POPULARITY
How will our resource use and mining operations change as we move towards a sustainable, decarbonised future? In this episode, Jessica is joined by Professor Michael Hitch, the Head of Curtin University's renowned Western Australian School of Mines: Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering (WASM: MECE). The school has for the past six years ranked as the world's second-best mining school in the QS World University Rankings by Subject. Together, they unpack how the mining industry is shifting towards a greater focus on economic sufficiency, social wellbeing and biophysical integrity. Benefits of adopting a circular economy [01:11]Importance of a ‘Social License to Operate' [08:55]Challenges in the developing world [11:55]Professor Hitch's transition from industry to academia [14:13]Western Australia's role in the future of mining [16:22]Rethinking our use of sustainable resources [19:08]Learn moreCurtin University: Resources, mining and minerals research websiteThe Extractive Industries and Society: European mining and the social license to operateThe Extractive Industries and Society: Miners and mendicants: A cautionary taleWA School of Mines: Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering websiteConnect with our guestsProfessor Michael Hitch is the Head of WASM: MECE. Prior to beginning his academic career, he had 20 years of industry experience, which saw him travel frequently around the globe. Professor Hitch has extensively studied the benefits of the circular economy model, Social Licenses to Operate, sequestering human-caused carbon dioxide emissions and extracting valuable byproducts in mining processes.Professor Hitch's Twitter profileProfessor Hitch's staff profileProfessor Hitch's LinkedIn profileWA School of Mines: Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering LinkedIn profileJoin Curtin UniversityThis podcast is brought to you by Curtin University. Curtin is a global university known for its commitment to making positive change happen through high-impact research, strong industry partnerships and practical teaching.Work with usStudy a research degreeStart postgraduate educationGot any questions, or suggestions for future topics?Email thefutureof@curtin.edu.auSocialshttps://twitter.com/curtinunihttps://www.facebook.com/curtinuniversityhttps://www.instagram.com/curtinuniversity/https://www.youtube.com/user/CurtinUniversityhttps://www.linkedin.com/school/curtinuniversity/ Transcripthttps://thefutureof.simplecast.com/episodes/sustainable-resources/transcript Behind the scenesThis episode came to fruition thanks to the combined efforts of:Jessica Morrison, HostAnita Shore, Executive ProducerAnnabelle Fouchard, Producer and RecordistDaniel Jauk, Episode Researcher and EditorAlexandra Eftos, Assistant ProducerAmy Hosking, Social Media. Curtin University supports academic freedom of speech. The views expressed in The Future Of podcast may not reflect those of Curtin University.Music: OKAY by 13ounceCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Music promoted by Audio Library.
Brendan Parker is a Principal Engineer and Mining Process, Production & Safety Expert with Advanced Mining Production Systems (AMPS). As a graduate from the Western Australian School of Mines (WASM) with a Bachelor of Mining Engineering degree, Brendan has global experience within various mining operations in Australia, China & Canada giving him a diverse knowledge of different mining environments, process & system management methodologies, techniques, corporate cultures & management structures. Brendan is the Director/ Principal Mining Engineer at Advanced Mining Production Systems Pty Ltd (AMPS), which is a production engineering specialised consultancy company. Brendan Parker holds a Western Australian First Class Mine Managers Certificate and is a Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (MAusIMM). Mr Parker joined WASMA in 2014
Ben Auld graduated in Mining Engineering at the Western Australian School of Mines and commenced his highly successful career in the mining industry gaining experience in a broad range of commodities, disciplines and positions. He held technical positions in underground mines before forming a partnership in a consulting company (Mining Plus Pty Ltd) as the managing director. Ben is an entrepreneur,
WASM Alumni Podcast 2 Bill Beament, Chairman of Northern Star Resources, President of the WASM Alumni talks to Kyle De Souza. Beament set his sights on a mining career at the young age of 13 after attending a careers expo and learning about the Western Australian School of Mines in Kalgoorlie. His dad had plans for him to take on the family farm machinery business, but Beament had other ideas. Like many in WA’s mining alumni, he headed to Kalgoorlie after high school to study mine engineering, and ended up in the red-dirt town for eight years, gaining experience in underground goldmining. “In Kalgoorlie, you’re immersed in the hard rock industry, but mainly gold,” he says. “Back then iron ore was a taboo word, no one wanted to go into iron ore, that was for people who couldn’t get jobs in the gold industry. Coal was a dirty word.” He started his career working underground for four years for a contracting company and then moved on, because he knew by this stage he wanted to work his way into a management position. Barminco, an underground mining contractor, sought him out and he joined its team at the age of 24, taking on the role of second in command at an operation in Wiluna, in the state’s Mid West. His potential was noticed and he was sent to run a copper mine in Queensland, at the age of 27. “That was a sink-or-swim opportunity and was a real defining moment,” he says. Three years later, he was put into the Perth head office for the remainder of his 8 1/2-year stint with the company and was given the job of general manager of WA operations overseeing 13 mine sites and 1000 employees. “What they probably didn’t realise was I didn’t want to be a contractor for the rest of my career and they had been grooming me as a future MD.” After leaving Barminco, Beament started his own underground mining contract company, which he ran for about 18 months before the mine it was contracted to went under. “I earned my first $1m and then lost it in the first year, but we paid off all employees and suppliers and had no debt and had a little bit of cash leftover, which I used to put into Northern Star,” he says. Beament doesn’t believe it is luck that has got him to where he is, but that it is the culture of the company he and his team have built. “We have a work ethic in this company that reflects from the top to the bottom and there is a culture of calculated risk,” he says. My board has backed me and my team 100 per cent and that is a pleasure to work in. They give us the licence to do what needs to be done and the results speak for themselves. Name
Professor Steve Hall is a leading Australian academic in mining education. He is the Director of Curtin University’s Western Australian School of Mines with responsibility for multiple campus delivery of programs in applied geology, spatial sciences, exploration geophysics, mining engineering and metallurgical engineering to around 1800 students. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mining Education Australia, a collaborative venture in curriculum development and delivery involving three partner Universities (New South Wales, Queensland and Adelaide). Steve is a metallurgical engineer with interests in socio-environmental aspects of mining, including mine closure. He has taught and researched in the UK, Canada and Australia. He is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) and an Academician of the Russian Academy of Mining Sciences. He has extensive experience of African mining and leads the AusAID-funded Short Courses for Africa project on mining regulation and management.
Professor Steve Hall is a leading Australian academic in mining education. He is the Director of Curtin University’s Western Australian School of Mines with responsibility for multiple campus delivery of programs in applied geology, spatial sciences, exploration geophysics, mining engineering and metallurgical engineering to around 1800 students. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mining Education Australia, a collaborative venture in curriculum development and delivery involving three partner Universities (New South Wales, Queensland and Adelaide). Steve is a metallurgical engineer with interests in socio-environmental aspects of mining, including mine closure. He has taught and researched in the UK, Canada and Australia. He is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) and an Academician of the Russian Academy of Mining Sciences. He has extensive experience of African mining and leads the AusAID-funded Short Courses for Africa project on mining regulation and management.
Professor Steve Hall is a leading Australian academic in mining education. He is the Director of Curtin University’s Western Australian School of Mines with responsibility for multiple campus delivery of programs in applied geology, spatial sciences, exploration geophysics, mining engineering and metallurgical engineering to around 1800 students. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mining Education Australia, a collaborative venture in curriculum development and delivery involving three partner Universities (New South Wales, Queensland and Adelaide). Steve is a metallurgical engineer with interests in socio-environmental aspects of mining, including mine closure. He has taught and researched in the UK, Canada and Australia. He is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) and an Academician of the Russian Academy of Mining Sciences. He has extensive experience of African mining and leads the AusAID-funded Short Courses for Africa project on mining regulation and management.