Major awards to a familiar figure missing from Flotation '13

A familiar and distinguished face is missing from this year's conference. Due to an accident to a family member, Prof. Graeme Jameson was unable to leave Australia for the conference. We send all or best wishes to him and his family.

Graeme Jameson (right) with Cyril O'Connor
and Kari Heiskanen at Flotation '11

He was due to present a paper tomorrow, and he will be greatly missed at the conference, as he has attended all previous events since the first in Adelaide in 2000.

Graeme is held in high esteem internationally, but this has been a particularly remarkable year for recognition. In March I saw him receive the Gaudin Award from the SME in Denver and a little later he was asked to give the Guillaume Delprat Distinguished Lecture by the AusIMM, which I attended in Perth. Delprat was co-discoverer of flotation and also laid the foundations for BHP as manager of the company 1898-1921.

A few weeks ago he was named as the 2013 Scientist of the year for New South Wales, at a ceremony hosted by the Governor, at Government House overlooking Sydney Harbour. And only a few days ago he received a very significant grant from the Australian Research Council - $1.2 million over three years- to study the flotation of composites, that has made him a minor hero in the University of Newcastle.

To crown it all, this morning I had an email from John Chadwick at International Mining to inform me that Graeme will be inaugurated in the Mining Hall of Fame in Salt Lake City in February, for his contribution to mineral concentration.

Quite a year, and more than well deserved. We hope all goes well with you Graeme, and look forward to seeing you at Flotation '15 if not before.