Industry Partnerships
The Industrial Technologies Plan (ITP) Sectors in the Future partnership is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Division of Power and industry. ITP offers cost-shared funding to chosen R&D projects that address industry-defined priorities as well as national goals for power and the environment.
Mining Sector with the Future Partner
The National Mining Association (NMA) represents the interests in the mining business before Congress, the Administration, federal agencies, the judiciary and the media.
Their membership includes more than 325 corporations involved in all aspects with the mining business including coal, metal and industrial mineral producers, mineral processors, equipment manufacturers, state associations, bulk transporters, engineering firms, consultants, financial institutions and other companies that supply goods and services to the mining sector. NMA gives a forum for all the diverse segments in the mining business to come together and advocate public policies designed to protect and expand opportunities for domestic mining.
Vision
The Mining Business of the Future was started in June 1998 when the Chairman in the National Mining Association and the Secretary of Power entered into a compact to pursue a collaborative technology research partnership. After the Compact was signed, the mining market developed its vision document, The Future Begins with Mining, A Vision from the Mining Sector in the Future, in September 1998. This vision document lists long-term goals for the mining industry. Stemming from this vision document, targeted technology road maps were developed that describe pathways of research to achieve the vision goals.
Mining Vision
The Mining Industry of the Long term Vision, The Long term Begins with Mining (September 1998), can be viewed online. A printable copy in the Mining Vision can also be downloaded.
Roadmap
Following publication from the Vision, the mining market developed technology road maps to identify critical pathways for the R&D needed to reach their goals. These road maps aided both industry and government in making decisions to support R&D unfavorable to the industry’s vision in the future.
U.S. Mining Industry Power Bandwidth
ITP relies on analytical studies to identify large energy reduction opportunities in energy-intensive industries and uses these results to help guide its R&D portfolio. The power bandwidth illustrates the total energy-saving opportunity that exists while in the industry if the current processes are improved by implementing more energy-efficient practices and by using advanced technologies. This Mining Sector Energy Bandwidth Study, June 2007, was conducted to assist ITP in identifying energy-saving opportunities in coal, metals, and mineral mining. These opportunities were analyzed in key mining processes of blasting, dewatering, drilling, digging, ventilation, materials handling, crushing, grinding, and separations.
Energy and Environmental Profile with the U.S. Mining Industry
This detailed report benchmarks the power and environmental characteristics of the key technologies used in chosen commodities of the mining industry.