Augmented Reality Mine by Bridge 360

Bridge 360’s Augmented Reality Exhibit shown at Mining Philippines 2017, from September 5-7, 2017

Bridge 360 combined mining, art, and technology in their first augmented reality (AR) exhibit, demonstrated in Mining Philippines 2017 held at Sofitel Manila, Philippines from September 5 to 7, 2017.

Turning public perception of mining from the traditional and outdated view of it being dirty, laborious, and destructive to the view of it being technologically advanced, socially beneficial, and environmentally responsible is one the resource industry’s key challenges. Correctness of public perception is important since it can influence government policies on resource extraction. Bridge 360 aims to contribute its share to solving this challenge through its modern approach to information dissemination and education campaigns (IEC).

Targeting students and young professionals, specifically “millennials,” the team developed an augmented reality application to showcase a vision of a mining project where all equipment, facilities, and people are connected through wireless internet, allowing for real time communication and monitoring.  Such vision is aligned with modernizing the public perception of mining as a process that can employ cutting edge technology, in this case, Internet of Things (IoT).

Augmented reality gives ability to turn a flat physical image or “marker” into a moving 3D animation when viewed through Bridge 360’s mobile application. AR gives an illusion that the 3D animation exists in front of the viewer. It also allows the viewer the freedom to move around and inspect the animation from all angles if the smartphone’s camera is pointing at the marker, hence raising audience interest and engagement.

 

How Shotton Mine Combined Mining and Art

In the coal-rich county of Northumberland, North East England, reclines one of the largest human sculptures in the world – Northumberlandia.

Northumberlandia is a park of grassy undulating hills and swirling walkways. It somehow resembles the Chocolate Hills and the Rice Terraces of the Philippines. When viewed from afar or from a vantage point, the park transforms into a colossal figure of a reclining woman who seems to enjoy the day as much as the tourists do. It really is a rare masterpiece to behold. It’s also a park worth visiting to contemplate the puniness of human existence or about the differences in people’s worldviews, if you want to go all philosophical about it.

A Millenial Engineer’s Guide To The Role of Mining In Society

Mining as a process is arguably one of two key foundations of modern society — the other one being agriculture.The same way we get crops and meat from agriculture, we get raw materials needed to create a whole range of products that we use from mining. Even during the stone age, people have been collecting stones and sharpening them to make various tools and weapons. Today, our demand for stones, metals, and other mined materials is higher than before due to the technologies we use — cars, computers, appliances, cell phones, houses, you name it. Virtually everything we use today need raw materials from mining — either as their components or as components of the machines that are used to make them.

Beyond this, mining can contribute to social development and development of science and technology, while mitigating its environmental impacts. Many modern mining operations contribute to national economies, community development, and environmental enhancement. Satisfying the needs of communities, following local and national regulations, while implementing environmental programs to mitigate and even improve the environment are the hallmarks of what is called “responsible mining.” Science and technology benefits from mining as well. This is because the challenges encountered in mining operations encourage creative thinking in order to come up with innovative solutions. Mining also opens up opportunities for more detailed study of the Earth especially the crust. These solutions can spill over to other industries and aspects of our lives. Society depends on mining on plenty of things.

Read more at: https://www.gineersnow.com/industries/mining/millenial-engineers-guide-role-mining-society#comments

Your toothpaste contains minerals.

Fluorite

Limestone

Bauxite

Some components used to make toothpaste come from these minerals: fluorite (left), limestone (middle), and bauxite (right).

Did you know that whenever you’re using toothpaste, you’re effectively rubbing pieces of the earth on your teeth?

“We don’t need mining,” other misconceptions, and why they’re wrong.

Last March 2016, I flew to Puerto Princesa, Palawan as a guest speaker for an event promoting responsible mining, which was hosted by the University of the Philippines Mining Engineering Society (UP MINERS). I was asked to give a talk about the common misconceptions about mining to elementary, high school, and college students from various schools in Palawan (they probably numbered almost to a thousand, by my estimate! So, kudos to UP MINERS!).

On the Manicani Issue

Lately, facebook posts regarding the issue on Manicani Island, have been spreading throughout the news feed. Needless to say these posts have not discussed some important things as to why this is the current situation on the Island. What’s alarming is that these posts call on for action without even further discussing the matter at […]

https://separasabayan.wordpress.com/2016/05/17/on-the-manicani-issue/

Are Resource-Rich Countries Doomed By The Resource Curse?

 

I’m not an expert on economics, but I like reading about how the mineral industry affects a country’s economy. As I was reading about mineral economics, I came across the intriguing concept of the “resource curse.” I’m glad to share it with you.

The idea behind the “resource curse” is that countries that are well endowed with non-renewable resources, especially minerals and fuel, tend to have slower economic growth than countries with fewer resources. [1]

A 2011 research paper by economist Dr. Frederick van der Ploeg of Oxford University contains a comprehensive analysis on the resource curse concept. [2]

Correcting Misconceptions About Mining

One time as I was scrolling through my news feed on Facebook, I came across a picture of a group of people protesting against mining. The placards that they were holding read “Kalikasan at tao, o mapanirang pagmimina?” (“The environment and people, or destructive mining?”). The protesters believed that mining is anti-environment and anti-people.

However, contrary to what the anti-mining protesters believe, mining actually supports human society. And with the ever advancing mining technologies and environmental policies, mining becomes more and more environmentally-friendly.

Unfortunately, misconceptions about mining are far too common. Here are five common misconceptions and the reasons why they’re wrong.

The 5 Worst Mining Disasters that Modern Mines Must Never Repeat

Studying the causes of mining disasters in the past will help modern mines avoid repeating them in the future.

History tells us that majority of mining disasters were due to insufficient monitoring for safety, ineffective or non-existent emergency response systems, and flawed engineering design of facilities like dams. Preventing similar accidents from occurring is possible with the current knowledge on relevant fields like safety, health, the environment, engineering, and disaster risk management. Knowledge on these fields must be applied to design safe mine facilities, utilize state of the art monitoring systems, and develop effective emergency systems.

These are the five worst mining disasters that modern mines must never repeat.

Effect of Large-Scale Mining on Employment

In a research paper published in 2014 in the journal Mineral Economics, Olle Östensson discussed the significance of employment that is generated by large-scale mining in spurring local economic growth. He evaluated the effects on employment of the Escondida Mine in Chile, Tenke Fungurume Mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and various mining companies in Northwest Provice, Zambia. His research showed that large-scale mining generated indirect and induced employment that when combined, surpassed direct employment. The increased employment results in increased spending, which in the long run results in an increase in the overall income of the communities. This phenomenon, called the multiplier effect, boosts local economic growth.

Very few people are aware of the actual effects of mining on employment and economic growth. “It is a piece of conventional wisdom that mining projects have relatively minor