Alex Fortescue
- Southern Mapping Geospatial

Alex Fortescue has a remote sensing and GIS MSc and has working experience of over 15 years which has been focused on airborne and satellite remote sensing technology and associated Geographic Information Systems. This has allowed him to interact with stakeholders from as diverse fields as Mining, Agriculture, Forestry, Marine and freshwater ecosystems, social development, intelligence, housing and environment both locally and in the wider African context. He was previously in charge of business development and marketing at the CSIR Satellite Applications Centre and is now in charge of remote sensing and GIS at Southern Mapping Company where he is combining satellite imagery with lidar and hyperspectral imagery to provide unique technology solutions to the African market

Bisrat Yibas
Pr. sci. nat. specialist geoscientist, environmental geochemistry & geology; Mapping & exploration geology - Council for Geoscience

Dr Bisrat Yibas obtained his PhD in geology and geochemistry from the University of the Witwatersrand. He is currently working as a specialist geoscientist in the environmental Geosciences of Council for Geoscience. Dr Yibas’ area of expertise includes environmental geochemistry and geology with a focus on the assessment of pollution and acid mine drainage potential and water balance modelling of mine residue deposits, mapping and exploration geology. Dr Yibas leads and participates in major geo-scientific projects in environmental geology focused mainly on assessment, rehabilitation and remediation of the environmental impacts from major South African mines. Dr Yibas authored and co-authored over 11 peer- reviewed papers and 19 research reports on topics related to AMD and related environmental impacts of the South African mines mainly the gold and coal mines. Dr Yibas has also authored and co- authored over 8 peer-reviewed and over 8 research and technical reports and a chapter in a book in the fields of geology and geochemistry.

Derrick McKenzie
General Manager - EnviroServ Tailings

Derrick John McKenzie is the General Manager of EnviroServ Tailings (Pty) Ltd which is a division of EnviroServ Waste Management (Pty) Ltd. He holds an MBA from Thames Valley University 2002 and NHD Civil Engineering from Witwatersrand Technicon. In his employment history he assumed several roles in this organisation. In 2009 he was the Group Executive Treatment & Disposal Solutions (2009- 2010) and Managing Director (2008). In 2007 he was the Contracts Director for Tailcon Holdings (Pty) Ltd. In his career path he assumed senior positions at the following organisations Epoxerite (Pty) Ltd (2006), Fraser Alexander Tailings (Pty) Ltd (1995-2006), Construction Equipment Services (1989-1994) and Civcon Civil Engineering (1995). Through his career, he demonstrated expert knowledge in Tailings Management, Civil Contracting in Mining, waste and rehabilitation project management, land fill and incineration practices, concrete works, steel works and building works.

Gerrit J van Ryssen
Director - Cyclone Engineering Projects

Born in the Mpumalanga (formally Eastern Transvaal Highveld) in 1954, completed secondary education during 1972 and obtained the B.Sc (Ind Chem) degree 1979. Joined Somchem in Somerset West as a Chemical Engineer, resigned and joined Foskor in Phalaborwa 13 months later. Mining was always in my blood. Part of my duties at Foskor were tailings disposal and the construction of the 1000 ha Tailings Storage Facilities (TSF). Joined Fraser Alexander during 1993, promoted to Operations Director and fortunately had the opportunity to establish my own company, after working for Anglo American for a year during 1997. Cycloning of TSF’s was the main drive and many TSF’s been designed, constructed and operated, based on our expertise. The latest development in TSF cycloning is the vacuum technology, which has been patented. Gerrit is the sole owner of CP&C (consulting worldwide on cycloned TSF’s to the main Mining Houses and Managing Director of CEP, the managing and operating company for cycloned TSF’s.

Jack Caldwell
Civil Engineer - Robertson Geoconsultants

Jack Caldwell was brought up on the East Rand Mine, East Geduld. There he played and rode his bike around the slimes dams, many of which are gone to be reprocessed for more gold and uranium. He studied civil and geotechnical engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand. He went to work with Steffen Robertson and Kirsten, now called simply SRK where his first project was design and construction of the new Bafokeng platinum tailings impoundment—a facility that is still in operation and a testament to the skills of South African tailings engineers.

Since about 1980, Jack Caldwell has worked on tailings facilities in Canada, the United States, and Central America. He designed and oversaw construction of the Cannon Mine Tailings impoundment near Wenatchee, Washington. That facility is now closed and used as the Dry Gulch Riding Club. He managed the engineering of closure of twenty-four uranium mill tailings piles. And for the past four years he has consulted to the Suncor oil sands mine on the construction of a floating cover to close the Pond 5 tailings facility, and to work out the tailings-geotechnical engineering of polymer- amended tailings which, by law, must achieve a strength of 5 kPa within a year of deposition.

Jason S. Ogola
Dean of the School of Environmental Sciences - University of Venda

Prof. Jason S. Ogola is a Professor of Mining and Environmental Geology. He has Ph.D. in Economic Geology, M.Sc. in Mining Geology and Postgraduate Diploma in Geology and Mineral Exploration. His areas of research include Economic Geology, Small-Scale Mining, Mining Impacts, Including Medical Geology, and Climate Change. He has published widely in the areas of mineral exploration, small-scale mining, mining impacts, waste management, and climate change. Prof. Ogola has been the Head of Department of Mining and Environmental Geology (2000- 2003) and Dean of the School of Environmental Sciences (2003 to-date) at the University of Venda, South Africa. He set up the Climate Change Research Unit in the School.

Mike Gowan
Principal - Golder Associates

Mike Gowan is a Principal of Golder Associates based in Brisbane, Australia. Many years ago Mike completed a BScEng in Civil Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand and an MScEng at Natal University, and lectured for a time at both institutions. After working on the Verwoerd Dam construction for Union Corporation, Mike joined Fraser Alexander in 1977, the first engineer to be employed by them, where he was the Technical Director for nearly 16 years.

Mike left for Australia in 1988 and in 2002 joined Golder Associates. At Golder Mike has had the opportunity to manage the design of mine waste facilities in Southern Africa, Algeria, France, Indonesia, Philippines, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vietnam, India, China and Mongolia, and to visit many other interesting places. At this point in time Mike still enjoys his work and has no intention of retiring, until Golder gets tired of him.

Mr Piet van Deventer
Lecturer at the School of Environmental Science and Development - North-West University

Piet van Deventer is an environmental earth scientist (geology and soil science) and terrain analyst. He holds a MSc. in Soil Science as well as a Post Graduate Diploma in Terrain Evaluation from PU for CHE, a Certificate in Quarternary geology from Peking University and a Certificate in Integrated Environmental Assessments from UCT. He has extensive experience on environmental related soil pollution assessments, rehabilitation designs, mine closure designs and environmental rehabilitation related research and development. He was previously enrolled by Tsumeb Corporation, Gold Fields of SA, Potchefstroom University, Envirogreen and Fraser Alexander Tailings.