18 teachers and education staff visited the Alcoa’s mining and processing operations in Pinjarra on Tuesday 13th December. The day was divided into a mine tour in the morning and a processing plant drive through in the afternoon. Alcoa provided a luncheon for the teachers.
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In the morning, Alcoa Education Officers Raelene Jones and Environmental Officer Robyn South escorted the group on a tour of the Huntly Mine Site. Some highlights of the morning included a look at the wood chipping operation that provides bio fuel for other industries in the southwest, a close up view of a 190-tonne Komatsu haul truck, the excavation and removal of bauxite, a bauxite crusher in operation and the rehabilitation of mined areas.
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Participants were able to walk on newly seeded rehabilitation areas that had recently been contoured with returned top soil and reseeded with endemic plants.
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Alcoa provided a generous luncheon for the teachers at the Tour Reception Centre at the Pinjarra Refinery. Staff gave a brief overview of the Bayer Process and ample time was allotted for teacher questions. After lunch the educators were taken on a drive through of the Pinjarra Refinery. The day ended with a look at Alcoa’s residue management efforts.