Joe has 45 years’ experience in minerals and metals, spanning operations and management, technology development and commercialisation, technical consulting and project evaluation.

With over 18 years of experience in the mining industry, I am a Principal Metallurgist and Process Engineer at Core Resources, where I lead metallurgical and mineral processing projects across a range of commodities. My expertise covers metallurgical testwork management, flowsheet development, feasibility studies, technical due diligence, plant simulation, optimisation, and onsite consulting. I specialise in the beneficiation of base and critical minerals, with a strong focus on flotation, process mineralogy, and surface chemistry. I am passionate about transforming complex technical challenges into practical, efficient, and cost-effective solutions that enhance project outcomes and plant performance. As a Fellow Member of AusIMM, I am dedicated to upholding professional excellence and contributing to the advancement of the industry. I have authored and co-authored more than 21 technical papers and serve as a peer reviewer for international journals. I also mentor junior metallurgists, supporting their development and helping to shape the next generation of professionals in the resources sector.

Sherly Valentina is a PhD candidate in Chemical Engineering at The University of Queensland, Australia. Her research focuses on pyrometallurgy, with particular interests in thermodynamic modelling, slag chemistry, and metal–slag interactions. Her PhD research investigates copper fire refining and impurity removal through fluxing strategies, alongside research on nickel pyrometallurgy. Her work combines thermodynamic modelling, experimental studies, and industrial sample characterisation to improve metallurgical process understanding and metal recovery.

David has over 29 years in the mining industry and during this time has held various positions and developed extensive experience and achievements in research and development, project development design, commissioning and operation of greenfield and brownfield projects globally, specialising in copper, lead, zinc ore processing facilities. At Sedgman, David is responsible for leading the development of process solutions, innovation and expert technical advice for continuous improvement of metals processing with focus on adding value to projects and opportunities for process optimisation of the group’s metals projects.

Pierre van Rooyen is a professional Mechanical Engineer with over 20 years’ experience in senior engineering, lifecycle support and product development with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the global mining and heavy industry sectors. Pierre joined RME in 2021 and leads the Aftermarket Engineering function that ensures customers operate, maintain and upgrade their mill relining equipment for the greatest impact on mill safety, reliability, and availability. Prior to RME, Pierre held engineering management roles with the likes of David Brown Santasalo and Voith Turbo in South Africa before relocating to Australia. Pierre holds a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Engineering (MEng) in Engineering Management from the University of Johannesburg.