Monash University, Kirkland Lake Gold and 2018 Prospect Awards nominee Deepcore Drilling are providing invaluable mine site exposure for university students.
The initiative is open to first- and third-year undergraduate Bachelor of Science (Earth Sciences) Monash students, who will be able to visit operating mine sites and drill sites.
The inaugural field trip of the new initiative was held on September 26 and saw students of Monash’s School of Earth, Atmosphere & Environment visit Kirkland Lake Gold’s Fosterville mine near Bendigo, Victoria.
The students visited the mine’s surface operations including the open pit, processing facility and Robin’s Hill exploration sites.
Visitors were also granted access to core samples and had the chance to view one of Deepcore Drilling’s operating drill rigs.
Kirkland Lake Gold and Deepcore representatives then held sessions for the students to discuss Fosterville’s history, the mining and drilling process and career opportunities.
Nathan Phillips, Kirkland Lake Gold exploration superintendent, called it a great initiative for emerging scientists.
“Victoria has a long history of mining and with the discovery of the world class Swan orebody, there are exciting times ahead for the Victorian minerals sector,” he said.
“This new investment in exploration in Victoria will no doubt yield future employment opportunities that needs to be supported by developing the next generation of geoscience graduates.”
Deepcore Drilling project lead Dona Carter added that feedback from the students would be used to develop a field excursion program designed to support Monash University’s future curriculum, with a long-term goal to expand the project to students in Queensland and New South Wales as well.
“Our goal is that, by working together to strengthen geologists’ exposure to the industry, we can bridge the gap and strengthen geologist-driller relationships,” she said.
Deepcore Drilling is a finalist in the Innovative Mining Solution category at this year’s Australian Mining Prospect Awards.
The company has received the nomination for its Sound Enclosure solution, a drill rig enclosure that can reduce operational noise by 20 per cent.
“The Sound Enclosure is the solution to the problem that many mining sites face; maximising their productive mining activities while successfully meeting all their stakeholder and community’s needs of safety, minimal environmental impact (reduced footprint), low noise and visual amenity,” said Deepcore chief operating officer Don MacDonald.
The awards will take place at Sydney Cricket Ground on October 18. The full list of nominees can be read here.