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VM enjoying making the grade

fter emerging from a lean period for the portunities locally is important and every was that they couldn’t get close enough to
Adrilling sector, VM Drilling is aiming to recruitment drive starts in Kalgoorlie but the pit wall in many cases. Our units, are
have procedures in place to ensure the next that isn’t the issue, most local residents are very versatile with a small footprint so can
growth opportunity is not stymied by a lack working. The challenge is attracting people drill from different angles, allowing a greater
of human resources. to relocating to Kalgoorlie. There is a big range of drilling. It is a real advantage.”
Kalgoorlie-based VM has a fleet of 10 push against FIFO in Kal and we are doing While grade control has become a major
rigs and boasts a bulging workbook but our bit to attract and retain people to live in part of the VM business, the company re-
general manager Courtney Pacey is eager the town.” tains interests in its exploration roots. The
to ensure he keeps much of the 50-strong The commitment to training is also pro- recent focus has been on first-pass explo-
team together as he seeks out new oppor- ducing safety benefits which VM can capi- ration drilling where the company’s fleet is
tunities. talise on. an advantage.
“It is a very busy time for us and it would “We pride ourselves on safety and safety “There is a lot of small exploration pro-
be even better if we could hire some more management and we have recently em- grammes at the moment,” Pacey said.
people,” Pacey told Paydirt. ployed an OHS manager who is putting “Seven years ago you might have won
VM has had a successful 12 months, win- in procedures of the highest
ning new contracts after turning its attention standards. Eventually, we aim
to grade control drilling. However, with in- to be certified,” Pacey said. We are trying to offer our
pit operational work comes added safety ter our people.” “
“That definitely helps with
risk. Pacey is aware of clients’ heightened winning the bigger clients but employees a pathway to
need for experienced, reliable operators we don’t do it for marketing career development. Drilling can
and knows the best way to ensure VM has purposes; we want to look af-
a skilled team is to keep existing employees be a very transient business,
on board. As well as safety, clients so we are offering offsiders
“We currently have a big push on invest- are looking for efficiency and
ing in our own people,” he said. “We are versatility from drilling con- and drillers the opportunity to
trying to offer our employees a pathway to tracts. Pacey believes VM of-
career development. Drilling can be a very fers innovative solutions. The undertake training.
transient business, so we are offering off- VM fleet includes four Atlas
siders and drillers the opportunity to under- Copco ROC L8 drills, one
take training. It is a mitigation tool; by giving Atlas Copco D65 SmortROC drill and one a 10,000m contract, now it is a series of
them the training it shows them the sky’s Hydco 800 track-based RC machine. 4-5,000m programmes.”
the limit. Pacey said the use of the Atlas Copco With Kalgoorlie still its base, VM contin-
“This year we have enrolled all exist- ROC rigs meant VM could provide un- ues to be strongly gold-focused.
ing and new employees in national drilling matched versatility in grade control drilling. “Gold is very competitive though,” Pacey
certificate programmes. It also means that “Efficiency is always crucial because any said. “We’ll go wherever the work is and
when they graduate, they already know our delay in the in-pit grade control drilling will whatever the commodity is. We’ve done
procedures and policies well.” flow onto the drill-and-blast work which will work in iron ore, lithium and rare earths.
Investing in its existing workforce also then affect overall production, so custom- That is the nature of the industry; it is very
has benefits for its hometown of Kalgoorlie, ers are looking for 100% accuracy and ef- diverse these days. But, currently it is the
according to Pacey. ficiency,” he said. gold companies who have all the money.”
“Ensuring there are employment op- “The problem with traditional machines
– Dominic Piper

VM Drilling owns and operates a subsidiary transport company, VM Transport, which allows it to pass on savings in mobilisation costs to clients

aUSTRaLIa’S PaYDIRT NOVeMBeR 2019 Page 71