Ask the Mineworker..

[VT-565]

Anything about Hardrock mining, ask me.

 

[holden#1]

o.k you're a mine worker...

what is it you actually do? where are you based?

 

[camvyss]

He's from Mt Isa, I'd hesitate a guess to say he works in the Deep Copper Mine (formerly the Enterprise project). Mt Isa is situated around 1000Km inland from Townsville and has a rough population of 20,000. Other than that it's a hole. Trust me I live here too.

I too work in the mines here albeit I am in the communications area of mining.

 

[MarzVP]

Is the pay as good as everyone says it is?

 

[Rhino Racing]

HI guys,
I am in mining too. Open cut coal mine in South east qld.About 2 hours from brissie. Diesel fitter by trade.Been doing it for about 15 years now.Some of my previous work was for metilliferous( Gold, hard rock both here in Aus and New Guinea).
Met some really top blokes in the industry........ mind you there has been a fair few D#@KHEADS too.
Catchyas!

 

[Lumps of cheese]

I'm in earthmoving but wouldn't work with gear as big as you blokes, great feeling operating huge machinery is it????

 

[Rhino Racing]

On some of our equipment the weight of the tyre excluding the rim is approx 4.7 tonne .......... the rim is approx 2.4t. So each wheel assembly is just over 7 tonne..... and some of our tyres are about 4meters in diameter. As well as approx 60 wheel nuts on each. Each wheel stud is 1 1/4 inch in diameter.
So as you can imagine there is specialised equipment just for removing and refitting these to trucks and loaders etc.
When you are driving around the pits and you are in an active work area with trucks wizzing past you, you have a heightened level of awareness............. one mistake and you can become road kill. This is even worse at night time when you are unsure of peoples levels of fatigue.

 

[camvyss]

The money here in the Isa is pretty decent, I'm in the mid 80's. Operators and miners who do the more dangerous stuff would normally get more.

Operating large machinery is interesting at first but becomes commonplace after time. The equipment we have here is nowhere near as big as the stuff they have in large Open-Cut Coal mines.

My job description is Radio Tech (Communications Technician) so I am not a physical 'miner' but I do work in the mine. We maintain the communications systems throughout the workings, mostly radio and telephone but also Fibre Optic and remote operated LHD (load haul dump) units.

 

[Lumps of cheese]

Sounds pretty cool, the biggest excavator we own is 30 ton, so we're just playing compared to you blokes but it's still a great industry, big gear or not.

 

[Rhino Racing]

Hey there VTJW, glad to hear that you enjoy what you do.... yes it can be good. :thumbsup:
Our diggers here can move close to 150tonnes of dirt with each scoop. But our smaller gear 400tonne excavators can only shift about 40 tonnes per bucket load (Thats about 25 commodores at once). Makes filling up those big trucks pretty quick!
If you are ever round my neck of the woods we will have to catch up and we will organise a mine tour for you guys. :coolpimp:
Keep up the good work mate. Be safe and take care.
Catchya!