Conquering Every Mining Plant Challenge with Phil Antunes and Tony Reschke of Simem Underground

In this episode, we chat with Phil Antunes and Tony Reschke of Simem Underground Solutions. They provide custom mining solutions, designs, engineers, and manufactures site-ready Paste Backfill, Shotcrete, and Grout plants with pumping systems for on-surface and underground mining which plays an important role in the mining process. Phil is the technical director and Tony is the Vice President and they tell us more about the company and the importance of backfill solutions within mine production. KEY TAKEAWAYS Simem engineers work collaboratively, across all systems and go into the field to install what they build. They work fast. For example, for the Polaris mine, they had a massive cement rockfill plant with heating built and on its way to the Canadian Arctic, within 12 weeks. Several other examples of their complex projects are explained, in detail, in the podcast. They have experience of working in every environment, including the most extreme conditions. There is a comprehensive explanation of what the different types of backfill are, in the podcast. CAF gives you better strength. Dried-out tailings can be used in Paste Backfill. The strengths are reproducible and known. Underground backfill plants present many challenges, which are discussed in the podcast. Paste Backfill is costly to set up, but for flagship, long-term mines they are usually the way to go. No job is too challenging for Simem Underground.   BEST MOMENTS ‘We don’t look at just Canada or just North America, we are truly global. ´ ‘We do the full engineering design of the plants.’ ‘The biggest differentiator we have is experience…30 years of mine plant building.’ ‘No one is pigeonholed…. We’ve intentionally made sure engineers are constantly in different areas.’   EPISODE RESOURCES Website: https://simemug.com/ LinkedIn: Simem Underground Solutions | LinkedIn Email:  [email protected] [email protected] Phone: +1.604.288.2500   VALUABLE RESOURCES Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.mining-international.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theminingpodcast/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast/videos   ABOUT THE HOST Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community insight into people's experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics. Rob is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specializing in all areas of mining across the globe from the first world to third world countries from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. We source, headhunt, and discover new and top talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our client's organizations in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative, and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace. Podcast Description Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight into people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.