Wayne Dodgen N6 (Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians), Kempton Park Technical College.

Founder of PRODEO

Areas of expertise:

25 years’ experience in:

• Design, build and commissioning of hydraulic systems for industrial and mining sectors
• Commissioning of crushing and milling circuits
• Gold, Coal, Copper mining sectors
• Bulk materials handling
• Project Management
• Construction Management Support
• Global experience including high altitude and cold weather mining operations.

Career achievements:

• Co-founder of Denquip, a hydraulics engineering supply, design, and manufacturing company sold to an international company.
• Vice-President of SENET. A leading minerals processing project management and engineering company.
  
  

Memorable projects:

• 2011-2014: Project engineer and construction management support on a fast-track Copper Refinery Project in the DRC with a 200ktpa capacity.
• 2014-2019: Project support and oversight for a multi-national mining house on a global basis, engaged on various commodities with concentrators up to a throughput of 140ktpd and altitudes up to 5000masl. This included concentrate smelters.
• 2014-2023: Copper/Nickel project support in predevelopment stage in difficult permitting jurisdiction.

Hugo Swart (B.Eng) (Mechanical Engineering) University of Pretoria. Founder of PRODEO

Areas of expertise:

• Over two and a half decades of experience in the Mining and Minerals Processing Industries.
• Skilled in open pit mining and process plant design, including operations and maintenance (O&M).
• Proficient in managing both brownfields and greenfields projects.
• Involved in significant Gold projects across West and East Africa.
• Extensive experience with large-scale Copper projects in the DRC, Zambia, and Spain.

Career achievements:

• Led the establishment of a top-tier Hydromet capability at SENET.
• Served as the Project Sponsor for a major Copper development project in the DRC, with a budget of $2 billion.
• Held various leadership roles, including a six-year tenure as Managing Director at Senet.
  
  

Memorable projects:

• 2004-2005: Managed the largest Gold CIP project in Africa, with a capacity of 11.5 mtpa.
• 2006-2007: Oversaw a challenging CIL Gold plant relocation project from Borneo to the Republic of Guinea in West Africa.
• 2010-2013: Directed a fast-track Copper Refinery Project in the DRC with a 200ktpa capacity.
• 2015: Led a Copper SXEW project in the DRC under a Lump Sum Turn Key (LSTK) contract.
• 2015-2018: Directed an ambitious 300ktpa Copper Expansion Project in the DRC.

Pieter Theron (BEng) (Civil Engineering) University of Pretoria, BEng (Hon)(Geotech) University of Pretoria.

Areas of expertise:

• Over 25 years of experience in the mining sector, focusing on engineering and project management for process plants. This includes a variety of minerals such as Gold, Copper Cobalt, Zinc, Iron-Ore, and Coal, along with associated infrastructure.
• Skilled in overseeing projects from the initial study phase through to detailed design, implementation, and commissioning.
• Proficient in overseeing and executing projects in remote areas by employing effective project setup principles alongside adept stakeholder management.
• Expertise in setting up projects for self-build construction in remote areas.
• Skilled in programme management as part of Project Director role.

Career achievements:

• Demonstrated success in managing and sponsoring numerous projects across Africa, showcasing a strong track record in diverse environments and complex projects.
• Fulfilled the role of Project Director at Senet for numerous years whereafter assumed the position of Managing Director.

Memorable projects:

• 2004 – 2006: Managed the design, construction and commissioning of a greenfields Gold CIL project located in the Sahara Desert.
• 2006 – 2010: Managed the implementation of a Gold CIL project in Eritrea, East Africa, which was the first process plant to be constructed in the country.
• 2011-2012: Managed feasibility study for a Gold project in Central African Republic.
• 2012-2014: Oversee feasibility study for a Gold/Copper/Zinc (VMS) processing facility in Eastern Africa.

Marius Simpson N4 Engineers Drawings, INTEC

Areas of expertise:

• Over 26 years of experience in managing all aspects of multi-million-dollar construction projects.
• Extensive knowledge in both underground and surface mining, encompassing development and production drilling, blasting as well as production, loading and hauling.
• Skilled in process plant construction, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the industry's technical aspects.

Career achievements:

• Served as the On-site Construction Manager for several major projects, showcasing leadership and technical expertise.
• Consistently achieved project goals on time and within budget, while maintaining high-quality standards.
• Completed various construction projects safely without any major safety incidents.

Memorable projects:

• 1997-2002 / 2004-2008 Gold Process Plant Construction Guinea
• 2009-2014: Gold / Copper / Zink Process Plant Construction Eritrea
• 2015-2016: Gold Process Plant Construction Burkina Faso
• 2016-2017: Gold Process Plant Construction Mali
• 2018-2020: Copper Concentrator Plant Construction Zambia

Nick Dempers, BCom (Business Administration and Management), UNISA; MSc (Chemical Engineering), University of Cape Town

• ECSA Registered Engineer
• Fellow of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM)

Areas of expertise:

• Over 22 years of experience in process engineering, specializing in flotation and hydrometallurgical facilities. This includes work with Copper, Cobalt, Uranium, Copper-Cobalt, Rare Earths, Manganese, and Gold refining.
• Proficient in providing technical process support for various mining projects and studies.
• Skilled in business development and proposal generation, blending technical expertise with strategic business acumen.

Career achievements:

• Notable for the process design of numerous large and complex processing plants. Demonstrated ability to guide projects from the conceptual phase through to successful implementation and commissioning.

Memorable projects:

• 2007 – 2019: Lead Process Engineer for a major Copper and Cobalt project in the DRC from feasibility study phase through to execution in various stages. The project included Sulphide and Oxide flotation followed by roasting, acidic leaching, CCD, Copper SX and EW, and Cobalt recovery as a Hydroxide.
• 2014 – 2022: Lead Process Engineer for the preliminary feasibility study and the definitive feasibility study for a complex Rare Earths treatment plant in Malawi.
• 2010: Lead Process Engineer for the detailed design for a brownfields Copper leach/SX/EW facility in Zambia.
• 2009: Lead Process Engineer for a Uranium heap leach execution project in Namibia

Erns Hattingh, B.Eng (Mechanical Engineering) University of Pretoria, M.Eng (Project Management) University of Pretoria, AdvDip (Plant Engineering) Engineering Institute of Technology.

• South Africa – ECSA Professional Engineer (PrEng)
• Australia – EA Professional Engineer (MIEAust CPEng)
• Australia – EA National Engineering Register (NER)
• Australia - Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ
• Australia - APEC Engineer IntPE(Aus)

Areas of expertise:

• Over 15 years of experience in mechanical engineering and project management, specializing in hydrometallurgical and other processing facilities. This includes work with Copper, Cobalt, Coal, Gold refining and water treatment.
• Extensive international experience in operational mining and processing facilities, encompassing diverse regions and complex projects.
• Managing a range of green- and brownfields EPCM construction projects from tender through to design, procurement, manufacturing, construction, and commissioning, while monitoring the scope, risks, budget, quality, and schedule for projects up to US$200 million.

Career achievements:

• Appointed statutory mechanical engineer responsible for the process plant on a large coal mine in Australia as per the WHS (Mines) Regulation 2022.
• Responsible for the successful management of a world first mine pit surface cooling project on Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea.
• Designing of a new stacker feed conveyor car body; thereby reducing capital costs and equipment supply lead time and plant handover end date by 7 months.
• Lead Project Engineer on the Mutanda Copper 20K & 40K project, at the time, the third largest copper plant in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Memorable projects:

• 2010 – 2017: Successfully managed the completion of feasibility studies, FEED, EPC and EPCM contracts for various process plants in remote parts of Africa, focussing on high levels of stakeholder satisfaction and exceeding customer expectations.
• 2013 – 2014: Lead Project Engineer on the Kipoi Copper plant in the DRC. Managed the design, procurement, and construction of this plant under a lump sum turnkey contract. Completed the plant under budget and ahead of schedule - 15 months from start of design to handover of commissioned plant.
• 2017 – 2018: Successfully managed the design, procurement, and construction of a 1.9ML/day water treatment plant for the M4 East WestConnex tunnel project in Sydney, ahead of schedule and within budget.
• 2019 - 2023: Resident mechanical engineer on a large coal mine and coal handling facility in NSW Australia, responsible for managing up to 15 projects every year, ranging between $300,000 and $15 million each, which includes regulatory compliance projects, safety initiative implementation, equipment replacement and plant upgrades.