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Key Minerals, Companies and Projects
Brazil produces 70 mineral commodities: 21 metals, 45 industrial minerals and four fuels
Iron Ore
Despite recent turbulence in global financial and commodities markets, iron ore has experienced a significant boom in pricing over recent years as the three iron ore super powers of the world (Vale, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton) have re-negotiated pricing contracts with their key markets. Having experienced price increases in the region of 100%, from $70 up to more than $160/dry metric ton in today's market, the prospects of iron ore profitability have changed significantly.
Iron ore is the mineral of greatest value to Brazil's mining industry, representing 78% of total mining exports; $16.5 billion of a $22.5 billion industry in 2008. Over-reliance upon the production and export of iron ore to China, the overwhelming driver of demand for Brazil's iron ore, presents an acute risk to the industry. A potential housing bubble in China or a currency revaluation has the potential to suddenly reduce the country's demand for Brazilian iron ore. Despite this risk, Brazilian iron ore producers remain buoyant.
"The Brazilian mining economy is very dependent upon Chinese demand," said Antonio Rigotto, director of operations, Ferrous Resources. "Since the urbanization process in that country has been rapid, internal consumption and industrial production of a vast range of consumer goods will inevitably increase Chinese demand for steel. Consequently, the demand for iron ore is going to be the defining trend in Brazil's mining market for at least the next five years. I expect prices of iron ore to grow by at least 20% over the next 10 years because iron ore demand will outstrip growth in supply. I expect Chinese demand to be a key driver in the Brazilian mining economy for at least the next five years."
As Chinese iron production goes into decline, opportunities for Brazil's iron ore exporters will increase over the medium term.
With combined, measured and indicated reserves of iron ore standing at 26 billion mt, Brazil has the fifth largest iron ore resource globally. Brazil's iron ore is of the highest quality, on a par with that found in Australia's Pilbara region. Hematite—found in the state of Para—averages a 60% grade, while itamirite—found in Minas Gerais state—averages 50% grade. With production standing at 380 million mt in 2008, Brazil ranks as the second largest global producer of iron ore behind China.
Vale is responsible for 79% of Brazil's iron ore output, CSN produces 7%, MMX 3% and others such as Ferrous and Samarco account for the remaining 10%. Brazil's key iron ore producing states are Minas Gerais, which accounts for 71% of output, Para makes up 26%, and others such as Bahia account for the remaining 3%.
In terms of major iron ore projects, Vale's Carajas complex in Para State is the crown jewel of Brazil's iron ore industry and the world's largest iron ore complex. Discovered on July 31, 1967, the Carajas complex of four open cast mines first came into production in 1985 with output of 1 million mt of iron ore. Today, Carajas produces 300,000 mt of iron ore each day. All of the iron ore produced at Carajas is transported along Vale's 892-km railway track to the ports of Itaqui and Ponta Da Madeira for export to international markets.
Inaugurated at the end of 2007, the Carajas Operational Control Center provides total control over operations at the Carajás Mining Complex from one location. The mine operation areas, remote monitoring (telemetry) of equipment's essential systems, the treatment plant and dispatch facilities are all controlled in real time by means of satellites. Images of mine operations can be visualized at any production stage, for example, with available data ranging from macro figures on a given operational area to the amount of material in a crusher. Based on this advanced control system, it is possible to determine the optimal routes from the location the ore is extracted from, to the place where the first stage of beneficiation will take place; or the most efficient combination of equipment required to raise productivity in a given operation. The control system also makes it possible to maximize synergies between mine, plant, dispatch and maintenance operations from a single location. The Operational Control Center is an example of Vale's continued investment in advanced technology, with continuous process improvements involving automation used to achieve operational excellence. New technology also enables a reduction in energy consumption, while raising production capacity and boosting competitiveness in relation to external markets.
In accordance with recent steep increases in the price of iron ore, new investments in this sub-sector of the Brazilian mining industry will represent $37 billion over the course of the next five years. MMX is in the process of investing $2.35 billion in its System Minas-Rio which is expected to produce 26.5 million mt by 2011. Rio Tinto will invest $1 billion in its Mina De Corumba, expected to produce 15 million mt/y by 2014. Vale has ambitious plans to double output from the Carajas complex combined with further investments in organic expansion in the Minas Gerais iron ore Quadrangle. Two relatively new entrants into Brazil's iron ore market are Anglo American, with its 2008 purchase of MMX-Minas Rio for $5.5 billion, and domestic firm Ferrous Resources, established in 2007.
The establishment of Ferrous Resources is a reflection of the buoyancy currently surrounds the iron ore sector in Brazil. The company recently invested $2 billion in its flagship Viga project. "Ferrous acquired the Viga mine, located in Congonhas, Minas Gerais, in 2007. The company is in the process of building a pipeline to link the Viga mine with the Espirito Santo coast where Ferrous is going to build a port," said Rigotto. "The pipeline will be 420-km long, with one pumping station, unlike the majority of pipelines in Brazil, which have two pumping stations. In the first phase, from 2013, the pipeline will have the capacity to transport 25 million mt/y of iron ore, while in the second phase, from 2017, the capacity has the potential to expand to 50 million mt/y of ore. The port is situated in a submarine hole, which will be linked onshore by a 5.5-km bridge. The port will be at least 21 m in depth. Ferrous expects to start mine production by the middle of 2013. We plan it to be the largest plant in Brazil, with the country's largest processing plant, even larger than any of those in Carajas mining complex. Ferrous has four other active mine prospects in the state of Minas Gerais and one active prospect in the state of Bahia. For this project, Ferrous is working in partnership with a variety of local companies.
"Ferrous' processing capability enables us to develop a very successful business with relatively low grades of iron ore," Rigotto said. "We are the leading company in Brazil in terms of the development of low grade processing technologies."
Ferrous' plans and ambitions are a positive indicator for the investment potential inherent in Brazil's vast, high quality iron ore resource. The diversification of established international gold miners, such as Eldorado Gold, into iron ore production serves to underline how recent price rises have galvanized a surge of investment in Brazil's leading mining sub-sector.
"Eldorado has bought the Vila Nova mine, located in Amapa State, in the Amazon region," said Lincoln Silva, director, Eldorado Gold. "In May 2010, Eldorado decided to do a trial operation and in June, our first shipment of iron ore begun. Current production is 45,000 mt of final product per month, about 500,000 mt/y."
Manganese prices have experienced considerable volatility in recent years, owing to demand fluctuations in major consumer nations such as India and China, as well as price influences associated with the global financial crisis. Prices peaked in 2008 at $302/mt, but currently stand at around $156/mt. Globally, Brazil is the second largest producer of manganese ore, behind South Africa, producing 1.7 million mt in 2010. Brazil currently produces 18% of the 10 million mt of global manganese output. Brazil's combined measured and indicated resources of manganese stand at 566 million mt, 10% of the global total, second only to South Africa's total reserves of 4 billion mt. Brazilian manganese reserves are concentrated in Minas Gerais state with 87% of the total, and Mato Grosso and Para with 6.5% and 4.3% respectively. Exports of Brazilian manganese stood at 2.5 million mt in 2010, key export markets are China and India.
In terms of production, Vale is unrivalled in its dominance over manganese production in Brazil, accounting for some 95% of overall output. The fact that manganese production represents just 2.2% of Vale's business overall offers some insight into the size and scale of the company. Vale's Brazilian manganese output is concentrated in four production complexes distributed throughout the country: the Minas Gerais complex produces approximately 200,000 mt/y alonside the Bahia, Corumba and Mina do Azul complexes.
Brazil's other player in manganese production is Mineracao Buritirama. "Mineração Buritirama S.A. was setup in 1982 with the purpose of mining and commercializing the significant manganese ore reserves of the mine located at Serra de Buritirama, municipality of Marabá in the State of Para," said Director Ricardo Dequech. "The Buritirama ore body was discovered in 1966. The implementation of the project began in 1992 and finished in January 1994. Total reserves are estimated at 18.4 million mt of high-grade manganese ore. We have a productive capacity of 1 million mt/y of first-class manganese. Buritirama manganese ore may be ranked as metallurgic, with 45% Mn grade, low phosphorous grade and high Mn/Fe ratio. Mineracao Buritirama's manganese is exported mainly to China, but also to Europe and Latin America. About 20% of the production is directed at the Brazilian internal market. Today we have a solid position in the manganese market, supplying five different products."
As steel production in Europe has declined, Brazil's manganese producers have turned their attentions toward emerging Asia. Brazil's vast manganese resource and established status as a key global supplier provides plenty of opportunities for new entrants to come into the market. The key challenges for potential investors to overcome are Brazil's traditional challenges, surrounding logistics and energy infrastructure. Vale's vast logistical network is a key support mechanism for the company's dominance over Brazilian manganese production.
As uncertainty in the global economy lingers on and gold prices continue to increase beyond records set months and weeks previously, the world's relatively untapped gold mining regions, such as Brazil, have become of increasing interest to a host of domestic and international interests. NYMEX gold prices have increased by almost 500% since 2000, from $250/oz to more than $1,400/oz. Brazilian gold exports have grown alongside price increases to $2 billion in 2010. Gold is now Brazil's second most important mining export after iron ore. "When you look at the fundamentals, internationally things do look positive for gold producers. There is ongoing currency instability, particularly in the U.S. dollar and emerging markets, which is having an increasing impact upon the global market. These trends have seen the global investment community look to gold as a safer asset," said Helcio Guerra, vice president of AngloGold Ashanti.
With gold reserves of 2,000 mt, 4.5% of global ore reserves, Brazil ranks as the sixth most endowed country. Brazil is currently the 13th largest global gold producer with 61 mt of total gold output and accounts for just 2.5% of global production. This output gap represents a significant investment opportunity for new entrants to help bring production into proportion with Brazil's reserves.
Brazil's main gold producing states are Minas Gerais, Goias, Bahia and Para accounting for 64%, 11%, 11% and 3% of overall production respectively. Current production levels are shared between three major firms: AngloGold Ashanti, Yamana Gold and Kinross, each accounting for approximately 25% of output, with smaller firms such as Jaguar Mining and Eldorado Gold making up the remaining share of production. As highlighted previously, Brazilian garimperos have significant involvement in national gold production, with 9% of total output.
AngloGold Ashanti is Brazil's leading gold producer with a 2010 output of 500,000 oz between the company's Serra Grande and Brazil Mineracao operations. "Brazil is of significant importance for AngloGold Ashanti's operations moving forward," said Guerra. "The geological potential is huge and the business environment for miners is very conducive, particularly in Minas Gerais. Brazil has an excellent culture for mining and the understanding of the mining industry is very strong. Currently, one of the key challenges is the strength of the Real, which makes market conditions for us exporting a dollar denominated commodity quite tough in terms of operational profitability."
In accordance with the company's increasing focus on Brazil, AngloGold Ashanti has expansion plans in place with output set to increase to 700,000 oz/y on the back of a $350 million mine development program in Minas Gerais State. Sustainable practices are integral to AngloGold's strategic approach according to Guerra. "We have a specific environmental sustainability department. AngloGold Ashanti also focuses very heavily upon the development of education in terms of economic development and the maintenance of local cultures in the communities within which we operate. Anglo Gold Ashanti employs a participative approach whereby our local stakeholders decide upon which specific projects are of interest and should be invested in. Engaging at these levels with communities builds your reputation in Brazil, which serves greatly in the long run in terms of having efficient approvals and quality relationships with the regulatory bodies in the country."
Latin America-focused Yamana Gold's global production is increasingly based on the company's Brazilian operations as highlighted by President and COO Ludovico Costa. "Currently, Yamana Gold has six operating sites; three in Brazil, two in Chile and one in Argentina. Brazil currently accounts for around 30% to 35% of Yamana Gold's production. We plan to add three new operations (in Mato Groso, Goiás and Bahia state) in Brazil and one in Mexico in the following years, increasing Brazil's GEO participation to more than 40%. Moreover, Yamana has its exploration department in Brazil, which conducts extensive exploration activity in the country. Yamana has been active in Brazil since 2003 and has built a world class operating and construction team. Since 2003, we have developed significant expertise here that we have actually used for expansion into other parts of Latin America. Our experience has given us significant knowledge regarding the potential mining opportunities in Brazil, and we have built up significant exploration capacity in four greenstone belts in Brazil. We have made construction decisions at C1 Santa Luz, Ernesto/Pau-a-Pique and Pilar. This will create significant organic production growth after two years in construction. We have made a new exploration discovery at Suruca, which will add only gold production to our existing Chapada mine. According to IBRAM (Brazil's Mining Institute), Brazilian gold production will increase 50% by 2014."
Canadian-based Kinross accounts for the third element of Brazil's tripartite of leading gold producers. The company's flagship Paracatu mine is of particular interest as the world's lowest grade gold mine with just 0.4 g/mt of ore. "From the beginning we thought the Paracatu mine's potential was very high," said Regional Vice President Jose Freire. "However, after conducting a drilling campaign and an exploration campaign to re-evaluate the potential of the operation, we realized the potential was three or four times higher than previously anticipated. Kinross invested $500 million in 2006 and expanded Paracatu's production by three times from 18 million to 61 million tons of ore. The Paracatu operation is relatively cheap, because the amount of hard rock in relation to the amount of ore is low. The deeper we go however, the more costs increase as our efficiency drops. Kinross' goal is to continuously strive to find the best extraction methods, with the aim of maximizing our profitability. Our total recovery is determined by a combination of our floatation and magnetic recovery technologies. Flotation is currently around 82% and iron metal recovery is around 96%. Total overall recovery stands at about 79%. This year Kinross' current production of gold from Paracatu will be around 490,000 oz. Kinross' Brazilian operations account for around 22% of Kinross International's production. Right now the current cost of production is about $500oz; on the whole this is competitive, even if the ore grade is as low as it is. At full capacity, Paracatu will be the largest gold producing mine in Brazil. Kinross is currently building a new processing mill and we have just approved the construction of a fourth mill. Next year we will finish construction of a new tailings dam, which is a huge investment, but will suffice for the entire duration of the life of the mine. Next year we will also increase production to between 492,000 to 550,000 oz; while in 2012 production will reach about 575,000 oz. Kinross expects the life of Paracatu mine to endure for approximately 30 years."
Three emerging gold miners of particular interest in Brazil are Jaguar, Colossus and Eldorado Gold, whose relatively recent entries into Brazil underline the country's immense potential for gold production. "Jaguar Mining started its operations in Brazil in 2006 and is currently producing gold at its Turmalina, Paciência and Caeté operations, which combined produce about 220,000 oz of gold," said COO Lucio Cardoso. "Jaguar's gold operations are located in the Iron Ore Quadrangle region, near the city of Belo Horizonte in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Belo Horizonte serves as the commercial center for Brazil's mining industry, and has excellent infrastructure to support world-class mining operations. The Iron Quadrangle, where Jaguar controls 93,000 acres, is a prolific greenstone belt that has produced significant quantities of gold at competitive costs per ounce from open-pit and large-scale underground mining operations for more than 300 years. However, it remains relatively under-explored compared to the other great greenstone belts around the world, with a relative absence of active junior mining and exploration companies. An encouraging fact about the Iron Ore Quadrangle is the existence of multiple examples of gold resources running to depths exceeding 2,000 m, with similar widths and grades to those seen at shallower depths. This is important to Jaguar because the average depth of its resources is less than 400 m from the surface. The bulk of these resources are open at depth and laterally, giving the potential for substantial discoveries.
"In addition to its activities in the Iron Quadrangle, Jaguar also has plans to develop the Gurupi Project in the state of Maranhão, where it controls 293,000 acres that Jaguar Mining acquired in 2009 from Kinross. Through a joint venture with Xstrata, Jaguar is also engaged in gold exploration at a greenfield site in the state of Ceará covering 182,000 acres; the Pedra Branca Project. Last year we achieved an average cost of $468/oz, while this year we have an estimated cost of production of $750/oz. Over the course of the next few years we expect production of 220,000 oz/y. We intend to consolidate our operations in Minas Gerais and start implementing the Gurupi project. The project is located in the state of Maranhão, Brazil. In May 2010, Jaguar filed a National Instrument (NI) 43-101 compliant pre-feasibility technical report on the Gurupi Project, which was prepared by AMEC. The AMEC pre-feasibility report, which assumes an average gold price of $950/oz and a cut-off grade of 0.3 g/mt of gold, registers an estimate of 65.4 million mt of indicated mineral resources at an average grade of 1.14 g/mt totalling 2.4 million oz. We expect to start production in Gurupi between 2013 and 2014," said Cardoso.
Specialist exploration firm Colossus Minerals is unique in Brazil in that the company has negotiated a cooperative working alongside the Garimperos' union COOMIGASP in order to complete underground exploration of the Mina Nova Serra Pelada site. "The Nova Serra Pelada is located on 100 hectares very close to the pit where the largest garimpo in the world is operated," said Colossus Director Luis Celaro. "During the 1990s, the Brazilian government decided to shut down the garimperos due to security reasons. Since then, panners organized in a cooperative known as Coomigasp which developed the dream of once again mining ore in that region. With the support of the Brazilian government, Coomigasp carried out a process to select a mining company that would perform underground exploration, in order to confirm the existence of a commercially exploitable deposit. The cooperative holds the mining rights to operate at the site, in accordance with a document issued by the federal government. Colossus, using its Brazilian technical staff, studied the situation and recommended to the management of the company in Canada that it study the possibility of submitting a proposal for a commercial partnership with Coomigasp, which took place in 2007.
"Having been the only one to make a formal proposal, Colossus was selected by Coomigasp. Beginning at that time, Colossus conducted a series of geological studies in the area of 100 hectares and concluded the deposit could yield an economically viable amount of precious metals, including gold, platinum and palladium. Given these findings, we both formed a joint venture, Serra Pelada Companhia de Desenvolvimento Mineral (SPCDM), who became the holder of the mining rights and is responsible for administration of the Nova Serra Pelada project," said Celaro.
"This was an important step in the history of Colossus. Up until this time, we had only been dedicated to the mineral exploration phase. The implementation of a mining project is a very promising challenge. The geological exploration indicates an ore body in the area of 100 hectares which could produce 3.5 mt of precious metals per year. The first extraction of ores is expected for the middle of 2010. At the moment, SPCDM is progressing with the excavation of the decline and the implantation of the industrial facilities for the beneficiation of ore in that area. Gold, platinum and palladium will be transformed into bars by industrial process in Serra Pelada, something totally unprecedented in that region," said Celaro.
Despite being a very new entrant into Brazil's precious metals industry, Colossus has been quick to embrace Brazil's tradition of investing in the communities. "The Vila de Serra Pelada is a collection of houses made of wood, where sanitation and paved sidewalks exist. The community displays high indices of HIV and child prostitution. Trash collection does not exist, public equipment is damaged and there are no hospitals. When we arrived at the place with a proposal to once again extract ores that could become wealth, Colossus could not ignore the local neediness, so we decided to take an attitude together with regional governments," said Celaro. "The arrival of Colossus in Serra Pelada was considered a milestone in the history of that region and not just because of the future extraction of gold, platinum and palladium, but for the contribution to the restoration of citizenship for these thousands of people."
Vancouver-based Eldorado Gold invested in its most significant gold prospect in July 2010 with the acquisition of Brazauro Resources Corp. "This transaction affirms our commitment to explore and develop the Tocantinzinho project in Para state and provides us with option agreements on two nearby early-stage exploration projects; Agua Branca and Piranhas," said Eldorado Director Lincoln Silva. "The Tocantinzinho project is a granite-hosted disseminated deposit containing 2.1 million oz of gold. At Agua Branca, located approximately 25 km south of Tocantinzinho, 2,000 m of diamond drilling will be completed to test gold anomalies outlined by soil geochemistry surveys. The Piranhas project area contains a very strong gold-in-soil anomaly and extensive areas of garimpo workings, located approximately 15 km west of Tocantinzinho. If Eldorado gets positive results from the Tocantinzinho project, we can begin the pre-feasibility study. We expect to finish the pre-feasibility study by January 2011 and complete the feasibility study in July 2011. The environmental studies should also be finished in September 2011. By the end of next year or early 2012 we can decide whether to undertake construction and start production."
Given the upward macro-economic pressures on the gold price, it is no surprise Brazil is seeing an upsurge in international interest in the country's gold reserves. The relative output gap between output and reserves makes Brazil an extremely attractive location for gold prospecting and mine development.
Given the long-term nature of contracts for the supply of bauxite and alumina, Brazilian fluctuations in production have been relatively mild over the course of the past decade, with output steadily increasing from 135 million mt in 2000, to 205 million mt in 2010. Prices have experienced fluctuations with peaks of $35/mt in 2008 and lows of $25/mt in 2010. Exports of Brazilian bauxite in 2010 are forecast to reach 5.9 million mt.
With reserves of bauxite of 3.8 billion mt of a global total of 34 billion mt, Brazil ranks fifth overall globally behind Australia, Guinea-Conakry, Vietnam and Jamaica, with just over 11% of the global total. Brazil is currently the world's third largest producer of bauxite, representing 14% of the global total. Para state dominates bauxite production in Brazil accounting for 85% of overall output, while Minas Gerais produces the country's remainder. Mineracao Rio Do Norte accounts for 68% of Brazil's bauxite, followed by Norsk Hydro and Votorantim with 12% and 8% respectively. In May 2010, Norwegian based aluminium producer Norsk Hydro acquired all of Vale's bauxite and aluminium activities in a $4.9 billion deal representing the largest single foreign direct investment into Brazil's alumina and bauxite industry for the year 2010.
Mineracao Rio Do Norte (MRN), a consortium of major bauxite producers operating out of the Oriximina municipality in Para state, overwhelmingly dominates Brazilian bauxite production. With key shareholders such as Norsk Hydro, Alcoa, Rio Tinto, Votorantim and BHP Billiton, the firm boasts world-class expertise in possibly the most geographically challenging location for a mining operation in the world. Deep in the Amazon Rainforest, MRN's operational site is serviced by its own airport, rail infrastructure and ports.
Established in 1974, MRN has worked hard to integrate the company's operations with the sustainable development of local communities, investing in widespread reforestation initiatives and the Quality of Life Program (PQV) which aims to raise health and educational standards for the communities of North West Para state.
Alcoa's Juruti project is the most recent major investment in Brazilian bauxite production. "Juruti first started production in 2009. After one year, we are at an approximate annual rate of 3 million mt. We will remain at this level of output for the foreseeable future. All of our bauxite output is shipped to our smelter at the Port of San Luiz in the state of Maranhão. The infrastructure that we have in place is capable of ramping up significantly; however at this stage we are stabilizing production at between 3 and 3.5 million mt/y of bauxite," said Alcoa Brazil's President, Franklin Feder.
Tin prices have increased significantly over the course of the past decade, from $5,429/mt in 2001, to $26,700/mt in 2010. Despite such steep increases, Brazilian production has remained relatively flat over the same period, averaging approximately 300,000 mt/y. Brazil's tin reserves account for 11% of the global total, placing the country fifth in terms of its share of global tin reserves. Brazil's key tin producing states are Amazonas and Rondonia, accounting for 60% and 40% of total national output respectively.
Mineracao Taboca is Brazil's leading producer of tin, working the company's flagship Pitinga mine in the Amazon. Pitinga has suffered from a scale-down in production recently as Mineracao Taboca aims to modernize the operation and bring the company's depreciated capital stock back up to optimal standards. "The Pitinga mine started its development in the 1960s. The production of tin started several years later," said Mineracao Taboca President Joao Luiz Serafim da Silva. "In the 1980s, the company was sold by the founders to a group of investors led by investment funds. In 2008, a Peruvian family group bought the Pitinga mine from Paranapanema. The company has suffered from some decisions taken in the past and has got multiple asset and maintenance issues, including the poor status of equipment. In 2009, we decided to reduce output, step back and produce only out of tailings and take some time to refurbish our equipment. Currently we are processing tailings and rebuilding the whole plant in order to modernize the operation. We hope to restart the mine's production from hard rock in 2012. We expect to increase production by five times in the next couple of years. Pitinga is the key project for Mineracao Taboca in Brazil for the next few years. We produce multiple minerals in the mine but mainly tin and an alloy of niobium and tantalum."
Following a significant dip in 2008 resultant from the global financial crisis, zinc prices have recovered from their 2008 low of $1,090/mt, stabilizing at $2,350/mt in 2010. Brazil's 6 million mt of total global zinc reserves account for roughly 3% of global total reserves. China and Australia account for the largest global zinc reserves, accounting for 16.5% and 10.5% of total respectively. Brazil is currently ranked as the 12th largest global producer of zinc with output of 175,000 mt of concentrate in 2010, accounting for 1.5% of total global output. Minas Gerais state is the sole zinc producing region in Brazil occupying 88% of the country's total reserves.
Through its wholly-owned subsidiary CIA Mineira de Metais, Brazilian conglomerate Votorantim is the only producer of zinc in Brazil. "Votorantim Metals is the largest producer of zinc in Latin America and is among the three largest worldwide," said Votorantim President Joao Bosco Silva. "In 2010, its productive capacity reached 706,000 mt/y. The zinc business unit began in 1956, with the establishment of the Mineira Minerals Co. in Três Marias, Minas Gerais. In 2002, it acquired the Paraibuna Metals Co., housed in Juiz de Fora, also in the state of Minas Gerais. In 2004, Votorantim Metals took control of its first unit outside of Brazil. The acquisition of the Cajamarquilla Zinc Refinery in Peru is a reflection of a new growth strategy for the group, which intends to increase its activities in Latin America. In Peru, we have a total of $15 billion and participation in a mining company called Milpo Minerals Co., Peru's fourth largest zinc mining corporation, which we currently control entirely. Votorantim's Caquamarquilla project in Peru has just been expanded with an investment of $500 milion."
Volatility has been rife for nickel prices over the past five years, peaking at US$ 33,500/mt in 2006 before falling to a recent low of $11,000/mt in 2008. Currently, they appear to be more stable at an average price of $24,105/mt in 2010. Brazilian nickel reserves stand at 9 million mt, representing 6.6% of the global total of 144 million mt. With annual production of 74,000 mt in 2010, Brazil is ranked as the world's 10th largest nickel producer. Brazil's key nickel producing states are Bahia, Goias and Minas Gerais, accounting for 46%, 42% and 12% of total output respectively.
Brazil's nickel production is dominated by Votorantim and Anglo American who account for approximately 60% and 40% respectively of overall Brazilian nickel output. However, as new investments come on stream from companies such as Vale and Mirabella, it is widely expected Brazilian nickel production to reach 200,000 mt/y by the end of 2011.
"Votorantim Metals is currently the largest Brazilian producer of nickel and Latin America's only producer of electrolytic nickel, with a capacity of 44,000 mt/y," said Joao Bosco Silva. "This unit began operations in 1981. The mining area of this business unit is located in Niquelândia (Goiás), where laterite nickel is mined and nickel carbonate is produced. These products supply a metallurgical plant located in the neighbourhood of São Miguel Paulista, São Paulo. This unit manufactures electrolytic nickel and cobalt. In Fortaleza de Minas, Votorantim Metals produces nickel for the international market." Votorantim recently invested in upgrades on the company's Niquelândia plant in order to increase production from 27,000 to 37,000 mt/y.
Anglo American's Codemin project has been in operation since 1982 and currently produces approximately 9,500 mt/y of nickel. Anglo American is investing $1.5 billion in its Barro Alto project with a view to significantly raising the firm's overall Brazilian nickel production. "The Barro Alto project is located in the state of Goias, approximately 170 km from Anglo American's existing Codemin nickel operation," said Walter De Simoni, CEO Nickel Business of Anglo American. "The project was approved in December 2006 and is forecast to come into production in the first quarter of 2011. Average production over the 32-year life of mine will be at 36,000 mt/y of nickel. Once at full production, the operation is expected to be in the lower half of the cash cost curve, and will more than double Anglo American's nickel production. Anglo American will complete the conceptual study by the middle of 2011 for our Jacaré project in Para state. And after that, the pre-feasibility and the feasibility study. Nickel demand is expected to have a CAGR of 5% up to 2015. By 2011 Anglo American will be producing more than 60,000 mt of nickel. Anglo American is also conducting the feasibility study of the Morro Sem Bone nickel project."
Vale's recent acquisition of major Canadian nickel producer Inco has catapulted the company into second position as the world's largest nickel producing company behind Norilsk of Russia. Vale has begun an investment program of organic growth in its Brazilian nickel producing capacity. The Onca Puma project represents a total investment of $2.3 billion and is expected to deliver annual output of 58,000 mt/y when it comes online in the first quarter of 2011.
Mirabela is a relatively new entrant into Brazil's mining industry, first tendering for the Bahia based Santa Rita project in 2005. "The Santa Rita project was discovered in 2004 by CBPM, following which a tender was issued and subsequently won by Mirabela. Santa Rita is a record breaking project—discovery to first nickel production was achieved in just five years, compared to the normal timeframe of 10 years," said Mirabela Director Luiz Nepomuceno. "It is also important to note Mirabela had to contend with the disruptions caused by the global financial crisis during the development period. I think the main point was how efficiently we were able to work with the state government in getting environmental licenses and studies completed. This was a huge contributing factor to our successful project development.
"Mirabela has the flexibility to get things done quickly. The Santa Rita mine is the largest nickel sulphide mine in Brazil, and the second largest open-pit nickel mine in the Americas behind Inco of Canada, so we are obviously very excited about delivering the full potential of this deposit," said Nepomuceno. "Currently, the Santa Rita mine is aiming to produce around 10,000 mt of nickel concentrate for 2010. We expect the mine to achieve full production by the end of 2011 of between 23,000-25,000 mt of nickel concentrate on an annualized basis. I think the fact the Santa Rita project was brought into production in five years demonstrates that Brazil has a very good environment for the development of mining activities. Environmental and construction licenses are critical for any mining project in Brazil and you have to work closely with, and have the support of the government when undertaking these plans. We have found the state government of Bahia is a very friendly authority to work with."
Uranium prices have increased seven fold over the past decade, jumping from $7/lb in 2000 to $48/lb in 2010. Brazilian reserves of uranium are currently ranked seventh globally with 310,000 mt accounting for 7% of the global total. With production of 390 mt in 2010, Brazil is ranked as the world's twelfth largest uranium producer behind international uranium powerhouses such as Kazakhstan and Canada. Global demand for uranium currently stands at 67,000 mt/y, however this figure is widely expected to double by 2030.
The Brazilian uranium industry is a monopoly under the control of Industrias Nucleares de Brazil (INB). "Brazil has the seventh largest deposit of Uranium in the world, despite the fact that only 30% of Brazilian territory has been explored," said President of INB, Alfredo Tranjan. "There are 310,000 mt of known reserves, beyond that, there are a further 300,000 mt we strongly believe to exist in two deposits in the states of Pará and Amazonas. Even beyond that, given the similarities of Brazilian soil and terrain to, for example, Australia, there are a possible further 500,000 mt of uranium ore that could be explored. We are looking at a total of approximately 1.1 million mt, which would place Brazil securely as having the world's second or third largest uranium reserves.
"We are focusing on the opportunities presented by international trade, since Brazilian production far exceeds the needs of the domestic population. Most significant is, perhaps, the exploration model we have already initiated with Galvani Mineração, a major Phosphate producer in which we buy the Uranium by-product created from the excavation of phosphate that would otherwise go unused," said Tranjan.
"Today Brazil is getting rich through technological innovation, and we own the technology for all of the steps in the production of nuclear energy. The problem is that the use of uranium as fuel has a limited shelf life, and will eventually be substituted as new technology creates other sources of energy that are more feasible. From Brazil's perspective, if this shift happens before all of the country's Uranium is explored, we will have lost a massive opportunity. It is important, then, to increase exploration and production as soon as possible, so that the end of the need for uranium coincides with the end of Brazilian explorable uranium itself," said Tranjan.
"INB's main impediment to growth is due to a political conviction that Brazil does not produce enough Uranium to satisfy national demand. This idea must be overcome; Brazil dominates the production cycle, which few countries internationally do, and we produce more than enough Uranium to meet our growing national demands. We hope INB will be able to export its product. We plan on entering the international export market within the next four years, be it during exploration or at different phases of production. As far as uranium is concerned, Latin American Reserves are Brazilian reserves and there is a big interest on the part of MERCOSUR to create some continental integration based on a strategy of creating mutually beneficial partnerships."
Niobium prices have almost doubled over the course of the past decade, increasing from $13,197/mt in 2001, to $23,091/mt in 2010. Brazil's 5.2 million mt of niobium represent more than 90% of the global known total of 5.7 million mt. Given the above figures, Brazil dominates global niobium production accounting for 80,000 of the 83,000 mt produced in 2010. Brazil's key niobium producing regions are Minas Gerais, Goias and Amazonas, each accounting for 57%, 42% and 1% of national production respectively.
Three companies effectively control the Brazilian niobium productive sub-sector. Companhia Brasileira de Metalurgia e Mineração (CBMM) accounted for 60% of production in 2010, while Anglo American and Mineracao Taboca accounted for 21% and 12% of output respectively. CBMM, a predominantly family-owned business with minor participations owned by U.S. company Unocal and the Minas Gerais state, sells more niobium or niobium-derived products than the rest of its competitors together.
CBMM owns the world's largest deposit of pyrochlore, the most important mineral for niobium extraction and production. This mine, located at Araxá, in Minas Gerais State (Brazil), is operated as an open-pit, without much need for drilling or explosives and its production supplies between 65% and 70% of the world demand for niobium products. China is the world's largest producer of steel, and therefore the single-largest consumer of niobium. Brazil has the world's largest reserves of niobium.
Potassium and Phosphate
Potassium prices have more than doubled in recent years, increasing from $144/mt in 2004 to $374/mt in 2010. Brazil occupies seventh position in terms of total potassium reserves with 284.7 million mt representing 1.6% of total global reserves. Brazilian potassium production accounted for approximately 500,000 mt in 2010, placing the country in ninth position amongst global producers.
Global prices of phosphate rock have somewhat levelled out from peaks of $192/mt in 2008, coming back down to US$95/mt in 2010. Brazil's 319 million mt of phosphate rock reserves ranks the country in 12th position globally, accounting for 0.6% of total reserves. Brazilian phosphate rock production accounted for 6 million mt in 2010, positioning the country in sixth position with 4.3% of overall global output.
Brazil's status as one of the world's leading agricultural producers of everything from cattle to coffee, has positioned the country as one of the key global swing markets for fertilizers. Despite Brazil's strength in phosphate and potassium reserves, the country still relies upon imports for fertilizer inputs into the agricultural industries. This reality has not been overlooked by Vale. The company has made major strategic inroads into the fertilizer industry during 2010 with acquisitions of major producers Bunge and Fosfertil. The establishment of Vale Fertlizantes has emphatically set out the company's strategic ambitions for diversification into the growing strategic importance of fertilizer producing raw materials such as potassium and phosphates.
"Following the privatization of Vale in 1997, the company has had a specific policy of diversification. Vale has been operating a potash mine in Brazil since 1992 and with the development of the phosphate mine in Per, we have established a solid platform for growth supported by the excellent fundamentals in the fertilizer industry," said Vale Fertilizante's Operations Director Ruben Fernandes. "This is an area where Vale is now working to achieve critical mass. Brazil has a huge demand for fertilizers with two harvests a year, plenty of arable land and the country's favorable conditions for agriculture. The market for fertilizers also has a very different cycle if you compare it to iron ore or base metals. Fertilizers are related to food, whereas metals are related to heavy industry. As a result our risk is minimized when you consider the fluctuations in economic cycles. This has led Vale into the acquisitions of Bunge and Fosfertil. Vale has no interest in producing fertilizers as such; the company's interest is in providing the raw materials for these industries. We will go as far as producing MAP, TSP or SSP, which are the basic fertilizers for the blenders; we don't want to become a blender.
"Vale also has fertilizer operations in Peru, Argentina and Mozambique. In five years from now Vale Fertlizantes expects to be one of the world's top three fertilizer companies. We aim to produce 12 million mt/y of potash and 16 million mt/y of phosphate rock. Iron ore will always be Vale's main business; however we genuinely believe that fertilizers will be Vale's second business in the near future."
Despite a dip in the copper price throughout the most serious period of the global financial crisis, the price has increased many times over in the past decade from lows of $1,500/mt in 2001 to highs such as $8,400/mt in 2010. Brazil's 15 million mt of copper account for 2% of the global total and copper output in the country ranks fourteenth overall globally with 230,000 mt in 2010. Brazil's major copper producing states are Para, Bahia and Goias accounting for 60%, 20% and 20% of overall output respectively.
CVRD started producing copper at Sossego, near Carajas in northern Brazil in mid-2004. Currently, the company has four more copper projects and expects the Salobo project to produce 200,000 mt/y of copper metal over 30 years. Vale dominates copper production, accounting for 57% of total output in 2010, followed by Yamana and Mineracao Caraiba with 25% and 14% respectively over the course of the same timeframe.
No major new copper mines are expected to come on stream through 2012 and existing mines are aging, meaning that ore grades continue to fall. Meanwhile, copper consumption continues to grow at an expected increase of 4.6% worldwide in 2011. The growth in world usage is largely due to growing consumption in Japan, the EU, Brazil, India, Korea and Taiwan. According to the non-ferrous metals association Sindicel, copper consumption is expected to rise in Brazil too. Geraldo Haenel, president of the Brazilian Copper Association has forecast copper metal's growth will be stronger than that of copper products. Haenel, CEO of the Paranapanema non-ferrous metals group, added production capacity of refined products—copper wires, cables and brass—increase at a slower rate. Paranapanema owns Caraiba Metais, Brazil's only copper smelter.
However, construction works for the upcoming 2014 Football World Cup and the 2016 Olympics will actively boost the demand for copper products.


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I travel a lot for work, weddings, and bike trips--lately to Malta, NYC, Oakland, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Wisco, Hannibal, Mongolia, Boston, Israel; soon to the UP, Croatia, New Zealand, etc.
I work from home and it's driving me crazy--please invite me out to some kind of unusual activity which gets me away from a terminal :) .
Volvo station wagon
infectious fun
new albums to spin over and over
sudo privileges
Chicago skyline
If I needed to go on a pilgrimage, where would I want to go?
how my recollection of song lyrics provides continuous evidence of the unconscious for any thought I'm about to have. . . .
you like guys with tattoos and piercings but would settle for a guy with no tattoos and no piercings.

subset: commoncrawl


text: A proposed architecture for integrating accessibility test toolsPaul Englefield, Claire Paddison, Mark Tibbits, Iska DamaniIBM Systems Journal2005Automated test tools are an essential resource for practitioners responsible for evaluating the accessibility of Web sites. However, both systematic analysis of tool capabilities and practitioner feedback have identified a range of practical issues that mar the effectiveness of existing tools. In practice, although automated test tools need to be used in… (More)


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8 of 17
Photo: Miles O'Brien
Scene from the former day care facility in the town of Pripyat - the company town for the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The gas mask in this shot was there as we found it but I suspect it was placed there by a journalist or activist at some point over the years to make an obvious point even more obvious.
Watch Miles O'Brien's report on his trip to Chernobyl.


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The Cherokee Nation's Children, Youth & Family Services department is a fully integrated support system for children and families who need stability and consistency in times of crisis or uncertainty.
Programs administered by Children, Youth & Family Services include:
John A. Ketcher Youth Center
Child Protective Services
Court Advocacy and Permanency Services
Certification, Adoption and Placement
Cherokee Nation Angel Tree
The foundation for the services provided by the Cherokee Nation Children, Youth and Family Services department is the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. § 1902).
The authority to provide adoption programs and court advocacy and permanency services was established by the Federal Indian Child Welfare Act passed by Congress in 1978. This act was passed to ensure that Indian tribes remain intact and families remain connected to their individual family members and communities. By establishing this act, Congress gave authority to tribes to exercise their status as sovereign nations by administering child welfare services for their tribal citizens. This act defines the tribe's role in child custody and welfare proceedings and recognizes that "there is no resource that is more vital to the continued existence and integrity of Indian tribes than their own children." The Indian Child Welfare Act recognizes three placement preferences:
• Within that child's extended family
• Within that child's tribe
• Within another federally recognized tribe
Divorce custody matters are not part of the Indian Child Welfare Act. For more information on the Indian Child Welfare Act, please visit http://www.nicwa.org.
The mission of the Cherokee Nation's John A. Ketcher Youth Center is to strengthen the wellness of children, youth and families through prevention and redirecting those who have gotten off track. Strong, healthy individuals who live free of violence, drugs and alcohol are the foundation of vibrant communities, and vibrant communities help to preserve the Cherokee culture and promote family self-sufficiency. Named in honor of Cherokee statesman, former Deputy Chief and former tribal council member John A. Ketcher, the center has three main components:
• Emergency youth shelter
• Juvenile first time offender program
• Community outreach and prevention education
All services at the John A. Ketcher Youth Center are free of charge and to open to everyone regardless of race.
Mailing address:
Cherokee Nation Youth Services
PO Box 948
Tahlequah, OK 74465
Physical address:
John A. Ketcher Youth Services Center
21834 S. Jules Valdez Road
Tahlequah, OK 74464
Office: 918-458-4440
Toll Free: 877-696-8890 (Oklahoma only)
The emergency youth shelter is a short-term residential option for runaways, homeless, abused, neglected, and other youth facing family conflicts and other crisis situations. The shelter serves an average of 200 youth annually and has operated since 1978.
The goal of the juvenile first time offender program is to redirect the paths of young people facing first time misdemeanor charges by offering alternative means of dealing with the violation. It requires children ages 10-17 to participate in a minimum 14 hour course, including community service. This program is currently offered in Cherokee County.
Counseling services are available to young people at home, school, or other community setting that is most effective for his or her particular crisis. Counseling services are also available for youth that have left the shelter and returned home. This aspect of the John A. Ketcher Youth Center also offers community education, working with individuals, agencies and communities in promoting safe and healthy home environments. The target area for the outreach counseling is in Cherokee County.
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Cherokee Nation Child Protective Services accepts, investigates and records all reports of alleged abuse and neglect of Cherokee children and provides protection to Indian children on Indian lands. Child Protective Services also works with the Department of Human Services to investigate the abuse or mistreatment of Cherokee children residing outside the Cherokee Nation. The primary responsibility of Child Protective Services is to assess the safety of the child and take the appropriate action to protect and promote the best interest of the child.
What is child abuse?
Child abuse is defined by law as harm or threatened harm to a child's health and welfare through acts or neglect by the child's parent(s), legal guardian or caretaker.
• Physical Abuse: non-accidental physical injury to a child under the age of 18.
• Physical Neglect: failure to provide a child under the age of 18 with basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, medical care, educational opportunity, protection or supervision.
• Sexual Abuse: sexual exploitation of a child or adolescent for the gratification of the perpetrator or another person.
• Psychological Maltreatment: rejecting, terrorizing, isolating, exploiting, corrupting, and/or denying emotional responsiveness.
Who is required to report child abuse?
Federal, Tribal and State law requires EVERY PERSON, whether private citizen or professional, with reasonable cause to believe that a child under 18 is being abused or is in danger of being abused, to report the suspicion of abuse. Reports can be made to the Department of Human Services (DHS) in the county where the child resides or to a statewide hotline number designated for such a purpose.
When should someone report child abuse?
A report should be made when there is reasonable cause to believe that a child or adolescent has been abused or neglected or is in danger of being abused. A report of suspected abuse is only a request for an investigation. The person making the report does not need to prove the abuse prior to making the report. Investigation and validation of child abuse reports is the responsibility of child protective services. If additional incidents of abuse occur after the initial report has been made, the reporting party should contact child protective services again.
How should an abuse report be made?
A report can be made to any county office of the Department of Human Services. Child abuse can also be reported 24 hours per day, seven days per week by calling the statewide child abuse hotline.
Statewide Child Abuse Hotline: 800-522-3511
You can also contact Cherokee Nation Indian Child Welfare Intake at 918-458-6900.
What information is needed when reporting abuse?
When reporting child abuse, the following information will be requested. Failure to have all the information available should not prevent a person from reporting the abuse. However, certain information is vital to locate the child and provide some indication of what to expect when the child protective services worker investigates. Prior to opening an investigation, pertinent information to provide includes
• Name of the child and family members
• Approximate age of the child (required) and family members
• Gender of the child and family members
• Family address or directions to the child's home or current location (required)
• Family phone number
• Parents place of employment
• Description of suspected abuse (required)
• Current condition of the child (required)
Those reporting child abuse can remain anonymous.
Court Advocacy And Permanency Services (CAPS) provides court advocacy in the tribal and state systems for children and families. This advocacy is to help ensure that Cherokee children and families get the protections offered under the Federal Indian Child Welfare Act as well as any protections offered by the various state Indian Child Welfare Acts. Court and Permanency workers attend court hearings in person or by teleconference to be a voice for Cherokee Nation in the protection of Cherokee children. This unit also provides the planning and linkage to services necessary for families who are working to correct the problems that caused the initial removal of their child. This service is offered for Cherokee children nation-wide, regardless whether or not they reside in Cherokee Nation jurisdiction.
Court And Permanency Services are divided into three units.
Tribal CAPS provides hands-on services to protect the best interests of Cherokee children and families. Sometimes children are removed from homes located within Cherokee Nation jurisdition; sometimes cases transfer into Tribal Court from various State courts. In these cases, it is the tribal CAPS unit and not the state Department of Human Services who has jurisdiction. The Tribal CAPS unit works with families to help solve the problems that led to children being removed from the home. Meanwhile, the CAPS unit seeks out relatives to help care for the children. If there is a service tribal CAPS can't provide, workers will identify and secure those services for the family.
The Tribal CAPS unit makes frequent home visits to families and to foster homes to make sure the needs of the children are being met. The Tribal CAPS unit frequently provides transportation to families to help them complete their services. It is the first goal of the Tribal CAPS unit to ensure the safety of the children while keeping Cherokee families together.
State CAPS provides services to Indian families that are involved in the state court system within the 14-county jurisdictional boundaries of Cherokee Nation. These services are designed to help Cherokee families stay connected or to reunite the family unit that has split apart as a result of child abuse by the custodial caretaker.
State CAPS has Child Welfare Specialists who are assigned to specific counties within the Cherokee Nation jurisdictional boundaries, to help facilitate the protections afforded tribal families under the Oklahoma and Federal Indian Child Welfare Acts. Services are provided to any child who is a citizen or is eligible for citizenship with the Cherokee Nation and has been removed from his or her parents or caretaker through judicial action.
For families in the state juvenile court system, and who are living in the jurisdictional boundaries of the Cherokee Nation, State CAPS offer the following services:
• Active involvement in case and court activities to ensure compliance with the Federal and State Indian Child Welfare Acts
• Advocating and/or establishing the safest and most appropriate environment for a child
• Cherokee Nation referral and networking services for parents and children
• Home visits to monitor the placement of children
• Recommendations that are in the best interest of child and tribe at court hearings
• Expert testimony on cases
• Education and guidance for state social workers, attorneys, court appointed guardians, CASA workers and families on the rights and responsibilities of the judicial system to ensure the protection of Cherokee children under federal and state law
Cherokee Nation Indian Child Welfare also monitors court cases outside the jurisdictional boundaries of the Cherokee Nation that involve Cherokee children in the foster care system. The out of district unit is involved in child welfare matters for Cherokee children in any judicial system across the United States. Children monitored by out of district CAPS workers must be of Cherokee heritage and be involved in a state court child welfare matter outside of Cherokee Nation's 14-county jurisdictional area.
Out of district CAPS offer the following services:
• Monitoring of court case activity to ensure compliance with the Federal Indian Child Welfare Act and other state and tribal laws that provide protection for Indian children
• Permanency planning, including placement with relatives and adoption recommendations as needed
• Recommendations to the various courts
• Expert testimony
• Education and guidance for social workers, attorneys, court appointed guardians, CASA workers and families on the rights and responsibilities of the judicial system to ensure the protection of Cherokee children under federal and state law
Please visit Homes for Cherokee Kids for applications and additional information.
By passing the Indian Child Welfare Act in 1978, Congress guaranteed Indian children the right to stay connected to their tribes. This unit helps ensure that Cherokee children who cannot be cared for by birth parents can benefit from new and permanent ties with Native American families through adoptions or guardianships. This unit is involved in civil guardianships and adoptions of Cherokee children in all state and tribal judicial courts across the United States. The unit assists court parties in the compliance of the Indian Child Welfare Act. For more information on adoption services, email email@example.com.
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The Cherokee Nation Angel Tree was established to help provide Christmas gifts to low income Native American children, living within the Cherokee Nation's boundaries. Applications are accepted each fall and angels are distributed to several trees located at Cherokee Nation offices.
Parents applying for Angel Tree assistance must provide:
• Proof of income for all household members over the age of 18
• If a parent(s) is unemployed, please provide two letters from non-relatives verifying unemployed status
• A CDIB card for each child applying
• Proof of residence within the 14 county jurisdictional boundary of the Cherokee Nation
• Clothing sizes for each child
• Two gift ideas for each child


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China's factory output and retail sales exceeded forecasts and inflation unexpectedly cooled to the slowest pace in 33 months, signalling the government is boosting growth without driving a rebound in prices.
Industrial production rose 9.6 per cent in October from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said today in Beijing. That exceeded the 9.4 per cent median estimate of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News. Retail sales growth of 14.5 per cent picked up from September's 14.2 per cent. The consumer-price index increased 1.7 per cent.
Today's reports may offer some comfort to China's leaders who are meeting in Beijing this week for a once-a-decade power transition and pledged yesterday to double per-capita income in the 10 years through 2020. The pause in monetary easing since July may persist as data increasingly show the economy recovering from a seven-quarter slowdown.
"The key question for investors is whether China's economic growth has truly bottomed and is recovering," and the "answer is firmly yes," said Lu Ting, chief Greater China economist at Bank of America Corp. in Hong Kong.
Government spending may be playing a key role in the pickup. Fixed-asset investment excluding rural areas increased 20.7 per cent in the first 10 months of 2012 from a year earlier, compared with the 20.6 per cent median analyst estimate and a 20.5 per cent pace in the January-September period.
Central government
Spending on central government-invested projects rose 5.1 per cent in the 10-month period from a year earlier, more than double the January-September pace, the data show.
The Shanghai Composite Index of stocks has dropped 5.8 per cent this year through yesterday on concern the slowdown in growth will hurt company earnings. The gauge was down 0.3 per cent as of 1:59 p.m. local time today.
The yuan strengthened 0.1 per cent against the dollar in Shanghai today, touching the top end of its permitted trading range for a fifth day on optimism the nation's new leaders will take more measures to stimulate growth.
The increase in China's gross domestic product slowed to 7.4 per cent in the July-September period from a year earlier, the weakest in three years. Expansion will probably speed up to 7.7 per cent this quarter and to 7.9 per cent in the three months through March 2013, based on the median estimate of analysts surveyed Oct. 18-22.
The increase in industrial output was the most in five months and compared with 9.2 per cent in September. Retail sales growth was the highest since March.
'Comfortably low'
The CPI increase was below the 1.9 per cent median estimate of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News and compared with 1.9 per cent in September. Producer prices declined 2.8 per cent from a year earlier after a 3.6 per cent drop in September.
"Inflation remained comfortably low, but, given more signs of growth recovery, the PBOC will probably stay on the sideline," said Yao Wei, China economist at Societe Generale SA in Hong Kong, one of two analysts to accurately predict the CPI reading.
China's consumer-price gains have slowed from a three-year high of 6.5 per cent in July last year as food costs eased.
Food prices rose 1.8 per cent last month from a year earlier, compared with a 2.5 per cent gain in September, according to the statistics bureau. Pork, a Chinese staple, dropped 15.8 per cent from a year earlier, subtracting 0.6 percentage point from the CPI, compared with a 38.9 per cent rise in October 2011.
Pork processor
Zhongpin, a Nasdaq-listed processor of meat for restaurants and stores in China, said yesterday that third- quarter net income dropped 40 per cent as the price of pork fell and costs to support expansion rose, according to a statement from the Changge, Henan province-based company.
Inflation is "currently stable," the central bank said in its quarterly monetary policy report last week. At the same time, it highlighted risks from increases in costs of imported goods and said prices are sensitive to expansion in demand and stimulus policies.
The decline in the producer-price index compared with the median estimate for a 2.7 per cent drop in a Bloomberg survey of economists. The reading marked the first improvement since prices started falling on a year-earlier basis in March as domestic demand slowed, with the government's campaign to rein in inflation and property prices and excessive inventories plaguing industries including steel and cement.
Australia forecast
The Reserve Bank of Australia reduced its 2013 growth forecast as lower investment and the government's pledge to deliver a budget surplus restrain the economy. The Bank of Korea kept interest rates unchanged as projected by all economists surveyed by Bloomberg. Malaysia's exports unexpectedly rose in the first gain in three months in September.
Data from France and Italy today may show industrial production extended declines in September from a year earlier, while Russia's central bank is forecast by most economists to keep borrowing costs unchanged for a second month, surveys showed.
In the US, the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary November consumer sentiment index probably climbed to the highest since 2007, while the Commerce Department may say inventories at wholesalers rose at a slower pace in September.
In China, shrinking stockpiles of some products are setting the stage for replenishment to support an economic rebound and price gains. Stocks of manufacturers' finished goods contracted in October for a fourth month at close to the fastest pace this year, according to a government purchasing managers' survey. One measure of coal inventories shows a 40 per cent drop since this year's peak in June and a gauge of steel stockpiles is the lowest since 2009.
"We believe macro data will remain strong" through the rest of the fourth quarter, Zhang Zhiwei, chief China economist at Nomura Holdings said.


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New York Faces New Wine Sales Restrictions
Wine lovers may be stuck with higher prices or a smaller selection if the New York legislature passes a controversial measure that would require all New York wholesalers to store their wine within the state.
Two little words are once again at issue in the Empire State: "At rest." Legislation, introduced in February by state Sen. Jeffrey Klein, would require all alcoholic beverages sold by New York wholesalers to remain "at rest" in a warehouse in New York for at least 24 hours prior to delivery to a retailer or restaurant. The stated goal of the bill, SB3849, is to create new jobs in New York and "level the current playing field" for the state's wine and spirits wholesalers.
About 150 of New York's approximately 200 wine wholesalers currently use storage space in New Jersey for their inventory, with most of those 150 based in or around New York City. SB3849 would require those wholesalers to obtain suitable secure, temperature-controlled warehousing in the New York City area, to replace the 800,000 to 1 million square feet of space they currently lease in New Jersey. The bill's opponents claim this amount of unoccupied storage simply does not exist.
The New York Alliance of Fine Wine Wholesalers says its smaller members can't afford to build new temperature-controlled warehouses in New York—which would take years. Those wholesalers who could afford the little available high-rent storage space in New York would offset the costs by raising wine prices. If passed, the at-rest requirement would take effect Jan. 1, 2014.
"It's basically saying, if you're currently in New Jersey, you're out of business," said Constance Oehmler, CFO of Verity Wine Partners and secretary for the New York Alliance of Fine Wine Wholesalers. "Making a law for imaginary jobs that you hope will happen when you know there is a true job cost is not a good idea."
Read more about this legislation at Wine Spectator.


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A new, highly precise, optical fiber outer diameter measuring technique based on near-field resonant backscattered light is described. Relative accuracies of ±10−2μm were achieved in diameter measurements using Fabry-Perot resonances and ±10−3μm in average diameter measurements using dielectric surface-wave resonances for ∼100-μm fibers. The shape of a new type of low birefringence spun fiber, made by rapidly spinning a near circular preform in the pulling oven, was measured. We observed a small ellipticity which rotated helically along the fiber. The possibility of making absolute and real-time outer diameter measurements is discussed.
© 1981 Optical Society of AmericaFull Article | PDF Article
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To stop receiving the print version and read UB Today online, > click here
To view a virtual version of the print magazine > click here. To view the PDF version of this issue > click here
As I complete my tenure as your UB Alumni Association president, I can't help but be amazed at what an exciting time it is to be part of the UB community! I know that my successor, Carol Gloff, BS '75, will share in this positive energy as she stewards the UBAA for the next two years.
So much of what is happening in Buffalo and Western New York in an economic sense has been spearheaded by our university's UB 2020 plan. Complementing our plans for a new medical school, the level of interest and investment among research, health care and commercial sectors around the downtown medical campus is unprecedented and has our entire region buzzing. It truly feels like the Buffalo Renaissance has begun.
The same feeling of revival has also been experienced on campus. In just over a year, UB has opened six major facilities on our three campuses. And our team of incredible faculty is growing in number, as we prepare for more students, new course offerings and continued growth in research.
During this exciting time when we are realizing UB 2020, I'd like to offer some suggestions on what you, as a UB alumnus, can do to help the university realize its full potential:
Advocate for UB. Be sure your family, friends and colleagues know that you are "true blue." The value of our degrees increases with UB's success. Connect the right people with our university. Direct talented and high-achieving students to UB. And continue to exude your UB pride.
Volunteer. Participate in alumni and university events, whether in Buffalo, across the country or abroad. As you do so, network with your fellow alumni or mentor some UB students.
Give. Support your university financially as we help UB to reach its goals.
In closing, let me say it has been a pleasure to serve you as president of the UBAA. Thank you for all that you do.
Tim Lafferty, BS '86
President, UB Alumni Association
President, UB Alumni Association
8/15/2017 Carole Emberton tells Mic today's divisions and demonstrations are an evolution of what came before.
8/14/2017 Should Bills fans worry? Matthew DiPaola talks to the AP about Jordan Matthews' chest injury.
8/12/2017 Carole Emberton tells USA Today white supremacist groups are part of an old tradition.


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La Prairie Cellular Night Repair Cream
- 2 reviews See the Breakdown
- Product Info | Add Your Review
La Prairie Cellular Night Repair Cream Reviews
This cream really worksBut, it is too expensive. I am not that rich to keep up with the price even though it's a good product. There are other less pricey treatments on the market, even by Chanel. — 6 years, 6 months agoCaroleVonAllten | 1401 reviews
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GREAT PRODUCT!!!!!I bought five sample tubes of this off of ebay and it's worth every penny! After 5 days of use, my skin tone has evened out, and my skin looks luminous when I get up. Great!!!!! — 6 years, 9 months agojenicide1 | 292 reviews
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HP 81 Black Printhead and Cleaners offer the finest quality and consistency for all your documents, projects, and presentations
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Messy Meetings
One of my favorite posts is one that I wrote about 18 months ago called "Messy Meetings". People are messy; relationships are messy; and yet our church meetings are rarely messy. That tells me that our church meetings do not really reflect who we are. Instead, they are contrived and orchestrated and inauthentic. Even today, I think that messy meetings would be more beneficial to the body of Christ.
Relationships can be messy. We all know this. We have experienced "messy" relationships, and Scripture tells us that relating to people will not be easy. If relationships were easy and maintenance free, then we would not need "Spirit power" in order to love people. If relationships were not messy, then we would not need "Spirit power" in order to bear with one another with patience. In fact, one of the amazing things about our new life in Christ is that we can now – finally – relate to people who we would not naturally be able to relate to. We can now relate to them supernaturally, because we can now relate to God.
Of course, we do not always live in the supernatural. We do not always walk in a worthy manner. We do not always follow the Spirit. We have seen what happens in our lives and in the lives of others when this happens. Things get messy. But, we all know – or at least, we all SHOULD know – that we do not turn our backs on people when their lives get messy.
But, what about during times when the church gathers together? I believe that Scripture teaches that all believers should have the opportunity to interact with one another when the church gathers. This interaction should always be led by the Spirit, motivated by love, and for the purpose of edifying (building up to maturity) other followers of Jesus Christ. I believe God works through the gifts of all in order to grow the entire body of Christ into maturity in Christ Jesus, and I believe that this should happen anytime the church gathers.
But, what happens when one of those "participants" speaks when not led by the Spirit? What happens when someone is not motivated by love, but contributes anyway? What happens when someone acts, but their purpose is not to build up the body? What happens when someone is hurting, and they let the church know about their hurt? What happens when someone is afraid, and they voice their fear? What happens when someone disagrees?
In other words, what happens when things get messy during the meeting of the church?
There are several options in this scenario. The first option – and the one usually taken throughout most of church history, whether people realize it or not – is to limit the amount of participation during the meeting of the church. If only certain people are allowed to speak or sing or pray or contribute, then there is less chance for things to get messy. This is usually done in the name of "order". However, I think there is an inherent problem with this solution. For one thing, this solution suggests – even inaudibly – that only certain people are qualified to contribute and only certain people are necessary for the proper functioning of the church. Also, this solution suggests – even inaudibly – that the event of the meeting is more important than the people who are meeting. This option also suggests that "messy" relationships between people are equivalent to disorder, and are thus not proper for times when the church gathers.
Another option is to allow the mess to occur, then trust the Spirit of God to use the people of God to lovingly care for the "messy" people – which, can be me or you at times, if we are honest. Thus, even when the church meets, there is a need for "Spirit empowered" love and "Spirit empowered" patience.
What are the implications of this option? Well, first of all, we have to admit that we do not know what will happen when the church gathers together. Things may not go "as planned". Thus, we have to admit to ourselves and to others that our plan – if we have one – is not the most important thing. Instead, the people become more important than the event. We also must – truly – trust the Holy Spirit to work in and through his people, even during the meeting of the church. We must admit that we do not have all the answer, and that God may not choose to work through us during this meeting (regardless of our title, position, role, function, gifting, etc.). God may choose to work through someone else. He may even choose to work through someone's mess – if we allow him to.
This is very difficult to do – it is even difficult to think. Even after thinking through this idea of "church" for several years, I still have this habitual understanding that I should be quiet (thus, reverent) when I come together with the church (unless, of course, I have been scheduled to speak). There is also this traditional idea that "order" means "according to plan".
So, what are we going to do with "messy" people and "messy" meetings? Can we trust God enough to allow him to work through us and others during the meeting, even when things are out of our hands? Can we allow people to hurt, cry, doubt, complain, disagree, etc. while the church meets without rushing them off to a back room or asking them to leave altogether? Can we allow the church to be the church to one another even when the church is meeting?
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Comments are closed. If you would like to discuss this post, send an email to alan [at] alanknox [dot] net.
It's all cosmetics. We see the command to have orderly gatherings as having to manufacture them and we employ ushers and others to ensure that things are always done prestine. So we put on a show for the people and for God all the while He may be looking the other way. Not saying He does not accept our praise because whatever we attempt to do is acceptable because we are in Christ, but the show and tell isn't very pleasing. I think He made that clear in Malachi. My opinion by the way.
I think the problem is, we have an embedded set of assumptions that are cultural and not in the Spirit of Christ. These assumptions are generational, thus accepted and carried forward by us. The assumptions are basically a list of "should's" and "must be's". These are both individual and corporate assumptions but identifying and breaking free from them is difficult as the beliefs are undergirded by two realities.
1. Foundational beliefs and foundational assumptions are mixed together. The group will not move from either because, "God says this in His Bible!"
2. At an individual level to be different from the expectations is too scary. Rather than face condemnation and judgment, we enter into pretense of being fully lined up with all the "should's" and "must be's".
Bottom line, individually we accept (selfishly enjoy?) the reduced responsibility of living by misconceptions based on God's Word and accepted communally. Corporately, we don't know how to deal lovingly with each other's mess.
The whole cultural moves forward in time with little or no effective change.
How to move forward?
One suggestion: Identify the nuances of condemnation and judgment within the group that keep people nodding "yes" when open discussion and the power of love is needed for change.
If I were to be honest, there are many times when I've been "cosmetic" during the church meeting. I've "put on a show" as well. Its difficult to be real, especially when you think people will not accept you because of it. But, I think this is what God calls us to.
David (ded),
Yes! It is amazing how many times I've talked to people who let their assumptions lead them, but who are never willing to test their assumptions. This is what they've been taught, and they're happy with that.
Much agreed Alan. I do it every Sunday and sometimes leave more discouraged than I came. It isn't really church culture. That is why I used "we"! I guess I should have just used I.
I couldn't count the number of times I have heard the assertion that,"The Bible is our rule for faith and practice", but seldom observed the truths, the assertion states, put into practice.
Many of the "assumptions" 'ded' speaks of are based on the limitations we place on our willingness to actually practice those truths.
To practice these truths is to acknowledge that God holds sovereignty over us, and to deny any vestige of self-sovereignty.
Sadly, most of the brethren I know would be disgusted at "the lack of order" in the "messy meetings" described in Scripture.
God in control? He just might allow a messy meeting! We can't have that can we? What will people say?
Me too, brother.
Aussie John,
Isn't it amazing that we quote "God is a God of order" from 1 Cor 14, but we wouldn't recognize a meeting similar to what is described in 1 Cor 14 as an "ordered" meeting. I think, like you said, we want to control the "order" instead of allowing the Spirit to control the "order".


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Petaling Street Warriors
February 26, 2014 @ 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Event Navigation
Malaysian films are going places these days, from prominent art house features in A-list festivals to box office blockbusters in the home market, there's no denying that the state of the industry, and its products, have been steadily improving in recent years. Directed by Sampson Yuen and James Lee, and with shades of the good ol' Hong Kong films of the same action-comedy genre, Petaling Street Warriors is a film that's plenty of fun, and chock full of stars to provide it that boost in entertainment value.


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Waterville woman arrested for domestic assault after hitting sibling in laundry dispute, police say
WATERVILLE, Maine — A dispute over laundry led to a Waterville woman getting arrested for domestic violence assault, according to police.
Alyson Pullen, 19, allegedly assaulted a juvenile sibling at their Bowtelle Avenue home around 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, according to Waterville Deputy Chief Charles Rumsey.
Pullen and the sibling were the only people in the house at the time of the incident, Rumsey said.
The victim received bruises, but did not require a trip to the hospital, Rumsey said.
Pullen was booked into the Waterville police station on the domestic violence charged and released on bail. She is due in court Aug. 7.


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Nagoya City Art Museum in Fushimi, not far from the Hilton Hotel, has a small permanent collection of contemporary western and Japanese art.
Located across Shirakawa Park from Nagoya's Science Museum, Nagoya City Art Museum opened in 1988. The permanent collection includes works by foreign artists such as Amedeo Modigliani, Marc Chagall, Frida Kahlo and Maurice Utrillo. Japanese contemporary art is represented by Shusaku Arakawa, Tsuguharu Fujita and Tadaaki Kuwayama. The collection is rotated four times a year.
The facility also includes works by local artists, a temporary exhibition gallery, a library, auditorium, cafe and shop.
The Nagoya City Art Museum also hosts special exhibitions and the exhibition entitled "400 Years of European Masterpieces from the State Hermitage Museum" from July-September 2012 drew record crowds.
Nagoya City Art Museum
17-25, Sakae 2-chome
Naka-ku, Nagoya
Tel: 052 212 0001
Admission: 300 yen
A short walk from Fushimi Station (Exit 5) on the Higashiyama and Tsurumai subway lines or Osu Kannon on the Tsurumai Line (Exit 1).
© JapanVisitor.com
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The Japanese Spa: A Guide to Japan's Finest Ryokan and Onsen


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Facing TV Problems? Ask a TV Technician.
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I recommend you purchase an LCD screen cleaning kit. This will assure you have 1) the proper solution to safely clean the screen, and 2) the proper cloth to avoid scratching the screen while cleaning.
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Your weekend: Free Facebook fun night Thursday
Facebook Fun Night
Dunn Bros. in Farmington will hold a Facebook Fun Night from 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 19. Get a Facebook portrait taken by a professional photographer and get help setting up a Facebook account. Dunn Bros. is located in the Tamarack Ridge shopping area at the corner of Highway 3 and County Road 66.
Picture day
Levi P. Dodge Middle School will hold its schedule pick-up and picture day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 19 for students entering sixth, seventh or eighth grades. Students can find their classrooms and lockers, turn in forms and buy school items. For more information call the school at 651-460-1500.
Guitar Hero
Teens can play Guitar Hero on the big screen at the Dakota County Farmington Library from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 19. For more information call 651-438-0250. The library is located at 508 Third St.
Puppet wagon
There will be a puppet wagon performance at 9 a.m. Aug. 20 at Sachs Park in Empire Township.
Live music
East of Innocence will perform at 8 p.m. Aug. 13 at the Ugly Mug coffee shop and bar.
The Ugly Mug is located at 18450 Pilot Knob Road in Farmington.
Bowling sign-up
There will be a sign-up night for junior bowling league from 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 21 and 28 at Farmington Lanes. The league is open for youth from kindergarten to high school. For more information call Connie Honrud at 651-463-2475.
Trail ride fund raiser
There will be a trail ride fund raiser from noon to 3 p.m. Aug. 21 at Lone Rock Trail, located at Rosemount Station Trail and Annette Avenue. Proceeds will go to We Can Ride Inc, which provides therapeutic horseback riding and carriage driving for people with disabilities. Lunch and door prizes are included. There is a minimum donation of $25. For more information visit www.wecanride.org.
Steak fry
There will be a steak fry to benefit Trinity Care Center from 5 to 8 p.m. Aug. 21 at the Farmington VFW. The VFW is located at 421 Third St.
80s cover band Hairball will perform Aug. 21 at the Farmington American Legion.
The Legion is located at 10 Eighth St.
Live music
Late for Lunch will perform at 8 p.m. Aug. 14 at the Ugly Mug coffee shop and bar.
The Ugly Mug is located at 18450 Pilot Knob Road in Farmington.
St. Mathias Fun Fest
St. Mathias Parish of Hampton will hold its annual fun fest starting at 10 a.m. Aug. 22 on the church grounds at the corner of Highway 50 and County Road 47. A polka mass will kick things off at 10 a.m. There will be food served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and games for all ages.
St. Mathias School will hold an all-class reunion during the fun fest.
Labyrinth dedication
There will be a public dedication at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 22 of a new labyrinth at Episcopal Church of the Advent. The labyrinth will be dedicated to Catherine Gaines Boehlke. The church is located at 412 Oak St.
County fair
The Dakota County Fair wraps up another year with its big finish this weekend. From live music to demolition derbies to bars full of farm animals, there should be something for just about everyone on the fairgrounds in Castle Rock Township. Look online at www.farmingtoindependent.com for a full schedule.


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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/6/2013 (1529 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
I feel so lucky to be able to write an article in The Times every month. I get the opportunity to inform everyone about organ donation and share my experiences as a dialysis patient. And it's nice to know that people are actually reading it.
I received an email from Kim Babij, a reporter from Shaw TV, telling me that she was interested in talking to me after seeing my article in the paper.
Of course, I was extremely excited to do a television interview. I'm not totally comfortable in front of the camera, but, I will take every opportunity to tell my story — every chance to promote the Sign Up for Life website.
Kim and her cameraman came out to our house. My daughter Karlie stayed home from school that day to help me and to be part of the interview. After we were both interviewed, I hooked up to my dialysis machine so I could be interviewed while doing a treatment.
Hearing my story is one thing, but it definitely gives more of an impact seeing me connected to the machine that keeps me alive. (It was Kim's request to interview me while dialyzing).
The interview was over and they were just about to leave when Rick, my fiance, came home. I love when my family gets to be a part of what I am doing since they are such a huge part of my life. They have been through it all with me.
The only one missing was our daughter Kristie. She was stuck at work.
Kim was really great. She made us feel totally comfortable. I try to just ignore the camera and focus on why I am doing this. This is all to show people the importance of organ donation.
The interview aired the next day on Go Winnipeg. It turned out really well. Go Winnipeg did an amazing job promoting the Sign Up website. They reminded everyone to go to the website and register and to forget about the old blue cards (which are still available at insurance outlets).
I've also had quite a few people tell me that they read my articles. I had one man email me telling me how his daughter gave a kidney to her brother and that they are both doing great.
What an amazing thing to do — giving up a kidney to save your own brother's life. A person who does that is definitely a loving, caring person. I was really happy to hear from this man and that he took time to read my article and share his story with me.
I would really like to hear from more readers.
Since people are reading my articles, I really hope that I am influencing people to go to signupforlife.ca and become an organ donor.
If you would like to see my video on Shaw please visit the WinnipegShawTV YouTube channel and watch Sign Up For Life.
Thank you to The Times for letting me do this and thank you to everyone who is an organ donor. You really are heroes.
Jennifer Laferriere is a community correspondent for Garden City.


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New system to locate distress callers
A special task force headed by home secretary RK Singh has decided to create a system to give the police the precise location of a distress call. HT reports.delhi Updated: Feb 08, 2013 00:05 IST
A special task force headed by home secretary RK Singh has decided to create a system to give the police the precise location of a distress call.
The decision to approach the telecom authorities for a mechanism that provides the location of the mobile tower and the caller in distress was taken at the second meeting of the task force — set up in the wake of mid-December's brutal gang rape in Delhi — last week.
This measure will help the police reach a caller in distress faster, a home ministry statement said.
The statement, however, did not indicate if the police had been able to meet the February 1 deadline for completing police verification of the bus crew hired for school buses as was decided at the first meeting in January.
It also did not indicate the progress made by the Delhi government's transport department to reverify existing bus permits.
Instead, it merely pointed that issues of photo I-card for public service vehicle crew, CCTV/web-cam at parking and shopping malls, verification of school bus staff, vulnerable bus routes and street-lighting were reviewed.
The statement said Delhi Police had confirmed that the emergency number 100 had been revamped and the number of lines increased from 60 to 100 lines.
The task force had decided to merge the helpline 1091 for women in distress and the anti-stalking helpline number 1096.
It took note of the report that only 1,407 bus stops of a total of 4627 were properly lit. Another 288 bus stops will have lighting arrangements by the month-end.
The Delhi Police were also told to crack down on public vehicles violating the conditions of displaying name, photograph of driver and staff inside the buses.


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Siblings brandish great power in the family- as poignantly described in Allen Shawn's new memoir Twin, reviewed in the New York Times.
Family systems theory treats the family as a set of separate relationships that are interconnected, then uses this to try to understand how the family functions. Siblings are a subsystem among other subsystems like parent-child and marital subsystems
These other system over time, affect the sibling subsystem and the sibling subsystem affects them.
The uniqueness of the sibling subsystem is that other subsystems may dissolve because of death (grandparents and parents) but the sibling subsystem lives on, the longest surviving subsystem. It only breaks down when the family of origin dissolves.
The sibling subsystem also moves out into a highly autonomous system in adulthood, away from the interdependent family of origin. . These sibling subsystems can be dyads, triads or larger groups.
They wield large power in the family by aligning and exercising their clout based on alliances that meet their needs. So as the siblings may be able to get together and weasel Mom into lining up with them and getting Dad to allow them to go to the movies when they are young, they have similar power in adulthood. A dyad of siblings may align to get Dad to leave another sibling out of his will or convince Mom to go into assisted living against the will of another weaker sibling.
They are thus one of the most powerful systems within the family system.