Long shot - mining, quarrying, blasting etc

[Buffalo]

I'm sure this is a long shot, for these pages seem full of computer whizzes, not engineers of the earth like moi...

Anyway, the basic story is i have secured myself a place to study an MEng in Deep Mine Rock Mechanics in Aus in 2005. I already have a Mining Geology BEng and am at present working as a geotechnical engineer.

In the year between now and leaving for the course, i fancy jacking it all in and doing something interesting as the title sugests - or anything vaguely related really, although preferably in hard rock.

I have my shotfiring certificate and so a bit of blasting would be a great one. Otherwise any leads on jobs for mining, quarrying or tunnelling etc would be gratefully received. Qualified surveyor etc etc...

I have got a couple of agencies looking for me, but jobs in these fields seem well hidden to my eyes. I dont want to do another geotech engineering job as i might as well stay here in a job that i am doing very well in (save for time on PH of course! ), but what isn't why i went to Uni - The MEng (subject) is. I have been cooped up for too long now and fancy getting back out in to the field again.

Can anyone help...?

Thank you
edited for spelling...

>>> Edited by Buffalo on Tuesday 25th November 12:02

[ATG]

I have nothing useful to contribute at all. I can only offer my best wishes and sincere hope that you find something soon. If you do find a job blowing up big things, can we please come and watch?

[agent006]

I have nothing to add either other than to say i now understand the title of "Rock Doctor" in your profile. I imagined somebody with a Brian May hairstyle going round helping out shite bands.

[Davel]

Try getting in touch with people like Tarmac, who own working quarries (limestone) to see if they have anything suitable.

Good luck.

[tvradict]

I echo the idea to contact Tarmac. Try Barr, there is a company based near Oban called Yoeman somethingorother, which build roads and have quarries all over the country. There are speccialist blasting companies which drive from quarry to quarry, you could try getting in tough with them.
If you look in the yellow pages for aggregates suppliers, I'm sure you will come across something.
If you see a company working on the roads, contact them as there is a vewry good chance they have a quarry somewhere.

[Buffalo]

Thanks so far. I am thinking along same lines as you as that i need to find quarries to get the blasting work.

I am looking around now.

Tricky thing is, i am trained in rock work and want to further my rock experience, but its tricky to find rock work in this country now we don't mine anything anymore. People only want soil engineers

I am also looking at the option of going abroad before my course starts in order to get that experience.

Buff

[detomaso]

Why don't you try BPB Industries www.bpb.com
They mine Gyproc all over the UK and the rest of the world. They have a recruitment section on their website. My dad has been working for them for 25 years, you probably know them as British Gypsum from the plaster division, but it's worth a shout anyway.

[Wacky Racer]

Buffalo said:

, i fancy jacking it all in and doing something interesting as the title sugests - or anything vaguely related really, although preferably in hard rock.

I don't think Led Zeppelin have any vacancies at the moment, but I have heard on the grapevine Deep Purple may have one soon

[Buffalo]

Wacky Racer said:

I don't think Led Zeppelin have any vacancies at the moment, but I have heard on the grapevine Deep Purple may have one soon

I can bring my own drumsticks...!

not saying i'd be any good mind

[Buffalo]

stc_bennett said:

Have you tries looking further afield, I had a friend who got a degree on geology at uni and he moved to africa to work on a large quarry. cant remember here about i have a chat with people and see what comapny he now works for. STeve

I have a mining based first degree and am going to study a mining based masters starting 2005 in Australia (I have just gained the place). I always intended to go straight out there after i graduated before, but somehow, it never worked out and then a few personal "family" things got in the way so i ended up staying indefinitely in the UK and getting into civil engineering which is what i am doing now.

With that "stuff" now in the past, I really want to get out there and work on teh big mines and fully intend to go abroad to work on the mines using my forthcoming course as a leapfrog (have been out of mining loop for about 4 years now ). There is no real reason why i can't go in the year between now and Feb 2005, other than i am trying to convince my girlfriend to go out too (she's a hydrogeologist and would get a job very easily indeed), but i think she needs a bit more convincing at the moment - so i have sort of said i would try and consolidate 'us' first (never really been one for these relationship thingys but i like her lots and think she'd love it out there!).

So, the reason i am looking for a new job, is so i can move closer to her (we live miles apart at the moment) to see if it would work WHEN i go out to Aus and if she came too.....

So if i am gonna have to look for a new job in this year (aiming to get relevant experience), i may as well try to find the most interesting, diverse but still related one i can. I have no ties (really) and i have only one year before i go, so providing it pays well, i am really open to all offers....

Davel - you've just reminded me, the reason i haven't heard from IMM is i haven't sent them my renewal fee That might explain it!

Help apreciated so far!

>> Edited by Buffalo on Tuesday 2nd December 15:31

[detomaso]

Buffalo, if you are interested in BPB then my dad said he could give you the phone number and address for the Geological Mining subsidiary so you can give them a call.

[Buffalo]

detomaso said:

Buffalo, if you are interested in BPB then my dad said he could give you the phone number and address for the Geological Mining subsidiary so you can give them a call.

Would be great..!

If its not too much trouble, would you email me through my profile..?

Thank your Dad for me!

[detomaso]

No problem, I will mail you tomorow

[simpo two]

Al Quaeda are recruiting explosives experts. (Actually you don't need to be much of an expert...)

[Out Run]

This might be an entirely unhelpful suggestion, but I feel compelled to promote the alternatives.

I assume you are young, and it sounds like you have a good future planned......then take the time you have to do everything you won't have time/opportunity for later in life when you are following a career/family.

I know it's predictable but stick a back pack on, take hydrologist (whatever) girlfriend with/without you and see the world in all it's filthy glory. And if you are skint, then working your way around will give you a more rounded education before you get to the serious business of blowing up rocks.

And you may well have done travelling before, but why not do it agian. I went for a year, and only scraped the surface

[Buffalo]

Its not entirely unhelpful!!

To be honest my game plan was to work this next year doing whatever i could to get some more money, go out for the first part of the course, then in the 6 months between that and the next semester, travel Aus and anywhere else close by. Then go back for the second part of the first year.

When the first year is complete, i will still have a few years work experience and then two semesters of an MEng under my belt and be (hopfully living) in Aus' mining capitol for job oppurtunities.....

I don't know if it will work like that, but thats what i was thinking of doing...

[detomaso]

Sent you a mail with info on BPB Mining division, hope it helps