DATABASE

Online databases can be divided into 2 broad groups:

Databases that work through a web interface;
Databases that work through a telnet interface.

Group 2 databases are a bit more difficult to work with than group 1 databases, and are therefore gradually being replaced by them. This page gives you step by step help in working with telnet.

Web-based databases

The following databases contain information on mining and the environment. In most cases, they cover other industries as well as mining.

Best Practice Environmental Management in Mining Databases
The Case Studies Database provides examples supplied by the Australian mining industry of mine sites where best practice principles are being applied. Each case study sets out the problems faced at that site; how they were overcome; benefits which have resulted; and the lessons learned along the way.
The Technical References Database lists up to five references for each of 70 environmental issues.

EnviroNET Australia
EnviroNET Australia has several fully-searchable databases that link people with environmental problems, to people, organisations and technologies that can help solve the problems.

Fedworld
This is not specifically an environmental site, but all aspects of the environment can be found here in the form of research reports, documents and files. Topics include clean coal technologies and environmental management of mine sites.

International Network for Acid Prevention
INAP is a major initiative by mining companies to combat acid drainage. Their website has a growing database of case studies contributed by members.

Laurentian University's Mining Environment Database
The database provides references and abstracts to over 20,000 journal articles, books, and government reports dealing with abandoned mines, acid mine drainage and land reclamation. Topics include reclamation planning, design and costs; tailings, heavy metals; disposal of hazardous wastes, including acid mine drainage, sulphide-based tailings and asbestos particles; chemical reactivity and oxidation affecting pyrite and pyrrhotite tailings; leaching; radioactive hazards of uranium tailings soil and water contamination; soil stabilization; liming; fertilizers; seeding techniques; mine closure techniques; and other related topics. Subject coverage focuses on hard rock mining topics and is international in scope.

National Performance of Dams Program (NPDP)
The NPDP is an effort to establish within the dam engineering and safety community the ability to learn from the in-service performance of dams, supporting improvements in dam design, operation and public policy.

The Related Sites page: many of the sites listed there have databases of some sort or another
The Business Directory, which is a small database of environmental services companies

Telnet-based databases

Information on the use of telnet and emulation programs is given in the Help page.

An extensive library catalogue of over 22,000 references to journal articles, conference papers, chapters in books, and government and private consultant reports.

VT220 Emulation required:
A Shareware VT220 emulator is available from Mochasoft or through the Mining Environment Database website.

142.51.8.1

Username: MEDLIB

If you are working from a computer that can make a telnet call directly and have configured your browser to use the VT220 emulator you can telnet directly to the Mining Environment Database search facility, otherwise open your telnet VT220 as normal and connect using the telnet address above in the usual way. If you are working from a networked computer you may firstly have to connect to your network gateway. Open your telnet program and (if necessary connect with your network gateway), then at the prompt type c (the command for connect) followed by a space and the telnet address given above. Follow the instructions in the telnet window once you have connected to the library to search the library catalogue.