I would like to welcome you to our February 2015 edition. This month, E&MJ focuses on gold in an in-depth market feature that describes activity among the major producers. The information is timely because no one really knows what is going to happen with the price of gold for the next few years. Gold has come out of the gate strong in 2015, mainly because of economic and monetary policies in Europe. A strong dollar, however, does not normally bode well for gold.

In addition to market-related reports, this issue offers its readership food for thought—articles with ideas on how to operate more safely, efficiently and cost effectively. This month, Simon Walker wades into mine safety. While the industry overall has seen some steady improvements in safety–related performance, there is always room for improvement. Research among miners in several countries has uncovered some interesting trends as far as behavior and experience.

During this period of uncertainty, all mine operators are doing what they can to optimize operations. This edition also carries features related to maintenance practices with heavy equipment and with mine operators turning to technology in a lot of cases to either improve operations or identify areas for improvement, Russ Carter describes how simulator based training can provide an essentially danger free route to improve employee and equipment productivity.

E&MJ delivers this type of must-read content to its readers in several different formats and has a strong presence on the three popular social media platforms. Beyond printed and digital content, E&MJ also organizes the Haulage & Loading conference, which is held every two years at the Wigwam Resort in Phoenix during May. This year, the conference program is nothing short of phenomenal. More than 60% of mined commodities are produced at open-pit mining operations. The Haulage & Loading conference covers surface mining in general and truck-shovel mining in particular. The event attracts mining engineers and production managers from copper, gold, coal and oil sands operations. If you’re interested, I hope you can join us for these three productive days in May.

Thank you for your continued support and enjoy this edition.

Steve Fiscor, Editor-in-Chief, E&MJ