Inside Out with Junwen Mu

How long have you been with Glencore and Oaky Creek?
I joined Oaky Creek North in April of this year.

What’s your current role?
Geotechnical Engineer, in the Geology & Geotechnical team of the Technical Services Department.

What are you responsible for?
I support underground strata control and ground support management, including strata stability monitoring, support design, inspections and assisting operations to manage geotechnical risks underground. ‘Strata’ refers to the rock layers surrounding underground mine workings and roadways. Part of my role is helping monitor ground conditions and making sure the mine remains safe and stable for people working underground.

What does a typical day look like for you?
I am doing a 9-day fortnight roster. My day usually starts early at around 4:30am. I have breakfast and head to site, usually walking into the office with a coffee before 5:30am.

The first thing I do is review the previous shift reports, particularly any reported strata issues. At 6am, I attend the Pre-Start meeting to understand the planned activities, crew allocation, and priorities across the different panels for the day. 

After the Pre-Start talk, I continue to analyse strata monitoring data, check Trigger Action Response Plans (TARP) levels, and prepare the geotechnical updates for the 7am Tech Services morning meeting. TARPs are designed to guide operators and supervisors in the day to day assessment and management of mining conditions, recognising the fact that conditions will vary due to strata and ground stress variability. 

Depending on priorities and actions for the day, I may head underground to complete inspections and assess conditions. If there are no underground inspections planned, I will usually spend time in the office drafting and reviewing design reports, preparing support plans, and working on other strata control related tasks.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
I enjoy the problem-solving aspect of geotechnical engineering and the fact that every day underground can be different. I also enjoy working closely with experienced operators and learning from people across the mine.

What’s the most challenging part?
One of the biggest challenges is balancing safety, particularly, and operational requirements in a constantly changing underground environment.

Have you always worked in the mining industry?
No. Before joining the mining industry, I worked in civil geotechnical engineering and consulting for several years in Sydney and Melbourne. I moved into underground coal mining in the Lithgow area of NSW in 2022. 

What attracted you to the mining industry, Glencore and OCC/Tieri?
I was attracted to the technical challenges and the scale of underground mining. Glencore Oaky North also has a strong reputation in the industry, and I was excited by the opportunity to work with experienced people and continue developing my skills.

If you weren’t working as a Geotechnical Engineer, what would be your ideal job?
Probably something still related to engineering and problem solving. Maybe I’d go back to the civil industry and continue to work as a geotechnical engineer in civil consulting companies.

What do you like to do outside of work?
I enjoy spending time with my dog, cooking, travelling and exploring new places. I also enjoy going back to China to spend time with my family and travel with them whenever I get the chance.

Who do you spend your time with?
Friends, family and dogs.

What’s a little known fact about you?
I’m originally from China and moved to Australia in 2017 to study Geotechnical Engineering at UNSW, where I completed my master’s degree. My English has definitely improved a lot over the years and is still getting better, although Australian slang can still completely defeat me sometimes.

People sometimes think I’m a bit quiet when they first meet me, but I usually just take a bit of time to get comfortable and understand the people around me. Once I know everyone better, I become much more talkative.

In technical discussions, I may not always be the loudest person in the room, but I spend a lot of time thinking carefully before I say something. I prefer to contribute clear and confident points that get straight to the core of the issue.

I learn new Australian slang every day, and mining definitely has a language of its own!

What movie have you watched and rewatched the most…and why?
Probably The Wandering Earth (流浪地球). I really enjoy the scale of the story and the idea of people around the world working together to protect humanity. It also reminds me of the importance of looking after our environment and the planet we live on.

What song will you always turn up louder?
Ru yuan (如愿) by Faye Wong, a famous Chinese female singer. The song is about love, hope, sacrifice, and one generation wishing for a better future for the next. I really like the meaning behind the lyrics and the peaceful feeling the song gives.

Favourite quote?
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. – Albert Einstein