ACG Team

Director

Yves Potvin

Winthrop Professor and Director

Yves was appointed Centre Director in 2000. In close collaboration with industry, Yves seeks to advance mine safety through the development of geotechnical research projects, further education and training courses, and training material. He is lead author of the Minerals Council of Australia's "Management of Rockfall Risks in Underground Mines - Guideline and Reference Manual", and lead editor of the ACG's publications "Surface Support in Mining" and the "Handbook on Mine Fill". Professor Potvin has also published more than 60 papers. Yves has over 20 years experience in rock mechanics and mine design and has previously held positions at Mount Isa Mines, Noranda Technology Centre and Noranda Mines, Gaspe Division.

Technical Staff

Phil Dight

Winthrop Professor Geotechnical Engineering

Phil has been involved with the development and design of ground support for mining applications since 1975. He was a partner in BFP Consultants until BFP was acquired by Coffey Mining. Phil has extensive consulting experience in the geotechnical aspects of the mining industry, and has worked on open pit and underground metalliferous mining problems. In 1985 he was awarded the Manuel Rocha Medal by the International Society of Rock Mechanics for his work in open pit mining and use of ground support to improve pit stability. His ground support algoritm has been adopted by Rocscience in its evaulation of ground support in phases. With Peter Fuller, he undertook research into ground support work in a number of AMIRA sponsored projects. Much of that early research work has now been formalised in the literature by others. Phil joined the ACG in 2008 and has since been working on stress memory effects in rocks, ground support applications and slope stability problems.

Paul Harris

Project Leader - Regional Seismic Network, Software Engineer

Paul was originally contracted in 2001 to develop the software component of the Mine Seismicity and Rockburst Risk Management Project.  Before joining the ACG, he developed custom software for clients in the mining industry.

Paul is now continuing to develop the MS-RAP software, and is the project manager and developer for the Regional Seismic Network project.  His focus is on software development and its application to mining and seismicity.

Richard Jewell

Senior Consultant

At The University of Western Australia, Professor Jewell was responsible for establishing the Geomechanics Group within the Department of Civil Engineering in 1984, and subsequently the Australian Centre for Geomechanics in 1992. Throughout his professional career Richard has worked closely with the offshore oil and gas industry and the mining industry. Richard was the lead editor and contributing author of the two editions of the “Paste and Thickened Tailings – A Guide”. In 1999, he initiated and has since led the ACG’s annual paste and thickened tailings international seminar series.  As a senior consultant, Richard contributes to and promotes ACG research projects and its further training and education platform.

Ken Mercer

Professor Environmental and Mining Geomechanics

Ken has more than 25 years of experience in the civil engineering and mining industries as a geotechnical engineer, researcher and consultant. Ken’s areas of expertise include both soil mechanics and rock engineering in the fields of paste and thickened tailings, waste dumps and open pit mining. This experience has been gained over a wide range of commodities but particularly platinum, heavy mineral sands and iron ore.

Ken holds a PhD in mining engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, in the field of the deformation behaviour of unsupported rock slopes, and an MBA from Curtin University, Western Australia.

Ken has worked as a consultant for most of his career to a range of clients mainly in Africa and Australia, but also internationally as far afield as Europe and Asia. He has also gained four years of operational experience for Anglo American and BHP Billiton. Before joining the ACG, Ken was a divisional manager for the Snowden geotechnical group and an executive consultant.

Johan Wesseloo

Project Leader - Mine Seismicity and Rockburst Risk Management

Johan was previously a geotechnical engineer with SRK Consulting, South Africa. He holds a PhD (Geotechnical) from The University of Pretoria, and has specialised in numerical, statistical and probabilistic methods in geotechnical analysis and design. Johan has been involved in geotechnical engineering in the mining and civil industry since 1998 and his project experience includes both underground and surface structures in various stress conditions and rock types.

Administrative Staff

Maddie Adams

Marketing and Communications Assistant

Maddie joined the team in July 2012 as our marketing and communications assistant. Maddie assists with coordinating our industry events and seminars.  Maddie also develops our promotional material as well as updating the various ACG websites. Prior to commencing with the ACG, Maddie studied public relations and graphic design at Edith Cowan University.

Garth Doig

Publications Officer

Garth joined us in August 2012 as our publications officer. Garth is responsible for developing and managing the ACG’s suite of symposium, seminar and course proceedings.  Garth designs material to support the ACG’s various training and education events, and maintains and develops our websites. Before joining the ACG team Garth was a desktop publisher in the oil and gas exploration field.

Christine Neskudla

Business Manager 

Christine has assisted in the implementation of all ACG activities since its inception in 1992. As business manager, Christine is responsible for the financial reporting and business planning of the Centre. She coordinates the ACG short courses, seminars, training activities and research projects. Christine keeps abreast of industry's developments through communication with industry, the Centre's Board of Management and Joint Venture Partners.

Irene Neskudla

Administration Officer

Irene is the prime contact point for event registrations and accounts. 

Josephine Ruddle

Marketing Manager

Josephine's responsibilities include marketing communications, direct marketing, brand development, public relations and event management. Jo’s focus is to strengthen the ACG’s position locally and internationally as a leading provider of mining geomechanics information.