Where I work now

[ballaratdragons]

I had a sticky-beak to see if I could see on Google Earth where I work at my new job.

Yep!

It is a Clay Mine and processing Plant where we turn cruddy old white Clay that is hidden in white sand, into pure Kaolin Clay.
The plant itself looks like a Petroleum Refinery with it's giant tanks and pipelines running all over the place.

The 1st pic shows where we are located. Out in the nowhere land!

In the 2nd pic I have marked the areas I am responsible for.

Just 2 of us per shift actually make the clay, add all the chemicals, check it's purity, density etc etc (and all the other technical stuff we do). The other staff dig it up and seperate the sand (all before we get it), then after us it goes to the bagging and export section.

In the parts I have marked (my bits) the round things are the Huge Tanks (about 60 feet across and 20 feet deep). The building to the top right is where I press it and get the water out, then we send it through 15 different processes on conveyor belts going everywhere like spagetti. In my other areas are pumps, pump houses, chemical sheds etc. Everything in my sections are connected by over 150 different pipelines and valves (which I have learnt most of), and we have about 30 different control panels full of lights and switches (a bit like NASA control Rooms without the Video screens). One control panel has over 200 lights and switches on it (I'm still struggling to learn this one).

What I am happy about is that we are completely environmentally friendly. The only waste thing that comes out of the whole plant is clean steam from the hot water used to warm the clay. Even all our water is recycled. The water that comes out of the clay is used in the other parts of the process and other departments. There is only one tap (in the Smoko Hut for our coffee) that is connected to mains water!

It is hot, dusty, smelly, and very physically and mentally :P demanding, but atleast I'm still there!

Thanks for reading this. It may not be a very interesting post but I thought I'd share it anyway :lol:

[Astroman]

Wow finally great to see "your bits" Ken, been a long time waiting. Now I have seen "your bits" I can get a good feel of what you do now. It's too bad "your bits" are hot, smelly and demanding.

:)

[ballaratdragons]

:lol: Gee, thanks Andrew

[leon]

Good on you Ken, very interesting read.

Cheers leon

[h0ughy]

nice place, wouldnt want it to rain much would you. Nice to see where you work Ken!

[ballaratdragons]

Thanks Leon.

Yeah Houghy, the place is sloppy and sticky when it gets wet. Like walking around with custard on the floor. Lucky we haven't had much rain (even though we need it)

[jjjnettie]

Very interesting.
Thanks for posting the pics and sharing with your AstroFamily.

[ballaratdragons]

Your welcome Jeanette.

I'll talk about anything with my Astro family. . . . and talk and talk and talk :lol:

[jjjnettie]

That is certainly reflected in your 6495 posts Ken.

[gaa_ian]

Onya Ken .... Kind of looks like it has been transported to the middle of the surrounding Farmland !
Good to hear it is Eco- Friendly, do they understand the concept of full cut off lighting too ?

[acropolite]

Interesting Ken, good to hear that there are some environmentaly friendly industries out there.:thumbsup:

[middy]

Ken, there's only a couple of things you have to remember when faced with a control panel full of lights and switches ...... green lights are 'good' and red lights are 'bad'.

The golden rule when faced with red lights on the panel ...... Flick a switch, if you end up with more red lights and less green lights than you started with that was probably a bad move. Put it back and try another switch. :P

[toetoe]

Good on ya Ken, thanks for sharing. How far from S/V is it ? you live in the middle of no where and now you work in the middle of no where.

[Lester]

Good one Ken.

The things we do for a job and bit of spondulics.

[ving]

hot, dusty, and smelly? sounds like me :P

well i am told i am hot anyhow (and smelly). ;)

thanks ken :)

[ballaratdragons]

Ian, they are the only buildings in the town of Pittong :lol: I think the plant is Pittong :P

I am onto the Big Boss about the lights :lol:
He lives just up the road and knows all about our Astro Club & Camps, and how much obtrusive lighting ruins it for us :thumbsup:




About 12k Pete. Only takes me about 10 mins to get there.
I like that it's in the middle of nowhere. I have an amazing view from the upstairs area where I spend most of my work time. We open up the walls to let the breeze in and can see farmland and bush all around for about 50k. Absolutely beautiful to look out upon during work hours :thumbsup:

[spacezebra]

Excellent Ken - thanks for sharing. It is interesting to see what others are doing outside of astronomy.

Cheers Petra

[alan meehan]

very good ken ,nice to see you are enjoying your new job.make sure you wear a filter mask working with koalin,i used to use it when i w as making paint for a living,and it can glogg your lungs:thumbsup:

[ballaratdragons]

Alan, the clay dust is thick in the air like fog! And not only is it just clay, it is clay with bleach, Caustic, and half a dozen other chemicals in it!

Sometimes we wear a mask, some areas we don't need to. It is certainly a dangerous concoction floating around the work space. But fortunately where I press the wet clay (which is 75% of my job) is totally dust free. Just slushy under foot :lol:

[toetoe]

That should bring back some memories of walking to school on wet days wouldn't Ken.

[janoskiss]

Sure looks dusty even from the air! Takes me back to when I had a job that involved weighing and bagging dry plaster powder for days on end. Horrible stuff. On your skin, in your eyes, in your nose and lungs (masks only went so far). Glad you're working with the wet stuff, Ken. Much better for you. :)