Fast 5 with Andrew Engelbrecht
In the lead-up to AusIMM’s International Mining Geology Conference 2026, our team sat down with Andrew Engelbrecht to discuss his career, the role of a geologist, and his upcoming keynote presentation at the conference, which kicks off tomorrow.
1. Can you tell us a little bit about your career and current role at Gold Fields?
I have been fortunate to have had a varied and exciting career working in UG & OP Mine Geology, Exploration and corporate roles for companies such as Gold Fields, Northern Star Resources, Saracen Mineral Holdings, Evolution Mining and Barrick Gold. My current role has oversight of Mine Geology and Brownfields Exploration for Gold Fields projects in Australia, South Africa, Ghana, Chile, Peru and Canada.
2. From your global experience, what practices consistently lead to better geological and business outcomes?
Having a Geology Manager as part of the site leadership team.
3. What are the most common pitfalls in mining geology and how can these be avoided?
I will discuss this more on the day, but operations that don’t value geology – lose value.
4. How should the role of geologists evolve as orebody knowledge becomes more complex?
The primary function does not change, however the ability to use the vast amounts of data we collect to make the best decisions is a critical skill. Geologists are not always the ones making the decisions, so being able to communicate effectively across functions and explain complex situations simply has a big impact.
5. Who should see your keynote presentation next week, and why?
Any Mining professionals. The discussion will be on how Mining Geologists add value to an operation, so its part reinforcing this to mining Geologists and sharing some tips, and to other mining professionals to improve their understanding. Some points will benefit Mining Engineers and Metallurgists too.