McGill mines mineral expert

From left: Brian Baird, head of mine planning with Melbourne-based BHP Billiton; McGill University Professor Roussos Dimitrakopoulos; and Michael Eamon, head of hydrometallurgy and technology with BHP Billiton. The company acknowledged the work of Dimitrakopoulos at recent a ceremony where it presented the professor with $800,000 for further research.

From left: Brian Baird, head of mine planning with Melbourne-based BHP Billiton; McGill University Professor Roussos Dimitrakopoulos; and Michael Eamon, head of hydrometallurgy and technology with BHP Billiton. The company acknowledged the work of Dimitrakopoulos at recent a ceremony where it presented the professor with $800,000 for further research.

Renowned scholar Roussos Dimitrakopoulos has joined McGill University in Montreal to pursue his ongoing research into mine engineering.

Dimitrakopoulos’ work will be funded via a $3.5-million grant.

“McGill and North America offer the next level of development in what I do,” says Dimitrakopoulos. “In particular, McGill’s reputation has made it possible for me to attract a number of global mining firms who are interested in collaborative research efforts.”

These firms include BHP Billiton (BHP-N), Rio Tinto (RTP-N), Newmont Mining (NEM-N), De Beers, AngloGold Ashanti (AU-N), Inco (N-T) and Xstrata (XTA-L), among others.

Dimitrakopoulos relocated here from the University of Queensland where he developed techniques designed to manage the risks involved in planning and managing the mining of ore deposits.

He uses stochastic processes, or mathematical expressions of uncertainty, both as a means to model orebodies, and as a way of getting the most out of a mine plan. The latter technique helps companies to account for uncertainties related to technology, price fluctuations and other factors.

Dimitrakopoulos’ research has drawn praise from university colleagues and from the mining industry, where his methods are expected to have a direct impact on exploration and production.

“We believe that his work will shift the paradigm in the mining and geological fields using new methods, concepts and applied technology,” says Peter Ravenscroft, an executive with Rio Tinto.

At McGill, Dimitrakopoulos occupies a prestigious Canada Research chair, and has received financial awards from several government agencies.

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