MCM BULLETIN - s2.q4cdn.com€¦ · MCM Bulletin_Issue 19_2nd half 2019 5 Briefs MAURITANIDES 2018...

MCM BULLETINA Magazine for Employees

Issue 19_2nd half 2019

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MESSAGE FROM ACTING GENERAL MANAGER

The First Minersand Metallurgists

in the Region of Akjoujt

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

In this issue:

Page 3: ..............................................................................................................Message from Acting General ManagerPage 4: ...................................................................................................................................................................BriefsPage 5: ...................................................................................................................................................................BriefsPage 6: ..........................................................................................................................Corporate Social Responsibility Page 7: ............................................................................................................Internal Communication Survey ResultsPage 8-9: ..........................................................................The First Miners and Metallurgists in the Region of AkjoujtPage 10: ...........................................................................................Our Employees are at the Heart of our OperationsPage 11: ............................................................................................................................How Copper is ConcentratedPage 12: .............................................................................................................Visible Felt Leadership, it’s about youPage 13: ....................................................................................................................................................2019 RetireesPage 14: ......................................................................................................................................Corona Virus CoVid19Page 15: ...................................................................................................................................................Workers VoicePage 16: ..............................................................................................................................................................Sudoku

Thanks to all for your hard work and perseverance in 2019, which allowed us to face significant challenges in the power house and major breakdowns in the plant. The year ahead will undoubtedly hold some additional challenges. Some of the key themes for the year will include:

Safety An important goal for us in 2020 will be to continue encourag-ing our people to THINK, and take the classroom safety training we have done and apply it in the field. We will work together toward another LTI-free year with continual improve-ment in personal safety and accountability.

ReliabilityWe struggled in 2019 to meet targets for running hours on key production equipment. When the SAG mill is down it is apparent that we have a lot of urgency to get it running again, as otherwise we have zero production. However, we need to continue to work together to make sure that we apply the same urgency and enthusiasm to all primary production equipment. This means not only mills, but also gravity gold concentrators, the magnetite plant, mobile fleet, etc. We must also improve the reliability of the services such as water and power supply.

Recovery and Product QualityThe Arsenic-in-feed grade has increased substantially from prior years. Our ability to deal with this is much improved from previous years, but it will require continuing focus and improvement for us to produce on-spec concentrate whilst maintaining recovery of copper and gold.We also took steps to improve gold recovery in 2019 with the installation of gravity concentrators in the tailings circuit. Much work remains in this area to optimize gold recovery through maximum availability and well-tuned operation of all our gold recovery units.

Initiation of Mine Closure PhaseThe greatest challenges for us in 2020 are the aspects related to the Mine Closure Phase. Over the years our mineral reserves have progressively been depleted and head grades declined. This trend will continue over the coming year with a ramp-down in mining and open pit reserves are expected to be exhausted in 2021. We have already entered the initial

stages of the Mine Closure as we began reducing our scope of work in 2019, perhaps most visibly with the reduction of our active mining fleet.Related to the reductions mentioned above, unfortunately we must take very difficult steps to reduce our workforce. One of the bright sides of mining is that it offers significant employ-ment opportunities during construction and operations. One of the challenging sides though is that, as with anything, those employment opportunities eventually come to an end. We have begun this process with completion of Phase I of the Mine Closure Workforce Reduction Plan. Unfortunately, it is inevitable that reductions will continue to progress in 2020 and 2021, and my request to the team has been for their full support and compassionate leadership as we take these very difficult, but necessary steps.

Guelb Moghrein is an important contributor in Mauritania in terms of employment, government revenues, and social contributions. Inevitably as we enter the Mine Closure phase with dwindling ore reserves and lower grades, our contributions in these areas will decline. This will be felt by employees, local stakeholders, Government, suppliers, and other important groups. A key focus for our team in 2020 will be to work on maintaining positive relations with all stakeholder groups, despite the challenges we face. Each of you has a role to play in maintaining our positive relations, and a large part of it is effectively communicating about the difficulties that a late life mining operation faces as it embarks on the Mine Closure phase.

In closing, once again a special thanks to you all, as I know many of you have made personal sacrifices in order to keep this site running. I look forward to continuing to work with you over the coming year, and that we continue to develop and advance together.

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MCM Bulletin_Issue 19_2nd half 2019

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MESSAGE FROM ACTING GENERAL MANAGER

John DeanACTING GENERAL MANAGERMAURITANIAN COPPER MINES

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BriefsAfrican Cup of Na�ons

Eastern dam rehabilita�on

Vaccina�on campaign

For the first time, Mauritanian national soccer team has qualified to play in the African Cup of Nations 2019 which took place in Egypt. Here in Akjoujt, there are hundreds of football lovers, most of whom are young people, who support The Mourabitounes.

As a major local sports activities sponsor, MCM partnered with the Youth Associations Network to prepare a free access space at Youth House of Akjoujt with a giant HD screen. All matches of the continental competition were displayed and the attendance rate was very high. The ministry of health in Mauritania conducts at least

two vaccination campaigns per year, these campaigns aim to protect children under 5 years from diseases like poliomyelitis.

Reaching children in remote areas inside the region of Inchiri has always been a challenge for the vaccina-tion teams, since 2006 to date, MCM enables vaccina-tion campaigns reach every child inside the whole region of Inchiri by providing 4x4 vehicles and fuel during the whole campaign period (3-4 days).

A vaccination campaign took place on July 29th 2019 with the usual logistics support provided by MCM.

The graduates of last year’s third edition of the literacy program have benefited from training focusing on the management of small businesses that they can manage individually or in groups.

This training enabled them to better understand and master the mechanisms and tools necessary in order to make their businesses more profitable and well managed to ensure a sustainable source of income. Five groups of 25 women each have been trained in 2019.

Small business management trainingThe Akjoujt eastern dam is one of the oldest and largest dams in the region of Inchiri and is versatile in usage. In addition to its pivotal role in providing seasonal agricultural land to the local community, it has also other important roles in supplying groundwater grooves that feed some of the boreholes in its surroundings and protecting the city of Akjoujt from the floods caused by rainfalls. Due to the importance of this dam in the life of the local communi-ty, MCM undertook in August rehabilitation works, which included strengthening the dike, deepening the storage area and facilitating the flow of excess water to pass through the wadi of Alhadayegh without causing damage to the city.

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Briefs

MAURITANIDES 2018

As part of youth diversified training program aiming to build their capacities and provide more job opportunities, MCM launched on 16th October a training on making different types and sizes of concrete blocks and tiles from a hand machine. 10 young people from Akjoujt and Bennich-ab have attended to the training over 12 days and they were certified by the manufacturer of the hand machine who provided the training.

The machine and its accessories were handed over to the trainees under the supervision of Youth Association Network in Akjoujt and the Municipality of Bennichab.

Concrete blocks and �les training

Literacy program 2019-2020

After the success of the first three editions of the literacy program in 2017, 2018 & 2019, MCM launched the 2020 edition with a significant increase in the number of participants.

150 women from Akjoujt divided into 6 centers were registered to attend literacy courses for a period of 6 months.

Youth capacity building is one of MCM community development pillars, many trainings have been provided in this regard over the past years. During November 2019, 20 young people from Akjoujt attended to Projects Development Training which was designed to equip them with the skills required to develop, manage, evaluate and monitor small business projects.

The training content focuses on theoretical and practical tools that enable the youth prepare a well-written and solid business plan able to attract the needed funds. The trainees were certified at the end of training period.

Youth training

Akjoujt hospital

During the rainy season, Akjoujt Hospital was affected by the floods that hit the town in the morning of September 6th. MCM intervened immediately by providing power generator to the temporary hospital installed by the Ministry and contributed to cleaning the Hospital buildings. In addition to this, MCM undertook maintenance work at the Hospital that included internal and external painting, carpentry and roof repairs.

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MCM is an important economic actor in Mauri-tania not only though the taxes and royalties paid to the government as per its convention with the State but also through its positive impact on various sectors of National economy.

In the past decades, Corporate Social Responsibility CSR was focused on community development by contributing in the improvement of living condition of local communities and preserving environment. It was defined as a manage-ment concept, whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders. As companies are present in different parts of the world, their social and environmental concerns may be different due to the various cultures, social norms and value systems of the respective stakeholders; this means that CSR activities need to be adapted to the specific situation of the region to have them accepted by local communities and guarantee their success. Local content is a relatively new and large concept includ-ing other areas like jobs creation, technology transfer, generation of industrial cluster, use of local contractors and manufacturers.

The link between Corporate Social Responsibility and the emerging Local Content in mining is not yet properly established in spite of the fact that the idea behind the two concepts is quite similar with each trying to promote welfare, economic and sustainable development for the resource–rich nations. Both concepts are intended to increase the positive impact of mining; one on impacted local communities and the other, on the state economy in general through generation of endogenous growth based on increased domestic content for economic diversification.

Since the early days of its operation, MCM has put in place a system allowing to take these two concepts into considera-

tion. In fact, the Company’ Environmental and Social Impact Assessment ESIA which was submitted before project construction phase covered all aspects related to environment preservation and Community Development. It was done in accordance with international guidelines like Equator Principles, World Bank and International Finance Corporation standards and has followed the best practices in mining industry. MCM Social Action Plan contributed in community development through different actions including health, access to water, education, infrastructure training and capacity building as well as income generating activi-ties.

Despite the difficult economic condition and as we are approaching the end of the mine life, the company prepared a Closure Plan based on sustainable actions and intended to promote training, capacity building and income generating activities which are independent from mining and adapted to the after mine conditions.

Important achievements were also made in terms of Local Content:

Local employees were trained to a high level of qualifica-tion to meet FQML group standards and mining industry’s ones all over the world. The company’s level of jobs localization is among the highest in Mauritanian mining sector. Some of MCM key managerial positions are succes-sively run by locals.

Development of local business has been encouraged by awarding contracts to local companies, encouraging local purchase and assisting local contractors to acquire know how and required standards in order to be competitive in mining industry. In this regard, Mauritanian companies were awarded contracts in many areas including civil, transport, security, drilling, etc.

Aboubekrine ElemineCountry Manager

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

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How happy are you at work?

How would you rate your relationship with your supervisor?

How much do you feel valued at work?

How do you feel like you can share your honest thoughts with your supervisor?

How good is your department at recognizing your contributions at work?

How likely would you leave MCM if another company offered you a job?

How well do you feel you know the company’s procedures and policies?

How likely are you to recommend MCM as a good place to work?

Do you attend safety meetings regularly?

If you were given the chance, would you re-apply to join MCM?

Do you foresee yourself working here until the mine closure?

Are you proud to work for MCM?

Do you feel like you have the opportunity to improve your skills?

Do you have fun at work?

Are you planning to stay in Akjoujt after the mine closure?

Are you aware of the company’s production targets?

From the 27th November to the 20th December 2019, MCM employees were asked to complete a brief survey regarding the work place environment and the internal communications. The survey was administered in Arabic, English and French. A total of 281 employees completed the survey; this represents 26.5% of the targeted workforce.

internal communications survey 2019

workplace environment

information sources

Happy Somewhat Unhappy

High Average Low

Well Somewhat Not

Comfortable Somewhat Uncomfort

Very good Good Poor

Stay Don’t know Leave

Well Somewhat Not

Well Somewhat Not

Yes Don’t know No

Yes Don’t know No

Yes Don’t know No

Yes Don’t know No

Yes Don’t know No

Yes Don’t know No

Yes Don’t know No

Yes Don’t know No

Do you feel like your supervisor cares about your feedback? Yes Don’t know No

69.7% 19.2% 9.6%

72.9% 18.1% 8.1%

64.4% 22.7% 8.5%

65.8% 22.7% 9.6%

58% 24.5% 11.3%

28.4% 31.3% 38.7%

44.12% 35.5% 18.1%

58.3% 24.9% 14.5%

82.9% 4.6% 11%

71.5% 16.3% 9.9%

76.5% 14.9% 7.4%

79% 9.2% 9.6%

80.4% 6% 11.7%

76.5% 11% 9.9%

48.7% 20.6% 28.4%

56.5% 14.2% 26.3%

62.9% 14.5% 19.9%

MCM Bulletin

Supervisor

Weekly Communication Announcement

Colleagues

TV Monitors

Head of Department

Other

MCM Website

26.7%

20.9%

18.9%

10.4%

9.8%

5.2%

3.2%

1.9%Employee Information Session 1.3%

Social Media 1.1%


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4000 YEARS AGO,THE FIRST MINERS AND METALLURGISTS IN THE REGION OF AKJOUJT.The results of the Franco-Mauritanian project CUPRUM supported by MCM

Based on the archaeological work carried out almost 50 years ago, the first phase of the project (2016-2019) focused on estimating the importance and the place of metallurgy in Akjoujt district, in the Mauritania’s Inchiri region. Research has revealed an intense exploitation of metalliferous resources and a human occupation strongly linked to copper metallurgy. The sites seem to be distributed according to the necessi-ties of access to raw materials and natural resources and according to the operating chain of copper metallurgy.With the support of First Quantum Minerals Ltd and its subsidiary MCM, the results at the end of these four years were impressive.

Five Mauritanian students were trained in archeology. One of them obtained in 2018 a scholarship provided by the European and Foreign Affairs Ministry of France to carry out a training course in archeology in France. Two of them are expected to obtain positions in education and archaeological research.

This partnership has also revealed nearly 270 new archaeological sites. Confirm-ing the historical richness of Inchiri heritage, these discoveries also allow us today to better understand the develop-ment of mining and metallurgical activities, 4000 years ago! A summary of these archaeological discoveries is included here.

Extraction sites and related activitiesUnderground mines

At the level of the rock massifs of the region, our research identified 7 ancient mining districts, each includes between 5 and 16 mines. A total of 55 mines were discovered in all the massifs. The copper deposits (malachite, chrysocolla) are probably exploited by cutting edges or underground mines. The exploitation techniques correspond to that of the fire setting and / or the lithic mallet. Radio-carbon dating is in progress. At the level of Guelb Moghrein Oriental, the discovery of a front face exploiting hematite and goethite raises questions

about the use of this iron raw material. The second phase of the project will focus on answering these questions.

A copper placer mining?

The discovery in the metallurgical sites of ore fragments with fluvial erosion suggests another origin for this raw material. These minerals could come from detrital deposits that form in rivers. This hypothesis suggests a possible exploitation of these copper placers. The higher concentration of metalliferous elements and greater ease of exploitation of detrital deposits compared with ore from the mines and the face, make placers an important resource for metallurgy in prehistory. We still do not know if the possible exploitation of placers is anterior or concomitant with the mines and the face. All of these hypotheses relating to detrital deposits constitute a line of research for the second phase of the project.

The Franco-Mauritanian project CUPRUM, initiated in 2016, aims to understand the origin and development of metallurgy in Mauritania during the recent Holocene. This issue is also a training program for students.

A complex organization: activities related to mining

Our field research has identified human activities near the mines, some related to the extraction of minerals. Quarries and crushing / grinding workshops have been discovered. - Quarries and miningQuarries located near the mines seem to exploit the hard rock veins and probably provide mines with macro-lithic tools for the exploitation of copper deposits. In general, all the lithic resources at the level of the massifs seem to be exploit-ed, they must be activities related to mining. Flint mines and quartz pruning fronts are thus common in these beds. They are exploited for the production of micro lithic (arrowheads, scrapers). - Crushing / grinding workshopsConcentrations of crushing / grinding macro tools have been discovered near the ore extraction sites at several rock massifs. These seem to be sites of short duration of occupation.Several types of lithic macro-tools characterize these crushing / grinding workshops. The raw materials of these macro-tools are local rocks known in the region of Akjoujt. These workshops are intended for the crushing / grinding of ore mineralized raw materials. This is the first separation between the ore and the barren mineral gangue.

Excavation of prehistoric mine El Bwama (Guelb Moghrein oriental)

Metallurgical sites

Of the 200 sites discovered, 90 have metallurgical activity indices.At metallurgical sites, our research allows us propose an operational chain for copper metallurgy in connection with exploitation of ores. We suppose a succession of technical steps to gradual-

ly transform this raw material into metal. We have also identified variations in forced ventilation techniques for metallurgical furnaces. Our work has also highlighted links between access to resources (water, wood) and the location of metallurgical sites. We base the hypothesis of connections between the practice of metallurgical activities and livelihood activities, presumably related to nomadism. The small amount of remains and the small size of some sites suggest a short duration of occupation and feeds the assumption of seasonal sites.

Excavation of prehistoric metallurgical site Moukhayam El Bouhayra (Amatlich)

The distribution of all the sites seems to suggest a human occupation strongly linked to copper metallurgy. They seem to be distributed according to the necessities of access to raw materials and natural resources and according to the operating chain of copper metallur-gy. The distribution of the sites and the topography of the region seem to have determined the axes of circulation.In the current stage of research, we can see ways to understand the human occupation and organization of the region. But the matters of the occupation duration and the organization of the activities at the site scale and the region are obstacles that must be removed before proposing any hypothesis.

Sketch of a timeline

Field research has provided some elements of dating. Two great periods of occupation are emerging: Neolithic and Medieval. The occupation of the Akjoujt region dates back to the end of the 4th millennium BC, or even before (Paleo-lithic?), but little research has been done for these remote periods. The earliest

evidence of copper metallurgy appeared around the middle of the second millen-nium. Our excavations of the site of El-Jemel-Lebyad demonstrated it. In the current stage of knowledge, copper metallurgy seems to continue during the second half of the 2nd millennium and until the end of the 1st millennium. After a hiatus, the region is reoccupied from the 3rd century AD until the 7th century. Our work at the 1E mine in the Atomaye Massif and at the Lemdena level confirms this second phase of occupa-tion.

With the support of First Quantum Minerals Ltd and MCM, this project helped to better understand the archaeo-logical and historical values of Inchiri. This region of Mauritania appears today as one of the keys to understand the origin and development of metallurgy in the Saharo-Sahelian area.

Excavation of a prehistoric metallurgical furnace (Draa Oummat el Bidh)

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Djibi stands beside a heavy equipment engineMobile Equipment Workshop

Bahah is pictured in the crusher area

Our employees are at the heart of our operations

Djibi’s story

One seasoned employee contributing to mining fleet mainte-nance is Djibi Dia. Djibi joined MCM as a mechanic in the heavy mobile equipment workshop, a key area for mining production. He has always been at the heart of major compo-nent repairs and replacement.

With 42 years of mechanical experience, he’s consistently seen change throughout his career – MCM was just the most recent. Through those years he’s seen many technology and procedural improvements, but “one constant has been the commitment of the people here. There is a true sense of empowerment when we’re involved in making things happen”.

“I am very happy to have the opportunity to share my long experience with the new generation”

Another employee contributing to the success of our operations here at Guelb Moghrein is Bahah Moktar. He joined the process plant department 10 years ago as a crusher and conveyor belt operator. His role is crucial for the whole production process, he keeps an open eye on the crushed material to ensure it’s free of hazards.

“I am very proud to be part of the process plant team” he readily admits. “We are brothers, each one of us looks after the other’s safety”.

Although many challenges and difficulties that occurred during the last year, the team run the process plant successfully.

Bahah’s story

How Copper is Concentrated?

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Copper concentration starts with crushing ore from the mine follows by grinding (milling) finely the crushed ore in order to liberate the copper mineral (chalcopyrite) contained. To achieve targeted grind size, it requires a lot of expensive energy, and even more if the ore is harder. After the milling circuit, the particles will be sufficiently fine so that a majority of grain contain solely chalcopyrite or solely gangue (non-val-uable minerals).

It is important to know that most minerals in the world contain either Sulphur (sulfide mineral) or Oxygen (oxide mineral).

Chalcopyrite contains Sulphur. Most of the gangue of Guelb Moghrein ore contains Oxygen. So we are going to use the difference in the surface properties of sulfide and oxide minerals to separate the Chalcopyrite from the gangue. One of those properties is the affinity of those elements for water and air. Oxide minerals have a high affinity with water while sulfide minerals (like chalcopyrite) have a high affinity for air and very low for water. A good example to illustrate the affinity or not of a component to water is grease, If you have got a grease stain on your hands and want to clean it with only water, it is very difficult if not impossible, because grease has a very low affinity for water.

In a tank of water, if we place the finely grind ore containing chalcopyrite and inject some bubbles of air, the chalcopyrite will tend to stick to the air bubbles and not to the water! To help this process, we add chemicals to the tank (flotation cell) and this is called flotation! In practice, the flotation cell is equipped with an agitator to keep the solids in suspension, to disperse air as discrete bubbles and to pump the slurry into the next vessel.

In the flotation cell, air is injected at the bottom creating a rising current of air bubbles in the pulp. Chalcopyrite particles will stick to the air bubbles and rise to the pulp surface where the bubbles create a froth bed. To get the desired mineral to stick to air bubbles, collectors such as xanthates are added to the pulp. Another reagent called Frother is added to the pulp to produce a froth phase stable enough to hold the floated

particles until they can be removed from the cell. At the top of the tank, the froth overflows in a launder and a concentrate tank. The particles that don’t float (tailings) will stay at the bottom of the cell and will flow into the next vessel. So now, we have got two products from the ore: Concentrate which contains the chalcopyrite hence the copper and tailings that contain the gangue. And this is how the copper is concentrated!

The final concentrate contains 22.5% of copper and 10 grams per ton of gold. After dewatering, it is bagged and shipped. We produce an average of over 300 tons of concentrate per day.

How Copper is Concentrated?

Mineralised froth

Mineral attached to air bubbles

Air bubbles

Tailings

Agitator

Air

Cell

FLOTTATION CELL

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Visible Felt Leadership (VFL) is recognized as an effective technique for engaging a workforce and encouraging positive change in both behavior and attitude. It has found popularity and relevance as a useful tool for promoting more effective interaction between people within mining.

Having leaders engage firsthand with employees from all parts of an organization gives them an opportunity to hear and feel organizational dynamics while also making a personal impact on their teams. At the same time, it reinforces the genuine concern they feel for employees’ wellbeing and safety.When implemented properly, the result of VFL is a broad process that can influence natural, genuine behaviors, which support a culture of safety and business improvement that is embedded in every aspect of our work.

Safety is not something that you read, hear or see, it’s something you live. VFL provides you with the tools to make this real. It focuses on positive reinforcement. Problem areas – and how to fix them – are discussed and agreed upon together, leaving the individuals with a positive, clearly understood way to do what they do, even better.

Visible Felt Leadership (VFL) describes a natural, social process that managers and supervisors should carry out as a normal part of their jobs. While VFL is one of the most important contributors to sustained and improved safety performance, it goes beyond safety and touches on other general elements of leadership, such as caring, communicating, connecting and coaching. In short, VFL is a characteristic of good management. VFL is not a process that comes naturally to most people. It has to be learnt and practiced.

Importantly, it has to be part of a system that ensures that managers put the interaction to constructive use. Part of implementing VFL relates to how leaders and employees interact in the workplace. Typically this interaction involves a one-on-one conversation that focuses on recognizing people for doing the right thing, and then helps them to do it all the time. This interac-tion provides a way to improve safety from a position of care and respect, while obtaining valuable information from the people who know it best.

VFL

DEF

INED

:

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Name:

Dpmt:

Position:

Mohamed Abdou

Operator

Process Plant

Name:

Dpmt:

Position:

Lekhlipha Feily

Bus Driver

ROM

Name:

Dpmt:

Position:

Seyed Louleid

Foreman

Process Plant

Name:

Dpmt:

Position:

Sy Aly M’bareck

Foreman

Mobile Workshop

Name:

Dpmt:

Position:

Demba Sy

Operator

Mining

Name:

Dpmt:

Position:

El Mami Bambari

Artisan

Engineering

Name:

Dpmt:

Position:

Ahmed Salem

Mechanic

Engineering

Name:

Dpmt:

Position:

Ba Amadou

Operator

Process

Seyed Louleid joined MCM at the beginning of the operations at Process Plant, he was present when the first copper concentrate was produced. The team at the plant will miss the experience and the competences of Seyed who will enjoy his new lifestyle.

Ahmed Salem has served at MCM site over 13 years as a mechanic in engineering department. He shared his rich experience and built wide relationships with colleagues and friends. The team will always remember his significant contribution during difficult times

Demba Sy has spent most of his career at MCM sitting in the cabs of all heavy equipment as a professional operator. His irreplaceable experience in mining equipment will be missed by his team and colleagues. Sy will have more time to rest after few decades of service in different companies.

Ba has retired after 13 years of service to the company. He joined MCM in 2006 as an operator at the process plant. Over 13 years, Amadou continued to inspire all those he touched with his kindness, his determination and his energy. He has very fond memories of those years.

Sy Aly was a key employee within the mining fleet maintenance crew. His dedication and skills were irreplaceable and will be missed at the workshop.

El Mami has finally retired after more than 10 years of service to the company. His role as a mechanic was crucial to the success of his team. His kindness and perseverance within the team were unique.

Retirees2019the occasion of retirment of the below 8 employees at the end of 2019, MCM management organised a special dinner on their honor. It has been an opportunity for the Acting GM

and HoDs to express their appreciation to all of them for the great contributions they provided over many years to the company’s production and culture.

On Process Department will be missing the wisdom of Mohamed Abdou who has contributed significantly to the success of his team and department over more than 10 years of service. Mohamed will now enjoy another lifestyle called retirement.

Lekhlipha joined MCM since the first day as a light vehicle driver and bus driver most recently. Lekhlipha will stay an example of the bus driver who drops employees to their workshops on time. He will take many good memories of Guelb Moghrein mine.

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First Quantum has been following the COVID-19 outbreak that started in China in late December 2019. The outbreak has now become a signifi-cant public health risk, with the World Health Organization declaring on March 11th the rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.This update is intended to provide information on the current status of the outbreak, what travelers and individuals need to consider in terms of protecting their health.

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is a novel (newly described) coronavirus with the first cases in humans reported in late December 2019. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing illness in people and others circulate among animals. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can evolve and infect people, with further mutation allowing for spread from human to human.

The original cases appeared to originate in a wet food market in the large Chinese city of Wuhan. The outbreak was isolated to this city and Hubei province, but has now spread to more than 180 countries globally. This global spread and the potential risk that the disease can spread in countries with weak health systems has prompted the World Health Organization to declare a Public Health Emergency of Internation-al Concern. This declaration has prompted FQM to update its disease outbreak management process to an alert level, to ensure the wellbeing of employ-ees and to limit any potential operational impact.

How is COVID-19 transmitted?

While the exact mode of transmission and ease that infection may spread is still being investigated, the following

modes are considered:• From human to human via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza and the common cold is spread. Transmission commonly occurs by touching something an infected person has touched (a door handle or from a handshake) with the virus transferred via your mouth, nose or eyes. • There is no current evidence that the virus can be transmitted by air (for example transfer across a room or in an aircraft).• Through contact with sick animals, animals in markets or products (such as uncooked meat) that come from unregu-lated markets.

What are the symptoms of COV-ID-19?

The symptoms are typical of mild respiratory disease similar to influenza:• Fever.• Cough, runny nose, sore throat and headache.• Difficulty in breathing/ shortness of breath• In some cases, severe disease has developed, including bronchitis, pneumonia and even death.

Who is at risk for infection?

Everyone is at risk for infection with the virus. However, very young, elderly and people with underlying health problems or compromised immune systems seem to be more vulnerable to complications. Around 15% of cases have developed severe disease but had underlying health issues or other vulnerabilities. Can it be avoided and is there a cure?

There is currently no vaccine available to totally avoid the disease. There is currently no specific cure, but a lot of research is on-going to determine the best treatment regimes.

What do travelers need to do?

• Postpone all unnecessary travel.• Stay informed of outbreak response in countries you may be travelling to or through as new cases or outbreaks may lead to restrictions in movement or to cancellation of flights.• Do not travel if you are ill with fever or flu like symptoms. Many countries have adopted screening practices & you may be quarantined or tested.• Maintain your personal hygiene as per below • Avoid close contact with people that are obviously ill.• Monitor your health for 14 days after you travel and if you develop flu like symptoms seek medical care and be sure to advise that you have travelled.

What can be done to reduce risk?

• Frequently clean your hands with an alcohol rub or soap/water.• Avoid touching your face.• Avoid close contact with people that are obviously ill with a fever/cough.• Avoid activities with potential expo-sure to large groups of people.• If you have a fever/ cough or difficulty in breathing seek medical care and stay away from work until cleared to return by a health worker.

What are MCM doing as a company? As per the outbreak disease prepared-ness & response plan, the company is adopting the following approach:• Communicating with public health authorities.• Conducting local risk assessments and appropriate preparedness planning• Raising awareness on the disease and prevention activities.

WUHAN OR NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

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15

Process Plant Control Room Supervisor

1. What inspired you to work in the mining industry and for MCM in particu-lar? When I completed my studies in mid-2006, I was looking for job opportu-nity and I joined MCM through a recruit-ment exam as process plant employee. I was completely convinced that there will be a bright future on my path.

2. You were here when the company started, what were the main challenges?As usual, there are always challenges at the beginning of any project. I began my career as an employee at the crusher working with a group of young local people and expatriates engineers, few months later and due to the intensive training sessions I attended I became the senior operator at the crusher. I continued to attend more trainings on the whole process plant and moved to gold plant in 2009. In 2010, I moved to work in the process plant control room where I still working until today.

3. You were among the first local staff who benefited from localization plan, how did it happen?As a consequence of lot of diligence, perseverance, determination and training, we have been able, as a group, to take full responsibility of operating efficiently the process plant. We have gained experience from our filed work which is necessary to make a difference.

4. How important is safety to your workplace?Safety and health are very important in the workplace as human life is priceless. There is a lot of hazards in mining industries, and therefore we take all the necessary precautions for the safety of everyone.

5. What does MCM mean to you?For me, MCM means a classroom to learn new things, a workshop to improve skills and a source of monthly income.

6. You’ve been in Akjoujt for a while, how the city has developed?The town of Akjoujt has witnessed a huge development since the start of mining activities. Many construction projects took place over the last few years and the local economy has grown substantially.

7. What changes has working with MCM brought to your working and social life?Many changes had occurred during my career at MCM, I have acquired lots of competences and experience. I have built an immense number of friendships and fellowships in addition to learning patience and perseverance.

8. Anything you want to share with your colleagues?I would recommend to my colleagues to take ownership and be accountable especially during this critical period of the mine life. We are heading to the mine closure but by working together we hope to extend its life.

Workers voiceMoulay Soueidatt

We are commi�ed to constantly improving the way we communicate with our stakeholders and employees. As part of this process, we would like to learn your opinion of MCM Bulle�n.In par�cular, we would like to be�er understand how you read MCM Bulle�n and how useful you find its content.

We would, therefore, be extremely grateful if you would spare five minutes to write your opinion and put it in the communica-�on box at the main gate.

We do hope you can find the �me to par�cipate in this research as your input is valuable to us in helping to shape a publica�on a�uned to its readership.

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Last issue’s solution

ToughTough IntermediateIntermediate

The objective is to insert the numbers in the boxes to satisfy only one condition: each row, column and 3x3 box must contain the digits 1 through 9 exactly once.

4 5 1 8 7 3 9 2 69 2 6 4 5 1 8 7 38 7 3 9 2 6 4 5 1

1 4 5 3 6 8 7 9 27 8 9 1 4 2 3 6 53 6 2 5 9 7 1 4 8

2 1 4 7 3 5 6 8 95 9 8 6 1 4 2 3 76 3 7 2 8 9 5 1 4

8 3 1 2 4 5 6 7 95 2 4 6 9 7 1 3 86 7 9 1 3 8 2 5 4

7 4 8 3 5 6 9 1 23 1 5 9 8 2 4 6 72 9 6 7 1 4 3 8 5

1 8 3 4 7 9 5 2 64 5 2 8 6 1 7 9 39 6 7 5 2 3 8 4 1

8 1 93 9 8 1

7 3 4 22 35 8

9 14 7 8 9

1 2 4 59 3 2

5 2 4 1 71 4 6

8

3 8 6 59 4

6 7 3 8

73 2 4

8 1 4 5 3

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