Share your passion and lead the continued advancement of our industry

"Submitting an abstract provides the opportunity to share your passion and encourage others to further develop the technology so important to the continued advancement of our industry."

We recently spoke with 2021 Mill Operators Conference best-paper winner, Peter Woodall. Peter is a semi-retired principal engineer who worked at Glencore for over 30 years. In his career Peter worked on the development of the Isamill, Albion Leach, Isasmelt and Isaconvert technologies.

He has always had a keen interest in the pumping of highly aerated slurries and recently developed a now patented system to successful pump the tenacious froths produced during the flotation of very fine-grained mineral concentrates.

Peter shares his reflections from his presentation on 'Advances in flotation froth pumping' that won the 2021 best paper award, as well as some tips and advice for anyone considering submitting an abstract to join the 2024 Mill Operators conference program.

Congratulations on winning the best-paper award at the  2021 Mill Operators Conference. What did receiving this award and presenting at the conference mean for your career?

Presenting at the 2021 Mill Operators Conference provided an excellent opportunity to share the highly rewarding, yet challenging, journey we travel when developing new technology. Winning this award was very humbling as we cannot develop new technology without the assistance, support and patience of our colleagues.

Did you experience a boost to your career via the opportunity to present your paper at AusIMM’s Mill Operators Conference in 2021?

Presenting my paper provided an excellent opportunity to share what I was privileged to learn, and help maintain the innovation so characteristic of the Australian mining industry.

What tips or tricks would you share with anyone considering submitting an abstract for the 2024 Mill Operators Conference?

Ensure you engage an experienced professional, who understands the industry, to develop and hone your paper so that it provides “best value” to the audience.

In your own words, why would you submit an abstract for the Mill Operators Conference in 2024?

In our industry we are privileged to be given the opportunity to learn, to fail, to excel, and to challenge current thinking  - this develops our strength of character and courage. Submitting an abstract provides the opportunity to share your passion and encourage others to further develop the technology so important to the continued advancement of our industry.