Who works in the mines... not many, if any.

[Baggus]

Denver you at cloud break also?? A few unhappy people here today

[mys1]

Fairly common practice to tell at last minute.

Stops a lot of issues with site sabotage and accidents etc.

They did the same at Argyle hen they stopped UG construction. 3 planes on the Tarmac, a lot of people flying home...

[2LMILK]

120 sacked across the 4 production crews at cloudbreak today.

I'm on holiday atm. Don't even know if I still have a job. They're ringing everyone offsite in the next 24-48 hours. A bit of promptness would be nice.

you do remember who you work for right. promtness will NOT happen

[huggy_b]

It's the FIFO equivalent of being canned last thing on a Friday.

[Denver]

surely it was to be expected tho with the roster change? its not like they were completely blind sided

Problem is management told us otherwise, the shit we got fed the other week was along the lines of most of the production side would be ok with some shifted to other sites, this isn't what they bullshitted people with, they said some redundancies, no one expected this, and the selection of people they gave the boot off our crews makes no sense, people who have been there 6+ years, with large amounts of experience and skillsets you don't want to lose, this is like a personal vendetta of someone..


Denver you at cloud break also?? A few unhappy people here today

I think I work at cloudbreak, until I get a call or a letter saying otherwise..

[j3rk]

You really thing middle management know when this sort of shit is going to happen? And if they do, they are told to say otherwise until its official... Else work stops/people cause trouble etc etc

[BLACK HULK]

People at 6+ years are coming up to LSL, it's the only reason they're gone. Same thing happened when brominco started making cuts.

[Denver]

Cept we get lsl at 5 years.

[HotAe92]

Having been through a redundancy on site, all the above sounds like standard practice to me.

Fortunately though I was given a day to fly up to site, collect my letter, pack up my room and office, say goodbye to colleagues then fly home.

Think it's starting to show that some of these companies are really feeling the pinch. Read in the paper today that Cliffs let go of 100+ workers aswell.

Construction's a headfuck, but certainly seems the safe-bet at the minute.

[s-tranzor]

You really thing middle management know when this sort of shit is going to happen? And if they do, they are told to say otherwise until its official... Else work stops/people cause trouble etc etc

this.

The superintendant for my department was doinked off leave and sent back to site to prepare to spread the news and get the ball rolling on the roster changes. 2 days earlier the GM himself told me it wasn't happening. Then bang. It's happening.

[Skitzo]

At Forge:

"Business as usual"
"Business as usual"
"Confident we will get financial backers and will earn money form Roy Hill"
"Business as usual. Future looking promising"

2 days later. Administrators come in. 95% of work force redundant immediately.

[Tocchi]

This kinda shit is why I'm looking for an electronics / communications / electrical apprenticeship ... Something that will always have Perth work with somewhat job security

[American Dave]

dual trade instrument electrical FTW ^^^

[Lump]

well I'm happy, been promoted to a engineering design coordinator & mech draftsman role & I will be doing one 5 day swing at Brookfield place one week & 4 days at WB the next week - best of both worlds :-)
starts monday

[Tocchi]

dual trade instrument electrical FTW ^^^
Looking at that too - but one or the other would be nice.

I should be able to get some RPL's given my training & experience when with ROV's ... My problem is that my skills are broad (electronics, electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, fibre optics, comms, etc) thanks to many years with ROV, but there's no certs or trades given for that ... So I need to focus on one area, get some paper, and make myself hirable in a flailing industry.
Even ROV guys with 10+ years of experience are struggling to find work, so I doubt I'd get a look in.

Ps Dave - my redundancy is stretched out to at least mid May now, they need me for a shut in week20 ... That's 10 weeks of notice haha

[Denver]

The carnage continues, Bis was told they won't be needed after 90 days, they've since told fmg they are leaving in 30..

Orlando and eastern well drilling companies are going.

It looking very much like fmg is deliberately splitting couples up, by either making them redundant or putting the partners on different rosters or crews in an effort to get one or both to leave, which is nothing short of despicable.

And all of us on holidays this week still have no idea if we even have jobs..

[Miggy]

Ckjv on barrow are having another cull come June and/or September going by the rumours.

[Buckets]

I can't believe how badly they seem to be managing it. Part of me seems to think that it's deliberate on their behalf to as many suggest push people in to quitting rather than being forced in to offering redundancies and cop the redundo costs.

I've been unfortunate enough to go through two redundo's one as a junior employee and one as a senior management type. I can honestly say that on a personal level having to string people along to keep going along with the business as usual right up until you have to swing the axe isn't a nice experience. Swinging the axe through an entire workforce is nothing short of hell mentally for those involved on both sides of the coin, I do not envy those people bearing the bad news. In many cases they know they're next in line as well.

Roy Hill WILL be hiring more operators shortly. We have just purchased / are in the process of purchasing ~$200 mill worth of new gear to add to some additional fleets to our mining operation. From memory it begins to roll in over the next few months. Keep an eye on the website. The roster is great, the gears brand new, the pay is in line with industry conditions (i.e. not huge but enough).

Please don't PM me ect... I'm just a mere pleb these days, I most likely can't help you.

[huggy_b]

PM sent

[Jmoore]

At Forge:

"Business as usual"
"Business as usual"
"Confident we will get financial backers and will earn money form Roy Hill"
"Business as usual. Future looking promising"

2 days later. Administrators come in. 95% of work force redundant immediately.

Anyone who didn't see the writing on the wall for Forge at least 12 months prior to their collapse must have had their head in the sand.

CTEC (Forge Power) and how much money it had lost / owed was the industries worst kept secret, to this day I don't know why it was rolled in with the other 3 Forge business areas.

I know plenty of people in the other business areas that may have been isolated from Forge Power somewhat, but from their work ethic it should have been pretty obvious what was going on.

[vy ss ute m6]

I can't believe how badly they seem to be managing it. Part of me seems to think that it's deliberate on their behalf to as many suggest push people in to quitting rather than being forced in to offering redundancies and cop the redundo costs.

I've been unfortunate enough to go through two redundo's one as a junior employee and one as a senior management type. I can honestly say that on a personal level having to string people along to keep going along with the business as usual right up until you have to swing the axe isn't a nice experience. Swinging the axe through an entire workforce is nothing short of hell mentally for those involved on both sides of the coin, I do not envy those people bearing the bad news. In many cases they know they're next in line as well.



This.

The way it's being done is typical of FMG - has happened before with them in the same manner on a major scale in 2012 and again in 2013. It does seem to be a deliberate destabilizing method as in both previous exercises there were another ~10 people I knew directly that quit due to the stress/uncertainty, forgoing potential redundancy packages.

I agree with the comments regarding GM's etc saying one thing and the next day flipping around - that's all they can do in their position. If they dropped the thought that there was to be mass redundancies in a few days, the place would be chaotic, putting production and people at risk.

[Bomber]

As always putting the tonnes before anything else...

[evoeata]

That is what they are in the business of...

[-Luke-]

What happened to FMG being the great white hope and bhp and rio being the uncaring pingpingpingpings?

[Alt_F4]

Reality

[s-tranzor]

All good while they can afford to plug the ideal of "family friendly" and "have a crack". Those days are gone.

[South]

Business is business, sounds like a lot of people need to eliminate the lovey dovey cuddly personal factor. They hire you to do a job, if the job is no longer needed then you move on, if they change business models to suit the current conditions then you move on...

I was made redundant two weeks ago, 2 days later I had a new job lined up, and a massive boost to my bank balance. 6 yrs ago I was made redundant when a business collapsed, same scenario had a company wanting me, had a big boost to the bank balance, and life went on happily.

It's time those big salaries were adjusted, and people need to adjust with them.

[Byah!]

Prob with FMG was that they push the "family company" model really hard.

I understand that business is business but dont ask ppl to regard each other like family if you cant do the same to your employee's.

[Denver]

Prob with FMG was that they push the "family company" model really hard.

I understand that business is business but dont ask ppl to regard each other like family if you cant do the same to your employee's.

^this

They've chanted the family mantra all along. And management point blank told U.S. Fmg staff would be the last to get sacked and contractors would go first.

Another 20 of my crew made redundant, or told they're getting a months leave paid to sit at home. And they MIGHT have a redeployment position for them.

[South]

That's just building a culture, it happens in all workplaces, but you rarely have that culture with upper management... There is a disconnect that needs to occur at that level.

Fuck, I'd not complain with 4 weeks paid leave for doing nothing and it not being deducted from my other leave entitlements.

Work in the big smoke instead, make $25hr for 7hrs a day and settle back in to how it will be for a long time to come. Party time is over, business time is now...

[Denver]

It's more the stress of sitting at home wondering if you will have a job at all after a month.

How that's a family value has me stuffed. Tell people their fate. Don't string them on

[rgvlee]

Not sure why you'd sit around doing nothing for the 4 weeks?
Go look for another job on their dime.

[RUSSGT]

Yep totally baffled by that statement. Im stoked about this mining downturn rubbish. Sick of paying $5 for a coffee and $11 for a beer. Not that it will come down...

*I do feel for people that lost their jobs, but if they where smart then the stupid money they made in the past 10 years should have put them MILES in front of us cheapo city workers.

[-Luke-]

Not sure why you'd sit around doing nothing for the 4 weeks?
Go look for another job on their dime.

Can't comment on FMG in this case but I was in a similar situation a few years back with HWE. They tried to make us all sign a contract that we wouldn't seek/engage in work with any other companies until the stand down period had expired. They bulk of the guy told them to F'off and straight up left (as did )

[mr_mike]

Maybe thats the plan, the sensible people cant handle the uncertainty so go looking for more work and forego their redundancy package etc. Meanwhile the drop kicks and slow learners sit their waiting and due to the others leaving end up getting a call back.

[Sack]

I've been twice made redundant in the last year or so and as soon as they notified us of their intentions i started looking for a new job whilst getting paid. Got one new job in two weeks and the other over a weekend.

You have to be proactive and not think "I'll be safe" or "I'll just wait and see how it pans out" because you'll be at the bottom of the applicant pile.

[SK]

crazy how so many people have been sacked at cloudbreak, im at solomon and apart from thiess cutting people from mining there has been a very small amount of people go from FMG. although apparently we find out on monday if we are getting a new contract or a redundancy.

[vy ss ute m6]

crazy how so many people have been sacked at cloudbreak, im at solomon and apart from thiess cutting people from mining there has been a very small amount of people go from FMG. although apparently we find out on monday if we are getting a new contract or a redundancy.

Not that crazy - Cloudbreak is considerably more expensive to mine than CC or Solomon (once Sol finally hits it's production targets). Add in to that the severely dwindling ore body life at CB (less than 2-3 years with current pits) and it quickly becomes evident why CB is being hit the hardest. It was the quickest, easiest and cheapest startup mine to provide much needed tonnes on rail in 2007, its done that, now it's time to think long term.

[Denver]

2-3 years? Cb has a 20 year mine life last time I looked.

[vy ss ute m6]

Not in the current pits. Overall CB Chichester reserves yes, mine life is around 20 years
.. That's what the market and most know/Are told in corporate material.

A study was done last year to work out the best way to keep the OPF fed from the new pits, as current pit reserves are sub 2yrs. This will be worse now with mine life being destroyed in favour of high grade mining only. FYI the agreed path forward from exec was a ~18km overlander and remote crushing hub to reduce trucking costs from the proposed ore bodies.

[dougy]

little off topic but can anyone at cloud break tell me if they are even using the new production line that was build in 2011-13 by Kiewit/AGC

[Denver]

Not in the current pits. Overall CB Chichester reserves yes, mine life is around 20 years
.. That's what the market and most know/Are told in corporate material.

A study was done last year to work out the best way to keep the OPF fed from the new pits, as current pit reserves are sub 2yrs. This will be worse now with mine life being destroyed in favour of high grade mining only. FYI the agreed path forward from exec was a ~18km overlander and remote crushing hub to reduce trucking costs from the proposed ore bodies.

The overland conveyor I understand. Kangaroo is a fair hike from the opf. Primary crushing at the pit and sending it on a conveyor makes sense.

As for the pit life. 2-3 years doesn't add up. There's that left in hook and Brampton alone looking at the strip designs and kangaroo which is only just started this year would have a good 5+ years alone in it. Then there's cockatoo which has been started and Norfolk which is on the way to kangaroo which there's been clearing works for already.

[Denver]

little off topic but can anyone at cloud break tell me if they are even using the new production line that was build in 2011-13 by Kiewit/AGC

The wet front end. Yep.

[Buckets]

Just because the ore is there doesn't mean it's viable or cost effective to mine.

Reserves are one thing. Having a mineable resource is something completely different.

Companies like to talk about their reserves and what theoretical LOM they have BUT it means 5/8ths of fuck all if the economics of extracting the resource aren't there.

Without knowing the "real" grades and strip ratios FMG have to play with it's hard to esitmate what they can AFFORD to mine in this current climate. What IS certain though is that large chunks of their reserves are not viable at this time which WILL see them either rape pillage and plunder what low strip ratio high grade they have in hand and / or avoid higher cost ore blocks.

This FUCKS LOM plans and has the potential to destroy a mines long term viability as it removes low cost ore that is used to offset the extraction of higher cost ore / development of new pits. Taking the cream early outside of a LOM plan WILL shorten the life of mine.

[Denver]

Thing is tho, the pits they're working now have a zero strip ratio in parts or 1-1 and low phos good grade and sfa water, the pits they've been working have been 3/4-1 and massive water issues, the newer pits are just a bit further out, but nothing ridiculous.

[American Dave]

Dryblower explores the inconsistencies in FMG’s attacks on BHP and Rio
Monday, 4 May 2015

ANDREW Forrest might be winning political sympathy for his protests about the market-flooding tactic of Australia’s big two miners, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, but Dryblower is more convinced than ever that he’s not going to win the argument.



The problem is not that Forrest is a “David” fighting two “Goliaths”, it’s more a case of the inconsistencies in his arguments and the quality of the orebodies controlled by his company, Fortescue Metals Group.

Howls of protest by the FMG cheer squad and its slick public relations consultants cannot escape those facts, nor can they escape the lessons of history and the biggest issue of all, the view of the dispute as seen from China.

The inconsistencies first because that’s where Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton have started to pick apart Forrest’s complaints which are mainly driven by the personal pain of his fading fortune which once stood at more than $A6 billion but is now down to $2.3 billion.

At the centre of his criticism of the big two, Forrest alleges that they are responsible for the dramatic increase in iron ore output which has killed the price.

The problem with that claim is that since 2008 the biggest single contributor to global iron ore production has been FMG itself, accounting for around 35% of all new iron ore in the market. BHP Billiton has been responsible for 31% of new iron ore and Rio Tinto 24%.

Forrest’s retort to those numbers is that he is the new player in the iron ore game, which is true, but to accuse the others of being the cause of market flooding is bit rich when you have been the biggest single contributor, new or not.

Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton have been making the point about FMG’s rate of growth at industry conferences and in private briefings but there are signs that they’re tiring of being accused of something which is only partly their fault.

The real issue with the iron ore flood is not one of blame it’s more a case of everyone in the industry misread the changing nature of the Chinese economy, especially its steel industry with neither growing as fast as they were 10 years ago, and with steel undergoing subtle but important changes as demand for higher-quality steel develops.

Ore quality is another issue affecting FMG more than its rivals, and in that lies the reason why Forrest’s creation is suffering badly in world markets.

The problem for FMG is more than iron content, it’s also the question of impurities and discounts applied by customers. One recent study by analysts in the London office of Deutsche Bank noted that FMG’s super special iron ore fines graded 57% iron and its CLD fines graded 57.5%.

Those FMG iron percentage figures are well down on Rio Tinto’s Pilbara fines at 61.5% iron and BHP Billiton’s Newman fines at 62.7%.

But the deeper problem which is rarely discussed is that FMG’s material has a higher silica content, a higher moisture but lower phosphorous content with the net result being that its ore, when used in a blast furnace to make steel leaves a higher gangue residue of around 19% versus around 14% for the material delivered by the big two.

What Deutsche Bank did with that data was work out the latest profit margins per tonne for major iron ore producers after allowing for iron content and impurity discounts with FMG on a gross profit margin of $US12.30/t. Rio Tinto’s Pilbara blend produced a profit of $29.20/t, and BHP Billiton ore yielded a profit of $26.50/t.

Those profit margin numbers were based on C1 cash costs and did not account for ongoing capital expenditure, head office costs or interest payments of debt.

FMG, like all iron ore miners, has made heroic cuts to its C1 cash cost but it is burdened by the quality of its ore, and the price it is paid after discounts.

History and the view from China are the other two issues confronting FMG because in the last downturn in iron ore demand, after the 2008 global financial crisis, there was a divergence of reaction from the big producers. Vale of Brazil and Rio Tinto did cut output. BHP Billiton did not, and FMG hardly mattered at the time.

The cuts by Vale and Rio Tinto had the desired effect of restoring the price, but it also caused a degree of angst in China because it quite enjoyed the lower price – and when normality returned the Chinese made sure that the non-cutter, BHP Billiton, was rewarded with bigger orders.

That Chinese reaction to events seven years ago still resonates at Rio Tinto because it knows the most important player in Australian iron ore is not actually Australia, it is China and while the producers would like higher prices the biggest customer would not.

Forrest can protest as loudly and as long as he likes but he is fighting history, geology and the simplest of all business maxims: the customer is always right.

[Byah!]

^ pretty good read actually

[ben351]

I love reading stuff like that after spending yesterday trolling through social media reading uneducated comments regarding recent pay rate drops ... These guys have no idea how much research goes into social media these days ... we see everything they write and I make notes of those who bag out companies and make sure they never get a gig with anyone I know.

" What scabs would work FIFO for that money ... Your taking food out of my kids mouths you dogs "
" Fuk doz dog kuntz making all da muney and giving us bruthas fuk all "
" They pay people basic rates but charge the client advanced i know that for a fact coz my mate told me they do "

Makes me so angry that people actually think like this ... They don't think for a second that the clients pressure contractors to drop their rates as the price of ore drops and operations and office based employees feel the pinch just as much ... The harsh reality is that we are going to see pay rates drop for the rest of this year so either find another profession or sell a couple of your utes and learn to live within your means. It's a shit job and you don't get paid as much as you used to but blaming your employer for it is not the way to go. If you can't afford a pay cut, chances are you've exceeded your financial means ... so start looking at that first.

Accept that things won't be the way they used to be.

Get over it, now.

[Tocchi]

Ben from down town.


Side note: I think I've been given another 2 weeks ... That's 10 weeks of notice in total lol

[180SXTCY]

What shits me about youa fifo yolo's is this.

Last night on the News the showed some dude who was a Chef apparently making 150k+ a year and has recently been let off. Now he is living out of a shopping trolley in carparks around Kwinana.

the fuck did you do with all that cash?

[-Luke-]

Ben from down town.


Side note: I think I've been given another 2 weeks ... That's 10 weeks of notice in total lol

Only 10wks! Dog Kuntz

[Evman]

the fuck did you do with all that cash?

http://troll.me/images/ancient-aliens-guy/drugs.jpg

[MadDocker]

Boom time in the mines =
http://www.keithrlaskey.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/throwing-money-2.jpg
Slow down in the mines =
http://cl.jroo.me/z3/G/A/d/a/a.aaa.jpg

[morgazmatron]

I hear a bit of it on site.. And it seems to come from particular types of people.. Generally the ones that feel so hard done by are the ones who are easily replaceable and unskilled so to speak..

Even if there's not a pay increase when FMG start the 2/1s they are still getting a pretty decent wage for what they do..

But in saying that. The majority understand whats happening, so most people are taking it pretty well and are just happy they still have jobs..

[evoeata]

Boom time in the mines =
http://www.keithrlaskey.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/throwing-money-2.jpg
Slow down in the mines =
http://cl.jroo.me/z3/G/A/d/a/a.aaa.jpg

*iron ore mines. Gold is cranking along nicely

[MadDocker]

Not sure if admitting or denying...

Good that gold is cranking. Hopefully those earning good coin in the gold section are using it wisely so in the event it has a downturn, they aren't homeless bums scabbing ciggy butts off the path, sleeping in a trolley and crying poor on the news.

[Byah!]

didnt gold fall from near on $2k an ounce to about $1,300?

[American Dave]

and the gold price has been down @ US$250 oz about 15 years ago

[Brett_J]

and the gold price has been down @ US$250 oz about 15 years ago

Even longer, big gold mining companies know what they are doing, when I was a kid in Kalgoorlie, the Super pit was nothing like it is now, whole suburbs are gone now. It's boom time was when Gold was worth fuck all over the 90's, you don't dig a hole that big in the ground at a low ounce price and stay in business if you don't know what you are doing.
The big boom times are great for them, but they use the slower periods to get rid of the shit they hired and go back to plodding along. It's only the companies that over extend themselves during the good times that take a big fall.

Mind you a lot of the big gold mining companies made bulk cash off the old slime dumps by reprocessing them in the 90's, to think we used to play on them as kids.

[American Dave]

Kaltails FTW

[Denver]

http://troll.me/images/ancient-aliens-guy/drugs.jpg

This, there's guys who manage to blow every pay packet within days of getting it, I know I have an expensive hobby, but at least I have the race car to show for it, and I still have a house as well, and if it comes down to it, If I lose my job, I park the car, get another job that pays the bills, and just play with the toy when I can..

The guys who have pissed it up the wall, will be the next batch you see living in a park getting soup van each day

[EVOVIIIMR]

Diamonds Are doing ok tho. Well I hope any ways. Any one from Argyle in hear..?

[Tocchi]

But Diamonds are forever

[Tocchi]

This, there's guys who manage to blow every pay packet within days of getting it, I know I have an expensive hobby, but at least I have the race car to show for it, and I still have a house as well, and if it comes down to it, If I lose my job, I park the car, get another job that pays the bills, and just play with the toy when I can

Exactly - I've had to do the same before.
Sacrifices but still have stuff to show

[Passage GT]

Thankfully everyone still needs tyres lol, even getting paid extra to come to Newman for a couple weeks while the boss here goes on holidaya

[Chaotic]

nickel's where its at :)

[-Luke-]

Lol the nickel price is about as consistent as Melbournes weather.

[crabman]

nickel's where its at :)

A silly daily email I sometimes read is harping on about how Nickel is going to be a good thing soon. Be interesting to see if it plays out.

[BASSULA]

Argyle seems to be ok.. they have finished construction pretty much so is just production as much as possible for 7-8 yrs and close up.. so a few good years in it yet from what I hear

[mys1]

Argyle seems to be ok.. they have finished construction pretty much so is just production as much as possible for 7-8 yrs and close up.. so a few good years in it yet from what I hear

Argyles underground project has been a comedy of errors from the day they started exploration - however despite rio trying to sell it and the construction budget blowing out by A LOT they seem to be getting ore out of the ground.

Will take them a while to catch up but Imagine it's doable, rio have invested so much I doubt it would take much for them to mothball it. The thing that has kept it afloat is that the ore quality was a lot higher than it was forecasted off.

[American Dave]

Argyle will be fine don't you worry about them. RT understand the diamond market now as well

[crabman]

Heard RTIO Tom Price employees are all applying and interviewing for their current positions. Big cut coming?

[-Luke-]

"Fortescue Metals is cutting up to 100 jobs a day, founder Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest has confirmed.

The iron ore miner is expected to slash its workforce of about 4500 by some 700 positions.

Mr Forrest described the job cuts as "personally tragic" and "heartbreaking", but said the company was still making profits, with a break-even price of about $US39 a tonne.

The price for the steel-making commodity has rebounded from mid-$US40/t last month to about $US62/t now.

While Mr Forrest noted rivals Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton had a break-even price about $US30/t, the latter announced plans on Tuesday to slash costs at its WA iron ore mines to $US16/t during the 2016 financial year.

The billionaire and philanthropist also took another swipe at the mining giants for increasing output amid price weakness.

He said Tuesday's federal budget was good in light of the "debilitating" impact the "market share game being played by a couple of multinationals" had had on the economy.

"They did try and crush all competitors overseas and in Australia to gain, what I would say, not worth it points of market share," he told the ABC on Wednesday.

Mr Forrest renewed his call for BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto to be the subject of a parliamentary inquiry into "predatory volume behaviour" and "distorting the free market".

"When the power of the balance sheet ... meets the power of public office, the power of the balance sheet is no match," he said.

He's been backed by the Australian Workers Union, which has accused BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto of anti-competitive and "cartel-like" behaviour.

Mr Forrest was himself investigated by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for potentially breaching cartel laws after he called on the big iron ore miners to cap production to boost the iron ore price.

The ACCC later dropped the matter."

[waxdass]

no body's fault except his own, leveraging up on debt driven on high commodity prices. Goes bust when things go back to the real world..

[HotAe92]

no body's fault except his own, leveraging up on debt driven on high commodity prices. Goes bust when things go back to the real world..

The irony and contradiction of Twiggy Forrest's continued rants is laughable.

[-Luke-]

"Rio and BHP are demonstrating Cartel like Business Practices"

Twiggy says "Hey Guiz lets restrict production to increase the price"...........ummmmmmmmmmm

[S13]

yet he still wants to produce 160mtpa (4th biggest in the world)

What people dont realise is he road Anaconda Nickel into the ground and near bankruptcy before this doing exactly the same thing - high leverage, commodity price went wrong way...see ya

[thommo]

Lol at saying predatory volume behaviour. If you can put out more tonnes for the same money, that's how you survive a huge drop in the iron ore price

[Lump]

The irony and contradiction of Twiggy Forrest's continued rants is laughable.
Irony indeed!

[American Dave]

Twiggy is at it on social media
http://www.ourironore.com/ check out the bottom of the home page..... Supported by Fortescue Metals Group

[turboknapp]

^^^^

I seened what you done der

[crabman]

And to make things worse his mate Nick Xenodick is proposing a tax payer funded inquest into BHP and RTIO behavior. Fuck off, Twiggy can get s loan and pay for that inquest himself if he wants it so much.

[HotAe92]

It's getting to the point where I actually want to throw support being Rio and BHP so I can stop hearing this prick try to salvage his flawed business model on an almost daily basis.

[2jzlux]

Woolworths and Coles did a similar thing to the food supply industry and the accc did fuck all.

[Alt_F4]

Woolworths and Coles did a similar thing to the food supply industry and the accc did fuck all.
This was from a few months back...

"Mr Sims (ACCC chairman) has previously said BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto are not being anti-competitive with their plans to rapidly increase production, noting that gaining market share is not wrong even if it is at the expense of smaller rivals."

"Mr Forrest said he was "absolutely happy to cap my production right now" at 180 million tonnes and the other major players, Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and Brazil's Vale should also cap their production "and we'll find the iron ore price goes straight back up to US$70, US$80, US$90."

"I'm happy to put that challenge out there, let's cap our production right here and start acting like grown-ups," he said.

Mr Sims told The Australian Financial Review that it was illegal to enter into cartel arrangements."

[crabman]

"Acting like grown ups" doesn't involve bitching like a child when someone make more product than you.

[Buckets]

Of note the market is once again realizing FMG is not in a good way. If I remember correctly their latest equity raising came in with a rate ~8% from memory if not worse.Meanwhile BHPB just quietly raised an additional 2 billion Euro's @ 1% without the slightest drama or fuss...

Twiggy is a great salesman and a media darling as a result of it rightly or wrongly. I still have respect for the guy, he's certainly not a shit stain on the industry like Clive is but he's certainly not worth holding in the same esteem as others in the game.

[Bomber]

Costs at MAC are under $13/T OFR. What it is all up loaded on a ship I don't know...

[SK]

2 deaths this week in the pilbara, one this morning at telfer and one on monday at nifty

i believe they were both driving boggers underground at the time

stay safe out there lads, RIP to the people involved.

[evoeata]

2 deaths this week in the pilbara, one this morning at telfer and one on monday at nifty

i believe they were both driving boggers underground at the time

stay safe out there lads, RIP to the people involved.

Not good. from what I've heard, old mate at nifty was watering down trying to get some hangups down and it came down and severed an artery and he bled out. Dude at telfer got crushed in a charge up rig in the backs.

[HotAe92]

Not good. from what I've heard, old mate at nifty was watering down trying to get some hangups down and it came down and severed an artery and he bled out. Dude at telfer got crushed in a charge up rig in the backs.

Fark.

[Alt_F4]

Atlas is back from the dead with operations expected to resume next week (except Mt Webber which will come online later in the year).
Good news for those that had uncertain futures, hopefully the deal holds up.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/business/a/27954259/atlas-strikes-deals-to-resume-mining/

[Passage GT]

Atlas is back from the dead with operations expected to resume next week (except Mt Webber which will come online later in the year).
Good news for those that had uncertain futures, hopefully the deal holds up.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/business/a/27954259/atlas-strikes-deals-to-resume-mining/

meant to mention this last week when i heard, they've been given permission to run in 3 week blocks...if the ore price keeps increasing that will probably go back full time i'd assume...

[satch]

Webber in 4 weeks.

Heading back up soon *sigh*

[Steppo_GT]

Webber in 4 weeks.

Heading back up soon *sigh*

Have got to say mt webber is a bit of a shithole, lucky I was only there for a day.

[satch]

Have got to say mt webber is a bit of a shithole, lucky I was only there for a day.

Yep hence the *sigh* lol

Better to be employed than unemployed however :)

[Miggy]

Anyone at Wheatstone? I got a call yesterday but I'm unsure if I should jump ship from Barrow, the roster doesn't appeal to me but it might be smart to jump before the redundancies roll through.

[forde]

Yep i'm at wheatstone. Who are you going with?

[Miggy]

Giovenco industries, what's it like down there? I'm guessing fairly similar to Barrow, good camp and cruise work?

[jaba]

Also at Wheatstone, everyone I have spoken to that has jumped ship from Barrow to here prefers everything about Wheatstone, minus the roster.

Higher moral, better camp, etc.

[Satan]

Not good. from what I've heard, old mate at nifty was watering down trying to get some hangups down and it came down and severed an artery and he bled out. Dude at telfer got crushed in a charge up rig in the backs.

they're not called widowmakers for nothing

[Steve]

Dude at telfer got crushed in a charge up rig in the backs.
The little report on DMP website says he was reaching over the front of his EWP and accidently leant on the UP lever and crushed himself.. :(

[mr_mike]

how does that happen when all EWP's have deadman switches?

[Brett_J]

how does that happen when all EWP's have deadman switches?

We had one at when I was at Genie on a 135, guys had jammed the dead man so they could do the exact same thing, actually did the exact same thing as well, I think he was alive but in fucked condition.

[evoeata]

Theyre not an ewp as such, they're a different design. Used for charging holes with explosives. Rules dont apply when it comes to underground equipment. Its probably old as fuck, and has been used like that for 20 years. Our charge wagon has the controls on the back of the basket so this exact thing doesnt happen.

[evoeata]

they're not called widowmakers for nothing

I heard from the investigation that they reckon the rock came down, bounced over the bund and yocked him in the leg splitting his artery and he died right there on the spot. Poor fucker

[Satan]

that's some unlucky shit there :(

[Miami]

https://srs.dmp.wa.gov.au/SRS/Public/PublicationSearch/PopupSummary/18768?publicationType=SignificantIncidentReport

From the SIR:

Contributory Causes

Nature of task
Work from a charge-up basket is often undertaken at the front of the basket, so the worker can reach the charge-up hose.
Rill slopes can restrict forward movement of the charge-up basket and result in the basket being close to the roof.

Design of basket controls
The control panel is located at the front of the basket.
Pushing the control stick forward raises the charge-up basket.
The fail safe switch for the controls is located on top of the control stick, so that a downward force on the top of the control stick can activate the fail safe switch and allow the control stick to move forward.

[tauni]

From what I was told at work the charge wagon didn't conform to aus standards. So somebody might be in a bit of shit. And the spotter didn't know how to use the ground controls. Poor bastard will have it on his conscience the rest of his life.
We had to go through all of our gear and do a heap of work and checks. And the knee jerk reaction is to have trained spotters for all ewp and apparently in the future a separate spotters ticket...
Our basket is set up with a foot switch and the control levers also have a switch. I believe it is pull up and push away to go down and pull towards to go up which avoids incidents like this.
Never a good thing to hear and reminds you to pay attention to what you're doing. Something small could see you not going home to your family.

[Damo 69]

And the knee jerk reaction is to have trained spotters for all ewp

.

this should be the standard, spotter should have a EWP ticket so they can use the machine / ground controls



and apparently in the future a separate spotters ticket.
.

that is knee jerk

[thommo]

Today we had a guest speaker in at work who happens to be a futurist as a job description and to my amazement she wasn't pushing isagenix sales but instead informing us that in the near future microbots will be mining resources for us from beneath the ground without disturbing the earths crust like little ants.

We all came to the conclusion that she was right on the pulse with where the world is going

[Frenchy]

She wasn't the chick who used to work for NASA was she?

[thommo]

Don't think so but she was a space cadet

[Satan]

Today we had a guest speaker in at work who happens to be a futurist as a job description and to my amazement she wasn't pushing isagenix sales but instead informing us that in the near future microbots will be mining resources for us from beneath the ground without disturbing the earths crust like little ants.

We all came to the conclusion that she was right on the pulse with where the world is going

shes a fuckin tripper - have you checked out her website??!!

[azzada1]

Resigned afew weeks ago after just having enough of 4/1 and the ckjv bullshit.... So now I start training this friday with UGL for the 2/2 Maintanence role, Family friendly roster is a win and I should make powercruise!

[evoeata]

2/2 is the best roster. Get to get boong on shiftchange and have 2 weeks off. Love 8/6 but would do 2/2 in a heartbeat!

[crabman]

Where you working for UGL? I'm loving 2n2 all day shift. Going to lose my mind when I go Norwegian late next year.

[azzada1]

At barrow island, was 26/9 (pretty much 4/1) with ckjv but decided against it so took a job in perth but was called and offered the maintanence role so jumped at it, im keen for a decent life lol

[shifted]

Today we had a guest speaker in at work who happens to be a futurist as a job description and to my amazement she wasn't pushing isagenix sales but instead informing us that in the near future microbots will be mining resources for us from beneath the ground without disturbing the earths crust like little ants.

We all came to the conclusion that she was right on the pulse with where the world is going

Had someone at my old work with that title in their signature, "Futurist"

Fucking spuds.

[GrahamGTR]

Hey guys looking at heading up to Brockman 2 with skilled money is not the greatest but roster is good. Didn't get much info from skilled just wondering what it's like up there and also what it's like being a contractor up there?
Thanks in advance happy for negative and positive comments.

[Lump]

fucking skilled, underpaid me for 3 months & didnt even get a sorry from them when i found their error, thank fuck I'm getting a BHPB contract soon

[GrahamGTR]

fucking skilled, underpaid me for 3 months & didnt even get a sorry from them when i found their error, thank fuck I'm getting a BHPB contract soon

Yeah I'm not hearing any good news about skilled.....plus the no holidays thing is slightly off putting.

[HotAe92]

The downturn eventually found it's way to RH. Fair to say that new mining positions (for the short term anyway) aren't going to be lucrative as they once were.

http://www.miningaustralia.com.au/news/roy-hill-workers-asked-to-take-a-pay-cut

[kamahl31]

boom's over, got to get with the times. We had guys leaving Hollands that were building the Roy hill line whinging that the pay for going to 8/6 with Roy hill was shit and "only" $115k a year. I thought it was rather good getting that for maintaining a new track, great roster and with holidays you're not even at work half the year. They've already been asked to consider changing to a 2/1 roster though, but the eastern states guys don't mind as they only get flown to Perth so it's better for them.

[GrahamGTR]

115k for 8&6 is amazing in these current times!

[Nugs]

The downturn eventually found it's way to RH. Fair to say that new mining positions (for the short term anyway) aren't going to be lucrative as they once were.

http://www.miningaustralia.com.au/news/roy-hill-workers-asked-to-take-a-pay-cut
A 5-10% rate reduction is small compared to what everyone else is doing/has done.
I suppose it's news just because of Gina.

[-Luke-]

fucking skilled, underpaid me for 3 months & didnt even get a sorry from them when i found their error, thank fuck I'm getting a BHPB contract soonGood to hear mate after all the Stress you went through to find a role!


115k for 8&6 is amazing in these current times!

What roles? Wasn't that long ago (pre boom) when 4&1 would net you just shy of that figure.

[GrahamGTR]

Good to hear mate after all the Stress you went through to find a role!



What roles? Wasn't that long ago (pre boom) when 4&1 would net you just shy of that figure.

Sorry was replying to what kamahl31 said about roy hill on 115k.

[Lump]

yeah Luke, as you know I was trying hard to find work for a while there :/ but I'm set now, looks like I will get a year contract - direct with no agent & leading on to permanency.

Just had another awesome week at Whaleback - a big shutdown & my drawings/designs were crucial in 4 key material handling plant upgrades. The most immediate job satisfaction I've had in 25 years of mining work from 3D concepts to shop detail drawings in only a few days. Got my alternate perth office week next week too.

[Charger]

At barrow island, was 26/9 (pretty much 4/1) with ckjv but decided against it so took a job in perth but was called and offered the maintanence role so jumped at it, im keen for a decent life lol

Ahh yep coming up next Thursday huh

[Denver]

The downturn eventually found it's way to RH. Fair to say that new mining positions (for the short term anyway) aren't going to be lucrative as they once were.

http://www.miningaustralia.com.au/news/roy-hill-workers-asked-to-take-a-pay-cut

From all reports its from the supervisor level upwards. Ops and what they call lower band wages, which is about half the workforce are untouched

[skidkid]

Hey guys looking at heading up to Brockman 2 with skilled money is not the greatest but roster is good. Didn't get much info from skilled just wondering what it's like up there and also what it's like being a contractor up there?
Thanks in advance happy for negative and positive comments.


What job? I was there for 6 months as a tech writer, Tocchi is there now.

It's a fucked place, but the people are ok. It's known as Bollywood in RTIO, everything is old and busted

Bus rides to and from camp turn it into a 14hr day which is a bit of a pingpingpingping.

[MaTMaN]

115k for 8&6 is amazing in these current times!

I regularly hire experienced Process Techs on that salary and roster.

[Buckets]

While RH's "cuts" only kick in at Supervisor level ("C Band") and above the A+B Band staff however are no longer eligible for annual performance bonuses from here on in which in effect sees them loose a reasonable percentage of their potential earnings.

Almost all staff loose the project bonus from here on in which was ~ 7.5% of base and up. So while the media is talking about a "5-10% cut" it works out to be a fair chunk more when the loss of the bonuses is factored in.

All and all however I don't see it as a huge issue and it creates a clear point of difference between RH and many others in the market. RH offers a great roster but the trade off is a low wage. Others like FMG for instance pay significantly more but now work 2/1. Up to people to make a choice, go for the money or lifestyle. The days of having both are for now at least are gone.

[ambi3nce]

What job? I was there for 6 months as a tech writer, Tocchi is there now.

It's a fucked place, but the people are ok. It's known as Bollywood in RTIO, everything is old and busted

Bus rides to and from camp turn it into a 14hr day which is a bit of a pingpingpingping.

West Angelas is the same, 20-25 min bus to work and 12.5 hour days :(

[GrahamGTR]

What job? I was there for 6 months as a tech writer, Tocchi is there now.

It's a fucked place, but the people are ok. It's known as Bollywood in RTIO, everything is old and busted

Bus rides to and from camp turn it into a 14hr day which is a bit of a pingpingpingping.

Was going to an operator role but you have convinced me otherwise, thanks for the heads up.

[skidkid]

West Angelas is the same, 20-25 min bus to work and 12.5 hour days :(

It's a 50min bus trip each way from the nammuldi village to B2.

Wouldn't have any issues as an operator at B2 of you can deal with the hours - there are some good supervisors there and it's a great culture, camp is mint too.

[DESAM8+PANIK]

Am out at Jimblebar now for BHPB, I have never seen a mine operate this way, its actually a breathe of fresh air to see new ideas being employed (well actually old ideas being re-employed)

12.5 hour day plus roughly 20min each way to camp makes for a semi long day but not a real deal breaker, only place I have been that has a max speed limit of 90KM/H :)

Enjoying life at this camp now :)

Also camp is very state of the art, smart tv with our own internet in out room and swipe card access to our rooms.

Also BHPB seem to be hiring alot of people from different areas with the growth of this mine, so those looking for jobs that have some skills, always check the jobs on BHPB website

[Phildo]

A 5-10% rate reduction is small compared to what everyone else is doing/has done.
I suppose it's news just because of Gina.

A 5-10% rate reduction is a lot better than the 100% reduction that most others are either getting, or stressing about the possibility of it.

[Tocchi]

Operators at b2/nam get moved to b2 camp / jerriwah.
5 min trip

Office/planners etc are mostly in nammuldi camp.
60 min trip

[Brett Allan]

News of Mt Keith and Cliffs operations going 2/1 roster.

This will be after the hammer drops @ Mt Keith next week...

[evoeata]

News of Mt Keith and Cliffs operations going 2/1 roster.

This will be after the hammer drops @ Mt Keith next week...

wonder if they will offer redundancies to anyone instead of going 2/1. i know alot of the guys at cliffs, they will be spewin! pingpingpingpings have been milking the fuck out of it for years though

[thommo]

Sounds like the transformation is working well out there. My old general manager is head of that operation and is an outstanding individual, wouldnt be surprised to see him running the whole of iron ore one day


Am out at Jimblebar now for BHPB, I have never seen a mine operate this way, its actually a breathe of fresh air to see new ideas being employed (well actually old ideas being re-employed)

12.5 hour day plus roughly 20min each way to camp makes for a semi long day but not a real deal breaker, only place I have been that has a max speed limit of 90KM/H :)

Enjoying life at this camp now :)

Also camp is very state of the art, smart tv with our own internet in out room and swipe card access to our rooms.

Also BHPB seem to be hiring alot of people from different areas with the growth of this mine, so those looking for jobs that have some skills, always check the jobs on BHPB website

[GrahamGTR]

It's a 50min bus trip each way from the nammuldi village to B2.

Wouldn't have any issues as an operator at B2 of you can deal with the hours - there are some good supervisors there and it's a great culture, camp is mint too.

Thanks everyone for the info sounds like it's not too bad was just more worried about working for skilled in the current climate but I guess if you don't like 2&1 you don't have much choice and I don't think RIO will be looking at hiring anytime soon.

[DESAM8+PANIK]

Sounds like the transformation is working well out there. My old general manager is head of that operation and is an outstanding individual, wouldnt be surprised to see him running the whole of iron ore one day

Is that Tim Day??

[mr_mike]

Seen a few vids popping up on FB of a fire up Cloudbreak on Saturday, anyone up there?

[Lump]

Thanks everyone for the info sounds like it's not too bad was just more worried about working for skilled in the current climate but I guess if you don't like 2&1 you don't .
fyi, skilled is being bought by Programmed

[crabman]

How big is programmed nowadays? I never heard or seen of them a few years ago to them having a finger in every pie now.

[TJ]

Skilled were considering, unsure it is still happening

[adrenalin]

You missed out all the bullshit that occured at Jimblebar. ( Fast are a pack of retards )

Also agree the camp there is pretty good.

Cant remember what its called exactly other then it had putting green ( its shit ) \ driving range \ pool etc.

One of the better camps.

[munt]

Been out at cape lambert or a few swings staying at wickham lodge, so good. Rooms have tiles, carpet, nice bedding, couch, little balcony for you to hang out on and other good things. Mess's have 0 people in them so when you order a steak you get it asap. 9/10, deduct a point because the swipe card doors to everything get annoying.

[Lump]

Skilled were considering, unsure it is still happening
skilled want to do it (decision on the agreement bewteen the 2 was announced last week),it needs to be voted on by shareholders & they hope to complete the transaction by early oct.

[butters]

You missed out all the bullshit that occured at Jimblebar. ( Fast are a pack of retards )

Also agree the camp there is pretty good.

Cant remember what its called exactly other then it had putting green ( its shit ) \ driving range \ pool etc.

One of the better camps.

Warrawandu? Spent 6 months there, was a pretty decent camp, stoked to have squash courts there.

[Passage GT]

Been out at cape lambert or a few swings staying at wickham lodge, so good. Rooms have tiles, carpet, nice bedding, couch, little balcony for you to hang out on and other good things. Mess's have 0 people in them so when you order a steak you get it asap. 9/10, deduct a point because the swipe card doors to everything get annoying.

If you see a dude around town with a blue turning green beard in either an echo or a y62 patrol say g'day!

[GrahamGTR]

fyi, skilled is being bought by Programmed

Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing?

[Lump]

i dont think it matters really, as long as you get paid & what you are entitled to.

[2jzlux]

When I was with programmed I was getting paid less to do the same job along side skilled guys.

[thommo]

Is that Tim Day??

Rob Telford, I meant he's running 'transformation', he was the old GM at Yandi

[Chaotic]

Rob Telford, I meant he's running 'transformation', he was the old GM at Yandi

Can't keep up with the "transformation" every shift in the hv workshop we've got a new plan, direction and idea!! like a dog chasing its tail no idea whats going on

[TJ]

When I was with programmed I was getting paid less to do the same job along side skilled guys.

Happens all the time

3 suppliers for Rio contract staff

3 people on same team, site, roster, doing the same job for something I deal with - $4 difference an hour from highest to lowest.

[thommo]

Can't keep up with the "transformation" every shift in the hv workshop we've got a new plan, direction and idea!! like a dog chasing its tail no idea whats going on

Where's that at?

[Denver]

Seen a few vids popping up on FB of a fire up Cloudbreak on Saturday, anyone up there?

Electrical fire in a screen house. Did a fair chunk of damage but the crushing circuit can still work. Not sure how much it's affected the capacity.

Nearly all the vids have come from. Shut down crew who are now banned from all Fmg sites. And one direct Fmg employee was sacked and banned for posting a vid.

I'm not exactly sure how that's legal as most of the vids I've seen where filmed from an area your allowed to use your phone.

[Lump]

you mean you didnt realize its against most mining companies policies to publish/display photos from site without approval?

[Satan]

yeah they don't tend to like that

[Denver]

you mean you didnt realize its against most mining companies policies to publish/display photos from site without approval?

Unless the person they accuse of posting it directly admits to it. Or they're stupid enough to post it on a page themselves and not anonymously how can the company prove it was them.

[Lump]

who knows, but no way I would risk my cushy job over it

[2jzlux]

Happens all the time

3 suppliers for Rio contract staff

3 people on same team, site, roster, doing the same job for something I deal with - $4 difference an hour from highest to lowest.


Yeah, was only on the books for 3 months so worked out anyway.

[family guy]

End of Watpac at BC Iron yesterday and also read Kimberley diamond mine also pulling the pin too.

[TJ]

If you have GOOD EX 3600 (and above) experience, along with dozer experience.

HR or above

Want 2/1 roster

On going work with one of the big boys - get at me ASAP. I have one role available, I need to submit for it tomorrow. Commencing in August.

3600 is a MUST - 2500/3500 whatever will not do. 3600 and others above.

I am the only person with access to the role. Fit and healthy is a must, not fired from rio is a must.

[Lump]

if your desperate put it on the facebook fifo page or i can if you like

[GrahamGTR]

Hi gents anybody up at Telfer or have been? Opinions wanted good or bad.
Thanks in advance.

[Turboesky]

Hi gents anybody up at Telfer or have been? Opinions wanted good or bad.
Thanks in advance.

Hottest place I have ever worked. Bullshit hot in summer pretty nice during winter
Fly's are constantly trying to rape your face during summer. Insect face net required
Camp food is very lack luster.
Heaps of dingos. Will take boots,bags clothes or any other belongings you accidentally leave around
Long ass flight 2.5 -3 hours


Great wet mess with a cafe on the side for a filthy burger and chips if you miss tea.

That was my experience.

[millzy_88]

Hi gents anybody up at Telfer or have been? Opinions wanted good or bad.
Thanks in advance.

Agree with all of the above.

Not sure on where the place is at viability wise these days but when I left it wasn't long for this world. Only a couple years left in it they reckoned and it's been a couple of years now.

[Damo 69]

at b4 con camp at the moment
very different to ~4 years ago
place has like 75 people in it

[GrahamGTR]

Agree with all of the above.

Not sure on where the place is at viability wise these days but when I left it wasn't long for this world. Only a couple years left in it they reckoned and it's been a couple of years now.

Story goes they had started a new cut back fired up a digger they had on standby and bought some "new" trucks, the new cut back had a 2 year life cycle only using contractors for the role, also has 2&2 roster which would get people in the door.

[DESAM8+PANIK]

Yeah I work for Liebherr so I have been there plenty of times when we had the MAR contract and after for Leightons.

Place is the hottest place I have ever worked
Food actually I thought wasn't bad
Wetty is killer and so is the café
Wet season can turn the place into a wet hole
Dingo flats is shit if you get stuck in there when the A/C isn't working and you're on night shift

All in all I like the place and if you get to be in the cab of a machine with the A/C on you will be happy, that also applies to nightshift seen it get to a lowest of 33 degrees minimum, the next day was 59.5 degrees at 09:30 and dropped to 58.5 degrees at 16:30, I have photos of it to prove it :)

[Bomber]

I worked just down the road at Woodie Woodie for Cons Mins about 5-6 years ago. Can vouch for heat in that part of the Pilbara, quite often be mid 60s in the pits. I used to have a photo of the thermometer out the front of the dry mess saying 58℃ at about 6:30pm. Makes for thirsty work! And cold wind coming off the desert this time of year at night. Cuts to the bone!

[tauni]

Can confirm the heat. Was just down the road at Nifty for awhile. Hot as balls in summer in the workshop. 10+L of water a day easy. More for some of the underground guys.
Heaps of ex telfer guys at work. They all say its a shithole but at the same time sound like they loved it there. Constant lightning storms at night are pretty sweet though in the right part of the year.

[crabman]

Fucking loved Telfer. Hated it, but loved it lol. That was 3-4 years ago. Not sure if it is still as good. If only they strike oil there, then I'd go back :P

[GrahamGTR]

Thanks for all the info on Telfer gentlemen glad to hear all the good and not so good stories I'm really just chasing a more life friendly roster at the moment appreciate all the info.

[SSICK]

Anyone up at Sino Iron? was there a few years ago but heading back up on a short contract.

[ZAK]

Any Rio inducted sparkies want a quick shutdown mobilizing tomorrow PM me

[BASSULA]

ahh Sino.. lol that place is hilarious. sooo much china!

[c.rusli]

Anyone up at Sino Iron? was there a few years ago but heading back up on a short contract.

I goes there for 1 day or 2 for every 1 month or so to do some sales, quoting etc..

That place is a mess....

[Lump]

equipment going cheap

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-28/heavy-machinery-prices-slashed-at-auction-mining-downturn-bites/6892966

[Alt_F4]

So cheap companies should be buying them to part out

[Alt_F4]

Position in our team opened up for essentially a doc controller, job will likely only be up for a week so any one interested apply ASAP.
This is permanent position with Rio Tinto and it's in the heart of the CBD.

Apply via website https://riotinto.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?id=2600

[-Luke-]

equipment going cheap

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-28/heavy-machinery-prices-slashed-at-auction-mining-downturn-bites/6892966

LOL @ a 992C being worth 2.9m. Yeah maybe in 1990. Same goes for the D11N any Track Machine is a liability once it's undercarriage is worn especially one with an outdated, expensive to run/maintain powertrain.

Sales price on the obsolete gear reflects Demob cost more than actual nuts and bolts value.

[j3rk]

Anyone up at Wheatstone?
Heading up in Dec, will be up there for a whileeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

[magic1]

Anyone up at Wheatstone?
Heading up in Dec, will be up there for a whileeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

I might visit....................for a day

[flamo_damo]

Anyone up at Wheatstone?
Heading up in Dec, will be up there for a whileeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Yep, up here at the moment.

Who you coming up with?

[forde]

Also at wheatstone. Been here for a year in december.

[Tocchi]

Position in our team opened up for essentially a doc controller, job will likely only be up for a week so any one interested apply ASAP.
This is permanent position with Rio Tinto and it's in the heart of the CBD.

Apply via website https://riotinto.csod.com/ats/careersite/JobDetails.aspx?id=2600

Lol pity the poor soul that does that.

[crabman]

Anyone here involved in Wheatstone but the offshore side?

[j3rk]

Yep, up here at the moment.

Who you coming up with?

Virgin will fly me up!
God I'm almost as funny as you trist!

[hako]

Anyone here involved in Wheatstone but the offshore side?

Was involved from spudding first well to the start of completions. No longer in that job though.

[Damo 69]

http://www.smh.com.au/business/mining-and-resources/at-37b-mining-in-space-could-cost-less-than-gorgon-gas-plant-unsw-finds-20151105-gks5gq.html

[Lump]

414km from the sun, LOL

[Lonewolf]

414km from the sun, LOL

bout as hot as BWI in summer!

[Bomber]

BHPB shares at lowest price since 2009. Bad times are coming

[Alt_F4]

BHPB shares at lowest price since 2009. Bad times are coming
I wouldn't be any more worried, then you were a month or two ago...

[BOSS 290]

I bought my BHP shares at ~ $8.00 each back in 2001 and sold them 2 years ago @ ~$38.00 each. Couldn't give a fuck what their share price is now.

[Lump]

yes, we are copping some bad press lately, the dam breaking in brazil last week (50/50 co owned operation with Vale..), the front page of the west today lol & also the price of oil has got something to do with it.

[Byah!]

dividend policy as well.....however as a shareholder thats about the only good news over the last 2 yrs....

[Damo 69]

yes, we are copping some bad press lately, the dam breaking in brazil last week (50/50 co owned operation with Vale..), the front page of the west today lol & also the price of oil has got something to do with it.

BHP are heavily invested in Shale Oil in the USA

[Lump]

yeah, i know

[American Dave]

BHP are heavily invested in Shale Oil in the USA

They got sold a bag of turds when they invested in Fayetteville Shale Project in the USA. My family lives just down the road from it and the previous owners literally took the money and ran. http://www.bhpbilliton.com/businesses/petroleum

[Damo 69]

yeah, i know


also the price of oil has got something to do with it.

didn't seem like it

[thommo]

Now the tug boats drama

Only upside to low shares is getting more in return if you're in their share scheme

[Lump]

didn't seem like it
sarcasm was lost on you then

[mARC]

If you post upside down text in italics does it cancel out?

[GrahamGTR]

Hi gents anybody up at Brockman 4? Keen to also get opinions from people that have been up as well.
Thanks in advance.

[TJ]

Doing what? With who?

Can give some feedback

[Damo 69]

Did the boolgeeda airport and half of stage 3 of b2 to b4 access road

B4 con camp is pretty good rooms are ok and food is great!

[skidkid]

Boolgeeda airport is fucking mint.

B4 camp is pretty good, rooms are nicer at the B2/Nammuldi camp, but food is better at B4.

B4 also gets pretty much whatever it wants, where B2 is held together with duct tape and cable ties

[GrahamGTR]

Thanks for the info guys always a fast reply and TJ I'll indox you those details.

[Tocchi]

Steal my 2 fruit cups from Nammuldi crib and I'll cut you

[butters]

B4 was great although that was a while ago, was there for all the consturction works, did the road to tom price, the central facilities and the rail from b2 to b4, con camp was the best to be in. Would like to get back there some day.

[waxdass]

Anyone here involved in Wheatstone but the offshore side?

yeah I did the pre-comms for the nucelonic instruments on the 6x liquid separators in S. Korea.
Don't think i'll be needed back on the rig till prob mid next year.

[Damo 69]

Boolgeeda airport is fucking mint.

B4 camp is pretty good, rooms are nicer at the B2/Nammuldi camp, but food is better at B4.

B4 also gets pretty much whatever it wants, where B2 is held together with duct tape and cable ties

LOL it is a bit over the top for the Pilbara.
design brief was essentially a bunch of dongas joined together, then it came this far and turned into what you have now. dem $150 p/t iron ore days

[Damo 69]

B4 was great although that was a while ago, was there for all the consturction works, did the road to tom price, the central facilities and the rail from b2 to b4, con camp was the best to be in. Would like to get back there some day.

was there just a few months ago
con camp is the same room wise so a bit dated but nice enough.
but the food is fucking amazing, must be due to only having about 150 people in it these days but the chef does well!
seeing B4 with just a few people in it is a far stretch to the 2010 days that's for sure!

[crabman]

Westrac lose the MARC at Telfer?

[American Dave]

Westrac have been gone from Telfer for some time. Now Newcrest have given the approval to do a pit cutback and mine for another 6 years from the two pits they have. Macmahon are doing d&b, mining and maintenance to the Newcrest owned fleet. 2/1 FIFO jobs at Telfer starting in Feb 2016

[crabman]

Ahhh, that will teach me for not reading the full article haha.

Newcrest people will be devo losing their 2n2 dream.

[TJ]

Electric Truck experience in a production environment?

Not a muppet?

Fit and healthy? Clean HR License?

Have 8/6 roles available at good rates until April. FIFO Perth only

If you have grader on top have long term work available.

Pm me or comment here and we can discuss.

[TJ]

http://www.seek.com.au/job/29925131?pos=1&type=standard&engineConfig=control&tier=no_tier&whereid=3000

[stormtrooper]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c8be5_IFko&feature=youtu.be

[Denver]

The irony. I just started at Bhp.

Gave Fmg the bird a few weeks ago. Given the ore price going the way it is. I think they're down to months to live.

[Bomber]

What site Denver? I'm at MAC

[turboknapp]

Jimblebar here

[Denver]

What site Denver? I'm at MAC
Jimblebreak. Seems half Fmg jumped here already.

[Chaotic]

Jimblebreak. Seems half Fmg jumped here already.

Just applied for transfer to jimblebar, hearing rumours that they might be going 2:1 tho, any chatter on site?

[Denver]

That rumors been doing the rounds for ages, the super intendant on this crew said its not.. hes one of the ones who threatened them with it due to no shows..

[Buckets]

We'll all be back on 2/1 in due course. And by all I mean pretty well everyone FIFO at BHP / FMG (assuming they stay solvent) & RHIO as for Rio they will be the last ones with the ability to withstand the associated costs.

Have a think back to the price point where these nice slack pingpingpingping rosters began to pop up many moons ago. We are back there and then some. Those whos job it is to make the most dollars out of the dirt we dig are well aware of what they used to be able to produce ore for and what scenarios they could implement to get closer to those efficent cost structures.

If you voluntarily move to another job because you don't like 2/1 ect ect in this market and expose yourself to not being eligible for redundancy (12mnths service is usually required to qualify) should the axe swing again and so forth you've not thought things through very well.

I am astounded at the mentality of some of the people I've interviewed for jobs of late... So many boom time miners seriously have no fucking idea of how this wee game we play works. The sooner automation is the backbone of the industry the better on so many levels.

[j3rk]

^Yep.
Lots of changes coming in both O&G and Mining...
We've moved a LOT of our positions to residential (Onslow) and the Bechtel boys are doing 8-2 (Ex-pat) or 3-1 (Aus).

[Damo 69]

It looks like a lot of our operators from my previous company (Civil Construction) are now on 6 weeks on 1 off, Staff now 4/1.
Last project I can recall doing that was Pluto LNG, so a few years ago now.


How will the boys finishing up on barrow live now?

[crabman]

We'll all be back on 2/1 in due course......

Weren't a lot of the newer camps designed around being 8n6 though? To swap to 2n1 they probably wont have the rooms unless swapping people around every week. I figured 2n2 would be the go, flight costs are halved and no room swap issues. Comes with a pay cut to make it viable compared to 2n1 change

[Buckets]

Umm you do realize that theres LESS people required for 2/1 than an 8/6 which is why it's cheaper ?

3 panels rather than 4 are required meaning they can reduce operator and maintainer manning by 25%. Surplus capacity in camps isnt an issue as it gets mothballed and only used during times where theres a need for surge capacity (like shut downs). Lower man day numbers in camp also means a reduction in catering and cleaning costs ect ect.

2/2 still requires four panels and 14/10-14/11 which is what we do at Roy Hill while having 7 panels works out to require slightly more labour than a 2/1 but less than 8/6 or 2/2 as you only part man all the panels and use the rosters overlap periods to make the required staffing levels.

2/1 is still the cheapest and in many ways most efficent operations roster as I've said previously not only do I strongly believe we will see an ongoing reduction (or freeze) in wages to bring us back in to global competitiveness we'll also see the need to cost cut result in a dramatic reduction in manning levels via both roster changes and automation.

[crabman]

Yeah realise less people employed but I would presume there would still be the same amount of people on site at any one time so the room swaps would still have to occur mid swing. I suppose that comes down to how the camp was designed.

Who was the first to move to 8n6 back in the boom beginnings?

[Byah!]

was it FMG? think that was a big incentive to attract operators when the first started up.....

[Denver]

Murrin murrin was 8/6 before cloud break. Admittedly that was also Forrest created.

[HotAe92]

Karara looks to be in a bit of strife.

http://www.australianmining.com.au/news/gindalbie-metals-bows-to-market-pressure

[American Dave]

Karara is at deaths door imo

[HotAe92]

And on the flipside (albeit different commodity), we have Ramelius, who I often thought were a bit of joke at the time - buying up clapped-out tenements that no-one else wanted, doing pretty well for themselves. My mate and I joked about buying a handful of shares in early 2014...

http://www.miningweekly.com/article/ramelius-exceeds-quarterly-records-2016-01-11

[Brett_J]

So who's up at Wheatstone, missus is heading up there.
Better roster too, at 19/9 compared to 26/9 for BWI or 28/7 she was going to get at Darwin.

[forde]

Yep i'm still at wheatstone for Freo's. Although we just got moved out of CV and into discovery with free reign to go into town, makes it seem like less of a prison!

[j3rk]

I'm up here... Stay in CV.
Didn't know they did 19/9 not bad!

[3BEPKA]

I'm at Wheatstone as well, with CBI. 19/9 would be good.

[waxdass]

whats the word with Wheatstone platform - when is expected completion date?

[jaba]

Also with CBI at Wheatstone. Jealous of 19/9!