Crossing New Borders: Turkey

As an international company, our engineers get to travel the world and work in some of the most amazing places! Today we’re excited to highlight one of our ongoing projects at a gold mine in Turkey, where our Operational Readiness Manager, Rob Taylor, has been working for the last couple months.

One thing that makes this project unique is its location. This 10 MTPA heap leach gold mine sits on the border of two municipalities: the processing plant and leach pad are in the city of Usak, while the mine itself is in the town of Esme. The physical environment in this region is highly formidable, with weather that ranges from freezing temperatures and snow to sweltering heat and full sun. For a facility handling large amounts of delicate materials and instrumentation, adapting to these variances is especially challenging. These drastic weather changes create an excess of dust and mud, which can cause delays and issues throughout the process if not managed properly.

Starting production in 2006, the mine now yields up to 310,000 oz of gold per year, making it one of the largest single producers in Turkey and all of Europe. Can you imagine the size and speed of this facility? This is how it works: the ore consists of gold-bearing porphyry (hard igneous rock containing coarse-grained crystals), which is first extracted using standard open-pit methods. To keep up the high rate of production, the process employs a primary crusher, high-pressure grinding rolls (HPGR), and a heap leach facility.

RCC’s Rob Taylor is supporting the project by analyzing different variables in the process and recommending solutions to ensure the safe and reliable handling of materials. Our team is also offering guidance to improve the processes and systems that support the Operations and Maintenance teams. We asked Rob about his personal experience on the project, and he had this to say:

“The company we’re working with is considered one of the best?employers of choice, not only in the region but in all of Turkey. The people on site are all great and keen to learn and improve. I have been welcomed into their teams and treated as one of their own. With some attention to detail and help in pushing beyond their comfort zone, this mine could easily elevate itself into a world-class operation. The surrounding area of the project is beautiful and hides some amazing archaeological sites, like ‘Blaundus’. I invite everyone to google it! Recently, I also visited a local village where I was able to purchase a handmade Turkish rug as a souvenir from this beautiful part of the world. The food is also excellent!”

Thanks to Rob for sharing his amazing experience from the other side of the earth!

?If you want to be like Rob and travel to different parts of the world, experience new cultures, and be a leader in the industry, we have some good news: We’re hiring! Have a look at our Process Controls Engineer openings, or contact our recruiting team by uploading your resume.