Mine to Market March-April 2012 - Mount Isa Mines

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St Joseph’s PrimarySchool studentswith Jessica Ernst– Southern GulfCatchments CommunityEnvironment ProjectOfficer, and Father MickLowcock from the GoodShepherd ParishSchool Group withKalkadoon Elder, UncleClive SamSt Joseph’s Primary SchoolBush Tucker GardenMount Isa’s St Joseph’sPrimary Schoolstudents now havean EnvironmentallySustainable conscience and a green thumbthanks to a 12 month, $10,000 programled by Southern Gulf Catchments andfunded by the Xstrata Community ProgramNorth Queensland (XCPNQ).Southern Gulf Catchments has beenworking with St Joseph’s Primary Schoolon an Environmental Sustainability projectto give students an understanding andappreciation of the environment.The project focuses on issues such asglobal warming, water protection, healthand nutrition, and energy efficiency withthe aim of encouraging a natural passion instudents to serve and protect the earth.An important part of the project wasthe design and establishment of a “BushTucker” garden which commenced inOctober 2011. With the help and supportof Kalkadoon elders, Endemic PlantsMount Isa, and the teachers and staff ofSt Joseph’s Primary School, the gardenwas established with native plants andbushes carefully planted and nurturedby the students.Jessica Ernst – CommunityEnvironmental Project Officer withSouthern Gulf Catchments, said the BushTucker garden has been a rewardingproject for the students.“We’re very grateful to Xstrata forhelping us to bring this program toSt Joseph’s students and to see the“We’re very grateful toXstrata for helping us tobring this program toSt Joseph’s students and tosee the Bush Tucker gardencome to fruition,” Jessica said.Bush Tucker garden come to fruition,”Jessica said.Nathan Pike – General ManagerSustainable Development, XstrataCopper North Queensland said Xstrata’spartnership with Southern Gulf Catchmentshas been delivering successful outcomes.“We are delighted to support SouthernGulf Catchments with our partnershipof almost $500,000 over two years,and we look forward to working withthem to continue improving Mount Isa’ssustainability,” he said.26 mine to market
Bob Griffin’sstoryTownsville“There’s always a new project on thehorizon, and having the opportunityto develop my skills and expand myexperience has been the key driver in mycareer – that’s what keeps me motivated.”In a career that spans 35 years andcounting, there’s not a whole lot ourTownsville Port Operations ActingTraining Coordinator Bob Griffin hasn’texperienced. For Bob, working at Xstrata’sTownsville Port means there’s alwayssomething to look forward to.“Over the years I’ve been here therehave been so many developments andinnovations throughout the Port facility.It’s fantastic because it means I’ve had theopportunity experience and learn all aboutthe different aspects of our operations.”I started out in my career way back in‘76. I was a member of the loading crewat the Copper Refinery (CRL) Tank House.Back then, everything was done manually;there were no automated machines toload and strip the cells. It was hard, hotwork; the anodes were lifted into the cellsby crane in bundles of ten and had to bespaced out by hand – it was a differenttime. Nowadays, our machines are sealedand our cabins are air conditioned – it’spretty luxurious in comparison!I look at the environment we workin today and it amazes me how muchtechnology has improved our business.Not just in terms of productivity, but thesafety of our operations.I remember when we started rolling outour new ISA Process technology in the late‘70s. In the early days, I guess we wereworried about what the technology wouldmean for us – would we be replaced withmachines? During the transition, I movedaround working for Mount Isa Minessubsidiary business Townsville Transportand Services (TTS). One day I wouldbe unloading rail wagons of lead slabsfrom Mount Isa and transporting coppercathode, copper cake and billet fromCRL to the docks for export, and the nextI’d be transporting frozen meat from theStuart and Ross River meatworks to SuterPier or working in the North QueenslandWool store. Looking back, while thetransition to automated machinery seemedscary at first, it meant I got the chance toexperience a wide range of job roles acrossthe Port operations through my work atTTS. And here I am, still in the business,33 years later ...I’d say the highlight of my career wasworking on the Bulk Handling Terminalupgrade project in ’82. I got to play a rolein constructing the new tippler, offices andstorage shed. Seeing a project of that scaleprogress from start to finish was a valuablelearning experience. When constructionwas finished, I decided to stay on as part ofthe Port Operations team.The Bulk Handling Terminal is in theprocess of relocating to Berth 8 of theTownsville Port where it will have a new,state-of-the-art ship loader and conveyorsystem. My role will be to ensure thetransition goes off without any issues.That means pulling together new trainingpackages for our operators and supervisingthe training of the crews. It’s a big job, butfor me the reward is in the challenge.Over the years, while there have beenhuge technological and operationaldevelopments, the biggest changes havebeen in the field of safety and health.Today, we’re all so much more aware ofthe risks associated with our work. In the“bad old days”, maintaining a safe workenvironment was almost seen as a brickwall that stopped us getting the job done.Since then, there’s been a big attitudeshift; we understand that being safe onthe job actually increases our operationalproductivity, and helps us to make sureeveryone gets to go home to their familiesat the end of the day. That’s what’sreally important.The constant change and developmentmeans you never really stop learning.There’s always a new project on thehorizon, and having the opportunityto develop my skills and expand myexperience has been the key driver in mycareer – that’s what keeps me motivated.”mine to market27
Page 1 and 2: No. 112 • MARCH/APRIL 2012MINE TO
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Page 6 and 7: Historic rail ambulanceback on disp
Page 8: Twenty, thirty,forty years …Anniv
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Page 17: KateMcCutcheon’sstoryEHM“I am a
Page 20 and 21: CommunityCrime preventionMine to Ma
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Page 24 and 25: Shaun Byrnes’storyOur People“As
Page 26 and 27: Shave for a cureCommunityDuring Mar
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Page 32: Shape Up Onlineis an interactivehea

Mine to Market March-April 2012 - Mount Isa Mines

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