Blake Talbot is a Principal Planning Engineer in the Group Long Term Planning team at Evolution Mining. A mining engineer with more than 14 years of industry experience, Blake began his career in 2011 in hands-on operational roles before transitioning into technical mine engineering. For the past decade, he has specialised in underground metalliferous mining across a range of modern mining methods. Over the last six years, Blake has focused on strategic mine planning, leading Life-of-Mine optimisation, cut-off strategy, capital sequencing, and integrated technical-financial evaluations. He has international experience across multiple jurisdictions and is particularly interested in the intersection of engineering, economics, and optimisation in long-term planning.

Prof. Rodrigo Peroni is a Mining Engineer, graduated in 1994 at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. Masters degree obtained in 1998 at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. Dr. Eng. obtained in 2002 on Resources Assessment and Mine Planning. Worked as Chief Mine Planning Engineer from 2003 to 2006 at Rio Paracatu Mineração gold mine (Large Open Pit Mine, initially part of Rio Tinto Group and then acquired by the Kinross Gold Corp.). Currently is a Full Professor at the Mining Engineering Department at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) working since 2006 to the present. Post Doctorate in Remote Sensing using UAVs in 2016. The expertise and research areas are related to Open Pit Mine Planning and Design, Resources/Reserves Assessment, Computing Aided Methods and Mining Software, Mining Haul Road Design, Virtual Reality and new techniques for topographic data acquisition, mapping and modelling. Currently coordinates the graduate Program on Mining, Metallurgy and Materials (PPGE3M) from UFRGS

Leigh joined Whittle Consulting in 2023 as a Technical Services Specialist. He holds a PhD in Geology from the Economic Geology Research Centre at James Cook University, where his research focused on the petrology, geochemistry and tectonics of critical mineral systems. This work established a rigorous, systems-based framework for interpreting complex geological datasets, which he now applies to strategic optimisation and operational analysis. Leigh has experience across both open pit and underground operations, supporting the consolidation and refinement of geological databases and resource models to inform production scheduling and life-of-mine planning. Through this work, he has developed a practical understanding of the technical and commercial drivers that underpin both short- and long-term project performance. At Whittle Consulting, Leigh integrates geological insight with statistical analysis in strategic optimisation studies delivered through the Prober framework. This integrated approach generates robust, data-driven insights that support informed decision-making, strengthen strategic planning outcomes, and enhance project value.