Scholarships
American
Institute of Professional Geologist
Society
of Exploration Geophysicists Scholarship Program
Department
Scholarships |
Forum
Dec. 6 on Eagle Project, New Mining Rules
Learn about the proposed nickel-copper sulfide mine in Marquette
County and proposed rules to implement Michigan's new nonferrous
mining law at a forum Tuesday, Dec. 6, from 7-9 p.m. in Fisher
135. Panelists will discuss both the general regulatory
framework and the arguments for and against Kennecott Minerals
Company's Eagle Project, the proposed nickel-copper sulfide
mine. They include Joe Maki, U.P. district geologist for the
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality; Jon Cherry,
manager of environment and governmental affairs for Kennecott;
Dave Anderson of Flintsteel Restoration Association, a nonprofit
environmental consulting group active in the Lake Superior
basin; and Ted Bornhorst and Alex Mayer, professors of geological
and mining engineering at Michigan Tech.
An open discussion will follow the presentations. This forum
is co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Copper
Country, Friends of the Land of Keweenaw and the Michigan
Tech GEM Center for Science and Environmental Outreach. It
is free and open to the public.
Why this forum now? A dramatic increase in exploration for
nonferrous metals (metals other than iron) in the western
Upper Peninsula caused concern over protection of the environment
and public health. In response, the DEQ established a multi-stakeholder
work group, which drafted language that was incorporated into
a new law, enacted in December 2004.
No metallic sulfide mines are currently operating in Michigan,
but the proposed rules provide details on permit requirements,
environmental assessments, mining and reclamation plans, financial
assurance, standards for construction, operation and closure
of nonferrous mines; and set criteria for water monitoring,
treatment and containment of ore and waste rock, and reporting.
The DEQ has scheduled public information sessions and hearings
on the rules Nov. 29 in Escanaba, Nov. 30 in Marquette and
Dec. 7 in Lansing, with written comments accepted until Dec.
19. The hearings are meant to receive comments on regulation
of nonferrous mining in general, not on any specific mining
operation. If permit applications are submitted for new mines,
such as the Eagle Project, the DEQ will hold additional public
meetings and hearings to receive comments on those specific
mining proposals.
|
Cleaning up a glacial
site
Sharon Ave., near the Credit Union Bank.
close to the nature trail that is behind
Houghton High School and would possibly get visitors this
way, too.
Here are the details on the clean-up:
Date: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12th
Time: 11am (plan on it taking about 2 hours-ish)
Where: Meet behind the Dow Building down by the Portage.
Activities:
We will be doing lots of dirty work outside, so dress
appropriately and
warmly. Mostly, we will be removing gravel and dirt. If
you have any
stiff brooms, shovels, or other helpful tools, please
bring them. Also,
if you have a car, please drive and help carpool those
without cars. We
will also be GPSing in the glacier site and eventually
producing a map to give to the City of Houghton. They
will be cleaning it
up every spring from now on! Also, as a long-term goal,
the Geology Club
will help maintain the site every spring, too.
If there are any questions, feel free to email me.
Jill Barbour
jnbarbou@mtu.edu
|
Ice
Cream Social
Robbins Atrium, 6th floor Dow (Chez Robbins)
Thursday November 3
6:30pm to 8:00pm
There are several
reasons for this event:
(1) to eat ice cream without guilt
(2) to mingle socially
(3) to welcome new students
(4) to allow interested students in other departments,
undeclared students, and others, to get to know us and
to learn a few things about the department and its programs;
it is part of our recruiting effort for undergraduates
See you all then! Mark
your calendars!
|
SEMINAR
"The Origin of the Soda Lakes
at Lake Magadi and Some Thoughts on the Nearby Carbonatite
Volcano, Ol Doinyo Lengai,"
Professor James Wood
Oct. 24, 4-5 p.m. in M&M U113.
Professor James Wood (GMES) will give a seminar, "The
Origin of the Soda Lakes at Lake Magadi and Some Thoughts
on the Nearby Carbonatite Volcano, Ol Doinyo Lengai,"
Oct. 24, 4-5 p.m. in M&M U113. All are invited to attend.
Refreshments will be served.
Many of the lakes in the East African Rift are "soda
lakes," containing highly concentrated alkaline (pH>10)
brines and precipitate sodium sesqi-carbonate (trona, NaHCO3.Na2CO3.2H2O)
with minor halite (NaCl) and fluorite (NaF). One of the enduring
puzzles about these lakes is the question of their ultimate
origin. Specifically, how do they acquire such a large component
of dissolved carbonate?
The mystery is enhanced when the carbonatite volcano Ol Doinyo
Lengai is introduced into the picture. This very exotic volcano
is in the same geologic setting as the soda lakes Natron and
Magadi and it regularly erupts molten sodium carbonate. This
ash dissolves and is transported to the topographic lows,
which include Lake Magadi. It would also appear that Lengai
is the source of the carbonate and that the problem reverts
to a question of how a volcano can erupt nearly pure soda
ash.
However, closer examination of hot springs feeding Lake Magadi
shows that they also have the correct chemical composition
to yield trona deposits at levels that more than account for
the deposits in the lake. In addition, the hot springs can
account for the presence of halite and fluorite, something
Lengai alone cannot do. But why should two rare geologic features
like a carbonate volcano and soda lakes occur so close geographically
if they are not somehow linked?
The answer may lie in the unique geologic setting of the
East African Rift, in which the upper mantle, or asthenosphere,
approaches the surface so closely, within 5 km in places,
as to almost outcrop. In doing so, it degasses and releases
the normal volatiles associated with ordinary volcanism, CO2,
HCl, HF. The degassing of the upper mantle may be the ultimate
source of carbonate, fluoride and chloride. As for Ol Doinyo
Lengai, it simply sits over one of these CO2 plumes.
|
Monday October 10th!!
International Energy
Analyst Questions the Scarcity of Petroleum
You've probably heard that we are running out of oil. You
may have heard that this will result in economic chaos--a
return to the dark ages in some scenarios. Well, here is
your chance to hear a different side of the story.
"Is That All There Is? The Scarcity of Petroleum (or
Not)" is the title of a public lecture given by Michael
Lynch, the president of Strategic Energy and Economic Research,
Inc. A guest of the Department of Geological and Mining
Engineering and Sciences, Lynch will present his lecture
at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 10, at the Rozsa Center. The
lecture, which will be followed by a question-and-answer
session, is free and open to the public.
Lynch rejects the claims of many scientists and observers
of the oil industry that nearly all of the world's oil resources
have been discovered and/or that the peak in either conventional
or total world oil production is imminent. ... [for the
rest, see http://www.admin.mtu.edu/urel/ttoday October 5
issue]
No matter what your viewpoint on the abundance or scarcity
of petroleum, a free debate is essential to avoid ignorance
in judgment. This speaker presents one viewpoint, one that
is rarely heard, yet his track record for predictions of
oil and gas supply have been better than those of many of
the doomsayers.
There are several opportunities to meet Dr. Lynch in person,
and to discuss the subject with him. Students are particularly
welcome!
(1) Free lecture at the Rozsa Center 7:30pm Monday
(2) Free refreshments at a reception in the Rozsa Lobby
immediately after the lecture
(3) 9-10am Tuesday in the 6th Floor Atrium (lake side) of
the Dow Building
(4) 10-11am Tuesday in the SBE Conference Room, 101 Academic
Office Building
|
MONDAY,
SEPT. 19th at 4:30pm in the ATRIUM,
Angela Hammond from Shell
will be giving a talk in the atrium.
She is a MTU alumni and is going to be sharing her career
experiences. Angela strongly encourages students to
come and ask as many questions as possible as our exposeure
to large oil companies is limited. She will show a short power
point presentation and it should not take much more than half
an hour.
Afterwards, be sure to attend the pizza dinner and another
presentation by Angela and Shell (also in the atrium).
Hope to see y'all there!
Jill Barbour
jnbarbou@mtu.edu |
Fall
2005
Copper Country Rock
and Mineral Club hosting Geology Talk
Buddy Wylie, formerly a research scientist/engineer
with the GMES department, will present a lecture,
"To the Mantle and Back--A Field and Mineral Collecting
Excursion through Labrador and Newfoundland with Extra Stops
in Maine, New Hampshire and Quebec,"
Thursday, Oct.
21, at 8 p.m. in EERC 103.
The Copper Country Rock and Mineral Club would like to invite
the MTU community to attend this presentation by the GMES
department. |
|
Tickets
for the upcoming Agate Ball,
sponsored by the Seaman Mineral Museum Society, may be purchased
until Thursday, Oct. 7. 2005
The ball will be held on Saturday, Oct. 9, beginning with
a cash bar social hour at 6 p.m. Dinner will be held at 7
p.m., followed by the presentation of the Charles A. Salotti
Earth Science Education Award, guest speaker Don Kelman and
a live auction. A silent auction to benefit the Seaman Mineral
Museum is slated from 6 to 9 p.m. .
The dress for this event will be semi-formal, black tie optional.
Tickets may be purchased by contacting John Jaszczak at 487-2255
or jaszczak@mtu.edu, or Marg Rohrer at 487-2086 or mmrohrer@mtu.edu. |
|
The Relationship
of Geology to Cement Manufacturing
Mr. Frank Holcomb
Wednesday, August 10
10:00am - Dow 610 Mr. Holcomb has over 30
years of combined experience in the cement industry.
Three years at the old Medusa Cement plant in Charlevoix,
MI and 27 years at
National Cement Company, in Ragland, Alabama. He has worked
around numerous
quarries and mines during his 30 years in the cement business.
Handouts during the presentation will include:
Geology and Operations at National Cement Companies Ragland
Quarry
Cement Chemists Newsletter
Portland Cement Association CD on Concrete Technical Support
Portland Cement Association CD on Cement Technical Support
Portland Cement Association CD on Design and Control of
Concrete Mixtures
|
Geology
Club, SME, NSSGA
Questions: cacamero@mtu.edu
|
|
SEG/AAPG/Geo
Club
Megan Lefevre (President AAPG)
Beth Blessing (President Geo Club)
Kirstin Burns (President SEG) |
National
Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES)
Please note the following:
Effective December 2001 all Michigan candidates must contact the
National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES)
to register for future examinations.
The Michigan Board of Professional Engineers website is http://www.cis.mi.us/bcs/pe
and their phone number is 517/241/9253.
The address for the National Council of Examiners for Engineering
and Surveying (NCEES):
PO Box 1686
280 Seneca Creek Road
Clemson, SC 29633-1686
Phone 877-536-7729 or 864-654-6824
Fax 864-654-6033
|
|
View past Announcements
Previous
Announcements Spring 2005
Previous
Announcements Link Fall 2004
Previous
Announcements Link
Spring 2004
Previous
Announcements Link
Fall 2003
|
© MMV
Department of Geological & Mining Engineering
& Sciences
Michigan Technological University
1400 Townsend Drive - Houghton, MI 49931-1295
(906) 487-2531 |