John Player - Director and Principal Engineer - MineGeoTech

BEng (Mining) (Hons)
MEngSc (Mining Geomechanics)
PhD
MAusIMM(CP)
RPEQ (Geotech)

John has more than 25 years of experience in mining and geotechnical engineering. His specialties include:

  • Dynamic testing and analysis of rock reinforcement and support systems, resulting in a vast knowledge of reinforcement response to dynamic energy, and using this knowledge in designing ground support schemes for these environments.
  • Rock mass and ground support scheme response and design in a seismic and non-seismic environment.
  • Using statistical methods for rock mass description and analysis improving confidence in the results.
  • Identifying and applying technology to forecast and assess rock mass response to excavation and utilising this information to implement sustainable mine designs.
  • Open stope dilution/performance/sequencing and development.
  • Longitudinal sublevel caving design, implementation, recoveries, and ground response to production.
  • Assessment of rock mass conditions to forecast response to mining, then utilising this knowledge to establish better mine design and sequencing.

Player spent seven years from 2003 undertaking his PhD (Dynamic Testing of Rock Reinforcement Systems) then continuing as a Senior Research Fellow to undertake further data analysis and continue to develop the WASM Dynamic Testing Facility and associated equipment for determining the performance of reinforcement and support systems. During this time he has also undertaken consulting work to open-cut and underground mines in Western Australia.

Player spent seven years from 1996 at Big Bell Mine:

  • Two years as Drill and Blast Engineer for the sublevel caving operations where he achieved the implementation of a data tracking and control process, standardisation of blasting practices, reduction in drill and blast costs and minimisation of bridging in the cave.
  • Five years as Geotechnical Engineer (plus often undertaking the drill and blast role), incorporating a two year period of high mine seismicity, supervision of contractors for ground support installation, designed and installed the micro-seismic system, implemented change to the mining operations (cave geometry, extraction rate and development location, ground support requirements) to substantially reduce damaging mine seismicity.