Beginning with a State of the Sector Forum, it was interesting to see so many different views on where the industry is headed. It was made clear that there are many factors holding the industry back from achieving the full benefit of the current boom. The current boom is bigger than most can imagine. At the site I am at, just looking at the company I am working for, we are trying to double our production. That means almost doubling everything - trucks, diggers, blasting operations, operators, staff, accommodation. To remember back to what it was like a year ago, it's pretty incredible to think that we now have over 50 trucks with our operations on site alone - and still getting bigger.
The major components identified in the report were the limitations on labour, water, and electricity. Check out the report here: https://www.qrc.org.au/_dbase_upl/Growth%20Outlook%20Report_Final_v2.pdf
Labour is obvious where I am at the moment - most sites are struggling to find skilled operators with the enormous boom - and to train so many new people to the industry all at once is impossible with the way that things are working at the moment.
Water is surprisingly vital to any mine, and quite a large amount. Most people don;t think about the amount needed to water the roads for dust suppression, maintain the wash plants, as well as the smaller quantities for drinking, washing, etc. It's one of the most critical elements of a feasibility study. Without it, it's just not possible. To import water is rarely economical.
Electricity is obviously needed to run pretty much everything on site. Although diesel runs a lot of generators and machinery, the workshops, offices and wash plants all need electricity.
Following the forum, we heard from Anna Bligh over lunch. Regardless of political views, she is a great speaker, keeping many people enthralled.
About Me
- andy
- I'm like any other uni student. I like clubbing, parties with friends and surfing if I can get a chance. I grew up in Townsville and miss my great friends there, the strand and maggie, but I still get time to have fun in brissie. I'm studying Civil and Construction Engineering at QUT, and I'm finding it a lot more interesting than most people would think. I'm also doing a mining minor at UQ at the same time so that I can work in the mining industry. I hope to work on mine sites once I graduate, because I love the friendliness in small towns, and it's always more fun to brag about being involved in massive projects. Drop me an email at andrea.dale@connect.qut.edu.au if you want to know more :)
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