As I mentioned in my previous post, I am working at a diamond mine driving trucks in the Kimberley called Kimberley Diamond Company (KDC). The Mine is called Ellendale. Tracey is working for Aboriginal Legal service in Broome and at Target in Broome. She was bored while I was at work so she got the Target job to work the weekends and Thursday nights.
The mine site is on the Gibb River Road and about 200 K's from Derby. I fly in and fly out of the mine on a 16 days on and 12 days off roster. The 16 days are split between day and night shift. 12 hours a day.
Map of Ellendale (see arrow)
It's not too bad a job when I am driving the trucks, but that is rarely. When not driving I am driving loaders and bobcats around the plant cleaning up mess. It's not a place I'd make a career out of. One of my objectives this year was to drive dump trucks at a mine and I guess I've achieved that.
The Plant at KDC Ellendale
My job in the truck is to ferry ore from big piles on the ROM (Run Of Mine) into a crusher using Moxies, CAT 740 dump trucks. The term "Moxie" refers to a sort of dump truck that is articulated, mine is a 30 tone truck that can carry and additional 40 tone. I get loaded by large articulated loaders CAT 988's and reverse onto a bridge that the crusher is under and tip the load. Sounds pretty boring but I like it, when we get to do it. :-)
Picture of a Moxie
It's frustrating when the the trucks are not running as I work in the plant cleaning up. The plant is a large mud pile, not too nice to work in. Still, the money is good and will do for the next few months.
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