Not current staff member as of 2012.

Lecturer in Mining Engineering
(MEA Node: UQ Mining Engineering Program)

School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering
The University of Queensland
QLD 4072, Australia
Email:
Phone: +61 (7) 3365

Education

2005 Doctor of Philosophy – The University of Queensland.
1995 Bachelor of Engineering in the field of Mining – The University of Queensland.

Postgraduate

Practical Rock Engineering for Design of Support under Conventional and High
‘Stress Ground Conditions’ by Prof. William Bawden (April 2003).
‘Applied Numerical Modelling for Mine Design Using Map3d’ (4-5 Nov 2002).
Introductory Spanish Courses – The University of Queensland (May – Aug 2002).
Comparative Statistics Course, Tim Napier-Munn (September 2000).
Minerals Industry Risk Management Seminar, MISHC, The University of Queensland,
Professor Jim Joy (June 2000)
‘Rock Mechanics for Underground Mines’ – Australian Centre for Geomechanics
Short Course – (Brisbane 30-31, March, 2000).
Technical Writing Course – University of Queensland (June 2000)
Certified Basic Mines Rescue Course – (KCGM 1999).
‘Geotechnical Design in Underground Mining’ – Short Course Western Australian
School of Mines (Kalgoorlie April 22-23,1998).

Professional Memberships and Activity

• MAUSIMM
• MCIM
• Queensland 1st Class Mine Managers’ Certificate of Competency
• Review Conference Papers:
• 1st Southern Hemisphere Rock Mechanics Symposium 2008
• AUSIMM Narrow-vein conference 2008
• 2006 Australian Mining Technology Conference
• 2008 Australian Mining Technology Conference
• 2002 Ian Morley Prize
• 2001 Award for Best Paper – JKMRC Annual Conference
• 2001- 2002 Presentation to 1st Year undergraduates – Dean’s lecture series
• 2000 Chairman JKMRC Student Conference Committee
• 2000 – 2001 Student Liaison Committee.
• Mines Rescue Training – KCGM.

Industry Experience

Golder Associates

September 2008 to 2010

• Senior Rock Mechanics Engineer
• UDEC Modelling – Open pit stability assessment
• Site geotechnical engineer for North-South Bypass Tunnel Project, Brisbane.
• Rock mass classification (Q and RMR) for the purpose of assessing
• Temporary support requirements. Settlement monitoring SE Freeway portal.
• Mining method risk analysis for prefeasibility study (Sublevel Caving or Panel Caving)
• Research Consultant

February 2006 to September 2008

• Research projects with CRC Mining and the Australian Centre for Geomechanics
• Both as employee and as a consultant.
• Principal Research Fellow – The University of Queensland
• Consultant – CRC Mining

October 2007 to August 2008

• Drafting and reviewing provisional patent in consultation with patent attorneys (Rapid development project)
• Review applicability of systems engineering methods such as Six Sigma and
• Lean Manufacturing to rapid development improvement projects.
• Team leader for production drill rig online sampling and analysis project
• Associate supervisor for phd candidate
• Australian Centre for Geomechanics (December 2006 to July 2007):
• Consulting through my business Sigma Engineering & Research
• Validation, modelling and calibration of Ridgeway mine Map3d numerical model
• For the ACG’s Rockburst and Mine Seismicity project.
• CRC Mining -Senior Project Team Leader (Feb 2006 to June 2006):
• Review rapid development technology (mechanical and drill and blast)
• Supervision of junior staff, reporting, budgeting and research proposals.
• AMC Consultants

November 2004 to February 2006

Senior Geotechnical Engineer:

• Project management including proposals, budgeting and timely delivery of Project objectives.
• Statistical analysis to isolate the causes of dilution at a narrow vein mine.
• Cost-benefit analysis for dilution minimisation strategies.
• Stope stability assessment and dilution prediction for new mine.
• Rock mass characterisation of underground mine tunnels.
• Assessment and prediction of ground conditions of secondary pillars.
• Risk assessment for mining method study.
• Sublevel open stope designs for reserve estimation (Datamine).
• Julius Kruttschnitt Minerals Research Centre

December 1999 – October 2004

Postgraduate Research Scholar:

• Thesis topic: “Minimisation of dilution in narrow vein underground mines”.
• Effects of stress relaxation and stress damage on stope stability.
• Effect of moving backfill abutments, undercutting of stope walls and Drill&blast parameters on narrow stope stability.
• Development of new narrow-vein design model.

Consulting

2002 – 2003 (casual basis) Technical contributions to the Minerals Tertiary Education Council’s (MCA) mine planning and design module, as well as, technical review of Virtual reality based mining methods teaching module.

Lecturing

2002 – 2003 (casual basis) University of Queensland lecture topics (3rd and 4th year Subjects): Rock mass characterisation and classification, Application of rock mass Classifications systems, Stope failure types, Geotechnical considerations in Underground excavation design, Stability graph approaches to stope design.

Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines

September1998 –November1999
Production and Planning Engineer:

• Drill and blast engineer.
• Pit design; using Vulcan Envisage Software.

Short-term scheduling
Activities scheduled include; probe drilling and Microgravity surveys for u/g workings, cablebolting, RC grade control, Presplit, production drill&blast and load&haul.

WMC Resources, Kambalda Nickel Operations

September1997 – 16 September1998

Mining Engineer

• Underground development design; using Datamine Guide.
• Weekly underground safety inspections;
• Geotechnical mapping
• Miitel ventilation shaft project; contract compilation, shaft design, Environmental impact assessment, recommendation to accept tender,
• Coordination of site preparation.
• Cablebolt ring designs.
• Renison Goldfields Consolidated Graduate Traineeship

November 1995 – September 1997

Graduate Traineeship consists of four placements within the RGC and Goldfields

Group of companies

16/6/97- 19/9/97 Henty Gold Mine, Tasmania.
Shift Supervisor: Responsibilities included; safety of crew members, resource Allocation to meet production and development priorities, effectiveness of Crew, shift reports and crew training requirements.

28/10/96 – 18/6/97 Renison Tin Mine, Tasmania.
Undergound practical experience; longhole and development drill&blasting, Cablebolt installation, rockbolter offsider.

16/7/96 – 25/10/96 Eneabba Minerals Sands Operations
Pit optimisation; using Whittle 3d within Datamine environment.

23/11/95 – 13/7/96 Henty Gold Mine, Tasmania.

Underground practical experience obtained with Peabody Resources; truck And loader operator, operation of ‘handheld’ airleg drill, ‘cactus grab’ and ‘kibble’ during the initial stages of plat development.

Safety Training

• Senior First Aid – Australian Red Cross (7 March 1999).
• NOSA Safety System (KCGM 1998-1999).
• ‘Dupont STOP Safety System’ Training (1997-1998).
• Basic Life Support – St John Ambulance (8 September 1998).
• Advanced Resuscitation Certificate – St John Ambulance (March 1998).
• Senior First Aid – St John Ambulance (19 November 1995).

Professional Memberships and Activity

• MAUSIMM
• MCIM
• Queensland 1st Class Mine Managers’ Certificate of Competency

Review Conference Papers

• 1st Southern Hemisphere Rock Mechanics Symposium 2008
• AUSIMM Narrow-vein conference 2008
• 2006 Australian Mining Technology Conference
• 2008 Australian Mining Technology Conference
• 2002 Ian Morley Prize
• 2001 Award for Best Paper – JKMRC Annual Conference
• 2001- 2002 Presentation to 1st Year undergraduates – Dean’s lecture series
• 2000 Chairman JKMRC Student Conference Committee
• 2000 – 2001 Student Liaison Committee.
• Mines Rescue Training – KCGM.