Reader Rebuttal (April 01, 2007)
Right on, Rosanna!
In response to Rosanna Condina’s letter to the editor (CMJ, January 2007), I would like to add my comments.
During the mid-1970s to the mid-80s, I worked for a major Canadian mining company, and that experience has given me a great appreciation for the issues associated with recruitment and staff retention. Starting in about 1980, the company I worked for would routinely go through an annual layoff cycle. Every fall, before budget presentations, all the geologists would sit around waiting for the axe to fall–some years were worse than others. This style of management was very destructive, as it reflected a cost accounting mentality as opposed to an appreciation of the need to keep professionals no matter what the circumstances. Project history, site specific knowledge, and detailed geological knowledge were all lost during these layoff cycles.
I agree entirely with Rosanna’s premise that mining companies should take responsibility for the lack of people in the business. The almost universal policy of layoffs drove many people out of exploration and mining in the 1980s and 90s, resulting now in a shortage.
Mintec is a technical services company (geo-modeling and mine planning software) with almost eight offices worldwide, and it is policy to not lay off anybody for financial reasons. We have succeeded in maintaining this policy for 37 years through the foresight and motivation of the founder and chairman (Fred Banfield – 2007 winner of the SME Jackling award). We also actively participate in university programs: we fund courses, provide free training, and annually award scholarships to two major mining schools (Colorado School of Mines and University of Arizona). All of us in the mining business have a responsibility to keep up this kind of effort.
John C. Davies, president
Mintec Inc., Vancouver, B.C.
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