How Iron Ore Mining Works!

[@Jipper1984]

Work sites are way, way more interesting than Las Vegas.

[@AaronWitt]

agreed

[@ram_apologist]

Until it's your work site 😭

[@felgercarb3803]

Not if you win in Vegas😂😂😂

[@davefellhoelter1343]

Machine porn for me. started in trades at 8

[@hanibalfischkopf6286]

But you need to get a permit and do you really think you everyone get's a permit?

[@mike9347]

My little Sister drives those Trains for Rio. We're all very proud of her.

[@gunjitkumar]

That's really impressive

[@Batwam0]

Aren’t they automated?

[@mike9347]

@@Batwam0 yes they are. But switch to manual control once in the marshalling areas for unloading and things

[@AhmadShah-oz5wu]

Brother can l get your number so can we talk

[@dannjp75]

Wow, staying on an automated train. Some level of skill that. Is she an airline pilot on her days off?

[@sergeyf6536]

This is gotta be the most advanced mine I’ve seen - definitely not something I was expecting

[@adamgraham6204]

Gudai-darri is essentially a trial site for much of the automation technology showcased here. Most Rio sites in the Pilbara are a touch more manual.

[@bh8671]

Well it’s not. Third world country like the us. Of course this is better.

[@eternalstudios4502]

It may be advanced but so corrupt.

[@josh.fornite2082]

in aus there are so many regions fuelled by mining. to say its a massive industry is an understatement. iron, coal, nickel, uranium, probably more i cant name off the top of my head. mining is a staple in our economy, both regional and international.

[@mikewasowski1411]

Worked on that job nearly 3 years. Helped design it. Great video

[@rp1645]

My hat is off to you my friend for design that very high tech 😊 operation 😊❤

[@daviddunsby3617]

Killing employment no more workers HUGE PROFITS FOR FOREIGN MINE OWNERS AND SHARE HOLDERS THE AVERAGE MAN GETS SCREWED AGAIN ((((

[@AaronWitt]

brilliant thank you for what you do

[@sparksmcgee6641]

​@@daviddunsby3617 funny how there would be zero jobs if those workers you claim to love would have to develope a mine.

[@peterfalconer-h3k]

@@daviddunsby3617 There's no shortage of jobs in iron ore mines or any mines for that matter. The people that would be required to operate machines if they weren't autonomous only make up a small percentage of the overall workforce.

[@rtf1998]

Watching this from my room at that exact mine site, Electrician on the processing plant, not often are exact equipment you’ve worked on in a video like this!

[@Wtfhuntervalley]

*while moisturising his shaven legs*

[@rtf1998]

@@Wtfhuntervalley hahahah gotta keep the fitters excited to get them out of their chairs

[@Wtfhuntervalley]

@@rtf1998 lmfao 😂

[@someguyyeti2505]

I watched this from across the other side of the flats 😂, can see the lights at Gudai-Darri at night.

[@MohammadRezaie-q7q]

How did you get there bro I am 18

[@gregwalker1740]

Spent most of my engineering career in MN Taconite Mining (USA) ... this video is great! Thanks Aaron!

[@J.fromMichigan]

My stepdad worked as a manager for 20 years at an international corporation called Leco. One of the many things they made was an atomic scanner for the elemental breakdown of the steel and aluminum industries. He said if you put a hotdog on that thin that it would tell you every element and exactly how much was in it. They used metal, etc. blanks to get exact recipes of these metals.

[@flamingfrancis]

If that is LECO (Laboratory Equipment Company), they made analytical instruments back fron the 1960's. Gravmetric Carbon analysers and sulphur analysers were their early units. Commonly used in Chemical Labs in the Steel industry.

[@troymckenna7690]

Awesome Video Aaron, I have spent 5 years working with my team to design and commission the IS&T Technology for Gudai Darri, very complex program, but very rewarding to see your video and know that our Rio Tinto IS&T team efforts is enabling mining operations.

[@AaronWitt]

right on!! thanks for your help in making all of this happen

[@Fattybryce]

I work supporting Rio mining operations in the Pilbara, including this site, here in Perth. Was super neat to see what actually goes on up at the site.

[@peternewman958]

I live in QUEENSLAND and Aaron has shown me so much of what happens in Australia at mining and earthmoving companies around Australia that you just don’t see anywhere else. Its a business that is not Joe Public friendly for visiting or observation. I know all about the red dust from Iron ore as we used to buy vehicles and equipment from aboriginal reserves and ship back here to Brisbane and that dust goes into EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING. 😵‍💫😵‍💫🤣🤣

[@paulschofield2630]

I started my apprenticeship in Geelong, 1970 ,we had the last Blacksmith's shop possibility in Victoria, I did work with them, plus fitting and machining, Iron and steel is everything pushing civilisation forward 💪, love western movies were the Smith keeps the towns running ,Im getting an anvil for my hobbies, great video dude 👍 cheers 🍻 from Byron Bay Australia 🇦🇺 ❤❤😊

[@thumperjdm]

Amazing, informative video. I find it amazing how much "science" goes into harvesting what's essentially "dirt."

[@AaronWitt]

thank you!!

[@Match2100]

I was a fit-out driver on the autonomous trains project at 8 Mile (Karratha), then went inland to Paraburdoo as driver. Gudai Darri was just breaking ground for construction when I left. The scale of the rail operations at Rio Tinto are incredible, the video mentions 5 to 6 trains a day, that's just the Gudai Darri loadout! There are 12 lodaouts on the entire Rio Tinto network, and when I left in early 2020 they had 52 "tags" or train consists, of 240 wagons.

[@ryanoates5346]

Yeah so true. 5- 6 trains at this baby site. Greater brockman has one leaving the tlo almost every hour. Absolute mind blowing

[@bobpegram4676]

Great Australian Salute at the end...damn flies

[@bushmagpie3312]

Well done on information. I’ve been in iron ore processing for 30yrs now. All Iron Ore plants work same way (wet & dry) and automated plant, to get the most availability out of the equipment and keep cost low. The plant you’re describing is dry plant, you should go to a wet plant and run through those, they are very interesting. Yes they make millions but the public don’t see the WA business’s these mines support, the huge dollar donations to charity ( telethon, RFDS), mining town funding, indigenous programs, royalties to government and indigenous etc. A lot of expenses for all to benefit from. It takes 5 to 10yrs to have a mine approved and millions of $ before a shovel of dirt is raised.

[@louwclaassens4988]

I am also working on an iron ore mine in South Africa. Lab specialist. So the video hits home nicely. Everything is red here. But we love the work. Climate here is very similar to the outback. Hot and dry! 😀

[@VanJon23]

Are you based in Northern Cape

[@louwclaassens4988]

​@@VanJon23yes

[@VanJon23]

I was based in Postmasburg,Kolomela and now in Aussie Hope one day Aaron visits S.a

[@louwclaassens4988]

@VanJon23 Cool! I am based at Sishen Mine.

[@WaveformV1.0]

The Aussie tax payer and public receives only a huge $1 a tonne for the royalties of iron ore. The rest goes to faceless Corporations who get tax subsidies. Such a shame.

[@tigerpjm]

Except royalties aren't the only taxes paid by the companies, are they? Have a look at the list of the biggeat taxpayers in Australia. Also, do you have superannuation? Congratulations, you're a shareholder.

[@WaveformV1.0]

@@tigerpjm you said it. The public tax payer is forced to buy shares in these companies. The difference is the percentage of said companies owned by the little guy is many orders of magnitude smaller than the big wigs who own it all…!! Figure it out dude.

[@tigerpjm]

@@WaveformV1.0 Forced? What are you talking about? Anyway, I've directed you to the facts, you are spouting fantasies about being forced to do... Something. Grow up.

[@WaveformV1.0]

@@tigerpjm yes the wage earner is required to place 11% of their earnings into superfunds.

[@tigerpjm]

@@WaveformV1.0 Having a responsibility to your self is such oppression! Poor you!

[@stco2426]

Amazing and well put together film. Thanks!

[@AaronWitt]

thanks for watching!!

[@peternewman958]

AARON glad you are learning the Aussie Salute, in other words how to cope with flies. Its quite the thing and better than swallowing them. A tip if you drink beer always keep your hand over the top of the can or bottle cause the little buggers love beer. I’ve progressed from that and you can buy a plastic cap that fits over you can and turns it into a bottle with a screw lid. That guarantees fly free beer.

[@vincentgrinn2665]

despite the many many problems of the work being done in the pilbara its still really cool to see some of the stuff they do have going on

[@Slavicplayer251]

what problems?

[@vincentgrinn2665]

@@Slavicplayer251 a lot of the mines dont provide adequate safety equipment, so silicosis is quite common they have a track record of demolishing historically important sites and artifacts which is kinda not ideal the whole mining industry is so poorly run financially that it robs the australian people of about 130 billion dollars per year (because the minig lobby spent about 500k buying politicians to change the laws so they could) the railway electrification in the area is pretty far behind the curve and kinda iffy anyway most of the mines dont even run hybrid trucks(which are just objectively better) let alone any dynamic charging infrastucture(like overhead wires) even the mobile plant thats basically stationary for weeks at a time and can be tethered, isnt the autonomous haul trucks are a questionable direction to go in, though the autonomous drill rigs are reasonable over all its just a fairly inefficient operation that makes a lot of profit for the companies by cutting corners and bribing politicians to avoid paying most of their tax and revenue

[@Slavicplayer251]

@@vincentgrinn2665 i thought you were gonna say something else like they are bad for the environment or something like that but you said the truth and I completely agree with what you said lol

[@peterfalconer-h3k]

@@vincentgrinn2665 Safety is a major consideration, PPE is readily available and not using it correctly will usually result in a warning and dismissal if it's done repeatedly Other than Jukan gorge, what other site of cultural significance have been destroyed without prior consultation? Putting ore on a ship for $20 - $25 dollars a tonne and selling it for upwards of $80 dollars a tonne is hardly bad financial management. What politicians were bought for about $500k? There's no electrification of the Pilbara rail network. How would you go about installing overhead wires on a mine site, particularly at the workface which is constantly moving? What's questionable about autonomous haul trucks? What corners are being cut and what politicians are being bribed? How could mining operations be made more efficient? Mining companies pay millions of dollars in taxes.

[@davidcrtalic9795]

​@@vincentgrinn2665May I ask why are autonomous trucks questionable? Driving them seems like an endlessly repeatable task well suited for a computer.

[@nickburke5263]

Your content is awesome man. I’m a geologist and was quite impressed with how much detail you conveyed. Well done keep it up 👍

[@thestoneforestchannel]

Spectacular to see the complex and expensive process of extracting minerals from the earth...thank you very much for the video, I subscribe to your channel. I am a stonemason and I also reconstruct old stone walls. Greetings from Barcelona.

[@sayedmahbub8933]

Mining, Construction, Big Factories always fascinates me.

[@kahvac]

Thanks to everyone who helped make this great video !

[@someguyyeti2505]

I work across these sites as a contractor, mostly across a different iron ore production company, but I do go to Rio Tinto sites from time to time.

[@redwarf8118]

5:50 how about NOT putting music over the blasting sound ?

[@MarcKemp-s4q]

Hey I actually liked it

[@a-a-ron4679]

How about making your own KZbin video. Board a plane and fly to another country.

[@williamgibb5557]

Technology is great when it works and works properly. In this situation, autonomous equipment certainly seems to be the answer. Great video.

[@nathanmatthews-v7e]

Australians are the leaders in mining!!

[@flamingfrancis]

AMONGST the leaders.

[@guyneeser2029]

Yes, BuildWitt, you go. Love your content!. These giant machines are so fantastic. I would just love to buy one and hire myself out for one of places you visit!!!

[@magneticB]

That's an orefully big mine

[@dreams2reality410]

It's absolutely amazing. Hard to believe they have perfected autonomous vehicles of that size to perfection.

[@CJ-yb8uw]

Been working in the Pilbara mines since leaving school 🤔🤔🤔 that was 36 years ago, I love working FIFO🇦🇺👍😎

[@andyramone8497]

Your videos always make me feel like a 6 year old all over again! Live them❤❤

[@LeonardTavast]

The amount of robotics is impressive in these Australian mines. It must be nice to have operators living in a coastal city remotely controlling the equipment.

[@dhufishhunter6455]

Until you realise that the only reason that a mining company that makes tens of billions of dollars profit over the life of the mine is making stuff autonomous because you don't have to pay machines...greedy sods

[@johan790]

​@@dhufishhunter6455still gotta pay the machine maker... Cant be much cheaper, (until you factor in education, at which point its also less of a hassle).

[@xHaRdStYlExHuNgErx]

Also the jobs that are required with autonomous machines are typically higher skilled. Think about all the software engineers, spatial engineers, mechanical engineers required to operate these machines instead of the people inside the machines.

[@eternalstudios4502]

@@johan790 The mining company basically made the machine so…

[@eternalstudios4502]

@@xHaRdStYlExHuNgErx But they were able to afford university, while miners are struggling.

[@manjunathch8679]

Iam not like other youths, I wanted to learn about every types of mining sector and methods, that's why I watch your content ❤🎉😊

[@glorfindel8859]

Should come to Indonesia to look at the gold mines there

[@RafaelMansor]

Next time try to record the gas station for all the machines, greetings from Brazil 🇧🇷

[@jacky-raydowdy8833]

I love all the Aussies chiming in how they work there. Especially considering im thinking of doing fifo...

[@ToxicMrSmith]

Livin' the dream, lovin' the pilbra! Started work in w.a at 18.

[@FreedomRoseStein]

That very last clip, the one with the flys. Not counting the heat, is the number one reason you couldn't catch me dead out there.

[@airlogic]

Gotta love the flying raisins 🪰

[@scottpage81]

a.k.a. Bush sultanas😁

[@donny1boykie]

Sky Raisins

[@rekales5826]

It's lovely to see that a lot of the work is automated.

[@TheIntelligentVehicle]

These are always such amazing vids. Small suggestion. I can of course look these things up for myself, but it would still be great if each aspect you comment on is basically self-contained. Mostly, your videos are excellent at this, but in this one I counted two instances where I was left with a question - why exactly is watering the roads so important and why exactly is the "coarse stuff" the premium, desirable stuff. Like I said, small things (and you and your videos don't have to be perfect), but for me, it would just take the video from an A to an A+. Thanks, again!!!

[@sebastiangiovannella7778]

Watering the ground is to prevent dust in the air but he does mention it.

[@peterfalconer-h3k]

Steel mills require lumps of ore within a certain size range for efficient operation, 6mm to 28mm is a common specification.

[@TheIntelligentVehicle]

@@sebastiangiovannella7778 I caught that. But why is it so important to keep the dust from being in the air? So workers don't breathe it? Because it causes excessive wear to the machinery? To go to all the trouble of using specialized vehicles and scarce water resources, it must be important.

[@sebastiangiovannella7778]

@@TheIntelligentVehicle I think its a combination of making harder to drive around, people berthing it and clogging air filters.

[@BramBiesiekierski]

If you have ever seen the horrible red dust, you'd want to do everything you can to keep it down. Having said that, the nasty shit still gets everywhere

[@J.fromMichigan]

Well done! I am from West Michigan. Check out the iron ore mining from Minnesota then the transportation via the lakes to places like Chicago IL., Gary IN. Detroit, MI, Windsor Canada, Cleveland, Ohio. Milwaukee WI. The golden age of the vehicle production is the late 1960s you might like it.

[@2valu4ever]

See most of the trucks they use in the Australian outback is the Toyota 79 series? Yeah that’s the proper Aussie workhorse.

[@RangieNZ]

"We can cut that out, if we didn't get to press them" LOL

[@ObserverOfPakleds]

I was wondering why they were making such an effort to mine remotely until I saw the flies and bugs. Then it all made sense.

[@Spookieham]

The cost of staff, flights and accommodation is insanely high. Salaries are big

[@2valu4ever]

Also 45 degrees Celsius everyday.

[@eternalstudios4502]

@@Spookieham Its still not big enough.

[@Earth_Rim_Roamer]

Great coverage! I’ve done research and development of autonomous vehicles during my graduate studies. It’s really impressive to see these systems deployed out in the field in those kinds of conditions. I wonder if they have any human detection methods (for safety and accident prevention).

[@clousejones1563]

they do! They have whats called ODS - obstacle detection system, on the CAT's they use radar and LIDAR detection that covers a 360 sweep of the vehicle continuously. The Komatsu's use Sonar and radar. If an obstacle is detected the truck comes to a stop and to restart the vehicle an operator/supervisor or engineer has to visually go out there to clear it and can restart the truck. That, and any LV's or other heavy equipment on autonomous haul roads have a 50m digital exclusion bubble. If any vehicles come into it's 50, the truck stops - this is besides the dig units, they have a seperate spotting system to call in trucks for loading.

[@Peter-qn3vj]

I can’t believe the level of automation it’s amazing

[@zackatwood2867]

Did the math 190,000litres is just over 2 average swimming pools... they have 4 of those? Crazy big operation!

[@Jinguapingi]

TBH I doubt that it's 190m^3. That would mean that they weigh at _least_ 190 metric tons, which I highly doubt?

[@lol62002]

They're build on the same chassis as the haul trucks by the looks of it so 190t shouldn't be a problem​@@Jinguapingi

[@peterfalconer-h3k]

@@Jinguapingi The haul trucks are carrying 250 - 300 tones and the water trucks are built on a similar chassis.

[@souppiyas6987]

My Steel Production lesson is like from 60 years ago technology. Feels good to update.

[@Peter-qn3vj]

This is an insanely good video

[@AaronWitt]

thank you glad you enjoyed!!

[@coreys-dev]

Great video, the scale of these mines are incredible!

[@TheDavidlloydjones]

Good work, well done, and thank you!

[@thatfelladownunder9396]

Great video mate. I live in Whyalla (SA). An actual steel town. If you’re heading down this way definitely checkout the steelworks, they have tours but I’m sure if you contact them they might show you the good stuff. It was an interesting place to work (I’m retired now). It also has an interesting history, as does the Shipyard that used to also be onsite. Anyway, just a suggestion if you want to see the hot stuff. 👍

[@AaronWitt]

thanks for watching I appreciate it big time!!

[@Tycones5544]

we should be way richer than norwegians

[@MrKeyy-lt7gf]

Too bad the government fucking hates us

[@TheHalo14aus]

Yep, only people who protested the super mining profits tax were the mine owners or investors. Travesty it wasn't implemented.

[@maxbattles3705]

Nei, Norge for seieren!

[@rolandnelson6722]

We are. Australian prioritised making the fewest people as rich as possible. Showed those Norwegians.

[@rolandnelson6722]

@@maxbattles3705your Billionaires aren’t nearly as rich as ours.

[@SiboBushings]

To be shown in schools, congratulations 👏

[@Creaform003]

That shade of red gets into everything, we called it 'pilbara pink'.

[@timmyjones1921]

Thank You Aaron ' Very Educational Video.

[@Mohamedmerwany3rd]

I love this picture. Great

[@glennback3105]

I have watched heaps of these types of videos yours are the best

[@AaronWitt]

thank you very much!!

[@Sajohata]

Great engaging peek into the workings of a mine!

[@petermalanchuk8210]

Thank you for a very interesting video, a truly excellent job, Aaron. It is mind boggling as to the vastness of the Pilbara Region of Western Australia and the sheer size of the Rio Tinto Iron Ore mine operations. The shot of the Cat 994K front end loader was impressive, as it always is!☺👍💯

[@hardrockuniversity7283]

I would have been very interested in the blast hole initiation system. I saw no down lines near the loading truck

[@Austrialyrics]

I´ve just found your channel, you are doing a great job!

[@AaronWitt]

thank you

[@jefferysharp3368]

Cat employee, so glad to see all the “Big Yellow” represented!

[@Scp--uo4hq]

Aaron theres a very intresting project going on in the Netherlands right now. Where they drained out an entire river. And working on it like that. Maybe worth to check that out if you have the oppertunity.

[@bonkerjohn1543]

Great video, great editing. well done team

[@AaronWitt]

thanks for watching!

[@roguewarrior3689]

10/10 thumbnail

[@Qyzer]

Which one? I've seen 2 already

[@DanielSouza-mh5qb]

Amazing operations!!!

[@kckcmctcrc]

There’d be no Vegas without these places.

[@RedLancerMoto]

Putting music over the explosion sound, what genius editor do you have working for you?

[@markgrayson7514]

6:00 why'd you put music over the sound of the blast wave?

[@bakedbeings]

Nice touch wearing Piastri's colours out there mate.

[@brianminsk8]

This video is so damn good. Top to bottom a gem.

[@JoelReid]

The autonomous systems were actually planned 30 years ago. Rio Tinto and BHP were planning such tech well in advance. They have a very long plan.

[@odenttraipser5833]

Glad to see you've learned the Aussie wave 🙂

[@renecouture3719]

crazy HUGE equipment. Impressive! Good job on the video.

[@joelburchardt7491]

As a digger op in the Bowen basin. This is interesting seeing hard rock & just getting to see stuff on site i wouldn’t get the chance to lol

[@AaronWitt]

a lot different than the Bowen

[@michaeltorpy3366]

Wow great video so interesting the plant is incredible 😊😊

[@Piglife101]

How do they get all the diesel fuel out to the site for all the machines/ haul trucks etc? Must get through loads of the stuff!

[@pickledpope]

They use road trains, often trucks will have 3 fuel tanks per haul, and I believe one company even has a quad fuel trailer setup.

[@Slavicplayer251]

depending on the site it will either come in by rail or by road train like the other commenter said

[@markfryer9880]

​@@pickledpopeYes there is a video on KZbin of a BP contractor who use a tri drive semi towing 4 semis of diesel fuel up to mine site in Northern Western Australia 🇦🇺. Big trucks for a BIG COUNTRY!

[@jascollinscork]

Great video 👌🏻

[@johnnymurff4137]

Awesome video awesome commentary.

[@RyanMartin-wg7gm]

Right on Brother thanks 🎉😊

[@abeelvago]

13:26 that keyboard... the dust in the shot, made my skin crawl

[@newsgetsold]

15:15 "stay dirty"

[@eternalstudios4502]

Mate if u live in the mines ur always dirty.

[@TOPTECH-r3r]

excellent mining works! great job!

[@paulminchington6111]

Great informational video and great easy ore body... Some mines needs to actually "process" the ore, eg WHIMS (Wet High Intensity Mag Sep) after it comes out of the ground and gets to the trains. Maybe next trip... 😀

[@karstenramcke498]

Very impressive Thank you

[@amedeocestini]

Looking the drill explosion i things about: can we exploited them with bathymetry?

[@anubis4496]

Should visit Iron Bridge in north WA.... we mine for magnetite Ore..

[@johnheckscher7138]

Nah, far too dusty at iron bridge

[@bullydungeon9631]

Ive done fifo work in canada and i know a guy who went out and made huge money in australia it sounds pretty cool

[@FrankHoage]

Very good video, thank you .

[@standbi]

My aunt drives some of those trucks! Different sites but I always thought it was super cool. I have one of the masssive bolts from the wheels.

[@anirudhgulia9036]

An autonomous mine. I was not expecting this at all.

[@Noname-iq1gz]

I’m amazed by how much automation is going on there.

[@CraigManufacturing]

Awesome content as always, Aaron!

[@walterdon345]

My biggest problem with the Automated Haul Trucks is How many jobs did that just Displace we shouldnt be cutting people out there are more people in the world What are all these people gonna do if we keep giving the low skill jobs to Robots

[@bushmagpie3312]

The automated systems don’t actually remove any jobs as the workforce to support is nearly same but the efficiency of the equipment is 30% gain. A haul truck operates 23hrs per day instead of 18hrs. Your correct on skills, you do need to up skill workforce to operate these. There is more monitoring of equipment due to lack of operators.

[@ats-3693]

More people are employed to run the automation systems than there were drivers, it's not about reducing employee numbers it's about improving efficiency and safety, employee wages are a drop in the bucket when it comes to the money being turned over by operating mining operations such as these, they aren't spending millions on automation just to get rid of a handful of truck and train drivers.

[@wildcolonialman]

Stunning.

[@Walterwaltraud]

"Well that was a blast" lol

[@StormbringerMM]

Sick video dude!!! Love the channel!

[@rajTrondhjem10]

Simply mind blowing 🇦🇺

[@tomsterbg8130]

At the end of the day, a train still exports it out. Those things really are quite a superior logistical technology.