Mining Society Update
Dear Mining Society Members
It is a great pleasure to announce that Albert Thamm will be the new Chair of the Mining Society (MinSoc) in 2024. Albert is an exploration and development strategist with over 35 years of mining industry experience in various commodities. Please feel free to reach out to Albert, or any of the other 11 elected committee members through the minsoc@ausimm.com email address.
The other MinSoc Committee elected members for 2024 are:
- Chris Li
- Jacqueline Star
- Joe Mammen
- Jordan Li
- Josephine Liantono
- Loren Ager
- Marco Orunesu Preiata
- Patrick Enright
- Dr. Rossen Halatchev
- Terry Murton
- William Hartley
Our Distinguished Speaker for 2024 is Neil Cusworth, Neil will deliver a lecture on 'Mining Projects - Successes and Failures'. Neil’s travelling lecture will provide a view of why for the last decade the international mining sector has deliver so many poor projects, and importantly, how can we stop history repeating itself.
Neil Cusworth, who has had a long and distinguished career in projects and project controls, where 40% of his 50 years' experience has been on international mining projects, will be presenting his views on what drives projects to succeed or fail.
A number of AusIMM Branches have a greed to host Neil and an itinerary of events will be available to view shortly.
In 2023, committee members focussed on sourcing high quality topics that were of interest to mining engineers. These webinars were sourced as opportunities arose. MinSoc’s 2023 Webinar list included:
- ‘Why the future is bright for mining engineers’ by Lucas Eyers
- ‘Case study: Failure and recovery of George Fisher Mine fresh air raise’ by Bridget Sladden
- ‘Polymetallic nodules in the Clarion Clipperton Zone: Geology, mineral resources and mining’ by Ian Lipton
- ‘Incorporating ESG in Mine Planning’ by Lachlan McAndrew
- ‘Machines as sensors’ by Claudia Haugg
- ‘Transitioning to electric mining’ by Daniel Yearn
The main project initiatives that MinSoc focused on during 2023 centred on:
- Online networking and forum creation – during the year MinSoc established its own LinkedIn page which is used for promoting MinSoc Events and allowing our Members a place to join and connect.
- Young people’s participation in the AusIMM – the AusIMM has long recognised that some young members take a hiatus after finishing University and then rejoin the AusIMM later in life. MinSoc is committed to examine why this is and forming and implementing solutions to help young members’ continuity with respect to maintaining their membership.
- Mining Engineer shortages, and alternative pathways for developing Mining Engineers - given the shortage of Mining Engineers in the industry alternate paths are more often being sought by industry employers. Minsoc has been investigating what trends are being adopted by employers and raising awareness within the AusIMM to promote alternate pathways for developing mining engineers.
The Mining Society Committee operates with 12 elected members who meet monthly for one hour from January to November. Members give an additional 2 to 3 hours of their time during the month to contribute to MinSoc’s Projects and initiatives.
Regards
Alex Trevisin
Immediate Past Chair