by simon ridge, state mining engineer, wa department of ... · pdf filean ammop flyer has ......
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The newsletter of Mining Society of The AusIMM | Vol 3 2011
In this edition: Increasing the Inspectorate | Notes from the Vice Chair | Heritage | AMMOP | Skills Shortage? Cost Estimation Handbook | The Bulletin | Contacts, Events, Social Media
Increasing the inspectorate
Welcome to the final edition of the Min-
ing Society newsletter for 2011. As the
year races to a close, I’ve been thrilled
at the response to our recent call for new
members to join the society’s commit-
tee. We’ll be announcing the process
for managing the number of great nomi-
nees that we’ve had, and what the com-
mittee will look like for 2012 in the near
future.
In the mean time, please enjoy a great
selection of articles in this edition of the
newsletter. As always, we’d be pleased
to hear your feedback on the newsletter
and any other activities of the society
and committee.
Looking forward to 2012, we’re expect-
ing an exciting year for the Mining Soci-
ety. Amongst a range of projects which
we’ll be working on are our two flag-
ships for the year the publication of the
Mine Manager’s Handbook and assist-
ing The AusIMM in presenting the In-
ternational Mine Management Confer-
ence.
On behalf of the committee, I wish all
our society members a happy, safe and
productive Christmas and New Year.
Jamie Ross
by Simon Ridge, State Mining Engineer, WA Department of Mining and Petroleum
In September 2009, the Reform and
Development at Resources Safety
(RADARS) strategy began.
The strategy aims to assist the industry to
reduce the likelihood of serious accidents
and support positive safety cultures across
industry.
This has involved collaboration between
government and industry to develop
innovative solutions to address operational
shortcomings. One part of delivering a
successful strategy is to develop inspectors
who can meet and exceed statutory
obligations.
But it goes much further than that. Another
part is supporting the development of
resilient safety cultures to drive change
where it is needed in industry. A further
part is for the department to be recognised
as a leading practice safety regulator. And
the most important part is to have the right
people for the job.
The successful training of 27 new safety
inspectors was recently announced by WA
Mines and Petroleum Minister, Hon
Norman Moore, and was a major
achievement in the safety reform program.
These recruits demonstrated the expertise
and potential to become resources safety
inspectors. However, expertise alone is not
enough – relationship building is also vital.
The role of an inspector is much more than
simply delivering regulatory services.
Inspectors must strive to promote and
encourage better safety outcomes,
balanced with compliance and
enforcement.
They must strive to encourage genuine
improvement and reform in the way
industry manages risk.
However, these improvements can only be
achieved through collaborative
relationships with industry.
Ultimately, the department’s vision is
excellence in safety regulation -
recognising the Resources Safety Division
as industry leaders.
To help achieve this vision, the
Department established a comprehensive
and intensive training program for
inspectors. The course was designed to
complement and enhance existing
technical expertise. The department’s
inspectors will be incredibly well equipped
for a regulatory role - whether it is in
mining, petroleum or dangerous goods
safety.
Each and every inspector should be
justifiably proud of completing the training
program. This is a major achievement.
However, there work has only just begun.
We must not forget the ultimate reason for
safety reforms, and the reason people
become inspectors - to make a real
difference to safety in the state’s resources
sector.
In the past decade, there have been 45
fatalities on Western Australian mines. It
is important to remember what this figure
represents. It represents 45 people who
never came home from work, 45 groups of
families, co-workers, friends and
communities who have been forever
impacted. We owe it to them, and to every
person killed or injured on a Western
Australian mine site, to do everything we
can to continually improve safety.
The passion the department’s inspectors
have for safety must translate across
industry and be at the forefront of every
worker’s mind.
Notes from the Vice Chair
Jamie Ross
Page 2
Heritage
AMMOP
Oliver Woodward – a Great War tunneller by Ray Boyle FAusIMM
Jim Whitehead was always interested
in the Great War tunnellers and
especially Oliver Woodward who had
a major role in the events.
So I was interested when searching
the half glass plate photographs
produced by the Old Mount Morgan
Company to find a photo of
Woodward obviously soon after his
return from New Guinea about June
1914 and before he enlisted. No doubt
the trophies were collected during his
time in New Guinea is the head real?
Woodward’s later career at Pt Pirie
and Broken Hill and his Presidency of
the Institute would be well known to
readers.
John Kerr in Mount Morgan gold
copper and oil, p 161 wrote about
Woodward's time in New Guinea
that:
Woodward was sent to Laloki in April 1914 ‘just after
Berwick Moreing and Co had closed operations there and
given Mount Morgan an option. He
placed the white men on contract rates,
improved supervision and got such
good work from the local Papuans that
the miners’ earnings increased
threefold. Able to improve so
remarkably on the performance of the
respected Berwick Moreing whose
name was then a ‘mark of efficiency’,
Woodward established what he
modestly called ‘a somewhat
underserved reputation as a manager’
and this while he was on a salary of £4
per week.
Operations at Laloki ceased in June
1914; Woodward returned to Mount
Morgan and subsequently went to war.
Denied by Chairman R G Casey Sr the
opportunity to study mining in America
on his way home from Europe after
Casey had 'secured his urgent release
from the army' in 1919, he returned to
Mount Morgan but, disillusioned, he left for Port Pirie. R G
Casey Jr (later Lord Casey) is reputed to have said, when
hearing of Woodward's departure, 'someone appears to have
blundered'.
Oliver Woodward in Mount Morgan, collection: Central Queensland University.
AMMOP update – landmark publication gathering momentum by Stephanie Omizzolo, Publication Projects Coordinator, The AusIMM
The Australasian Mining and Metallurgical Operating Practices
(AMMOP) publishing project is and will continue to be a key
focus of The AusIMM as we head towards 2012. Over the past few
months, the AMMOP Project Team and Committee has been
working closely with all targeted companies in bringing together
site submissions and ensuring key companies are on board with the
publication.
AMMOP is progressing well, with approximately 150 sites across
Australasia currently writing their submissions and many already
received. We expect to receive most submissions by the end of
2011. The papers are of a high standard and the quality of work
that has been provided is impressive. Furthermore, AusIMM
Society and Committee groups, along with other key industry
representatives, have been invited to contribute to the development
of introductory chapters one to four of AMMOP – particularly
chapter three, which will focus on developments in mining and
processing.
$698 000 worth of sponsorship has been received to date and the
AMMOP Committee is anticipating that more offers of
sponsorship will be received as the publication begins to generate
more awareness across industry networks. An AMMOP flyer has
been professionally designed and printed, and has been included in
several AusIMM conference satchels this year and also featured as
an insert in the October edition of The AusIMM Bulletin. This
flyer can be viewed here. Additionally, an article updating
members on the status of AMMOP was included/will be included
in both the October and December editions of the Bulletin.
AusIMM members have been invited to volunteer as reviewers
and/or sub-authors for papers as they begin to be received. We
have many members who have responded to this invitation and
further invite interested members to please fill out the form here
and send it to the Project Coordinator, Stephanie Omizzolo via:
If you have any questions about AMMOP or would like to be
involved, please contact [email protected], or by phone:
+61 3 9658 6166 for further information.
We hear so much lately about the skills shortage in the
mining industry, but what sort of shortage is it really – are
we short of people, skills, or experience?
I’ve been reading a lot lately about the skills shortage in the
Australian mining industry (see links below for some extra
reading), and I know similar situations are arising in
Canada, South America and other regions.
As commodities and metal prices continue to rise,
production levels and the number of mining projects are
also growing, requiring more and more people to run our
mining and processing operations.
But is it more people that we really need, or is it more
people with the correct types of skills and levels and
experience?
What the public hears
The public’s understanding is that the industry is short on
people. That what we need is just more bodies. This is
reflected in the thousands of candidates who apply for
every entry level or green-skin job that comes up.
Competition for inexperienced positions is fierce.
But what I’m seeing and hearing in the industry is that
there isn’t really a shortage of people, but a shortage of
people with the necessary skills, qualifications and
experience.
An example from my day-to-day
By coincidence while putting together this article, I had a
number of illustrative experiences in one day. Firstly, I’d
received two phone calls and three emails from recruiters
because I have ‘Mining Engineer’ on my LinkedIn profile
and in their systems – this is not unusual as flattering as it
might be. Later that same night I attended a mentoring
session for students about to graduate from mining
engineering and similar courses. Talking to these students
who are in the process of looking for work, many of them
expressed how difficult it was to find vacation or graduate
employment. Some had graduated last December and were
still unable to find employment. So many advertisements
for mining engineers, so few opportunities for those
without experience.
The real shortage
Job advertisements for engineers, managers and industry-
experienced tradesmen stay unfilled for months on end.
Mining and plant-experienced people of all types and levels
seem to be having little trouble finding new opportunities
and promotions. Consultants and contractors are stretched
and turning away work.
So how can we reframe the challenge of this skills and
experience shortage that we are seeing now and that lies
ahead for our industry. The shortage is only expected to
get worse as the industry expansion continues; the
workforce continues to age and retire; and the skills we
need change with new technologies and automation?
Until we can be clear on exactly what the industry will be
short of – people, skills or experience – companies and
governments cannot hope to effectively address the issues
and secure our long term success.
Links of interest
http://miningforskills.com.au/?p=425
www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-29/miners-sound-skills-
shortage-warning/3038174?section=wa
www.miningaustralia.com.au/news/bligh-urgers-
queenslanders-to-get-involved-in-mini?
utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign
=ozmining
Is it a people, skills, or experience shortage? by Jamie Ross
4 Page 3
Skills
But is it more people that we really need, or is it more people with the correct types of skills and levels and experience?
So many advertisements for mining engineers, so few opportunities for those without experience.
The Bulletin
Page 4
Monograph
Second edition of popular AusIMM Monograph due for release in 2012
Economic considerations are key to all
mining industry projects and estimating the
capital and operating costs of a project is an
important part of the evaluation and decision
-making process. Being able to prepare
accurate estimates is essential to ensuring
successful funding, development and
management of mining and metallurgical
projects.
Nearly 20 years since its initial release, the
Cost Estimation Handbook remains one of
The AusIMM’s most sought-after
publications. Over the past few years a team
of expert AusIMM members have been
working together to redevelop and update
this volume to produce a second edition.
This revised volume sets out useful
techniques and guidance for capital and
operating cost estimation for the Australian
minerals industry and is an invaluable
reference for industry professionals. This
project is more than just a revision of the
earlier edition; it includes substantially new
material of relevance to the mining and metallurgical industries in
the 21st Century.
The project
The revised volume is currently in the final stages of editing and
review and is due for release next year. The project committee has
restructured the volume to provide the basis of studies and an
outline of capital and operating cost estimation in the introductory
chapters with more specific information on areas of practice
detailed in subsequent chapters.
The volume will update the guidance on
cost estimation to reflect technology
changes; improvements in project
development; new approaches to mining
and processing; and an increased awareness
of the need to provide for social and
environmental costs associated with mining
projects and operations.
The Cost Estimation Handbook Project
Committee is comprised of a number of
experts drawn from all areas of minerals
industry cost estimation. Led by Richard
Flanagan FAusIMM(CP) committee
members include Neil Cusworth FAusIMM,
Richard Dewhirst FAusIMM(CP), Greg
Lane FAusIMM, Roger Jackman
MAusIMM and Peter McCarthy FAusIMM
(CP).
The opportunity
AusIMM Services are currently seeking
expressions of interest from potential
sponsors for this world-class publication. As with the previous
edition, it is anticipated that this volume will have a very long
shelf-life, providing exposure to mining, geology and
metallurgical students, professionals, investors and managers
throughout the world.
A sponsorship package outlining the options offered to potential
supporters is available upon request from the Coordinator,
Publication Projects, Stephanie Omizzolo via email:
[email protected] or phone: +61 3 9658 6166. There are
limited places for major sponsors so interested parties are
encouraged to contact The AusIMM as soon as possible.
The AusIMM Cost Estimation Hand-
book, Monograph 20 (1993).
The editorial team endeavours to source articles
for The Bulletin from AusIMM members where
possible. Members are encouraged to submit an
article synopsis for any of the future features of
The Bulletin for consideration.
Articles in The Bulletin should be 700-2800
words in length.
Authors should email [email protected]
with an article synopsis of between 2-5 sentences
giving an outline of the article proposed,
highlighting the feature the article is intended
for.
The editorial team will follow this up directly
with the author.
For all other queries, please email us at
April 2012 (editorial deadline 17 Feb 2012)
Regional Feature: NSW
Mine Site Automation
Coal Seam Gas
Women in Mining
Iron Ore
June 2012 (editorial deadline 20 April 2012)
Regional Feature: Western Australia
International Focus: Indonesia
Mining Geology
Uranium
Environment and Land Management
The AusIMM Bulletin – call for contributions
Mining Society committee:
Paul Harper (Chair)
Jamie Ross (Vice Chair)
Chris Carr
John Collins
John Dunlop
John Grieves
Bruce Hebblewhite
Prof. Odwyn
Jones [email protected]
Greg Maiden
Pierre Mousset-Jones
Bruce Robertson
Ralph Rossouw
Bruce H. Van Brunt
Dr Brian White
Vicki Woodward
Contacts
The AusIMM Mining Society committee and contacts
Secretariat and AusIMM
contact:
Donna Edwards (Secretariat)
Coordinator, Member
Services
Page 5
The AusIMM events, conferences and workshops
Events
Narrow Vein Mining 2012
26–27 March
Perth, Western Australia
VALMIN Seminar Series
17 April
Brisbane, Queensland
AusIMM Congress & AGM 2012
27–29 April
Auckland, New Zealand
AusIMM International Uranium
Conference 2012
13–14 June
Adelaide, South Australia
AusIMM Awards Dinner 2012
16 June
Adelaide, South Australia
Life–of–Mine 2012
10–12 July
Brisbane, Queensland
Sampling 2012
21–22 August
Perth, Western Australia
AusIMM New Leaders' Conference
2012
2–3 October
Ballarat, Victoria
International Mine Management
2012
20–21 November
Melbourne, Victoria
The AusIMM is not responsible as a body for the facts and opinions advanced in
this publication.
Connect with The AusIMM on social
media
Full calendar:
http://www.ausimm.com.au/sections/MEvents.aspx
If you have any feedback, would like to make a
suggestion or contribute to Mining Society News, with an
article or comment piece, please email Donna Edwards,
via:
Alternatively, please contact one of our Mining Society
committee members for further assistance.
Contribute Social Media
The AusIMM, PO Box 660, Carlton South Vic 3053, Australia.Telephone +61 3 9658 6100, Facsimile +61 3 9662 3662 Email [email protected] ABN 59 836 002 494www.ausimm.com.au/shop
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