Former U.S. Bureau of Mines goes private

Though the U.S. Bureau of Mines has been disbanded, former employees have formed a company to pick up where the government agency left off.

Know as Mineral Information and Research Associates (MIRA), the new Spokane, Wash.-based entity offers project management, mineral property evaluation and environmental studies. Also available are geographic information systems and database services.

The company will evaluate mineral properties by managing programs involving drilling, geochemical and geophysical surveys, and computer mapping.