Caterpillar is excited to share the Caterpillar MINExpo Experience with the global mining industry this September in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Tucson, Arizona, USA. We’re looking forward to gathering in person to discuss the topics you’re focused on today and to share ways we can collaborate to find the right solutions to help you achieve your goals.
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OSMRE Seeks Input on Spring Creek Mine Federal Mining Plan Modification
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement is inviting public comment on the Spring Creek Mine Federal Mining Plan Modification Draft Environmental Impact Statement(EIS). The 45-day public comment period will open when the draft EIS is published in the Federal Register.
OSMRE prepared this EIS to further analyze the environmental impacts of a proposed mine plan modification at the Spring Creek Mine, operated by the Navajo Transitional Energy Company. OSMRE had previously prepared an environmental assessment in 2016 for this mining plan modification, which the District Court of Montana found inadequate in 2021.
The mine is located in Big Horn County, Montana, about 32 miles north of Sheridan, Wyoming. The operator’s proposed mine plan modification would involve disturbance of an additional 162.5 acres to produce an additional 39.9 million tons of federal coal. The draft EIS analyzes three alternatives in addition to the operator’s proposed action; the draft does not identify a preferred alternative.
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Why Coal is Still a Cornerstone of the Global Energy Mix
In 2023, global coal consumption reached a record 164 exajoules, driven primarily by the Asia Pacific region, where coal provides 83% of energy needs.
China alone consumed 56% of the world's coal, increasing its usage despite global efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Coal remains a significant player in the global energy mix, contributing 26% of the world's energy in 2023, more than all non-fossil fuel sources combined.
Despite many nations transitioning away from fossil fuels, in 2023, world coal consumption reached a staggering 164 exajoules (EJ) of energy, a record high for any year.
For this graphic, Visual Capitalist's Alan Kennedy has partnered with Range ETFs to explore the role coal plays in the global energy mix and determine which regions still consume large quantities of coal.
The Role of Coal in Global Energy
Coal is a significant player in the global energy mix, contributing 26% of the world’s energy in 2023, more than all non-fossil fuel sources combined. The only energy source that contributed more to the global energy mix was oil.
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Mining Engineering Technology Program Returns to Bluefield State University
Bluefield State University officials announced this evening the return of its esteemed Mining Engineering Technology program. After a hiatus of nearly a decade, the program has been reinstated to meet the growing demand for skilled professionals in the mining industry.
Dr. Darrin Martin, Interim President of Bluefield State University, expressed enthusiasm about the program’s return, stating, “We are thrilled to reintroduce the Mining Engineering Technology program at Bluefield State. This program has long been a cornerstone of our engineering offerings, and its revival is a testament to our dedication to fostering economic growth and providing valuable educational opportunities in our region.”
The announcement came during the Third Annual BSU/Pocahontas Royalties Scholarship Dinner and Hall of Fame Induction. This year’s inductee is Keith Sigmon, a BSU alum and General Manager of Buchanan Mine with Coronado Coal. He joins past inductees, long-time mining professor and Dean, the late Frank Hart, Warrior Met Coal COO, Jack Richardson, and Alpha Metallurgical Resources COO Jason Whitehead.
The germ of this idea began two years ago when Bluefield State University Board of Governors member, Shannon Remines, and Mike Blackburn of Pocahontas Royalties, LLC were having dinner. After bemoaning the need for trained engineers and the high regard for BSU alumni in that industry, the two decided to begin the effort to revive the program.
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Modeling the Impossible
One of the common refrains from renewable boosters or even the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is that the U.S. now has the technology needed to rapidly transform our electricity mix and maintain affordable, reliable power. In other words, the renewable technology available today can replace the dispatchable power currently provided by the nation’s coal, natural gas and nuclear power plant fleets. Except, there’s one big problem—that simply isn’t true.
In fact, in states and regional electricity markets that have begun modeling out what their power systems will need to both meet rising power demand and maintain reliability, much of the heavy lifting is astonishingly achieved by resources and technologies that commercially don’t exist.
Consider recent analysis from New York and New England’s grid operators on what is going to be needed to meet peak winter power demand in the years ahead.
New York is aiming for 100% zero-emission electricity system by 2040 and that goal is now colliding with a projected 90% jump in power demand over the next two decades. According to NYISO, the state’s grid operator, meeting that demand will require more than tripling existing generating capacity from 37 gigawatts (GW) today to as much as 130 GW by 2040. And notably, New York will need between 20 and 40 GW of dispatchable emissions-free resources to replace 25 GW of fossil-fuel generation. Those resources could include long-duration batteries, small modular nuclear reactors, hydrogen-powered generators and fuel cells. Currently – and let’s not lose sight of this – none of those things exist in commercial operation anywhere.
New England is counting on some magic as well. ISO New England, the region’s grid operator, says the region will need to build 97 GW of new wind, solar and battery capacity by 2050. For perspective, the entire system currently has less than 30 GW of generating capacity.
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