According to one congressman, staffing at the National Geology and Mining Service, the industry regulator, has not increased much since it was founded in 1980, despite a fivefold increase in the output of copper in that period.

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The geology in Texas allows for a mining procedure called "in situ" recovery, cheaper than traditional seam or open-pit mining.

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No doubt, many of those workers will come out of U.S. mining schools, touting degrees in Earth Sciences, Mineral Geology, or Mine Engineering.

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With such approach, natural anomalies can be assessed in relation to those caused by mining and related industrial activity, taking into account the geology, topography, climate, vegetation and hydrology in different regions of Africa.

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Mine bosses blame their losses on lack of investment and awkward geology, but a report by a British firm called International Mining Consultants cites overmanning and bad management.

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Not only does China have the blessing of favorable geology (ample resources), but the country actively supported its rare earth mining operations at a time when Western miners were closing up shop.

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