WASM to broaden non-mining degree course offerings

The WA School of Mines is set to expand its non-mining courses from next semester, as enrolments in its traditional courses decline.
Curtin University will offer Bentley-based degree courses online through classrooms at WASM in education, health sciences and commerce.
The move comes after a multi-million redevelopment of WASM that included the construction of the new $32 million 228-bed Agricola student accommodation, a research facility and classrooms.
WASM director Professor Sam Spearing said in the long term the campus was hoping to attract Goldfields students who would normally move to Perth for their studies.
“We’ve already got the majority of Goldfields students going to Curtin and we want to offer them a service where they can access the courses in Bentley or here,” he said.
“A lot depends on the take-up. “We’re fairly confident with those programs the interest is there.”
A report for the Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission released last year showed a broader-scale university in town could be achievable.
Curtin’s deputy vice-chancellor-Professor Jill Downie said this year more courses would be delivered in a live video format, with students able to attend the local campus and engage in lectures being held in Bentley. “This style of learning, known as distributed learning, allows students to participate in classroom discussions in an actual class-room, ask questions directly to their lecturers and engage with fellow students ‘in person’, via a live video stream,” she said. “Online students in the Kalgoorlie region are welcome to utilise study areas, lecture theatres and the library at the Curtin Kalgoorlie campus, and distributed learning helps to bring this campus experience to the online classroom.”Last year, Curtin vice-chancellor Deborah Terry said WASM should be used as the base to expand Kalgoorlie’s tertiary education options.
Figures released last month showed second-year entries at WASM Kalgoorlie have dropped 24.5 per cent to 80 in 2017 from 106 in 2016, while the overall figure in Kalgoorlie has slid 18.5 per cent to 233 this year from 286 last year.

Curtin Cutting Staff

Bethany Hiatt Education Editor
Staff at WA’s biggest university are bracing for cuts after fewer students than expected this year signed up to study, result- ing in a $16 million shortfall.
Curtin University Vice- Chancellor Deborah Terry warned staff a review of its first-quarter financial position had revealed that faculties would have to meet new sav- ings targets because first semester enrolments were below budget forecasts.
“While our latest enrolment figures are higher than last year, they are below budgeted levels,” Professor Terry said in a memo to staff.
“Our student income for 2017 is estimated to be nearly $16 million lower than budget. Given the importance of main- taining our strong financial position, savings are required across the university.”
Professor Terry acknow- ledged that many faculties had trimmed their budgets and the need to find more savings would put further pressure on
the delivery of services. “How- ever, we believe these addition- al savings are a necessary measure to ensure the longer- term financial sustainability of the university,” she said in the memo.
Professor Terry yesterday told The West Australian that lower than anticipated enrol- ments from international stu- dents and a fall in demand for engineering and science cours- es meant full-time enrolments were about 300 below target.
As a consequence, Curtin’s forecast revenue position was about 1 per cent below budget. She said the push to find savings was likely to mean delays in making staff appointments, starting projects or holding off on buying new equipment.“I think it will be tough but manageable,” she said.
The prospect of looming 2.5 per cent efficiencies, to be imposed in the next two years under the Federal Government’s proposed reforms to higher education, had prompted Curtin to take a “prudent approach” this year.
“We know that we’ve got to be well positioned to brace for these further cuts,” Professor Terry said.
National Tertiary Education Union WA division secretary Gabe Gooding said it seemed Curtin had been “overly optimistic” in budgetary forecasts.
“It’s unfair for staff to be put under further pressure and have increased workloads as a result of a failure of budgetary forecasting by the senior management,” she said.
Professor Terry said predicting student numbers was a complex exercise. About 150 Curtin staff lost their jobs last year because of faculty re- structures or because contracts were not renewed.

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Pilbara Minerals Updates

Pilbara Minerals’ is set to begin Lithium production at Pilgangoora in the first quarter of 2018 after the WA government approved the company’s mining proposal.

The latest milestone, combined with the previously approved native vegetation clearing permit and project management plan, clears the way for the start of major site works at the Pilbara based project.

Pilbara Minerals’ Managing Director, Ken Brinsden, (WASMA Council member) said the company had achieved an enormous amount in a very short period of time and was on track to become the world’s next major Lithium supplier.

He said; “With the achievement of each of these important milestones, we have continued to de-risk the Pilgangoora project. Now, with project financing just around the corner, our shareholders can look forward to steady news-flow as we complete major construction milestones on site and move into the full-scale development phase — putting us on track to begin commissioning the project from the first quarter of next year.”

Project financing received a major boost last week with news that off-take agreements had been struck for all production from stage 1 of the project and up to 50% of stage 2.

Chinese company Ganfeng Lithium has committed to take 160,000 tonnes per annum of chemical grade spodumene concentrate over a 10-year term, with options to extend for a further 10 years.

This followed an off-take agreement last year with General Lithium for 140,000tpa and means Pilbara now have binding contracts for all production from Stage 1 of the development, processing 2Mtpa.

The breakthrough deal underwrites the revenues to be generated by Pilgangoora and clears the way for the completion of funding and a final investment decision.

Ganfeng have also committed to subscribe for not less than $US20 million in any equity placement by Pilbara Minerals to raise funds for Stage 1

WASM Alumni Global Fashion Brand

 

Stephanie Russo May 10 Kalgoorlie Miner

Bel Capello, is the business of WASM Alumni Holly Kiely,  along with her Mum Jennine Kiely and friend Jes McKenzie.

This coming Saturday May 13 the fashion brand will be launching its second collection at Kalgoorlie Town Hall.

Holly graduated from WASM in 2014 as a Mine Engineer, currently working for Barminco. She has always loved fashion and with her best friend, Jennine Kiely (her Mum) founded Bel Capello. The business moved into millinery design when searching for hats to complete her models’ looks.“We were looking at a minimum of $300 for a custom-made piece of millinery,” she said. Instead, she decided to create her own, together with her mother Jennine, who lives in Queensland. The WASM motto “make it happen” “It’s challenging at times, but we send a lot of photos and we spend hours designing over the phone,” Ms Kiely said. She also teased that several surprise announcements would be made on the night. “We’re really excited to be making the biggest announcement of the business so far, at the event, and about the opportunities and international exposure that we are offering to other local Kalgoorlie girls,” she said. Holly Kiely added she was looking forward to celebrating at the after-party “with all our Goldfields community”. “It’s really important that we stay true to our roots and stay true to our community,” she said. All pieces from the collection will be available for sale after the launch. “We’re going to limit our custom appointments and mainly sell from the collection but we can do variations in colours (for clothes) from the collection,” Ms Kiely said.

WASM Alumni 2016 Graduates Recognised

Every year your WASM Alumni organises a very special celebration dinner for the WASM Graduates, who graduated the year before from the WASM Kalgoorlie Campus.

In 2015 the council took the decision to include a luncheon for the WASM Bentley Graduates and these annual events are the highlights for the extended family of the alumni, it’s partners, industry, past graduates and sponsors.

The 2017 Graduation Dinner entertained 187 people, with 27 out of the 32 2016 graduates attending. The 2016 graduates receive a 12 month free membership to the alumni and access to recruitment and the WASM Alumni Mentoring Program

Our Gold and Silver medal were awarded to the alumna’s 2013 WASMGA Scholarship recipient Andrew Borth-wick Clarke with silver going to Janelle McPhee, our 2017 Scholarship recipient. The silver medals recognise the highest achievers in their chosen disciplines.

Thank you to PYBAR our Principal Sponsor and RUC for once again for their very generous support. We are in their debt. Thank you to Curtin events team for their assistance, to the Kalgoorlie campus administration staff especially Debbie Llaich who find the time to give help and support to the WASM Alumni’s COO. To Karen Clay BM for WASM and Sam Spearing, Director of WASM thank you and to the Social Club volunteers who ran the bar, job well done.

Bill Beament President WASM Alumni May 10 2017

Photo Andrew Borth-wick Clarke

 

 

WASM Alumni 50 yr Graduates

Five WA School of Mines Alumni were acknowledged at a the WASM Alumni Graduation Dinner in Kalgoorlie in recognition of graduating 50 years ago from the WA School of Mines.
Geoff Carroll, Cecil Pearson, Adrian May, Eugen Dombrose and Robert King graduated from the WA School of Mines in the 1967

Robert Maxwell (Max) King

I started studying at the WA School of Mines, when it was a part of the Department of Mines, in 1961 working part time as a cadet in the Mathematics and Physics Department. I graduated in 1967. During my studies I worked as technician at the WA School of Mines, manual arts teacher at Eastern Goldfields High School, design draughtsman and drilling engineer at Gold Mines of Kalgoorlie and drilling engineer at Western Mining Corporation Ltd. While at Western Mining I was in charge of the Western Deeps, Kalgoorlie Southern and Kambalda drilling projects.

In 1968 I started a drilling company (Max King Drilling until 1976). Up to the year 2000 I was part owner and ran a number of drilling companies, went prospecting, owned and ran gold mines, owned and ran an engine reconditioning business in Kalgoorlie and at one stage was a part time lecturer at the WA School of Mines. During this time I obtained a West Australian underground shift supervisor’s certificate of competency was awarded life membership of the Australian Prospector’s and Mining Hall of Fame and life member of the Australian Prospectors and Leaseholders Association Inc.

In 2000 I started a business Drilling Safety Services and then re-educated and obtained a diploma in occupational health and safety at Curtin University in Kalgoorlie, a diploma in drilling operations and an advanced diploma in drilling management.

In 2004 as well as running my business I was part time technical officer with the Australian Drilling Industry Training Committee Limited. During this time I wrote and carried out training sessions, audited other assessor’s assessments under the VET qualification system and re-wrote the Drilling manual, an 800 page manual of drilling methods and applications of all the drilling sectors.

I retired in 2015 but still do a bit of contracting in assessing and technical writing as well as woodworking.

 Geoff Carroll

Having achieved his Leaving Certificate at Eastern Goldfields High School Geoff Carroll was awarded a Chamber of Mines Scholarship to study for an Engineering Associateship at the School of Mines.

He commenced those studies in 1964 completing the first two years full time and the final two years at night classes whilst working full time as a draftsman at the Lake View and Star gold mining operation.

On completion of his course Geoff applied for and was awarded an 18 month Overseas Post Graduate Training Fellowship with the Large Steam Turbine division of Associated Electrical Industries at Trafford Park, Manchester in the UK. The program enabled time to be spent and experience gained in its various departments associated with the R&D, design, manufacturing, site erection and commissioning of steam turbines for power generation.

Prior to his return to Australia Geoff accepted an employment offer as a graduate engineer from Western Mining Corporation. This was the start of a 32 year career with that company.

The first 14 years were focused on maintenance management activities and included the roles of Assistant Engineer at Gold Mines of Kalgoorlie, Mechanical Engineer Milling and Power at Kalgoorlie Mining associates, and Mechanical Engineer Services and later Chief Engineer at Windarra Nickel Project.

In 1983 Geoff transferred to WMC Engineering Services in Perth as a Senior Project Engineer. He was responsible for the management of the design, procurement, construction and commissioning of various WMC operation expansion and optimisation projects. Projects included the new Stawell JV gold CIP plant.

In 1986 Geoff was seconded to Roxby Management Services in Adelaide as Chief Engineer Mechanical and Piping for the initial stage of the Olympic Dam Project. With the other discipline Chief Engineers the role was to overview the entire engineering input to design and ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements, and WMC Standards and Specifications. It concluded following construction and commissioning.

Geoff returned to his previous role at WMC Engineering Services in 1989 and amongst other projects was responsible for a $55M nickel refinery upgrade and optimisation project.

In 1995 he transferred to WMC Talc Division as Manager Technology and Engineering based in Amsterdam. Geoff was involved in the establishment of a talc milling facility in Amsterdam, a joint venture acquisition and subsequent optimisation of three large talc mining and processing operations in Finland, in industrial product development activities and feasibility/acquisition studies.

In 1999 on return to Australia he accepted a position based in WMC Melbourne as Manager Technology – Industrial Minerals.

In 2001 Geoff left WMC prior to its acquisition by BHP with a so far unfulfilled intention of semi-retirement.

He has subsequently assisted in the design of a new technology lignite drying demonstration plant proposed by Sir Rod Carnegie but now shelved. He spends a large portion of his time providing design management, project management and other technical services to a Melbourne developer/builder involved in large industrial, commercial and upmarket residential property activities.

Cecil A L Pearson AWASM, THC, Grad Dip App Physics, Grad Dip Administration, M Bus, Ph D

Within a year of completing the Kalgoorlie School of Mines examinations Cecil had resigned from the W A Ministry of Education and joined the W A Government Railways where he was employed for the next 25 years. During the first half of this time he was in field operations, the last decade as the District Engineer at Geraldton, Narrogin and Northam in a period when he completed his Masters Degree at Curtin University. The following years were in Executive Management positions at the East Perth Head office, during which time he earned his Ph D at the University of W A . In 1992 Cecil joined the Business School of Murdoch University where he taught undergraduate and post graduate management related programmes at both the Murdoch campus and the Rockingham site as well as off shore courses in universities of Japan, Malaysia and Singapore. Retirement commenced at the close of 2002, but by March in the following year an invitation to join Curtin University to supervise post graduate research students in the School of Management, to be the Editor an international human resources Journal, and the opportunity to attend international conferences on the Asian and East European continents had been accepted. During mid 2007 an invitation was made by the international mining corporation Alcan to assist with an inaugural Indigenous education and vocation programme, that was conducted at Nhulunbuy on the Gove Peninsula of East Arnhem land in the Northern Territory; a request continuously supported by Curtin University. The initial visit necessitated the creation of a tool for assessing the employability of Australian Indigenous women and men who lacked a work history with deficits in English literacy and numeracy, while the progression of two programmes a year called for numerous visits to the region when Rio Tinto was the resident mining and refinery operator. Final retirement supposedly came in December 2012, but in 2015 a request from regional Indigenous organisations to participate in a pilot training scheme with Indigenous Yolngu women and men, who had not previously worked, led to visits to remote homeland communities some 200 km south east of Nhulunbuy, hamlets that are closed to non Indigenous people. Success of this initiative led to a request by the Gumatj Corporation to again visit the region in early 2017 to give instruction to chosen Clan members how to assess the employability of Indigenous people with English literacy and numeracy deficits, as those selected would be employed in the first Australian Indigenous owned and operated open cut bauxite mine in East Arnhem Land. An extensive literature records many of these accounts, an outcome unlikely to have been possible without the continuing support of wife Jill, and today they together live in suburban Perth.

Eugene Dombrose

Fifty years ago, the lives and plans of many of Australia’s young men were interrupted by a policy of conscription intended to provide troops for another senseless war from which very little was learnt. I thank WASM for providing a qualification that facilitated the transition back to civilian life and helped avoid the problems still being experienced by many veterans of that era. Having a qualification valued by the mining industry provided a platform for a fulfilling career that continues to this day.

My metallurgical career commenced in 1966 with Western Mining Corporation and apart from a couple of two-year absences, continued with that company until the end of 1998. Over these thirty or so years I worked in many places and on many projects but my most enjoyable and fulfilling appointment was in this very town as Metallurgical Superintendent of KMA’s Oroya Mill, the largest gold producer in Australia at the time. After KMA was taken over by Alan Bond, I was transferred to Perth in the position of Chief Metallurgist, WMC Engineering Services. Thanks to the experience gained at WMC and my WASM qualification, I was able to start my own consultancy which is currently in its 19th year of operation.

Thanks also to WASM for this 50 Year Graduation initiative that not only provides an opportunity for reunion, but also a second chance to participate in a ceremony that was missed all that time ago.

Adrian May

I graduated from WASM in Dec 1967 with a Diploma in Engineering.

Before and after graduation I worked at Gold Mines of Kalgoorlie as a draftsman where good experience was gained designing and drawing projects underground and in the treatment plants of the mine.

In 1969 I moved to Perth where I worked as a design draftsman for consultants Crooks, Michell, Peacock and Stewart on the Mt Newman tertiary crusher station and WMC workshops. Later, I worked on Hammersley Iron’s East Intercourse Island Project.

Between Jan 1971 and 1974 I had a working holiday in the UK, working mostly for Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers and Simon Carves.

My wife Desleigh and myself were married at Wimbledon in 1973. Early in 1974 we came to Perth where I was a student (mostly part time) at WAIT (now Curtin Uni), graduating with a BSc in 1980. After this I did part time studies at UWA, completing a MEng St degree in 1988.

During the time of studies at WAIT I worked for some consultants and WMC as an engineer.

After graduation at WAIT (and during studies at UWA) I continued to work at WMC as a civil/structural engineer on many projects of WMC’s operations (total 18 years at WMC).

In Sept 1996 our family moved to Brisbane for 18 months where I worked with McIntyres. On return to Perth in 1998 I worked for many years as a senior structural/civil engineer for consultants Clough, Bechtel, SKM, Connell Wagner and HBH Consultants. From Oct 2007 to Dec 2008 I was principal civil/structural engineer for TWP Australia, working on the Leinster Deeps upgrade until the project was cancelled by BHP. From 2009 to 2013 I worked for Chevron, United Group and Macmahon. Since mid 2013 I have been in semi-retirement, working on some small jobs for consultants.