Dr. John Player has more than 30 years of experience in mining and geotechnical engineering. His experience has been broadly covered by 3 distinct episodes – 10 years of sites-based open pit and sublevel caving in mining production and geotechnical roles. 10 years at the Western Australian School of Mines undertaking his doctorate in the Dynamic Testing of Reinforcement Systems, in conjunction with undertaking other research work and building of testing equipment, and 10 years as the Director and Principal Engineer for MineGeoTech. Initially focused on site support roles for open stoping mines and then undertaking geotechnical pre-feasibility and Feasibility Studies for open pit and underground operations.

His technical 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.
• 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.