This article is 14 years old. Images might not display.
The highly credentialed Golsby, who was part of the team developing the 4FCT as a continuous haulage system at Clarence and a presenter on subsidence management at the recent Longwall 2010 conference in the Hunter Valley, is ready to take her experience and knowledge to Australia’s most productive longwall mine.
The move is seen as a coup for Oaky Creek North, which is believed to be keen to maintain its position as a leading and innovative longwall operation with almost 10 million tonnes of raw coal output in the last financial year.
“I have enjoyed my time at Clarence,” Golsby told ILN.
“Having accepted an offer from Xstrata as technical services manager at the Oaky Creek North mine, I have tendered my resignation from my position at the Clarence Colliery, effective as from 19 November 2010. The new start date is 6 December 2010 at Oaky North.
“My new position will enable me to extend my experience into longwall mining and gas management, while supporting my continuing education and sponsoring my efforts to obtain mine manager’s tickets in hard rock and coal.”
Golsby is considered a role model for women wanting to enter the mining industry. She has completed a Masters in mining engineering, a Masters in geomechanics and a Graduate Diploma in ventilation, all from the University of NSW.
She is currently reading for a Graduate Diploma in underground coal management and for the Conjoint Masters in business administration and in law at Dundee University in Scotland, specialising in Australian resource law and policy.
For the 2009-10 year, Oaky North reached 9.69Mt of total run-of-mine production – beating fellow Xstrata operation Newlands Northern, which produced 8.87Mt of ROM coal.
When including 4.3Mt of production from Oaky Creek No. 1, the Oaky Creek Coal complex nearly produced 14Mt in the recent financial year.
An Xstrata spokesperson told ILN the complex had overcome difficulties in the past two to three years.
The Oaky Creek No. 1 longwall only resumed production at the start of August last year when coking coal demand picked up, while Oaky North also faced some tough geological conditions.
