Thursday 30 July 2020

Sad news of the death of popular mineral processor Dan Alexander

We had some extremely sad news this morning of the sudden passing on Wednesday of Dr. Dan Alexander, a very popular figure who will be well known to many in our profession. He was only 48 years old.
Dan was Head of Technology Development at Anglo American, UK. Prior to that he was with the JKTech in Australia for over 14 years, from 2000-2015, where he was initially Operations Manager, and latterly CEO for 5 years.
He was a good friend of all of us at MEI, and a regular at MEI Conferences, particularly flotation, where he attended all but one of the conferences in the series. 
Dan (2nd left) at Flotation '09, with other well known mineral processors who had attended all MEI's flotation series:
Graeme Jameson, Jim Finch, Antonio Peres, Stephen Neethling and Dee Bradshaw
Last year he was also in Falmouth, for Physical Separation '19, and in the photo below he is with his close friend Dr. Ben Adair, CEO and Managing Director of CRC Ore, Australia, and a former Director of the JKMRC.
Ben and Dan in Falmouth
Dan relaxing with John Willis, of SRK Consulting at Physical Separation '19
Ben writes "Dan often spoke fondly and thought very highly of MEI and the conferences you run. We loved being at the The Falmouth conference last year - it was a real highlight for both of us.
Dan was not only a very gifted mineral processor in his own right, but he also had an outstanding vision of the future directions needed for step change in energy, water, and productivity in the industry. 
He was the author and main advocate for Anglo American’s Concentrating the Mine innovation initiatives. No one agitated more for change and a more sustainable future for mining going forward. He was also, of course deeply committed to his wife Suzi and their young son James. A true family man in every sense of the word.
I lost one of my closest friends yesterday, but I also know his loss will be keenly felt by so many of our colleagues. He was also a true friend of MEI. Thank you for thinking of him and any tributes you give him will be deeply appreciated by all his friends".
We will deeply miss Dan, not only for stimulating discussion on mineral processing, but for his views on subjects outside our industry, particularly cricket, which he played at a high level in Australia. 
Our thoughts are very much with his family at this difficult time.

70 comments:

  1. I am very shocked and saddened to hear about Dan. I always enjoyed chatting to him when we met up at conferences.

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  2. Very sad news indeed! My condolences to his family and friends and the whole mining community.
    Peter Radziszewski, Vancouver, Canada

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  3. Terrible news. Top bloke, always had amazing attitude, happy memories of working with him in our JKTech days. Already missed.
    Adam Johnston, Transmin Metallurgical Consultants, Peru

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  4. Really sad news
    Ben Murphy, FLSmidth, Denver, USA

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  5. It is a shocker to me. I personally met him during my career forming years in India. I admired him for his expertise in mineral processing. It is very hard news to be digested. Any way, I pray almighty to shower him bliss and peace.
    T.S.Anil Kumar Nistala, Charles Tennant & Company (Canada) Limited

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  6. Terrible news
    Bakang Kgaswane, Flotation Sales Manager at Outotec, South Africa

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  7. Really sad news! I hope his family have a speedy recovery for this great loss.
    Juan Luis Reyes Bahena, Industrial Minera México S.A.

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  8. Very sad news :(
    Yogesh Reja, Accenture, India

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  9. Very sad news
    Antti Rinne, Metso Outotec, Finland

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  10. Having worked with Dan, and gotten to know his great technical mind and sense of humour, this is very sad news.

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  11. Very sad news. I only met Dan a few years ago but even in that short time I came to genuinely enjoy working with and being around him. My sympathies to his family and friends.
    Ian Sherrell, Metso Outotec, USA

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  12. That's a shocking news, so hard to believe. It seems like yesterday we were colleagues and friends at the JK. Dan will surely be missed.
    Barun Gorain, ORE2METAL Inc., Canada

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  13. Hard to believe. He was definitely a role model for young mineral processors. My condolences to his family and mining community.
    Avishan Atrafi, Consultant, Canada

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  14. My heart goes out to his family in the UK and Australia. I’ll remember Dan in many positive ways. His big smile, great sense of humour and his love of cricket. He was a dynamic and energetic, innovator and forward-thinker in the mineral processing industry and will be deeply missed. Rest In peace Dan.
    Steve Schmidt, Metso Outotec Australia

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  15. My deepest sympathies to Dan's family. I have known Dan for many years and appreciated his knowledge, foresight, vision and humour. He will be missed by friends and colleagues . . . Vale Dan.

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  16. Shocking news! May his soul rest in peace.

    Shujaat, SMI, Australia.

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  17. Thu Nguyen, Metso Outotec, Brisbane31 July 2020 at 01:10

    The news sent shock waves through the mineral processing community, especially to old colleagues and friends at the JK. Thoughts and prays are with his family at this difficult time, particularly Mitch and the girls. Your life was taken way to soon Dan. You will be dearly missed.

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  18. Yes, also surprised.

    Dan was extremely supportive of my work - and for that I remain especially grateful.

    He will be greatly missed.

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  19. Shocked to hear of Dan's passing. He will be truly missed. Sincere condolences to his family.
    Ron McGregor, Lundin Mining, Canada

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  20. Very sad news; at an young age with so much professional contribution behind him --loss to our profession.
    May his soul rest in peace and sympathies to Family

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  21. Very sad news indeed! Great mineral processor and generally good guy. RIP
    Sandy Gray

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  22. Dan was a great character and skilled professional - this is a sad loss for the industry. My sympathies to his family.
    Nick Beaton, CRC ORE Ltd

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  23. Dan was part of the flotation team at the JKMRC. We spent time together in many flotation campaigns around the world. I had the chance to meet him very young when he was just finishing his undergraduate degree. He was a very determined person .

    This is a very sad news, he will be remembered. My sympathy to Dan’s family. Sincerely, Marco Vera

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  24. Good morning everyone, I am sorry for the loss of Dan, I had the opportunity to talk many times with him about emerging metallurgical technologies. it will undoubtedly leave a great void in Anglo American and the Technology Development area. my deepest condolences to his family from Peru. Jose Ojeda.

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  25. I was truly shocked when I heard this news, Dan was so full of life and energy that it is hard to believe what has happened. He was always great company whether at an MEI conference or when bumping into him at other events. Such a friendly guy who was always ready for a chat about a variety of subjects (cricket being a particular passion). He'll be greatly missed and my thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.

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  26. Dan was such a nice guy who shared his skills and knowledge with anyone interested. A loss for the mining industry and travesty for his family. RIP Dan. Thoughts go out for his family, friends and work colleagues.
    Craig Dick, Lynas Corporation Ltd, Australia

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  27. RIP Dan
    Haresh Kumar, PhD Researcher, Oulu Mining School, Finland

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  28. A great loss to the minerals engineering community. He was an innovative and positive person and will be missed! Condolences to his family.
    Kari Heiskanen, Aalto University, Finland

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  29. RIP Dan, we will miss you.
    Grant Ballantyne, Ausenco, Australia

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  30. Sorry to hear that. I met Dan while I was a PhD student at JKMRC. My condolences to Dan's family.
    Boris Albijanic, Curtin University, Australia

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  31. My thoughts go out to Dan’s family and also to the broader Mineral processing community who will miss his passion for advancing the industry. I'll miss catching up with him at various locations around the world. RIP Dan.
    Glencore Copper, Australia

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  32. My condolences to Dan's family and close associates.
    Mark Atta-Danso, Processing Superintendent at Westgold Resources, Australia

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  33. Incredibly sad news. Condolences to his family and friends.
    Ashleigh Collins, Weir Minerals, Australia

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  34. Sorry to hear this very sad news. Thoughts go out to Dan’s family.
    Aidan Giblett, Newmont Corporation, Australia

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  35. RIP. Big loss to the industry
    Milkias Z. SEMEREAB, France

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  36. Was shocked to hear this. Very sad news indeed! Our deepest condolences to his family and friends.
    Nirmal Weerasekara, Weir Minerals, Australia

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  37. Rest in peace, Dan.
    Rudi Rautenbach, Philippines

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  38. Sad news indeed
    Patience Mpofu, Australia

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  39. A genuine special matter expert and one of life’s gentleman. Such a tragic loss on so many levels
    Grant Wellwood, Australia

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  40. Sorry to hear that Barry.
    Chris Martin, RSG Inc, USA

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  41. Very sad news indeed! my deepest condolences to his family and friends.
    Maedeh Tayebi-Khorami, Australia

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  42. Minerals industry family lost a great member, terrible news. His memories & contributions last forever.
    Farhad Faramarzi, CRC Ore, Australia

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  43. So sad to hear this news! Deepest condolences to his family and friends...
    Ronel Kappes, Newmont Gold Corporation, USA

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  44. Barry, this is really tragic news
    Elizabeth Lewis-Gray, Gekko Systems, Australia

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  45. Such sad news. Condolences to Dan's family and colleagues.
    Sameer Morar, Glencore, Australia

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  46. My deepest sympathies to Dan's family and friends.
    Hanna Horsch, Colorado

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  47. Very sad news, and condolences to all close to him.
    Al Cropp, ZEISS Industrial Metrology, UK

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  48. Sorry to hear such bad news.
    Nahid Molaei, University of Toronto, Canada

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  49. Very sad news. An amazing person. My condolences to his family.
    Kriba Reddy, ALS Global, South Africa

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  50. Dan was fun to work with, committed, enthusiastic. He will be missed. Condolences to his family and friends on behalf of the SMI team in Chile. Romke Kuyvenhoven, SMI-ICE-Chile.

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  51. Subhashis Ghosh from Metso:Outotec31 July 2020 at 18:02

    Beyond words and feeling extremely sad! Lost a personal and professional mentor of 12 years. Condolence and deepest sympathy for his loved ones. RIP

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  52. I am shocked to hear that. I have met Dan last year at Physical Separation; a very nice and knowledgeable man. My sympathies to his family!
    Daniel Amariei, COREM, Canada

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  53. The news is difficult to digest. My wife and I had the pleasure of Dan's company at a dinner organised by Kari at Flotation 19. He entertained us with a range of topics, including his passion: cricket. Our sympathy to the family.
    Jim Finch, McGill University, Canada

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  54. Sad to learn of Dan's passing. He made a great contribution to the JK and our worldwide clients before he was snapped up by Anglo American where I am sure his contribution was smore than appreciated. It is not often we work with a great Mineral Processor with such a warm personality. Vale Dan. Condolences to his family and wide circle of friends.
    Peter Cameron

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  55. My most sincere condolences to his family and close friends, Osvaldo
    Osvaldo Bascur, Seeq Corporation, USA

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  56. A huge loss to the mineral processing community- condolences to his family.
    Tarun Bhambhani, Cytec Solvay Group, USA

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  57. Very sad news! RIP Dan, thanks for contributions and friendship. Too young and sorely missed.
    Marc LeVier, K. Marc LeVier & Associates, USA

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  58. It's a sad news. RIP to Dan....
    Subhasis Das, FLSmidth Private Ltd, India

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  59. So sad news. My thoughts and condolences to his family and friends.
    Gerson Sandoval, AngloAmerican, Chile

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  60. John Willis, SRK Consulting2 August 2020 at 18:21

    Barry, honoured that you chose that photo of Dan and I having a JKTech alumni catch-up at Physical Separation last year as part of your tribute. Such shocking news; condolences obviously to his family, and also those in the minerals community affected by his passing.

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  61. I am deeply saddened by the news that Dan Alexander tragically passed away on Wednesday.

    Dan was an integral part of the T&S family, an inspirational member of the Technology Development team and just a great authentic person to have with us.

    We are in contact with Dan’s family and are offering all the support we can during this difficult time.

    Dan was highly respected across the globe for his professional achievements, including very much those with us at Anglo American. Dan was a brilliant and visionary mind, a world leader in his field, one of the primary architects of FutureSmart, and owner of Concentrate The Mine technologies. He was the driving force behind the first wave of technologies, in particular Bulk Ore Sorting and Coarse Particle Recovery currently being rolled out across the company, and of other “industry changing” technologies yet to be announced.

    On a more personal level Dan was known for his flowing locks, his love of cricket and was always associated with laughter, friendly banter and willingness to always help others.

    Please reflect on Dan’s life and contribution to us as individuals, and to his contribution to our ambition to progress our industry into the “new reimagined” world of possibility, with our environment and the people we touch. I would also ask that you look after yourselves and those you love as the course of our lives is often unpredictable and fleeting.

    Yours sincerely,
    Tony O'Neill, Anglo American

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  62. A very sad news n a great loss to the mineral engineering fraternity. Untimely demise of Dan leaves a void very difficult to be filled. Deep condolences.

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  63. Shocked and devastated. A remarkable person and a great friend. We lost a great young talent. My earnest condolences and prayers to the family.
    D. R. (Nag) Nagaraj, Solvay Technology Solutions, USA

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  64. Terrible news for his family and the processing community.
    He will be sorely missed.

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  65. So sad to hear this news
    Sarah Boucaut, Director, Neil Sachse Centre of Innovation Spinal Cord Injury Research, Australia

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  66. Very sad news. RIP Dan...
    Dr Rossen Halatchev, AusGEMCO Pty Ltd, Australia

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  67. Very sad news. My condolences to his friends and family. Vanessa Naicker, Anglo American

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  68. Sad news indeed. A great loss to the mineral processing community My condolences to his family and friends.
    Ralph Holmes, CSIRO Mineral Resources

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  69. I was sorry to hear the sad news. My thoughts are with his friends and family.

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  70. So sad. Dan as CEO at JKTech was always very supportive of me and the Software Team. Sincere condolences to his family.

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