Date | 21 June 2021 |
- | 22 June 2021 |
Resources |
MMP Announcement 07052021.pdf
MMP Symposium Programme_v4 14062021.pdf |
MANDELA MINING PRECINCT VIRTUAL SYMPOSIUM
BENEFICIATING THREE YEARS’ OF RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION
21-22 JUNE 2021
The transformation of a mineral, or a combination of minerals, into a higher value product. The Symposium will illustrate how research across the SAMERDI research programmes enrich the value of SAMERDI to the South African Mining Industry.
The Symposium will take place over two days with a focus on solutions for industry on Day 1 and research for mining on Day 2. The programme content will be strongly aligned to the overarching theme.
The programme will make use of a combination of plenary and parallel sessions, allowing delegates to remain engaged and in control of what content they consume. With a combination of panel discussions, lightning talks, debates, presentations and an on-demand knowledge showcase, the Mandela Mining Precinct’s fist vitual symposium promises to be engaging and interactive.
Plenary Speaker 1
Ulrich Graf
4IR and Digital Transformation in mining
Industrial Internet Consortium: Chairman of the Mining Vertical Group
Ulrich holds a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering (1994). He is currently employed as a Senior Engineer Industry 4.0 and Industrial Internet of Things at Huawei Technologies. Before joining Huawei in 2011 he worked almost 17 years in the telecommunication industry in various sales, product and R&D departments at Siemens and Nokia where he could extend his business & professional competence in the areas of Engineering, Product- and Program-Management for enterprise, fixed and mobile networks. Since joining Huawei Ulrich was established in the European Solution Management Team serving solutions like Policy/Traffic Management, Cell Congestion Control, Telco Transformation (SDN/NFV/MANO) and more recently IoT and Industry4.0. In 2019 he joined the Applied Network Technology Laboratory in the Huawei German Research Center in Munich working on new communication and networking technologies targeting different industry verticals.
Plenary Speaker 2
Dr Thuthula Balfour
The South African mining industry’s response to Covid-19
Minerals Council South Africa: Head of health
Thuthula Balfour is a qualified doctor who brings medical and occupational health expertise to her position of Health Adviser at the Minerals Council South Africa. A specialist in public health medicine who also has an MBA, Thuthula advocates for the industry on health issues. She also chairs the Minerals Council’s Health Policy Committee, which is focused, among others. on tuberculosis, HIV and AIDS, and the prevention of silicosis and noise-induced hearing loss. Thuthula was the lead person in developing the mining industry’s standard operating procedure (SOP) used as the basis for, first, COVID-19 mitigation measures for essential service employees who operated through the lockdown, and then for employees returning to work following the gradual easing of the lockdown restrictions.
Under her leadership, the industry had a functional occupational health reporting system. This system was utilised for reporting on COVID-19 cases, making mining the only sector in the country that could produce daily dashboards of cases and deaths from COVID-19 in mining employees.
Waseem Carrim
Chief Executive Officer
NYDA
Currently only 30 years old, Waseem Carrim is one of South Africa’s youngest-ever CEO’s bringing with him his belief in the current young generation. Waseem believes that the current generation sees integration and globalization not as threats but as opportunities for education, exploration, employment, and exchange. Long before he was appointed as CEO of the NYDA, Waseem attended the University of Pretoria and received his BCom Honours degree in Accounting Sciences in 2009. He began his career at the same university, spending a year as an Academic article trainee, lecturing first to third-year students in Accounting. He completed his article traineeship with KPMG and was admitted as a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) in 2013. Waseem also holds a Master’s degree in Taxation from the University of Pretoria.
After completing his articles, Waseem joined KPMG’s Department of Professional Practice, where he served as a specialist in public sector accounting and assurance matters, and served on committees and initiatives related to the public sector. He also served on committees relating to social integration, as well as driving transformation initiatives in the Chartered Accounting profession. He held a portfolio of audit clients, which he managed within the public-sector space, one of which was the NYDA. Waseem led the turnaround of the finance and Supply Chain Management divisions that culminated in three clean audits and a fundamental reduction in irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
In 2016, Mr Carrim was named one of the Top 35 under-35 Chartered Accountants by the SAICA. The Agency has praised the CEO for the work he did turning around its finances. NYDA said in a statement: “Mr Carrim has served as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the NYDA since 2014. During this period, he has presided over the turnaround of the NYDA finances. The organisation has moved from a dire financial state to a viable one. Over the past three financial years, the NYDA has moved from an organisation characterised by wasteful and fruitless expenditure to the tune of R100 million to an organisation of clean audit opinion. In the last financial year, fruitless and wasteful expenditure amounted to R0.”
Thuthula Balfour is a qualified doctor who brings medical and occupational health expertise to her position of Health Adviser at the Minerals Council South Africa. A specialist in public health medicine who also has an MBA, Thuthula advocates for the industry on health issues. She also chairs the Minerals Council’s Health Policy Committee, which is focused, among others. on tuberculosis, HIV and AIDS, and the prevention of silicosis and noise-induced hearing loss. Thuthula was the lead person in developing the mining industry’s standard operating procedure (SOP) used as the basis for, first, COVID-19 mitigation measures for essential service employees who operated through the lockdown, and then for employees returning to work following the gradual easing of the lockdown restrictions.
Under her leadership, the industry had a functional occupational health reporting system. This system was utilised for reporting on COVID-19 cases, making mining the only sector in the country that could produce daily dashboards of cases and deaths from COVID-19 in mining employees.
Sietse Van Der Woude
Senior Executive: Modernisation and Safety:
MSc; MBL
Minerals Council South Africa
Sietse Van Der Woude joined the Minerals Council (formerly Chamber) in 2004 as safety, health, environment and quality manager following his departure from Xstrata. Prior to this, he led the implementation of a regulatory framework for radiation safety in the mining industry at the National Nuclear Regulator.
Roger Baxter
Chief Executive Officer
Mineral Council South Africa
Roger Baxter joined the Minerals Council (then Chamber of Mines of South Africa) in 1992 and was appointed CEO in 2015. He has 27 years of high level advocacy and strategy experience in the business and mining sectors, within a working career of 30 years. He was involved in the first mineral policy discussions with the ANC in 1992 and has participated in (and often led) discussions on all aspects of mining, economic, investment, transformation and tax policy with government. He previously chaired the BUSA Econpol and Growth Task Team. Roger has played a key leadership role in rejuvenating the Chamber brand to the Minerals Council South Africa, in refreshing and repurposing the Minerals Council, and brings material leadership, governance, strategy, investment and transformation skills to the table. He is a member of the Minerals Council Board, the BUSA Board, and the Board of TEBA Trust; and chairs the World Platinum Investment Council. He is vice-chairman of both the International Associations Working Group within the International Council on Mining and Metals and the Mining Industry Association of Southern Africa.
Dr Thulani Dlamini
Chief Executive Officer
CSIR
Dr Thulani Dlamini is the Chief Executive Officer of the Council for Industrial and Scientific Research (CSIR). He was appointed in this position in February 2017, but he is no stranger to the CSIR having previously served the organisation with distinction for many years. He joined the CSIR in 2005 as the head of the National Laser Centre and in 2008, he was appointed in the position of Group Executive: Research and Development, a position he held until 2011 when he left the CSIR to join Sasol. At Sasol, he was the Executive Manager: Research and Development and later became Vice-President for Strategic Research and Technology. Dr Dlamini holds a PhD in chemistry from the University of the Witwatersrand and a Master’s in Business Leadership from the University of South Africa. He has served in many Boards and National Committees. He is a member of the National Advisory Council on Innovation and the South African Academy of Science.
Bongi Ntsoelengoe
Executive Manager for Future Production: Mining
CSIR
Bongi joined the CSIR in 2020 from Kumba Iron Ore Limited, a division of Anglo-American plc, where she had been the Manager of Technology, since January 2014. In her role as Manager of Technology, she was responsible for leading Kumba’s digital technology strategy and innovation roadmap, which has seen the company roll out some significant technologies, such as full autonomous drilling fleet at Kolomela Mine, advanced process control for plant operations, autonomous braking system for haul trucks, as well as remote-piloted aircraft systems (drones), as a new tool for surveying and other applications. She has been recognised as a leader in the field of mine modernisation, which led to her being a panellist at several conferences and, most recently, at the 2020 Investing in Africa Mining Indaba.
Dr Phil Mjwara
Director General
Department of Science and Innovation
Dr. Phil Mjwara has served as the Director General of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) since April 2006. His responsibilities encompass all policy development in this sector in South Africa, management of South African official development assistance related to science, technology and innovation; driving the implementation of South Africa’s National Research and Development Strategy and managing South Africa’s new ten-year Innovation Plan. Prior to his appointment at the DSI, Dr Mjwara was the Group Executive for Research and Development and Strategic Human Capital Development at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). After becoming head of the new National Laser Centre In 2001, Dr Mjwara created a network of centres under the name of African Laser Centre. Among his many other functions, one could cite his role as co-chair of the Group on Earth Observation based in Geneva.
Kondwani W Banda
Project Engineer
Mintek
Kondwani W. Banda is a Project Engineer specializing in the mineral extraction process R&D, currently specialising in pyrometallurgy. He has 7 years’ experience and a strong background in pilot-plant operations and commissioning, leadership and customer relations. He has experience working and leading multi-disciplinary teams and managing more than five projects simultaneously and ensuring timely project delivery. He is a professionally registered process engineer and mentor with ECSA and a certified project management professional (PMP®) with experience in all stages of the project management life cycle. Passionate about human capital development, he is active in professional associations. Currently he is the Secretary of the SAIMM Young Professionals Council for 2021 and Diversity Forum Chairperson at Mintek.
Wessel Botha
Lead Researcher (Enterprises University of Pretoria)
Started off in the gold commodity sector working for Gold Fields Business and Leadership Academy. Consulted across various commodities for the establishment of training centres. Additionally assisted with the recruitment, selection (psychometric assessment) and placement of personnel in the mining sector. Provided training and development from basic soft skills to senior level management training.
Tshepo Chabalala
SAMERDI SATCAP Intern
Mandela Mining Precinct
Tshepo Chabalala is a SAMERDI intern at the Mandela Mining Precinct, under the Successful Application of Technology Centred Around People (SATCAP) programme. I hold a Masters of Urban Studies Urban Politics and Governance degree from Wits University. Tshepo has been involved in various mining research work that are people-centric and a series of stakeholder’s engagement sessions at Mandela Mining Precinct. Tshepo is an aspiring Public Policy Analyst, and whose interests and specialization rage from a variety of vocations, which includes amongst others; People in mining, mining health, mining technologies, Social & Labour Plans, policy formulation, public policy analysis, research, governance, urban politics, municipal planning, Smart Cities, community participation, stakeholder engagement, Local Economic Development, Integrated Development Plans (IDPs), land management, spatial planning, urban design and planning law. My other interests include creating and designing cities as spaces for opportunities for people with disabilities, children and elders, and developing social policies.
Summary of panel discussion/presentation:
Health-care support for employees and local communities by mining companies during Covid-19 pandemic, with potential for alignment to local government (Integrated Development Plans). This study seeks to understand how the mining industry is supporting employees and communities to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. More specifically, the researcher considers within the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, employee and community health-care support made by mining companies. The study also focuses on how municipal Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) and mining Social and Labour Plans (SLPs) relate to each other, with potential for integration and synergies, and more so in their efforts in response to health-care support to communities, during the pandemic. Health and well-being of the people of the country, and the promotion of social development are important and foremost. The Covid-19 pandemic has meant that IDPs had to be refocussed to prioritise community health care needs, as it is evident through the local government health care initiatives during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sifiso Dlamini
Senior Researcher
CSIR NGEI
Sifiso is a multidisciplinary researcher with interests in Mining Systems and Cultures and how these evolve over time. t. He is trained as an Industrial Sociologist and currently works in the ICT cluster of the CSIR.
Ms Nandipha Masondo
Postgraduate student (MSc)
University of the Witwatersrand
Nandipha Masondo is a final year Masters in Geology candidate at the University of the Witwatersrand with her thesis exploring the micromechanics of stress and heat induced rock fractures. She forms part of the ICDP: DSeis research group investigating deep earthquake mechanisms, and is part of project specific core research teams in projects commissioned by the Mandela Mining Precinct’s Advanced Orebody Knowledge programme to investigate the relationships between inherent rock properties and non-explosive rock breaking methods.
Summary of panel discussion/presentation:
Nandipha Masondo presents highlights from the preliminary research conducted on the effectiveness and suitability of thermal spallation, which has been proven to optimise gold ore extraction in other countries, for local gold and PGM orebodies. The research conducted involved petrographic/microstructural sample analyses, thermal loading experiments, and post-load analyses of the thermally loaded samples. The results serve as an initial indication of local orebody spallation parameters to be used as a guide towards the application of thermal spalling as an alternative mining method in local industry.
Michael van Schoor
Principal Geophysicist
CSIR Mining
Michael van Schoor is a Principal Geophysicist in the CSIR Mining Cluster. He has more than 25 years’ experience in applied research, primarily in the field of mining geophysics. His areas of expertise include electrical resistance tomography (ERT), ground penetrating radar (GPR) and borehole geophysics. He has authored and co-authored a variety of journal articles, conference proceedings and book chapters on the above topics and holds a PhD in Geophysics, which was obtained in 2009 from Lancaster University in the UK.
Summary of panel discussion/presentation
The overall objective of AOK WP4.2 was to optimise the electrical resistance tomography (ERT) technology for routine application to the underground mapping of disruptive geological structures that occur ahead of mining. The optimisation efforts included two trial surveys. This presentation reports on some of the key optimisation efforts and the results of the first trial survey. It was demonstrated that the in-mine ERT method has great potential as a reconnaissance imaging tool that can add value to medium term mine planning.
Livhuwani Khobo
Research and Technical Support Intern
Mining Equipment Manufacturers of South Africa (MEMSA)
Livhuwani Khobo is a research and technical support intern at MEMSA, a manufacturing industry cluster organisation that promote local OEMs. His focus is on research, data analysis, communication, administration and technical support across the cluster organisation. Prior to joining MEMSA, Livhuwani was a graduate trainee at the Department of Trade and Industry in Pretoria. He holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Mining and Geology from the University of Venda. He has a sturdy interest in natural sciences and mining technologies, and enjoys collaborating with MEMSA members and partners. In his down time, Livhuwani enjoys hiking and exercising to keep fit and active
Dr Jodi Pelders
Researcher
CSIR
Jodi Pelders is a researcher in the CSIR’s Mining Cluster. She has been involved in conducting research relating to human factors, health and safety in the southern African mining sector for approximately 10 years. Jodi is a Certified Professional Ergonomist. She obtained her Master’s degree in Ergonomics from Rhodes University, and has recently completed a PhD in Public Health at the University of the Witwatersrand. Her research interests include fatigue management, workplace stress, physiological strain, incident analysis, socio-economic and living conditions, and ergonomics, as this relates to mine workers in South Africa. More recently, much of her research involvement has related to modernisation of the mining industry.
The Mandela Mining Precinct commissioned research under the Successful Application of Technology Centred Around People (SATCAP) programme of the South African Mining Research, Development and Extraction (SAMERDI) strategy relating to people-centric modernisation. The aim of this project was to support people-centric mining modernisation, through the development of a guideline for the inclusion of stakeholders in equipment design and development. This project was conducted by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in collaboration with Enterprises University of Pretoria (EUP).
Improved inclusion of stakeholders, including the workforce, is related to the successful adoption of new technologies associated with modernisation. Human-centred design approaches are recommended to improve product quality, buy-in and ownership, and have associated health, safety and productivity benefits. The project was informed by a literature review and data gathered from interviews, focus group discussions, and online surveys. The draft guideline was compiled and presented to stakeholders for refinement and validation. Limitations of this research included difficulties in gaining access to study sites and participants due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, delays, and constrained project timelines. Ethics approval for this project has granted by the CSIR Research Ethics Committee (REC).
A human-centred systems approach for equipment design and development was recommended, in which there is early engagement of stakeholders. However, limited participation of stakeholders, including workers, was evident in equipment design and development in the South African mining industry, resulting in a knowledge gap between end-users and manufacturers. Numerous perceived social and economic benefits of early inclusion were highlighted, including improved product quality, usability, and acceptance. Meanwhile, perceived barriers included a lack of resources, organisational culture or climate, and a lack of a systematic plan or approach. This project informed approaches, methods and processes for the inclusion of stakeholders in equipment design and development in the modernising mining sector. The guideline developed contains five basic steps, including: 1) Demand analysis, 2) Product specifications, 3) Equipment design and development, 4) Demonstration, and 5) Adoption. The guideline might be more relevant where the needs have been identified by industry, and will need to be customised according to the context of use. Factors underpinning the process include loop learning, jobs and skills requirements, and change management. Additionally, processes running in addition to and parallel with equipment design and development are needed to enable successful modernisation of the mining industry.
Humna Hassan Malik
Senior Engineer
CSIR
Humna obtained her BIng Electrical & Electronic Engineering degree with a BSc Information Technology degree simultaneously in 2014 from the University of Johannesburg (UJ). She also completed her MEng in Engineering Management from UJ in 2017 with a distinction. She is working as a Senior Engineer at the CSIR in the Defense and Security cluster. In addition, she is supervising master’s students and is also an examiner for BEng and MEng dissertations at UJ. She has been awarded by the Mail & Guardian for being one of the Top 200 Young South Africans, in the Science and Technology category, in 2019.
Summary of panel discussion/presentation
Work Package 8 is titled RTIMS Integrated Design and Blueprinting. It provides an integrated information platform for RTIMS subsystems integration, and host the enterprise architecture blueprint of the RTIMS enterprise systems for the Mandela Mining Precinct (MMP). The blueprint defines how the engineering effort was organised, structured, executed and depicts the engineering process to reference the solution against the user requirement.
Glen Nwaila
University of the Witwatersrand
Glen Nwaila received his MSc degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cape Town, and a Doctor rerum naturalium degree in Geology from the University of Würzburg, Germany. He has more than 13 years of experience in research, teaching and industrial work in the field of economic geology, geometallurgy, and machine learning. He has worked and collaborated with research and industry centres worldwide, such as South Africa, Canada, DRC, Germany, Ghana, Sweden, USA, the United Kingdom, and Zambia. Glen is a recipient of the SA Rising Star Award in the mining and metals industry. In 2020, Glen accepted the role of Adjunct Professor in the School of Geosciences, University of the Witwatersrand. At the University of the Witwatersrand, Glen teaches and supervises research on economic geology, geostatistics, geometallurgy and machine learning. In addition, Glen accepted the role of Principal Advisor at SmartMin which is an entity that works with Wits Enterprise to provide consulting and advisory services on machine learning and data analytics to the industry.
Dr Michael Westgate
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
University of the Witwatersrand
Michael Westgate completed his PhD at the University of the Witwatersrand in 2020. The focus of his research was the reappraisal and quality improvement of legacy reflection seismic data for the applications of mineral exploration, tectonic enquiry and oilfield imaging. He is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at Wits University, where he is furthering the research covered in his PhD and is involved in teaching short courses, student supervision, and assisting in running the Wits Seismic Research Centre.
Summary of panel discussion/presentation
Michael Westgate will be giving an overview of the data acquisition for the seismic component of the Mandela Mining Precinct - Advanced Orebody Knowledge project. The seismic acquisition was conducted at Maseve Mine in 2020 and consisted of two components - a surface survey component and a tunnel survey component. The goal of these surveys was to target the platinum-bearing UG-2 and Merensky Reefs for seismic imaging ahead of the mining front.
Freddy Mugeri
Board Chairperson
MEMSA
After qualifying with a BSc. In Electrical Engineering at UCT in 1996, Freddy commenced working as an engineer at Mondi Kraft, Sasol and then SA Breweries. He achieved registration as a Professional Engineer with the Engineering Council of SA in 2002; during this period he also established two hardware businesses. In 2004 Freddy joined Fabchem Mining as Executive Director (Finance and Business Development), becoming a shareholder in 2007. From 2007 his role at Fabchem shifted to Non-Executive Director, while he moved into the banking sector holding managerial positions in business and public sector credit at Standard Bank and ABSA Capital, respectively. Freddy returned full-time to the Fabchem Group in 2015 as CEO. In addition to his Board position at MEMSA, he is also a Board Member at SACEEC (SA Capital Equipment Export Council) and provides an interface between the two organisations.
Dr Xianming Ye
Senior lecturer
University of Pretoria
Dr Ye is a senior lecturer at the University of Pretoria's Electrical, Electronic and Computer Enginerring Department. Dr Ye is = a Certified Measurement and Verification Professional (CMVP®) and holds a an NRF Y2 rating. he is also a member of the Association of Energy Engineers, and is an associate editor for IET Renewable Power Generation.
Dr Nancy Coulson
Visiting senior lecturer
Wits Mining Institute
Nancy Coulson has a background in biochemistry and public health. She is a specialist in the areas of health promotion, community development, capacity development, communication, education and training. Working with the Centre for Sustainability in Mining and Industry (CSMI) since 2007, Nancy has been involved with a range of research and education activities for the mining sector examining issues of stakeholder engagement in the mining/industrial sector, with a focus on the relationship between business and communities and tripartism in health and safety practice.
Dr Bertie Meyer
Senior lecturer
University of Pretoria
Dr Meyer joined the mining industry as a learner official at Buffelsfontein Gold Mine. He obtained a National Higher Diploma for Technicians in Metalliferous Mining from Wits Technikon (now University of Johannesburg) in 1981. He graduated from the University of Pretoria with a Bachelor in Mining Engineering degree in 1988 and obtained his master’s and doctoral degrees from the Northwest University in 2005 and 2007 respectively. Dr Meyer accepted a position as senior lecturer in the Department at the University of Pretoria in 2014. He lectures underground mining methods to undergraduate and postgraduate students, and advanced mine design to postgraduate students, and mentors master’s and doctoral students.
Bongi Ntsoelengoe
Executive Manager for Future Production: Mining
CSIR
Bongi joined the CSIR in 2020 from Kumba Iron Ore Limited, a division of Anglo-American plc, where she had been the Manager of Technology, since January 2014. In her role as Manager of Technology, she was responsible for leading Kumba’s digital technology strategy and innovation roadmap, which has seen the company roll out some significant technologies, such as full autonomous drilling fleet at Kolomela Mine, advanced process control for plant operations, autonomous braking system for haul trucks, as well as remote-piloted aircraft systems (drones), as a new tool for surveying and other applications. She has been recognised as a leader in the field of mine modernisation, which led to her being a panellist at several conferences and, most recently, at the 2020 Investing in Africa Mining Indaba.
Roger Baxter
Chief Executive Officer
Mineral Council South Africa
Roger Baxter joined the Minerals Council (then Chamber of Mines of South Africa) in 1992 and was appointed CEO in 2015. He has 27 years of high level advocacy and strategy experience in the business and mining sectors, within a working career of 30 years. He was involved in the first mineral policy discussions with the ANC in 1992 and has participated in (and often led) discussions on all aspects of mining, economic, investment, transformation and tax policy with government. He previously chaired the BUSA Econpol and Growth Task Team. Roger has played a key leadership role in rejuvenating the Chamber brand to the Minerals Council South Africa, in refreshing and repurposing the Minerals Council, and brings material leadership, governance, strategy, investment and transformation skills to the table. He is a member of the Minerals Council Board, the BUSA Board, and the Board of TEBA Trust; and chairs the World Platinum Investment Council. He is vice-chairman of both the International Associations Working Group within the International Council on Mining and Metals and the Mining Industry Association of Southern Africa.
Prof Ray Durrheim
South African Research Chair in Exploration, Earthquake & Mining Seismology
University of the Witwatersrand
Raymond Durrheim holds the South African Research Chair in Exploration, Earthquake & Mining Seismology at the University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg. Durrheim is co-director of the AfricaArray research and capacity-building program, which operates a network of 50 geophysical observatories in sub-Saharan Africa.
Prof Francois Malan
Director: Mining Research Resilience Research Centre
University of Pretoria
Prof Malan started his geotechnical career in 1993 at the Chamber of Mines Research Organisation (CSIR Miningtek) where he conducted research on rock mass behaviour in deep tabular mines. In 2011, he joined the gold mining industry and was appointed as Senior Consultant: Rock Engineering at Gold Fields South Africa/Sibanye Gold from 2011 to 2017. He joined the University of Pretoria in 2018 as an Associate Professor.
Mbali Mpanza
Lecturer
University of Johannesburg
Mbali Mpanza currently works at the Department of Mining Engineering, University of Johannesburg. Mbali does research in Geostatistics, 3D Scanning, Tailings dams, and education.
Johan Strydom
Research and development Manager
CSIR
Johan is a strategic research manager in the CSIR's Mining, Manufacturing, Defence and Security division. He joined the CSIR more than 30 years ago, and is passionate about innovation and development. He has led several strategic initiatives across the CSIR.
Vanessa Naicker
Anglo American
Head of global talent
Vanessa Naicker is head of global talent at Anglo American. She works with business leaders in the corporate space and in small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as with young leaders across the world, to realise value and impact in their areas of influence. She is passionate about technology and working with people to unlock opportunities for growth. Her deep concern and love for Africa, and her belief that education and knowledge are critical for social mobility, drives a lot of her activities outside of her day job.
Thabang Kgarume
Researcher
CSIR
Thabang is a geophysicist at the CSIR. He has led many multi-disciplinary research teams in solve complex geophysical challenges.
Martin Pretorius
Programme Manager: Longevity of Current Mines; and Mechanised Mining Systems
Mandela Mining Precint
Martin’s interests are in modernised mining systems, to optimise current mining practices in creating new innovation and supporting systems to enhance novel mining methods. As the programme manager responsible for the Longevity of Current Mines and Mechanised Mining Systems research programmes, Martin is interested in modernised mining systems.
Ingrid Watson
Programme Manager/ Lecturer
University of the Witwatersrand
Ingrid Watson leads the Centre for Sustainability in Mining and Industry’s (CSMI) work on environment, biodiversity, mine closure and land use. With a background in environmental sciences and sustainable development, Ingrid has worked in the field of mining, environment and sustainability for twenty years, with experience working in government, corporate, consulting and academic settings.
Michelle Pienaar
Programme Manager: Advanced Oreobody Knowledge
Mandela Mining Precinct
As the programme Manager for the Advanced Orebody Programme in the South African Mining, Extraction Research, Development and Innovation strategy, at the Mandela Mining Precinct, Michelle is interested in developing technologies to create the ultimate glass rock environment. Michelle holds a BSc. Honours in Geology from the University of Johannesburg. She has over 17 years’ experience within the mining industry where she started her career as a mine geologist but later progressed to a Geoscience Manager on numerous deep level gold operations
Roby Stancel
VCI
Roby is a partner at VCI and has been connecting the spaces of design thinking and business strategy for 25 years. he has developed strategy, technology and cultural roadmaps and transformations for 100+ clients as diverse as airbus, apple, bhp, BMW, P&G, Lufthansa, Nestlé, Rio Tinto, sap or siemens as well as national institutions in South Africa, Canada or Germany.
Conference Coordinator:
Camielah Jardine, Head of Conferencing
E-mail: camielah@saimm.co.za
Tel: +27 11 834-1273/7