Monday 14 February 2022

My farewell to Minerals Engineering after 35 years

Way back in 1987 I submitted a proposal to Pergamon Press for the establishment of a new journal to compete with Elsevier's International Journal of Mineral Processing (IJMP), which had a poor record for dealing with papers in a reasonable time.

Much to my surprise Pergamon responded enthusiastically and the first issue of Minerals Engineering was published in January 1988, with an Editorial Board of 22 leading minerals engineers from around the world, with me as Editor-in-Chief, a position I still hold today. The journal was 'officially' launched at the IMPC in Stockholm in June 1988.

The launch of Minerals Engineering in Stockholm 1988

The early years were not that easy, as we tried to establish the reputation of the new journal, and in an era where relatively few people, including members of the Editoral Board, had email; the Guide for Authors requested that manuscripts be mailed to me in triplicate, and on receipt I would mail copies to two members of the Editorial Board for review! But we managed to overcome all the early difficulties and even the take over of Pergamon Press in 1991 by its major competitor Elsevier (see posting of 8th January 2013), whose IJMP was incorporated into Minerals Engineering in January 2018. 

Volume 1 Number 1 and the journal cover after the merger with IJMP

Now, after 35 years, I feel that the time is right to pass the mantle on to the next generation, with a new Editor-in-Chief, so this will be my last year with Minerals Engineering. I will be working with Elsevier to find a suitable replacement, and when he or she is established I will be working closely with him/her throughout the year to ensure a smooth transition, and to advise on any changes that might be necessary to the editorial structure.

It has been a rewarding 35 years, during which I have seen the journal go from strength to strength and I must thank many people for this. Editorial Board members have come and gone over the years, and I thank them all, past and current, for their valuable advice when called upon.

The first meeting of the Editorial Board in Singapore, 1991:
Rob Dunne (Australia), Glen Dobby (Canada), BW, Prof. Wakamatsu (Japan), Terry Veasey (UK),
Cyril O'Connor (South Africa), Dave Osborne (Indonesia) and Don Mckee (Australia)

A special thanks must go to the hundreds (maybe even thousands) of reviewers who have given up their valuable time to referee papers, and thanks to all the authors who have had their work published over the years.

It has been a pleasure working with the new Editors who joined the journal after the merger (posting of 25 March 2021), as it has with all the Publishing Managers who I have worked with at Elsevier.  The longest serving of these was Dean Eastbury, who became a familiar face at MEI Conferences, and a great friend of mine and the family. He is now retired in south-west Cornwall and we will certainly miss his company in all our travels with the conferences.

Dean and I hard at work in Franschhoek, South Africa and climbing Table Mountain with the MEI team

I wish the journal and its editors every success for the future.

@barrywills

102 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear that you are stepping down (from our selfish perspective since you have done such an outstanding job with this over an enormous length of time). All the best with whatever one does when one slows down.
    Paul
    Paul Cleary, CSIRO, Australia

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    1. I can assure you, Paul, that I will still be around pushing you to get your conference presentation in on time!

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  2. Dear Barry,
    Thanks for your excellent pioneering work and making the journal such a valuable platform to communicate science in the field. It has been great to work with you. All the best for your future endeavours.
    Anna Kaksonen, CSIRO, Australia

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    1. Thanks Anna. Great working with you on the journal, and no doubt I will see you at the Biomining conferences

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  3. Congratulations on your many years of service to the mineral processing community. You are indeed a legend in our community. Your journal and especially your conferences have played a major role in facilitating both mineral processing R&D and, as importantly, the "people factor" in our world. After all, who does not know Barry Wills?
    Dave
    Dave Deglon, University of Cape Town, South Africa

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    1. Thanks Dave. Look forward to catching up in Cape Town, at Flotation '23, and of course at your postponed IMPC

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  4. Thank you Barry for your incredible contribution to research in the field of Minerals Engineering and Processing. I wish you all the best in your retirement, although I have the feeling that we will still be hearing from you via your great blogs (and perhaps see you at MEI conferences?)
    Jennifer Broadhurst, University of Cape Town, South Africa

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    1. Thanks Jenny. Looking forward to a contribution from you and your team at Sustainable Minerals '22. Glad you like the blogs!

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  5. Your contribution to our subject is very special, a 35 year journey in producing the world's most important and successful journal in minerals processing. Thank you for your commitment, professionalism, sound judgement, and high standards.
    And Happy St Valentine's Day!
    Kevin

    Kevin Galvin, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia

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    1. Thanks Kevin. Thanks for your involvement with the journal's Editorial Board, and I look forward to your keynote at Physical Separation '22

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  6. Thanks for your kind comments, but I would like to clarify that I am retiring only from the journal. I will still be very much involved with MEI

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  7. I am glad to had the opportunity to met you in person during some of the Physical Separation Events held by MEI. Your books are regular references for Engineers. a handbook for everyone in mine industry. We thank you very much for your great dedication and extensive contribution in the last four decades.
    Alan Souza, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

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    1. Thanks Alan. Hope to have your involvement at Physical Separation '22 and hopefully catch up again when we are back to face-to-face events

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  8. I just want to say thank you for your contribution to the field of mineral processing.You dont know me but I know your work. I am a Metallurgist in Papua New Guinea but I used your book "Mineral Processing Technology" extensively during my university days 10 years ago whilst doing my bachelor's degree in Mineral Processing Engineering. It's not very often we get to say thank you to authors of books that played a role in our development at university so I thought I'd drop a line and do just that. Wish you all the best in your future endeavours
    Pearson Leki, Newcrest Mining Ltd, Papua New Guinea

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    1. Thank you for your very kind comments Pearson. Hope to meet you sometime

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  9. A well deserved retirement form the Journal, a testament to you that it has lasted for 35 years and is still a world renowned journal. Hopefully it will give a few more days a month to spend walking the cliff tops of Cornwall.... I remember the Stockholm Conference very well..

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    1. Thanks Nick. Yes I think that the Stockholm IMPC was your first as well as mine. Still walking the cliff tops, but strangely they appear to be getting steeper

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  10. Incredible journey and incredible achievements Bill. You are leaving Minerals Engineering much stronger than it has ever been, a great platform for the future of mineral processing. You have served our industry with distinction and professionalism. Enjoy your well deserved retirement

    Daniel Chipfunhu, Australia

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    1. Thanks Daniel. Just to reiterate- I am not retiring from MEI, just the journal.
      Barry

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  11. Dear Barry,

    As a young academic and researcher, I participated in and contributed to the Minerals Engineering family from the start. I was drawn to the new journal by your enthusiasm, leadership and vision to build a new journal in competition with incumbent journals that had unacceptable response times. Some leading people in the field advised me against ‘wasting’ my research in the new journal. Your response was quite appropriate that it would all change one day and it would look good to have papers in the new journal. Because you are a people person, you have perseverance and from the start set high standards, you gradually built a community around the journal and MEI. This community became self-regulating and gradually broke through the barriers of acceptance, so the journal achieved the prestige it enjoys today. It is worth telling younger researchers that the track record of this journal did not just happen by itself; it took hard work by many editorial board members under your leadership. The lesson is that it is worthwhile putting in the hard work to achieve something great that will have a lasting impact. You are indeed a pioneer, entrepreneur and an icon of the field of minerals engineering. Thank you for everything you have done for the minerals community. Top people select top people, so may the journal become even stronger under your successor. And may you enjoy with passion whatever you choose to do next.
    Jannie van Deventer, Melbourne

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    1. Thanks Jannie. I believe you were the longest serving member of the Editorial Board, so greatly value your contribution to the journal, and your friendship over the years

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  12. Thank you for your outstanding contribution to the Minerals Engineering profession as well as the publication. Enjoy your reduced workload with more opportunity for hiking! I am pleased to hear you are continuing with MEI and I look forward to catching up with you and your family.

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    1. Thanks Ian. Hope to see you and Pat in Falmouth soon

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  13. Thank you Dr. Barry Wills for your wholehearted contribution to the Minerals Engineering profession. It was nice meeting you in person at Flotation'19 conference. I wish you all the best in your retirement.
    Stephen Kayombo Solongo, Betachem Pty Ltd, Zambia

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  14. Dear Dr. Wills, Thank you very much for all your great contributions! Look forward to seeing you again at 2022 SME conference!
    Dr. Maoming Fan, Eriez Manufacturing Co., USA

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  15. Thank you for the decades of service to the mineral processing community. Minerals Engineering has been part of my knowledge acquisition since the first issues.
    Robert Seitz, Phoenix, USA

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    1. Many thanks Stephen, Maoming and Robert

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  16. Well it's a very sad to learn about the same Dr Barry.
    ME Journal has been the back bone for Mineral Engineering and has passed through many ups and down and reached to good IF...
    Hope this will be and shall always in the same levels in future too.
    You have been quite instrumental for ME and ME Journal and for Mineral Engineering... Wishing you good luck
    Thanks and regards....
    Rama Murthy Yanamandra, Tata Steel, India

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  17. Barry your contributions to the field of minerals engineering and processing has been exemplary. Thank you for the encouragement and support for emerging technologies. Enjoy your retirement!
    Tamsin Senders, NickelSearch Ltd, Australia

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  18. Dr. Wills, thank you so much for bringing this prestigious mining and mineral processing journal to us. Your invaluable contributions have been greatly appreciated.
    Biao Li, Virginia, USA

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  19. Wow! End of a fine era Barry, I wish you all the very best; 1987 was also when I embarked on my career in the industrial minerals sector, though not before I acquired an MSc Mining Geology at Camborne School of Mines, University of Exeter which included a fine mineral processing course unit taught by a certain expert lecturer in the science! - thanks for helping to set me on the road - will miss our SME Denver meets.
    Mike O'Driscoll, Director at IMFORMED Industrial Mineral Forums & Research Ltd, UK

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    1. Thanks Mike. I will certainly be in Denver next year, and in Salt Lake City this month. I am not retiring- just leaving the journal

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  20. Wow! I am both sad and happy.
    Sad because no one wants any good thing to end. But happy because this is a kind of retirement and that you want to do many other things.
    You created, nurtured and built Minerals Eng. It is the best journal in our field - all because of you. You have been a great educator. Yet you are down to earth and humble.
    Everyone knows you and respects you. I have the deepest respect and admiration for you.
    I wish you a very healthy and happy "retirement".
    Best Regards
    Naga
    D. R. Nagaraj, Professor of Professional Practice, Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, USA

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    1. Thank you Nag. I appreciate your kind comments. Hope to see you in Salt Lake City in a couple of weeks' time

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  21. Dear Barry, nice to hear from you. I remember the first time we met, Oct. 1988 when I first came to Cardiff, at the office of Fred Pooley. You were and are the soul of Minerals Engineering. I am very glad that we met those times in Wales and in several conferences in Cornwall. I wish you health, all the best for the future and hope that we meet again soon in the post-COVID era.
    Best regards form Crete
    Kostas
    Prof. Konstantinos Komnitsas, Technical University Crete

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    1. And thank you Kostas for your long association with the journal, which is greatly appreciated

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  22. Barry, I have this poster in my office that states, “Success is a journey, not a destination”. Looking at your journey, and the travels that you have invited us on, I can only wish you “Bon voyages!” on what ever adventures that lay before you and yours!
    Thank you!
    Peter Radziszewski

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  23. Thank you very much for your lifetime of work in the minerals industry. Wishing you many, many years of enjoyable retirement!!!
    Jim Harkins, Vanderbilt Minerals, LLC, USA

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  24. Dr.Wills, I would sincerely thank you for delivering this journal to the researchers. The journal really provides in-depth and sophisticated knowledge to any researcher.

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  25. Hi Barry
    You and I go back a long way and time seems to have passed so quickly, but I feel a great sense of pride in what you and your family have achieved both at CSM and with the MEI. So congratulations on all your achievements and all the very best for the future to you and your family and hopefully we will meet again one day soon either in Falmouth or elsewhere.
    Kindest regards
    Dave

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    1. Thanks Dave. I owe a lot to you, as it was your suggestion at CSM back in 1974 that we write a book together. We started but then you left for industry in South Africa, and I carried on to produce the 1st edition of Mineral Processing Technology, and you Coal Preparation Technology.

      It's been good to catch up with you over the years, notably at the 1st Editorial Board Meeting in Singapore in 1991 (in the photo on the posting). Maybe see you later this month at the SME Meeting in Salt Lake City?

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  26. Thank you Barry for the many years of service and devotion to the industry. You have been a true leader and enabler for so many of us. I trust that you will enjoy your last few months in this role. Megan Becker, University of Cape Town.

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    1. Many thanks Megan. Look forward to seeing you in Sitjes for Process Mineralogy '22

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  27. Dear Barry,
    Many thanks for your invaluable pioneering work and making ME journal an excellent platform to communicate with colleagues globally in the field. It has been a great experience to work with you. Bon voyages & Slainte.
    A. Deniz Baş, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Turkey

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    1. Thanks Deniz, It has been a pleasure working with you on the journal

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  28. May I add to the accolades, a splendid job and many thanks are owed from the min pro community for your efforts. I well remember how long it sometimes took for papers to be reviewed by the IJMP, a problem avoided with Minerals Engineering. My enthusiasm for the new journal showed in being co-author of the first paper with Rodolfo Espinosa and Bill Johnson! Not an easy task replacing you but I'm sure a suitable candidate will emerge.
    Jim
    Jim Finch. McGill University, Canada

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    1. Many thanks Jim. You have played a great part in my career, since we first met at the NATO conference in Falmouth in 1986. Not the least, acting as co-editor on the 8th edition of Mineral Processing Technology, and as a valued consultant to our flotation conferences. You did indeed co-author the first paper in Minerals Engineering- in fact 2 papers in the 1st issue. You then co-authored papers in each of the 4 issues in 1988, greatly contributing to moving the journal forward.

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  29. I agree with Jim Finch. Whoever takes over as Editor in Chief will have a very hard act to follow.
    Gary Rossi, Denver Colorado

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  30. Dear Barry, this is truly an end of an era. Thank you so much for making Minerals Engineering and all the related conference series the most exciting and relevant means of publishing in the area of Flotation. You will be sorely missed, but you leave it all in very capable hands. Enjoy retirement
    Elizaveta Forbes, JKMRC, Australia

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    1. Thanks Liza, as I am retiring only from the journal I will still be around helping Amanda and Jon with the conferences

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  31. MEI certainly has been one of the best, if not the best, journal for Mineral Engineering. Thanks for establishing MEI and for carrying it throughout the last 35 years
    Bert Huls, Huls Consulting, Inc., Reno, Nevada

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    1. Thanks Bert, but I must clarify. MEI is not a journal, Minerals Engineering is, and it is owned by Elsevier with me, for now, as Editor-in-Chief. MEI was established in 1999 and will continue to run the conference series

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  32. What a journey you have had and not forgetting the roles of Barbara, Amanda and Jon. These days I reflect quite a bit on people who have made a difference and leave a legacy. By any measure you have achieved both. I think of your vision, energy, persuasion and persistence against the odds, all to the fore over decades. These are some of the qualities which have allowed you to achieve such high success with Mineral Engineering and MEI.

    Looking at that Singapore Conference in 1991 has brought back many memories. A worthy group indeed, not that I think we did much to help you. What was the issue which so restricted the numbers? I’m sure you recall.

    I’ve also thought this morning what might have been for CSM had the School had the good sense to give you your head around the time you started Minerals Engineering. Your qualities mentioned above would surely have driven CSM to great things.

    I trust you will be able to enjoy a less stressful life before too long.

    Kind regards, Don
    Don McKee, former Director, JKMRC, Australia

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    1. Thanks Don. The Singapore conference was not well attended as it coincided with the 1st Gulf War, so there were many travel restrictions. It has been good to catch up with you over the years, particularly in 1983 when I met you for the first time at the JKMRC, and you provided me with valuable information on automatic control, which I used in a subsequent edition of my book

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  33. This is indeed a surprise news for me. I still have the memory of our first personal contact regarding my second paper in Minerals Engineering, New insights into the dodecylamine adsorption on scheelite and calcite: An adsorption model. We met for the first time in Quebec in 2016. After then, you came to CSU, Changsha twice. It is one of greatest honors in my life to work with you for the journal since last year. ​You are really a legend in minerals engineering community, and I learn professionalism, passion and responsibility from you.

    As a honorary professor of Central South University, I hope you could continue to contribute to the development of CSU's minerals engineering discipline. ​I sincerely invite you to come back to CSU again soon after the covid-19 comes to an end.

    Kindest regards from Changsha,
    Zhiyong Gao, Central South University, China

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    1. Many thanks for this Zhiyong. I was very impressed with CSU during my visits to Changsha, which is why I suggested to Elsevier that you be appointed as an editor of the journal, a duty which you have performed with enthusiasm and professionalism.

      I hope we can catch up soon.

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  34. Congratulations Barry on a very successful 35 years! You’re a legend!
    Anita Parbhakar-Fox, SMI, University of Queensland

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    1. Thanks Anita, and for all your many contributions to the journal, as an author, reviewer and editor

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  35. Gee Barry – what a momentous decision but very sensible. I still remember with great fondness the 1st conference in Marina Mandarin in Singapore in 1990 at which I think most of the original Editorial Board team were present!!

    I’m just starting another 3 year stint as a Senior Research Scholar which will be my last. I still enjoy being involved but handed over the baton some years to people like Kirsten and Belinda with whom I still work closely.

    I’m sure that you’ll still be behind the reg desk at future Conferences – looks like we could be going back live very soon! At UCT all students are back live for lectures.

    Keep well my good friend and look forward to a nice celebration when we are next together!!

    Love to Barbara – behind every great man etc etc !!!
    Cyril
    Cyril O'Connor, University of Cape Town, South Africa

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    1. Many thanks Cyril. You were part of the journal right from the start, as a Regional Editor. Your contributions to the journal over the years have been immense and I thank you for that.

      Good to hear that, like me, you are still ploughing along, and that batons have to be passed on eventually.

      I am certainly looking forward to getting back to live conferences, and our first is planned for November, Process Mineralogy '22 in Sitjes, Spain.

      Love to Nanette from all of us, and look forward to a few glasses of wine in the Vineyard next year.

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    2. Hi Barry

      I know that you will add an earlier private email I sent to you on the occasion of your standing down as Editor in Chief of Minerals Engineering. However I wanted to add how happy I am that in 2014 the IMPC gave you the Lifetime Achievement Award at the time of the Santiago Congress joining that small but illustrious groups of awardees including Doug Fuerstenau. Your illustrious career before and since has fully justified this decision by the Council and the entire global community of minerals processing scholars owe you a huge debt of gratitude for what you have done for all of us both through the journal and the MEI Conferences. I was indeed greatly privileged to be in that illustrious group in the Cricketers Pub in Singapore in 1991. I’m sure that you will still be as busy as ever but hopefully you and Barbara may have some time to put your feet up and relax.

      Best wishes
      Cyril (and Nanette)

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    3. Many thanks again Cyril. Receiving the award in Santiago was the proudest moment of my career and it has pride of place in my office!

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  36. Thank you Barry for the wonderful contribution you have made. Minerals Engineering journal is one of the top journals in extractive metallurgy today and this is all due to your hard work. Everytime I open the journal I know I am automatically on a learning journey as they is always something new to discover. Truly a wonderful achievement. Enjoy your retirement.
    Sehliselo Ndlovu, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

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    1. Many thanks Selo. We are looking forward to your keynote lecture at Sustainable Minerals '22

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  37. End of an era of great work Barry. I wish you and the Minerals Engineering Journal all the very best for the future. Your efforts over the years have plugged a gap in the literature of extractive Metallurgy and provided a valuable route for the dissemination of knowledge

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  38. Dear Barry you have been a personal inspiration to me throughout all of my career from lectures at CSM, helping me choose the destination for my vital vacation work in 2nd year, where to get a graduate role through to how I would help educate operators on mine sites in Africa and Australia (your book sat proudly on the book shelves of many I worked with). I wish you well and hope one day to see you at one of the MEI Conference's.
    Helen-Louise Colbourne, Freelance Consultant at CMC, Moscow

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  39. Many thanks for your kind words, Helen-Louise. It's been a while since I last caught up with you at the Science Museum, but hope you can make it to an MEI conference sometime

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  40. As a young researcher, eager to enter the publication world, I saw with great interest the launch of Minerals Engineering in 1988 and was an avid reader from the very start, browsing through its pages every time a new issue arrived at the library in the distante city of Porto Alegre (Brazil) at UFRGS. There is no question its appearance spiced things up and is responsible for the tremendous increase in the volume of good published research and the blooming of the minerals engineering field in this last 35 years. ME is a legacy to be well taken care by our community in years to come. Thanks Barry for all your hard work, which becomes evident in your report above! No goodbyes, though, since I am sure no retirement for you from MEI in sight!
    Luís Marcelo Tavares, Professor Federal University of Rio de Janeiro / President of the GCC Foundation

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    1. Many thanks Marcelo. And for all your contributions to the journal over the years- much appreciated

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  41. We salute Professor Barry for the professional contribution.we are happy to note that your continue to mentor the Minerals Engineering as you will be working with Elsevier to find a suitable replacement and when he or she is established you will be working closely with him/her throughout the year to ensure a smooth transition, and to advise on any changes that might be necessary to the editorial structure.We wish you all the best in your second professional innings that will be a guiding force to all mineral engineers.With best wishes

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  42. Barry, the biggest compliment I can make is that you're a top bloke and your book is the only University textbook I own that I still read and reference!
    David Middleditch, Consulting Metallurgist, Canada

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  43. Barry
    "My farewell to Minerals Engineering "--it cannot be a farewell--you are a "part and parcel" of M.E.-- conceived, created, nurtured, and made it one of the most respected journals in a specialized field like Mineral Engineering. Our professional association started from your visit to the Indian School in the '80s. A metallurgist, taking passion towards mineral engineering--writing such "complete" textbook which saw so many editions--the next milestones in your professional journey was the start of this Journal and MEI Blog.
    Persons of that era were looking for a Journal which had quality and publishes papers reviewed by one of the best academicians in a short time, which led to this "high-impact journal". It is still a wonder to me on how you could network with so many experts to review so many papers in those times. The platform, you created for many budding scientists and engineers, made it a "benchmark" to get their work published in this journal. The foundation and your foresight to identify excellent persons to ensure its quality forever are commendable. In the future also, whoever sees the Journal, will remember you. We all should be thankful to Pergamon Press for their encouragement--mineral engineering used to be just one of the subjects and not much research to talk about. This Journal ignited the flame, which is now burning bright.
    Your glue to bond our professionals is strong and will remain so.
    So many comments speak volumes about you, Barry.

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    1. Thank you for your kind comments TC, which are most appreciated

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  44. I endorse fully the sincere opinion of Prof TC Rao. We are eagerly waiting the second innings of Prof Barry Wills in the role of Mentor to Minerals Engineering as a hobby. I am certain that Prof Wills's passionate professional glue to bond with mineral engineering profession will always remain stronger than as before.

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  45. Congrats Barry on an amazing achievement. You have done so much for education and information exchange in our industry. I am sure we will cross paths soon but all the best for your new journey.
    Sandy Gray, Gekko Systems, Australia

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    1. Thanks Sandy. Hope to catch up with you and Elizabeth soon

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  46. In my mind you will be remembered as one of the greatest mineral processing minds of the century, and a preeminent luminary in the field of Mineral Processing and extractive metallurgy. In 2017, I made my first ever publication on flotation pretreatment of diasporse bauxite in this journal. This became the first paper in this journal to have come from the department of Mining Engineering at the University of Liberia. You made an MEI blog post in recognizing this- Liberia joins the bands of international mineral engineers. This motivated me so much. Today, I am proud of my accomplishments and publications which would not have been possible without some of your works. Thanks for the prolific works.
    Darius G Wonyen, ArceloMittal, Liberia

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  47. Barry - what !! - next you'll be telling me you have stopped playing squash 😄 On a more serious note, the evolution of Minerals Engineering to the current preeminent status has been driven by you and those around you. The industry has benefited greatly from your vision and it is a huge credit to you. Your journey has greatly influenced my career path and the life that Claire and I enjoy, and this really started for me with your 1989 Minerals Engineering "Comminution Special". All the very best.
    Ted Bearman, Bear Rock Solutions Pty Ltd, Australia

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    1. Thanks Ted. Hope to catch up with you and Claire in the near future

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  48. Dear Barry. the contributión of Minerals Engineering has been very important for the development of the mineral processing and related areas. Your contribution as Editor has been a key factor. Thanks for giving the opportunity to participate in Minerals Engineering.
    Luis Cisternas, Universidad de Antofagasta, Chile

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    1. Thanks Luis. I greatly value your contributions to the journal over the years

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  49. Barry, I can barely believe it as the Journal has been a part of my professional life and a convening force for so many of us. The platform you have built has had profound impact combining the need for professional debate, exchange and ambition but also with the humanity and social dimension that gets people from across the world working together. Congratulations and thanks to you and Barbara and team. I can't believe you will stop travelling for a while yet?

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    1. Many thanks Richard, particularly for all your input to the journal over the years, and your long service on the Editorial Board. I shall certainly continue travelling and reporting on events etc. Next week I will be in Salt Lake City for the Annual Meeting of the SME.
      Best wishes to you and the family

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  50. My appearance has changed a lot over the last thirty-five years, my grandchildren refer to me now as the grey-haired Samurai (long hair care of the lockdown in Perth). In a similar fashion the Minerals Engineering Journal has made huge strides to become the premier mineral engineering journal globally. This outcome can be attributed to the vision, enthusiasm dedication, wisdom and foresight of Barry. He has engaged and developed a huge international network of influential professionals and researchers to assist him with developing a quality journal the envy of many. Thus, the journal attracts high quality and technically informed manuscripts that provide researchers and professionals with the most up to date information in mineral processing. Barry will be undoubtable missed, more so for his enthusiasm for mineral processing. However, as we get older it is time for the younger professionals/researchers to step up and take the journal to new heights. Barry, the minerals industry owes you a huge debt of gratitude for keeping the torch alight for mineral processing and especially for inspiring the younger generation.

    Saludos
    Robert Dunne, Rob Dunne Consulting, Perth, Australia

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  51. Thanks Rob, particularly for your long and productive involvement with the journal. Sorry I won't be meeting you for our usual chat over coffee at the SME Meeting this year, but maybe next year in Denver?

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  52. Dear Barry, You have done so much for our field and also personally for me. I got to know you late 80s. My special thanks to you for taking on board the sustainable minerals ideas early 2000s when we discussed this. You stuck with this so important aspect for our industry via the Sustainable Minerals conference series, the first 2006 in Cape Town. Take care and thank You! Kind regards, Markus.
    Markus Reuter, SMS group GmbH, Germany

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    1. Thanks Markus. You have been part of the journal, as an Editorial Board member, and MEI, as a consultant, for very many years. Looking forward to catching up in the near future

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  53. Thanks for everything Barry! I think the many tributes on here speak for themselves. They are very much deserved!
    Klaas Peter van der Wielen, Metallurgical Manager at British Lithium Ltd., Cornwall, UK

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  54. Thanks KP, hope to see you at the next sundowner in Falmouth

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  55. Barry - well this is very Big News. Difficult to know how we will all manage without you! Your contributions to our profession have been enormous, encompassing the journal of course, the conferences, the website, your teaching career and book, and much more. You saw opportunities where others didn't, and you pursued them with that single mindedness which is essential for success. And we all profited from your vision and extraordinarily hard work over so long. It was no mean feat to take the journal from a standing start to its current pre-eminent position in our profession. Congratulations on a wonderful career. It's been a real pleasure working with you over the years. Now at least I can enjoy a beer with you with a somewhat reduced chance of being given a job to do! You and Barbara enjoy a thoroughly well deserved retirement. Hope to catch up soon.

    All the best,

    Tim Napier-Munn

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    1. Many thanks Tim, I greatly appreciate your comments, and your major contributions over the years, to the journal, the conferences and, of course, the 7th edition of the book.

      I hasten to add that my "retirement" is solely from the journal, so I will still be much involved with MEI and the conferences, so don't worry I will still be able to find you jobs to do. Look forward to catching up with you and Georgie somewhere in the world.

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  56. Your immeasurable contribution towards Minerals Engineering will never be erased from the archives. You have impacted and taught many than you can ever imagine. Thank you very much
    Bonnex Mwashi, First Quantum Minerals, Zambia

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  57. Barry, you have been busy coordinating knowledge and people in Mineral Processing. Congratulations. Looking forward to see you in SLC.
    Osvaldo Bascur, Seeq Corporation, USA

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  58. Thanks Osvaldo. Look forward to seeing you next week in Utah, and to your keynote at IntegratedMinPro '22

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  59. Congratulations Barry and wishing you all the very best for the next adventure. Your lifetime of contribution to the industry has made a true impact, as noted by all of the reactions to this post. Best wishes.
    Suzy Lynch-Watson, Metso Outotec, Australia

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