Tag Archives: Brendan Rouse

PYBAR encourages next generation of miners with scholarship program

PYBAR says it has introduced a new scholarship in partnership with the Curtin University Western Australian School of Mines (WASM) to support a full-time student doing a resource-related undergraduate degree.

The PYBAR Scholarship for Engineering Excellence will be offered to an eligible second-year student studying either a Bachelor of Engineering (Mining Engineering) or Bachelor of Science (Mining) delivered at the WASM campus in Kalgoorlie.

The scholarship is worth A$10,000/y ($5,761/y) over a maximum period of three years and will be awarded to a suitable applicant this year, the contract miner said.

The scholarship furthers PYBAR’s commitment to facilitating skills development and training in the mining sector, which has experienced a decline in the number of engineering students or graduates in recent years, it said. PYBAR has sponsored the WASM Graduates Association for the past four years, prior to converting to this new scholarship arrangement.

PYBAR Chief Executive Officer, Brendan Rouse, said: “This new scholarship forms part of our efforts to contribute to the long-term future of the mining industry in Australia.

“We believe we have a responsibility to nurture future generations of mining professionals and we take this very seriously. WASM has a strong reputation for excellence with many of its graduates employed in the Australian mining sector. We would like to give a deserving student a similar opportunity.”

PYBAR has several other skill development initiatives in place, including an active graduate program and annual vacation work opportunities for students at its various sites, it said. The new WASM scholarship enhances and supports these activities.

In 2019, PYBAR established the Australian Institute of Mining (AIM), a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) providing nationally-accredited training to support people and services improvement across the underground mining sector.

PYBAR addressing training needs in underground mining sector

PYBAR says it has gained approval from the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) for its Registered Training Organisation (RTO), the Australian Institute of Mining (AIM).

AIM was established by PYBAR to address the need for quality, nationally recognised training for the underground mining sector.

AIM will facilitate Certificate II and III in Underground Metalliferous Mining programs as well as numerous short courses, providing significant opportunities for employees, and assisting PYBAR in achieving its goal of offering nationally recognised training for its workforce, the company said.

In addition to the RTO approval, AIM has gained approval from the New South Wales Resources Regulator to offer the one-day ‘Learning from disasters’ course which will be rolled out across NSW from January 2020.

The course, developed by the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, is designed for mine managers and supervisors, ensuring lessons from past mining disasters are learnt.

As part of the RTO application process, PYBAR conducted a complete review of existing training and assessment packages offered by its Safety, Health, Environment & Training (SHET) team and recommended updates to ensure these packages met the national framework requirements, it said.

In addition, PYBAR consulted with state governments and held discussions with the Tasmanian Government to reduce barriers to traineeships in the underground metalliferous mining sector, according to the company.

As a result, 52 workers from the Henty gold mine, in Tasmania (owned by Diversified Minerals, an associated company of PYBAR Mining Services), are already enrolled in the Certificate III program in Underground Metalliferous Mining.

PYBAR CEO, Brendan Rouse, said: “This approval is a significant step in enabling PYBAR to develop its workforce in line with national standards. It will also ensure that we are able to offer training that is current, relevant, and applicable immediately in the workplace across the full range of roles.”

He added: “The establishment of the Australian Institute of Mining forms part of our commitment to the long-term sustainability of our business, supported by our ability to offer ongoing professional development opportunities for our employees.”

PYBAR SHET Manager, Robert Paterson, said the company’s ability to offer a wide range of training, including the Certificate II and III programs, supported the development of its workforce as well as the regions in which we operate.”

Pybar to move into underground development and production at Aurelia’s Peak Mines ops

Pybar has recently signed a contract with Aurelia Metals to carry out all underground development and production mining activities at Peak Mines near Cobar, New South Wales, Australia.

The mining contractor has been at the operation since October 2017, providing underground development services and then labour hire to support the existing workforce, it said. This followed Aurelia Metals acquiring the operation from Toronto-listed New Gold.

Pybar CEO Brendan Rouse said: “We have a long-standing partnership with mine owner Aurelia having been contracted at its Hera (gold-lead-zinc) project since it started in 2013. We look forward to further strengthening that relationship, and our ties with the local Cobar community, as we expand our presence at Peak.”

The company said it is currently working closely with Aurelia to ensure ongoing employment for the Aurelia workforce at Peak Mines, should personnel choose to transfer. Some 40 additional new positions are also available at the site which Pybar is seeking to fill to achieve the increased production schedule.

The Pybar team at Peak Mines will be ramping up over the next few months with an initial tenure of five years and the potential to extend.

Peak Mines consists of a series of polymetallic high-grade orebodies dominated by gold, copper and zinc. There is a 750,000 t/y processing plant there, which takes ore from two underground mines.