Mining Industry Pans For New Solutions Vexing Problems Await Gathering Of Industry Leaders

As thousands of mining prospectors, executives and geologists gather in Spokane this week for the Northwest Mining Association Convention, the industry looks for new ways to battle the same problems.

Mining continues to fight its environment-unfriendly image. It continues to face more and higher regulatory hurdles domestically, which has created its third challenge, finding stable countries abroad to dig for new metals.

The convention puts on dozens of technical and practical seminars to help the estimated 4,000 attendees get a better grip on those problems. That, and have a little fun at the same time.

The theme of this year’s convention, put on by one of the nation’s most respected regional mining leaders, is “Mining and The Environment: New Directions.”

The association’s own new direction includes Laura Skaer, the new executive director. She is the association’s first woman director in its 102-year history.

Most recently from Denver, Skaer has an oil and gas exploration background and worked for a gold exploration company.

Skaer replaces Tim Olson, who took a job with Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Idaho in Boise. He leaves the association after expanding its membership and improving its finances, which depend on a good convention.

What makes one of these meetings memorable typically means balancing good speakers with lively entertainment and liberal amounts of “Moose Milk,” a creamy concoction laced with liquor. These are miners, mind you.

It’s been a tough year for mining’s image. A full-scale media assault on the proposed New World Mine in Montana resulted, in part, in the company owning the mine agreeing to a government land swap to protect and preserve the property.

Crown Butte Mines, New World’s owners, were featured speakers at last year’s NWMA convention, where they tried to tell the company’s side of the controversial mine.

The industry continues to be chided by the Clinton administration over land patenting, the process by which public land gets transferred to companies for mining. Network news reports as recent as last week portrayed the “giveaway” of billions of dollars of minerals for $5 an acre as an injustice.

Companies have tried to get the message out that the cost of getting the minerals from those “giveaways” creates only small or practically non-existent profit margins.

In the case of Coeur d’Alene’s own Hecla Mining Co., the land it patented for the Grouse Creek mine in central Idaho cost the company more than $100 million in 1995 because there wasn’t the gold the company thought there might be.

The convention will even try a laser light show to educate people on the virtues of mining. The show, put on by Laser Fantasy International Co., will be shown Tuesday through Thursday against the wall of the Convention Center and will depict images from the mining industry.

For Spokane, the convention means big bucks. One of the largest annual meetings booked by the Spokane Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, the convention should inject $2.25 million into stores, restaurants and hotels.

“The best part about it is that it’s in December,” said Carolyn Ogden, tourism developer for the bureau. The month is typically a slow one for convention bookings. “Other cities would kill for this kind of business in December.”

The money comes as a well-timed start to the holiday shopping season for merchants. Many of the convention delegates are well-paid executives who bring their spouses and children, who then spend time and money shopping.

The convention also will feature 340 exhibitors, several of whom bring large equipment to demonstrate at the convention.

, DataTimes MEMO: Two sidebars appeared with the story: 1. Convention facts Some facts about the 102nd Northwest Mining Association Convention: Annual meeting of mining geologists and executives from around the world is headquartered at the downtown Spokane Red Lion and at the Agriculture and Trade Convention Center. About 4,000 people are expected to attend. Convention runs Monday through Friday. Highlights include a laser light show Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night at the Convention Center. The show runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and displays mining technologies in an entertaining and educational way.

2. Research Center plans open house The remnants of the Federal Bureau of Mines has been reorganized under the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. In conjunction with the Northwest Mining Association Convention, the employees are holding two events to celebrate the transition. An open house will be held Monday at the Spokane Research Center at 315 E. Montgomery to let the public see exhibits and the work being done there. Tours of the facilities, including the chance to pan for gold and tour a small silver mine working, will begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 7 p.m. The Bureau of Mines employed more than 160 people before being closed due to budget cuts. Of those bureau employees, about half are now with the institute. Their mission is similar to what the bureau did: research safety and health issues for miners. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will occur at 3 p.m. on Tuesday at the facility to mark the formal transition between the agencies. Dr. Linda Rosenstock, the director of national institute, will be on hand for the ceremony. More tours of the facility will follow the Tuesday ribbon-cutting and reception. For more information on the tours, call (509) 484-1610. -Eric Torbenson