Mt Gordon Vacation Work Part 3

Again I ventured back to the Mt Gordon mine for another 9 days of fun....This time I did some test work in the lab, but after a few days, i was kinda bored of it...So i did some work for the OH&S department and audited safety systems around the plant. My audit on the safety showers & eye wash systems proved succesful, identifying major faults, and thus new procedures were put in place to make sure these systems were working in the case of an emergency. It made me feel like i was actually contributing to the minesite as a whole. In other aspects, i really looked forward to nightimes as almost every night we would have a verandah session with maybe 5 or 6 of us, and of course the cold beer. I have also uploaded some photos of the Mt Gordon mine, and the surrounding area around Gunpowder, they can be viewed here:

http://uqedu.facebook.com/album.php?aid=87936&l=f54b4&id=742020110

Mitch.

Mt Gordon Vacation Work: PART TWO!

I adventured back to the outback after a pretty cool christmas (although i had to fly back up here on Christmas day). This time was different though, this time i was working night shift. I can't say it was bad, i rather enjoyed it actually. It wasnt so hot, the flys were gone, and managed to have some enjoyable times with some of the younger guys that work here. I only had to work 8 shifts this time, and spent most of my time in the flotation circuit. This 8 days culminated with a large barbecue on thursday morning, a bin full of beer, a pool made of an old polytank, and the worst sunburn i have ever had. Lets just say the flight home on thursday afternoon was a very sleepy ocassion.

Mitch.

Mt Gordon Vacation Work

I have just finished my first 9 days at the my Gordon copper minesite, situated roughly 125km north of Mt isa and 250km South of the Gulf Of Carpentaria, and 200km from the Northern Territory border. Myself, along with fellow scholarship holders Felicity & Luke are currently working there. For my first 9 days I worked in the Grinding section. I am really enjoying it; the people are great, the scenery is awesome, and well, the bar after work is pretty good too:) I've had some pretty interesting experiences, almost every afternoon without fail a storm would roll in, and there would be an incredible lightning show, nothing like ive ever seen in Brisbane. Also, some afternoons I went for a walk down to the lake near the camp, only to find a pack of wild pigs, which can be quite dangerous, i jumped straight up a tree when I saw them. There is a multitude of wildlife there, ive seen 5 or 6 crocodiles down at the lake, pigs there is wild dogs and apparently some water buffalo as well. The rooms they have us in arent crash hot, and the food isnt very good, but it makes up for it in the money we earn:) The work there isnt easy, and most afternoons I would come home covered in mud, but its good because every 9 days we get 5 days off for some rest and fun.

Equality In Mining.

There is no doubt that this has been one of the largest issues in the mining industry over the past few years, with women & indigenoud australians moving into the industry. I think the figure stands at about 12% of the mining industry are women in non traditional roles, i.e mining engineers, geos, metallurgists etc. The industry still wants to increase this figure, and the job retention prospects are very good at this point in time. The other thing that the industry has worked on is increasing the amount of indigenous Australian workers in mines. An excellent example of this is the Zinifex Century Mine, in Northern Queensland. The mine is situated very close to many indigenous communities including Normanton, Karumba & even Mornington Island. In a survey by the CSRM (Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining) here at UQ, found the once indigenous Australians were in these roles, their quality of life increased, they recieved training, and were payed alot more then previous work. In another survey, indigenous Australians who left the mine, were generally more qualified, and wanted to get other work related to the mining industry.

These are exiciting prospects. The mining boom is bringing alot to our economy, and now it can bring even more to our community, by promoting equality within all parts of Australian society.

Gayndah Trip 26th - 30th September

For 4 days, myself and 15 friends went to a mates farm in gayndah, for waterskiing, tubing, and general partying. I must say it was one of the greatest weeks of my life. It Finished with a massive party with over 100 people for another mates 18th. They had 5 tonnes of sand, a band, a calypso bar, and yes, it was beach themed.

Good Times.

Top Music Of All Time

Artists:
1. Red Hot Chili Peppers
2. Bloc Party
3. Pink Floyd
4. Boston
5. Jimmy Eat World
6. Led Zeppelin
7. Anberlin
8. Journey
9. Coheed & Cambria
10. Augustana

Albums:
1. The Dark Side Of The Moon, Pink Floyd
2. Bloc Party, Silent Alarm
3. Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stadium Arcadium
4. Boston, Boston
5. Led Zeppelin IV, Led Zeppelin
6. Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Red Hot Chili Peppers
7. Midwest Skies & Sleepless Mondays, Augustana
8. A Weekend In The City, Bloc Party
9. Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume I: From Fear Through The Eyes Of Mad
10. The Wall, Pink Floyd

Songs:
1. Comfortably Numb, Pink Floyd, The Wall
2. Wet Sand, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stadium Arcadium
3. Danger (The Bomb), Tonite Only, Ministry Of Sound Sessions Three
4. Stairway To Heaven, Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin IV
5. Table For Glasses, Jimmy Eat World, Clarity
6. Universal Nation (Ferry Corsten '99 Remix), Push
7. SRXT, Bloc Party, A Weekend In The City
8. Not Alone, Augustana, Midwest Skies & Sleepless Mondays
9. The Willing Well III: Apollo II: The Final Cut, Coheed & Cambria, Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume I: From Fear Through The Eyes Of Mad
10. Your Guardian Angel, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Don't You Fake It

Climate Change: Beliefs & Reality

Climate change is an issue which has pushed the barriers of science to new levels & Scientists have almost irreputable evidence that climate change is happening now. That we, as a planet are in one of the most delicate era's that our planet has ever faced. Climate change is one of those topics which wins elections, or could disrupt industry, so its pretty important in the scale of things.

Everyone has different views on the issue, and before sitting through a presentation at the AusIMM New Leaders Conference, I had solid views that climate change was real (I'm still not sure what to believe). The ideas that were put forward during the seminar showed somewhat convincing evidence that it wasnt. He showed information through ice cores about fluctuating temperatures & carbon dioxide levels as shown through ice cores from very on in the earths history. However the thing which grabbed my attention was, 'Global temperatures in the 18th century were actually higher then they are now.' On the other hand, we have current evidence using modern measuring devices showing this increase in carbon dioxide & increase in temperature. It is clear by mediums such as the media & the government that this side is pushed more, and most people don't even know the other side.

By no means am I saying that climate change does not exist, I'm just saying that we are venturing into unknown territory, and the next 100 years are going to be crucial to industry. As much as I may seem to take an agnostic approach to the issue, I believe that things such as clean coal technology & sustainable development should be fully integrated into industry to avoid the risk that it could happen. I'd rather see an enviromentally sustained planet then one that has been ruined because industry took a chance.