Who are you and what do you do?
I am a Technical Superintendent for MACH Energy, working across Mount Pleasant Operation and the Newcastle corporate office.My job is to understand the quality of our coal and track it all the way from the ground before it is even mined, down to our delivery to the port or power station, ensuring our customers get exactly what they are after.
When did you start in the mining industry and what was your first job?
I first started in the mining industry in 2009 as a geology vacation student while I was studying at university, working at Tahmoor Colliery. After graduation in 2012, I got a role as a graduate geologist working for Xstrata in the Hunter.
How different is your job now to what you wanted to be when you were a kid?
When I was younger I imagined a career in the police force. Once I started studying earth and environmental science in high school I was hooked, and the decision to study geology was easy!
What’s a usual day at work entail?
A typical day involves looking at coal quality data, monitoring what is happening across the operation and making sure we are producing coal that meets our customers’ requirements. While a lot of the role is analysing data and identifying trends or potential quality issues, there is also a strong operational component. I work closely with geology, mining, processing and marketing and logistics to understand what coal we have available and how we can best utilise it.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Definitely the people I work with. I am lucky enough to work with a team of people who are all incredibly intelligent, experienced, supportive and love having a laugh. Last year I was also lucky enough to go on a trip to Japan to meet some of our customers, that was a ‘pinch me’ career moment.
The worst thing?
Moving coal to our customers is a 24/7 process that rarely stops, and a lot of the time issues arise outside of work hours and on weekends that need to be resolved.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome?
There was a period early in my career where I questioned whether the mining industry, or a career as a geologist was for me. I am glad I chose to stick it out.
What’s something about your job that would surprise people to know?
Coal isn’t all the same. It can have very specific properties that we need to understand, and these properties or characteristics can be highly variable. It is my job to put together the ‘recipe’ of different coal types, to get the right product to our end users.
What’s your best advice for people entering the industry?
Say yes to any and every opportunity. Early in your career it is impossible to envision where you will end up in 10 years’ time, as there are so many possible pathways. I would encourage people to be open minded and flexible, particularly if the opportunity comes up to move to a regional or remote community early in your career.
The mining industry gets more than its fair share of criticism. What is your view of our industry and the impact it has?
For me, the conversation shouldn’t be about pretending mining has no environmental impact, but about recognising the value it provides while holding ourselves accountable for the way we operate. I’m proud to work in an industry that can make a meaningful difference to people’s lives, particularly to those in regional areas, and I think our responsibility is to ensure we continue to do that while improving our environmental performance and leaving a positive legacy for the communities in which we operate.
