Here is a topic we may not see discussed at the October Vail Conference called Tailings & Mine Waste ‘08:  Reworking old tailings and waste rock dumps for economic value.

The obvious questions is: should we call on them to have a whole workshop session devoted to the topic?   I submit that such a session would be far more interesting and valuable than another paper on leaky liners, geochemical attenuation, slope failure risk assessment, sustainable development, responsible mining, ethics, or other excuses for acid mine drainage. 

This truly radical idea is prompted by the following announcement that hit my in-e-mail box this morning:

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Pricey Harrison is a most appropriately named politician: she has just announced a move that would significantly increase the price of energy in North Carolina.  There is no word yet whether Pricey’s high-priced bill will get the support of other state politicians. 

She was prompted to introduce the bill to ban the use in North Carolina of coal from mountaintop mining by watching a movie about poor people being moved in adjacent states to make way for new coal mines.  North Carolina does not produce any coal by mountaintop mining, preferring to import such coal—fifty percent of its daily use—from neighboring states.

The local energy companies are already seeking rate increases of up to six percent to make up for higher coal costs.  If they have to forgo mountaintop mine coal, they may have to increase cost well over twelve percent. 

This rather obscure little scrap will, I predict, provide a perfect opportunity for us to see whether people really are prepared to pay more for so-called environmentally-friendly energy.  Stay tuned for Dolly Parton and Pricey Harrison.