New and Newsworthy on InfoMine

Prices for many materials used in mining equipment and supplies have been extremely volatile in the past 12 months which will impact your quotes and estimates in the coming year. Not only are capital costs changing rapidly in this new economic environment, but operating costs have also changed dramatically. For example, a year ago, lube oil sold for almost twice as much as it does today, significantly impacting hourly operating costs.

Contained in the 350-page guide are current estimator’s prices for more than 3,000 pieces of equipment and supply items used in surface and underground mining, coal processing and ore milling. Most of the equipment prices are budget prices for specific, standard-equipped models, which are identified by specification, including size, electric power requirements, horsepower, production capacities etc., without mention of manufacturer names.

The 2009 guide is ideal for checking prices before purchasing, and for estimating capital budgets and new project costs.
For more information click here or call: (509) 328-8023 or order on line.

The CostMine division of InfoMine is currently conducting its 2009 U.S. Metal and Industrial Mineral Mine Compensation Survey. All participants receive a free executive summary of the results and a substantial discount on the final report and there is no charge for participating. Mines from 28 states participated in our 2008 U.S. Metal and Industrial Mineral Mine Report. Included in this report were wages and benefit information for 122 mines and salary information for 107 mines.

Here is your opportunity to keep abreast of the wages, benefits and bonuses other companies are offering.

To participate, contact Krista Noyes Salzer to request a survey form or call her at + 1 (509) 328-8023 for more information. Deadline for submission has been extended to October 2, 2009.

The CostMine division of InfoMine is currently conducting its 2009 Exploration Compensation Survey. All participants receive a free executive summary of the results and a substantial discount on the final report and there is no charge for participating. Our 2008 International Exploration report included compensation practices at 162 exploration offices in 38 countries and consultant rates for 50 consulting geologists working throughout the world.

Here is your opportunity to keep abreast of the wages, benefits and bonuses other companies are offering their exploration professionals.

To participate, contact Krista Noyes Salzer - ksalzer@infomine.com to request a survey form or call her at + 1 (509) 328-8023 for more information. Deadline for submission has been extended to September 18, 2009.

According to a new report just released by CostMine, Canadian miners received an average wage increase of 3.8% at 35 of Canadian mines responding, while the remaining 7 mines in the study showed no change in wages. None of the mines reported decreased wages in the last 12 months, despite the current economic downturn and lower commodity prices.

Professionals such as geologists and mining engineers also received substantial pay increases when compared to 2008.  Mine geologists enjoyed a healthy 6% average increase in wages this year, while senior geologists kept pace with inflation, garnering an average increase of 3.1%. Mining engineers faired much better, with companies reporting an average annual wage of C$91,400, an 11% increase over 2008.

This year’s hourly wage and benefits survey included 42 precious and base metal, coal, oil sands, diamond and industrial mineral mines from 8 provinces and territories. The report also includes salaries for managerial, professional and administrative personnel from 34 mines

Click here for details or call (509) 328-8023.

The costs of building and operating coal mines and plants increased steeply in 2007 to mid-2008 followed by a precipitous decrease in late 2008-2009 due to a combination of two factors: the coinciding rapid rise and fall over the same period in prices of the commodities, industrial chemicals, fuel and steel.

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Workers at U.S. metal mines take home larger paychecks and enjoy more benefits than those at U.S. aggregate and construction materials mines, according to a study by CostMine.

The study also found that paychecks were 29% higher on average for hourly workers at the metal mines and 35% higher for salaried workers. The disparity persisted throughout all the job categories with the single exception of environmental coordinators who earn about 5% more on average at aggregate operations.

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The 2009 Coal Cost Guide is now available! Engineers and estimators can now rely on CostMine’s newest cost estimating manual focusing exclusively on coal.
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CostMine has just released its newest compensation survey, U.S. Aggregate & Construction Material Mine Salaries, Wages & Benefits Report - 2009 Survey Results, covering 180 U.S. aggregate and construction material operations in 34 states.

Despite widespread wage freezes and reductions at a few mines, about 80% of U.S. aggregate and construction material mining companies reported annual wage increases averaging 2.7% in the last 12 months. Last year, our survey revealed over 90% of mines responding had increased wages an average of 3.8%.

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Hourly wages at U.S. metal mines lagged behind those at U.S. coal mines according to the results of two surveys conducted by CostMine, publishers of Mining Cost Service.  Workers at surveyed coal mines earned from 3% to 7% more than their counterparts at the metal mines. 

Details in the U.S. Coal Mine Salaries, Wages and Benefits report show union miners at underground coal mines in the U.S. generally received up to 16% less in wages, but more generous benefit packages than non-union underground coal miners. At surface coal mines, the opposite was true, with non-union maintenance workers receiving up to 5% higher wages than their union counterparts. Other job categories, such as production truck drivers, were generally equal.  

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