Mining engineer (BSc) with a background in both consultancy and strategic-planning roles within the mining industry (open-pit and underground; commodities: iron ore, gold, copper, silver, bauxite, phosphate, REEs). Expertise in the intersections of Mine Planning, Software Technology and Strategic Optimization. Skilled in implementing multi-mine optimization models to enhance decision-making processes, including cut-off grade optimization, CAPEX, and operating mode decisions. Currently at KPI Mining Solutions, dedicated to assist mining companies in implementing and scaling stochastic mine planning optimization software, concepts, and processes to achieve more profitable and risk-resilient mine production plans.

Dr. Farhad Faramarzi is a Mining and Mineral Processing professional with over 15 years of research, consulting, and field experience. He holds BSc and MSc degrees in Mining Engineering, specializing in Open-Pit Drill & Blast optimisation, and completed his PhD in 2019 at the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC), University of Queensland, with a focus on Mineral Processing. He currently leads the development of technology-driven, integrated optimisation solutions at Dassault Systèmes, advancing Strategic Mine Planning through sophisticated approaches such as Integrated SMP and Strategic Mine-to-Mill.

Ashish Kumar is Manager, Mine Optimization at Newmont, where he leads the development and deployment of optimization and digital-twin solutions to improve planning, productivity, and operational performance across underground mining value chains. He has over a decade of experience delivering advanced analytics, simulation, and optimization systems for complex resource operations. Prior to Newmont, he held technical leadership roles at Rio Tinto and Vale, and developed a patented emissions-reconciliation solution at climate-technology startup Validere. Ashish holds a Ph.D. in AI-enabled production planning for mining value chains from McGill University and a Bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering from NIT Rourkela, India.