Student Journal - Kalgoorlie Student Chapter - Mining Engineering Students Vacation Work

Bio

My name is Austin Nguyen, and I’m a final-year Mining Engineering student at the WA School of Mines – Curtin University. Originally from Vietnam, I moved to Australia at the age of 13 and spent five years living in Carnarvon, a regional town in the north of Western Australia, before moving to Perth for university. Growing up in both a developing country and a rural town, I developed an appreciation for the industries that drive economic growth and provide opportunities for regional communities. This ultimately led me to pursue a career in mining, an industry that plays a crucial role in both Vietnam and Australia.

Since moving to Kalgoorlie at the start of 2024, I’ve been actively involved in campus life, joining several student clubs. I serve as a General Committee Member for the WASM Wombats and Social Club while also being an active member of the AusIMM. Through AusIMM, I’ve had incredible networking opportunities that have allowed me to gain insights into the mining industry. Wanting to contribute to these opportunities for future students, I joined the AusIMM Kalgoorlie Student Chapter Committee and am serving as President in 2025.

This summer, I’ve been working as a Vacation Student with Maca Ltd at Duketon South Operations, gaining hands-on experience in the drill and blast space while further developing my technical and operational knowledge.

My Role

Working with Maca Ltd as a Vacation Student this summer has been an invaluable opportunity to gain firsthand experience in the mining industry. While I had learned about surface blasting at university through my “Rock Excavation” unit, seeing the process in action and being part of the Blast Crew brought a whole new level of understanding.

I spent most of my time in the Drill & Blast department at Duketon South Operations, where I was exposed to various aspects of surface blasting. I learned about different types of explosives, their applications, and the factors that influence blast designs, such as geological conditions, fragmentation requirements, and environmental considerations. This experience allowed me to expand my knowledge beyond theory by applying it in real-world conditions, taking into account factors like ore and waste blasting design, wall protection, muck-pile movement, and technical and environmental limitations.

Beyond the technical aspects, I also gained insight into the mandatory safety procedures and protocols necessary for handling explosives, including regulatory requirements for their security, storage, and handling. I also had the opportunity to learn about the entire blasting process, from quality assurance and blast delineation to priming, loading, stemming, and tying in. Additionally, I developed an appreciation for the importance of pre-blast preparation, traffic management plans, and exclusion zone enforcement to ensure safe and efficient operations.

A Day in the Life

Each day started early, with a 4:00 am wake-up to be at the on-site office before 4:45 am. The shift began with a handover from the night crew for the drill rig operators, followed by a pre-start meeting to discuss the day’s objectives. If a blast was scheduled, the morning involved updating blast boards and carrying out all necessary pre-blast tasks such as priming, loading explosives, stemming, and tying in. In the afternoon, before the blast, we would implement the Traffic Management Plan and take up blast guard positions while the Blast Controller and Shotfirer conducted the final exclusion zone checks.

After the blast, we would clear the site and, if possible, I would take the opportunity to discuss the blast with engineers and shotfirers—reviewing its performance, watching the drone footage and identifying what went well, and considering any improvements for the future. The last part of the shift was typically spent conducting quality assurance for the next shot or marking up drill patterns.

Evenings back at camp were a great time to unwind, either at the gym or playing futsal, tennis, or dodgeball with colleagues.

Key Takeaways

Some of my biggest learnings from this experience include:

· A deeper understanding of the full Drill & Blast process, from planning to execution.

· Exposure to the practical applications of explosive engineering and blast design.

· The importance of safety, teamwork, and communication in a high-risk environment.

· How real-world conditions affect theoretical blast designs and what adjustments need to be made.

· The value of taking initiative and learning from experienced professionals.

I’m now heading into my final swing, where I will be spending the entire week in the office, focusing on the technical aspects of drill and blast. This will include designing drill patterns and gaining a more in-depth understanding of blast optimization.

I’d like to sincerely thank Maca Ltd for this incredible opportunity and for the mentorship provided by my colleagues on-site. This experience has reinforced my passion for mining engineering, and I look forward to applying what I’ve learned in my future career.

This summer has definitely been a blast!