ARCTIC MINING CONSULTANTS By Steven L. McShane, The University of Western Australia, and Tim Neale Tom Parker enjoyed working outdoors. At various times in the past, he worked as a ranch hand, high steel rigger, head stone installer. prospector. and geological eld technician. Now 43, Parker is a geological field technician and eld coor- dinator with Arctic Mining Consultants. He has specialized knowledge and experience in all nontechnical aspects of min- eral exploration, including claim staking, line cutting and grid installation, soil sampling, prospecting, and trenching. He is responsible for hiring, training, and supervising eld assistants for all of Arctic Mining Consultants' programs Field assistants are paid a fairly low daily wage (no matter how long they work, which may be up to 12 hours or more) and are pro- vided meals and accommodation Many of the programs are operated by a project manager who reports to Parker. Parker sometimes acts as a project manager, as he did on a job that involved staking 15 claims near Eagle Lake, British Columbia. He selected john Talbot, Greg Boyce, and Brian Mil- lar, all of whom had previously worked with Parker, as the eld assistants. To stake a claim, the project team marks a line with agging tape and blazes (ribbons, paint. or other trail markers) along the perimeter of the claim, cutting a claim post every 500 metres (called a "length\"). The 15 claims would require almost 100 kilometres of line in total. Parker had budgeted seven days (plus mobilization and demobilization) to complete the job. This meant that each of the four stakers (Parker, Talbot, Boyce, and Millar) would have to complete more than seven lengths each day. The following is a chronology of the project DAY I The Arctic Mining Consultants' crew assembled in the morn ing and drove to Eagle lake, from where they were flown by helicopter to the claim site. On arrival, they set up tents at the edge of the area to be staked, and agreed on a schedule for cooking duties. After supper, they pulled out the maps and discussed the jobhow long it would take, the order in which the areas were to be staked, possible helicopter landing spots, and areas that might be more diicuit to stake. ' Parker pointed out that with only a week to complete the job, everyone would have to average seven and a half lengths per day. 'i know that is a lot,' he said, 'but you've all staked claims before and I'm condent that each of you is capable of it. And it's only for a week. If we get the job done in time. there's a $300 bonus for each of you.' Two hours later, Parker and his crew members had developed what seemed to be a workable plan. DAY2 Millar completed six lengths, Boyce six lengths, Talbot eight, and Parker eight. Parker was not pleased with Millar's or Boyce's production. However, he didn't make an issue of it, thinking that they would develop their 'rhythm" quickly. DAYS Millar completed five and a half lengths, Boyce four, and Tal- bot seven. Parker, who was nearly twice as old as the other three, completed eight lengths. He also had enough time remaining to walk over and check the quality of snakes that Millar and Boyce had completed, and then walk back to his own area for helicopter pickup back to the tent site. That night Parker exploded with anger. '1 thought I told you that i wanted seven and a half lengths a day!\" he shouted at Boyce and Millar. Boyce'said that he was slowed down by unusually thick underbrush in his assigned area. Millar said that eight each. Parker remained silent when the field assistants he had done his best and would try to pick up the pace. Parker reported their performance for the day. did not mention that he had inspected their work. He explained that as far as he was concerned, the field assistants were sup-. DAY 7 posed to finish their assigned area for the day, no matter what. Millar was again the first out and last in. That night, he col- Talbot, who was sharing a tent with Parker, talked to him lapsed in an exhausted heap at the table, too tired to eat. later. "I think that you're being a bit hard on them, you know. After a few moments, he announced in an abject tone, "Six I know that it has been more by luck than anything else lengths. I worked like a dog all day and I only got a lousy that I've been able to do my quota. Yesterday I only had five six lengths!" Boyce completed five lengths, Talbot seven, and lengths done after the first seven hours and there was only Parker seven and a quarter. an hour before I was supposed to be picked up. Then I hit a Parker was furious. "That means we have to do a total of patch of really open bush, and was able to do three lengths in 34 lengths tomorrow if we are to finish this job on time!" 70 minutes. Why don't I take Millar's area tomorrow and he With his eyes directed at Millar, he added: "Why is it that can have mine? Maybe that will help." you never finish the job? Don't you realize that you are part 'Conditions are the same in all of the areas," replied Parker, of a team, and that you are letting the rest of the team down? rejecting Talbot's suggestion. "Millar just has to try harder." I've been checking your lines and you're doing too much blaz- ing and wasting too much time making picture-perfect claim DAY 4 posts! If you worked smarter, you'd get a lot more done!" Millar did seven lengths and Boyce completed six and a half. When they reported their production that evening, Parker DAY 8 grunted uncommunicatively. Parker and Talbot did eight Parker cooked breakfast in the dark. The helicopter drop- lengths each offs began as soon as morning light appeared on the horizon. Parker instructed each assistant to complete 8 lengths and, DAY 5 if they finished early, to help the others. Parker said that he Millar completed six lengths, Boyce six, Talbot seven and a would finish the other 10 lengths. Helicopter pickups were half, and Parker eight. Once again Parker blew up, but he con- arranged for one hour before dark. centrated his diatribe on Millar. "Why don't you do what you By noon, after working as hard as he could, Millar had only say you are going to do? You know that you have to do seven completed three lengths. "Why bother," he thought to himself, and a half lengths a day. We went over that when we first got I'll never be able to do another five lengths before the heli- here, so why don't you do it? If you aren't willing to do the copter comes, and I'll catch the same amount of abuse from job then you never should have taken it in the first place!" Parker for doing six lengths as for seven and a half." So he sat Millar replied by saying that he was doing his best, that he down and had lunch and a rest. "Boyce won't finish his eight hadn't even stopped for lunch, and that he didn't know how lengths either, so even if I did finish mine, I still wouldn't get he could possibly do any better. Parker launched into him the bonus. At least I'll get one more day's pay this way." again: "You have got to work harder! If you put enough effort That night, Parker was livid when Millar reported that he into it, you will get the area done!" had completed five and a half lengths. Parker had done ten Later Millar commented to Boyce, "I hate getting dumped and a quarter lengths, and Talbot had completed eight. Boyce on all the time! I'd quit if it didn't mean that I'd have to walk proudly announced that he finished seven and a half lengths, 80 kilometres to the highway. And besides, I need the bonus but sheepishly added that Talbot had helped him with some money. Why doesn't he pick on you? You don't get any more of it. All that remained were the two and a half lengths that done than me; in fact, you usually get less. Maybe if you did a Millar had not completed. bit more he wouldn't be so bothered about me." The job was finished the next morning and the crew "I only work as hard as I have to," Boyce replied. demobilized. Millar has never worked for Arctic Mining Con- DAY 6 sultants again, despite being offered work several times by Parker. Boyce sometimes does staking for Arctic, and Talbot Millar raced through breakfast, was the first one to be dropped works full time with the company. off by the helicopter, and arranged to be the last one picked up. That evening the production figures were Millar eight Copyright. Steven L. McShane and Tim Neale. This case is based on actual events, but names and some characteristics have been changed to maintain and a quarter lengths, Boyce seven, and Talbot and Parker anonymity