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Construction Starts on Mammoth Offshore Wind Monopile Factory in UK – Offshore WIND

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

Construction works on the new offshore wind foundation factory in the UK, which will produce XXL monopiles, started on 7 July.

The new facility, located at Redcars Teesworks, is being built by SeAH, a subsidiary of South Koreas pipe manufacturer SeAH Steel Holdings, and will produce between 100 and 150 monopiles per year.

The monopiles will be transported directly from the factory to Teesworks under-construction South Bank Quay before heading to the North Sea for installation.

The new GBP 400 million offshore wind facility on Teesside, for which SeAH says will be the first XXL monopile foundation fabrication facility in the UK and the biggest of its kind in the world, will create 750 direct jobs, with a further 1,500 indirect jobs in the supply chain during construction.

According to SeAH Wind, this is also the first scheme driven by private sector investment to begin construction at any UK Freeport.

SeAH Wind received planning approval for the UK XXL monopile factory last month and said the construction works would commence in July with overall completion anticipated in 2024.

The company initially planned to build the factory at Able Marine Energy Park (AMEP) on the South Bank of the Humber, but changed the location to Teesworks at the beginning of this year. The reasons were not disclosed.

The 40-metre high, over 800-metres long building, part of the Teessides Freeport, will sit on a 90-acre site and will offer 1.13 million square feet of factory space for the production of monopiles up to 120 metres in length, 15.5 metres in diameter and weighing approximately 3,000 tonnes.

The factory will have a 93,324 square metre main monopile manufacturing building, a 3,873 square metre administration office, a maintenance station, a paint facility, and site-specific power stations, as well as a range of staff welfare facilities designed by Ashton Smith Associates.

Today is a monumental day years in the making. Since 2017 weve had a challenging time to secure all of the land at Teesworks and have worked hard to get it remediated and investor-ready as quickly as possible. Now weve finally got to the good part, said Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, who welcomed President & CEO of SeAH Steel Holdings Joosung Lee and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng MP to the Teesworks site to mark the start of construction.

With the ground breaking at SeAHs massive new facility, right on our doorstep, its a good time to reflect upon the incredible progress we have made in Teesside. Six years ago it looked as if this site would never recover now this is at the very heart of a new industrial revolution. A cleaner revolution creating the technologies of the future in Teesside and bringing thousands of well paid, high quality jobs back to our region, said Jacob Young, MP for Redcar.

As I have said previously, the scale of this green manufacturing site matches the scale of our ambitions for the entirety of Teesworks.

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Attention economy – Wikipedia

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

Economic view of human attention as a commodity

Attention economics is an approach to the management of information that treats human attention as a scarce commodity and applies economic theory to solve various information management problems. According to Matthew Crawford, "Attention is a resourcea person has only so much of it."[1]

In this perspective, Thomas H. Davenport and John C. Beck[2] define the concept of attention:

Attention is focused mental engagement on a particular item of information. Items come into our awareness, we attend to a particular item, and then we decide whether to act. (Davenport & Beck 2001, p.20)

As content has grown increasingly abundant and immediately available, attention becomes the limiting factor in the consumption of information.[3]A strong trigger of this effect is that it limits the mental capability of humans and the receptiveness of information is also limited. Attention allows information to be filtered such that the most important information can be extracted from the environment while irrelevant details can be left out.[4]

Software applications either explicitly or implicitly take attention economy into consideration in their user interface design based on the realization that if it takes the user too long to locate something, they will find it through another application. This is done, for instance, by creating filters to make sure viewers are presented with information that is most relevant, of interest, and personalized based on past web search history.[5]

Research from a wide range of disciplines including psychology,[6] cognitive science,[7] neuroscience,[8] and economics,[9] suggest that humans have limited cognitive resources that can be used at any given time, when resources are allocated to one task, the resources available for other tasks will be limited. Given that attention is a cognitive process that involves the selective concentration of resources on a given item of information, to the exclusion of other perceivable information, attention can be considered in terms of limited processing resources.[10]

The concept of attention economics was first theorized by psychologist and economist Herbert A. Simon[11] when he wrote about the scarcity of attention in an information-rich world:

[I]n an information-rich world, the wealth of information means a dearth of something else: a scarcity of whatever it is that information consumes. What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention and a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it. (Simon 1971, pp.4041)

He noted that many designers of information systems incorrectly represented their design problem as information scarcity rather than attention scarcity, and as a result, they built systems that excelled at providing more and more information to people, when what was really needed were systems that excelled at filtering out unimportant or irrelevant information (Simon 1971).

Simon's characterization of the problem of information overload as an economic one has become increasingly popular in analyzing information consumption since the mid-1990s, when writers such as Thomas H. Davenport and Michael Goldhaber[12] adopted terms like "attention economy" and "economics of attention".[13]

Some writers have speculated that "attention transactions" will replace financial transactions as the focus of our economic system (Goldhaber 1997, Franck 1999). Information systems researchers have also adopted the idea, and are beginning to investigate mechanism designs which build on the idea of creating property rights in attention (see Applications).

According to digital culture expert Kevin Kelly, the modern attention economy is increasingly one where the consumer product costs virtually nothing to reproduce and the problem facing the supplier of the product lies in adding valuable intangibles that cannot be reproduced at any cost. He identifies these intangibles as:[14]

Attention economics is also relevant to the social sphere. Specifically, long-term attention can be considered according to the attention that a person dedicates to managing their interactions with others. Dedicating too much attention to these interactions can lead to "social interaction overload",[15] i.e. when people are overwhelmed in managing their relationships with others, for instance in the context of social network services in which people are the subject of a high level of social solicitations. Digital media and the internet facilitate participation in this economy by creating new channels for distributing attention. Ordinary people are now empowered to reach a wide audience by publishing their own content and commenting on the content of others.[16]

Social attention can also be associated to collective attention, i.e. how "attention to novel items propagates and eventually fades among large populations".[17]

"Attention economics" treats a potential consumer's attention as a resource.[18] Traditional media advertisers followed a model that suggested consumers went through a linear process they called AIDA - Attention, Interest, Desire and Action.[19] Attention is therefore a major and the first stage in the process of converting non-consumers. Since the cost to transmit advertising to consumers has become sufficiently low given that more ads can be transmitted to a consumer (e.g. via online advertising) than the consumer can process, the consumer's attention becomes the scarce resource to be allocated. As such, a superfluidity of information may hinder an individual's decision-making who keeps searching and comparing products as long as it promises to provide more than it is using up.[20]

Advertisers that produce attention-grabbing content that is presented to unconsenting consumers without compensation have been criticized for perpetrating attention theft.[21][22]

One application treats various forms of information (e.g. spam, advertising) as a form of pollution or 'detrimental externality'.[23] In economics, an externality is a by-product of a production process that imposes burdens (or supplies benefits), to parties other than the intended consumer of a commodity.[24] For example; air and water pollution are negative externalities that impose burdens on society and the environment.

A market-based approach to controlling externalities was outlined in Ronald Coase's The Problem of Social Cost (1960).[25] This evolved from an article on the Federal Communications Commission (1959),[26] in which Coase claimed that radio frequency interference is a negative externality that could be controlled by the creation of property rights.

Coase's approach to the management of externalities requires the careful specification of property rights and a set of rules for the initial allocation of the rights.[27] Once this has been achieved, a market mechanism can theoretically manage the externality problem.[28]

Sending huge numbers of e-mail messages costs spammers very little, since the costs of e-mail messages are spread out over the internet service providers that distribute them (and the recipients who must spend attention dealing with them).[29] Thus sending out as much spam as possible is a rational strategy: even if only 0.001% of recipients (1 in 100,000) is converted into a sale, a spam campaign can be profitable. Of course, it is very difficult to understand where all the revenue comes from since these businesses are run through proxy servers. However, if they were not profitable, it is reasonable to conclude that they would not be sending spam.[30] Spammers are demanding valuable attention from potential customers, but avoid paying a fair price for this attention due to the current architecture of e-mail systems.[31]

One way this might be mitigated is through the implementation of "Sender Bond" whereby senders are required to post a financial bond that is forfeited if enough recipients report an email as spam.[32]

Closely related is the idea of selling "interrupt rights", or small fees for the right to demand one's attention.[33] The cost of these rights could vary according to the person who is interrupted: interrupt rights for the CEO of a Fortune 500 company would presumably be extraordinarily expensive, while those of a high school student might be lower. Costs could also vary for an individual depending on context, perhaps rising during the busy holiday season and falling during the dog days of summer. Those who are interrupted could decline to collect their fees from friends, family, and other welcome interrupters.[34]

Another idea in this vein is the creation of "attention bonds", small warranties that some information will not be a waste of the recipient's time, placed into escrow at the time of sending.[35] Like the granters of interrupt rights, receivers could cash in their bonds to signal to the sender that a given communication was a waste of their time or elect not to cash them in to signal that more communication would be welcome.[36]

As search engines have become a primary means for finding and accessing information on the web, high rankings in the results for certain queries have become valuable commodities, due to the ability of search engines to focus searchers' attention.[37] Like other information systems, web search is vulnerable to pollution: "Because the Web environment contains profit seeking ventures, attention getting strategies evolve in response to search engine algorithms".[38]

Since most major search engines now rely on some form of PageRank (recursive counting of hyperlinks to a site) to determine search result rankings, a gray market in the creation and trading of hyperlinks has emerged.[39][40] Participants in this market engage in a variety of practices known as link spamming, link farming, and reciprocal linking.[41]

Another issue, similar to the issue discussed above of whether or not to consider political e-mail campaigns as spam, is what to do about politically motivated link campaigns or Google bombs.[42] Currently, the major search engines do not treat these as web spam, but this is a decision made unilaterally by private companies.

The paid inclusion model, as well as more pervasive advertising networks like Yahoo! Publisher Network and Google's AdSense, work by treating consumer attention as the property of the search engine (in the case of paid inclusion) or the publisher (in the case of advertising networks).[43][44] This is somewhat different from the anti-spam uses of property rights in attention, which treat an individual's attention as his or her own property.

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Attention economy - Wikipedia

Minister Wilkinson outlines process to create sustainable jobs in Atlantic Canada ahead of Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference – BOE Report

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

ST. JOHNS Canada holds the resources, clean technology and experience to thrive in the global net-zero economy, creating prosperity and high-quality jobs for generations to come.

Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Canadas Minister of Natural Resources, addressed members of the St. Johns Board of Trade to highlight the energy and resource opportunities Atlantic Canada can seize to create sustainable jobs and thrive in a global low-carbon future.

Minister Wilkinson spoke in advance of the Energy and Mines MinistersConference that begins July 6 a conference that will bring together the energy and mining ministers from the federal and provincial governments, and which will be co-hosted by the governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Minister Wilkinson emphasized the particular importance of the federal government working in partnership with the provinces and territories, as well as engaging Indigenous Peoples, industry and labour, to develop regional approaches that will foster prosperity and strengthen competitiveness while reducing Canadas greenhouse gas emissions.

The Minister said the recentlylaunched Regional Energy and Resource Tablesseek to achieve all of those goals by having the Government of Canada partner with individual provinces and territories, Indigenous groups and stakeholders to identify and pursue high-impact, place-specific opportunities for sustainable growth.

He noted that Newfoundland and Labrador is one of three provinces (along with British Columbia and Manitoba) participating in the first phase of the Regional Energy and Resource Tables and that early discussions have included the significant potential for building and expanding upon the provinces competitive advantages in areas such as offshore renewables, hydrogen and critical minerals. He also commended Newfoundland and Labrador on its commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

The Minister concluded that a sustainable natural resources-based economy will grow Canadas economy in every region, while creating sustainable jobs and achieving Canadas ambitious climate and nature goals.

Quote

Just as any successful business must be capable of interpreting and reacting to changes in the business environment, countries must also be capable of thoughtful response and action to sustain and enhance their level of prosperity. The federal government is working with Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as Indigenous partners, industry and labour to collectively accelerate regional economic activity and position the province as an economic leader in the global shift toward a low-carbon future.

The Honourable Jonathan WilkinsonMinister of Natural Resources

We are thankful to have Minister Wilkinson with us today to talk about the future of energy in Newfoundland and Labrador. Our members span many industries and sectors they are businesses big and small, and we all have a keen interest and part to play in a low-carbon future. As the association representing over 700 businesses and over 10,000 business leaders, the St. Johns Board of Trade is pleased to host this important conversation that allows our members direct access to government. Together, with input from many groups and stakeholders, we can determine how we best use our resources, knowledge and technology to responsibly reach our full potential as a province as we move away from carbon-intensive industries.

AnnMarie BoudreauCEO, St. Johns Board of Trade

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Minister Wilkinson outlines process to create sustainable jobs in Atlantic Canada ahead of Energy and Mines Ministers' Conference - BOE Report

Zacks Industry Outlook Highlights Peabody Energy, Alliance Resource, ARCH Resources and CONSOL Energy – Yahoo Finance

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL July 8, 2022 Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses Peabody Energy Corp. BTU, Alliance Resource Partners L.P. ARLP, ARCH Resources Inc. ARCH and CONSOL Energy Inc. CEIX.

Link: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/1948439/4-stocks-to-watch-amid-strong-prospects-of-the-coal-industry

The Zacks Coal industry stocks have staged a rebound courtesy of global demand after the pandemic-led lockdowns and surging natural gas prices. Improving coal prices and demand boosted the profit levels of coal operators last quarter. The trend might continue for the next few years.

With increased vaccinations and global economic activity, electricity demand is rising, and utility operators are buying more coal to boost production. The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine is creating fresh demand from coal importing countries and pushing up coal prices.

As global steel production improves, coal stocks like Peabody Energy Corp., Alliance Resource Partners L.P., ARCH Resources Inc. and CONSOL Energy Inc. are expected to gain.

The Zacks Coal industry comprises companies involved in the discovery and mining of coal. Coal is mined by either the opencast or the underground method. The commodity is valued for its energy content and used worldwide to generate electricity, and manufacture steel and cement. Per the U.S. Energy Information Administration ("EIA") report, the current U.S. estimated recoverable coal reserves are about 252 billion short tons, of which about 58% is underground mineable coal.

Given the current production rates, coal resources are likely to last many more years. Five states in the United States contribute nearly 70% of yearly production and 60% of coal production from surface mining. Per EIA, the coal industry may benefit from the rise in natural gas prices in the United States. This would result in additional demand for coal.

Coal to Benefit from Higher Steel Production: Improving coal exports are boosting the prospect of U.S. coal miners. The rollout of vaccines and easing of pandemic-related restrictions have revived industrial and commercial activities across the globe, spurring electricity demand. EIA expects U.S. coal production volumes to increase 3.9% in 2022 and touch 601 MMst (millions of short tons) but decline by 2.1% in 2023 to hit 588 MMst. Per the World Steel Association, global steel demand will improve 0.4% in 2022 to reach 1,840.2 Mt. Coal plays an important role in steel production.

Story continues

Global Coal Demand and Prices to Move Upward: Coal was continuously losing ground to natural gas and other renewable energy as a fuel source, but a global economic recovery in 2021 resulted in a rebound in demand. Per the International Energy Agency ("IEA"), the demand for coal can attain new highs in 2022 due to a rebound in the global economy, aided by demand arising from the Asian countries.

Even though the rising usage of renewable energy will pose a big challenge for coal, the demand and use of the commodity will not fall in the Asian economies. This, in turn, would continue to boost the prospects of U.S. coal miners.

The ongoing military conflict in Ukraine has hampered the supply of coal volumes from Russia to other countries, creating coal export opportunities for U.S. coal producers. Taking into consideration all factors, IEA expects global coal demand to increase to 8,025 million tons in 2022 and remain strong throughout 2024.

New Emission Policy Will Hurt Coal Industry: The improvement in demand for coal is expected to be short-lived as the new environmental policy will target 100% carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035, which will significantly lower demand for coal from the U.S. electricity space. Unless utility operators invest heavily in pollution-control measures to reduce emissions from power plants, domestic coal usage will fall significantly.

The new policy will also aim at lowering greenhouse emissions by 50-52% by 2030 from the 2005 levels. Going forward, coal industry operators are likely to face many difficulties as a number of electric utilities have decided to become carbon neutral by 2050 and completely cut down coal usage. Per EIA, total coal consumption in the United States will drop 3.3% in 2022 to 528.1 MMst and drop further by 6.3% to 496.9 MMst in 2023.

The Zacks Coal industry is an eight-stock group within the broader Zacks Oil and Energy sector. The industry currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #28, which places it in the top 11% of more than 251 Zacks industries.

The group's Zacks Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates strong performance in the near term. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.

The industry's position in the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries is a result of the positive earnings outlook for the constituent companies in aggregate. Looking at the aggregate earnings estimate revisions, it appears that analysts are gaining confidence in this group's earnings growth potential. Since August 2021, the industry's earnings estimates for 2022 have gone up 510.3%.

Before we present a few coal stocks that you may want to consider, let's take a look at the industry's recent stock market performance and valuation picture.

The Zacks Coal industry has outperformed the Zacks S&P 500 composite and the Zacks Oil and Gas sector over the past 12 months.

The stocks in the coal industry have gained 91.4% compared with the Zacks Oil-Energy sector's growth of 15.1%. The Zacks S&P 500 composite has declined 12.4% in the same time frame.

Since coal companies have a lot of debt on their balance sheet, it makes sense to value them based on the EV/EBITDA (Enterprise Value/ Earnings before Interest Tax Depreciation and Amortization) ratio.

The industry is currently trading at a trailing 12-month EV/EBITDA of 4.1X compared with the Zacks S&P 500 composite's 12.26X and the sector's 3.66X.

Over the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 7.6X, as low as 3.05X and at the median of 4.81X.

Peabody Energy: St Louis, MO-based Peabody Energy engages in the coal mining business and has both thermal and metallurgical operations. In 2021, nearly 26% of the company's revenues was derived from five customers with whom it still has 17 coal supply agreements (excluding trading and brokerage transactions) expiring at various periods from 2022 to 2025. This assures a steady flow of revenues.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Peabody Energy's 2022 earnings and revenues suggests a year-over-year rise of 53% and 48.4%, respectively. Over the past 60 days, this company's Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2023 has gone up 57.6%. The stock has gained 62.2% over the past six months compared with the industry's rally of 44.1%.

Peabody Energy currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Alliance Resource Partners L.P.: Tulsa, OK- based Alliance Resource Partners produces and sells coal to utilities and industrial users in the United States. The firm produces coal from seven mining complexes operated by its subsidiaries. ARLP earns royalty income from coal produced by its mining complexes and royalty income from mineral interests it owns in different basins. The firm currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2022 earnings per unit and revenues implies a year-over-year rise of 151.5% and 47.2%, respectively. Over the past 60 days, this firm's Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2023 earnings has gone up 22.9%. The stock has gained 33% over the past six months.

Arch Resources Inc.: St. Louis, MO-based Arch Resources currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The company produces and sells metallurgical and thermal coal. The company commenced longwall production at the Leer South mine, which will add high-quality 3 million tons of metallurgical coal annually to its total production. The ongoing rebound in production in the steel industry will create fresh demand for met coal supplied by the company.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its 2022 earnings and revenues indicates a year-over-year rise of 205.9% and 67.2%, respectively. Over the past 60 days, this company's Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2023 earnings has gone up 40.1%. The stock has gained 42.7% over the past six months.

CONSOL Energy: Canonsburg, PA-based CONSOL Energy, having a Zacks Rank of 3, produces and exports bituminous thermal coal. The company owns and operates the Pennsylvania Mining Complex and the Baltimore Marine Terminal, and controls more than 1 billion tons of undeveloped reserves. The company is consistently operating its four longwalls and utilized the fifth longwall in 2021 to meet increasing demand.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2022 earnings and revenues suggests a year-over-year rise of 360.2% and 36.9%, respectively. The stock has gained 90.5% over the past six months.

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumedthat any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein andis subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportPeabody Energy Corporation (BTU) : Free Stock Analysis ReportAlliance Resource Partners, L.P. (ARLP) : Free Stock Analysis ReportArch Resources Inc. (ARCH) : Free Stock Analysis ReportConsol Energy Inc. (CEIX) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks Industry Outlook Highlights Peabody Energy, Alliance Resource, ARCH Resources and CONSOL Energy - Yahoo Finance

Faraday Copper Announces Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Copper Creek Project in Arizona; Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources Exceed…

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

News and research before you hear about it on CNBC and others. Claim your 1-week free trial to StreetInsider Premium here.

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 6, 2022 / Faraday Copper Corp. ("Faraday" or the "Company") (CSE:FDY) is pleased to announce an updated Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") for the Copper Creek project, located in Arizona, U.S. ("Copper Creek"). The MRE was prepared by SRK Consulting (U.S.) Inc. ("SRK") in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") Definition Standards and National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101").

Paul Harbidge, President and CEO, commented "The delivery of the first combined open pit and underground resource for Copper Creek marks another key milestone in the advancement of the project. With over 355 million tonnes of Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources, the project has the potential to provide a U.S. domestic supply of copper for decades, supporting the decarbonization of the global economy."

"The geological model, completed earlier this year, provided the foundation to accurately segregate and estimate the updated resources. The deposit remains open along strike and at depth. With the recent completion of the 6,000 metre Phase I drilling program, which was not included in this MRE, there exists the potential for an increase to the resources as part of the technical work for the upcoming Copper Creek Preliminary Economic Assessment, expected to be issued in Q2 2023."

Mineral Resource Estimate Highlights

1 See Notes to Table 1 (Mineral Resources Estimate) in this news release for the calculation of copper equivalency.

Mineral Resource Estimate

This MRE for Copper Creek is based on data with a cut-off date of April 30, 2022 and excludes the majority of drill results currently pending from the Phase 1 drill program. This MRE is reported with an effective date of July 6, 2022, in Table 1.

Table 1: Combined Open Pit and Underground Mineral Resource Estimate, Copper Creek Project

Tonnes (Mt)

Grade

Contained Metal

CuEq

(%)

(g/t)

(%)

(Mlbs)

(Moz)

(Mlbs)

38.9

0.68

0.010

1.8

0.72

584.2

8.7

2.2

614.6

45.7

0.44

0.007

0.9

0.46

446.4

7.2

1.3

467.8

84.6

0.55

0.009

1.3

0.58

1,030.6

16.0

3.6

1,082.5

29.3

0.35

0.004

0.8

0.36

224.6

2.9

0.8

233.0

26.1

0.50

0.012

1.5

0.54

288.7

7.0

1.3

312.7

244.4

0.48

0.007

1.2

0.51

2,587.8

39.9

9.7

2,731.1

270.5

0.48

0.008

1.3

0.51

2,876.5

46.9

11.0

3,043.8

45.6

0.41

0.009

0.9

0.44

410.3

9.2

1.3

440.5

See the article here:

Faraday Copper Announces Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Copper Creek Project in Arizona; Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources Exceed...

Almaden Announces Selection by United Nations UNECE for Mining Pilot Project in Coordination with Mexican Ministry of the Economy – GlobeNewswire

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Almaden Minerals Ltd. (Almaden or the Company; TSX: AMM; NYSE American: AAU) is pleased to report that the Ixtaca project has been selected to be included in a pilot project conducted by the United Nations (UN) Expert Group on Resource Management in coordination with Mexicos Ministry of Economy.

The purpose of the pilot project is to explore how the application of standards such as those of the UNFC (United Nations Framework Classification) and the UNRMS (United Nations Resources Management System see below) may help strengthen activities with different stakeholders and encourage the achievement of the UNs Sustainable Development Goals1.

Almaden initially expressed its interest in being part of this project in 2021, and after a site visit and several presentations on the project, the UN group of experts on sustainable resource management have agreed that Ixtaca meets the general criteria to be considered in the work to be carried out in this pilot project. The project will be managed through the UNs Centre of Excellence in the Sustainable Management of Resources for Mexico and Latin America in coordination with the Extractive Activities Unit at the Ministry of Economy.

Duane Poliquin, Chair of Almaden, stated We are very pleased to have been selected for this pilot project. We believe this project dovetails very well with the standards to which we intend to complete our environmental permit submission, and the ongoing Human Rights Impact Assessment at the project. We are proud to be able to contribute to Mexicos efforts to introduce standards and procedures which reinforce the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

1 https://sdgs.un.org/goals

About the United Nations Framework Classification and the United Nations Resources Management System

The United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) and the United Nations Resource Management System (UNRMS) are frameworks developed by experts from government, industry, the financial sector, and academia to bring in the required rigor in the sustainable management of all resources. UNRMS is a globally applicable system that can be applied to petroleum, mineral, renewable energy, nuclear fuels, injection projects, and anthropogenic resource endowments. Rather than tracking a single metric of volumes or quantities that can be produced and the profits, UNRMS considers a range of socio-economic, technological, and knowledge factors that are important for the sustainable development of each project. The UNRMS guiding principle is to make resource management entirely in alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and see how resource production can contribute to each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

About the International Centres of Excellence on Sustainable Resource Management-ICE-SRM -Mexico Latin America

The International Centres of Excellence on Sustainable Resource Management will strengthen the sustainability and financial resilience of the resource management sectors. The focus will be on the development of a financially profitable, competitive, and resilient, resource management sector in the region as well as the core vision of Resources for Sustainable Development. The system will ensure actions that are required to promote acceptability among stockholders and stakeholders. Resource management, when undertaken through the UNRMS framework, will bring good social, environmental, and economic outcomes in Latin America, and in Mexico as the leader of the project.

UNRMS is being applied to continental frameworks in Europe and Africa, and national implementations are witnessed in many countries, such as China, India, Russia, and Ukraine. In 2019, a large-scale project (pilot project), led by the National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH) in coordination with the Ministry of Energy (SENER) and the Safety, Energy and Environment Agency (ASEA), was implemented in Mexico.

International Centres of Excellence on Sustainable Resource Management (ICE-SRM)2 is a collaborative network of organizations focused on supporting the sustainable management of the resources needed for development in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Climate Agreement. The centres are conceived to provide in full compliance with the adopted United Nations standards and guidelines policy support, technical advice and consultation, education, training, dissemination, and other critical activities for stakeholders involved in the sustainable development of extractive industries and energy.

Each centre will promote within its activity footprint the global deployment of the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) and the United Nations Resource Management System (UNRMS) to describe the resources needed for the attainment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and support their management.

The centre for Mexico and Latin America is led by Ulises Neri, a member of the Expert Group on Resource Management. Neri studied petroleum engineering at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM, where he is also a professor), has a master's degree from the French Petroleum Institute, and doctoral studies at the Paris business school. His professional experience began at Schlumberger, carrying out projects in Latin America. Later, he joined the National Hydrocarbons Commission where he served as director of reserves, director of measurement, and head of the extraction unit. He also held a diplomatic position, representing Mexico in international organizations, such as the OECD, the IEA, the UN, and OPEC. From 2019 to 2021, he was Director General of Promotion of Productive Chains in the energy sector in the National Content Unit of the Ministry of Economy.

2 https://unece.org/ice-srm-0

About Almaden

Almaden Minerals Ltd. owns 100% of the Ixtaca project in Puebla State, Mexico, subject to a 2.0% NSR royalty held by Almadex Minerals Ltd. The Ixtaca deposit hosts a proven and probable reserve containing 1.38 million ounces of gold and 85.1 million ounces of silver (73.1 million tonnes grading 0.59 g/t Au and 36.3 g/t Ag). A report titled Ixtaca Gold-Silver Project, Puebla State, Mexico NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Feasibility Study, which was prepared in accordance with NI 43-101, is available under the Companys profile on SEDAR and on the Companys website. The Ixtaca Gold-Silver Deposit was discovered by Almaden in 2010.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

J. Duane PoliquinJ. Duane PoliquinChairAlmaden Minerals Ltd.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain of the statements and information in this news release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian provincial securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements or information in this news release relate to, among other things, the timing of the official notification of the decision to the Company, whether the final decision of the SCJN will be modified and differ from the draft, the nature of any such modifications, the timing and procedures for any consultation by the Ministry of the Economy with indigenous communities and the timing and procedures for the Ministry of the Economy to re-issue mineral titles to Almaden.

These forward-looking statements and information reflect the Companys current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant legal, regulatory, business, operational and economic uncertainties and contingencies, and such uncertainty generally increases with longer-term forecasts and outlook. These assumptions include: stability and predictability in Mexicos consultation process with indigenous communities and judicial decisions thereon; stability and predictability in Mexicos mineral tenure, mining, environmental and agrarian laws and regulations, as well as their application and judicial decisions thereon; continued respect for the rule of law in Mexico; prices for gold, silver and base metals remaining as estimated; currency exchange rates remaining as estimated; availability of funds; capital, decommissioning and reclamation estimates; mineral reserve and resource estimates; prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services (including transportation); no labour-related disruptions; all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals being received in a timely manner; the ability to secure and maintain title and ownership to properties and the surface rights necessary for operations; community support in the Ixtaca Project; and the ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive.

The Company cautions the reader that forward-looking statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release. Such risks and other factors include, among others, risks related to: Mexicos consultation process with indigenous communities and potential litigation in respect thereof; political risk in Mexico; crime and violence in Mexico; corruption; environmental risks, including environmental matters under Mexican laws and regulations; impact of environmental impact assessment requirements on the Companys planned exploration and development activities on the Ixtaca Project; certainty of mineral title and the outcome of litigation; community relations; governmental regulations and the ability to obtain necessary licences and permits; risks related to mineral properties being subject to prior unregistered agreements, transfers or claims and other defects in title; changes in mining, environmental or agrarian laws and regulations and changes in the application of standards pursuant to existing laws and regulations which may increase costs of doing business and restrict operations; as well as those factors discussed the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Almaden's Annual Information Form and Almaden's latest Form 20-F on file with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could affect the Company and may cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements or information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that our forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. Except as required by law, the Company does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to on forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Contact Information:

Almaden Minerals Ltd.Tel. 604.689.7644Email: info@almadenminerals.comhttp://www.almadenminerals.com/

The rest is here:

Almaden Announces Selection by United Nations UNECE for Mining Pilot Project in Coordination with Mexican Ministry of the Economy - GlobeNewswire

Arctic warming: another obstacle to resource extraction – MINING.COM – MINING.com

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

Canadas annual average temperature has warmed an estimated 1.7 degrees C (3F) since 1948; in northern Canada, the temperature increase is approximately +2.3C.

According to the report, rapid warming is due to several factors, including loss of glaciers, snow, and sea ice, thereby increasing absorption of solar radiation, and causing larger surface warming than in other regions.

Along with calving glaciers, shrinking ice caps, and disappearing sea ice, evidence of Arctic warming can also be seen in the thawing of permafrost. Permafrost is land that is permanently frozen except for the top layer, which freezes in the winter and thaws in the summer; 70% of Russia sits on permafrost, which in some areas is over a kilometer deep. When it melts, permafrost exposes carbon dioxide and methane, a greenhouse gas that is about 30 times more powerful than CO2, in terms of its ability to trap heat.

It is estimated that this phenomenon could release between 300 million and 600 million tons of net carbon per year into the atmosphere.

Another negative impact of thawing permafrost, is subsidence. This is what happens when the surface layer gets deeper, and structures (like houses and industrial buildings) on or embedded in it start to fail as the ground beneath them expands and contracts.

Climatologists predict that an estimated 2.5 million square miles of permafrost, or40% of the worlds total, could disappearby the end of this century, significantly accelerating global temperature rise.

Of course, the most obvious canary in the coal mine, regarding Arctic warming, is rising surface air temperatures; this is nothing new, in fact its becoming an annual event.

The Weather Network reports that Northern Canada is about to break heat records heading into the July 1 long weekend. Throughout June, temperatures across much of the region have been above-normal, with Inuvik, Northwest Territories on track to shatter its hottest temperature by Canada Day. The communitys all-time high of 32.8 degrees C, was reached twice, on June 7, 1999, and on July 20, 2001. As the mercury rises, Hudsons Bay ice is melting at an astonishing rate.

Meanwhile in Yellowknife, NWT, the average high so far this month is 22.2C, well above the citys typical average high of 18.7C. A ridge of high pressure that has been building over Northern Canada, saw the territorial capital experience two streaks of +20C weather, with the first streak lasting almost two weeks.

In June of 2021, an intense and expansive heat wave, Axios reported at the time, has gripped parts of Siberia, northwestern Russia and Scandinavia, inducing a record plunge in sea ice cover in the Laptev Sea, which is part of the Arctic Ocean.

In parts of Siberia, temperatures rose about 7C above average, Helsinki, Finland set the months highest minimum temperature of 22.5C during the night of June 21-22, and record heat baked Belarus and Latvia.

Concurrently, the US Pacific Northwest, and Canadas Alberta and British Columbia, were trapped under a dangerous heat dome that killed over 600 people in BC. The Washington Post took the opportunity to investigate the phenomenon, and found that Climate models project heat waves will regularly break records and induce more heat stress before the end of the century.

Extreme heat events in the Northern Hemisphere have become more frequent over the past two decades. The World Health Organization reports over 160,000 heat-related deaths occurred globally between 1998 and 2017. Among the deadly events that stand out, according to WaPo, are the European heat wave of 2017, the Russian heat spell of 2010, Australias angriest summer of 2018-19, the Siberian heat anomaly in 2020, and last years Pacific Northwest heat dome.

Carbon Brief reported that prolonged heat in Siberia from January to June, 2020, which broke temperature records and caused massive wildfires, was made 600 times more likely by climate change.

In Verkhoyansk, the mercury rose to 38C setting a record for the hottest temperature ever recorded above the Arctic Circle.

The Russian town was previously best known for sharing the Northern Hemispheres cold-temperature record 90 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, set in 1892.

2019 saw one of Nunavuts coldest locations, Alert on Ellesmere Island, warm up to a record-setting 21C, during July when the average summer temperature hovers just above 3C. In Iqaluit, the Canadian territorys capital, heat records were broken four times from June to mid-July. The city also saw an abnormally warm and dry spring, with average temperatures in March, April and May bumping up two degrees higher, from -13C to -11C, and just 52mm of rain falling, compared to the 75mm the city usually gets over the spring months.

In 2014, it was Alaskas turn to feel the heat. During the second half of January, the state experienced one of its hottest periods on record, with temperatures running 22C above average. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says climate change is the reason for Alaska being 1.9C warmer, on average, over the last 50 years, and for winter temps rising by 3.5C over the past half-century.

Researchers quoted in the Washington Post story found week-long record-breaking heat events were up to seven times more likely to occur from 2021 to 2050, and from 2051 to 2080, they are up to 21 more times likely and could happen every six to 37 years somewhere in the northern midlatitudes.

A warming planet not only affects human and animal populations, and their cities and habitats, but minerals extraction and processing.

Two-thirds of Russia is encased in permafrost, but warmer temperatures are thawing it. A large share of Russias oil, gas and metals are produced in cities that sit on permafrost. Thousands of kilometers of roads, rails and pipelines could sink into the mud, and hundreds of buildings and processing plants will fall over if the ground thaws. Russia has 24 regions that are permanently frozen and while only nine of those contain extensive infrastructure and cities, they are key to Russias economy, producing raw materials that account for nearly half of Russias GDP. (Russias permafrost is melting)

According to climate scientists, Russia especially its Siberian and Arctic regions is among the countries most exposed to climate change.

Hot spells have caused devastating forest fires and floods.

Last year, Norilsk Nickel had to partly suspend operations at its Oktyabrsky and Taimyrsky mines after noticing subterranean water flowing into one of them at a depth of 350 meters. Thawing permafrost was the likely culprit.

The Russian nickel and platinum group element minerreportedly had to install barriersand pour 30,000 tonnes of concrete into the underground mines in Siberia to stop the water flow.

According to Politico, the grounds ability to support buildings across the countrys frozen north will degrade by up to a third by 2050, creating an infrastructure disaster that could cost $132 billion.

A paper published in Nature Reviews Earth and Environment warns that, should the top three meters of permafrost thaw, it could result in the release of 624 million tonnes of carbon a year by 2100.

The studys lead author, Jan Hjort from the University of Oulu in Finland, concludes that of 120,000 buildings, 40,000 km of roads and 9,500 km of pipelines currently built on permafrost, up to half are expected to be at high risk by 2060. The bill for maintenance could exceed $35 billion a year, he estimates.

So far, Russia has done little to protect its northern infrastructure, and with climate change only getting worse, the future looks bleak.

According to a 20-year study (1980-2000)quoted by The Economist, most of the damage to structures in parts of Russia covered by permafrost was due to poor maintenance: If local authorities cannot even get the basics right, then large sections of the Russian Arctic may end up being abandoned altogether.

Think about what that could mean for mining and oil & gas extraction. Most of Russias oil and gas network is built on permafrost, and almost all of its oil & gas fields are under permafrost, as the map below by Clean Technica shows.

Thepublication notesthat the permafrost is rapidly thawing and could lead to a total collapse of Russias oil network.

Of course, Russia isnt the only country with mines, oil and gas fields at risk from permafrost melting. Large Arctic operations include the Red Dog zinc mine in Alaska, the Diavik diamond mine in the Northwest Territories, and the Kiruna underground iron ore mine in Sweden.

Flooding isnt the only concern; there could also be problems with lack of water. Hydrological changes this century could dry up one-third of the 45,000 lakes in Canadas Mackenzie River Delta, one of the largest deltas in the world.

These changes to the local geography are exposing wildlife and human populations to wastes from current and former oil and gas and mining operations.

Scientists are finding that hundreds of sumps, excavated by the oil and gas industry in the 1970s and 80s, are thawing. Toxic petroleum waste that was supposed to be contained forever in 200 frozen pits is migrating into freshwater systems.

In the Siberian city of Norilsk, a fuel tank collapse in 2020 spilled 21,000 tons of diesel fuel into the Ambarnaya River, polluting an 180,000-square-meter area. The leak was blamed on abnormally warm weather and thawing permafrost, which weakened the tanks structural integrity.

Acid mine drainage, or AMD, is what occurs when air and water react with mine tailings. The process generates sulfuric acid, which can leach heavy metals into nearby soils and waterways.

For decades, northern Canadian mine operators have stored waste rock and tailings a pulverized rock slurry filled with chemicals like arsenic, lead, and mercury in frozen dams reinforced by permafrost.

This method was cost-effective compared to building artificial tailings structures, and up to now there appeared to be little risk of the dam walls thawing. That, however, is changing.

With Canadian mining producing a million tons of waste rock and 950,000 tons of tailingsper day, the prospect of widespread AMD in the far north due to permafrost enclosures failing is frightening to say the least.

It is not so much the big mines that concern experts on AMD, but the hundreds of small mines that have been abandoned and are not on anybodys radar.

The Canadian government estimates it would cost over CAD$555 million to clean up abandoned mines in the north, but there are currently no requirements in mine closure planning to consider climate change.

Soil, groundwater, and creeks fouled by toxic waste from mining and oil and gas is not the only risk from thawing permafrost. There is also the delicate issue of water management.

In 2019 Teck Resources, which operates the Red Dog zinc mine in northwestern Alaska, said thawing permafrost linked to higher temperatures forced the company to spend nearly $20 million to manage its water storage and discharge.

Tens of millions more gallons were taken from the reservoir and frozen in an icefield, and Teck accelerated a plan to heighten the tailings impoundment.

As the Earth warms, mining infrastructure is increasingly vulnerable to changes in climate and weather, with the potential to affect buildings, pit-wall integrity, slope stability, tailings ponds and other water retention areas, and site hydrology.

Imagine having to work in a mine that no longer has solid permafrost on surface, but rather, has been transformed into a mud bog several hundred metes deep. Or in underground mining, trying to keep water from flooding into shafts, adits, ore passes and ramps.

Land-based transportation routes could face risks from melting permafrost including road embankment instability and accelerated erosion. Ice road networks will also be compromised, as a warming climate will make it more difficult to maintain sufficient ice thicknesses to support heavy traffic flow.

Other vulnerable areas include air strips, bridges, pipelines, operations that are highly dependent on water such as mineral processing, and mine closure plans. Decreases in annual precipitation may lead to drought conditions, making it difficult to maintain closure scenarios, such as sufficient water cover over tailings. Abandoned tailings ponds or waste rock dumps may not have been designed for climate change and will need to be monitored and retrofitted accordingly.

In sum, the potential for global warming to affect Arctic mining operations constitutes yet another threat to global mine supply, especially for minerals that are typically mined in the north. This includes nickel, palladium, diamonds, zinc, iron ore and gold.

Now consider that Russia supplies one sixth of the worlds commodities. According to JP Morgan, the country exports 45.1% of the worlds palladium production, 15.1% of its platinum, 9.2% of its gold, 5.3% of its nickel, 4.2% of its aluminum, 3.3% of its copper and 2.6% of its silver.

Should Arctic mines have to curtail production, or close indefinitely, due to the numerous and relentless effects of climate change, the missing production will be reflected in higher metal prices. In fact its reasonable to assumethat a lot of mines in Russias far north and in other Arctic regions such as Canada and Scandinavia, areas where the infrastructure is built on permafrost, and dependent on the ground staying frozen, will no longer be around. The mines and the means to supply them, i.e., roads, railways and airstrips, will either collapse into the mud or become too expensive to fix and maintain.

A warming climate brings a whole bunch of problems for Northern Hemisphere oil, gas and mineral producers like Russia.

The Kremlin under the direction of President Putin has carefully consolidated control of the countrys natural resources to become the worlds leading exporter of wheat, and a major oil and gas producer. In fact Russia is the planets sixth largest supplier of commodities.

Putin must have known that this status gave Mother Russia tremendous clout over the EU, which gets 40% of its natural gas from Russia. He would have also known that invading Ukraine would send oil, gas and wheat prices sky-high, enriching the countrys foreign cash reserves. Every barrel of oil and cubic foot of natural gas Russia sells to Europe, is adding to Putins war chest and prolonging the war.

The threat to Russia from NATOs eastward expansion is cited as the reason for the war in Ukraine. But what if there was another reason for Putins aggression, that being a desperate attempt to cling to an oil & gas economy that Russia both depends on and is losing rapidly to due to resource depletion and the global shift from fossil fuels to electrification/ decarbonization? In other words, the war is less about politics, strategy, culture, or prestige, than the preservation of its oil-based economy, through military might.

Invading Ukraine was also a way for Russia to gain territory to the south, with access to ice-free ports on the Black Sea, and Ukraines vast grain fields, during a time when Russia is increasingly on the front lines of climate change.

Russia is among the countries most likely to be impacted by rising temperatures. Much of its oil and gas pipeline infrastructure is sitting on permafrost and nearly all of its oil & gas fields are under permafrost.

Most of the countrys nickel mines are in the Arctic. The ground is thawing, threatening to topple buildings, cave in open pits, flood underground tunnels, break pipelines, and damage roads, bridges and railways.

Repairing it is going to be very expensive. If oil and gas continue to be usurped by renewable energies and electric vehicles, the transition will diminish Russias ability to pay. So far the countrys leadership hasnt shown itself up to the task of rebuilding/ relocating its infrastructure to safer ground.

Arctic warming is yet another obstacle to supplying the world with the metals it needs for the future economy, and further bolsters the investment case for commodities.

Most natural resource modeling has greatly overstated the amount of fossil fuels and minerals the petroleum and mining industries will be able to extract. Forecasters assume that as long as we have the technological capability, and resources are still in the ground, extraction will follow.

In fact this model greatly overstates the quantity of future resources that can actually be mined. For several minerals, including copper, grades are declining, meaning more ore has to be mined for the deposit to be economic. More complicated mineralogy often means more complicated, and more expensive, metallurgy.

The demand for metals is exceeding supply and the gap will get wider every year, without new deposits being discovered and developed.

Between China, the United States, Europe and Japan, we are talking about $5 trillion in infrastructure commitments over the next few years. Among the materials likely to be highly demanded for these major projects, are steel, rebar, aluminum, cement, sand and gravel. There will also be large amounts of copper required for wiring and plumbing, nickel-containing stainless steel reinforcement on bridges, zinc coatings used as corrosion protection for steel bridges, etcetera etcetera, the list of metals goes on.

For Chinas Belt and Road Initiative alone, the International Copper Association estimates thedemand for copper in over 60 Eurasian countries, could hit 6.5 million tonnesby 2027, a 22% increase from 2017 levels.

Then theres the electrification and decarbonization imperative. Battery/ energy metals demand is moving at such a break-neck speed, supply will be extremely challenged to keep up. Without a major push by producers and junior miners to find and develop new mineral deposits, glaring supply deficits are going to beset the industry for some time.

Population explosion and urbanization, particularly in Asia and Africa, are macro demand factors pressuring supply. Climate change and resource nationalism are also throwing up impediments to bringing promising mineral deposits into production or expanding existing ones.

For shrewd investors looking to diversify their portfolios with low-risk, high-return assets, commodities remain the place to be.

(By Richard Mills)

Continued here:

Arctic warming: another obstacle to resource extraction - MINING.COM - MINING.com

Utah’s ongoing response to drought | Governor Spencer J. Cox – Utah Governor

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

Tags: Future Prosperity, Rural, Rural Matters

The western U.S. is experiencing the worst drought in more than 1,200 years.

Were the fastest-growing state in the nation and one of the driest. Drought or not, we need to be serious about decreasing our water use. Thats why we worked so hard with the Legislature this past session to allocate nearly $500 million to water infrastructure, planning, and management, effectively changing 160 years of major water policy in Utah.

We all need to be part of our water solutions. Reliable, clean water is essential to our quality of life and continued prosperity. Heres a look at what were doing to conserve water.

Around 60% of residential water use is for outdoor watering, so Utah is eliminating non-functional grass from landscapes throughout the state. In the 2022 session, legislators passed one of the nations first statewide grass rebate programs and allocated $5 million in funding. If youre interested in one of the many available rebates, visit UtahWaterSavers.com.

Legislators also passed limits on grass allowances on new and remodeled state facilities, and cities in southern Utah have banned grass in new commercial, institutional, and industrial developments unless there is a functional purpose.Programs like Slow The Flow and H2Oath exist to help educate residents and businesses on how they conserve by reducing waterings, eliminating grass, and more. We are taking actions today, and will take more actions in the future, to reduce our outdoor water use.

Agriculture accounts for about 75% of the states total water use, but we all need food. Fortunately, farmers and ranchers are at the table, ready to do their part to conserve.

HB33, passed in 2022, changed an old use it or lose it law so farmers could leave some of their water in streams without losing their allotted amount.

In addition, we support agricultural optimization, which means finding ways the industry can stretch limited water resources further. Weve signed numerous bills to help these efficiency efforts including HB423 and support the Agricultural Water Optimization Task Force that works to identify issues and sustain Utahs vital agriculture industry. Well also be allocating $70 million in grant money for agricultural optimization.

Many farmers are finding that they can significantly reduce their water usage while increasing crop yields by updating their irrigation systems and implementing new technologies. Cost is a huge barrier so programs like this go a long way towards helping producers upgrade their irrigation systems.Finished projects from the initial round of funding have a reported savings of 21,459 acre feet of water thats about 7 billion gallons of water! Projects funded in 2021 have a projected water savings of 15,283 acre feet of water. The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food just approved 140 more projects for funding and there are many more projects and water savings to come!

The Great Salt Lake contributes $1.3 billion annually to Utahs economy and is a critical stop for wildlife that rests and refuels here. We are dedicated and focused on protecting this indispensable natural resource and the wetlands that surround it.

Managing water is critical to safeguarding the Great Salt Lake. In the past year, weve signed HB410, which creates a $40 million trust to increase water for the Great Salt Lake and improve the lakes upstream habitat; and HB429, which requires the Division of Water Resources to study and gather data about five watersheds that feed the Great Salt Lake.

The people who settled Utahs arid mountain valleys and western states knew that we must store water. Different-sized reservoirs are located throughout the state. Small reservoirs store about one years worth of water, while larger reservoirs, like Strawberry or Jordanelle, store several years worth. Reservoir storage helps to prevent water shortages and is dependent on snowpack and runoff.

Because the amount of water Mother Nature delivers varies from year to year, its important to have reservoirs to store water in years when theres an abundance so its available during dry years. With 100% of the state currently in drought and less water in our streams and reservoirs, Utah is currently relying on stored water from past years. Reservoirs are functioning as designed but we dont know how long the current drought will last.

Thankfully, theres been an influx of funding for that type of infrastructure, like HB37. Storing water above ground and underground will make a big difference in preserving water resources.

We know that Utah is growing. We want to ensure our children can afford to buy a home here and that there will be enough resources. Building more will lower the price of housing, but we must be responsible about it.

SB110 passed in the 2022 General Legislative Session and requires that city officials have to include water resources when evaluating new projects.

Every community has a duty to conserve water. City councils and mayors should always look at water resources before issuing building permits to make sure theyre not overextending in a way that would harm the community. Its not just a suggestion anymore; its the law.

One-third of Utahns rely on the Colorado River for drinking water, and the river is a major contributor to the states $189 billion economy. When it comes to resources like the Colorado River, Utah must work with neighboring states to preserve and protect water.

This is especially urgent given that far more Colorado River water is being used, especially by the Lower Basin states, than is available due to the current drought of record and climate change impacts. Recent estimates based on last years use show the Lower Basin and Mexico are using about 10 million acre-feet, the Upper Basin states are using about 3.5 million acre-feet and the available flow is only around 6.3 million acre-feet.

Drought underscores the need for more conservation, additional infrastructure and water resource development. Utah will not exceed its allocation of Colorado River water.Utahs executive and legislative leadership agree that Utahs Colorado River water is essential to our future and were committed as a state with support of both government branches to protect state rights as we work to solve the challenges of the river with our fellow Colorado River water users.

Utah respects tribal water rights. The state has engaged with several Indian tribes throughout the state to quantify their water rights. These tribes have shown a willingness to work together with the state and federal government in determining an equitable solution, and have also often been champions of responsible water use and conservation.

This past year, we joined U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez in signing a federal reserved water rights settlement agreement. This agreement 18 years in the making recognizes and protects the reserved water rights of the Navajo Nation and will help bring clean drinking water to the Navajo people in Utah.

Yes, we asked Utahns to pray for rain last summer, but were certainly not relying on deity alone to solve our problems.

We dont know how long this drought will last, but we do know that what we do as individuals, families, businesses, institutions, and industries will help ensure clean and reliable water for generations to come.

We will keep working with all Utahns households, farmers, businesses, governments and other groups to carefully consider their needs and reduce their water use. Stay up-to-date with Utahs Coordinated Action Plan for Water.

Weve done it before: In 2021, Utahns saved billions of gallons in water by being conscious of their water usage. And well do it again.

###

Read the rest here:

Utah's ongoing response to drought | Governor Spencer J. Cox - Utah Governor

The Planning Inspectorate publishes its 2021/22 Annual Report and Accounts – GOV.UK

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

The report demonstrates progress in many key areas over the last year despite the continued challenge of keeping casework moving during the pandemic.

Some of the key achievements from 2021/22 include:

The Inspectorate decided more than 17,400 appeals, issued 34 reports on Local Plans, and continued to hold hearings and inquiries using a blend of virtual and face-to-face events.

Planning appeals are our largest area of work and we decided 8,971. New planning appeals being submitted increased, back to pre-pandemic levels, and were 4% higher than 2020/21. The number of new planning appeal cases submitted needing to be heard by inquiry rose by 38%.

Continuing to plan for the countrys infrastructure needs has been a focus for us, to aid economic recovery and to provide certainty for communities. We made recommendations to a Secretary of State on 12 national infrastructure applications on time and provided advice on 70 potential infrastructure projects.

Despite still working with a reduced capacity caused by COVID-19, we received 21,300 appeals in 2021/22, 6% more than in 2020/21, and close to the pre-pandemic level. As restrictions reduced, we increased the number of decisions we made and decided more cases in 2021/22 than 2020/21. This involved running virtual hearings and inquiries (which took longer than face-to-face equivalents), on top of lockdown measures impacting both employees and customers.

While some decisions were faster than previous years, on average decisions took longer last year. However, a focus was placed on casework with the most community interest and those key to supporting the nations economic recovery, such as national infrastructure applications, local plan examinations and appeals needing a hearing or inquiry. We are working hard to decide more appeals so our decisions can become consistently faster.

In October 2021 we published our rolling Strategic Plan outlining the objectives we will be delivering to achieve our vision to:

Provide our customers with high quality, timely and efficient services that support the nations recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic by engaging, empowering, and equipping our workforce and by delivering ambitious policy changes.

We also saw the successful establishment of the new Planning and Environmental Decisions Wales service after transferring our Wales-based team to the Welsh Government.

Sarah Richards, Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate, said:

Through our use of technology, planning effectively for the future, focused resource management and robust decision making we kept casework moving through the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the speed of decision making for our appeals service is now steady, and in some areas has improved. We have focused our efforts on the areas that are key to the economy.

She also highlighted ongoing work to make the Inspectorate a more inclusive and diverse organisation.

Trudi Elliott, Chair of the Planning Inspectorate Board, said:

The second year of the pandemic has required us to dig deep. I am proud of the way the Inspectorates people and Board have stepped up. Im also grateful for the constructive collaboration of our partners and stakeholders and the support and interest of Ministers.

We remained focused on improving the speed with which we determine cases and have agreed new measures with Ministers, which better reflect our customers needs.

Work to support planning reform over the last year has now been given more focus and momentum with the progress of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill currently making its way through parliament.

This work is woven within the priorities the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has recently set for the Planning Inspectorate, which include improving digital services and cutting timescales for some infrastructure projects.

Read the full report

Link:

The Planning Inspectorate publishes its 2021/22 Annual Report and Accounts - GOV.UK

BlueWptbo provides easy access to free drinking water in the Peterborough area – kawarthaNOW.com

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

With increasing concerns about the environmental, health, and economic costs of bottled water, GreenUPs BlueWptbo program reduces the demand for bottled water and provides easy access to drinking water in the greater Peterborough area.

In Canada, sales of bottled water are predicted to reach almost $5.8 billion in 2022. The environmental costs are much higher.

It is estimated that only 14 per cent of water bottles in Ontario are recycled, leaving the other 86 per cent in landfills, rivers, and lakes. Despite only being used for an hour or so, these bottles can take nearly 500 years to break down. When they break down, the microplastics are released into soil and water and get distributed through entire ecosystems.

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Microplastics have been found in the digestive tracts of many animals. Humans consume up to five grams of microplastics per week the equivalent of eating a plastic credit card.

Microplastics contain chemicals which can lead to adverse health effects in animals that consume them, including cancer and reproductive disorders. Pathogens and bacteria that can lead to the spread of disease have also been found on the surface of microplastics, posing another risk for the health of humans and other animals.

BlueWptbo is a community resource that reduces our dependence on single-use plastic water bottles. BlueWptbo connects residents of the greater Peterborough area to clean, free, public sources of municipal tap water.

Users of BlueWptbo have access to a map that easily locates taps to fill their reusable water bottles. With over 80 participating tap locations in the greater Peterborough area, BlueWptbo aims to make drinking water accessible throughout the region.

Want to win a BlueWptbo water bottle? Post a photo of your reusable bottle at a participating BlueWptbo location on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Tag @ptbogreenup and use #BlueWptbo to be entered to win our monthly draw.

Personally, Im kind of obsessed with not using plastic, and think plastic water bottles are the bane of a restaurants existence, says Yannick Thiriar, co-owner of The Night Kitchen in Peterborough. We dont sell plastic water bottles here.

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The federal governments plan to prohibit the sale of single-use plastics by the end of 2023 does not include water bottles. Canadian legislators claim they will transition away from a fossil-fuel-based economy towards renewable energy, and yet retain plastic water bottles. Things like plastic water bottles are reliant on fossil fuels for their raw material. You can fill about a quarter of a plastic water bottle with the oil used to manufacture that bottle.

Its important to educate the public that tap water is free and safe to drink, continues Thiriar from The Night Kitchen. And we also want to support people who come by bike or on foot to come in and get some water.

Many reusable water bottles weigh less than a smartphone and provide the least expensive way to get fresh water on the go. Bottled water can cost $2.50 or more per 500ml, whereas Peterborough Utilities tap water costs tenths of a cent per litre. Why buy water at a 2,400 per cent markup in a wasteful single-use bottle when you can enjoy clean, fresh water from the tap in your reusable bottle? Throwing a reusable bottle in your bag before leaving the house and using BlueWptbo to locate taps near you is the most cost-effective way to hydrate yourself on the go.

Bottled water impacts extend into other areas of social justice too, by contributing to inequalities in areas impacted by water scarcity. There are currently 34 long-term drinking water advisories on public systems, 29 of them on Indigenous reserves. In 2018, Nestl was found to have extracted millions of litres of water from Canadian Indigenous communities that do not have access to clean drinking water.

In the Six Nations reserve 90 minutes outside of Toronto, Nestl offers no compensation to the Six Nations for the water the corporation extracts, yet Nestl pays the province of Ontario $503.71 per million litres. Consumers have an important role to play in stopping these large corporations from harming our environment and communities. By refusing bottled water and bringing your own bottle, you reduce the demand for bottled water.

A common misconception is that bottled water is healthier and safer than tap water. Peterborough Utilities meets or exceeds the governments requirements for water testing.

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Since 1914 Peterborough Utilities has been providing safe, reliable, and consistently high-quality water from source to tap, says David Whitehouse, vice-president of customer and corporate services and conservation at Peterborough Utilities Group.

When you find yourself away from your home tap, BlueWptbo can help you access tap water from other places around the city, maintaining a constant flow of refreshing and cold tap water, even when your water bottle is empty.

Peterborough Utilities conducts over 20,000 water tests annually to ensure the drinking water they distribute is of the highest quality. Bottled water companies do not have to follow the same stringent requirements.

A recent study done by Brunel University found that bottles made with recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) leak higher concentrations of chemicals into their contents than those with new PET. Chemical contaminants from PET include bisphenol A, an endocrine disruptor that can cause cancer, reproductive disorders and cardiovascular disorder.

With companies like Nestle using 12 per cent recycled PET in their bottles and committing to increase recycled PET to 50 per cent by 2025, this becomes a health concern.

When considering a reusable water bottle, your first choice should be the one you already have. Consuming more also increases your carbon footprint so if you have a water bottle in the back of your cupboard, dig it out and put it to use!

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If you dont have a bottle or your bottle is not ideal for your lifestyle, consider the environment and shop sustainably. The life cycle of a reusable water bottle is important to consider. Where was it made, and with what materials? Stainless steel and glass water bottles are longer-lasting options that can also be recycled when they can no longer be used.

For more information about the BlueWptbo program, visit BlueWptbo.ca or contact program coordinator Natalie Stephenson at natalie.stephenson@greenup.on.ca or 705-745-3238 ext. 223.

BlueWptbo was launched in 2016 in conjunction with Peterborough Utilities Group. Powered by BlueW.orgs mapping system, BlueWptbo establishments join the over 27,000 tap locations participating around the globe.

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BlueWptbo provides easy access to free drinking water in the Peterborough area - kawarthaNOW.com

‘Mushroom mycelium is the food of the future’: Meet the biotech company developing a ‘new generation’ of sustainable food – FoodNavigator.com

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

Mushlabs leverages submerged fermentation to produce mushroom mycelium - the network of threads from which mushrooms grow. This base ingredient offers a number of advantages to product formulators working in the plant-based space. It is rich in umami, low in off-flavours and boasts a naturally fibrous texture.

Mycelium from edible mushrooms offers ideal natural properties for product development, like a highly adaptable rich umami flavour, a naturally fibrous and juicy texture and minimal off-flavours - ideal requirements to produce tasty, natural and minimally-processed food products,Co-Founder and CEO Mazen Rizk told FoodNavigator.

Our goal is to provide more options for a tasty, sustainable and healthy diet. Thanks to the special properties of our fermented edible mushroom mycelium, there are hardly any limits to what we can do in terms of product development. It enables us to play across the consumer basket in meat, dairy and fish alternatives and even create a totally new and unique food category,"he said, noting that the group is currently working on a number of prototype products.

Mycelium also boasts a balanced nutrient profile, containing complete protein with all essential amino acids, prebiotic fibre, vitamins and minerals.

Mushlabs Rizk maintains that fermenting protein ingredients for use in food production offers a solution to the various pressing challenges of our times.

Fermenting mycelium in a nutrient liquid, Mushlabs is able to control growth parameters such as temperature and pH levels. This means resources can be used more efficiently and the growth rate of the mycelium can be increased.

Within a year, we managed to have the growth time for our mycelium to a few days, Rizk said. Mycelium also grows incredibly fast, around 25 times faster than soy, and needs relatively little resources.

Properties like aroma and texture can be altered in a targeted manner by tweaking the conditions and growth parameters the fungus is exposed to, we were told. In the future, we will be able to produce raw products that are precisely tailored to different requirements, Rizkadded.

Rizk explained that mushrooms are masters of upcycling. This means the start-up is able to leverage side streams from food and agriculture to ferment mycelium, increasing circularity and resource efficiency.

Mycelium produces highly active enzymes that can break down a large variety of nutrients, which means it can tap significantly more energy sources than other microorganisms, Rizk elaborated.

This approach delivers more than sustainability gains. It provides Mushlabs with a significant edge in terms of product versatility and building relationships with multinational food companies, Rizk explained.

This is important because Mushlabs, which was founded in 2018, plans to grow its business through partnerships with major F&B companies as well as in the B2C space. 2022 will be all about commercialisation, the biotech expert explained.

We are currently in our commercialisation phase, finalizing the upscaling of our production processes to an industrial level, establishing partnerships with major companies in Europe, the USA and Asia and preparing to announce the launch of our first product.

Currently we plan to develop a B2C business, we will closely cooperate with renowned food companies all over the world. We believe that our story is captivating and our product is absolutely unique - that's why we will launch our own product brand and build up a strong supporting community,FoodNavigator heard.

The group is now working to build commercial capabilities and the upscaling of the production process to an industrial level is almost complete. Potential partners for sourcing, co-development and sales are being discussed worldwide.

In this vein, Mushlabs has just revealed it is launching a collaboration alongside Bitburger Brewery Group - one of Germany's largest private breweries.

Bitburger Brewery will provide production capacity and by-products from beer production as raw materials that will be valorised by Mushlabs, who will use their fermentation process to produce mycelium that will be used as an ingredient in 'nutrient-rich, minimally processed' foods.

The collaboration builds on a long-term relationship between Mushlabs and Bitburger, with the brewer's venture investment arm having invested in Mushlabs in 2019.

It also furthers Bitburger's own sustainability work. The brewer has been 'working intensively' to develop circular economy solutions within its own operations and already recycles its residual materials to the agricultural sector. Bringing the upcycling process on site to produce value-added ingredients for human consumption will be more efficient and reduce emissions linked to areas like transportation, the company noted.

"Through the interaction between the fermentation know-how of Mushlabs and the technical brewing know-how of the Bitburger Brewery Group, we can offer real added value," said Dr FriedrichDroste, MD of Bitburger Ventures.

"Using by-products and existing infrastructure from the brewing process to produce alternative proteins in the brewery environment is no longer a future fantasy with this cooperation, but lived practice that creates sustainable value for all parties involved and the environment."

This hyper-local approach that sees by-products upcycled on-site highlights another advantage of the Mushlabs fermentation tech. The production is independent from environmental influences and can be carried out locally for shorter supply chains. There is no need for soil, pesticides or fertilisers and the production can be established anywhere in the world, regardless of factors like climate.

This meets food safety and security objectives and could help develop a fairer and decentralised future food system, Rizk believes.

We follow a so-called multilocal approach. Since fermentation is independent from environmental conditions and can be implemented everywhere, we want to cooperate with partners worldwide to source local side streams and produce products, that are adapted to local taste and culture. Our vision is to help create a decentralized, fairer and more sustainable food system.

Mushlabs recently secured fresh funding to help it accelerate towards commercial scale. The company will receive an eight-figure figure capital injection from the EU's EIC Accelerator program, it revealed. It is also amoung the start-ups to joinEIT Food'sRisingFoodStars, whose cohortreceive industry support, networking opportunities and access to additional investment to help them grow and scale.

While Rizk said that it is 'still early days' and the start-up is evaluating next steps to build scale, it is clear that the company wants to grow rapidly with a focus on R&D. Over the last year it has doubled its team, bringing in additional expertise to support future growth.

We believe that mushroom mycelium is the food of the future.

'Mushroom mycelium is the food of the future': Meet the biotech company developing a 'new generation' of sustainable food - FoodNavigator.com

Mission Zero-led Consortium Awarded 3M UK Government Contract to Pilot Breakthrough DAC Technology – Business Wire

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mission Zero Technologies (MZT) has been chosen to begin trialling their ground-breaking Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology previously developed with support from the UK governments Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), funded through the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP). Phase 1 of the project saw the completion of the R&D work, FEED activities, and deployment planning exercise; phase 2 will see this realised into a working pilot plant alongside partners Optimus and O.C.O Technology Ltd.

The projects 3 million funding is part of a wider pool of funding for emerging climate technologies recently released through BEIS. This 54 million government investment announced today will help establish a greenhouse gas removal industry in the UK, which could be worth billions to our economy, bringing in private investment and supporting the creation of new green jobs, said Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Hands.

DAC is a carbon capture technology approach that focuses on removing CO2 directly from the atmosphere around us. Typically this requires significant amounts of heat and electricity and large commitments of capital, making the economics and commercialization timelines challenging.

MZT, a London-based startup, is disrupting the status quo with a modularized DAC technology that is projected to reduce both energy consumption as well as capture costs by over 4 times compared to todays commercial offerings, with a roadmap to dropping below the $100/ton price point at commercial scales. Through partnership with Optimus and O.C.O, phase 2 will extend the application of this technology to reuse of the CO2 in the creation of Manufactured LimeStone, a valuable building material.

Shiladitya Ghosh, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer, MZT said This programme is pivotal in our shared progress towards creating valuable materials from CO2 captured from the air. This has a monumental impact on the UK's and the world's journey to net zero and a carbon negative future.

The scaled demonstration from phase 2 will be one of the first demonstrations of DAC integrating with a carbon-negative use case that both utilises and sequesters carbon (commonly known as CCU/CCS). While the project runs from mid 2022 to 2025, the plant is expected to come online in the middle of 2023. This will take MZTs technology to TRL6*. Alongside developing the plant, MZT aims to involve local students and community organisations in knowledge dissemination activities about DAC.

*(TRL or Technological Readiness Level is a scale from 1-9, with 1 denoting basic research of an idea and 9 representing a fully-realised commercial implementation of a technology).

Chris West, CEO, Optimus, said: Reversing climate change is the imperative of our generation, what could be more exciting to be involved in than a process that efficiently hoovers CO2 directly from the atmosphere! Having worked with Mission Zero now for almost 2 years, we have been inspired by their purpose from day 1 and are very excited to make our engineering design contribution towards the realisation of the pilot plant in phase 2 of this race.

Further to this, the use of sequestered carbon in creating limestone will be a breakthrough in providing circular use cases for captured CO2. This is significant for providing a market for captured CO2 usage and creating building materials which permanently capture the CO2 and can be used for critical infrastructure.

Richard Skehens, chairman, O.C.O Technology, said: There is no doubt carbon capture has huge potential and we are very excited to be involved in the next stage of this development. Combining Mission Zeros DAC technologies with our own ability to to use the CO2 in the manufacture of a carbon negative aggregate, is both a positive step for the environment and delivers practicality in the form of sustainable building materials for the future.

This funding was awarded through phase 2 of the Direct Air Capture and other Greenhouse Gas Removal Technologies competition organised by BEIS. This is the first competition of its kind in the UK and is aimed at accelerating the development of early-stage technologies for removing greenhouse gases (gases such as CO2 that contribute to global warming) from the atmosphere. The proliferation of and public support for such technologies are critical for achieving Net Zero targets and mitigating climate change.

About MZTBased in London, UK, Mission Zero Technologies is a young and exciting DAC startup, backed by Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Anglo American, with a patent-pending breakthrough technology and is on a mission to close the carbon cycle. Since its incorporation in the summer of 2020 by spinning out from Deep Science Ventures, the company has won various accolades and has featured on multiple shortlists including the 2020 Diamond List. MZT is currently developing its first pilot for launch in 2023 , in partnership with O.C.O Technology and is planning a first commercial project, Project Hajar, with 44.01. Visit https://www.missionzero.tech to learn more.

OCOO.C.O Technology Ltd is a world leader in the permanent capture of CO2. Built on more than 20 years of award-winning research, O.C.Os Accelerated Carbonation Technology (ACT) utilises carbon dioxide gas as a resource to treat and valorise a wide range of wastes, including Air Pollution Control residues (APCr). The ACT process transforms the waste material into an artificial aggregate known as Manufactured LimeStone (M-LS). Because more CO2 is permanently captured than is used in the manufacturing process, M-LS has been recognised as the worlds first carbon negative aggregate. With a current turnover of some 20 million and UK operations in Suffolk, Leeds and Avonmouth, the company is broadening the use of its technology into other waste material markets worldwide, with a major concentration on the permanent capture of CO2 and supporting organisations in their drive towards cutting carbon emissions. For more information on O.C.O Technology, please visit https://www.oco.co.uk.

About OptimusOptimus is a well-established, highly experienced, specialist engineering, consultancy and project delivery company who combine decades of proven expertise and strategic insight to deliver simple, responsive and cost-effective solutions to the energy industry. Optimus continues to diversify its services and capability into sustainable energy markets and providing decarbonisation solutions. Our multi-disciplined team brings deep technical know-how and time-served pragmatic project experience. This team will develop an engineering solution which will support Mission Zero in this exciting opportunity to move the dial on Direct Air Capture technology now and make a positive impact on the world for generations to come. We are absolutely delighted to be associated with this exceptional project. For more information on Optimus, please visit http://www.optimusaberdeen.com.

About BEIS (Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy)This funding has been made available from the UK governments 1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, which aims to provide funding for developing technologies that enable the removal of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere in the UK. This programme will support the design and feasibility of these technologies through to the demonstration of fully functioning pre-commercial units.

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Mission Zero-led Consortium Awarded 3M UK Government Contract to Pilot Breakthrough DAC Technology - Business Wire

This is Why Gold Prices Could Push Back Above $2,000 this Year – Baystreet.ca

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

Investors may want to jump into gold on the pullback. The gold market still has a path to push above $2,000 an ounce even as the Federal Reserve continues to aggressively raise interest rates throughout the year, according to commodity analysts at the French investment bank Societe Generale, as noted by Kitco.com. In the bank's latest commodity outlook, published Wednesday, the analysts raised their gold prices forecast and see the precious metal averaging around $2,100 by the third quarter of 2022. The analysts said that the most significant factor dominating the gold market remains real interest rates. All could be solid catalysts for stocks, such as NevGold Corp. (TSXV: NAU) (OTCQX: NAUFF), Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE: GOLD) (TSX: ABX), Newmont Corporation (NYSE: NEM) (TSX: NGT), B2Gold Corp. (TSX: BTO) (NYSE: BTG), and GoldMining Inc. (TSX: GOLD) (NYSE: GLDG).

Look at NevGold Corp. (TSXV: NAU) (OTCQX: NAUFF)

NevGold Corp. announce the development path forward at the advanced stage Nutmeg Mountain Gold Project which hosts a mineral resource of 910,000 Indicated ounces of gold (43.5 Mt @ 0.65 g/t Au), and 160,000 Inferred ounces of gold (9.1 Mt @ 0.56 g/t Au). The transaction with GoldMining Inc. closed on July 5, 2022 and NevGold has immediately commenced work on Nutmeg Mountain with a core relogging program and geological model update, which will be followed by a drill program.

Key Highlights

- Nutmeg Mountain is a near-surface, heap-leach project located in southwest Idaho

- NI 43-101 report completed in 2020 by GoldMining includes a mineral resource of 910,000 Indicated ounces of gold (43.5 Mt @ 0.65 g/t Au), and 160,000 Inferred ounces of gold (9.1 Mt @ 0.56 g/t Au)

- Historical drilling, which on average only went to a depth of approximately 75 meters, includes:

- 51.8m @ 2.14 g/t Au starting at surface (0 meters to 51.8 meters)

- 60.0m @ 1.38 g/t Au starting at surface (0 meters to 60.0 meters)

- 54.7m @ 1.77 g/t Au (15.2 meters to 70.0 meters)

Including 24.1m @ 3.10 g/t Au (30.6 meters to 54.7 meters)

- 1,724 hectare project area (17.2 km2) comprised of 2 private leases, 12 patented claims, and 210 unpatented Bureau of Land Management claims

Most of the resource is situated on patented claims

- NevGold has outlined a work program for the next 12 months inclusive of a 10,000 meter drill program, updating the resource estimate, and advancing to an engineering study on the Project by 2023

NevGold CEO, Brandon Bonifacio, comments: We are excited to commence work on Nutmeg Mountain and progress into our first active field program at the project, while we also continue to drill our highly prospective Limousine Butte Project in Nevada. Nutmeg Mountain is an extremely promising project with a large resource base that has significant resource expansion potential and exploration upside. We see a similar value extraction roadmap at Nutmeg Mountain like we did when we acquired Limousine Butte last year, and we will apply the same technical rigour and discipline to project advancement over the next 12 months. We have identified a clear set of objectives and milestones, and the de-risking of Nutmeg Mountain will be a key part of our valuation re-rate as we also continue to advance and de-risk Limousine Butte. It is shaping up to be an exciting period for the company.

NevGold VP Exploration, Derick Unger, comments: We are very excited about the upside of Nutmeg Mountain for multiple reasons. Along with having a strong gold system with significant size and excellent continuity, the gold system is untested in multiple directions. Previous drilling averages only 75 meters depth and was focused on the mineralization that begins at surface. This leaves significant untested potential for high-grade veins at depth. Additionally, the near-surface mineralization also remains open along strike to the north and south as the majority of the historical drilling was completed on the patented claims that contains most of the 2020 resource. The on-strike extension areas are on either federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management or leases of private land, both of which can be permitted for drilling very quickly and will form a key part of our resource expansion and exploration drill program.

Other related developments from around the markets include:

Barrick Gold Corporation continues to invest in creating value for all stakeholders and in supporting the communities that host its mines, president and chief executive Mark Bristow said. Speaking to media at the companys Loulo-Gounkoto complex, Bristow noted the commissioning of the Gounkoto underground mine and the Gara West open pit, the continuing replacement of reserves, the extension of the solar power plant and the further strengthening of local partnerships as instances of the companys long-term commitment to the country. In the first half of the year weve contributed $337 million to the Malian economy in the form of taxes, royalties, dividends, salaries and payments to local suppliers, taking the lifetime contribution of Barrick, previously Randgold, to $8.5 billion. Were particularly proud of the fact the Gara West pit is being mined for us by two Malian contractors we have mentored.

Newmont Corporation announced that it has reached a profit-sharing agreement with its represented workforce at the Companys Peasquito mine in Zacatecas, Mexico. The agreement supports the continued operation of Peasquito into the future. Consistent with other agreements across Mexico, Newmont Peasquito will pay its represented workforce an uncapped profit-sharing bonus up to 10%, with an immediate cost equivalent of $70 million, which is representative of the payments related to 2021 results. We are pleased to have reached this agreement with the National Union of Mining, Metallurgical, Iron and Steel and Similar Workers of the Mexican Republic, said Newmont President and CEO Tom Palmer. Through a respectful dialogue and the active participation of union leadership including Senator Napolon Gmez Urrutia, we reached this agreement without interruption to the operation, ensuring a lasting relationship for the future of Peasquito.

B2Gold Corp. announced additional positive exploration drilling results from Fekola North and the Anaconda area, and provide an update on the development of the Anaconda area. High grade results from the Fekola North target area such as drill hole FKD_64, which returned 4.28 grams per tonne gold over 19.15 metres, from 529.0 metres, provides strong support for ongoing evaluation of underground development of the deepest portions of the Fekola Mine deposit. In the Anaconda area, approximately 20 kilometres north of the Fekola Mine, drill hole MSD_212, which returned 8.09 g/t gold over 15.8 metres, from 431.1 metres, confirms the presence of high grade sulphide, approximately 100 metres below the limits of the current Mineral Resource pit boundary. The good grade and width combinations at the Anaconda area continue to provide a strong indication of the potential for Fekola-style plunging bodies of sulphide mineralization, which remain open at depth.

GoldMining Inc. announced the closing of the previously announced grant of an option on the Company's Almaden Project, located in Idaho, U.S.A. to a subsidiary of NevGold Corp. and the Company's strategic investment in NevGold. As consideration for the option, the Company received consideration of C$3.0 million, which was satisfied by NevGold by issuing 4,444,444 common shares of NevGold.

Legal Disclaimer / Except for the historical information presented herein, matters discussed in this article contains forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Winning Media is not registered with any financial or securities regulatory authority and does not provide nor claims to provide investment advice or recommendations to readers of this release. For making specific investment decisions, readers should seek their own advice. Winning Media is only compensated for its services in the form of cash-based compensation. Pursuant to an agreement Winning Media has been paid three thousand five hundred dollars for advertising and marketing services for NevGold Corp. by NevGold Corp. We own ZERO shares of NevGold Corp. Please click here for full disclaimer.

Contact Information:2818047972[emailprotected]

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This is Why Gold Prices Could Push Back Above $2,000 this Year - Baystreet.ca

GLOBAL ENERGY METALS Provides Update on Early Assay Results from Partner Funded Drilling at the Millennium Cobalt-Copper-Gold Project in Queensland,…

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

Vancouver, BC / TheNewswire / July 7, 2022 / Global Energy Metals Corporation (TSXV:GEMC) | (OTC:GBLEF) | (FSE:5GE1) (Global Energy Metals, the Company and/or GEMC), a company involved in investment exposure to the battery metals supply chain, is pleased to provide an exploration update from its Millennium Cobalt-Copper-Gold project in Queensland, Australia (Millennium and/or the Project) following a first phase reverse circulation drill program conducted and funded by joint venture partner Metal Bank Limited (MBK). The phase one program consisted of 1,580 m drilled predominantly in the South and Central resource areas, targeting both shallow and deep extensions to the existing mineralisation along with infill, and several precollars in preparation for diamond drilling. Refer to news release dated June 2, 2022. MBK is earning up to an 80% interest in the Project through staged exploration expenditures and milestone payments.

Highlights

First assays returned from Phase 1 Millennium RC drilling with results including:

5 m @ 2.27% Cu, 0.09% Co and 0.94g/t Au (MI22RC02, 104-109 m)

6 m @ 1.24% Cu, 0.5g/t Au (MI22RC07, 60-66 m)

9 m @ 0.84% Cu, 0.19% Co and 0.23g/t Au (MI22RC07, 71-80 m)

Phase 2 metallurgical sampling and deeper drilling is underway with visible cobalt-copper minerals observed.

Extension drilling to the north and proximal to the Pilgrim/Fountain Range Fault Zone to follow throughout July.

Commenting on the first phase of MBKs exploration program for 2022, Metal Banks Chair, Ins Scotland said:

We are very pleased with the copper and cobalt assay results which support our resource extension goal at Millennium. Both cobalt and copper are key minerals in Australias renewable energy future.

Mitchell Smith, President and CEO of GEMC also commented:

Drilling at Millennium continues to not only show strong grades for copper, cobalt and gold but is also supporting potential for extension to the existing resource and opportunity for a more robust project than currently defined. Were encouraged by the progress made by our JV partners and look forward to continued success as they continue to drill and grow this important strategic metal project.

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Figure 1: MI22DD01 diamond drilling, Millennium Southern Area

Following drilling completed in late May, assay results have now been received for MBKs Phase 1 resource extension and infill program in the Southern and Central Resource Areas at Millennium in NW QLD. These results include:

5 m @ 2.27% Cu, 0.09% Co and 0.94g/t Au (MI22RC02, 104-109 m) 30 metres North of our current resource model

6 m @ 1.24% Cu, 0.5g/t Au (MI22RC07, 60-66 m)

9 m @ 0.84% Cu, 0.19% Co and 0.23g/t Au (MI22RC07, 71-80 m)

Results from holes MI22RC02, 03, 05, and 06 provide support to the resource model interpretation and indicate potential for deeper mineralisation. The MI22RC02 intersection was some 30 m north outside the existing resource model and remains open further north along strike indicating potential for resource extension. MI22RC07 displays mineralisation shallower than previously modelled (Figure 3).

In addition, encouraging observations and assay results were also returned from an RC pre-collar in the expected barren hangingwall to the west of Millennium and towards the Pilgrim/Fountain Range Fault Zone including 12 m @ 0.26% Cu with minor cobalt and gold (MI22RD03, 136-148 m).

Millennium 2022 Work Program

Results from recent Phase 1 drilling have been received, including six RC drill holes validating and testing the existing resource (MI22RC02-07), one hole testing below the Federal workings (MI22RC01) and four of six RC precollars to deeper diamond drill holes. Results are presented in Table 1 and Figure 2 with cross-sections in Figures 3 and 4. Results from MI22RC04 are pending.

Table 1: Millennium Phase 1 notable intersections

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NOTE: 0.2% Cu cut-off, 3 m maximum internal dilution unless indicated by*. Results >0.1% Co reported individually if Cu above cut-off is not present.

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Figure 2: Millennium Project area plan showing current drilling and received results

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Figure 3: Millennium 7723300N cross-section (NB: MI22RD03 to be drilled)

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Figure 4: Millennium 7722900N cross-section (NB: MI22RD06 to be drilled)

Results are in line with previous intersections and add support to the resource model interpretation. Importantly, the MI22RC02 intersection was some 30 m north outside the previous resource model and remains open further north along strike supporting potential for extension to the existing resource.

In addition, mineralisation noted in the hangingwall west of the main Millennium mineralised trend returned broad encouraging results of 12 m @ 0.26% Cu (MI22RD03, 136-148 m) with minor Co and Au. This supports additional mineralised structures within the granted MLs and/or a potential link with the regionally significant Pilgrim/Fountain Range Fault Zone along the western margin of the project. Additional RC drilling is planned to directly test this regionally significant fault system to establish its relationship with Millennium mineralisation.

Diamond drilling is currently underway including shallow large diameter core for metallurgical samples and infill drilling. Deeper diamond drilling for resource infill, Exploration Target confirmation, structural, geochemical and geometallurgical sampling will follow. Shallow drilling has identified fresh cobalt and copper sulphides in core (Figure 5) and the first of several deeper holes is about to commence.

Figure 5: MI22DD01, 56.4 m cobalt (grey vein, mid left) and copper (yellow speckles, top right) mineralisation as vein cobaltite and disseminated/infill chalcopyrite mineralisation in siliceous metasediment host, (PQ core)

The drilling program will then return to RC seeking to extend and infill the Central Area Resource to the north and confirm economic scope for the Northern Area. The current drilling program is expected to be completed by mid-August. Assay results are currently experiencing significant delays of up to 7-8 weeks from submission.

The Millennium Project

The Millennium Copper and Cobalt Project (the Millennium Project) near Cloncurry in NW QLD currently holds a JORC 2012-compliant Inferred Resource of 5.9 Mt @ 1.08% CuEq (Cu-Co-Au-Ag) across 5 granted Mining Leases with significant potential for expansion.

The Millennium Project is located 19 km from the Rocklands copper-cobalt project with an established processing plant capable of treating Millennium-style mineralisation once recommissioned.

Recent drilling provided confidence in growth upside to the existing resource. This included encouraging infill/extension work in the Southern Area Resource (MI21RC01-2) and significantly expanding the system strike and scale into the Northern Area (MI21RC03-07).

Following completion of its current drill program and receipt of analytical results, a review of the existing resources in the Southern and Central Areas of the Project and new zones of mineralisation will be undertaken. In conjunction with significant appreciation in copper and cobalt prices since maiden resource reporting, results from this review should provide support for an initial Exploration Target for the Project of 8 10 Mt @ 1.0 1.1% CuEq.

This Exploration Target is based on extensions along strike and at depth in both the Southern and Central Area copper-cobalt-gold Resources and in the Northern Area, where shallow copper intervals at broad spacing have been returned some 800-1,000 m north of the closest Resource.

It should be noted that the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient drilling at depth of the existing Resource and in the Northern Area of the project and insufficient information relating to the Reasonable Prospects of Eventual Economic Extraction (RPEEE) of the Millennium project to estimate a Mineral Resource over the Exploration Target area, and it is uncertain if further study will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource over this area. It is acknowledged that the currently available data is insufficient spatially in terms of the density of drill holes, and in quality, in terms of MBKs final audit procedures for down hole data, data acquisition and processing, for the results of this analysis to be classified as a Mineral Resource in accordance with the JORC Code.

Qualified PersonMr. Paul Sarjeant, P. Geo., is the qualified person for this release as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Global Energy Metals Corporation

(TSXV:GEMC | OTCQB:GBLEF | FSE:5GE1)

Global Energy Metals Corp. offers investment exposure to the growing rechargeable battery and electric vehicle market by building a diversified global portfolio of exploration and growth-stage battery mineralassets.

Global Energy Metals recognizes that the proliferation and growth of the electrified economy in the coming decades is underpinned by the availability of battery metals, including cobalt, nickel, copper, lithium and other raw materials. To be part of the solution and respond to this electrification movement, Global Energy Metals has taken a consolidate, partner and invest approach and in doing so have assembled and are advancing a portfolio of strategically significant investments in battery metal resources.

As demonstrated with the Companys current copper, nickel and cobalt projects in Canada, Australia, Norway and the United States, GEMC is investing-in, exploring and developing prospective, scaleable assets in established mining and processing jurisdictions in close proximity to end-use markets. Global Energy Metals is targeting projects with low logistics and processing risks, so that they can be fast tracked to enter the supply chain in thiscycle. The Company is also collaborating with industry peers to strengthen its exposure to these critical commodities and the associated technologies required for a cleaner future.

Securing exposure to these critical minerals powering the eMobility revolution is a generationalinvestment opportunity. Global Energy Metals believes Now is the Time to be part of this electrification movement.

For Further Information:

Global Energy Metals Corporation

#1501-128 West Pender Street

Vancouver, BC, V6B 1R8

Email: info@globalenergymetals.com

t. + 1 (604) 688-4219

http://www.globalenergymetals.com

Twitter: @EnergyMetals | @USBatteryMetals | @ElementMinerals

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information:

Certain information in this release may constitute forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws and necessarily involve risks associated with regulatory approvals and timelines. Although Global Energy Metals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that managements beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

GEMCs operations could be significantly adversely affected by the effects of a widespread global outbreak of a contagious disease, including the recent outbreak of illness caused by COVID-19. It is not possible to accurately predict the impact COVID-19 will have on operations and the ability of others to meet their obligations, including uncertainties relating to the ultimate geographic spread of the virus, the severity of the disease, the duration of the outbreak, and the length of travel and quarantine restrictions imposed by governments of affected countries. In addition, a significant outbreak of contagious diseases in the human population could result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many countries, resulting in an economic downturn that could further affect operations and the ability to finance its operations.

For more information on Global Energy and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review the filings that are available at http://www.sedar.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

We seek safe harbour.

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GLOBAL ENERGY METALS Provides Update on Early Assay Results from Partner Funded Drilling at the Millennium Cobalt-Copper-Gold Project in Queensland,...

Europe’s island that swaps nationalities – BBC

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

In Roman times, the island was known as "Pausoa", the Basque word for passage or step. Then the French translated this as "Paysans", meaning peasant, before transposing it as "Faisans", for pheasant. Over time, the name le des Faisans stuck.

The humble island finally came into prominence in 1648, following a ceasefire at the end of the Thirty Years' War between France and Spain, when it was chosen as a neutral space to demarcate the new borderlands. In fact, 24 summits took place, with military escorts on standby should talks breakdown. Eleven years later, the Treaty of the Pyrenees peace accord was struck.

To honour the occasion, a royal wedding was mooted, and, in 1660, French King Louis XIV married the daughter of King Philip IV, Maria Theresa of Spain, on the spot of the declaration. Wooden bridges were built to ease passage, royal parties arrived in state barges and carriages, and tapestries and paintings were commissioned. Diego Velzquez, court painter to Philip and whose magnum opus remains Las Meninas (a portrait of Margaret Theresa with her maids of honour) was put in charge of arranging much of the festivities.

So symbolic was Pheasant Island as a metaphor of peace, in fact, that it was decided both countries would have joint custody of the territory. Spain would hold stewardship from 1 February to 31 July each year, while Pheasant Island would become an official part of France for the other six months. In that moment, the world's smallest condominium was born.

By definition, condominiums are places determined by the presence of at least more than one sovereign state. The sense is derived from Latin, with "com" implying "together" and "dominium" meaning "right of ownership". And over the centuries, numerous countries have become embroiled in geographic tug o' wars over condominiums, with governments spending decades happily arguing the finer points of who owns what and why. Most aren't centres of empire, but rather experimental, geopolitical addendums.

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Europe's island that swaps nationalities - BBC

LIST: Did you know that South Africa has 10 islands? Including one on a volcano! – East Coast Radio

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

Did you know that there are even islands further down south of South Africa?

South Africa is a country rich in culture, tradition, and history - much of which is still a relative mystery.

Whilst trying to learn a bit more about our country, I came across something so fascinating that it made me question just how much more I don't know about SA.

The one that really got me excited is the fact that we have 10 islands in South Africa.

via GIPHY

Here's a list of the 10 islands in South Africa - including some that are not open to tourists, spotted on Trip101:

1.Seal Island

There are thousands of Cape fur seals occupying Seal Island - obviously. Seal Island is located off False Bay and nothing is known to grow on the island due to its granite surface, which contains no soil to sustain plant life.

The island can be accessed by boat from Hout Bay.

2. St Croix Island

St Croix Island in located in Algoa Bay, just offGqeberha (formerlyPort Elizabeth). It consists of rocky outcrops. Some of these rocks stand as high as 53 metres. It is home to hundreds of African penguin colonies that breed on the island.St Croixis now a sanctuary for these creatures.

Watch more:The mystery of what lies beneath the surface of the Botanic Gardens

3. Marion Island

This is an absolutely fascinating one - one half of the Prince Edward Islands.

Located at the southernmost tip of South Africa, Marion Island lies to the south of Cape Town. Permanent meteorological research stations have been constructed by theSouth African National Antarctic Programmeon the island. Animals that inhabit the island include southern elephant seals, fur seals, penguins, and albatross.

The island is not open to tourists and the weather is harsh, with rain, snow, low temperatures, and strong winds.

In September 2020, the Department of Environment Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) approved a request for a wildlife documentary series to be filmed on Marion Island.

4. Dyer Island

Dyer Island is located off Kleinbaai Harbor and is a natural reserve. This reserve is classified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) where endangered birds breed. The species of birds that reside here include the roseate tern, bank cormorant, and the African penguin. It is a restricted area, so members of the public are not allowed on the island, but is visible if on a guided tour.

5. Malgas Island

This is located in Saldanha Bayand it is a marine protected areaand is part of West Coast National Park. Most of its surface is flat while the island has a nearly rectangular shape. Nesting Cape gannets and seabird species are the main inhabitants here.

6. Duiker Island

This lovely island lies off Hout Bay in Cape Town and is inhabited by Cape fur seals and other species of seabirds. An hour-long boat cruise (departing from Hout Bay harbour) will help you get to the island.

Check out Bay Harbour Market, and if you love to surf, Dungeons is a famous spot just for you to catch some waves!

7. Dassen Island

This offshore island is located 55 km north of Cape Town. The island is home to a large population of wild rabbits and colonies of penguins, tortoises, and guinea fowl. Bird enthusiasts will enjoy identifying the species, as the island is dominated by seabirds. DassenIsland is out of bounds to the public.

8. Prince Edward Island

This island is the smaller of the two landmasses, namely Prince Edward and the abovementioned Marion Island. It is protected by South African law, via a Special Nature Reserves declaration. This fascinating island sits right on an active volcano that rises to a peak of 722 meters. The last volcanic eruption at Prince Edward Island occurred in 2004.

Prince Edward Island is barely habitable due to its harsh climate and heavy rain.

Watch more:Underwater Kavachi Volcano erupts, 'mutant' sharks released into ocean

9. Bird Island

This gorgeous island lies inLamberts Bay, South Africa. Cape gannets reside and lay eggs here - one of six places in the world where these eggs hatch. You can access the island by foot, but only if the sea conditions are favourable. This is because thebreakwaterconnects it to the mainland.

This is also the island notorious for the infamous 'Lost Boys of Bird Island'book.

Watch more:Amazing sinkhole discovery reveals giant, ancient underground forest

10. Robben Island

This is obviously the most famous of South Africa's islands. The world famous island was where global icon Nelson Mandela was imprisoned along with other famous figures during the apartheid era.

Click hereto find out more information about theRobben Island Museum.

If you'd like to learn more about why South Africa is such an interesting place, check out this fascinating podcast series by Des Latham on the history of South Africa.

Original source: Trip101

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Main image attribution:The South African

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LIST: Did you know that South Africa has 10 islands? Including one on a volcano! - East Coast Radio

So Miguel, the largest of the Azores islands – Earth.com

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

Todays Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features So Miguel, the most volcanically active island of the Azores archipelago in the eastern mid-Atlantic Ocean.

The island chain, which is an autonomous region of Portugal, began to form about 10 million years ago over a hotspot in Earths mantle. According to NASA, the archipelago lies at the junction of the North American, Eurasian, and African plates.

At 760 square kilometers (290 square miles), So Miguel is the largest of the nine Azores islands and home to half of its peoplemost of whom live in Ponta Delgada, the economic capital of the Azores. The islands highest point is Pico da Vara, which rises to an elevation of 1,080 meters (3,545 feet) above sea level, reports NASA.

So Miguel comprises six volcanic zones that formed in the last 3 million to 4 million years. But the island didnt take on its modern shape until about 50,000 years ago, when an eruption of land-forming lava joined the eastern and western volcanic massifs.

The oldest of the six volcanic zones is in the east; the youngest is in the west, where the most recent volcanic activity occurred. Three of the volcanos are still active, though dormant, including Sete Cidades, which last erupted from a submarine vent off the west coast in 1880.

The image was captured on December 9, 2018 by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8.

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer

Marshall Islands ambassador reminds students they are important to the people in the homelands during trip to the UN – Ke Alakai

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

Courtesy of Christina Akanoa

Chaille Faye Kioa, BYUHawaii alumna from Tonga who majored in political science, was one of nine students selected to attend the field study at the United Nations Headquarters in the first week of Spring Semester.

She said, The events at the United Nations Headquarters are undoubtedly done without a whim and no rest. A piece of advice that has resonated with me since this field study was from the ambassador of the Marshall Islands. [She said,] Get your act together! You are important to your people.

Christina Akanoa, assistant professor in the Faculty of Business & Government and field study coordinator, said she was happy the trip to the United Nations contributed to building students confidence in professional settings coupled with the education they gained at BYUH.

I always tell my students, Why cant you be the next ambassador? You cant say that only those people can make it. The only obstacle you have in this life is yourself. There are so many opportunities out there. Youre the one who gets out and makes it happen.

Akanoa continued, This experience allows students to realize they have the potential to do something about [an important Indigenous crisis], and they can be leaders in that capacity.

Courtesy of Christina Akanoa

Beneficial connections

Akanoa said she started in 2013 this field trip to the U.N. Headquarters in New York. When I sent out the courtesy letter to them, asking them if we could visit with them, [it was approved]. Each year since 2013, [excluding 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19] weve been visiting with the [Polynesian] missions. It was just like a common courtesy for us to go and give our regards to the missions.

Akanoa said she believes any professor can do a little something to help students reach their great potential and expand their network for future career opportunities.

She added, Its a two-week event, but we only go for the first week because students can do a lot more networking. The states and the governments are there to represent their view on the topics, so there are a lot of different networks.

Thanks to the relationship first created in 2013, political science students have easy access to finding internships and job opportunities, she said.

Akanoa shared some of the students she took to the United Nations are now working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and several Pacific Island countries. She explained in the different missions and even on her recent trips, representatives offered help to find internships for her students.

They were very impressed with the way the students carried themselves and the way they behaved [respectfully]. Of course thats all part of diplomacy, she explained.

On the recent trip, Akanoa said she accompanied nine students. One of them was Sivao Laurenson, a senior from Samoa majoring in political science. Laurenson said the trip helped her understand the competitiveness of diplomacy.

[Its important that] you present yourself and your best interests in front of others to be effective in a diplomatic context. I was fortunate enough to be one of the students to attend the United Nations field trip. This is a great opportunity for me.

Courtesy of Christina Akanoa

Intense preparation

According to Akanoa, the U.N. field study aims at giving students a chance to observe those at the United Nations interacting and deliberating with international organizations on topics under the theme and agenda of the year, as well as engaging in other events organized by nongovernmental organizations and the states.

The theme for this year was: Indigenous people, business, autonomy and the human rights principles of due diligence including free, prior and informed consent, she shared.

Before the trip, Akanoas students prepared by attending night classes, learning about diplomacy, choosing an issue relevant to this years theme and writing a 20-page research paper, said Akanoa.

We prepared a couple of weeks in advance because there are many things to cover. This class is POSC 384, The United Nations and Intergovernmental Organizations, for juniors and seniors, but senior students get priority for this trip, she added.

Akanoa said her students said their visit with the ambassadors and their respective missions were fulfilling. That was the highlight of the trip because [students] sat down and talked with their ambassadors. I mean, when do you ever have that chance? To sit down and have a face-to-face conversation with your ambassador or your deputy ambassador or permanent deputy representatives. This is a rare opportunity!

Courtesy of Christina Akanoa

Bringing Indigenous issuesto an international realm

Another part of the trip Akanoa remarked on was the effectiveness of the feedback given by the ambassadors after reading and looking through the students research papers. It helped the students reorganize their ideas and new thoughts they might have, she said.

Solesia Lasa, a senior from New Zealand majoring in political science and one of the nine students who attended the trip, said it was an honor to be part of this important work which brings Pacific issues to the international realm.

Sakiusa Tukana, field study attendee and senior from Fiji majoring in political science, said he recognized the crucial need for the United Nations to perform as a platform for Indigenous people to voice their concerns and fight for urgent issues. I realized that the battle against climate change and globalization is 10 times harder and more severe for the indigenous people. Therefore, diplomacy is key!

He added, This [trip] has helped me to be more sensitive and made my perspective clearer. ... There is a place for everyone. You just need to find it!

Indigenous issues are important because they help small countries like Palau in the process of becoming independent, along with other indigenous issues, Akanoa said. The Office of the Historian explained, Palau was part of the United Nation Trust Territory of the Pacific, administered by the United States, following World War II. In 1978, Palau began the process of independence and gained it in 1994.

Akanoa added, Any Pacific Island countries that have had issues of Indigenous people feeling like [their rights are being violated] and [property being confiscated], mostly land, attended the event [at U.N. Headquarters] to discuss the issue and seek for the assistance of any kind. Among the Indigenous organizations present are West Papua, New Zealand (Maori), aboriginal people of Australia, Rapa Nui (or Easter Island) and Hawaii.

Akanoa explained the United Nations has six main organs and five of them are based at U.N. Headquarters in New York. She said these five include the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the International Court of Justice and lastly, the Secretariat.

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Marshall Islands ambassador reminds students they are important to the people in the homelands during trip to the UN - Ke Alakai

Say ‘Bello’ to the New Minion Bank from Universal’s Islands of Adventure – WDW News Today

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

Guests can now entrust their spare coins to a friendly, little guy with the new MinionBank at Universals Islands of Adventure. You can find this adorable item at Toon Extra in Toon Lagoon.

This little guy is called Otto. He was first introduced in Minions: The Rise of Gru, which was released on July 1. He has a tuft of black hair on his head, brown eyes, and braces. Who knew minions had a dental plan?

The bank feels dense and fragile. It is likely made from ceramic.

The slot to insert money is a little hidden at the back of the bank. It blends into the black strap holding up Ottos goggles.

There is a silicone stopper at the bottom that can be removed, so you dont have to smash your bank to get your money out.

Let us know what you think of the minion bank in the comments below!

For more Universal Studios news from around the world, follow Universal Parks News Today onTwitter,Facebook, andInstagram. For Disney Parks news, visitWDWNT.

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Say 'Bello' to the New Minion Bank from Universal's Islands of Adventure - WDW News Today

Hundreds of birds found dead on Lake Michigan islands – WeAreGreenBay.com

Posted on July 8, 2022 by Danzig

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) Wildlife biologists from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources estimate nearly 1,500 birds have been found dead along several islands in Lake Michigan more than half of the states estimated population.

The likely culprit? Bird flu.

A report from Michigan Radio says entire colonies of Caspian terns were found dead or dying. Based on the early count, the Wisconsin DNR estimates that 64 percent of the states adult population of Caspian terns are gone.

According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, more than 1,200 adult Caspian terns were found dead on Gravel Island and Hat Island one on either side of the Door Peninsula.

A similar die-off of more than 200 Caspian terns was found on Bellow Island in Grand Traverse Bay.

Sumner Matteson, an avian ecologist who has spent decades working with the Wisconsin DNR, told Michigan Radio it was a stunning sight.

Absolutely devastating. Catastrophic. Its going to take years for the Wisconsin population to recover, Matteson told Michigan Radio. Seeing hundreds of dead birds scattered in a line before you with others dying among those its a feeling of helplessness, knowing that theres nothing, absolutely nothing you can do for those birds.

Years could be an understatement. This large of a die-off will also impact future generations.

No young are being produced. And then the loss of all of these adults is serious, University of Minnesota professor Francie Cuthbert told Michigan Radio.

Lisa Williams, a contaminants specialist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, speculates that the fact that Caspian terns nest so close together could be the cause of the die-off.

For a disease thats transmitted through the air, theyre in close enough proximity that that can happen fairly readily on their colonies, Williams told Michigan Radio.

Why the virus is hitting this species harder than others is the real question. Several other close-nesting seabirds have seen die-offs, including ring-billed gulls and cormorants, but nothing near the rate of the Caspian tern.

The latest strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been circulating since late 2021. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it has been confirmed in 42 states, killing more than 40 million domestic birds, mostly through depopulation efforts at poultry farms.

The HPAI die-off is the deadliest since 2015 when a strain claimed nearly 50 million birds.

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Hundreds of birds found dead on Lake Michigan islands - WeAreGreenBay.com

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