

Public forum in Holbrook on potash mining


Prospect Global Resources, the Denver parent company of American West Potash, is renting office space from the city of Holbrook in anticipation of developing an underground mine nearby. The Holbrook Tribune reports that "Company President Pat Avery approached the city looking for suitable office and storage space to house company geologists, provide a place for meetings, office space for management, and storage." [Right, bag of potash fertilizer. No relation to the companies operating in the Holbrook basin]


In related news, the Holbrook Business Development Group (HBDG) is hosting a "community forum on potash mining ... at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 29, at the George Gardner Performing Arts Center. The presidents of American West Potash and Passport Potash will make presentations about their respective projects and participate in a question and answer session with the audience during the event, which is open to the public and free of charge." I've been invited to attend and participate in the Q&A session. I'm looking forward to hearing both the company's updates and the community's questions.

Meanwhile, Little Colorado River Plateau RC & D officials are building a website to address potential impacts of potash mining, at holbrookbasin.org, holbrookbasin.com or holbrookbasin.net. Kathy Hemenway demonstrated a preliminary version of the site at the recent Winter Watershed Conference in Show Low.
READ MORE - Public forum in Holbrook on potash mining

Gov. Brewer's launch of the Arizona Experience website

Last week, Gov. Brewer announced the launch of the Virtual Arizona Experience multi-media website, designed and built by AZGS. If you missed the Centennial event in Phoenix, we posted the governor's remarks on the websites YouTube channel.



Our web team is working away on the rollout of the site's March theme of Mines and Mineral Resources. We're pretty excited about it.
READ MORE - Gov. Brewer's launch of the Arizona Experience website

Pinto Valley copper restart announced; 600+ new jobs



We missed the announcement a week ago that BHP Billiton will restart mining at its Pinto Valley operation, located between Globe and Superior. The company says "the mine, which will produce copper and molybdenum concentrate, will have annual production capacity of approximately 60,000 tons of copper in concentrate. The project will create approximately 650 new jobs with mining expected to resume at the end of the 2012 calendar year." [Right, Pinto Valley mine. Credit, Superstitionmtnhikes.com]

BHP Billiton Base Metals North America Asset President, Wayne Isaacs, said: “We will be hiring more than six hundred new team members and look forward to working with local communities to safely restart the mine.” The company spent $195 million on the restart.

BHP announced the mine shut down in January 2009, due to the global economic downturn.
READ MORE - Pinto Valley copper restart announced; 600+ new jobs

USGS assessment of radium in drinking water


A report by the USGS on radium concentration in drinking water aquifers nationwide shows that the water wells tested in Arizona are all below 1 picocurie per liter. However, only a handful of wells in Arizona were tested, all in alluvial aquifers in the south.

No tests are reported from the Colorado Plateau, which has some of the highest concentrations and largest deposits of uranium in the nation. EPA notes that "Radium is a naturally occurring silvery-white radioactive metal formed when uranium decays in the environment."

The USGS report states "Radium is a naturally occurring radioactive element and known carcinogen that usually is present at low levels in rocks, soils, and groundwater. Its presence in groundwater is largely the result of minerals dissolving from weathered rocks and soils. The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has established maximum contaminant level (MCL) for combined Ra-226 plus Ra-228 of 5 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) for public water supplies."


Ref: Szabo, Zoltan, Fischer, J.M., and Hancock, T.C., 2012, Principal aquifers can contribute radium to sources of drinking water under certain geochemical conditions: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2010-3113, 6 p.
READ MORE - USGS assessment of radium in drinking water

Arizona's Carlota copper mine part of sale to Polish company


Stockholders approved the sale of Quadra FNX Mining Ltd. to Polish mining company KGHM Polska Miedz SA (KGH), for $2.9 billion. Quadra owns the Carlota copper mine in Arizona as well as other properties in the U.S. and around the world. [Right, Carlota mine. Credit, KGHM]

The merged company is projected to become the owner of the world's 4th largest copper resource, behind Codelco, and Arizona-based Southern Copper and Freeport McMoRan. Based on 2010 production, KGHM would be the 8th largest in the world.

Bloomberg.com calls the deal "the biggest bid abroad designed to deepen the Polish copper producer’s global reach."

Quadra had announced plans last November to shut down the Carlota mine due to higher costs than expected, and lower ore quality. I don't see anything in KGHM's presentation that they would shut the mine down. So, the Polish buy-out might result in saving Arizona jobs and copper production.
READ MORE - Arizona's Carlota copper mine part of sale to Polish company

Arizona Legislature introduces budget bills


The Arizona Legislature introduced a package of 10 budget bills on Monday afternoon, the President's Day holiday, with hearings set in both Senate and Appropriations committees at 8AM today. News reports summarize the major differences between these and the Governor's budget plan that was released in January. The AZGS budget appears to be the same in both sets of proposals.

HB2852 general appropriations; 2012-2013
HB2853 capital outlay; 2012-2013
HB2854 state budget procedures; 2012-2013
HB2855 revenue; budget reconciliation; 2012-2013
HB2856 government budget reconciliation; 2012 2013
HB2857 health; welfare; budget reconciliation; 2012-2013
HB2858 K-12 education; budget reconciliation; 2012-2013
HB2859 higher education; budget reconciliation; 2012-2013
HB2860 criminal justice; budget reconciliation; 2012-2013
HB2861 environment; budget reconciliation; 2012-2013
READ MORE - Arizona Legislature introduces budget bills

Field trip debates origin of Bouse Fm, Grand Canyon


AZGS geologists Jon Spencer and Phil Pearthree spent the weekend near Cibola, Arizona, with colleagues to consider the origin of the Pliocene Bouse Fm, and the implications for the origin of the Grand Canyon.

Jon's article on the inception of the canyon is currently featured on the AZGS home page.

Kyle House, with the USGS in Flagstaff, posted some impressive photos from the field at his Geologic Froth blog.

The intense but collegial debate led to presentation to Jon [right, center, with Kyle on the left and Phil to the right. Photo credit Kyle House] and colleagues of an award for "Creative Writing."
READ MORE - Field trip debates origin of Bouse Fm, Grand Canyon

Uranium mine could open in 2012, shaft started on another



Denison Mines expects to begin production of uranium from its Pinenut mine in northern Arizona in 2012, and begin sinking a shaft 1,400 feet to the Canyon mine deposit in the 4th quarter of 2012, according to a company investment presentation.

The Pinenut mine is just east of the company's operating Arizona #1 mine. The Canyon mine will be about 6 miles southeast of the town of Tusayan [right, credit Denison Mines]. An article in the Arizona (Flagstaff) Daily Sun yesterday, summarized key aspects of the mine, noting it will involve a vertical shaft 900 to 1,400 feet deep, to produce about 200 tons of ore a day, to go a mill in Blanding, Utah. The mine life is estimated at 5 years. Surface disturbance would affect about 17 acres.

The Arizona Dept. of Environmental Quality fact sheet notes that in August 1986, "the U.S. Forest Service published a final Environmental Impact Statement with a Finding of No Significant Impact for the proposed mining activities at the Canyon Mine site."
READ MORE - Uranium mine could open in 2012, shaft started on another

Lidar shows ground displacement from Baja quake


Surface ruptures from the 2010 El Mayor-Cucapah magnitude 7.2 earthquake in Baja California are shown in phenomenal detail using high resolution LIDAR. ASU's Ramon Arrowsmith is co-author on the study published last week in the journal Science.
Link
Link[Right, LIDAR image along the fault zones, where blue is downward offset of the ground surface and red is upward offset. Credit: Michael Oskin, UC Davis, as shown on Physorg.com]
READ MORE - Lidar shows ground displacement from Baja quake

AZGS data visualization partnership with Microsoft Research

If you saw my post earlier this week about the animated timeline of Arizona earthquakes from 1852-2011, you saw it running in Layerscape, free 3D visualization software released today by Microsoft Research. We are also using it extensively in the Virtual Arizona Experience website that Gov. Brewer launched with us as part of the Centennial celebrations on Tuesday.

We've been collaborating with Microsoft Research for the past three years, initially on the US Geoscience Information Network (USGIN) and the State Geothermal Data projects.

Microsoft made a big splash with their launch today, including a video showcasing three scientific organizations - including AZGS - that are using Layerscape. Watch below.


READ MORE - AZGS data visualization partnership with Microsoft Research

Virtual Arizona Experience launched


The virtual Arizona Experience website went live today at noon, launched by Gov. Jan Brewer at a special Centennial event in Phoenix. The website is full of interactive, multimedia content from nearly 300 content providers so far. It is intended to serve as a 4-dimensional portal to discover, explorer, and ultimately, experience Arizona, in ways never tried before.

AZGS has the lead role in creating the Virtual Arizona Experience, starting only three months ago.

We went live this morning with two themes - Land and Celebration. Each month for the next year, we will roll out another major theme, with March's being Mines and Mineral Resources.

The site is supported by Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Foundation as a presenting sponsor with additional funding from the Helios Education Foundation. Microsoft Research and ESRI are providing in-kind resources and technical support.

There's lots more to tell about the site and the AZGS team that built it in record time, but it's been a long day, and that will have to wait for other posts.
READ MORE - Virtual Arizona Experience launched

Obama budget calls for mineral royalties, abandoned mine fees


President Obama's FY13 budget proposal calls for 5% gross royalty on hardrock minerals, a new fee to clean up abandoned mines, and changing from mining claims to leases on federal lands.

The BLM announcement of the budget plan summarizes the key points:

The first component of this proposal addresses abandoned hardrock mines across the country through a new AML fee on hardrock production. The Administration proposes to hold the hardrock mining industry responsible for abandoned hardrock mines, just as the coal industry is held responsible for abandoned coal sites. The proposal will levy an AML fee on the production of hardrock minerals on both public and private lands and will be charged on the volume of material displaced after January 1, 2012.
The legislative proposal would also institute a leasing process under the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 for certain minerals (gold, silver, lead, zinc, copper, uranium, and molybdenum) currently covered by the General Mining Law of 1872. After enactment, mining for these metals on Federal lands would be governed by the new leasing process and would be subject to annual rental payments and a royalty of not less than five percent of gross proceeds. Half of the receipts would be distributed to the States in which the leases are located and the remaining half would be deposited in the Treasury. Existing mining claims would be exempt from the change to a leasing system, but would be subject to increases in the annual maintenance fees under the General Mining Law of 1872. However, holders of existing mining claims for these minerals could voluntarily convert their claims to leases.

Note that the AML fee would be on the volume of material displaced, including overburden, waste rock, and tailings, not just on the volume of minerals produced.
READ MORE - Obama budget calls for mineral royalties, abandoned mine fees

Video timeline of Arizona earthquakes, 1852-2011

We showed this video yesterday at the AIPG-Arizona Section annual meeting held in the AZGS offices in Tucson, and it got a lot of favorable comments. So, I want to share it with you.

Jordan Matti compiled it using the new Microsoft Layerscape software (we've been working with Microsoft Research for the past 3 years on visualization of scientific data). We used an Excel spreadsheet of historical seismic data compiled by Phil Pearthree, Jeri Young, and Lisa Linville.

The older quakes are culled from historical records, and thus are limited to only those large enough to be felt or caused damage. In the past few decades, locations are from seismometers in the region. And in the past few years, we now have statewide coverage that ensures we are detecting all earthquakes in Arizona larger than magnitude 3 and probably most of the ones larger than 2.5. Thus, in the video, you will see a dramatic increase in activity at the end of the timeline - it's a result of recording the smaller events that we were missing before.




The video is also posted at the AZGS and the Virtual Arizona Experience YouTube channels.
READ MORE - Video timeline of Arizona earthquakes, 1852-2011

Mineral resources at Phoenix Best Fest





The Centennial Best Fest drew 60,000 attendees in Phoenix yesterday. Nyal Niemuth, who heads our Phoenix branch forwarded these photos from the Natural Resources pavilion.


READ MORE - Mineral resources at Phoenix Best Fest

Arizona minerals at TGMS

The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show is showcasing Arizona minerals in celebration of the state's centennial. There are 50 cases of Arizona minerals on display in the convention center, with cases dedicated to the best minerals from famous mines as well as cases of the best examples of minerals from a variety of mines and locales in Arizona. It's overwhelming. Many specimens are from museums all over the country; many specimens are from private collections. Many specimens have not been exhibited publicly for over a century and may not be seen again for a long time.

The collecting community is in heaven these four days.
READ MORE - Arizona minerals at TGMS

Menanam Modal di Sektor Pertambangan Mineral Logam

Lahan bisnis yang paling subur saat ini adalah property dan jasa perbankan. Dari tahun ke tahun volumenya terus bertambah demikian pula kualitas dan tatacara penyelenggaraan pasarnya. Lahan bisnis ini umumnya di gerakkan di kota-kota besar dimana masyarakat relatif mampu menerima perubahan dengan sangat cepat, liquid dan mampu mengikutinya dengan baik.

Beberapa tahun terakhir, ketika era keterbukaan di mulai, sektor yang ramai menyusul property dan perbankan disebutlah industri pertambangan dan perkebunan. Entah apa kaitan era keterbukaan dengan menjadi maraknya tambang dan perkebunan. Kausa prima politik dan pengusaan sumber daya produksi mungkin menjadi salah satu pemicunya. Dengan kekuasaan politik yang semakin membaik dengan munculnya tokoh-tokoh baru politik pasca orde baru tumbang, akses ke modal dan garantie legitimasi penyerahan modal besar juga semakin mambaik. Dan, pada tingkat kebijakan, industri tambang yang tadinya tertutup bagi perusahan kecil dan menengah, sekarang ini, dengan lembaga koperasi pun diberikan peluang bergerak dibidang pertambangan.

Ramainya pembukaan tambang batubara pada tahun 2000 hingga tahun ini, mengundang investasi lebih ramai masuk Indonesia, baik melalui lembaga maupun melalui peseorangan. Debit lahan batubara pun dalam waktu  singkat dinyatakan sold out. Kalau pun masih ada tersisa, akan sangat mahal dan berbiaya tinggi, belum harus menempuh resiko kisruh dan ketidakjalasan status otoritas pemegang Kuasa Pertambangan - kini disebut Izin Usaha Pertambagan - membuat investasi mengalami ancaman lose dan sangat beresiko.

Pada tahun 2005, pertambangan nikel mulai meruak sebagaimana yang dialami di batubara. Sampai saat ini, masih ditemukan lokasi-loaksi eks kontrak karya yang diperebutkan oleh sejumlah kekuatan ekonomi untuk dikuasai pada saat bersaam munculnya pola yang pernah berlaku pada tambang batubara. Setingkat perusahan comanditer dan bahkan koperasi boleh melakukan permohonan dan mendapatkan izin pengolahan tambang. Ini arus balik dari dikotomi bahwa proyek pertambangan hanya bisa dimohon dan dikelola dengan modal yang besar. Faktanya menjadi berbeda ketika jalur menngakses izin menjadi bervariasi mengikuti logika-logika dagang dan pendekatan koneksitras. Investor beramai-ramai menunggu izin selesai dari pengusaha lokal kemudian melakukan kerjasama dengan cara yang sangat murah. Ini fase yang sangat rawan dan abu-abu dalam sektor pertanbanga Indonesia kini.

Alhasil, banyak terjadi kekisruhan pengolahan, perbedaan visi proyek, tidak akurat dan mengabaikan hukum-hukum penambangan yang sangat sarat dengan tekhnologi keamanan, equipment dan soft ware serta pengendalian lingkungan pada wilayah terganggu. Hasilnya dapat diduga, negara dan daerah sangat dirugikan. Pengusaha lokal front line-nya, berikut kontraktor lokal berhadapan polemik yang tak jarang  berujung pada destruktif hiarisontal pemberdayaan daerah, dan pada saat demikian pemilik-pemilik modal yang tadinya hanya menunggu hasil produksi, dalam kondisi chaos baik didalam maupun diluar tambang,  dengan sangat mudah angkat kaki. Parahnya, dengan sistem hukum yang ada, modal yang sudah ditanamkan akan tetap dituntut pengembaliannya karena secara model bisnis dan ditopang oleh mekanisme hukum, semua pressure itu dimungkinkan. Dikendalikan dari pusat pun para investor ini dapat menjalankan tekanan-telanannya. Sekali lagi, oleh azas dominasi modal, daerah dan pegusahanya terposisikan sebagai kaum terjajah.

Menanam modal di proyek pertambangan pada umumnya sama dengan sektor lain, sebutlah property. Melalui pemegang izin prinsip dilakukan take over atau pun join operasi. Keamanan invesatsi  selalu jadi  pertanyaan. Sewaktu-waktu terjadi dead lock disebabkan berbagai alasan. Dan, bagi pihak investor yang rata-rata berasal dari negeri tetangga, selalu berpatokan pada pola berikan loan, kuasai dan tinggalkan wilayah proyek jika terjadi ancaman. Modal yang dipinjamnakan tetatp dituntut atau kuasai asset daerah secara hukum perusahaan. Ini pratek yang sangat miris untuk dibahas. Telah terjadi kesalahan besar pola kemitraan yang masih terus berlangsung sampai saat ini.

Penanaman modal selayaknya aman dan jauh dari ancaman dead lock. Pertanyaannya, bagimana cara penyelenggaraannya ? Skala prioritas analisa prainvestasi tertuju pada legalitas, internal kepmilikan, site ; cadangan, kulaitas, infrastruktur, jarak kesampaian dan terakhir tapi paling pokok adalah masyarakat sekitar  lokasi rencana proyek tambang. Lokasi bisa saja berpotensi cadangan yang layak tambang, akan tetapi jika masyarakat sekitar tambang terancam keselamatan diri, sumber-sumber produksi sebelum ada proyek dan sejumlah dampak negataif yang mungkin timbul, maka proyek tambang tidak boleh dan tidak layak diselenggarakan hingga solusi dari masalah-masalah ini selesai dan lolos uji kelayakan.

Pertimbangan kelayalakan proyek - FS - bukan semata-mata cadangan bahan galian yang terdapat didalam areal IUP serta pertimbangan untung rugi invesatsi, tetapi pertimbangan sosial sangat penting dimasukkan dalam faktor positioning decision.  Proyek yang dipaksakan dan mengabaikan pertimbangan-pertimbangan  masyarakat diyakini setiap saat akan ternacam gagal. Lahan boleh saja cadangan bahan galian yang besar kuantitasnya, tetapi resources lingkungan juga harus lebih diposisikan dengan seksama. 

Urutan dan step flow bisa saja dirumuskan dalam skema yang simply, tetapi ini benar-benar harus merujuk pada peristiwa empirik atas masalah sosologis antropologis masyarakat wilayah penyanggah tambang. Jika ini sudah dilakukan, setidaknya sebuah kunci utama kesuksesan penyelenggaran proyek tambang dapat dibukukukan, selain kunci management keuangan dan juga pasar tentunya.  


Gak zaman lagi sebuah perusahan tambang menggunakan cara-cara kursif dan premanisme untuk menyelangarakan proyeknya. Keamanan yang paling kuat dan kokoh adalah keamanan masyarakat sebagai sebuah lembaga. Sayang sekali kadang di nafikan dan dianggap merepotkan dan berbahaya. Yang saya lihat banyak terjadi justru yang sebaliknya. Penggunaan outsorcing guard enterprise baik swasta maupun pemerintah justru berpotensi menjadi polemik baru. Sedikit saja percikan akan menghanguskan semua harapan. Harapan investor demikian pula harapan masyarakat dan daerah, maka sekali lagi terjadi kemunduran ke wilayah abu-abu tanpa kepastian manfaat SDA kita untuk rakyat Indonesia sendiri..

Apa yang tersilhat sehari-hari di media massa adalah sebagian bukti dari masih terjadinya kesalahan penanaman modal di pertambangan mineral logam. Yang dimaksud disini bukan salah prosedur, karena prosedur sudah baku menurut undang-undang, Kepmen maupun PP dan Perda. Tetapi kesalahan disini adalah kesalahan karena kepekaan melihat mitra proyek - dalam hal ini lembaga masyarakat  dan swadanya - sudah tumpul dan impoten. Kejadian ini sebenarnya bisa dihindari dengan sedikit merubah angel cara pandang atas massa sosial kita, itu saja. Rakyat tidak akan berhenti memperjuangkan hak-haknya, sudah sepantasnya era keseimbangan diketengahkan sebagai trend pendekatan management, terutama dalam pengelolaan - seperti pertambangan - proyek yang bersinggunga langsung dengan masyrakat.. Mesuji, freeport, dan Sape Bima tidak akan pernah terjadi.











READ MORE - Menanam Modal di Sektor Pertambangan Mineral Logam

Ditawarkan Perusahan Pemegang IUP Mangan di Buton

PT. Kencana Bumi Pertiwi (KBP) pemegang dua IUP Eksplorasi Mangan (Mn) masing-masing seluas 680 Ha dan 1.003 Ha rencana melepaskan kepemilikan kepada umum yang beminat. Lokasi IUP PT. KBP terdapat di Kecamatan Siotapina Kabupaten Buton Sulawesi Tenggara.

Kadar Mangan Buton yang pernah di uji terdapat pada kadar 42 persen up dengan material uji adalah Mangan yang terdapat dipermukaan dalam bentuk bolder.    Mineral pengikut Mangan - asosiasi - yang mengundang daya tarik investor antara lain adalah keterdapatan unsur Emas (Au) didalamnya. Dengan nilai jual emas yang sangat tinggi dan terus meningkat secara signifikan saat ini, Mangan kemudian menjadi primadona dalam bidang tambang mineral logam kategori jarang. 

Negara-negara asal investor yang cukup getol memburu Mangan bisa disebutkan antara lain Korea, Jepang India, Malaysia dan tentu China merupakan negara yang paling dominan dalam rating permintaan. Posisi pengusaha lokal cwnderung hanya sebagai median awal untuk mengurus perizinan dan sosialisasi ke masyarakat. Hal ini tidak salah, yang perlu dibenahi adalah bargaining para pengusaha kepada investor untuk memasukkan royalty masyarakat kedalam royalty produksi diluar kewajiban formal kepada pemerintah daerah dan pusat.

Skema bisnis yang ditawarkan adalah take over perusahaan plus royalty produksi. Jika tak over tetap berlaku royalty sedangkan jika join operasi maka diajukan down payment plus royalty dimana down payment yang diterima merupakan loan yang akan dipotong dari royalty secara berkala hingga lunas dan royalty berlaku normal.

Bagi peminat yang serius akan bertemu dengan pemerintah daerah setempat untuk beranjangsana sekaligus membicarakan prospeksi Mangan kedepan. Untuk informsi selanjutnya dapat menghubungi email blog ini.

Sebagai tambahan informasi, lahan Mangan tersebut berjarak tiga Km ke pantai dan jarak meuuju open sea kurang lebih 4-5 km. Status kawasan atas lokasi ini sedang dalam proses penurunan status dari HP menjadi APL. Masyarakat setempat merupakan bagian integral dari proyek penambnan jika sudah beroperasi dimana masalah sosial lingkungan adalah bagian dari pengelola, termasuk dalam ryalty produksi yang diajukan dalam penawaran ini.

Dokumen dan data eksplorasi akan dikirmkan kepada peminat yang serius dan sanggup memenuhi syrarat.


Baca juga referensi tentang Mangan pada situs berikut ini.
www.infomineralindonesia.com












READ MORE - Ditawarkan Perusahan Pemegang IUP Mangan di Buton

Industri Tambang Menyelamatkan atau Menghancurkan

Sering terdengar obrolan"konyol" tetapi sesungguhnya sangat menyentuh, "anda bekerjadimana ? lalu dijawab apa adanya "saya berkerja di tambang nikel"."Ohh, anda menjual tanah air ya?  Sama sekali saya buta dan tuli soalrejeki dan idealisme mencarinya. Boro-boro bekerja cerdas, lulus dari kampus saja dengannilai pas-pasan kalau tidak disebut memelaskan. Nilai rata 2,74 bukan nilaiyang mendecakkan, apalagi diacungkan jempol. Di Jurusan Ilmu Komunikasi MassaProgram Hubungan Masyarakat, nilai itu sungguh terpaksa diterima akal. Tapibegitulah adanya. Saya hanya bisa lulus semata-mata karena kelamaan di kampus,kata teman gak jelas kesibukannya. Ya, sudahlah, hidup harus berjalan, dan lalu sayaberada disini, di kolom pekerjaan tertulis buruh pertambangan kecildengan status gak jelas, pula. kata kawan saya hampir setiap saat.

Seyogyanya,industri pertambangan mampu menyaingi industri lain sebagai motor ekonomi danpenggerak pembangunan. Aneh ya? Ya begitulah. Agak aneh bahkan sangat aneh kalau gak dikatakan ajaib. Industri pertambangan tidak sesekali dapat diandalkan memperbaiki sistem kehidupan negara dan rakyat Indonesia. Dengn logika rugi laba yang semua orang tau, sektor industri pertambangan bukan apa-apa bagi APBN dan cadangan devisa negara. Ini justru menjadisemacam aib jika merujuk pada ideologi aktivis lingkungan hidup. “Koq ente-ente malah ngobok-ngobok hutan seh, kagak ada hasil ! Kata kawan saya yang getol perjuangkan hutan dan vegetasi agar selamat dari kemusahan. Bahkan kelaparan melandapunmungkin dia gak peduli, daripada hutan ditempati orang buka kebon dan tanamsingkong atau padi, karena dia sudah ada  alasan yang modern.

Saya sangat mendukung lingkunngan hidupyang hijau, menjamin siklus ketersediaan air, dan udara yang segar bagi manusia dan pertanian. Tetapi saya gak mampu lagi bertani, berburu dan hidup dari rotan dan mencari gaharu. Biaya sekolah anak-anak gak ke-uber, harga-harga kian menggila dan tentu anda punya catatan yang lebih komplit dan logis - bagi saya tentu catatan itu dramatis. Bayangkancengkeh ayah saya ditebangin  untu dijadikan kebun kedelai, dan kedelainyapun gak bisa tumbuh bagus. Kami sempat gak bayar SPP karena gagal panen yang panjang.Maksud saya gak ada pemasukan yang cukup lama dari hasil kebun. Lha, koq inikemana-mana sih. Tapi, ya begitulah problemnya - sekalipun bukan sebuah alasan kemudian hutan diterjang sembrono, saya tidak pernah setuju. 

Yasudahlah, anggap ini banyakin hurup ditulisan ini agar blog nya diangap aktif. Sumpah situs  Bloggratis bukan punya orang indonesia lho, kita memang kerjanya cumin nompangbeken doang   !

Sektor pertambangan pada setiap case baik tambang skala kecil danmenengah maupun tambang gede se gede PT. Timah, Arutmin, KPC, INCO dan Freeportmeraup margin yang gak sedikit. Rata-rata margin proyek tambang mineral logamdan sedimen fosil maupun tambang golongan C bisa meraup 400 persen per sesiproduksi. Kotor tapi gak kotor-kotor amat, sekalipun kerjanya emang berlepotan lumpur dan masalahdalam arti yang sesungguhnya.

Dalam kenyataannya – seperti lagumelankolis – industry tambang disayang sekaligus dibenci. Disayang karena mampumendatangakan investasi asing dan membuka lapangan kerja lebih banyak, dan, pada saatyang sama sangat dibenci karena mengakibatkan lingkunga porak-poranda danmengabaikan masyarakat sekitar tambang. Bahkan ada proyek – kasuistik – yang rela“menggilas” masyarakat yang ada disekitarnya. Dalam kasus "anarkis terkutuk" ada perusahan tambangyang rela memperalatan aparat untuk menembaki masyarakat jika ada yang mendekat kedalam areal proyek.Apalagi jika sudah bicara gugat menggugat, diyakini pasti ada korban di pihakmasyarakat. Akhirnya masyarakat dalam pemberitaan yang tidak seimbangterposisikan sebagai krimnal dan pembuat onar. 

Masalah ini bukan tidak ada solsusinya,sangat banyak malah, andai kearifan lokal diberdayakan, cerdik cendekiawan dikumpulkan dan diminta meberi rujukan penyelesaian - jangan ke DPR dong, salah. DPR gak mungkin bisa menyelesaikan negri ini, DPR hanya buat undang-undang SATGAS, itu cara buang duit yang canggih. Pendekatan yang memihakdan memahami kepentingan orang banyaklah yang bisa selesaikan carut marut Indonesia kini dengan paradigma positfisme, kadung rusak sih.  Dan, lebih penting lagi menjauhi arogansi legal harus menjadi pakemnya.  Mentang-mentang memilki izin dan pengesahan-pengesahan normatif maka semuanyaseenak udel. Akibatnya fatal bung seperti kini ! Contoh, keputusan mahkamah internasional atas tambang di Indoensia tegak mengangkang membuat kedaulatan negeri ini tergadaikan dan gak bisa ditebus. Siapa bilang gak bisa di gugat ? Coba orang macem So Hok Gie, Mungkin Bung Munir, -semoga damai dalam istirahatnya - atau kawan-kawan dari Papua dan banyak lagi yang anda tau mereka diberi ruang ngurusin, Freport boleh jadi hari ini bisa jadi andalan Indonesia.

Detail proyek tambang antara lain, soal pembebasan lahan, ketenagakerjaaan,share dan comdev sangat mudahdiatasi. Lho koq bisa??  Ya, seperti yangsudah diterapkan oleh beberapa perusahan yang dibangaun dengan dasar komunikasimassa yang baik – tak ada masalah dilapangan. Sayang perusahaan ini cenderung diem, mingkem entah apa sebab.

Tenaga kerja dapat dierima tanpa syaratmacam-macam, cukup KTP, lalu panggil dokter periksa sehat ato ngak agar bisa diatur penempatannya, yang bengek jangan kerja malan, yang dara tinggi hindari ketemu yang nyelimet dan banyak orang dan kebisingan, dan seterusnya. Tempatkan tenaga non skillpada porsinya dan bila perlu pekerjakan semua tenaga kerja yang tersedia dengansistim rolling dan aplus-an bisa menjamin tidak ada riaktenaga kerja selama proyek berlangsung. Rakyat bisa belajar dengan cepat dengan - natural mecanism - berbagi jam kerja dan kue kerja sungguh bisa mengembalikan jati diri manusia posisi normail, gak saling potong dan saling berkhianat demi uang yang kalo dihitung-hitung paling juga habis dibelanja dalam sebulan. Kembalikan berbagi itu pada posisi sama seperti ketka tetangga saya saban masak suka kirim kerumah meski hanya tempe, dan sorenya emak saya juga ngirim pisang yang belum digoreng  karena gak ada minyak kelapa.

Demikian pula masalah pembebasan lahan,dalam prakteknya selalu kisruh dan sedikit berbahaya. Gimana gak bahaya, kan dicoba direkayasa untuk kepentingan oknum tertentu, jadilah ribut dan berujungpada investasi yang tidak aman. Padahal jika ingin sedikit legowo, hindari keinginan mengambil untung dari pembebasan lahandan hak-hak masyarakat yang sifatnya mendasar ini. Himbaun ini ditujukan buatpara manager diperusahan dan aparat dikecamatan dan desa. Perusahan yang sehattentu tidak akan mengabaikan masyarakat yang kooperatif, dengan catatan dana yang dikeluarkanefesien dan berdaya guna dan bisa direcord untuk keperluan laporan pajak. Gak lapor paja diuber lo !


Jadimenjual tanah air adalah sebuah pilihan yang rumit, mubah dan sedikit membuat muka merah karena  tetap juga dijalani, karena negara tak mampu memberikan semua yang dibutuhkanmasyarakat, karena  sebagian dari kita terdesak dapur berasap, dan bayak karena karena lagi. 


Apakah tidak mungkin jika tambang diarahkan ke format baru? Sebutlah mining public atau semcamnya yang diakses langsung oleh rakyat. Pemerintah hanya menjadi fasilitator dan pembuat pengesahan-penngesahan formal untuk keperluan kerjasama kerjasama.Antara hulu dan hilir berdampingan di masyarakat. Dan, adilnya pada fase tertentu,pemerintah daerah dapat melakukan divestasi, yang tetap merujuk pada tujuanpemberdayaan.

Walah,seperti cerita film kartun anak-anak Bob The Builder, saya koq nyerocos saja.Kata teman saya, emang gampang ? Ya, Bob The Builder bilang, kami bisaselesaikan, ketika ditanya apa bisa melakukannya? Jangankan lakukan, selesaikanpun bisa. 
Ya, sudahlah !


READ MORE - Industri Tambang Menyelamatkan atau Menghancurkan

Perusahan Nikel Ditawarakan Take Over Atau Join Operasi

PT. Nigesang Peto Buana seluas 1.621 Ha dan PT. Pacific Ore Resources seluas 2.000 Ha yang memiliki Kuasa IUP dari pemerintah Kabupaten Bombana, ditawarkan kepada calon investor untuk di take over atau join operasi. Lahan nikel kedua perusahaan ini telah selesai di perivikasi di Departemen Pertambangan di di Jakarta oleh pemerintahan baru dibawah komando Bupati terpilih Kabupaten Bombana tahun 2010 yang lalu.di

Melalui blog ini, kami mempublikasikan secara terbuka kepada publik untuk mendapat respon. Bagi peminta uang serius dapat menghubungi kami via email blog ini ; mingingagency@gmail.com untuk membahas rencana selanjutnya.

Sebagai keterangan, lahan-lahan ini telah memiliki data eksplorasi permukaan dan beberapa titik sampling test pit. Hasil sementara mengindikasikan kadar yang cukup bagus dan layak untuk ditinjau kelapangan. Tentu diperlukan analisa kembali oleh calon investor agah meminimalisasi kesalahn diawal sebelum memutukan berinvetasi.

Kepada calon investor diberikan kesempatan untuk melakukan due dilligence  dan pertemuan dengan pemerintah daerah sebagai pintu dialog investasi. Selaku agen publikasi, kami hanya bisa memandu menuju pertemuan dengan personal dan owner yang lebih berkompeten dalam pengambilan kepitian. Blog ini bertindak hanya sebatas publikasi pemasaran dan komunikasi pembuka. Lebih jauhnya, calon investor harus bertemu dengan satuan tugas yang menangani proses take over atau join kedua perusahan ini.

Sebagai rekomendasi dan keterangan tambahan, lahan kedua perusahan ini terletak berdampingan. Dalam peta terjadi wilayah overlapping, akan tetapi pada proses perivikasi di Departemen Pertambangan, over lapping ini teah diselesaikan. Keabsahan akan diperoleh pada saat opertemuan dengan pengambil keputusan.

Status kawasan hutan pada lokasi berada pada HP, tetapi menurut tim pemasaran, wilayah HP lokasi sudah berada pada status penurunan status kawasan hutan. Dengan letak di pinggir pantai - kurang liebih 1 km jakar ke open sea - lahan-lahan nikel ini layak untuk ditelaah sebagai tujuan investasi.

Besarnya nilai T.O atau J.O dapat diberitahukan melalui surat oenawaran bagi calon peminat. Gambaran model bisnis apabila take over adalah akuisisi perusahaan sekian persen dan sisa sahan akan dikonversi kedalam royelaty. Tujuan royalty ini adalah untuk mendampingi perusahan selama produksi dimana sebagai royalty diperuntukkan bagi pemberdayaan masyarakat sekita tambang diluar comdev dan CSR serta royalty poriduksi yang sduah diatur secara formal dalam undang-undang minerba. Demikian pula SKAB dan kewajiban normatif lainnya dapat dibicarakan pada tahap selanjutnya.

Mengenai land compensation, tetap merupakan tanggungan investor dalam soal pembiayaan. Akan tetapi sebagai pendamping masyrakat, tim kami akan mendampingi dalam proses pembebasan lahan bersama-sama dengan komponen dan tokoh masyarakat setempat. Hal ini dapat di canangkan pada sosialisai pada saat hendak turun kelapangan.


                                         Gambar 1 Posisi Lokasi di Pulai Kabaena Kab. Bombana Sultra


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READ MORE - Perusahan Nikel Ditawarakan Take Over Atau Join Operasi

Ketika Simalakama Pertambangan Harus Diterjang

Memang miris membicarakan masalah tambang secara terbuka. Sebuah simalakama yang terus mengendap disetiap mine set publik Indonesia. Sumber Daya Alam Indonesia di sektor pertambangan mineral logan dan bahan galian umum lainnya, selayaknya dapat menjadikan negeri ini makmur dan mampu menghadapi persoalan iternal dan internasional. Apa lacur, ceritanya sangat berbeda dan bahkan terindikasi menjadi sumber perpecahan komponen negara, rakyat dan penyelengaraan negara.

Ada asumsi bahwa, dimanapun bahan galian mineral logam, suatu hari akan di "jarah" dan di ekploitasi dengan jalan apapun. Bahkan dengan senjata dan invasi jika perlu. Mungkin jejak itu sudah terlihat sejak era kolonial menjadi trend. Ekspansi negara-negara 'berfikir maju' merangsek ke wilayah "tanpa penghuni" dengan segala kekutannya. Dan, dalam kasus  modern; kasus pendudukan Afganistan oleh Rusia - mungkin jadi contoh yang layak ditelaah, bahwa negara gersang semacam Afganistan menjadi pertanyaan besar ketika menjadi tujuan invasi oleh Rusia.

Rumor pun lahir kemudian dengan terbentuknya Taliban oleh Amerika untuk melawan Rusia, dan akhirnya Taliban dalam ini Amerika menang atas Rusia. Dikemudian hari, yang kita tahu bersama ujungnya, ketika Taliban sebagai "konco"  dilibas habis-habisan tanpa ampun. Ternyata cerita bermuara pada Afganistan memiliki cadangan tambang mineral logam yang sangat besar untuk ukuran negara Adi Daya semacam Amerika, menjadi negara besar itu menempatkan agenda kebijakan luar negerinya dalam posisi kontroversial dan mengundang berbagai kecaman.

Soal industri pertambangan bukan hanya soal modal dan hasil yang melimpah. Dialek kapitalisme pun sarat didalamnya, demikian pun masalah politik dan konspirasi dan intrik tak lepas jadi konsumsi untuk mendapatkannya. Terbacalah oleh kita para awam jejaknya di Indoneisa kini, dimana para pemilik modal ramai-ramai menguasai asset negara dan mengabaikan Pasal 33 UUD 45 melalui perda, kepmen dan PP  sebagai jalur resmi dan tidak melanngar hukum.

Sektor pertambangan adalah sektor startegis bagi domestik dan Internasional. Startegis secara ekonomi, bargaining politik dan issue Internasional. Tak pelak lagi, bahwa cara menuju kesana sedemikian rupa ditempuh dengan resiko yang sangat besar, baik secara modal maupun kebijakan negara menjadi "tumbal" dan berujung pada tersia-siakannya rakyat dihadapan kebijakan dalam soal tambang ini .

Perlawan secara baku terus dilakukan oleh berbagai komponen masyarakat melalu demonstrasi, blokade daerah, dan aksi kerusuhan. Disayangkan, semua perlawan itu hanya mampu menembus "kulit ari" semata dari masalah ini. Persolan sesungguhnya tidak tersentuh sama sedikitpun apalagi menyelesaikanmasalah yang ada. Alih-alih selesai, yang terjadi kemudian, pelaku penggerak gugatan cenderung menjadi korban terjerat pasal kriminal dan semacamnya. Akibatnya, masalah ketidakseimbangan poryek-proyek pertambangan menjadi semakin  immun dari gugatan gugatan perbaikan.

Secara nilai, gerakan-gerakan tetap sangat dibutuhkan. Tetapi sebagai testimoni saya, barangakali dengan cara memasuki aplikasi pertambangan bisa menjadi jalan baru yang bisa diandalkan. Persoalan memang semakin merumit, ketika berbicara modal dan legtimasi, tetapi menunggu dan menjadi pemaki saja bukan pula jalan yang harus dianut. Status inferior tidak dapat dihindari, akan tetapi sangat diharapkan ada kesungguhan menjalaninya secara kontinyu  agar dapat melahirkan kemampuan dan kematangan dalam memahami persoalan untuk bisa mengambil sebuah kesimpulan yang obyektif.

Masa depan pertambangan Indonesia dapat mendatangkan manfaat apabila regulasi-regulasi dirubah menjadi berpihak kepada masyrakat secara langsung. Tata kelola yang terbuka dan melibatkan komponen masyarakat akan mendorong lahirnya kepercayaan kembali rakyat atas pemerintah. Dengan demikian investasi dari berbagai pihak pun dapat dijamin kelanggengannya, sekaligus menghindarkan negara ini dari status template asing, high risk country yang sering jadi momok bagi investor.

Kehadiran investor asing memang masih diperlukan, karena negara ini tidak menganut sistim investasi langsung. Dibutuhkan BUMN dan UKM serta sistim lainnya yang masih uji coba, membuktikan pula bahwa negara nyaris tidak mempercayai institusi kerakyatan. Pola kemitraan memang pernah digembar-geborkan tetapi yang ini pun layu sebelum berkembang. Jika berjalan pun mungkin tidak akan lepas dari praktik-praktik monopli dan berbagai macam penyakit sosial; Korupsi, Kolusi dan Nepotisme yang berakibat kerdilnya lembaga rakyat yang mendapat kucuran dana dari negara.
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Lalu apa selanjutnya, ceracau ini sulit saya hentikan dan hanya akan semakin berbelit-belit pla jika saya  teruskan.  Akan tetapi memasuki aplikasi tambang dengan memandu investor dan mengadvokasi hak-hak masyrakat penyanggah tambang tetap akan "kami" lakukan meski dengan berbagai keterbatasan. Harapan besarnya, kedepan muncul pengusaha-pengusaha yang mampu menerjemahkan antara keamanan investasi, komersialitas yang ber-value tinggi dan "sedikit" perhatian formal terhadap masyarakat penyanggah tambang. Barangkali dengan demikian pengelolaan SDA di Indonesia bisa menjadi lebih baik dan bisa dinikmati oleh rakyat secara kontinyu, dan lebih penting lagi tidak menjadi faktor pendorong lahirnya gap antara rakyat dan pemerintahnya.

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Southern Arizona silver project reports big increase in resource



Wildcat Silver announced that their exploration drilling program in the Patagonia area more than doubled their 2010 resource estimate. The Hermosa project now shows:

Indicated resource of 101.4 million tonnes of 53.18 g/t silver for 171.3 million ounces of silver.

Inferred resource of 83.6 million tonnes of 36.42 g/t silver for 98.6 million ounces of silver.

Opponents of the project are fighting approval by the U.S. Forest Service to allow core drilling on the federal lands arguing that a full EIS needs to be done now, rather than after the company determines if there are sufficient resources present to justify trying to permit a mine. [Right, location map of Hermosa silver exploration project near Patagonia. Credit, Wildcat Silver]
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Latest moves in the Florence copper project


The Florence Blade newspaper reports on the continuing fight by real estate interests to prevent Curis Resources from producing copper through an in situ leaching process under lands inside the city limits, and offers a summary of the arguments.

Curis is considering developing just the State Trust Lands, which, according to State Land Commissioner Maria Baier, could generate $150 million for the school trust. [Right, injection wells in Florence copper project from original test of the site. Credit, Curis Resources]
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U.S Senate hearing on Resolution Copper land exchange



Politico 's Morning Energy Report says that the US Senate Energy and Natural Resources panel meets Thursday "to consider the House and Senate versions of legislation that would pave the way for a massive copper mine in southeast Arizona by swapping federal land for private holdings. National conservation groups have battled the mine, but it has strong backing from Sens. Jon Kyl — slated to testify Thursday — and John McCain, as well as Arizona House Republicans." [Right, view of proposed mine site. Credit, Resolution Copper]

The proposed mine, east of Superior, would mine copper from depths of 7,000 ft. The company proposes trading a variety of conservation lands around the state for forest lands overlying the deposit. The mine is expected to produce 25% of US copper needs for decades.
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Low snowpack drops Lake Mead forecast by 24 feet


"In December, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation was predicting a roughly 11-foot rise in Lake Mead over the next year. Now the bureau expects the nation's largest man-made reservoir to shed about 13 feet by January 2013" for a net forecast drop of 24 feet, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal. That's a reduction of nearly 2.5 million acre feet, due to poor snowpack.

Compare that to last year, when the snow melt led to a record rate of rise in the lake and its highest level in a decade. [Right, Lake Mead shoreline. Credit, National Park Service]
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