TOP NEWS
MINExpo Held in Las Vegas
MINExpo International 2021 was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center Sept. 13-15, the largest and most comprehensive industry event this year to explore cutting-edge equipment, technologies and innovations for all mining sectors.
Athabasca Minerals Revenues Leap Forward
Athabasca reported consolidated revenue of $3.2 million ($0.2 million in the second quarter of 2020) with divisional contributions from AMI Aggregates, AMI RockChain, AMI Silica and TerraShift Engineering.
Resource Materials Holds Open House in Texas
Texas-based Resource Materials, a supplier of sand and aggregates to the local construction industry, opened the doors to its quarry in Jarrell, Texas, to showcase its new 450-tph advanced CDE wash plant.
MSHA WATCH
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration announced a proposed rule requiring mine operators that employ six or more miners to develop a written safety program for mobile equipment and powered haulage equipment (except belt conveyors) used at surface mines and surface areas of underground mines.
USGS STATS
An estimated 694 million metric tons (Mt) of total construction aggregates was produced and shipped for consumption in the United States in the second quarter of 2021, an increase of 7% compared with that of the second quarter of 2020, according to Jason Willett, U.S. Geological Survey aggregates commodity specialist.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS
- Total construction starts fell 9% in August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $782.8 billion, according to Dodge Data & Analytics.
- Construction spending during July 2021 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,568.8 billion, 0.3% (±1.2%) above the revised June estimate of $1,563.4 billion. The July figure is 9.0% (±1.5%) above the July 2020 estimate of $1,439.6 billion.
- Strong multifamily production helped push overall housing starts up in August as single-family starts edged lower due to ongoing supply chain issues and labor challenges.
ENERGY
- WTI CRUDE OIL FUTURES
9/23/2021: $73.30/barrel, up $0.69 from week earlier; up $33.37 from year earlier. - NATURAL GAS FUTURES
9/23/2021: $4.976/MMBtu, down $0.359 from week earlier; up $2.851 from year earlier. - RETAIL DIESEL
9/20/2021: $3.385/gal., up $0.013 from week earlier; up $0.981 from year earlier. - ELECTRICITY
6/21/2021: Average price to industrial customers 7.27 cents/kilowatt hour; up from 6.93 cents/kilowatt hour a year earlier.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration