Committee Members
26–28 November 2024 | Perth, Western Australia
Local Organising Committee Members
Dr Guy Boggs
CEO
CRC for Transformations in Mining Economies
Guy has extensive experience providing leadership in innovation and actively working at the interface of industry and research. Guy has led the delivery of large Australian Government funded programs driving knowledge development and industry practice change. An experienced research leader, Guy holds a PhD on post-mine landform design and has an extensive publication record authoring over 50 books, book chapters and journal articles on spatial science and natural resource management.
Guy is committed to enabling a new vision for mine closure and positive post-mine transitions through effective stakeholder engagement, research planning and innovative solutions.
Dave Clark
Australian Mining Leader
GHD Pty Ltd
Dave has extensive experience in the energy and resources sector and, more specifically, minerals – in geoscience, mining geotechnical engineering and leadership positions over a decade with Newcrest Mining (New South Wales), Rio Tinto (Victoria and Western Australia) and Dominion Mining (Northern Territory). His 30+ years of experience includes more than 20 years in various senior consulting/strategic leadership positions with GHD – primarily in the energy and resources market. He has focused on large-scale open pits and associated infrastructure investigation, design, operations (ground control management plan development and implementation), mine closure and asset transition planning, critical minerals strategies/developments, and risk management. Dave leads GHD’s asset transition/mine closure strategy development and implementation, and has active industry participation in the mine closure and site repurposing areas. Dave is a fellow and chartered professional of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM). Dave was first elected to the AusIMM board in October 2015 (completing his director terms at the end of December 2023) and served as AusIMM president and board chair from 2021–2022.
Dr Mark Dobrowlski
Principal Rehabilitation Scientist
Iluka Resources Limited
Mark is a research scientist working for Iluka Resources, a mineral sands mining and processing company. Mark has a background in soil science and plant biology, with a variety of experience in university-, government-, and industry-based research, and a particular focus on the rehabilitation of mined land. For more than 15 years, he has worked in the mineral sands and bauxite mining and processing industries on research to ameliorate soil water and physical factors that inhibit successful revegetation following mine closure. He also works closely with plant ecologists on achievable targets for revegetation of mined land. Mark leads rehabilitation practice improvement in Iluka Resources with sites in Australia, the US, and Sierra Leone. Mark also holds adjunct positions at Murdoch University and The University of Western Australia.
Sonia Finucane
National Discipline Leader, Asset Closure and ESG
CDM Smith Inc.
Sonia is a principal environmental scientist and the national discipline leader for asset closure with CDM Smith Australia. With more than 35 years’ experience, Sonia has been involved in closure planning for mining, industrial and infrastructure projects in Australia, the Asia–Pacific and Africa. She also has extensive experience in environmental impact assessment and management, social impact assessment and stakeholder engagement. As such, she works at the interface of the environment and community, and has a strong track record in providing practical advice and workable solutions.
Professor Andy Fourie
Professor of Civil & Mining Engineering and Program Director – Future Tails, The University of Western Australia
Andy is a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering at The University of Western Australia in Perth.
He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, and a PhD from the Imperial College, University of London. He has worked at the University of Queensland and the University of the Witwatersrand. He has been a visiting professor at the University of Alberta, the Catholic University of Valparaiso in Chile and the University of Colorado in Boulder. His research is in the field of mitigating the impact of mining and municipal solid waste disposal. Outcomes from his research have been incorporated in changes to environmental legislation in South Africa. He contributed to a series of guidelines for managing mine tailings in Australia, as well as developing a document for the International Atomic Energy Association on barrier systems for retaining uranium mining waste.
Andy has been involved in many industry-focussed projects with current projects including An evaluation of tailings storage facilities monitoring technologies managed by AMIRA and funded by eight mining companies; Future Tails aimed at training, research and education to improve tailings management funded by BHP and Rio Tinto; and Evaluating potential static liquefaction of tailings to prevent failures, funded by six mining companies as well as the Australian Research Council. Andy is also currently a member of five international tailings review boards.
Rebecca Getty
Principal Global Closure
BHP
Rebecca is a closure professional in BHP’s Resource Centre of Excellence with more than 15 years’ experience in the mining industry. Rebecca has a background in environmental, social and governance due diligence and developing governance frameworks, and a strong motivation to help deliver sustainable closure outcomes and leave a positive legacy for the host communities and the environment that BHP temporarily operates in. This requires integration with all aspects of businesses (horizontal and vertical), collaboration, clear process and transparent decision making. Rebecca is passionate about thought leadership, connecting people and building networks that lead to innovation and improvement. Rebecca also loves being out in nature whether for work or fun. She has a master’s of environmental management, a graduate certificate in engineering practice and a BSc (Hons) in geology.
Raina Hanttingh
Manager, Closure and Asset Transition
WSP
Underpinned by an MSc in environmental management, Raina has 20 years of consulting and industry experience in rehabilitation and closure planning across the mining and heavy metals industries. She has contributed to various project portfolios, including developing rehabilitation and closure plans, closure cost estimates, rehabilitation trials and closure standards. She has assisted global industry groups (International Council on Mining and Metals, and Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development) in the development of closure guidance, and has developed and facilitated closure-related knowledge transfer for tertiary education facilities and global governments. Raina thrives in strategic, long-term planning portfolios and is particularly passionate about optimising transition opportunities across the post-mining landscapes. Raina has undertaken various team lead and business development positions during her career, and has led establishment of the Land Rehabilitation Society of Southern Africa. In between, she continues to live her dream of saving the world, one mine site at a time…
Chantal Latham
Senior Specialist Rehabilitation and Closure
Rio Tinto
Chantal partners with mining professionals to design, operate and close mining operations in a sustainable manner. Chantal has over 20 years’ experience in land and water management within the mining industry, she has worked on a diverse range of issues including pit lakes, surface water management, stable landform design and rehabilitation quality. In recent years Chantal has implemented numerous large scale rehabilitation projects, and negotiated several closure strategy changes that have resulted in significant cost savings and improved environmental outcomes. Chantal is particularly interested in integrating closure into mining operations in order to maximise the total value of the mine whilst delivering sustainable outcomes.
Professor Mark Tibbett
Professor of Soil Ecology
University of Reading, UK
Mark is a soil ecologist with over 25 years’ experience in a range of fields related to plants-soil interactions, mycorrhizas, decomposition and microbially mediated processes in soil. His research portfolio includes soil carbon, metals in the soil-plant system, phosphorus cycling, bioremediation, metallophytes and mine site rehabilitation. Mark is the co Editor-in-Chief of the international journal Soil Research and an associate editor for the Australian Journal of Botany and Restoration Ecology and has published a book entitled Mining in Ecologically Sensitive Landscapes.
Walter Weinig
Discipline Leader, Hydrogeology & Mine Closure
Stantec Australia Pty Ltd
Walter is a discipline leader in hydrogeology and mine closure for Stantec’s Australian operations. With technical expertise in hydrogeology and over 30 years’ experience, Walter works with teams serving clients in the Australia-Pacific region and the Americas focusing on projects related to legacy site assessment and remediation, mine closure, and mine water issues. Walter’s experience includes evaluation of environmental impacts, closure options, monitoring programs and governance approaches for mining-related facilities in semi-arid, subtropical, temperate and mountain environments. He earned a bachelor’s of science degree in geology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a master’s of science degree in hydrology and water resources from The University of Arizona. Walter is a fellow and registered professional geologist with the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and a qualified professional with the Mining and Metallurgical Society of America.
Josephine Ruddle
Mine Closure Event Manager, Australian Centre for Geomechanics
International Advisory Committee Members
Professor Andy Fourie
Professor of Civil & Mining Engineering and Program Director – Future Tails, The University of Western Australia
Andy is a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering at The University of Western Australia in Perth.
He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, and a PhD from the Imperial College, University of London. He has worked at the University of Queensland and the University of the Witwatersrand. He has been a visiting professor at the University of Alberta, the Catholic University of Valparaiso in Chile and the University of Colorado in Boulder. His research is in the field of mitigating the impact of mining and municipal solid waste disposal. Outcomes from his research have been incorporated in changes to environmental legislation in South Africa. He contributed to a series of guidelines for managing mine tailings in Australia, as well as developing a document for the International Atomic Energy Association on barrier systems for retaining uranium mining waste.
Andy has been involved in many industry-focussed projects with current projects including An evaluation of tailings storage facilities monitoring technologies managed by AMIRA and funded by eight mining companies; Future Tails aimed at training, research and education to improve tailings management funded by BHP and Rio Tinto; and Evaluating potential static liquefaction of tailings to prevent failures, funded by six mining companies as well as the Australian Research Council. Andy is also currently a member of five international tailings review boards.
Professor Mark Tibbett
Professor of Soil Ecology
University of Reading, UK
Mark is a soil ecologist with over 25 years’ experience in a range of fields related to plants-soil interactions, mycorrhizas, decomposition and microbially mediated processes in soil. His research portfolio includes soil carbon, metals in the soil-plant system, phosphorus cycling, bioremediation, metallophytes and mine site rehabilitation. Mark is the co Editor-in-Chief of the international journal Soil Research and an associate editor for the Australian Journal of Botany and Restoration Ecology and has published a book entitled Mining in Ecologically Sensitive Landscapes.
Bryan Ulrich
Geotechnical Engineer/Tailings Specialist
Bryan Ulrich LLC
Bryan is an award-winning and recognised leader of geotechnical designs for the mining industry. He is a geotechnical engineer with more than three decades of experience with engineering, project management, design and construction, analysis, and site investigations of mining-related work. He has participated in all aspects associated with the design of tailings and heap leach facilities and has carried out numerous other geotechnical design efforts. Bryan has Bachelor’s degrees in mining engineering and geological engineering from New Mexico Tech and a Master of Engineering from the University in Alberta. He is a current PhD candidate in the Minerals Engineering department at New Mexico Tech. Bryan now splits his time between various ITRBs, performing reviews and participating in risk workshops when he isn’t fishing at his mountain cabin in Colorado and cutting firewood.
Josephine Ruddle
Mine Closure Event Manager, Australian Centre for Geomechanics