It’s always warm in the warm room as I call it. Some are open spaces while others are tight for space where every movement to complete the gold pour process is calculated and timed for maximum safety and efficiency. Looking like astronauts before take off the dance of the gold pour has become one of my favorite things to photograph from start to finish.
When photographing equipment I always try to get someone outside the vehicle to give the viewer a better sense of scale, especially if the operator is not directly visible.
Deep underground at the El Mochito Mine, the humidity hung in the air softening the lighting from the jumbo drill and our cap lamps which added some great backlit illumination to the overall scene.
An operator uses a RRC (Radio Remote Control) to maneuver this scoop while maintaining a safe distance from an elevated platform.
An image I created for www.Macleanengineering.com has appears on the August issue of International Mining Magazine.
The cover shows a MacLean Bolter working under supported ground on the deck of a MacLean 975 underground at a hard rock mine in Ontario.
I was getting my gear setup for the next scenario and looked over to see these two checking each others safety harness and gear before entering the ball mill. I quickly grabbed my 2nd camera and captured a few images using the available light. These two worked as a team and they took their time going over the safety details involved in the next operation. Communication and safety go hand in hand.
The bigger the better I always say! There is no denying that this Joy Global Haul truck has an “in your face” big box.
I am seeing the power switch from diesel to electric everywhere I photograph now from surface to thousands of feet underground. With remote scoops, haul trucks and drills coming to the forefront of innovation EV’s are right behind them filling in the gaps of efficiency and safety. I created this image at Agnico Eagles Laronde Site in Northern Quebec for MacLean Engineering and it is now featured on their mainpage of their website www.macleanengineering.com
I was waiting patiently for them start emerging from the mine entrance so that I could capture some candid moments during the shift change. Some walk on past without lifting their heads. Some are already in a deep conversation with their coworkers reviewing the days activities and some take a moment to pause, look at the camera and give me a little something to capture.
Photographed at the El Mochito Mine in Honduras with www.ascendantresources.com
This gentleman is what I call the “keeper of the Kiln” as he tends to the furnace while it rotates throughout the day at the Menchin Mine in Maracás Brazil. A few clicks and then we had to back away from the kiln as the hot air was blowing out the furnace door. Just a few of the many images I created for www.largoresources.com last week while I was on site.
Be sure to check out my other “People Portraits” in the mining industrial industry by clicking The People tab at the top of this site.
