Dr Vadapalli holds a Ph.D. degree in Applied Geochemistry. He has been holding various research positions. He is currently appointed as a Chief Scientist at the Council for Geoscience (CGS) and a research fellow at UFS. He has pioneered several national-level research programs including co-authoring the National Mine Closure Strategy for South Africa, a national-level strategy document developed for the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources. He has been also co-ordinating international research initiatives such as the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS), a Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), and the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) program from CGS side. During his research career, he had many opportunities to collaborate with professionals both in South Africa and overseas. This translated into building a robust research portfolio focusing on the impact of mining waste streams on the environment and finding solutions to improve the quality of natural resources. He is also an associate editor for the journal “Mine Water and the Environment” published by Springer-Nature. He published many peer-reviewed research articles and a couple of book chapters, in addition to many research reports. Furthermore, he has been mentoring and co-supervising early-career scientists and postgraduate students.

Peter Standish is a leading expert in risk management and environmental governance within the mining industry and is active in the AusIMM as Chair of the HSS Society. With over three decades of experience, Peter has played a pivotal role in developing structured approaches to managing environmental impacts across mine sites. His expertise lies in integrating risk management principles into early-stage mine and project planning, ensuring proactive mitigation of environmental and other threats and smoother transitions through all stages of a mine’s lifecycle. As a foundation author of the Control Framework approach, Peter has worked with mining operations in Australia and internationally, helping to embed validated good practices that improve environmental performance, stakeholder engagement, and regulatory compliance. His work has delivered measurable outcomes, including clearer approval pathways, innovative solutions for progressive rehabilitation, and sustainable post-mining land use strategies. Peter’s collaborative approach brings together technical expertise, operational insights, and a deep understanding of industry challenges. He continues to advise mine owners, operators, and regulators on integrating risk-based environmental management into long-term planning to achieve sustainable and responsible mining operations.

Will is driven to develop intelligence systems for the mining industry that enhance environmental, rehabilitation, and closure outcomes. Using a technology stack that includes cloud-based spatial data, automations, and AI agents, he simplifies the complexity of mine site compliance. As an Associate Consultant with IEMA, he leads the way in improving mining industry workflows with innovative solutions. Will brings extensive experience from heavy industry, underground coal mining, and government regulation. He previously served as Senior Inspector Environment with the Resources Regulator, focusing on policy development for the Mining Act (Standard Conditions on Mining Lease - Rehabilitation) Regulations and the Mine Rehabilitation Portal. Will also has a strong understanding of NSW’s regulatory framework and has worked to help industries adapt. Outside of work, Will is passionate about creative pursuits such as wood carving and is a certified breathwork instructor. He is also dedicated to community development, having managed the project for the development of a local skatepark, fostering a space for youth engagement and activity.

Julia Diana is an Environmental Scientist specializing in land rehabilitation, mine closure, and erosion control. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Earth Science/Geography from UFMG (Brazil) and an Environmental Technical degree from CEFET-MG (Brazil). With five years of experience, she has worked on major environmental recovery projects in mining-affected landscapes, focusing on erosion modelling, engineering, and revegetation strategies. Her expertise includes geospatial analysis, multi-criteria decision-making for mine closure, and erosion risk assessment using geographic intelligence software. Julia has contributed to innovative research by participating for two years in assessments using an experimental method to evaluate erosion control in tailings, which was presented at Planning for Closure 2024. She also developed a vegetation monitoring algorithm using Google Earth Engine, presented at GTEC 2022. Julia integrates technical expertise with practical environmental solutions, supporting sustainable land recovery. She is currently a Mine Closure Planner at WSP Australia.

MSc Mining Engineer with a solid background on mining planning.

Xuyan has over 30 years’ experience working in hydrogeology and groundwater modelling for mining and civil clients, industrial and governmental organisations across Australia, South-East Asia and worldwide. As an accomplished modeller, he is proficient at surface water/groundwater, contaminant transport, geothermal and multi-phase modelling, utilising both commercial modelling software and developing bespoke modelling tools. Xuyan is experienced in advanced uncertainty modelling and risk assessment, has authored more than 30 publications.