A new face at the Cornwall Mining Sundowner

The Cornwall Mining Sundowner has become a regular monthly meeting of mining people, living in Cornwall or just visiting.

Falmouth’s Chain Locker pub is the venue for the meetings, organised by Nick Slade, of Noetic Mining Solutions, who has just introduced a Cornwall Mining Sundowner group to LinkedIn.

It always offers up a few surprises, as we never know how many people, or who, will be there, although there is a growing nucleus of stalwarts.

Last night it was good to see MEI’s Biohydromet ’14 consultant Dr. Chris Bryan, who has just taken up his new post as lecturer in sustainable mining and minerals resourcing at the Camborne School of Mines (CSM), just four miles away.

Charlene and Chris

Chris is a microbiologist, his primary research focus being on the application of biohydrometallurgy to the recovery of metals from sulfide ores and the genesis of acid mine drainage. He has gained invaluable experience working with various research groups around the world including postdoctoral positions at BRGM, France with Dr. Patrick d’Hugues, another MEI Biohydromet consultant, as part of the BioMinE project. It was in France that he met his girlfriend Charlene, who joined Chris, me, Barbara and CSM’s Klaas van der Wielen for a post-sundowner curry at the nearby Balti Curry House.

Charlene and Chris are obviously pleased to have moved to this lovely corner of the world, even though they have spent time in various other beautiful locations. After leaving France, Chris worked with the 3rd MEI Biohydromet consultant, Prof. Sue Harrison, at the University of Cape Town, and then he was a lecturer at the Curtin University in Perth, Australia.

Welcome to Cornwall Chris and Charlene- I have a feeling you may stay here for a while!!