Glencore Summer Internship
I am very grateful for the amazing time I spent at Glencore’s Bulga Open Cut mine site! For the last three months I have been a part of the Vacation Employment Program (2023-24) for Glencore Coal Assets, Australia. I had the opportunity to dive into the mining industry, where I explored all aspects of coal mining. I worked in the maintenance planning department, where I was responsible for aiding in the scheduled maintenance and improvement of both mobile and field equipment. I chose this program due to Glencore’s dedication to safety, position as a key player in Australia’s mining industry, opportunities for career development and progression with the Graduate Program, working with leaders in the engineering and mining field, as well as the structured and educational nature of the Vacation Program.
During the program, I was tasked with multiple projects. Each project presented unique challenges and drove me to adopt and exercise a variety of skills. My first major project was to create a Failure Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) for the Liebherr R9100 excavators on site. This project required me to learn a new method of reporting, meet with planners and the onsite Liebherr advisor, assess the success of the current strategies in place, consolidate my research into developing and justifying new service management plans and component change intervals, as well as construct a completely new document. This project significantly benefited the site in introducing a clear, up to date management plan for the excavators that did not exist before.
Another one of my major projects was creating a Trigger Action Response Plan (TARP) to manage the blade overhauls of the pit bulldozers, washery bulldozers, and push cats. This project required me to investigate the repair and replacement history of the blades, perform calculations of wear rates for each blade type, collaborate and meet with colleagues, critically analyse and justify results, and create a new management document that is now implemented across the site.
This position was the ultimate opportunity for me to exercise my passion for engineering, mining operations and technology. I have developed my skills of problem-solving, initiative, communication and prioritisation, as well as made numerous valuable professional connections. My goals for this program were to be a sponge and absorb as much information and knowledge as I could, to receive hands-on and extensive experience in a mine site where my work makes a difference, and to make numerous professional connections with leaders, colleagues, and other students in my field. I can confidently confirm that I achieved all these goals and more. I am excited to pursue a career in engineering and to continue broadening my skills and knowledge.
Technical systems supervisor at First Quantum Minerals
4wAutonomous hardware and software mining systems techncian