More than 600 people pre-registered for Ulan Coal’s Community Open Day and more kept coming through the gates on Saturday.
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Friends, family and other guests were at the hands of local Glencore employees who volunteered to showcase where they work, why and how.
Arriving at Ulan Surface Operations, guests could hop on a bus and be provided with a full tour of the complex as activities were available at each of the three sites for all generations to enjoy.
Underground tours of Ulan West were booked out well before the Open Day and the site’s administrations buildings were chaos throughout the day as everybody tried catch a glimpse of what happens at a coal mine.
GlencoreXstrata’s general manager of western operations, Dan Clifford, said one of his highlights was seeing employees voluntarily come in on their day off and showcase their workplace to the wider community.
“You will not meet a more passionate bunch of people. They work here because they love what they do,” he said.
Mr Clifford could not wipe the smile off his face when witnessing busloads of visitors travel down into the open cut and seeing the dragline at work. He said the many facets of mining were on display for all to see.
Mr Clifford said the Community Day had been in planning for months and needed much preparation and logistical organisation.
The mine complex arranged environment and heritage tours, equipment displays – from working with heights to boring and drilling demonstrations, mini-build tours of current long wall testing, and of course activities for the children including face-painting and a jumping castle.
There was also information about how Ulan Coal keeps its workforce fit and healthy, their involvement with community projects and initiatives and career information.