The Boys

So have had this one in drafts for a while too. Just some personal notes really, about the people I have worked with over the years who have had the most impact in my life, be it personally or professionally.

Starting from my last major job, which was Penjom. It did finish in 2012, but since then I've mainly been working for ASN (not much to report from there), or with people I had worked with previously, so no need to mention again. I've certainly made some great new contacts since being in my new job, but that story will be for another time, once I've been here long enough to make an impact hopefully!

Penjom

Brian - the big fella as I call him. A great geo, great guy to chat to about anything, and a good friend. Last time I was in KL he was the only one I caught up with. Possibly because he's the only one left haha, but even so, he would be #1 on the list. Incredibly smart, and we made a bloody good team, him with the geology and me with the mining. Had Penjom not been taken over and had we got the backing we needed for the major cutback, well I think we could have made that place hum again. As it happens, it's now dwindling into nothingness.

JR - I worked with JR at Penjom, ASN, and SoG, so have known him since roughly 2000. He's a great guy, Mr. Social as we call him, and he's great for a drink. We didn't always see eye to eye when he was my boss, but that's ok. I did learn from him about the importance of being accountable to your KPI's, and I did enjoy his company and friendship. Over the years, I have learned that real friends make it a 2-way street. I'm not saying a lot of my other friends are not real friends, but JR more than anyone else will be the one to make contact with me and see how I'm going. I always remember and appreciate that. He has a great family too, and we enjoyed a number of catch-ups with all of us back in the days living in KL.

Dean - Interestingly enough, Dean replaced me at Tarmoola in 2002, but despite knowing of him, I never met him until he hired me to Penjom in 2008. He also gave me work in the Philippines and at Wetar, and offered me a role at SC&G, which I couldn't take because it's FIFO. Based on what's happened since, I'm damn glad I didn't! Dean is a very smart man, and a great manager. He was always happy to essentially leave me to my own devices, and I have never had a boss like him, in terms of support and representing me to the executive. I learned a great deal from him and will always be thankful for his influence and friendship.

Russ - another one of the stalwarts, and together, Dean, Russ and I made up the TSF Meeting management team. Ok so that was our secret catch-cry for going up to a quiet spot on the TSF, generally on a Friday arvo, and sinking a few cans while talking about what was going on. Fantastic memories, the likes of which are unlikely to ever be repeated sadly. Mainly because Dean is determined to be Oz-based now, and thus even if we all worked together again, it would be somewhere in Oz, and TSF Meetings would be way to risky to hold! But Russ was a consummate professional, and always encouraged me to take things up a notch. I valued his counsel greatly, both at work and as a friend too.

Stu - Stu was one of the younger members of the team. A great technical engineer, who strived for more, and did get his chance at management once he left Avocet. He was really my right-hand man at Penjom and was supremely capable to turn my ideas into workable solutions, and with a lot of his own input too. A great guy, always up for a beer or a game of squash, and someone I would gladly catch up with if I ever got the chance.

Bob - dear old Bob. He almost died prior to joining Penjom, lucky the medical picked up his heart issue. A very old school Kiwi maintenance boss, who never pulled his punches or minced his words. We had a bit of a tense beginning, but after a while we became the best of mates. He has a heart of gold and knows his shit. I do feel fondly of the old boy.

Subra - there is a whole post about Subra earlier in this blog, so I won't go into too much detail, but I will say that I really admire Subra for his professionalism and work ethic. He is a good friend, and someone I will always keep in touch with.

Graeme - Richo could figure in any one of these sections, as he is in a unique category. I first worked with him at KCGM, then Tarmoola, then Murrin, then Cement Australia, then Barrick, then JMS, then Penjom. Wow, we have maintained an amazing level of professional contact over the years. He is one of the good guys, and now has a huge, thriving training business back in Perth. He is the MD of that, and doesn't do much training himself anymore. But anytime I need him, he saddles up, comes and susses the place out, puts together a training program, and helps me improve things. The man is a winner and a true legend of the mining industry in my opinion. Plus he will always be a good mate.

Skip - Skip is a funny old bugger. An old blasting guy from way back when, but someone who always knew his shit too. He had retired from mining when we got him to help us improve our blasting at Penjom, but he was happy to help. And help he did, he knew the practicalities of cleaning up a bench, setting out a shot, drilling it, taking samples, and firing it more than pretty much anyone else I have worked with in blasting - and blast design was my forte back in the old days when I used to be at the pointy end of mining engineering. He's a very different person though - don't get him on Hash days - but I do enjoy catching up with him in Bali for a beer and a yarn whenever I can. - p

JMS / Cement Australia

Bob Barnard - poor old Bob passed away earlier this year. It was very sad. Bob was one of life's true gentlemen. Hard, but always courteous, ambitious but always compassionate, and he was a good friend and advisor of mine over the years. We first worked together at Cement Australia, where he advised me on expanding the project as I was trying to do. Then we ended up at JMS together, where he had much the same role. I fondly remember us doing a tender visit to Mildura together, and whiling away the evening playing pool, drinking beer and smoking cigarettes. May you rest in peace dear Bob, you are missed my friend. We also ended up at ASN together too, where he was a director.

Ib - Ib and I share a similar path to what Bob and I did, with the exception of JMS. Ib was in charge of procurement when I was at CA, and helped me to get my fleet replacement strategy in place, and did a grand job of it. Then he too ended up as a consultant to ASN, and we had numerous trips out to the bush together. Ib is also one of life's gentlemen, a really upstanding man, passionate about doing things properly, and someone who's company I enjoyed. We still email from time to time, but I haven't seen him in ages.

Jeff - That man Spann. 50+, bachelor, gym junkie, drove a sports car, couldn't hold down a steady relationship. He was my maintenance guy at CA. He was a bit emo, and struggled a bit with managing people (as I made him a supervisor), but he was trustworthy and he was my friend. We had many a night together at Bo Jangles in Gladstone, or the titty bar as he used to call it. We did a lot of good at CA, together with Keely, and Jon Kotlar, but I have lost touch with those two and haven't spoken to them in years.

Tarmoola / Murrin

Bruce - The McFadzean was my first ever mentor. There's not much this man doesn't know about mining, in fact probably nothing. He is a first-class guy, a great teacher, and an inspirational leader. I started on the same day with him at KCGM, and while he was a superintendent, he just described himself as a mining engineer like me, so I was immediately comfortable with him. He really taught me a lot. I followed him to Tarmoola and then to Murrin. After a couple of years there it was time for me to spread my wings and go elsewhere. I have caught up with him a few times in the ensuing years, but not for a while now. I wouldn't discount the potential of us working together again sometime to be honest!

Gully - I first met Gully when he was a shotfirer at Tarmoola. He then joined us at Murrin, and eventually started studying to be an engineer, a role he still fills now. A clever and hardworking guy, and a good friend. We had many beers over the years, but alas it has been a long, long time since I have seen him.

Adam - Similar story to Gully, Tarmoola and Murrin. Cereal Boy we used to call him, as there was nothing he couldn't eat. But he is a huge guy, and a great friend. He helped me enormously when I was struggling between jobs at some stage, and has always been there for me. I do miss the big fella. I caught up with him and his family in Perth a couple of years ago, and hope to see him again before too long. I might even email him today actually.

Chook - Monster was running the pit at Tarmoola when I got there, and was a huge help to me in getting established. I remember fondly going bush with him "on the froth" as he called it, out near Leonora one afternoon. I also caught up with him in KL one day back in 2012, which was awesome. He has spent a number of years in SEA too, since the Goldfields days, and is now running cattle somewhere in QLD I believe, inbetween contracts in Laos. Another fella I hope to catch up with one of these days.

Deefer - Damon was a geo at Tarmoola and also a good friend. He was a seriously capable guy, and has done well for himself. We swap emails from time to time, but I haven't seen him in years.

Simon - I went to uni with Simon, and we had some great experiences together, from strip poker nights, to field trips, to picking fruit together near my hometown over a summer. We worked together for a time for SoG, although he was Kal-based so didn't see a whole lot of him. Since then he has moved from strength to strength and has done very well in Brazil, where he has twice tried to get me to join him. I feel so bad about that, as it would be an awesome opportunity, but alas not for me as it can't be residential. Plus while I am happy to be away from home (Barooga), I don't want to be on the other side of the world. Never say never, but not now at least anyway.

KCGM

Skinny - Skinny Gazza was one of the stalwarts at KCGM when I got there, and taught me a whole lot about how the superpit worked. He was a great advisor, always a level head, and a good friend. We caught up a number of times while I was still working around WA (up to and including the JMS days) but I haven't seen him since then.

Coops - Coops is much in the same boat. A good old head on his shoulders and a great friend. I will never forget though, him outbidding me while I was drunk on that bloody Corporate James horse whip and making me pay $500 for it! But it went to a good cause, so all good there. We visited Vietnam together back in 1997, which was my first foray overseas as an adult, and still keep in touch, although not as often as I'd like.

Alex - Bone was a great colleague of mine at KCGM and taught me a lot about being a decent person as well as a decent engineer and professional. We almost got something happening in Malaysia recently, but it never eventuated unfortunately. Still keep in touch though.

Dave Lowe - Me old Pommy mate. I only knew him for a year - we worked together and shared a house together in Kal. As well as many a good night on the turps, or rolling our eyes at our crazy roommate Ed. After many years we got in touch again, he's now in paving in the UK and doing great. I really hope I can see him again one day.

Well that's the list. There are no doubt many other people I could have mentioned who have had an impact in one way or another (not always good in the long-run), but these guys are the core group. I have been lucky enough to work with and enjoy my time with many great people over the years. I could write a whole book about those experiences frankly, but this gives a decent sample of it.