[Federal Register: February 12, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 29)]
[Notices]
[Page 6956-6957]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12fe04-35]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Energy Technology Laboratory; Notice of Availability of
a Funding Opportunity Announcement
AGENCY: National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Department of
Energy (DOE).
ACTION: Notice of availability of a funding opportunity announcement.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the intent to issue Funding
Opportunity Announcement No. DE-PS26-04NT42064 entitled ``Mining
Industry of the Future Grand Challenge Technology Concepts for the
Mining Industry.'' NETL, on behalf of the Energy Efficiency Renewable
Energy (EERE)-ITP Industrial Technologies Program (ITP), is seeking
cost-shared research and development applications for technologies
which will reduce energy consumption, enhance economic competitiveness,
and reduce environmental impacts of the domestic mining industry.
DATES: The draft funding opportunity announcement will be available on
the ``Industry Interactive Procurement System'' (IIPS) Web page located
at http://e-center.doe.gov on or about February 9, 2004. The final
funding opportunity announcement will also be available on the
``Industry Interactive Procurement System'' (IIPS) Web page located at
http://e-center.doe.gov on or about March 1, 2004. Applicants can also
obtain access to the draft and final funding opportunity announcements
through DOE/NETL's Web site at http://www.netl.doe.gov/business.
Questions and comments regarding the content of the announcement should
be submitted through the ``Submit Question'' feature of IIPS at http://e-center.doe.gov.
Locate the announcement on IIPS and then click on the
``Submit Question'' button. You will receive an electronic notification
that your question has been answered. Responses to questions may be
viewed through the ``View Questions'' feature. If no questions have
been answered, a statement to that effect will appear. You should
periodically check ``View Questions'' for new questions and answers.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Crystal A. Sharp, MS I07, U.S.
Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, P.O. Box
880/3610 Collins Ferry Road, E-mail Address:
crystal.sharp@netl.doe.gov, Telephone Number: 304-285-4442.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: While the mining industry uses many of the
latest evolutionary technologies in their operations, further
revolutionary energy efficient processes and technological advances in
extraction, materials handling, and beneficiation/processing are needed
to enable the mining industry to remain competitive. The objective of
the targeted announcement is to support the stated national interests
by funding research and development (R&D) projects that address
technology needs presented at the Grand Challenge workshops in 2003 as
well as those described in the Energy Analysis. The Energy Analysis is
a presentation showing the results of an energy analysis study to
demonstrate where the largest energy saving opportunities are in mining
and is located at http://www.oit.doe.gov/mining/pdfs/energyanalysis.pdf.
The Grand Challenge Technology Concepts for the
Mining Industry ``focuses on developing revolutionary energy efficiency
improvements in the areas of extraction, materials handling, and
beneficiation/processing in the mining industry.'' The three key
industry-identified research areas are the Energy Efficient
Alternatives to Current Technologies in Extraction, Materials Handling,
and Beneficiation/Processing that offer the largest opportunities for
energy savings presented in the Energy Analysis. The areas of interest
are activities in the mining industry that is integral to the
operations of Surface Mining, Underground Mining, and Mineral
Processing. Surface Mining, also called strip mining, placer mining,
trench mining, opencast, opencut mining, and/or open pit mining is done
at or near the surface where the overburden can be removed without too
much expense. Interests include but are not limited to: solution
mining, materials handling, systems integration and automation/robotics
for all mining at or near the surface where overburden can be
economically removed. Underground Mining is generally done where the
valuable mineral is located deep enough where it is not economically
viable to be removed by surface mining. Interests include but are not
limited to: Near face (such as intelligent or remote controlled
robotics), ancillary (activities not directly involved in ore mining
such as ventilation and improved health conditions). Maintenance
operations and technical services are also of
[[Page 6957]]
interest. Mineral and Coal Processing encompasses unit processes
required to size, separate, and process for eventual use. These
processes include comminution (crushing and grinding), sizing
(screening or classifying), separation (physical or chemical),
dewatering (thickening, filtration, or drying), and hydrometallurgical
or chemical processing. The Energy Analysis forms the basis of this
announcement and characterizes the three interest areas as follows:
Area of Interest 1: Energy Efficient Alternatives to Current
Technologies in Extraction--Extraction is the removal of ore from
surface or underground mines. This involves excavating activities such
as digging, blasting, breaking, loading and hauling. Interests include
revolutionary energy alternatives to mineral processes using equipment
or processes to mine and process ore.
Area of Interest 2: Energy Efficient Alternatives to Material
Handling--Materials handling is the use of any equipment or process to
transport ore and waste. Interests include revolutionary energy
alternatives with regard to energy used per unit of output to current
technologies involving the use of equipment or processes to handle and
transport ore and waste.
Area of Interest 3: Energy Efficient Alternatives to Current
Technologies in Beneficiation and Processing--Beneficiation and
Processing is the use of equipment or processes to crush, grind,
concentrate and/or separating the ore from the unwanted material.
Interests include revolutionary energy alternatives with regard to
energy use per unit of output to current technologies using equipment
or processes to crush, grind, concentrate and/or separating the ore
from the unwanted material.
Once released, the funding opportunity announcement will be
available for downloading from the IIPS Internet page. At this Internet
site you will also be able to register with IIPS, enabling you to
submit an application. If you need technical assistance in registering
or for any other IIPS function, call the IIPS Help Desk at (800) 683-
0751 or E-mail the Help Desk personnel at IIPS_HelpDesk@e-
center.doe.gov. The funding opportunity announcement will only be made
available in IIPS, no hard (paper) copies of the funding opportunity
announcement and related documents will be made available. Telephone
requests, written requests, E-mail requests, or facsimile requests for
a copy of the funding opportunity announcement will not be accepted
and/or honored. Applications must be prepared and submitted in
accordance with the instructions and forms contained in the
announcement.
Issued in Pittsburgh, PA, on February 4, 2004.
Dale A. Siciliano,
Director, Acquisition and Assistance Division.
[FR Doc. 04-3095 Filed 2-11-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P