I have just experienced the rare privilege of having been invited to share the Mining lifestyle up close at a prominent Gold producing mine in the Northern Goldfields.

The comradeship of this lifestyle is outstanding, and the jovial nature of these workers is infectious. The crew take their work seriously but with a sense of fun, watching each other’s back at all times. This guy down the hole, a seasoned maintenance guru seemed right at home with safety measures in place, and though was working hard still had time for a joke. (just for the welders; how do you know the leads are connected wrong - when the electrode starts getting longer :)

Back at camp, the support crew for nutritious food and comfortable accommodation were impressive and the fun never stopped. It was an atmosphere like that of a large family reunion at xmas. The golden rule of the bar; "be nice to the bar staff"

If you are considering a mining lifestyle my only advice is learn as much as you can about it first. Checkout the photo gallery for more pics.