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Passing of Professor Emeritus Huw Phillips

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Created: Friday, 28 January 2022 08:25

Passing of Professor Emeritus Huw Phillips
10 July 1947 – 26 January 2022

Dear Colleagues and Members

We learnt recently of the passing of Professor Emeritus Huw Phillips, a Wits stalwart renowned for his teaching, research, and leadership in mining engineering the world over. An integral part of the Wits community, Professor Phillips left an indelible mark in his field, and a legacy which will undoubtedly influence future generations of scholars. 

Professor Phillips served for over 27 years as a Full Professor in the School of Mining Engineering at Wits, during which time he supervised more than 20 PhDs and over 40 Masters students. A formidable administrator and leader, he served as the Head of Mining Engineering from 1986 for a period spanning over 25 years. He also served as the Chair of Mining Engineering until his retirement in 2012. He was appointed as an Emeritus Professor in 2013 and continued to supervise postgraduate students and to serve the University in various roles.  

In 2013, Professor Phillips was announced as the winner of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy’s prestigious Brigadier Stokes Memorial Award. He was also a Retired Fellow of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. He was lauded by the mining industry for his unique input and was honoured by the Institute of Mine Surveyors of South Africa, the Mine Ventilation Society of South Africa, and the International Society of Mining Professors.

Memorial service to mourn the loss of Professor Emeritus Huw Phillips who passed away after a short illness on January 26th.
The service will be held at 9:00am on Friday 04 February 2022.
The family, in recognising how many people, both here and around the world, knew and respected Professor Phillips, have arranged for the memorial service to be live-streamed HERE...

SAIMM Advertising Opportunities – Rate Card 2022

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Created: Thursday, 20 January 2022 16:32

The SAIMM offers businesses wanting to reach decision makers, thought-leaders and key opinion-formers in the mining environment different opportunities and essential platforms to do so. Include the SAIMM in your marketing plan if you want to get noticed, grow your market share and assure your existing client base that they are dealing with the right service provider. The SAIMM’s monthly, highly regarded Journal, website and monthly Journal mailer are distinctly differentiated from other available commercial mining publications, and online digital avenues.

ADVERTISEMENT BOOKINGS
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Tel: 011 463 7940 · Cell: 082 881 345
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SAIMM Value proposition brochure

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Created: Wednesday, 08 December 2021 11:00

SAIMM is focused on nurturing the future leaders of Southern Africa’s minerals industry. We provide a collaborative multistakeholder platform that connects minerals professionals throughout the region and across the globe. We also facilitate access to world-class knowledge, innovative practices and technical excellence for our corporate and individual members.

Another year

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Created: Wednesday, 08 December 2021 09:16

Another year, filled with unprecedented challenges and changes, is rapidly drawing to an end. Inevitably, it is that time of year when we reflect on what has been, and what the last year means to us. Some days it still seems as though what we’ve been through over the past two years belongs in a Hollywood movie, not in our backyards. The SAIMM as a living institute has not been untouched by the impact of the global pandemic either. Since March 2020, no face-to-face conferences have been hosted, and major events have been cancelled or postponed. In response, we embarked on embracing digital content, including regular webinars and digital technical events across many themes. In October and November alone, over 600 delegates logged into SAIMM events to participate in technical workshops, conferences, and webinars across a broad range of themes. The SAIMM continues to develop its digital platform, and forthcoming hybrid, offerings to reach its membership as well as the broader mining and metals community. Via the Global Mineral Professionals Alliance (GMPA) the Institute collaborates with like-minded member associations around the world, and the future of such associations increasingly relies on closer collaboration as digital content removes geographical boundaries.

SAIMM Books for Sale

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Created: Wednesday, 08 December 2021 08:45

The SAIMM offers a service to publish books on behalf of members. This service not only enhances the Institute’s reputation by showcasing its commitment to advancing knowledge and expertise in specialised fields, but also provides members with access to high-quality, relevant literature.  By facilitating the creation and distribution of specialised publications, the Institute supports continuous learning, fosters a sense of community, and promotes the sharing of best practices and innovative ideas. This strategic initiative ultimately helps members stay informed and connected with their profession.

• If you would like to purchase a book(s), follow the following links:
• If you are a member of SAIMM click here. 
• If you are not a member, please create a profile by clicking here:
• Please note that there will be an additional cost if you require the book(s) that you have purchased to be delivered to your home. The courier costs will depend on where you live and the weight of the book(s).
  A separate invoice will be sent to you once you have paid for your order.
• Contact Tsholo Sole at tsholo@saimm.co.za or 011 538 0231 if you have any queries.

The following books have been written by experts in their fields, and we encourage members to purchase these books in support of fellow members.

View the full list below:

Obituary: Darius Muma

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Created: Tuesday, 09 November 2021 07:31

26 September 1976 - 20th October 2021

Darius Muma graduated from the University of Zambia (UNZA) in 2004 with a BSc Chemistry degree. He worked as an Environmental Project Assistant at UNZA School of Mines with the Advocacy for Environmental Restoration Zambia (AREZ), before joining Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Nchanga Mine in Chingola as a Graduate Chemist. He remained with KCM for 8½ years, progressing through the ranks to Senior Chemist, Sectional Chemist, and Acting Head of Analytical Services. During this time, he gained a Diploma in Business Management (Association of Business Executives, UK). In February 2014 Darius moved to Mopani Copper Mines Mufulira Mine to take up a position of Assistant Superintendent: Analytical Services the position he held when he passed on.

Obituary: Henry Edward James

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Created: Friday, 29 October 2021 08:34

Henry Edward James was born in Parys on 19 April 1939, and was educated at Grey College in Bloemfontein. He completed high school there in 1956. He spent a year with Gold Fields working at Libanon and Venterspost gold mines before going to the University of the Witwatersrand on a Chamber of Mines bursary to study chemical engineering. After graduating in 1961 with a BSc degree, he was awarded a postgraduate bursary by the Atomic Energy Board (AEB), which led to an MSc degree in chemical engineering from the same university. The subject of his thesis was 'The dynamic response of a packed tower to step changes in the concentration of the inlet gas for a single-phase gas and countercurrent gas-liquid flow'. In 1964, Henry began his professional career as a research officer with the Extraction Metallurgy Division of the AEB.

Henry Edward James

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Created: Thursday, 07 October 2021 08:06

The SAIMM would like to inform members of the passing away of Mr Henry Edward James, a Past President (1985-1986). Mr James was born on 19 April 1939 and passed away on Friday, 1 October 2021. He joined the SAIMM as a Fellow on 20 February 1976 and was awarded Honorary Life Fellowship on 23 June 1995.

SAIMM Past Presidents and Council members passed on their condolences and commented that Henry was a fine man who cared much about other people. He will be remembered fondly and missed greatly by everyone who knew him.

He is survived by his two sons, Marc and Darrell, his sister, Dalene Henry, his daughter-in-law, Amanda and his two grandsons, Michael and Ethan.

An extended obituary will be added to our website and published in the SAIMM Journal in due course.

(Left) Henry and Joan James  (Right) Henry James with other Past Presidents of the SAIMM.

How to identify and respond to the continuing threat of predatory publishers and journals

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Created: Monday, 20 September 2021 09:54

History and background
It is now more than a decade that Jeffrey Beall - a former librarian at the University of Colorado in Denver – coined the term ‘predatory’ journals to refer to journals (and their publishers) that exist for the sole purpose of making profit.

In his first major publication on the topic published in Nature in 2012, Beall provided a first description of what is meant by predatory publishing:

Then came predatory publishers, which publish counterfeit journals to exploit the open-access model in which the author pays. These predatory publishers are dishonest and lack transparency. They aim to dupe researchers, especially those inexperienced in scholarly communication. They set up websites that closely resemble those of legitimate online publishers, and publish journals of questionable and downright low quality. Many purport to be headquartered in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada or Australia but really hail from Pakistan, India or Nigeria. Some predatory publishers spam researchers, soliciting manuscripts but failing to mention the required author fee.

Beall uses the term ‘predatory’ to refer to journals that ‘prey’ on (often unsuspecting and often young) scholars to submit their manuscripts for the sole purpose of making money from these scholars. In this process, normal good editorial and review processes are violated or suspended.

DOWNLOAD THE FULL ARTICLE HERE (PDF 0.5MB)

2021 SAIMM Annual Report and Proceedings

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Created: Thursday, 26 August 2021 12:34

The 2021 SAIMM Annual Report and Proceedings have been published and can be downloaded:

DOWNLOAD (PDF 4MB)