Session 9A | Critical Minerals
Open Pit Operators Conference
| Thursday, June 25, 2026 |
| 9:20 AM - 10:00 AM |
| River View Room 4 |
Speaker
Dr Uwe König
Business Development Mining / Metals
Malvern Panalytical
Value of mineralogical analysis using XRD for strategic mine planning and sustainable energy management in critical minerals mining and processing
9:20 AM - 9:35 AMBiography
Dr. Uwe König is Business Development Manager for the Mining and Metals industry at Malvern Panalytical, based in Almelo, Netherlands. With over 30 years of experience in mineralogy and ore analysis, he focuses on innovative analytical solutions- including real-time, digital, and automated technologies - to support sustainable mining operations. Uwe holds a Ph.D. in mineralogy and geology from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, with research spanning iron ore quantification and manganous layered double hydroxides. He is an expert in X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the Rietveld method, and serves as editor and lead author of the book “Value of Mineralogical Monitoring for the Mining and Minerals Industry.”
Mr Matheus Pedrosa
Project Tailings Engineer
WSP Australia
Geotechnical criteria for safe saprolite extraction in valley-confined ion-adsorption rare earth deposits
9:35 AM - 9:50 AMBiography
Project Geotechnical/Tailings Engineer at WSP Australia with over 8 years of experience in geotechnical engineering applied to mining infrastructure, with a strong focus on tailings and mine waste. His expertise spans geotechnical design, site investigation, construction support, and QA/QC, with additional experience in instrumentation, monitoring, and process innovation.
Matheus has been involved in medium to large-scale mining projects, contributing to the design and assessment of tailings storage facilities, foundations, earthworks, and slope stability analyses. His professional background includes hands-on experience with filtered tailings applications, landfill design, and tailings disposal operations, as well as participation in dam decharacterization projects and interaction with Independent Tailings Review Boards (ITRBs).
Prior to joining WSP Australia, he worked at major mining companies including Samarco Mining and Equinox Gold, as well as engineering consultancies such as Tetra Tech Brazil, where he developed experience in geotechnical modelling, dam and waste dump design, stability analyses, and compliance with regulatory frameworks. His work also includes site investigations, laboratory data interpretation.
Matheus holds a Master’s degree in Geotechnical Engineering from PUC Minas and a postgraduate specialization in Mining Geotechnics from Fundação Gorceix, where his research focused on the compaction behaviour of filtered tailings with varying sand and fines content. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), including an academic exchange at Ohio Northern University (USA).
Session Chair
Q&A + Discussion (Session 9A)
9:50 AM - 10:00 AMBiography