Prof. Güven Önal: 1940-2024

Very sad news in from Turkey of the death, 3 days ago, of my old friend Güven Önal, mining professor at Istanbul Technical University, and President of the Turkish Mining Development Foundation. 

I have known Güven for over 37 years, since the first of the biennial Turkish International Mineral Processing Symposia, which was held in Izmir in September 1986. I had the honour of presenting the first paper and Güven was my session chairman.

Izmir, 1986, Güven is 3rd left

I last saw Güven only 5 weeks ago in Phoenix, where he was attending the SME Annual Meeting with his son Seckin Sahap Onal. Güven was a regular attendee at the SME Meetings and many other international events:

SME 2024 in Phoenix with his son Seckin Sahap

At SME '2015 in Denver:  Güven with his son Erden
and James Hendrix of Mackay School of Mines, USA

SME 2013 in Denver with Prof. Jim Finch

At Reagents' 04 in Falmouth with his wife Nese

At IMCET 2019 in Antalya, Turkey, with Diana Drinkwater and Barbara and me

Güven was a consultant to MEI's Processing of Industrial Minerals and Coal  2012 in Istanbul where we appreciated his hospitality and that of his late wife Nese

Lunch with Güven and Nese in Istanbul

Born in 1940, Güven Önal graduated from Istanbul Technical University Faculty of Mining as a Mining Engineer in 1963 and received the title of "Doctor" in 1970, "Associate Professor" in 1975 and "Professor" in 1981. He had more than 450 scientific and technological publications, including 27 books, in Turkish and foreign languages. He was a member of the Department of Ecology and Environment of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Yugoslav Academy of Sciences, and won the University of Pittsburg Science Prize. He was the President of the Balkan Countries Mineral Processing Science and Technology Academy, and a long time Member of the Scientific and Executive Committee of the International Mineral Processing Congress (IMPC).

At Asia-Pacific 2022 in Melbourne with fellow IMPC members
Rod Elvish (Australia), outgoing chairman Cyril O'Connor (South Africa)
and incoming chairman Ralph Holmes of Australia

He was the Chairman of the 23rd International Mineral Processing Congress in Istanbul in 2006 and past Chairman of the IMPC, Prof Cyril O'Connor, of the University of Cape Town, paid this tribute:

"It is with great sadness that we have learnt of the sad and unexpected passing of our dear friend and colleague Professor Guven Onal. Guven had been hospitalized for about 3 weeks and passed away from heart failure. Guven made enormous contributions to the world of mining and minerals processing during his long and illustrious career both in academe and in industry. A graduate of the famous Istanbul Technical University he was still engaged in academic activities at the university until the present time.  He was a long-standing member of the International Mineral Processing Council having been first elected in 1997 and serving continuously since then. He will be particularly remembered for the outstanding work he did as Chair of the Organizing Committee of the XXIII IMPC Congress in Istanbul in 2006 which at that time was the largest ever Congress. 

IMPC 2006: Congress Chairman Güven (2nd left) with IMPC Council members
Cyril O'Connor, Wang Dianzuo, Doug Fuerstenau and Eric Forssberg

He also inaugurated the concept of an IMPC Regional Conference with the highly successful first in this series, viz. IMPC- Eurasia, taking place in Antalya in 2019. He was in fact already planning to organize the 2nd in the series in Antalya in 2025. At the time of his passing, he was still President of Balkan Scientific Committee and Balkan Mineral Processing Science Academy, and Vice-Chair of the Pittsburgh Coal Conference. He was also the long-standing President of the Turkish Mining Development Foundation. It is clear from all the above that his contribution to mining and minerals processing was enormous and he will be greatly missed. However much more significant for all of those who knew Guven is the memory of a wonderful friend and most gracious and generous host always accompanied until her death by his dear wife.  His hospitality was legendary and many friends and colleagues will have fond memories of times spent in Turkey as a guest of Guven.  Our deepest sympathies are extended to his two sons, their wives and his grandchildren as well to all of his colleagues at Istanbul Technical University and the organisations with which he was involved". 

Güven was one of life's gentlemen, who will be sorely missed. Our thoughts are with his two sons, Seckin Sahap and Erden and their families, who I am sure would appreciate your memories as comments on this posting.