Abstract
Mining in the United Kingdom is dead. Long live mining in the United Kingdom. Never mind its centuries of profound effect on British society and that it powered the industrial revolution, ‘King Coal’ is about to topple into the abyss of a bottomless pit. By the end of this year, the last three operating coal mines in the United Kingdom – Hatfield Colliery in South Yorkshire, Kellingley Colliery in North Yorkshire and Thoresby Colliery in Nottinghamshire – will have closed. Thirty years of politically driven expedience and priorities, moves to reduce the UK’s carbon footprint, sophistries of the renewable energy campaign and cheap imports in the market place have, ironically, consigned King Coal to the closet of history. And the irony? Well, over the last 2 years, coal has overtaken gas as UK’s main source of fuel for electricity and, because of low coal prices, currently provides 40% of our power!
But as King Coal exits, chased off ‘stage left’, there are early signs that mining in the United Kingdom may be experiencing a re-incarnation. The British Geological Society’s 2014 Directory of Mines and Quarries lists around 2000 mining operations in the United Kingdom, albeit predominantly in quarrying for aggregates and construction materials. More specifically, however, just outside Plymouth at Hemerdon, Wolf Minerals is about to put a tungsten and tin mine – the first tungsten mine in the United Kingdom since 1945 – into full production. Led by an experienced management team of Brit and Aussie mining professionals, Wolf Minerals will produce 3% of the world’s tungsten, making it a significant global producer. Recently, at a meeting south of Whitby, Sirius Minerals, an Australian-led company, got the green light for a £1.7 billion potash mine a mile under the North York Moors National Park and the nod to build a £2 billion 23-mile tunnel to take the product to Teesside for export. The Sirius mine will be the world’s largest potash mine. The existence of gold reserves has long been known in Northern Ireland, but development had been held back by a ban on using explosives during the ‘Troubles’. Now Dalradian Resources is seeking permission to mine high-grade gold at Curraghinalt, Omagh. According to a preliminary study by the Canadian company, Curraghinalt could contain 3.5 million ounces of gold and produce about 160,000 oz annually over 18 years. A few miles from Curraghinalt, a gold mine is being developed by another Canadian company, Galantas. The company’s chief executive has commented that ‘Northern Ireland has great potential as a gold province. I can see a situation where in 10 years’ time there are three or four mines here’.
But why should this be of any interest to measurement and control engineers and scientists? Are they likely to rush off and invest in these projects? Are they likely to rush off looking for work in these projects? Probably not. The point simply is that without mining, the technologies they use today would be very different, if they existed at all.
Closer to home, if you’ve been following the President’s Pen, you’ll be aware that plans are underway to grow and develop the Institute. In the most recent development, Martin Ward – a Fellow of the Institute – has now come on board to revamp and direct our marketing and promotion activities. A former Managing Director of Yokogawa UK Ltd, Martin, actually cut his sales teeth while working in various relevant roles with Foxboro both in the United Kingdom and abroad, and he is no stranger to the practice of ‘cold calling’. Working with the Gower Street staff and the Institute’s Council, he is also planning to talk with as many members as possible, particularly through our Local Sections. In the meantime, all ideas and suggestions are welcome.
By now you should all have your new InstMC email address and Office 365 account. The move is part of a digital media project that includes a new website, due in October this year, and subsequently a database that you will be able to access for purposes of paying subscriptions and updating contact and employment details and so on. The email address is, of course, to help supplement our communications with you. Funding for the project has come from the London, and Manchester and Chester and Teesside Local Sections to whom considerable thanks are due. The man to talk to about the project is Aytan Malka, our Communications Manager:
Incidentally, the 2014 Yearbook was your last printed copy of the publication. As from next year, the Yearbook goes online. Increasing costs of printing and declining revenue from advertising over the last 5 years have led to the publication becoming a drain on our funding. In many respects, though, it is a public service. So from 2016, the Yearbook will be accessible on the website and ‘live’. And from their early discussions with prospective advertisers, Aytan and Publications Manager Danny Henderson are confident that the electronic version will generate greater involvement and funding than at present from industry.
All aboard! Our Functional Safety bandwagon is beginning to roll. Functional Safety 2014 laid down a marker for what we hope will become a biennial series of conferences on the subject. With Stewart Robinson at the wheel, the Safety Panel have now started planning for Functional Safety 2016 and there are signs already that it is going to be better than 2014. In terms of Local Section activity, Teesside are running a seminar this coming November on Functional Safety. Meanwhile the Safety Panel have also come up with a qualification: Registered Functional Safety Engineer. The criteria and processes for this are being fine-tuned but there is already a first name on the ‘Register’. The qualification is by no means a give-away. Its pre-requisites are nothing less than prior registration at Chartered level, a full professional review and interview – and an annual fee of £100.
Don’t be fooled by James Bond. Diamonds may not be forever … because supplies are running out! Despite two decades of exploration, the mining companies are now reaching the bottom of the pit and speculation has it that 2019 will see a serious shortage in the production of diamonds. So if you’ve any spare cash in your wallet, waddle along to your local jeweller and invest in some dress diamonds – but don’t forget to pay your Institute dues first!
Here’s digging for you …