News & Blog

Time to Get the Lead Out!

Test Your Knowledge of Pb with Our Lead Quiz

It’s sort of the Rodney Dangerfield of the mineral world: It’s not glamorous like gold or silver, or rare like jadeite. It’s not as trendy as lithium or a super conductor like copper…And it can kill you.

But lead is also extremely useful and versatile. How much do you know about this under-appreciated mineral?

Take our lead quiz and see…

The Public Shaming of Opioid Addiction

Social Media Being Used forPublic Shaming of Overdose Victims

In Salem, N.H., a 36-year-old woman overdoses on fentanyl in the aisle of a Family Dollar store, while her two-year-old daughter looks on.

A Memphis couple in their sixties overdose on heroin near a bus stop, amidst several bystanders.

A young Florida woman and her friend OD after snorting lines of heroin in their SUV, with their infant children strapped in the back seat.

What do all these situations have in common? Two things:

1. They were all filmed by onlookers or first responders and then posted to social media, where they quickly went viral, and

2. They all resulted in the rehabilitation of the drug users. But does one necessarily lead to the other?

Does Mining Cause Earthquakes?

In May 2008, a massive earthquake shook the province of Sichuan, China, to its very core.

Some four-fifths of the area’s structures were flattened. Whole villages and mountain towns were destroyed, schools collapsed. Almost 90,000 people were killed or presumed dead, including more than 5,300 children. Millions of people were left homeless by the 7.9-magnitude quake. Damages were estimated at $86 billion.

Later, the world was shocked to learn that the quake was probably caused by the construction of the Zipingpu Dam.

Holiday Challenges for the Recovering Addict

Recovering opioid addict Brett Fabert had been clean for two and a half years, right up until Thanksgiving. That’s when the 34-year-old Salt Lake City man saw friends and family drinking and he decided to join them. Shortly afterward, he went back to his old drugs of choice — heroin and cocaine. Fabert was so ashamed of his relapse, he cried about it for two days. The holidays are a time to eat, drink and be merry. But what if you’re a recovering opioid addict? Then the season for parties and good times can be a tough one to navigate.

Miner’s Holiday: Christmas in the Mines

At McShane Welding and Metal Products, we try to provide some of the more unusual mining-related news and information. And Christmastime is no different. Here we offer five ways to explore Christmas in the mines:

Is Marijuana a Gateway to Opioids?

“It started for me with pot, and just progressed to hell.”
“Weed didn’t do it for me. But, definitely, weed started it all for me.”            
— Chasing the Dragon

For decades, health officials and politicians have debated whether or not marijuana is a gateway to more powerful drugs, such as opioids.

World’s Deadliest Construction Projects

From the time of Moses through the mid-20th century, peasants, prisoners and immigrants have been exploited as slave labor for some of the world’s most formidable construction projects. Looking back, the toll in human life is often staggering.

Opioid Quiz: How Much Have You Learned So Far?

For the past two and half years, we at McShane Welding and Metal Products have been keeping you abreast of the opioid crisis and its frightening ramifications. Have you been paying attention?

Is Siberia the Next Big Mining Frontier?

Miners who work in Siberia face some of the world’s most brutal conditions. Located in northernmost Russia, the region is one of the coldest, harshest places on earth.

Americans in Pain

In the average nation, only about 20 percent gave one of those responses. And in the Philippines or South Africa (both still considered developing countries), just 11 percent reported feeling pain that often.

Making Cents of Copper: How Much Do You Know?

It was the first metal to be smelted from ore (around 5000 BC), the first metal to be cast into a mold (4000 BC), and the first metal to be alloyed (with tin, around 3500 BC). It’s copper, and it has a multitude of current applications.

But how much do you know about it? Let’s find out…

The Heroin Addict Next Door

According to medical experts, about 85% of the population can take a pain pill and never develop a craving for it. But what about the others? The ones whose brains don’t work that way?

Fossil Discoveries: When Miners Dig Up the Past

While carving through rock at the Millenium Mine, a vast Alberta oil sand pit near Fort McMurray, Funk clipped something much harder than rock.

Keeping K-9 Units Safe from Opioids

As a police K-9 unit in the Broward County, Fla., Sheriff’s Department, they had assisted in a federal drug raid earlier that morning. Now, Primus was exhibiting signs of opioid overdose and was in serious distress.

Six Delivery Trends You Should Know About

You don’t have to look far to realize that our world, especially the business world, is moving faster and faster. We expect information, transportation, and a multitude of goods and services to be instantly available to us. And when we order products online, we want them now.

First Responders and the Opioid Crisis: When the Helper Needs Help

After years of fighting the opioid epidemic on the front lines, first responders (law enforcement, paramedics, and other safety professionals) are starting to need support as well. 

Mining and the Movies: A Rich Tradition

Mining is an industry rich with drama and danger. And Hollywood has always had a bit of a fascination with miners and their way of life.

What Ohio Is Doing Right to Combat Its Drug Problem

These two scenarios exemplify Ohio’s dire state of affairs with regard to its drug problem. In 2017, opioid overdose was a way of life (and a way of death) in the Buckeye State. In Montgomery County, the coroner’s office had to rent refrigerated trailers just to keep the bodies from piling up.

Today’s Technology…Brought to You by Lithium

From our electric vehicles and portable electronic devices, to life-saving pacemakers and other medical implants, battery power is everywhere. The technology is growing exponentially,  and there appears to be no stopping it.

Opioids and the Elderly: When Grandma Is Addicted

A 2003 National Institutes of Health study appeared to state the obvious when it reported that “the prevalence of pain increases with each decade of life.” Subsequent studies have indicated that adults aged 65 and older are 80% more likely to complain of moderate-to-severe pain than are their younger counterparts.

Welders Hold the World Together

Twenty-three years ago, the American Welding Society (AWS) established April as National Welding Month in order to recognize the industry and tradespeople who strive to keep the world together — one weld at a time.

5 Things You (Probably) Never Knew About Mining and Metals

In fact, copper dates back to about 9000 BC. Archaeological evidence indicates that Stone Age man learned to fashion gold into jewelry around 4000 BC, while copper was used to make tools and weapons about 200 years earlier.

Adderall Epidemic “Waiting in the Wings”

Adderall is a prescription amphetamine that helps people (usually, children) with ADHD improve their focus and manage their symptoms. The American Journal of Psychiatry has reported that 4.4% of U.S. adults also have ADHD.

Salt of the Earth: How Much Do You Know About It?

It’s the only rock we humans eat. We expect it on our fries and pretzels, and we keep a supply of it on our dinner tables (hence, the name “table salt”). Without it, you die. (Too much, and you also die.) But how much do you really know about good ol’ sodium chloride? Take our quiz to see if you’re really worth your salt—or if it’s back to the salt mines for you!

When Healthcare Professionals Abuse Drugs

When healthcare professionals abuse drugs, the results can be devastating. A single addicted healthcare worker who resorts to “drug diversion” (i.e., stealing drugs), can endanger thousands.

Conveyor Belt World Record Holders

At the top of the list is the 61-mile conveyor belt that runs from the Moroccan-controlled Bou Craa phosphorus mines in Western Sahara to the coast. Built in 1972, this system can shuttle 2,000 metric tons of rock per hour to the port city of El-Aaiun. From there, cargo ships transport the phosphate rock around the world, where it is used primarily in fertilizer production.

Do 12-Step Programs Really Work?

Ever since the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1935, 12-step programs have become the standard for alcohol and drug addiction treatment. Narcotics Anonymous officially began in Los Angeles in 1953. It has since spread to more than 140 countries.

Asteroid Mining: More Than a Pipe Dream

The folks at Portland-based Aten Engineering are focused on determining the composition of the individual near-Earth asteroids. Because different compositions require different mining equipment.

FDA Approves “Super Opioid” Dsuvia, Despite Crisis

If you’re wondering how a new opioid painkiller (dubbed a “super opioid”) could have received FDA approval while this country is in the throes of an opioid crisis, you’re not alone. In fact, critics of the FDA move include the chair of its own advisory committee, Dr. Raeford Brown.

Four Repercussions of Confronting the Opioid Crisis

Doctors face intense pressure to cut back on opioid prescriptions, especially for the treatment of chronic pain. While the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) doesn’t track the number of Americans with chronic pain, some health experts estimate it to be as high as 100 million. That’s a lot of people taking pain meds.

Silver: The Other Historic Mining Rush

The first prospectors arrived in the Territory of Nevada searching for gold. In fact, it was a nominal gold strike in an isolated canyon that quickly became one of the richest silver strikes ever discovered.

How Effective Is Methadone Treatment?

Methadone is not the only medication used to treat drug addiction. But it appears to be the most successful. And it’s certainly been around the longest–since 1964.

Lost Dutchman Gold Mine: Treasure or Curse?

Not only is this lost mine alleged to be rich in gold, but it’s also commonly viewed as cursed. Decapitations and other strange deaths, as well as numerous vanishings, shroud the legend. As a result, it’s become one of the most famous lost treasure tales of all time.

Children: Secondary Victims of the Opioid Crisis

Since 2004, the number of children admitted to hospitals for opioid overdose has nearly doubled. That’s according to a recent University of Chicago study. The biggest increase was among kids ages 1 to 4, which the researchers attributed to “the exploratory nature of young children.”

Goodbye Porch Pirates & Hello McShane’s Heavy-Duty Package Delivery Lock Box

E-commerce sales worldwide are forecasted to nearly double between 2016 and 2020. As of February 2017, 43 percent of U.S. consumers had purchased items online. The convenience of purchasing online–especially when many e-tailers offer free shipping–has helped fuel the dramatic increase in online sales.

The Future of Construction: Self-Healing Concrete

No matter how carefully it’s mixed or reinforced, all concrete eventually cracks. And given the right conditions, those cracks can lead to collapse. But what if, in the future, the concrete structures that surround us were able to self-heal cracks? As it turns out, several research teams from around the world are developing just such a material.

Opioid Overdose ER Visits Continue to Climb

According to the most recent report issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), emergency room visits associated with opioid overdose increased about 30% across the country, from July 2016 to September 2017.

Is Seabed Mining the Next Big Thing?

Although currently in the experimental stage, seabed mining could become the next big thing in offshore mineral exploration. At least, that’s what Toronto-based Nautilus Minerals Inc. is banking on.

Suicide and the Opioid Crisis: A Tangled Web

Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the alarming results of its most recent study of suicide in this country. According to the report, U.S. suicide rates have increased in nearly every state over the past two decades. Even worse, half of the states have seen increases of more than 30%.

Canada’s Landmark Program: Towards Sustainable Mining

In the early 1990’s, a series of high-profile environmental accidents focused unwanted media attention on the Canadian mining sector.

These accidents were the subject of a CBC national news story titled “Ugly Canadians.” The story documented the environmental damage caused by Canadian companies at their overseas mining operations.

U.S. Opioid Crisis and the Racial Divide

The current opioid crisis is being compared to the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and ’90s. But, while HIV/AIDS demonstrated no racial preference, the face of this crisis has been overwhelmingly white.

Going Green: Sustainable Mining Practices

Mining operations utilize water in a number of ways, which requires diverting surface water and pumping groundwater. As a result, the quantity and quality of water available downstream for aquatic ecosystems and other users is often compromised. This is especially true in regions with arid climates.

Experimental Opioid Court Strives to Save Lives

But this court is unlike any other. It’s the nation’s first opioid crisis intervention court. Unlike typical drug courts, this program gets users into treatment within hours — not weeks — of their arrest. The whole purpose of this court is to save lives.

U.S. Slowly Catching on to High-Speed Rail

With a maximum possible speed of 220 mph, and the ability to tilt up to seven degrees on curves, the Avelia Liberty is unlike any train that’s ever operated on U.S. soil.

Death Has a New Name: Fentanyl

Fentanyl is far more potent than heroin—50 to 100 times more potent. It was developed in the 1960’s to treat intense pain which occurs in the final stages of cancer. And its potency can work miracles. But it can also kill.

In a Flash: High-Speed Trains Around the World

South Korea’s high-speed rail service, known as Korea Train Express (KTX) is operated by Korail, the country’s national railroad operator. Construction on the line began in 1992, and KTX services were launched in 2004.

Is Portugal Winning the War on Drugs?

It all started in the 1970’s, when young Portuguese men were drafted to fight the country’s wars in the African colonies. Many of these soldiers returned home with drug habits — habits that were often embraced by their countrymen, who were getting their first taste of freedom after Portugal’s political revolution.

Be Careful Out There! Mine Safety 101

While only 1% of the world’s labor force is actively engaged in mining, the industry accounts for 5% of all on-the-job fatalities. Accidental deaths result from rock falls, tunnel collapses, blasting mishaps, heat exhaustion, and other dangers. 

Modern-Day Heroines Fighting Overdose Battle

In fact, heroin use in Huntington is so prevalent that a new catch phrase has emerged: “Narcanned.” The term refers to the brand name for naloxone, the opioid blocker that reverses overdoses. As in, “How many times have you been narcanned?”

Eureka! Five Amazing Facts About the California Gold Rush

Those living on the east coast of the United States in 1849 had three options for traveling to the California gold fields.

Drug Abuse Treatment: What Are the Options?

The United States is in the grip of the worst drug abuse epidemic ever. If you or someone you know are among the estimated 2.1 million Americans suffering from opioid addiction, how do you get help?

Fortunately, numerous treatment options are available. But before you can understand the treatment, you must first understand the addiction itself and its effect on the brain.

Will Artificial Intelligence Reshape Mining?

That’s where IBM’s artificial intelligence computer system, dubbed “Watson,” is being used at Goldcorp’s Red Lake mine in Ontario. Named after IBM’s first CEO, industrialist Thomas J. Watson, the A.I. is capable of answering questions posed in natural language. Which means it can make informed, context-specific decisions one would only expect from a human being.