Jim Finch 23 years on

It was great to read CIM Magazine's recent interview with my old friend Jim Finch. I first met Jim in 1986 at the 2-week NATO conference 'Mineral Processing at a Crossroads' in Falmouth. Since then I have bumped into him at many major conferences around the world, and even played golf with him at St. Andrew's, Scotland!

His regular attendances at MEI Conferences are always welcome. Since the NATO conference, Jim has become one of the world's most respected academics, and is always active during the discussion of conference papers. No matter how disappointing a paper might be, he always has words of encouragement and his criticisms are always constructive.

I wish there were more Jim Finch's around, and look forward to seeing him in Cape Town in November for Flotation '09.

The picture above was taken during the 1986 meeting, when I showed delegates the pilot plant facilities at Camborne School of Mines. Jim is on the far left, with Derek Ottley, Jim Watson, Wally Kop and me.