Mine to Market May-June 2012 - Mount Isa Mines

No. 113 • MAY/JUNE 2012Xstrata brings VirginAustralia to Mount Isa2012 Xstrata Mount IsaMining ExpoCommunity Information Session

No. 113 • MAY/JUNE 201224 25OperationsXstrata Mount Isa Mines bringsVirgin Australia to Isa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Xstrata Zinc continues to thrive . . . . . . . . . . 4Enhancements to Altiris Transact . . . . . . . . 12Raising our profile locally and abroad . . . . 15Paving the way at Mount Margaret . . . . . . 15Sink underway for new hoisting shaft . . . . . 17Skilling our bright sparks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Sharing our knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Community2012 Xstrata Mount Isa Mining Expo . . . . . . 2Policelink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Celebrating our communitypartnership achievements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Cloncurry’s two new community projects . . 11Community Helicopter receivesofficial christening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Workplace Giving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Keeping our community informed . . . . . . . 25Bravehearts Mow-a-thon gets a$5,000 kick start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20EnvironmentRehabilitation showinggood growth rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Change to environmentallyfriendly degreasers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Our PeopleAntonia Briant’s story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Des Marriott’s story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Tony Ruddell’s story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Alf Cianetti retires after 57 years. . . . . . . . . 22Nathan Bullock’s story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Up CloseJoe Golling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14HealthCopper: Winning the war ondrug-resistant superbugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Zinc in society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Xstrata drives rollout of new antidote . . . . . 26Be smart with your heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28SafetyImproving safety at EHM lab . . . . . . . . . . . 12The CO 2 RE Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18MICO Continuous Improvementideas continue to roll in. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Manual Task Risk Assessment made easy. . 19NoticesXstrata North QueenslandSponsored Apprenticeships 2013 . . . . . . . . 9Announcements, Calendar,For sale, In memoriam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29From the COOsAfter 15 months of negotiations, we werehappy to announce on 11 May 2012Xstrata Mount Isa Mines and VirginAustralia signed a Heads of Agreement,which will see the airline servicing the Mount Isa toBrisbane route from August.Since Xstrata acquired Mount Isa Mines in 2003,the issue of not having a competitive airline servicebetween Mount Isa and Brisbane has been a keyconcern raised by our employees and their families ina number of our surveys and studies as well as by ourbroader community through the local media.As a result of this issue being of significantimportance to all of you, we have been working hardsince February 2011 to sign the agreement betweenus and Virgin that will benefit not only our business butall the people of Mount Isa.While we are excited to bring a second airlineservice to Mount Isa, we will also continue to useQantas to service our business needs and are gratefulof the excellent service Qantas has, and will continueto provide, to the Mount Isa region.It is a sign of the growth of the mining industry inthe north-west region that there is demand to supportSteve de KruijffChief Operating OfficerXstrata CopperNorth Queenslandtwo major airlines in Mount Isa. It is also an exampleof how the whole community may benefit from thecontinued development of our operations.We look forward to welcoming Virgin to ourcommunity and thank Virgin Australia’s Manager NewBusiness, Ashley Rae, who attended our first XstrataCommunity Information Session for 2012 on 30 Mayand so generously offered a prize of return airfare toBrisbane for two people for one of our communitymembers at the information session.We encourage everyone to provide their support inorder to ensure we continue to service both airlines inMount Isa.Finally, we would also like to thank the MountIsa Chamber of Commerce and all of our Xstrataemployees for contributing to such a successful andentertaining 2012 Xstrata Mount Isa Mining Expo.Without all of our volunteers and dedicated work putin by all involved, we would not be able to hold suchgreat community events that promote the miningindustry. This year more than 7,500 communitymembers, including school groups, attended themining expo.Brian HearneChief Operating OfficerXstrata Zinc AustraliaOn the coverVirgin Australia crew membersJoanne and Lauren get a tasteof ‘the Isa’ at the 2012 XstrataMount Isa Mining Expo.Xstrata stock priceXstrata is listed on the Londonand Zurich stock exchanges.£9.57As at 30 May 2012. Xstratashare price on the LondonStock Exchange (XTA.L)Contact the editorInput from all Xstrata NorthQueensland operationsis invited. Any articles,innovations, achievements,ideas or suggestions arevery welcome. Pleasecontact Lara Lavers, XstrataCommunity Relations on email:llavers@xstrata.com.auor phone: (07) 4744 2955.The Xstrata ReportingLineThe Xstrata Reporting Line is anindependently run, confidentialfacility providing employeesand stakeholders with a meansfor reporting breaches ofXstrata’s Business Principles,policies or prevailing legislation.To access this line please visitwww.xstrataethics.com orfreecall: 1800 121 889

Xstrata Mount Isa Minesbrings Virgin Australia to IsaAt Xstrata we work hard to makea difference, which is whyover the past 16 months, wehave been working closely withVirgin Australia to secure a second airlineto service the Mount Isa to Brisbane route.And on the 11 May 2012, we signeda Heads of Agreement between XstrataMount Isa Mines and Virgin Australia whichwill see the airline fly between Mount Isaand Brisbane five days a week, Monday toFriday commencing in August.Steve de Kruijff, Chief Operating OfficerXstrata Copper North Queensland saysthe heads of agreement between thetwo companies comes after passengernumbers flying through Mount Isa Airportincreased by 10 per cent betweenMarch 2011 and March 2012 to almost22,000 people.“More competition in the skies is abenefit to the communities in the northwestregion,” Steve says.“This announcement is also greatnews for employees and their familiesin Mount Isa.“Research conducted with our peopleover the past few years found the costof airfares was one of the most criticalobstacles to their staying in Mount Isa.“Now our people will be better ableto plan for their holidays and events ontheir terms.”Justin Montgomery, General ManagerSales, Virgin Australia says the new serviceswould benefit Mount Isa and regionalcommunities greatly by providing choiceon the route.“Virgin Australia is proud to servicethe community of Mount Isa. These newservices will bring a range of benefitsincluding more competitive pricing,enhanced flight connections and ahigher quality overall travel experience,”Justin says.“The Mount Isa community will beable to connect with our growing networkfrom Brisbane that includes more than33 domestic cities and more than400 international destinations.”Steve thanks the other industry groupsand bodies in the Mount Isa region thathave joined us in voicing a need for asecond airline to service Mount Isa.“Organisations such as the MountIsa Chamber of Commerce, our localrepresentatives and the State Governmentshould also be recognised for their tirelessefforts in pursuing a second airline to cometo Mount Isa,” Steve says.Xstrata will continue to use Qantas andVirgin services to help ensure Mount Isahas two reliable and competitive airlines.For flight information between Mount Isato Brisbane on Virgin Australia visitwww.virginaustralia.commine to market1

Our very own BSafe Bee buzzed around our expo display, delighting kids andreinforcing the importance of staying safe at work, home and in the community.Students from St Joseph’s Catholic PrimarySchool, Cloncurry, rescue ‘Bob’ from MineRescue’s smoke tunnel.Cloncurry State School students make authenticconcentrate froth using the Copper Concentrator’smini Float Cell.Students from Barkly State School practicetruck driving using Mines Processing’sremote control loaders and haul trucks.After its resounding popularity in 2011, Xstrata’sGreen Screen photo booth was back, providingschool children and community members theopportunity to have their photograph taken andsuperimposed against a variety of backdropsshowcasing our north Queensland operations.Barkly Highway students ‘Try a Trade’ with ourSkills Centre apprentices and instructors.St Joseph’s students have fun learningabout our mining process.2 mine to market

2012 XstrataMount Isa Mining ExpoCommunityInspired by Xstrata’s award winning 2011 display, the 2012 Xstrata Mount IsaMining Expo committee vowed to make this year’s exhibit bigger and betterthan ever. With our 2012 display winning Best Outdoor Display and wowingschool children, industry professionals and community members throughoutthe three-day event, it was a promise they definitely fulfilled.This year many of our operation’sdepartments and project areasparticipated in the interactivedisplay, ensuring there was a hugerange of activities that catered for all ages.School children from Cloncurry, MountIsa and the Mount Isa School of the Airenjoyed the display with 10 primary andhigh schools coming along to learn moreabout our north Queensland operations.Mines Rescue boasted a new andimproved tunnel where participants wererequired to carry out a rescue mission in asimulated underground environment. Forthe first time, the Mines Rescue displayalso featured an Emergency Refuge Bay(ERB), increasing the authenticity of theunderground experience.This year the Environmental team,supported by Southern Gulf Catchments,blew spectators away with their replicaof the Copper Smelter and AcidPlant complete with dry ice ‘plume’,their massive fish tank with numerousamphibious creatures and their brand new,mobile sulphur dioxide monitor.Another favourite exhibit amongst theschool children was Safety and Health’s Iam Awesome Fit challenge which saw twolucky participants win brand new laptopsbased on their grip strength and push-upability. Our new Shape Up Online programalso featured at the display and Kineticnurses offered community members freemini health checks at our mobile healthmonitoring van. Switch on Safety wasanother safety theme highlighted at thisyear’s expo with a short, educationalfilm shown in our pop-up cinema and aninteractive game show which taught kidsthe importance of ‘switching on’ to staysafe. Queensland Health and Mount IsaPhysiotherapy were also on hand, makingour Safety and Health display one not tobe missed.Our Skills Centre apprentices andleaders were well represented, showcasinga fully interactive display and allowingvisitors to ‘try a trade’ to learn moreabout the skills acquired on the path tobecoming a qualified tradesperson.A number of our Geologists, MiningEngineers and Metallurgists were onhand to explain how our operations work,covering everything from exploration rightthrough to processing. Visitors were ableto hold rock specimens and fossils and hada go at moving ‘ore’ (pumice rock) usingmodel remote control loaders and haultrucks. Creating real mineral concentratefroth with the Copper Concentrator’s miniFloat Cell was also a hit with visitors ofall ages.A new feature at this year’s miningexpo was the Mount Isa Open Pitteam‘s colourful and informative booth.Factsheets were available and CommunityRelations and operational staff were onhand to answer questions aboutthe proposed project, currentlyin the pre-feasibility study stage.Representatives from ErnestHenry Mining (EHM) were alsopresent with employees fromour Cloncurry based operationsavailable for enquiries aboutEHM’s underground mining andmagnetite projects.This year, we were luckyenough to have three of ourcommunity partners join usat Expo. North West WildlifeCarers Group, Mount IsaFish Stocking Group and theStride Foundation all camearmed with exciting activitieswhich kept school children and adultsthoroughly entertained.Maryann Wipaki, SustainableDevelopment Manager, Xstrata Copper,praises the expo committee and volunteersfor their commitment in the lead up to andduring the three day event.“Employees from a range ofdepartments came together to ensurethis year’s expo was one to remember,”she says.“Without the hard work and dedicationof the expo committee and the numerousemployees who volunteered their time ourdisplay wouldn’t have been so interactive,fun or educational.“Thank you to everyone who helpedmake our display at year’s Mining Exposo dynamic.”Zinc and Copper Human Resources employeesman the Xstrata Careers booth armed with usefulmaterial for students and community membersinterested in pursuing a career in the miningindustry. The younger school students alsoenjoyed this display and had a great time playinga career matching game.mine to market3

Xstrata Zinccontinuesto thrive4 mine to market

Investing an additional$87 million into two ofits key operations inthe Mount Isa regionhas seen Xstrata Zinccontinue to rampup its activities inthe north west.In May, we announced Xstrata Zinc hadaccelerated production from the LadyLoretta underground mine and furtherextended the life of the Handlebar Hillopen cut operation.As a result of the continued increasein production at Xstrata Zinc’s operations,we have experienced a net increase inannual zinc production of 5 per cent (or25,000 tonnes).Construction of the Lady Loretta projectcommenced in July 2011 to developa greenfield underground zinc-leadsilvermine 140 km north-west of MountIsa, originally expected to commenceproduction by the end of 2013 at a rateof 1 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa).Work on the decline development, surfaceinfrastructure and services are progressingwell ahead of schedule.With further investment committed toaccelerate the development of the mine,we will increase the annual ore productionrate from 1.0 Mt to 1.2 Mt and bringforward the start of production by oneyear to late 2012. Work has commencedimmediately to secure key equipment andredesign the development infrastructure,mining plan and associated road upgradesto accommodate the increased annualore volume.The accelerated development of LadyLoretta has been supported by an increasein total resources from 12.6 million tonnesin June 2010 to 13.3 million tonnes inDecember 2011. This assessment increasesthe amount of zinc metal contained by12 per cent to 1,406 kt and lead metalcontained by 10 per cent to 448 kt over a12 year mine life.Brian Hearne, Chief Operating OfficerXstrata Zinc Australia says expansions ofboth mines would realise significant valuefrom our Australian zinc business, includingan estimated 30 new direct jobs.“We are accelerating the deliveryof ore from Lady Loretta to Mount Isaby developing the upper ore bodiesindependently to the deeper undergroundresources,” Brian says.“At the same time, we are investingin a further expansion of the HandlebarHill operation following improvementsin mining methods and metallurgicalperformance since the mine was designedin 2007.The improvements have allowed us tolook at mining previously marginal ore.”The $30 million Handlebar Hill OpenCut South project supports the third stageof expansion of this operation, 20 km northof Mount Isa, and extends the life of mineby a year to 2014.Developing a narrow cutback to thesouth of the pit and targeting deeperore from under the first two stagesof development adds approximately1 million tonnes of ore at 8.7 per cent zinc,2.7 per cent lead and 44 g/t silver to theexisting Handlebar Hill open pit reserves.mine to market5

Antonia Briant’sstoryPersonal Assistant to the GeneralManager of Processing, AntoniaBriant is Xstrata Zinc’s organisationaficionadowith an infectious laughthat warms the halls of the Mill Officeand a lightning-fast wit that keeps herworkmates on their toes.At 17, this born-and-bred MountIsan packed her bags and headed toQueensland’s south east corner for ataste of life in the big smoke of Brisbane.Little did she know, a few years downthe track after establishing a successfulcareer in Brisbane, a job opportunity inher hometown would prove to be thechallenge she had been waiting for.“After finishing Year 12, I headed toBrisbane where I began my career as anassistant in the Financial Services industry.“After a few years, I was ready to takethe next step in my career, and I guess youcould say I had a niggling feeling my heartwas pulling me back to “Isa”. So, in 2010 Itook on the position of Personal Assistantto the General Manager of Processing.Eighteen months later, each day continuesto present me with a new opportunity todo what I do best.“It might not seem like it from theoutside, but it takes a whole lot of thoughtand juggling to make sure my boss’s daysrun smoothly. But that’s what I love aboutmy work; maintaining my GM’s schedulewith military-like precision so he can get onwith his job. It’s a balancing act, but it feelsawesome to see your work playing a rolein ensuring our operations go off withouta hitch.“I also get to throw myself intoorganising some of Xstrata Zinc’s events,like office parties, conferences, as well asrecruiting volunteers for the LeukaemiaFoundation’s ‘World’s Greatest Shave’ –I’m always able to rope in a few helpersto bump up our fundraising total.“At the moment I’m working on theZinc Christmas party. It’s a big undertaking– securing a date that suits the entire Zinc“It’s a balancing act,but it feels awesometo see your workplaying a rolein ensuring ouroperations go offwithout a hitch.”operation, sourcing catering and findinga venue that can accommodate all of ourstaff is tricky. But all that hard work has ahuge payoff – an event where our peoplecan let their hair down and reflect on agreat year – and I get a kick out of my rolein that.”6 mine to market

Winning the war ondrug-resistant superbugsFrom the cables that feed electricityinto our homes to the tinyconnections in our mobile phonesand computers, copper’s uniqueconductive qualities ensure it plays a keyrole in powering 20th century life.Now, thanks to its phenomenalanti-bacterial capabilities, copperis coming out on top in the war ondrug-resistant superbugs.Marketed as Cu+, AntimicrobialCopper is the latest weapon in the fightagainst rising infection rates in medicalcare facilities around the world. Accordingto the International Copper Association,7 million people suffer or die from healthcareassociated infections globally everyyear, and 80 per cent of these infectionsare spread by touch. Cleaning agents likechlorine work, but don’t provide long termsolutions to the contamination issue. Whenused in high-frequency contact areas liketaps, light switches, soap dispensers, nursecall buttons, bed rails and intravenousdrip racks, copper stems the spreadof potentially deadly drug-resistantbacteria often present in hospitals, likeStaphylococcus aureus or “Golden Staph”.This development comes after a fiveyearJapanese study – presented at theFirst Annual World Congress of Microbesin 2011 – recorded major reductions inbacterial load on touch and non-touchsurfaces made from copper, as opposed toplastic or stainless steel.A further study conducted by theUnited States Department of Defenseacross three major American hospitalsfound that the introduction of copperfittings slashed the risk of potentiallydeadly super-bug infection by a whopping40 per cent. In a simple experimentconducted and presented by researchersat the University of Southampton in theUnited Kingdom, 10 million multi drugresistantStaphylococcus aureus (MRSA)bacteria were completely annihilated inless than 10 minutes after making contactwith a 1cm 2 copper plate. The samenumber of MRSA bacteria survived forweeks on the stainless steel control plate.The scientific theory is that coppershort-circuits the stable electricalmicro-current of the bacterium’s outermembrane. This creates holes throughwhich an unopposed stream of copperions can bombard the inner workingsof the cell, obstructing the criticalbiochemical reactions the bacteriumneeds to survive. It’s a fast, but deathlyeffective microscopic attack.And it’s not just the medical industryincluding copper in their proactive riskprevention policies. The Chilean transportsystem is replacing subway handrails withnew, copper coated fixtures; copper taps,door push-plates and meal preparationbenches were recently installed in aJapanese kindergarten, and just thisyear a Ronald McDonald House in theUnited States added copper fittings tohigh-touch areas in bathrooms, kitchensand dining areas.The grab for Antimicrobial Copper isexpected to add 500 thousand metrictonnes per year to global copper demand.The Australian branch of the InternationalCopper Association is working with keyindustry partners to market AntimicrobialCopper products to the healthcare andpublic transport sectors across the country.Add to that copper’s extensive usein green technologies – like solar cellsand electric cars – and it’s clear copper ismore than just an essential element forpowering our houses and technologicalgadgets. Copper has an enduring role inguaranteeing the health of modern society,and a vital part to play in the future of asustainable world.Did you know?Copper surfacesdestroy 99.9 per centof bacteria withinminutes of contact.No longer simply ahumble conductorof electricity, copperis stepping into thespotlight as a coldbloodedgerm-killer.mine to market7

PolicelinkWhat is Policelink?Policelink 131 444 is the number inQueensland to report non-urgent incidentsincluding:• wilful property damage• stealing offences• break and enters• stolen vehicles• lost property.Policelink 131 444 aligns with the nationalnumber for non-urgent police assistanceand is open 24/7.Policelink enhances the client servicewe can provide to you by giving policeofficers more time to perform operationalduties and improving front line policeresponse times.When should you call Policelink?Anytime you would like to report a nonurgentcrime or incident.If the crime is not happening now,is not life threatening or there is littlelikelihood of the suspected offendersbeing in the area, call Policelink 131 444for non-urgent assistance.You can also contact Policelink forgeneral enquiries.What happens when you call131 444?When you contact Policelink, ourspecifically trained Client Service Officersand Police Technical Advisors will receiveand process your non-urgent reports andanswer your general enquiries.Where appropriate, Policelink staff mayissue you with a crime report number forinsurance purposes.In many cases your report will befinalised on the first phone call.Why contact Policelink?Contacting Policelink 131 444 providesyou with an efficient way to reportnon-urgent incidents saving travellingtime and transport costs to your nearestpolice station.Your call to Policelink also providesthe Queensland Police Service withmore time to reinvest into proactivepolicing initiatives.For example, if you choose toreport your stolen wheelie bin or gardenhose via Policelink instead of having anofficer attending the scene, this willdirectly enhance community safetythrough time being reinvested intoother operational priorities.Benefits of PolicelinkWhen you phone Policelink you helpreduce the number of calls to existingpolice stations. Your choice of actionincreases the ability for frontline police toattend more urgent requests for assistance.Policelink will allow Queensland PoliceService resource hours to be re-investedinto other priorities and proactive functionsto greater benefit the community.Policelink will reduce call volumes toTriple Zero (000) at Police CommunicationCentres leaving emergency lines open forthose people who really need it.Policelink 131 444is the number inQueensland to reportnon-urgent incidents.Think Policelink, call 131 444 to report non-urgent police matters 24 hours a day. Save Triple Zero (000) for emergencies. Currently,95% of calls to Triple Zero (000) are non-genuine emergency calls. For more information please visit www.policelink.qld.gov.au8 mine to market

Zinc in societyNot many people realise thatzinc goes into many thingsthat we take for grantedeveryday including:• the bodies of the cars we drive,• roofs, gutters, down-pipes and fences on houses,• batteries for toys, calculators, watches as well as electricpowered vehicles,• fertilisers to help our gardens grow, and• vitamin supplements for better health.Through our day-to-day operations we support theproduction of a versatile material that is essential to human,animal and crop health and well-being and industry.As a member of the International Zinc Association, we aretaking part in activities to raise the awareness about the usesof zinc and zinc-containing products.Did you know?• About 50 per cent of the11 million tonnes of zincproduced annually is usedfor galvanising to protectsteel from corrosion.• Zinc can be recycled infinitelywithout loss of propertiesor quality.• Over 450,000 children die eachyear due to zinc deficiency.For further information on our zinc operations visitwww.mountisamines.com.auXstrata Mount Isa MinesSponsored Apprenticeships 2013Xstrata is offering apprenticeshipopportunities for 2013 in the followingtrade areas:• Electrical• Diesel Fitting• Radio Technician• Boilermaking• Fitter Turning• Auto ElectricalThe purpose of sponsored apprenticeshipsAt Xstrata Mount Isa Mines our focus is on transportable skills,employability and personal development of the individual.The purpose of Sponsored Apprenticeships is to provide anopportunity for high-performing existing employees to obtain atrade qualification.There are six Sponsored Apprenticeships offered in 2013.Numbers accepted in each trade will be dependent onbusiness needs.mine to market9

Celebrating our communitypartnership achievementsCommunityThis April, Ernest Henry Mining (EHM) hosteda dinner to celebrate the continued success of ourXstrata Community Program North Queensland.Around 60 guests, includingrepresentatives from ourpartner organisations gatheredat the Cloncurry Bowls Clubwhere we reflected on the significantachievements of our 2011–2012 partnersand introduced our new 2012–2013 XstrataCommunity Program North Queensland(XCPNQ) partnerships.Myles Johnston, General ManagerErnest Henry Mining presented a speechto highlight the achievements of ourcurrent partnerships and outline ourfuture targets.“Since our partnership program beganin 2005 we’ve contributed more than$4.8 million to the Cloncurry communitywith many achievements to date that we’reproud to be associated with,” Myles said.“Some of our special achievements in2011 include providing more than athousand books to primary school studentsat Cloncurry State School and St Joseph’sCatholic Primary School, and the additionof 144 new books for each school’s librarythrough the Books in Homes program.“Our partnership with Cloncurry JusticeAssociation supported the Cloncurry NightPatrol project which assisted close to3,000 at risk people in 2011. This projecthelps reduce the number of young peoplepassing through the Criminal JusticeSystem,” Myles said.Two significant milestones fromprevious partnerships with Cloncurry Shire“Since our partnershipprogram began in 2005we’ve contributed morethan $4.8 million to theCloncurry community ...”Council were also highlighted includingthe installation of new shade structuresat Cloncurry Skate Park, the opening ofRobertson Park and our beautificationproject on Cloncurry’s main strip.We are proud to introduce our new2012–2013 partnership with CloncurryShire Council for the CloncurryCycleways Project. The project involvesthe construction and refurbishment ofpathways in Cloncurry and is expectedto be completed in 2013.We look forward to working with ourpartner organisations in 2012 to improvelocal services and facilities and providesupport to capacity building initiativesin Cloncurry.Pictured above:Left: Representatives from our local Cloncurryschools accept a sign to promote our partnershipunder the Xstrata Community Program NorthQueensland from Myles Johnston, GeneralManager, Ernest Henry Mining.Right: Representatives from Cloncurry State Schoolenjoyed the celebration of our Xstrata CommunityProgram North Queensland.10 mine to market

CommunityHelicopterreceives officialchristeningTop: Local community members were excited to see the designs on the newCloncurry Community Bus which features local places, people and events.Above: Community members walk through what will be the Art Gallery duringa tour of the Cloncurry Community Precinct’s construction progress.Cloncurry’s two newcommunity projectsOn 30 March, 160 Cloncurry residents attended an eventcelebrating two Cloncurry Shire Council projects, bothsupported by Ernest Henry Mining (EHM).A new community bus was unveiled and a public viewingof construction progress for the Cloncurry Community Precinct tookplace at the event, which included a free barbeque.Community members were excited to see the new CloncurryCommunity Bus for the first time, which will provide local communitygroups with access to transport at a reasonable cost. The 22-seaterbus was purchased with money donated by six locally-basedmining companies including EHM, in addition to Cloncurry ShireCouncil funding.Following the bus launch, a guided tour of construction progressfor the Community Precinct took place where the community couldwalk through each room to get a feel for space.The Cloncurry Community Precinct project involves theredevelopment of the library and supper rooms previously locatednext to the historic Shire Hall in the main CBD of Cloncurry. It willalso incorporate a new, modern library, meeting and function rooms,kitchen, amenities and community open space for events as well as anart gallery.Construction is scheduled for completion in June this year withan opening expected to take place in July. Xstrata has contributed atotal of $2.75 million towards the Precinct, making it our biggest socialinfrastructure project in Cloncurry to date and we can’t wait for thecompleted facility to be unveiled to the public.on April 14, the Mount Isa communityturned out in droves for the RACQNorth Queensland Rescue HelicopterOpen Day at the Overlander Hotelwhere the state-of-the-art ‘flying hospital’ wasofficially christened.Visitors enjoyed the community stalls and weregiven the rare opportunity to sit in the choppercockpit. Xstrata’s Community Relations team wason site to provide the public with information on ourCommunity Program and to give away hundreds offree gift bags to some very excited local children.The RACQ North Queensland Rescue Helicopterbrings an invaluable service to people in need living inremote north Queensland. Additionally the helicopterwill provide our north Queensland operations withvital emergency retrieval capabilities, particularlyimportant for our more remote operations at ErnestHenry Mining and Lady Loretta Mine.Early this year, we proudly announced a threeyear,$300,000 partnership with the RACQ NorthQueensland Helicopter Service. Our partnershipwill help to ensure this special service stays flying,providing value to the Mount Isa and the north westinto the future.Father Mick Lowcock christens the RACQ NorthQueensland Rescue Helicopter.mine to market11

SafetyImproving safetyat EHM labThe new automatic furnace atErnest Henry Mining’s Laboratory hasquite literally taken the heat off ourLaboratory Technicians.Kellie Walduck – Laboratory Technician, watches on as thenew automatic furnace breaks down magnetite concentratesamples for analysis at Ernest Henry Mining.Affectionately dubbed ‘Felicia’,the automatic furnace is usedto break down magnetiteconcentrate samples at a hightemperature so technicians can determinethe trace metal content.Before using the new automaticfurnace, Laboratory Technicians wererequired to use tongs to manually placemagnetite concentrate samples in and outof a muffle furnace set at 1,030 degreesCelsius, all while wearing heat proofjackets and gloves. This process exposedLaboratory Technicians to extreme heat,acid hazards and created manualhandling issues.Cameron Edinger-Reeve, LaboratorySupervisor, Ernest Henry Mining, saysthe automatic furnace has dramaticallyimproved safety and made the process ofanalysing magnetite concentrate simpleand fast.“The machine automatically opensand closes the oven door behind a safetyshield so that Laboratory Techniciansaren’t exposed to heat. The samples arecooked and mixed, then poured in moltenform into the waiting solution to cool. ”Cameron says.“Use of the automatic furnaceprovides a testing environment thatis easy to reproduce, results in higherthroughput and saves time forLaboratory Technicians.”Enhancements to Altiris TransactIT & Business Systems will be upgradingto a new Altiris help desk system in thethird quarter of 2012.To complement this upgrade, IT &Business systems have also deployed newAltiris Transact forms.The new Transact forms will includea variety of improvements suggestedby Xstrata personnel to increase theefficiency of the teams that processrequests and strengthen compliancewith Xstrata policies.Key features of the new Transact formsand associated processes include:• Requests are not able to be submittedunless all prerequisite informationis provided, including a copy of thecompleted Acceptable User Agreement• No processing of a request by theservice desk until the request isapproved online by the managerspecified by Ellipse.It is the requestor’s responsibility to ensurethat the request is approved.The new Transact forms and associatedprocesses will also include advising therequestor of all necessary requirementsincluding approvals before the requestcan be submitted to the service deskfor processing.• Not allow a request to be submittedfor approval unless all data entered inthe Transact form has been validatedwithout errors• Automatically determine theappropriate approving manager basedon the rules described in the DAM andinformation stored in Ellipse• Provide a SharePoint page to allowrequestors to view all requests that havebeen previously submitted for approval• Automatically notify the approvingmanager by email when a requestrequires approval• Provide a SharePoint page forapproving managers to view andapprove or reject requests• Provide a reminder email every threedays to requestors and approvingmanagers of any requests waitingfor approval• Provide advice to requestors on how todeal with some of the common issuesthat cause delays such as an approvingmanager going on leave withoutsubmitting an Employee Action Form• Automatically submit a request tothe service desk after approval by theapproving manager• Provide details of the expected numberof days to process a request afterbeing to the service desk• Remind the requestor and approvingmanager that any approved requestssubmitted without the necessaryrequirements will be rejected bythe service desk, if this happens therequestor should contact the XQLService Delivery on 07 4744 3932 forassistance in resolving any issues, theRequestor has 3 working days beforethe form will be closed.Users will find many helpfuldocuments like FAQ’s and‘What form should I use’?The Altiris Form user guide in the AltirisSelf Help section by going to the followinglink to the ICT Support page, http://mountisa.copper.xstratanet/isafinance/itbsd/itbssupport/default.aspx12 mine to market

Des Marriott’sstoryWhen Ernest Henry Mining’s(EHM’s) open pit mine wascompleted in December2011, around 80 of ouremployees transitioned into new roleswithin our operations. Among those isDes Marriott, one of our newest ProductionDrillers in our underground mine. For Des,setting off on a career adventure has neverbeen more interesting.“I began working in the mining industry13 years ago as a Drilling Contractortravelling around Australia to variousexploration sites. This is when I first setfoot on the EHM lease. I started workingpermanently in the EHM pit ten years ago.During that time I worked as a Blast HoleDriller, Drill and Blast Coordinator andActing Drill and Blast Supervisor.“As the end of our open pit mine lifeapproached I submitted an expression ofinterest to transition into a similar role inour underground mine. I had experiencedunderground mining before, and I waskeen to get a permanent feel for theunderground world. I saw the transition toan underground Production Drilling role asa valuable opportunity for me to use myskills in an exciting and new environment.“I’ve been in my new, underground rolenow for over five months and I’m gettinga feel for the place. Right now, as wellas training to operate the long hole rigs,I’m working on the development of themine’s ventilation system and training as aProduction Shot Firer. I’m proud to work inan area that plays such a huge part in theongoing development of our new mine,which is so important to the sustainabilityof EHM’s operations.“It’s unreal being able to work alongsideexperienced underground miners and soakup their on-the-job know-how. Initially itcan take time to get your bearings downthere – it’s like a labyrinth, but that’s whatmakes working underground so exciting.There aren’t many people in the world whocan say they work in a maze of tunnels,hundreds of metres beneath the surfaceof the earth. Five months since I started,underground feels like home to me andI’m enjoying every minute of it.”“I began working inthe mining industry13 years ago as aDrilling Contractortravelling aroundAustralia to variousexploration sites.This is when Ifirst set foot onthe EHM lease. Istarted workingpermanently inthe EHM pit tenyears ago. “mine to market13

Joe GollingGeneral Manager George Fisher MineWhere did you grow up?AIn the “Ruhr Valley” area ofWestern Germany. During myyounger years, this was a bigEuropean coal mining and steel makingcentre – my home town had five mines,three steel mills and eight breweries. Overthe years, due to economic circumstancesthese have disappeared and the areahas had a hard time making the changeto other industries. My home town ofDortmund may be better known to soccerfans, because BVB 09 Dortmund hasbeaten Bayern Munich five times in a rowover the last two years and is GermanChampion, again!Have you always had an interest in themining industry?Having grown up among all those coalmines, it always attracted my interest. Assoon as I left high school, I did my firstpractice run underground – and neverlooked back. I have been involved inunderground mining ever since. However, Ifound my true calling five years later, whenI made the switch from coal to base metalmining – much more interesting!What attracted you to work at Xstrata?This is my first job with Xstrata, but I hadfollowed the public float and progressof the company for years. The verticalintegration of the business and its focuson continuously improving its operationsimpressed me. Xstrata’s flat hierarchyenables all levels of management tobe directly involved in decision makingand taking on responsibility, which I findvery motivating.Prior to becoming General Manager atGeorge Fisher Mine, what did you do?I went through the ranks of miningoperations from Miner to UndergroundManager in Germany, North Africa andAsia. In 1987 I transferred to Australia tohead up a new gold mining operationnorth of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, untilthe mid nineties. Later, I was ManagingDirector of a major contracting companyfor many years before I took the job ofMine Manager to develop and run theNifty Copper Mine in the Great SandyDesert, Western Australia.14 mine to market“Being GeneralManager of a bigmine like GeorgeFisher, producing3.5 million tonnesper year withabout 1,000Xstrata employeesand contractorsis a verychallenging job. “How long have you beenworking at Xstrata?In June this year I will have workedat Xstrata for two years.What does your current role involve?Being General Manager of a big minelike George Fisher, producing 3.5 milliontonnes per year with about 1,000 Xstrataemployees and contractors is a verychallenging job. There are so many aspectsto the operation, including technical andpersonnel issues, so you need a verydedicated and skilled team supportingyou to be successful in your role. Gettingaround to meet people and staying on topof things is keeping me very busy – therenever seem to be enough hours in a day!What is the most rewarding part ofbeing General Manager of GeorgeFisher Mine?Dealing with people, solving thegeotechnical and mining problems of thisover 30 years old mine and setting GeorgeFisher Mine up as a world-class operation.Given the excellent mining reservesavailable, I’m proud to be part of the teamthat’s ensuring a great future for the minefor at least another 20 years to come.Your title is Dr Joe Golling – what is thebasis of your doctorate?Besides a Master degree in MiningEngineering, I hold a PhD in MineralEconomics, which relates to the evaluation,financing and corporate structuring ofmining projects.Are you a member of, or associatedwith, any industry organisation?I am a member of the AusIMM – AustralianInstitute of Mining and Metallurgy.What is the best thing about living inMount Isa?Being home every night with my lovelywife (not often on time, however) andenjoying the (mostly) pleasant weather ofnorth Queensland from our back veranda.Going bush and enjoying the peace andtranquillity of nature is what we like to domost in our free time – the area aroundMount Isa is so versatile and interesting,there is always another place to explore.The good weather also allows us toget out and about in our little Cabriolet,driving top-down and letting the windblow the worries from our minds.In each edition ofMine to Market,we will bring you anup close and personalchat with one of theGeneral Manager’sfrom our business.

Paving the way forMount MargaretRaisingour profilelocally andabroadIn March 2012 members of ourSenior Management Team gavetwo key presentations to a broadsector of mining investors acrossAustralia and the Asia Pacific.On 27 March Steve de Kruijff,Chief Operating Officer XstrataCopper North Queensland,presented at one of Asia’smost influential mining industryinvestment conferences to over1,700 senior level executives atthe Asia Pacific Mining Congressin Singapore.Steve focused on how we’rechanging our operations to securethe business’s future in northQueensland, including excitingprojects such as the Mount IsaOpen Pit pre-feasibility studyand transformation of ErnestHenry Mining to an undergroundmining operation.At around the same time, over6,000 kilometres away, MylesJohnston, General ManagerErnest Henry Mining, presentedat this year’s Australian CopperConference, held in Brisbane on the27 and 28 March.Myles shared the story of theoperation’s journey since productioncommenced in March 1998, rightthrough to its recent transformationfrom an open cut mine to anunderground mining operation.The Australian CopperConference brings togetherAustralia’s leading players in thecopper mining sector, highlightingone of the oldest metals usedby man, with arguably thegreatest utility in terms of socialdevelopment.Full-scale works have commencedto construct the haul road thatwill connect the Mount MargaretMining (MMM) project’s E1 coppertenement to Ernest Henry Mining (EHM).Constructed over the next threemonths, the haul road will allow us totruck ore mined at E1 eight kilometreseast to EHM for processing in our existingconcentrator facility.John Twomey, Project Director, says thecommencement of haul road constructionis an important milestone that bringsMMM one step closer to production, whichis scheduled to begin in the second halfof 2012.“We have already completed about2.5 kilometres of road developmenton our existing mining lease. With therequired environmental approvals finalised,we’re now constructing the remaining5.5 kilometres,” John says.“Preparations are also underway for theinstallation of office buildings, workshops,amenities and other facilities at E1 over thecoming months.”“Our project team has workedtirelessly throughout the initialplanning and approval stagesand can feel proud that themore major and visible outputsare coming to fruition as aresult of their efforts.”“We expect to commence pre-stripworks for the E1 North open pit minein the next few months and are lookingforward to commencing production soonafter that.”A haul truck tips waste material to be used as sub-base for the neweast-west haul road being constructed between Ernest Henry Miningand the E1 tenement. You can see Mount Margaret in the distance.mine to market15

Graduate Environmental Advisor Ryan Francisand EHM Environmental Advisor Alinta Orrinspect rehabilitation works on our southernwaste rock dump earlier this year.Rehabilitationshowing goodgrowth ratesErnest Henry Mining’senvironmentalteam is proud of thehealthy progress ofthe most recentlycompleted stage ofour ongoing landrehabilitation program.Between November 2011 andJanuary 2012, Ernest Henry Mining(EHM) successfully completedrevegetation works across our vast2011 target area. Last year, 50 hectares ofland within the footprint of the EHM leasewas planted with local grass species.The area encompassed the southern wasterock dump, with sections of our northernwaste rock dump and a black soil stockpilealso completed.Six months on, Ryan Francis, GraduateEnvironmental Advisor, Ernest HenryMining, is pleased with the renewed healthof the rehabilitated areas.“We planted bull, curly and barleymitchell grasses, red flinders grass, aswell as native cooch and golden beardgrass in line with the requirements of ourEnvironmental Authority,” Ryan says.“All of the species are native to ourlocal area and the rehabilitation is comingalong well, with the grasses reaching up toa metre in height.”Consultants from the University ofQueensland’s Centre for Mined LandRehabilitation (CMLR) visit our site annuallyto conduct our Rehabilitation MonitoringProgram. Their next visit is scheduled forJune this year.“The CMLR consultants use sitesundisturbed by mining as a reference pointto study the progress and health of ourrehabilitated areas,” Ryan says.“Our last report showed the vegetationplanted over the past eight years is wellestablished with soil quality supportinglong-term growth.”To date, EHM has completed morethan 240 hectares of rehabilitation works,demonstrating our commitment tosustainable mining and maintaining theenvironmental health of the region intothe future.Change toenvironmentallyfriendly degreasersFollowing the successful trial ofBowers’ Citrus Extreme and BlackMagic degreasers at the George Fisherworkshops in late 2011, we have madethese available across our Mount Isamining operations.These new degreasers providesignificant benefits, including improvementsin the demulsification of our oil/waterseparators, superior environmentalperformance and lower pH levels.Citrus Extreme and Black Magic areheavy duty, biodegradable, quick-breakdegreasers for removal of grease, oils andother industrial soiling from machineryparts, engines and workshop floors.16 mine to market

Sink underwayfor new hoisting shaftThe anticipation was palpable at Ernest Henry Mining on10 May as sinking works commenced for our new ore hoistingshaft. The shaft will allow an increase in underground miningproduction at three times the current rate.Ernest Henry Mining (EHM)transitioned from open pit mining tounderground mining in December2011. Following the successful shaftpre-sink last year, this final stage of sinkingworks marks a significant milestone in our$589 million project which will extend thelife of our operations to at least 2024.Myles Johnston, General ManagerErnest Henry Mining, says the sevenmetre wide shaft will be sunk to adepth of around 1,000 metres overthe next 12 months, with fit-out andcommissioning works to follow.“We are currently trucking ore fromour underground mine via a decline at arate of about two million tonnes per year,increasing to three million tonnes per yearby the end of 2012,” Myles says.“At this point in our operation, wewill be producing around 25,000 tonnesof copper and 35,000 ounces of gold inconcentrate per year.“Following the commissioning ofthe shaft in 2013, production will rampup to six million tonnes of ore per year,producing 50,000 tonnes of copper and70,000 ounces of gold in concentrate,”he says.“I would like to congratulate the teamfor their tireless work to date to advancethe project to this stage and encourage allinvolved to maintain your focus so we cancomplete the shaft sink safely and to plan,”he says.Over the last year we have installed andcommissioned key pieces of infrastructure,including six winders and a 28 metre tallsky-shaft. This equipment will allow sinkingto progress at rates of up to three metresper day.Steve de Kruijff, Chief Operating OfficerXstrata Copper North Queensland saysour shaft underground project is playingan important role in sustaining our northQueensland operations which providesignificant economic benefits for theregion and the state of Queensland.“Our $589 million investment in thisproject extends the life of our ErnestHenry operations by at least 12 years,creating 330 jobs during the constructionphase and 400 full-time jobs from 2013,providing ongoing economic security forCloncurry,” Steve says.Pictured aboveLeft: Contractors work to install a winder inpreparation for shaft sinking.Right: Over the past year key pieces ofinfrastructure, including a 28 metre tallsky-shaft and six winders, have been installedand commissioned alongside the completedopen pit mine at Ernest Henry Mining inpreparation for shaft sinking.mine to market17

SafetyMICO ContinuousImprovementideas roll inBruce Shevelling, MaintenanceCoordinator, Mobile FleetMaintenance has successfullydesigned a ContinuousImprovement (CI) initiative, improvingboth operational and financialperformance within his department.Bruce says the initiative, titled ‘InstallFilter to Hydraulic Oil Fill Line’, hasreduced the need to replace hydraulicoil filler pumps on undergroundequipment such as Toro Loaders andTamrock and Atlas drill rigs.“I identified that a number of Unitswere experiencing down time due tohydraulic oil filler pump failures as aresult of contamination of oil duringtop ups,” Bruce says.“By installing filters at a cost of$350, the number of pump failures hasreduced significantly.“After installation, a filter onlyneeds to be changed once a yearwhich costs $150 as opposed toreplacing an entire pump system at acost of $1,500,” he says.Bill Dearling, Reliability Engineer,recognises the positive effect Bruce’sCI idea has had on operations.“Since the installation of thesefilters there has been a noticeabledecrease in the number of pumpsrequiring replacement,” Bill says.Continuous ImprovementSuperintendent Bill Cook says Bruce’sidea is evidence that even simpleinitiatives can make a significantdifference in how we do our jobsor how we improve our job safety,processes and efficiencies.“In Continuous Improvement weare constantly looking for ideas toassist in life of mine sustainability,”Bill says.“We know there are many moreof these ideas out there and we aretrying to ensure we can capture themthrough the CI process.“Anyone who has an idea shouldask their Supervisor or contact aContinuous Improvement Advisorfor assistance in ensuring their ideais placed in their department’s CIregister,” he says.As recognition of his idea’simplementation Bruce receiveda $250 gift voucher.Bruce Shevelling’s Install Filter to Hydraulic Oil Fill Line Continuous Improvement initiative“Since the installation of these filtersthere has been a noticeable decreasein the number of pumps requiringreplacement,” Bill says.18 mine to marketThe CO 2 REProjectIn April this year, 46 Xstrata Copper employeesvolunteered to take part in a groundbreakingstudy that looks to shake-up theway Respiratory Protective Devices (RPDs) aredesigned, tested and used.Conducted by the University of Wollongong,the aim of the CO 2 RE study was to betterunderstand the level of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) rebreathingthat occurs naturally in respirators undera range of work conditions.CO 2 re-breathing occurs when expired airremains in the breathing space of the respiratorafter each breath. Inhalation of CO 2 causeschanges in the concentration of CO 2 in theblood which can affect an individual’s respiratoryprocesses, even in small amounts.There is evidence that increased exposure toCO 2 can cause RPD wearer discomfort, which isone of the primary reasons why people removerespirators during work. Removal increases theworker’s risk of exposure to potentially dangerousair-born particles, which is why finding a solution towearer discomfort is important to us at Xstrata.Until now, no comprehensive scientific studyhas focused specifically on the effects of speakingtasks on CO 2 in respirators. In addition to this,many studies on CO 2 re-breathing are limited bysample sizes of less than ten participants.Participation in the CO 2 RE study was open toXstrata Copper employees who were familiar withthe regular use of RPDs. The 46 volunteers tookpart in a graded exercise test on an stationary bikethat increased in resistance every five minutes. Atthe third minute of each stage participants reada passage of text out loud. Measures of expiredand inspired CO 2 , heart rate, breathing frequency,peak inspiratory air flow and dyspnoea, orbreathing discomfort, were monitored.Carmen Smith, Exercise Physiologist andPrincipal Investigator says data analysis for the 40Xstrata participants that completed all the testsequences is currently underway.“The preliminary results show that speech andparadoxically low exercise workloads compoundCO 2 accumulation in respirators,” Carmen says.The project was coordinated by Kristie Davies,Graduate Occupational Hygienist, Xstrata MountIsa Mines. Kristie would like to thank the volunteersand management team of the Copper Smelter fortheir involvement in the study.“This was a real opportunity for our people tohave an influence on the design and use of RPDs.The findings of this study will have significantramifications for RPD protocols into the future,so thank-you to those who took the time to getinvolved,” Kristie says.

SafetyJoel Edson – Xstrata North QueenslandOccupational Therapist, conducting aManual Task Risk Assessment of ShayneDunbar – Anode Production Supervisor.Manual Task RiskAssessment made easyXstrata’s Sustainable Development Department has developed aninnovative manual task assessment tool to help workers identify highrisk manual tasks in the workplace and implement appropriatecontrols to reduce these risks.Manual tasks are our numberone cause of work-relatedinjury. In an effort to reducethe risk of injury associatedwith performing manual tasks, we havedeveloped a tool called the Manual TaskRisk Assessment (MTRA), which calculatesimmediately the injury risk based on thephysical requirements and exposure to amanual task.Three types of MTRA tools are availablefor workers to use• An electronic version located onXstrata Copper’s Safety and HealthDepartment Intranet page, the XstrataZinc homepage and Ernest HenryMining’s homepage• Wall mounted MTRA tools locatedin crib rooms, training areasand workshops• Desk-sized MTRA toolsTo use the MTRA the operator simplyidentifies the weight being handled or thespeed of movement, postural requirementsand repetition for performing a task. Theoperator moves the appropriate dials onthe assessment tool, and then the MTRAindicates a risk level associated withperforming that task. The operator canthen consider control options to decreasethe risk for this task based on the riskfactors identified.Joel Edson, Occupational Therapist,Xstrata North Queensland, says the MTRAhas received positive feedback from theworkers who trialled the tool during 2011.“Following months of development andtrials we have now refined the tool and itsdesign based on the feedback received,”Joel says.Our General Managers, Managersand Superintendents have endorsed theassessment tool further demonstratingour organisational commitment to themanagement of Manual Task Risk.“Support received from all levels ofthe organisation demonstrates a clearacknowledgement of Manual Task Risk anda commitment to supporting initiativesaimed at risk mitigation and control. It hasbeen broadly acknowledged that this toolhas addressed a previously unmet needin a simple, innovative and effective way,”Joel says.Specific areas of Xstrata’s NorthQueensland Copper and Zinc Operationshave been involved in the initial roll out ofthe mechanical versions which commencedin May 2012, with further development tooccur based on evaluation and feedbackreceived over the coming months.For more information on the ManualTask Risk Assessment tool contact yourSafety Advisor or Xstrata’s OccupationalTherapist Joel Edson.mine to market19

CommunityBravehearts Mow-a-thongets a $5,000 kick startChief Operating Officer Steve de Kruijffdonates to Bravehearts IncOn April 16 Claude Harvey,Bravehearts Inc. representativeand committed fundraiser,commenced a 77 day, 2,260kilometre Mow-a-thon which took him fromoutback Mount Isa to the beaches of theGold Coast.For the past nine years, 66-year-oldClaude has devoted his time to theBravehearts cause, raising over $350,000for Australia’s leading child protectionadvocacy charity.We were pleased to kick off Claude’sfundraising efforts with a $5,000 cheque,presented by Steve de Kruijff, ChiefOperating Officer Xstrata CopperNorth Queensland, on day one of hisepic journey.“Pushing a lawn mower from Mount Isato the Gold Coast is an amazing feat andwe were more than happy to be able toassist in Claude’s fundraising journey with a$5,000 donation,” Steve says.“Our donation will be used in aidingchild abuse prevention, education andcounselling programs.“This is Claude’s ninth year raisingmoney for Bravehearts and we weredelighted he decided to start his biggestcampaign to date in Mount Isa,” he says.Bravehearts currently providescounselling services to hundreds ofchildren and families across Australiaat a cost of nearly half a million dollarsper year.“Pushing a lawn mowerfrom Mount Isa to theGold Coast is an amazing featand we were more thanhappy to be able to assist inClaude’s fund raising journey.”Workplace GivingXstrata’s Workplace Giving Program isa simple way for employees to makeregular donations to selected localcommunity organisations and charitiesvia automated deduction from yourfortnightly or monthly pay.Last year, our employees donated over $49,000 to the11 community groups participating in workplace giving.While this is a fantastic result, we think we could bedoing more.Over the next few months we will be revitalising ourWorkplace Giving program, and you will see features on eachpartner appearing regularly in Mine to Market, together with aform you can complete and send back to us if you would like tostart supporting these local groups.This edition we have featured the North QueenslandHelicopter Rescue Service. Learn more about this group and thevital service they provide to north-west Queensland through ourarticle featured on page 11.If you would like to find out more about how to donatethrough our Workplace Giving Program, contact your HR Advisorand keep an eye on future editions of Mine to Market for furthernews on our program partners.20 mine to market

Tony Ruddell’s storyTony Ruddell, Project Manager for Xstrata Technologyin Townsville knows what it’s like to be confronted bya sudden and unexpected change to ‘the plan’.In 1994, then Maintenance–Boilermaker,Townsville Copper Refinery, Tony wasriding his motorbike home from workwhen a drunk driver, attempting toovertake another vehicle, collided head-oninto him. Suffering a compound fractureto his femur, shattering his fibula and tibiaand fracturing his ankle and heal, Tony hadto have his legs pieced back together by ateam of surgeons before embarking on anexcruciating six-week recovery. But, in life’sever-unpredictable fashion, that terrifyingordeal would prove to be a pivotalmoment that would steer Tony’s careerdown a very different path.“During my six week recovery period– totally over watching daytime televisionand getting more and more frustrated withmy incapacitation – I called the refineryhoping they’d let me come back to work.I would have done anything if it meant I’dbe out of the house.“With a ‘we will see what we can do’from my boss, light duties in the DrawingOffice were organised and, as theysay, the rest is history. I had started mycareer at the refinery as an apprenticeboilermaker, and now I was kissing mytrade goodbye. Armed with little morethan my determination and on-the-jobknow-how, I went back to TAFE and thenJames Cook University to receive mydrafting qualifications.“Almost ten years later, I’m back in onepiece and busy confronting the challengesassociated with the expansion of XstrataTechnology’s ISA Process, which has anincreasingly global focus. This means Ispend a lot of time travelling the world tocommission new plants. While it is difficultbeing away from my family – especiallymy kids – I get to see parts of the planetmany people would never even dream ofvisiting. I love immersing myself in newcultures and interacting with people whosee the world differently.“Everyone can start aproject; not everyone cancomplete it – that’s thechallenge. Who wouldhave thought I had it inme to become a draftsman?I am so grateful to mycolleagues for their supportduring my recovery andcareer transition – MikeMurphy, who drove meto and from work, thedraftsmen who let me invade their domain,Gordon Ellacott, my on the job mentorand Brian Young, my old maintenancedepartment foreman, who let me go so Icould take on this challenge. That’s the bestthing about Xstrata – the people.”“Everyone can start aproject; not everyonecan complete it –that’s the challenge.I am so grateful forthe support I havereceived from mycolleagues. That’sthe best thing aboutXstrata – the people.”mine to market21

Mount Isa Mines treasureAlf Cianetti retires after 57 yearsAlf Cianetti with his beloved wife, Carla.In 1953 Alf and his family boarded apassenger ship from Livorno, an iconic,16th century harbour city on the westcoast of Tuscany, Italy. Bound for atiny, north west Queensland mining townhundreds of kilometres from any ocean, thishard working immigrant from the shores ofthe Tyrrhenian Sea would soon become oneof Mount Isa’s most treasured characters.This year, Alf will retire after 57 yearsof service to Xstrata Mount Isa Mines. Here,we pay tribute to one of the charactersthat make up the fabric of our history,Alf Cianetti.Alf Cianetti has the proud stance of ageneration of immigrants who helped pullAustralia from its post-war depression. At76, and still as spritely as ever, Alf’s careerwith Mount Isa Mines began in 1956, where,with limited English and still adjusting to lifein the Australian outback, he commencedwork at the mine. After 36 years at theMobile Fleet Workshop, Alf joined themaintenance team at the copper smelter in1998, where he works to this day.Built on the site of the original workshopdepot, Alf nods in the direction of thecopper smelter and jokes how little he’stravelled since 1953.With a love of the outdoors, Alf spendsmuch of his downtime fishing. But ask himabout the best thing he’s ever caught, andbe met with a wry, charismatic smile. Hiswife Carla – who he met on a return tripto Europe in 1961 and married a mereeight weeks later – is the catch of his life,he says.“When you know what you want,well that’s it, you know?” Alf says.Married on 25 January, 1962, Carlaand Alf welcomed their son Emilio intothe world a year later. A civil engineerand department director with the MountIsa City Council, Emilio is continuing hisfather’s legacy in the town Alf admits“has a hold on him”.In a career spanning almost60 years, Alf has witnessed Mount Isa’stransformation from little more than anetwork of miner’s camps to a thrivingand diverse community. He can tell youof times past when men would brawl inthe dust behind the Mount Isa Hotel, thenshake hands and head inside for a laughand drinks shouted by then Mount IsaMines Chairman Sir George Fisher. Heremembers the union strikes of the ‘60sthat brought the mine and the state ofQueensland to its knees, and recalls thedays when depressed metal prices forceda diaspora of redundant mine workers andsaw the town’s population plummet to lessthan 17,000. Alf has experienced MountIsa’s cultural and economic evolution; astory not only of struggle and adversity butof spirit, camaraderie and success againstthe odds.Paul Telford, General Manager CopperSmelter, Xstrata Mount Isa Mines, says Alf’scareer longevity is an inspiration.“Throughout his long career with us,Alf has made a marked contribution to ouroperations,” Paul says.“He played a key role in improving thecopper smelter equipment lubricationstrategy, resulting in improved reliabilitywith rotating equipment he maintains.“Alf’s dedication to his role isinspirational to all of us here at the CopperSmelter. He will be sorely missed by allwho had the pleasure of working alongsidehim, but we wish him and Carla all the bestfor a well-earned retirement.”Congratulations Alf, ona remarkable career.22 mine to market

Skilling our bright sparksAt Xstrata, our business is constantly evolving as we embrace thelatest in ultra-modern technology. Riding this evolutionary waveare some of our best and brightest electricians, honing their skillsthrough a new industry-leading instrumentation training course.Designed specifically to confrontthe operational challenges ofthe mining sector, the coursewill see 30 of our talented localtradespeople master the art and science ofmanaging the suite of process, automationand control equipment that helps keep ouroperations productive and safe.Developed by RMIT Universityand SAGE Didactic, the programprovides bright-spark electricians withan in-depth theoretical and practicaleducation resulting in a nationallyrecognised Certificate IV in Electrical –Instrumentation, with subject content,breadth and depth expanded and tailoredspecifically to suit the needs of ourbusiness and the mining industry.Electricians who up-skill with aninstrumentation qualification repair,maintain and calibrate the precisionfield instruments (like automated valves,sensors, transmitters and analysers)within our mining and processing plants.These sensitive pieces of equipmentplay a vital role maintaining the optimumtemperatures, flows, pressures, levelsand weighing in our processing areas,and can detect changes in theseenvironments long before they wouldbe otherwise noticeable.Kerry Brisbane, Xstrata SkillsCentre Electrical Team Leader wasa driving force in championingthe introduction of the program,and says Xstrata’s involvement inthe course was born of necessity;to meet our need for qualifiedtradespeople to take care of ourkey operational instruments, andto address the lack of suitable,locally available training.“Process controlinstrumentation requires highlyskilled,specialised tradespeople,”Kerry says.“There wasn’t a trainingprogram available in Mount Isathat fulfilled the operationalneeds of our business, so insteadof flying our electricians toBrisbane for training blocks, we decidedto create a platform where a speciallydesigned and optimised program couldbe delivered locally.”The course is conducted over a15-month period, involving about 60 fulldays of training broken into one or twoweek rotations. Twenty-six electricians fromour Mount Isa Copper and Zinc operations,two from Ernest Henry Mining and twofrom Mica Creek Power Station arecurrently undertaking the instrumentationRyu Watanabe (left) and Simon Coles (right)practise their new skills on the SAGE Didactictraining rigsprogram. The first class of graduateswill enter our operations fully qualifiedto service and maintain our vital fieldinstruments by May 2013.Skills Queensland and Kinetic Group(formerly Mining Industry Skills Centre),in association with Mount Isa Institute ofTAFE, who provide our classroom facilities,have been integral to gathering theresources that have enabled the success ofthis exciting new joint training venture.mine to market23

Sharing our knowledgeDuring April, Xstrata’s TownsvilleCopper Refinery hosted twospecial guests from Xstrata’sCanadian Copper Refineryin Montreal, Canada. Hans Persson,Superintendent and Jack Stafiej,Senior Process Engineer were on siteto learn about our north Queenslandrefinery operations.Hans and Jack gained valuableinsights into Xstrata North Queensland’slargely integrated business. This wastheir first visit to the refinery and bothwelcomed the opportunity to expand theirprofessional knowledge.Paul Taylor, Production Superintendent,Townsville Copper Refinery, says the keyfocus of our Canadian colleagues’ visitwas to review our impurities managementcapabilities and provide direction for futureprocessing of high impurity anode copper.“Our colleagues also wanted to identifyareas of good practice at the refinery,which they would share and implement attheir operation on their return to Canada,”Paul says.Both Hans and Jack have extensiverefining experience within Xstrata’sCanadian operations and were willing toshare their experience during their shortbut memorable visit.“This was an excellent opportunityfor the exchange of operational insightbetween two highly regarded refineryoperations,” Paul says.This latest trip follows previous visitsto the Townsville Refinery by MarcelFaucher, General Manager Refineries, andBeatrice Pierre, Manager, Rhode IslandRecycling Plant. Additionally, our ownDave Worlein, Refinery Manager, recentlytravelled to Canada for the Xstrata CopperMarketing Division’s Annual BusinessPlanning Meeting. Dave says that the tripsto Xstrata’s international operations providea valuable insight into potential businessmodels for the Townsville Copper Refinery.“As the North Queensland Copperbusiness transitions to a producerof copper concentrate in 2016and the Townsville refinerymoves into the Copper Marketingstructure, we are seeking everyopportunity to extend the life ofthe refinery,” Dave says.“This could mean a closer alignmentto the Canadian business model inthe future.”“This wasan excellentopportunity forthe exchangeof operationalinsight betweentwo highlyregarded refineryoperations.”Paul Taylor, Refinery Production Superintendentwith Jack Stafieg, Senior Process Engineer and HansPersson Superintendent of our Canadian operation.24 mine to market

Keeping ourcommunity informedAs a vital outlet to maintain relationships with key stakeholders andcontinue to keep our community well informed, Mount Isa Mines helda Community Information Session on May 30 at the Red Earth Hotel.CommunitySteve de Kruijff, Chief OperatingOfficer Xstrata Copper NorthQueensland and Brian Hearne,Chief Operating Officer XstrataZinc Australia provided updates on ourcopper and zinc operations with thesession emphasising the progress of ourbusiness development projects like theMount Isa Open Pit and the Black StarSouth Expansion.The Community Information Sessionalso included a presentation by AshleyRae, General Manager New Business,Virgin Australia, who outlined the excitingnew Heads of Agreement betweenthe airline and our Mount Isa Minesoperations. This new agreement will seeVirgin Australia servicing the Mount Isa toBrisbane route from August.Health and safety, environmental,and operational performance updateswere additional topics covered duringthe presentation.At the close of formal proceedingscommunity members were invited toparticipate in a question and answersession, followed by a networkingopportunity with members of Xstrata’sSenior Management Team.Thank you to everyone who attendedthe Community Information Session and tothose who provided valuable feedback.We look forward toseeing you at our nextCommunity InformationSession, scheduledfor late July.mine to market25

Xstrata drives rolloutof new antidoteHaving received the official tick of approval from theQueensland Ambulance Service in April, Xstrata Mount Isa Mineswill drive the roll out of Cyanokits in medical response vehiclesthat provide emergency services across our mining leases.HealthWhat began as aninvestigation by ourSustainable DevelopmentDepartment’s EmergencyService Operations Group (ESOG)management into alternative methodsof counteracting the effects of thecyanide exposure antidote, DicobaltEdetate, has resulted a state-wide shiftin the way Queensland ambulanceparamedics respond to this potentiallylife-threatening emergency.Despite its associated connotations,cyanide has been used safely in a numberof industrial applications for years.Contrary to popular belief, the number onecause of cyanide poisoning is in fact theincidental inhalation of gases released byburning petrochemicals, or plastics, duringhouse fires.In Xstrata’s processing operations,cyanide is used to separate pyrite – an ironsulphide sometimes known as ‘fools gold’– from copper and zinc sulphide within theflotation circuit of our concentrators withminimal waste.During this process, the mineralisedslurry is mixed with reagents that causethe copper or zinc-lead sulphide particlesto repel water. From here, air is forcedthrough the slurry to create bubbles. Asthe bubbles float to the surface, theyattract and bind to the hydrophobiccopper or zinc-lead particles. The glossy,mineral-laden ‘froth’ is then skimmed offthe top, before being dried and preppedfor smelting.Used within this circuit, sodiumcyanide causes a chemical reaction thatprevents the iron sulphide particles frombinding to the air bubbles. In earliermining operations, separating mineralswas extremely difficult and as a resultsignificant amounts of valuable mineralcontent found its way into tailings dams.By taking steps to limit the amount of ironin the mineralized ‘froth’ we increase ourproduction of a saleable copper or zincleadconcentrate grade, and importantly,minimise the waste of these valuablemineral resources by maximising therecovery of the copper or zinc-lead contentfrom the ores we mine.Cyanide antidote is used to respond toa worker suspected of cyanide exposure.Dicobalt Edetate, while highly effective,often resulted in unpleasant side effects,and could be dangerous if administeredto a patient who was not actually sufferingfrom cyanide poisoning. The antidote inthe new Cyanokits, Hydroxocobalamin,comes with no side effects and is safe toadminister to patients without having towait until their symptoms are proven tobe cyanide related.The benefits associated with the useof sodium cyanide in our processingoperations are carefully weighed againstthe risk of exposing our people to apotentially hazardous chemical. Only fourmembers of our workforce come intocontact with raw cyanide during their workin our reagents farm. Part of the ESOGgroup charter is to review responses,identify improvement opportunities foremergency response and treatment basedon industry-leading practice, and considertechnological advancements that will helpus to ensure the safety and wellbeing ofour workforce.Extensive protective measures arealready in place to ensure our people staysafe. These include rigorous storage andhandling protocols, permits, inspectionsand training, and the use of sealed,disposable protective suits, respirators andgas monitors while handling the substance.We have never had to administera cyanide antidote to a worker, whichis testament to our dedication to theprocedures and protocols that have keptour people safe throughout the many yearswe have been mining and processing orein Mount Isa.In addition to improving thesafe work environment forour people, our successfulefforts to cement the use ofCyanokits throughout ouroperations has reverberatedacross the medical industry,with Cyanokits now theaccepted treatment forcyanide poisoning in allQueensland ambulances asa result of our investigation.Xstrata is proud to be acatalyst for such groundbreaking,positive change inthe way the health sectormanages this health risk.26 mine to market

Nathan Bullock’s storyI would have to say the most satisfying aspect of working atXstrata is the exposure to the diverse types of operations, duediligence and the various projects I have been a part of.Iam the Strategic Mine PlanningManager at the Mount Isa CopperOperations (MICO), but will be movinginto my new role as the ConcentratorManager at Ernest Henry Mining in June.I joined Xstrata in 2001 as a GraduateGeologist at George Fisher Mine and sincethat time have held a number of positionsacross Xstrata Zinc and Xstrata Copper.In my role current role, I’m involved ininvestigating long term mining options forMICO and assisting with the developmentof the MICO business plan. I work withgeologists, rock mechanics, miningengineers, metallurgists and the financeteam on our various projects. The projectsinclude areas such as resource evaluation,analysis of new underground mining fronts,open pit studies, by-products, processimprovements and third party reviews.Additionally, I provide support to theContinuous Improvement team at MICOto assist with the development of thecontinuous improvement process and costsaving objectives for MICO.The thing I find easy about workingat Xstrata is no matter which one of theirmine sites you are working at, thereis consistency in the objectives of theoperation and there is a strong focus ondelivering against these objectives. Thismakes the expectations and standardsin sustainable development, productionand costs clear to everybody at Xstrataand improves our understanding of howeach of us can contribute to reachingthese goals.I think the company’s values alsomake sense all the way through to theoperations, which means as an employeeyou don’t have to try and translatecorporate language to fit into your dayto day operational tasks. The messagesare easy to understand and are consistentacross the business so you hear the samething, no matter what area you go to.It just means we are all working to thesame values, which makes my job as amanager easier.During my 10 years at Xstrata, I havealso enjoyed the multitude of careeroptions and experiences. It’s a goodaspect about the Mount Isa operations thatthere are always lots of options availablefor all employees who are interested indeveloping in their chosen career paths.I would have to say one of my biggestcareer highlights to date would be theprojects I have been fortunate enough tobe a part of, such as our Mount Isa OpenPit Concept Study and the Copperbaltproject. Each project has differentchallenges which can make it quite difficultto find solutions that work the first time.I get to develop new skills with eachproject, which I would not get at manyother operations.Another huge bonus from working atXstrata is I was lucky enough to meet mywife, a mining engineer, working here atMount Isa. We got married in February thisyear at Kiama, a favourite place of ours.mine to market27

Be smartwith yourHeartOver 35 per cent ofdeaths in Australia in2011 were caused byor attributed to heartdisease. This makesheart disease secondonly to cancer asthe leading causeof death amongstall Australians.There is no single cause for heartdisease, but there are risk factors thatincrease your chances of developing thislife threatening condition. The good newsis that heart disease is largely avoidable.Find your 30 minutes of activityevery dayIt’s never too late to start enjoyingthe physical and mental benefits ofhealthy exercise. The Heart Foundationrecommends regular, moderate-intensityphysical activity (like brisk walking) for atleast 30 minutes or more on most, if not alldays of the week.Risk factors that you can control:• smoking – both active smoking andbeing exposed to second-hand smoke• high blood cholesterol• high blood pressure• diabetes• being physically inactive• being overweight• depression, social isolation andlack of quality supportReduce your modifiable riskfactors and see your doctor for anannual blood test to ensure you’rein good cardiovascular shape.28 mine to market

AnnouncementsCongratulations to Rowen Winsor (Human Resources Manager,Xstrata Copper North Queensland) and husband Josh on thebirth of their baby daughter Eve Grace Winsor on Tuesday17 April.Congratulations to Lauren Johnson (Workers CompensationClaims Co-ordinator, Xstrata Copper) and Stuart Johnson(George Fisher Mine) on the birth of their son Mitchell DavidJohnson on Tuesday 24 April.Congratulations to Agata Graham (nee Christodulu –Corporate Affairs Advisor, Xstrata Copper) and Troy Graham,who were married in Brisbane on Saturday 31 March.Congratulations to Monica Joseph (Electrical Engineer, Zinc-Lead Concentrator) and Matthew Briant on their engagement.For SaleSatellite dish – 10 foot digital receiver and analog receiverwith dish positioned. Pick up from Mount Isa only. $500.Phone (07) 4743 9745.Aluminium Boat – 3.95 m Stessco (2010 model, hardly used).Features 25HP Suzuki 4 stroke engine, full carpet floor, castingdeck, pedestal seats, anchor well, canopy, sounder, underfloor storage, navigation deck & canopy lights, VHF radio, baitboard, rod holders, bilge pump, fire extinguisher, life jackets,oars, rear step and trailer. $6,500 ono. Phone 0418 590 101.2002 Holden Rodeo – styleside dual cab ute. Comes withladder rack, dark tint, iPod connectivity, new brakes, near newtyres. Minor scratches to paint on bumper. 248,000 km.$6,500 ono. Phone 0406 039 287King-size King Coil mattress. Less than 12 months old, greatcondition. $500. Phone 4743 19272009 Honda CBR 600RR. 8 Sports 4 cylinder manual,17,500 km’s (used for work commute only), tinted windscreenand hyperflow exhaust system along with rear lights. $12,000Also available, Alpine Star boots, RST Pro Series ridingpants, Shoei helmet, KBC helmet and AVG Sport riding jacket.Environmental credentialsMine to Market is printed on Impact paper stock.Impact is made with a carbon neutral manufacturing process*It is well priced, FSC COC certified and consists of 100% postconsumer waste recycled fibre.*Mill use 86% renewable energy, meaning emissions generated by producing Impactare incredibly low. The remaining unavoidable CO 2 emissions are compensated for bypromoting controlled emission reduction projects, audited and certified by Climate Partner.The life cycle analysis tracks Impact from raw materials through to K.W. Doggett Fine PaperWarehouses nationally.Calendar of eventsJune1 Xstrata Percival Portrait Award Exhibition (Until 1 July)2 Cloncurry Race Day5 World Environment Day6 Xstrata Mount Isa Mines New Starters CorporateInduction (Mount Isa)11 Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday (Nationwide)15 Cloncurry Show Public Holiday (Cloncurry)15–16 Cloncurry and District Annual Show (Cloncurry)17 Father’s Day19 Townsville Community Information Session22 School Term 2 concludes22 Mount Isa Show Public Holiday (Mount Isa)22–23 Mount Isa Annual Show23 McKinlay Races25–26 Bowen Annual Show26 Bowen Show Public Holiday29 Saxby Roundup (Until 1 July)29 Townsville Annual Show (Until 2 July)July1–8 NAIDOC Week Celebrations (Nationwide)6–8 Rockhana Gem and Mineral Festival (Cloncurry)2 Townsville Show Public Holiday4 NAIDOC Elder’s Luncheon (Mount Isa)4 Xstrata Mount Isa Mines New Starters CorporateInduction (Mount Isa)6 NAIDOC Family Fun Day (Mount Isa)9 School Term 3 commences11 Bowen Community Information Session14–15 Boulia Camel Races19–22 Cloncurry Stockman’s Challenge and Campdraft28 Rodeo Ball (Mount Isa)28 Quamby RodeoIn memoriamFriends of Glenn Marles will be saddened to hear of hispassing on Saturday 14 April.Glenn fought an 18 month battle with cancer and passedaway at the Cairns Private Hospital. He was 50 years old.Glenn and his twin brother Terry attended Central Stateand Intermediate Schools in Mount Isa and played hockey forthe Hornets.Glen, or “Marlsey” as he was affectionately known, startedwork as a young man at Mount Isa Mines, before transferringto the Hilton Mine (now George Fisher Mine) where hebecame a top two-boom jumbo operator. He spent sometime as a member of Mount Isa Mines’ mine rescue team, andworked at McArthur River Mine for ten years. He was workingin Papua New Guinea when he fell ill.His loving wife, Lorna, and son Justin live in Cairns. Hismother Audrey Madsen and Stepfather Noel Madsen (whoworked for Mount Isa Mines for 22 years) live in Nambour onthe Sunshine Coast of Queensland.We send our sincere condolences to the family and friendsof Glenn “Marlsey” Marles, who will be sorely missed by allwho knew and loved him.mine to market29