Superpit
These are troubled times for man ? increasingly we are being forced to be introspective about our role in the world and it?s ecosystems. Global warming is becoming a real threat. The boundaries of what is acceptable behaviour by corporations and individuals are the source of much discussion and rhetoric.
In January of this year I took myself to what many would consider to be one of the frontlines in the struggle of man and nature, or perhaps more accurately, the urge to make financial gains at the expense of the environment. 6 hours inland from Perth, Western Australia, is the Southern Hemisphere?s biggest open cast gold mine. Situated next to the town of Kalgoorlie, the Superpit is a jaw dropping chasm that defies our conventions of what is possible ? a mammoth hole in the ground, from which unbelievable riches are plundered daily. The mass consumption of fuel and the growing incursions into the outback ecosystems makes you wonder whether the idea of sustainable development will ever be a reality ? as long as there is money to be made you can?t help but feel that exploitation of the worlds resources will continue.
However, beyond the politics of Australia?s mining industry there are a myriad of human stories ? a workforce (predominantly male) that in many ways preserves the traditional ?Aussie Bloke? (industrious, forthright, loves a cold beer) making a living in a harsh environment often thousands of miles from home. Dwarfed by the vast hole in the ground they have created, they work long hours throughout the year in searing heat, supporting their families who reside in the nations coastal cities. To these men, mining is a way of life that has often been passed on through generations. As the lifetime of mineral resources becomes shorter, the need to find an alternative, sustainable form of employment for the huge mining workforce will become of increasing importance.
Summer storm clouds gather over Kalgoorlie, a town built around the mining industry in the Western Australian interior.
Mining engineers prepare a section of the pit for blasting. Holes are drilled at regular intervals, and explosives placed inside to destabilise the gold ore.
A dump truck fully laden with gold ore passes an empty truck returning down into the mine. The trucks run 24hrs a day, 365 days a year in a relentless push to maximise efficiency and profit. At the current rate of excavation, gold resources in the Superpi
A crushed pickup truck offers a stark warning to mine workers. This was the result of a safety demonstration where one of the huge 22 tonne dump trucks was driven over this vehicle in front of the Superpit workforce. The driver of the dump truck said that
Through 3 yrs of experience in mining, auxiliary operator ?Silver? has seen a lot of the world ? stints in Canada, Britain and Indonesia before returning to his native Australia. With Australia in the grip of a huge boom in the excavation of mineral resou
Matt Genzell, a ground support technician for Rock Engineering Pty., takes a smoke break before starting work. Having been on holiday leave for 6 weeks (?chilling on the beach in Scarborough?) the reality of fixing mine walls in 45deg heat will take a cou
Matt operates a ?cherry picker? crane in the Superpit.
Matt and Mick prepare hydraulic equipment for use on the pit walls.
Truck mechanics Damien and Adam take time out from maintenance work. With billions of dollars of hardware on site, maintaining vehicles and infrastructure is of the utmost importance to prevent spiralling costs. In spite of their indestructible appearanc
A graveyard of retired truck tyres on the periphery of the mine. With the immense global growth in opencast mining, there is now a worldwide shortage of heavy-duty truck tyres. Tyre prices have rocketed to up to US$5, per unit. Recycling the used tyres is
Smoke and dust rises over the pit walls after a blast. Blasting can only take place when the prevailing winds are away from the town, which is literally a few hundred metres from the mine edge. Currently 4m deep and a over a mile long, by the time mining
Dedicated pipelines transport waste and silage from the Superpit to remote processing plants.
Drill Technician Leigh Moek (Bubba to his friends) at home with his partner and daughter. Family time is precious for men and women employed by the Superpit and it's associated sub contractors. With long hours of work (far beyond the typical 9-5), the tim
Leigh plays with his 6 month old daughter. Kalgoorlie is one of the few places in the world where the ?American Dream? (or in this instance, the ?Australian Dream?) still exists. Lee arrived in town 3 years ago with a few hundred dollars to his name; havi
Leigh Moek plays with his kids after work.
Night approaches and the activity continues at the Superpit. Mining is 24hrs here - at the current rate of excavation, experts predict that there are enough gold resources to last until 217. Western Australia has vast mineral deposits, many of which are u
Construction worker Wez winds down after a 12hr shift. Kalgoorlie is a boomtown again, with new housing, factories and university buildings being put in place to support the mining population and their families. Contractors like Wez and Aaron fly in from
Wez?s workmate Aaron enjoys a whisky and coke after a hard day?s construction.
Contractors Wez and Aaron receive their work schedule for the upcoming week from their supervisor.
Kalgoorlie is notorious for it?s raucous nightlife. It?s early on Friday night, and in the Exchange Hotel, Wez and Aaron take on all comers at the pool table.
Monday, 6.3am in Hannan?s Hotel, and Superpit night shift workers relax over beer and breakfast. The mine operates 24hrs a day, 365 days a year; After working a 12hr nightshift, beer and a fry up served by one of the towns traditional 'skimpies' is for ma
Across town, work starts early for Leigh Moek over at Strange Drilling. The first employees are on site well before sunrise every day.
Monday night, and while the pit keeps on working, Kalgoorlie winds down. Right now 217 seems a long way off, but in ten years time the gold will have run out. What happens then for the towns 5, inhabitants remains to be seen.