Ian Glacken, an Executive Consultant with our Geology Advisory team, is a geologist with postgraduate qualifications in geostatistics, mining geology and computing who has more than 36 years of worldwide experience in the mining industry.

Following 16 years working for a major multi-national, multi-commodity mining company in a variety of technical and geological management roles, Ian entered the consulting sphere. For over 10 years, Ian managed and grew the resource evaluation function of a major mining consultancy, which grew from a staff of around 30 to over 200 during this time. He also assumed responsibility for a Training business which was among the most successful in the industry and initiated a Risk Services division. Ian’s skills are in resource evaluation, public reporting, quantitative risk assessment, strategic advice, geostatistics, reconciliation, project management, statutory and competent persons’ reporting and mining geology studies, and in presenting Snowden Optiro’s professional development courses. Ian was a founding Director of Optiro.

Qualifications : BSc (Hons) (Geology), MSc (Mining Geology), DIC, MSc (Geostatistics), Post.Grad.Dip. Computing

Reconciliation across the mine value chain is an often underestimated and underutilised aspect of mining operations – but an area I’m passionate about improving across the industry. Communicating with mine sites globally and across commodities provides me with a solid benchmark for a company within the industry, and I aim to open up these insights to everyone. It’s my career goal to see all mine sites using reconciliation factors in their results to the share market so that anyone can see how a mine site benchmarks against another. My paper on “Transparency and standardisation in metal reconciliation accounting” provides more detail for those interested.

As a mining geologist with over 25 years of experience in the resource industry, I am the Product Owner of Reconcilor, an industry-leading solution to track, manage and reconcile metals across the mine value chain – and a tool that’s saved our customers hundreds of hours in End of Month reporting, and millions to their bottom line in proactive planning.

I provide a leadership role within the R&D team, ensuring the delivery of software features and functionality that meets the needs of key stakeholders. And yes! Reconcilor has reconciliation factors embedded within the product – a feature we’re proud to say is unique to the market.

Utilising my strong domain expertise, I have been involved with the onsite implementation and administration of Reconcilor across mine sites with diversity in minerals, type of operation, and in locations around the globe for the past 15 years.