Biohydromet '12 ready to roll

Biohydromet ’12 got off to a good start this evening with the welcome wine reception, which was attended by around half of the 80 delegates registered for the conference, which starts tomorrow.

It was good to see so many new faces, and also to meet up with two of my past CSM Mineral Processing students:

Dr. Dave Dew graduated in 1979 (he is pictured 7th left back row in this 1979 photo):

Dave's summer vacation work in 1978 was spent on one of Anglo's coal plants, and I travelled out with him to supervise his project, and those of other students from UK (Dave is the one standing under the umbrella).

After graduating Dave stayed on at CSM and was awarded his PhD in 1983. He then left for South Africa to pursue a highly successful career with Gencor, later BHP Billiton, where he rose to the position of Head of Research. He is now living in Cornwall, as an independent biohydrometallurgy consultant, most of his work being associated with BHP Billiton.

Charlie Northfield graduated in 1980 and is now with Selinsing Gold Mine in Malaysia. Charlie has travelled extensively since graduating, and has had an adventurous life. In 2008 he made headline news after his escape from Gambia, where he was being held under trumped-up charges.

In the photo below I am pictured with Dave (left) and Charlie (right) and another ex-CSM student, and local lad,  Nick Wilshaw (2nd right) who called in to see a few old faces.

That's the great value of conferences- meeting new people, and catching up with old friends.