Christine joined the Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration in late 2025. Previous to joining the Department Christine provided technical advice on numerous mine rehabilitation and closure projects. She has led studies and trials on optimisation of mining materials, including characterisation test work and erodibility testing and modelling to determine their suitability for rehabilitation and closure. Christine's work has supported the development of closure designs that are stable, non contaminating and supportive of post mining land uses. Christine obtained a Masters of Philosophy in environmental engineering in 2020 through partnership with the Centre for Mine Site Restoration.

Master in Mine Engineering (University of Leoben / Austria) 18 years experience in Mine Engineering, Mine Planning and Strategy

Eliakim Chauke is a final-year Mining Engineering student at the University of the Witwatersrand. His honours research, "Regenerative Mine Planning: Embedding Closure, Carbon Sequestration and Circular Land Use into Surface Mine Design," explores how mine closure, carbon sequestration, and circular land-use principles can be integrated into surface mine design from the outset, rather than treated as afterthoughts. The work reframes mine planning as a tool for long-term ecological and economic regeneration rather than mere site rehabilitation. Eliakim is passionate about advancing sustainable mining practices that create lasting value for host communities and the environment beyond the life of mine.