Giancarlo Calzada is a Chartered Professional (Mining), AusIMM, with more than eight years of experience in underground hard rock mining. He currently works as a Senior Mining Engineer at Kazzinc (Glencore), where he leads short, medium, and long-term mine planning across the underground operations of the East Kazakhstan Region. His work focuses on strengthening reserve definition, bridging planning horizons, and supporting technical decision-making under geological and operational complexity. He has also developed structured planning methodologies and automated processes to improve efficiency and data integration across technical teams. Giancarlo has contributed to underground operations in Peru, Bolivia, and Kazakhstan, with expertise in project evaluation, mine planning, stope design, drill and blast design, and reconciliation. He is committed to building high-performing technical teams, mentoring early-career professionals, and promoting planning processes that deliver long-term value and operational consistency.

Blake Hesse is a highly experienced underground mining engineer with over a decade of expertise in underground metalliferous mining. Currently a Senior Scheduling Engineer at Rio Tinto, he leads life-of-mine underground development schedules and strategic trade-off studies for the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine. His recent work has focused on evaluating new technologies, alternative mining methods, and optimizing scheduling processes to drive operational efficiency. Prior to his role at Rio Tinto, Blake has held key engineering roles across multiple underground projects, gaining extensive experience in mine planning and design, scheduling, and operational execution. Blake is an active member of the mining community and a strong advocate for technical excellence and knowledge sharing.