I usually post about our families happenings on the blog, but today I have a little something different to share. The real reason of why we are here. The Mine.
Chris and his team are in the process of building the world's largest underground (UG) mining complex. When the expansion project is finish, there will be FOUR world class mines in production UG. They are designed to pull 240,000 tons of rock out A DAY! Of course, that is in a perfect world where everything runs perfectly... but we do live where we live, and the only thing that is "perfect" here, is that nothing EVER runs perfectly! Everyday, there is always a new challenge!
Yesterday, Chris took a new couple, from the lowlands, underground and invited me along. I haven't been UG for a tour in almost five years! Usually Chris would take one of the kids with him on the weekend, but since we seem to be kid less these days, I decided I would go spend the morning with him.
Before the tour started UG, Chris tried to explain to us where we were going. I'm glad he knew where he was going because I sure as heck would have been lost the moment we drove underground. There are approximately 500 kms of drifts (tunnels) UG!!
After we left his office, he took us to the MineGem room where men and women above ground controlled muckers (loaders) underground. Because of Indonesian law, women are not allowed UG to work. So Chris found a way to get them involved in the mining process. He also says they are better operators than the men and don't bang up his equipment! ;)
This is the future of mining!
Now, the rest of this post is going to be all messed up and pictures are going to be out of the order of what we saw in the tour, because frankly, there were so many things that we saw and so many names, that I really can't keep it all straight!
What these next pictures show, is what Chris does and what he does best! He loves his job and you can really tell it by they way he talks about the project and by how he treats each and every one of the workers UG. He always takes the time to shake the men's hands and tell them hi. He checks out EVERYTHING to make sure it's all to the highest standards. You can see the pride in the project just by how everything is so well taken care of. The UG is cleaner than most cities! That should surprise no one who knows Chris! ;)
Now, parts of the mine that I remember and can put the pics together...
The GBC (Grasberg Block Cave) mine rail project.
They are putting in an underground rail road for ore haulage and moving materials. These pictures are not in order of how the operation of the rail will work, but just know that it is all so mind-blowing awesome!
Another area we toured was the ore flow system. Rock is transferred to the belt that is taken to the crusher that is loaded in rail cars and taken somewhere... and something and somewhere... and will eventually end up at the mill. :D I would make a great mining engineer!! lol!!
This area wasn't lit up like the previous because of a power outage. This is one of those "perfectly" things I was talking about earlier.
Just have to say... this crane was put in just to remove the crusher (two pics below) if it ever needs to be replaced!
GBC shaft. This shaft, or underground elevator, will take people and materials from the terminal level to the working levels. Yah, I'm not going to explain that. Just know that it's another piece of the awesome UG pie! :D
Fantastic tour group. We tried to take a selfie with the hoist in the background. Big time fail! Our arms were not even close to being long enough to get everything in the pic!
A nice gentleman came and took a group pic with the hoist in the background.
And that brings us to the end of the tour... But first... "Let me take a selfie!!" :D
Before I go, I just want to remind everyone, that every nut, bold, beam, widget, (I'm talking EVERYTHING) that makes this place work, has to be brought up our ONE road, approximately 72 miles, in a sea container or on a flat bed trailer, in the middle of a remote mountainous jungle, to make this place happen!!
It is truly a fascinating place to live and work!! We who have experienced PT Freeport Indonesia are truly some of the luckiest people on earth!!
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