Shining Bright at Mount Isa Mines for 52 years
John Bright, or 'Brighty' as his colleagues affectionately call him, a Trainer Assessor for MICO, has loved working at Mount Isa Mines for the last 52 years and he won’t be exchanging his 4825 postcode anytime soon.
John grew up in Charters Towers and moved to Mount Isa with his parents at the age of 9. During the mine strike in the 1960’s, his family moved to Lake Nash and returned to Mount Isa four years later when John was 17.
In 1970, he started working for Mount Isa Mines as an underground driller, a position he stayed in for 10 years before transitioning to ringfiring for the next 20 years.
He moved into training around the time of the millennium and has been passing down his hard-earned wisdom and experience to new starters and veterans ever since.
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John giving a speech at the Mount Isa Mines long service ceremony for his 50 years of service.
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John presenting training to the MICO (Mount Isa Copper Operations) new starters.
When asked what the highlight of his half-a-century career has been, John enthusiastically answered, “My time as a ringfirer in the 80s was definitely the best part, back when we were all still young and the job was full of excitement.”
“I was involved in the million-tonne firing, known as the big blast, and that was quite spectacular,” says John.
But it was not all work and no play. John had a big love for softball.
“I was introduced to the sport when my daughter started playing in primary school. I stated playing softball and baseball myself, as well as coaching.”
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Underground driller in the 70’s.
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Underground ring firers in the 80s.
“I was president of the Mount Isa Softball Club for 15 years, head coach for the men’s Queensland softball team for eight years, and served on the Queensland Softball Board for 18 years”, says John.
On what has kept him here all these years, John says, it’s definitely the people.
“My wife and I have done a lot of travelling overseas and across Australia over the years, so I know what else is out there, but I still choose to come back here time and again.”
“For me, Mount Isa is also a gateway to the north, and the moment I cross the border I feel free and happy in the wide-open spaces”.
“Advice I have for the younger generation starting out with their careers would be to follow your gut feeling, and if something doesn’t feel right - don’t do it”.
John and his wife Julie have been married for 51 years.
If he wasn’t in mining, John says his alternative dream job would have been to work on cattle stations in the bush.
“That’s what my father did and it’s what I grew up knowing. I love working outside with my hands.”
So, when does John see himself hanging up his training boots and retiring?
He says he’ll probably finish up by the end of next year. But he won’t be heading off to the coast, though.
“My wife is happy to stay right here so I will be retiring in Mount Isa,” says John with a smile.