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Veladero Mine
Greetings Discerning Readers,
The California gold rush started in 1848 and lasted roughly 16 years. Over the last few years, the price of gold has risen dramatically creating another sort of gold rush only this time, rather than using hand picks, shovels, and mules, gold mining operations use sophisticated equipment that includes McElroy pipe fusion machines.
The Veladero mine in San Juan Province, Argentina, is a relatively new mine having only started production in 2005 and like the California gold rush, the mine has a life expectancy of at least 16 years. Operated by Barrick Gold Corporation based Toronto Canada, the mine has total proven and probable reserves of approximately 372-million tons.
Veladero is a conventional open-pit operation. Ore is crushed by a two-stage crushing process, and then transported via trucks to the leach pad area. Run-of-mine ore is trucked directly to the valley-fill leach pad. Polyethylene pipe (HDPE) fused with McElroy equipment, primarily a MegaMc No.824 and McElroy 250, is used in both the leaching process as well as the water distribution systems in the mine. Barrick decided to use McElroy equipment in this project, as with most of their other mining projects, due to the reliability and durability of the equipment especially in tough operations. |
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Another reason that Barrick uses McElroy equipment is the high level of training and support they received directly from McElroy. Recently, Rafael Quintero, McElroy’s International Marketing Manager based in Santiago Chili, visited the mine to provide training and support to the Veladero crews. “One of the nice things about providing on-site training, other than the beautiful landscaping, is that it allows us to truly meet our customer’s needs and see the environments in which they work. To know that our equipment has been on this jobsite for two years without any problems provides a definite source of pride”, stated Quintero.
Rafael Quintero
Guest Editor
McElroy Manufacturing, Inc. |
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| McElroy in the News |
McElroy Contestant Winners
While many of you may already have a McElroy 2008 calendar hanging on your wall, subscribers of Trenchless Technology Magazine also received a calendar in which McElroy was proud to sponsor the month of May. Our sponsorship also included a drawing for one of three McElroy jackets. Congratulations to the winners:
Emma Campbell – Askew, Hargraves, Harcourt, & Associates
Suni Kothari – SNC-Lavalin, Inc.
Mike McCloud – City of Columbus
All other entrants received a scale model replica of a McElroy TracStar 900 Fusion Machine
Coming in 2009: ‘Hidden’ within the 2009 McElroy Calendar will be other opportunities to participate in other McElroy drawings or contests throughout the year. To make sure you receive a 2009 McElroy calendar, click here. |
| Sewer Emergency Repair |
Arkansas contractor bursts collapsed sewer line in industrial park with a HammerHead impactor on a Vermeer Navigator horizontal directional drill.
By Valerie Van Kooten, Technical Writer, Two Rivers Marketing, Des Moines, Iowa -- Construction News, 7/7/2008
Take an industrial park with a 60-year-old clay pipe sewer line buried 10 feet below ground, add a road nearby that is highly traveled, and throw in a line break that has created a sinkhole big enough to hide a small car. The result? A real problem.
That was the situation facing Pete Charlton, vice president and general manager of Gastony Directional Boring, Inc., in Fort Smith, Arkansas, last July. Charlton founded the company in 1999 and has done many jobs in "pipe rehabilitation" — boring for sewer, gas, water, and electric lines primarily from Fort Smith north to the Missouri/Arkansas border. He and his eight employees were in the process of completing a project for the city of Fort Smith to replace many of that city's older sewer lines when an emergency situation popped up in neighboring Van Buren, Arkansas. Click here to read the rest of the story.
Click here to read the entire story! |
| Local builders installing geothermal energy systems |
Several local developers and the Columbia Public Schools are turning to geothermal energy to provide heating, cooling and hot water to homeowners and school children.
At the new Boulder Springs condominiums and The Vistas subdivision, they're discovering that going green can also save some green.
Click here to read the entire story! |
| Magic Plumbing San Francisco Performs Trenchless No Dig Sewer Installations |
Magic Plumbing San Francisco is now performing Trenchless Sewer Installations in San Francisco with the approval of the Department Of Building Inspection.
San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) June 27, 2008 -- Magic Plumbing San Francisco is now performing Trenchless Sewer Installations in San Francisco with the approval of the Department Of Building Inspection (DBI). Until recently, trenchless sewer installations, also known as pipe bursting, were performed on an as-needed basis requiring special approval from the City.
Click here to read the entire story!
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| Have Knowledge, Will Travel |
Just a few weeks ago, I was in Lima, Peru. The average high temperature during this time of the year is 66 degrees so coming from Tulsa, OK, where temperatures in June are typically in the high 80’s to lower 90’s, it was cool, comfortable, and wonderful weather for working outside.
On this particular trip, McElroy Technical Specialist Josh Lawrence and I had traveled to Lima to meet 25 others, many of them from the mines in the Andes Mountains, and provide them comprehensive training for fusing Polyethylene Pipe (HDPE) with McElroy equipment. Over the three days of training, we worked with pipe sizes ranging from 1”IPS to 36”OD, covered standard fusion procedures, and spent a lot of hands on time with a Pitbull #14, No.28, and a MegaMc 1236. When it was all done, not only did our 25 students have more knowledge about HDPE pipe fusion, we also learned more about various ways HDPE is being used in Peru and the Peruvian culture in general. It was a great experience for everyone involved.
McElroy has been providing continuous fusion training for over 30 years, more than any other fusion equipment manufacturer, and with any of our training, students gain knowledge that helps them be productive on the jobsite and we stay connected with and get feedback from those who work out in the field.
As the use of fusible pipe has grown throughout the world, we have seen an increase in the demand for quality training. In just the first half of 2008, we trained over 300 students in United States, Canada, Chile, China, England, India, Japan, Peru, Scotland, Spain, Mexico, and other locations. Since we began offering Fusion Operator qualification as well as more specialized maintenance and repair schools, the training we provide has a greater importance and influence in the marketplace.
So whether you are interested in our standard training classes held at the McElroy plant, or are interested in custom, on-site training, we can be there when you need us. To learn more about our training options, visit our website.
I look forward to seeing you in class.
Larry Gordon
Manager, Training, Technical, and Customer Services
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| Oil of the 21st Century |
Michigan lawmakers finish approving water rules
LANSING, MI — The Michigan Legislature has finished approving bills to strengthen regulation of large-scale water withdrawals in the state.
Click here to read the entire story! |
Texas' first 6 months could be among 10 driest
LUBBOCK, TX —On the heels of a very wet 2007, about 95 percent of Texas is now in some stage of drought, with a sliver of two northwestern Panhandle counties garnering the worst status - exceptional - on the U.S. Drought Monitor map.
Click here to read the entire story! |
Watsonville, Calif. water rate hikes aimed at conservation
WATSONVILLE, CA —Water rates have gone up here in Watsonville as part of the city's effort to encourage conservation.
Click here to read the entire story! |
Group criticizes Beijing, China water diversion plan
BEIJING — Plans to divert water to Beijing for the Olympic Games are shortsighted and will not ease the city's severe water crisis, a Canadian-based development policy group said in a study released recently.
Click here to read the entire story! |
CAP officials look for future Arizona water solutions
TUCSON, AZ — The combined population of three of Arizona's most populous counties could double in 40 years and that has water experts dreaming up plans for the future.
Click here to read the entire story! |
| Links |
Plastics Pipe Institute Inc. (PPI)
Founded in 1950, The Plastics Pipe Institute Inc. (PPI) is the major trade association representing all segments of the plastics piping industry. PPI members share a common interest in broadening market opportunities that make effective use of plastics piping for water and gas distribution, sewer and wastewater, oil and gas production, industrial and mining uses, power and communications, duct and irrigation.
http://www.plasticpipe.org/index01.php |
North American Society for Trenchless Technology
The North American Society for Trenchless Technology is a multiple disciplinary society of individuals and organizations with professional, utilitarian or environmental interests in Trenchless Technology. It was founded and incorporated as a non-profit organization in June 1990.
http://www.nastt.org/ |
American Water Works Association
Established in 1881, AWWA is the oldest and largest nonprofit scientific and educational organization dedicated to safe drinking water in North America . AWWA has more than 57,000 members worldwide and its 4,700 utility members serve 80 percent of America 's population.
http://www.awwa.org |
American Society of Civil Engineers Foundation
Assists ASCE with resource development and the enhancement of its programs through the philanthropy of its membership and the wider public.
http://www.asce.org/foundation/ |
McElroy Connections welcomes your feedback, story ideas, tips, or anything else related to PE Pipe and Pipe fusion. Please email your comments and story ideas to:
FOR NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS: To subscribe, visit http://www.mcelroy.com/fusion/forms/newsletter.htm
McElroy Connections is published by McElroy Manufacturing Inc. The information contained within each issue is meant as a service to our customers, distributors, and those involved with Polyethylene Pipe applications.
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