Life Members
Roger Gadsden
Roger was a founding Committee Member of the Coal Preparation Society (of NSW) and was the second Chairman. He was passionate about Coal Preparation Education, and was a Life Member up until his death.
Roger’s contributions are summarised below:
NSW Committee:
- 5 years on the Committee – from 1966-67 until 1972-73
- 2 years as Chairman – 1969-70 to and 1970-71
Other:
- Recognising the paucity of mineral dressing knowledge in the coal industry in the sixties he cooperated with Dr Russ Burdon to organise a lecture series on the subject at the Wollongong College of UNSW, the popularity of which contributed to Dr Burdon initiating the formation of the NSW Coal Preparation Society.
- Lectured at coal preparation courses
- Four stints as Director of NSW residential Advanced Coal Preparation Courses.
- Associated with the planning and conduct of several of the early Coal Preparation Society conferences.
Roger spent all his working life with AI&S Port Kembla Steelworks (BHP) working extensively in the coal preparation and coke ovens departments.
Fred Williams
Fred was a Life Member and a founding committee member of the Queensland Coal Preparation Society. His service is listed below:
Queensland Committee:
- Founding committee member
- 7 years on the Committee – 1967-68 until 1973-74.
Fred was involved in the coal industry and associated supply industries from 1926 and he retired from Rhondda Collieries as Surface Superintendent managing the operations including the preparation plant.in 1975.
He was awarded Life Membership of the Society in 1994.
Michael Williamson
Mike is a Life Member of the Australian Coal Preparation Society and a long serving committee member of the Queensland Society/Branch. His service is listed below:
Queensland Committee:
- 8 years on the Committee – 1977-82 and 1988-90
- 2 years as Chairman – 1979-80 – 1980-81
- 2 years as Vice-chairman – 1977-78 – 1978-79.
Conference Committees:
- 4 Technical Committees – 2nd – 5th Conferences – 1883 – 1991
- 1 Local Organising Committee of 1st ACPS Conference, Newcastle 1981.
Courses:
- Contributed to first Coarse Coal section notes for the Modern Coal Preparation Course (with Ken Bateman) – 1976.
- Presented Coarse Coal to the Queensland Advanced/Modern Course from the first in 1976 until the Monograph became available in 1994.
- Responsible for the present course project (Furphy Glen) – original by Ray Whitmore (Birdie Creek) – 1998.
- Presented the Coal Preparation Engineer segment from approx. 1984 until 2008
- Regularly participated in the “Board of Directors” analyses and feedback of project presentations by course members.
Monographs:
- Completed a revision of the Dense Medium Coarse Coal Cleaning section for the 2nd edition of Volume III, Part 8, Cleaning Coarse and Small Coal, Dense Medium Processes, 2002.
Mike retired in 2004 after a distinguished career spanning nearly 50 years in the coal industry in both Australia and the UK.
Mike was awarded Life Membership of the Society in 2004.
George Edwards
George served on the NSW Branch Committee, led the effort for 1976 VII International Coal Preparation Congress in Sydney, and is a Life Member. His service is listed below:
NSW Committee:
- 6 years on the Committee – between 1971-72 and 1976-77
- 1 year as Chairman – 1974-75
- 2 years as Secretary – 1971-72 and 1972-73
International Coal Preparation Congress:
- Chairman of the International Organising Committee for VII ICPC (Sydney) in 1976
- Chairman National organising committee for 1976 VII ICPC
- Australian delegate on IOC for International Coal Preparation Congress 1971-1976
Other:
- Active in promoting the Society and frequently gave addresses at Society meetings
- Facilitated co-operation with The AusIMM (Past President 1995) and MICA (Current Chairman).
- Chaired Standards Australia and earlier its Coal & Coke Committee. Promoted Australian Standards internationally as bases for ISO Standards
Andrew Swanson
Andrew’s first serious involvement with the Coal Preparation Society was around 1979, almost 40 years ago, when Jim Donnelly pulled together a team of Novocastrians to form the local organising committee for the First Australian Coal Preparation Conference. He was also roped in to be the Editor of the Proceedings. The conference was an outstanding success, forming the basis for future conferences, and he has attended every conference since, helping out with many conference organising and technical committees.
However his most concentrated involvement with ACPS was in the middle part of the Society’s life – the time leading up to the formation of the Australian Society and the ten years or so immediately after that. This allowed him to have the privilege to know, and work with, the forefathers of the society. He was a founding director of the Australian Society, a past Chairman and Secretary for an extended time, as well as serving on the NSW Branch Committee.
Professionally, his formal training comprises a Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Newcastle and a Master’s degree in Mineral Processing form the University of NSW. His first contact with coal preparation came while working at BHP Central Research Laboratories (1975-83). He then worked at Carbon Consulting International (1983-89) but is probably best known for his role in developing QCC Resources (1989 to date).
Andrew has extensive experience in the provision of consulting services in coal preparation, technology disciplines, coal quality evaluations, coal terminal operations, feasibility studies, plant designs, financial optimisation, minesite operating strategies, due diligence investigations and research and development. He has participated in the establishment of many CHPP EPCM projects. Projects have included a wide range of clients both in Australia and overseas. He has published over 100 technical papers covering coal preparation, coal quality and coal technology.
His contributions to the Society are summarised below:
NSW Committee:
- 8 years on the Committee – 1988-89 until 1995-96
- 3 years as Chairman – 1991-92 to 1993-94
- 2 years as Secretary – 1994-95 until 1995-96.
National Board:
- 15 years on the Committee – 1989 until 2001-02 and 2009-10 to 2010-11
- 1 year as Chairman – 1992-93
- 12 years as Secretary – 1989 to 1991-92 and 1994-95 to 2001-02
- Australian Coal Industry Reference Samples (ACIRS) – established MOU with ACARP/industry and served on management committee since 2010
Conference Committees:
- 5 Local Organising Committees, chairman of one.
- 11 Technical Subcommittees, chairman of three.
- Editor of Proceedings, First Australian Coal Preparation Conference
- ACPS representative on Organising Committee for the 2001 International Pittsburgh Coal Conference, held in Newcastle
International Coal Preparation Congress:
- National organising committee for 1998 Brisbane Congress (XIII International Coal Preparation Congress)
- Technical subcommittee for 1998 Brisbane Congress
- Australian delegate on IOC for International Coal Preparation Congress since 2001
Technical:
- Lecturer at Introductory and Advanced Coal Preparation Courses in areas such as coal quality, coal evaluation, process design, fine coal treatment, sampling and quality management.
- Co-editor of the first edition of the Advanced Coal Preparation Monograph series
- Editor of Principles of Coal Preparation and some subsequent revisions of the Advanced Monograph series.
Andrew considers that the first conference was a watershed event in the development of the ACPS. After reflecting on his time on the ACPS Board, he believes the most notable achievements were:
- the formation of the Australian Society in 1989
- the publication of the Advanced Monographs
- 1998 ICPC in Brisbane
- a consistent focus on education and training.
Ray Whitmore (AM)
Ray was a Life Memberof the Australian Coal Preparation Society. He was a long serving member of the Queensland Society. He was appointed Head of the Department of Mining & Metallurgy Engineering at the University of Queensland in 1967 (same year as the Queensland Society was formed).
Queensland Committee:
- 14 years on the Committee – 1968-69 until 1981-82
- 2 years as Chairman – 1975-76 – 1976-77
- 2 years as Vice-chairman – 1971-72 – 1972-73.
Conferences:
- Editor of the 2nd ACPS Conference, Rockhampton, 1983
- 1 Technical Committee.
Courses:
- Joined the Queensland Committee in 1968 and was instrumental in establishing the initial Coal Preparation course by the Queensland Society shortly after.
- Introduced the Birdie Creek Project to the Queensland Advanced Course.
After retiring from UQ in 1985, he was able to devote his full attention to heritage, in particular the history of coal mining in Queensland. In all he produced some forty heritage related papers in addition to six books. His outstanding achievements in engineering heritage were recognized by the award of the John Monash medal for Engineering Heritage in 2005.
Ray was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1994 in recognition of his ´service to mining and metallurgical engineering and to engineering history, heritage and industrial archaeology.
He passed away on 20 December 2008 aged 88
Frank Pollard
Frank was born on 17 February, 1916 in Trelewis, Glamorganshire, a small mining village about 30 km north of Cardiff. He gained his School Certificate in 1931, the Higher School Certificate in 1933, the Higher National Certificate in 1942, a B.Sc. Degree (London) in 1943, and his M.Sc. (London) in 1945. On leaving school he got a job as an apprentice in the Research Department Laboratory of the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company. That laboratory was engaged in many aspects of research including coal preparation and uses for by-products from their coke ovens plant.
During the war years Frank became chemist, then Chief Chemist, on a plant making a smokeless fuel for domestic use called “Phurnacite”. After the war, between 1945 and 1947, Frank was co-opted to the Control Commission for Germany, serving in the Coke Department of the North German Coal Control. The work was to re-apply some sort of system to the much battered coke oven industry, largely in the Ruhr district.
Back in the UK, he worked with the NCB until, in 1949, he was appointed as the Deputy Area Chief Scientist in the NCB No. 4 Area laboratory, at a place called Mountain Ash. Apart from coal analysis, and quality control for 10 washeries, the work included the analyses of mine airs, airborne dusts and roadway dusts.
In 1959, having organised the NCB laboratories to his satisfaction, Frank moved to Australia with his wife Lola, where Frank took a position with ACAR (later ACIRL) as District Chief Scientist at Maitland. Frank then moved to the North Ryde lasboratory where he assumed the position of Deputy Director of Research, when Arthur Hams was appointed Director in November, 1960. Frank modestly states that “It was under A. H. Hams that the company grew spectacularly. Wider fields of research were undertaken and considerably higher and more advanced facilities and standards were obtained and applied.” Frank held this position until 1981 when, in his own words, he retired “with great relief”.
One of the Senior Chemists who served under Frank offers these words on his ACIRL period: “Those of us who worked with Frank know that his achievements were significant, even if done without fuss or favour, and always with his characteristic, wry Welsh wit. The spectacular growth to which he refers must in considerable measure be attributed to his input – for his organisation of the laboratories group, his part in defining and managing the research projects, and his work for Standards Australia. Arthur Hams had an exceedingly capable and supportive adjutant indeed. Although Frank’s contribution to the growth of ACIRL may not be detailed in the written record, his unique and enduring presence is well recorded in the memories of all those of us who were fortunate enough to have worked with Frank in that time.”
Frank has held memberships with the Institution of Chemical Engineers, the Royal Institute of Chemistry, the Institute of Fuel, the Coke Oven Managers’ Association (of the UK) – for more than 50\ years – and was a founding member of the Coal Preparation Society. As well as being a member of the founding committee, Frank made an outstanding contribution to the NSW Coal Preparation Society. He was Treasurer for 9 years and Chairman for 2 years. As well he was a member of the organising committees, and Treasurer, for the 1976 International Coal Preparation Congress (Sydney) and the First Australian Coal Preparation Conference (1981, Newcastle). Frank was a lecturer at many Society Courses and undertook the task of drafting the first Society textbook, namely “An Introduction to Coal Preparation” (published 1985, reprinted 1992).
Tony Partridge
While Tony has many technical, professional and society achievements, there are three matters in which Tony had strong involvement that were ground breaking for the Australian Coal Preparation Society (ACPS).
- Seventh International Coal Preparation Congress in Sydney
- First Australian Coal Preparation Conference
- Advanced Monograph Series
In brief, Tony’s career has involved:
- 1968 BSc from Uni. Leeds, UK
- 1974 PhD from McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- 1974 – 81 Lecturer in Mineral Processing, Uni. NSW
- 1981-88 A number of roles with Austen & Butta as Group Manager – Coal Prep & Quality Control, including two years as the Senior Coal Preparation Engineer with Shell Coal Australia
- 1988-90 Principal Consultant with ACIRL
- 1988 Set up his own consulting company, Advanced Coal Processing known as ACP, and included some part time lecturing at Uni. NSW.
- 1995 Returned to UNSW, becoming part-time in 1998 and eventually retiring as an Associate Professor in 2005.
Tony has made extensive contributions to the Australian Coal Preparation Society, including:
- First advanced coal preparation course (1976)
- Technical Chairman and Editor of Proceedings, VII ICPC in 1976
- Technical Subcommittee for five national ACPS Conferences
- NSW Branch committee member for eleven years
- two as Chairman
- quite a few as Vice Chairman
- ACPS National Board for four years, making significant contributions as part of the Education Subcommittee
- Organising committee for 1998 XII ICPC in Brisbane and Editor of the Proceedings
- Co-editor of the original Advanced Monograph Series and author of two sections
- Contributions to Conferences, workshops and training courses extending over more than forty years.
So Tony is another in the long line of “POMS” that have helped to grow our profession. He has over sixty technical publications, mostly in the field of coal preparation, has made significant contributions to Australian and ISO standards, and has found time to be an Editorial Board Member for the International Journal of Coal Preparation.
Tony has always been known for his passion about coal preparation, his intellect, concern for students and member welfare, and for sticking to his guns on matters important to him.
We in the Society have greatly benefited from Tony’s involvement so Tony is a truly worthy candidate for Life Membership of the Australian Coal Preparation Society.
Stuart Nicol
Stuart started life as a physical chemist, receiving Science Honours and Masters Degrees from the University of London. He followed this up with a PhD from the University of Sydney. After a few years working for Unilever Research in UK, he returned to Australia in 1970 to take up a position in the Minerals Group at BHP Central Research Laboratory in Newcastle. This inevitably led Stuart to the coal industry and from around 1974 until he left CRL in 1993 he was actively involving in coal preparation R&D, and supporting BHP’s other mineral and steel making interests. He progressed to the position of Raw Materials Research Manager and made contributions to many of BHP’s coal developments including Gregory, Boggabri, Saxonvale, Stockton Borehole and the Illawarra Collieries. From 1993 until 2003, Stuart has been the principal of Novatech Consulting Pty Ltd providing advice to coal, mineral and research projects. Through Advanced Separation Engineering, he has introduced the TBS (teetered bed separator) technology to the Australian Coal Industry.
Stuart has an international reputation for his coal preparation research work, in particular froth flotation, fine coal processing and dewatering. In recognition of his work, he was the first Australian invited to give the Arthur le Page Memorial Lecture in 1990.
His contribution to the Society has been outstanding. It started back in the late 1970’s when he joined Jim Donnelly’s organising committee for the First Australian Coal Preparation Conference in 1981. Stuart was not only on the Technical Subcommittee for the First Conference, but continued to serve on conference technical subcommittees all the way through to the Eighth Conference in 2000. Stuart joined the committee of the NSW Coal Preparation Society in 1982 and remained a member until 2001. He served as a Chairman in 1988 and 1989 and was Education Chairman for 5 years. While chairman of the NSW Society, he was an active part of a group that set of the Australian Coal Preparation Society in 1988, and was the founding Chairman. He served on the Australian Society board until 2000, and undertook the role of Chairman again in 1995 and 1996.
In 1990, Stuart became the Australian representative on the International Organising Committee for the International Coal Preparation Congress and was instrumental in Australia being awarded the 13th ICPC, that was held in Brisbane in 1998. For this event Stuart was Chairman of the IOC, and served on the Australian organising and technical committees. He stood down as IOC delegate in 2000.
Stuart has also assisted in many other facets of the life of the Society, including presenting numerous papers at meetings and conferences, lecturing/directing at advanced and introductory coal preparation courses, authoring the advanced monograph on Fine Coal Beneficiation and “The Principles of Coal Preparation”, and organising technical seminars. Stuart has made an outstanding contribution to the Australian Coal Preparation Society and the NSW Branch for a continuous period of over 20 years. In many ways he encouraged the technical vitality of the Society and we are already the poorer for his reduced activity in Society events.
Lister Maltman
After completing a cadetship with BHP Steelworks, Lister Maltman graduated from University in 1963 and began full-time employment at the Steelworks in the area of Coal Quality and Preparation.
In 1966 he took an overseas posting in the UK with Stewarts and Lloyds. On his return a year later he returned to the Steelworks where he remained for five years before joining Austen and Butta as Coal Quality Manager. At this stage Lister first began his long association with the Coal Preparation Society.
In 1976 Lister became Treasurer of the Society. He became Vice Chairman in 1977 and was Chairman in 1978 and 1979. He remained on the Committee after his Chairmanship and became Treasurer again between 1984 and 1987.
Between 1985 and 1991 he was the Australian delegate on the International Committee and during this period he visited Russia and Canada.
Lister remained at Austen and Butta until 1987 and then joined Hansen Coal Traders where he sold quality coal rather than made quality coal.
In 1987 Lister joined BMCH as a Process Engineer and was involved in the first Microcel installation at Peak Downs. After Birtley UK acquired BMCH in 1997. Lister was involved with the second Microcel installation at Saraji.
When Birtley closed down in Australia, Lister joined DBT as their Senior Process Engineer and in this capacity he visited China many times. In 2003, when DBT closed down, Lister decided to retire and become a full-time painter and decorator.
The Australian Coal Preparation Society would like to thank Lister for his outstanding achievements and congratulate him on becoming a LIFE MEMBER of the Society.
Peter McFadden
Career started as an apprentice panel beater and spray painter. But not to the automobile industry did he go, instead to Ingersoll Rand, assembling and painting compressors, pumps and drilling equipment. He soon moved to the position of operator trainer of drilling equipment and then as an application sales consultant.
This was Peter’s first contact with the mining industry around 1963. This continued when he worked with Kennametal selling cutting tools for continuous miners from the late 1960’s.
In the late 1980’s Peter joined Trelleborg and then Allis Chalmers who became Allis Mineral Systems, then Boliden Allis, Svedala and eventually brought by Metso and where Peter became a household name for screening in the Coal Prep industry. Around 1990 Peter relocated to Port Stephens where he has been ever since raising his family with Marg.
Peter and Metso were great supporters of the ACPs at balls, dinners, conferences and one of Peter’s traits at all of these events is that he made sure everything was running well and everyone was having a good time before he could relax and enjoy the event himself.
Peter has been on every NSW conference committee since 2000 at Port Stephens. He works tirelessly with the exhibition and sponsors and is always there a day early to help the secretariat right through until registrations are complete.
Peter joined the ACPS Board in 2006 as secretary and he was elected to the board again in 2009 and until 2013 responsible for the secretariat and office. Others might disagree but Peter suggests that in this role he achieved his greatest contribution to the Society in finding and establishing the Society’s own premises in Broadmeadow.
Coal Preparation Society Committee Roles:
National Conferences
- 2000 Nelson Bay Local Organising Committee
- 2004 Hunter Valley Local Organising Committee
- 2008 Sydney Local Organising Committee
- 2012 Canberra Local Organising Committee
NSW Branch
- 2002/03 Membership
- 2003/04 Membership & Lower Hunter Rep
- 2004/05 Membership & Lower Hunter Rep
- 2005/06 Membership & Lower Hunter Rep
- 2006/07 Membership & Lower Hunter Rep
- 2007/08 Chairman
- 2008/09 Immediate Past Chairman
- 2009/10 Membership
- 2010/11 Membership
- 2011/12 Membership
- 2012/13 Membership
Board
- 2006/07 Secretary
- 2009/10 Committee
- 2010/11 Committee
- 2011/12 Committee
- 2012/13 Committee
Peter McFadden small in stature but a colluses in the Coal Prep Society and the industry at large.
Russell Burdon
Russ was instrumental in the establishment of the Coal Preparation Society (of NSW) and was Foundation Chairman. He was a major driver in Coal Preparation Education, within universities and for the Society, and was a Life Member up until his death in 2016.
Historical Notes:
- In late 1965, Russ Burdon and Murdoch Mackenzie sent a circular letter to people associated with coal preparation, to determine the interest and possible membership numbers for a Coal Preparation Society.
- The encouraging response led to the formation of a Committee, selected to represent all sections of the industry and the first meeting was held in the School of Mining Engineering, the University of New South Wales, on February 8, 1966.
- It was agreed to form a Coal Preparation Society, and officers were appointed. The objectives of the Society were discussed and a constitution was drafted by Russ Burdon, based on that of the UK Society.
- The inaugural meeting of the Society was held at the School of Mining Engineering, the University of New South Wales, on Wednesday March 16, 1966.
Russ’s contributions are summarised below:
NSW Committee:
- 10 years on the Committee – from 1966-67 until 1976-77
- 3 years as Chairman – 1966-67 to and 1969-70
International Coal Preparation Congress:
- National organising committee for 1976 VII ICPC (Sydney)
Other:
- Introduced courses in coal preparation at Universities of Newcastle and NSW
- Wrote a series of papers entitled “Principles of Coal Preparation” in 1963
- Organisation and lecturing at Introductory and Advanced Coal Preparation Courses.
- Led the development of Standards for coal and coal preparation, including participation in ISO meetings.
Russ worked at both the Universities of NSW and Newcastle, and was an active consultant in mineral and coal processing.
Ken Butcher
Ken was a stalwart of the Society and a Life Member of the Australian Coal Preparation Society. His service is listed below:
NSW Committee:
- 7 years on the Committee – 1974-75 until 1980-81
- 2 years as Chairman – 1979-80 and 1980-81
- 1 years as Secretary – 1975-76
Conference Committees:
- 1 Local Organising Committee
- Chairman of National Organising Committee for First Australian Coal Preparation Conference
Other Contributions:
- Strongly involved with the social side of NSW Branch activities.
Ken worked for Clutha then Bulk Materials Coal Handling (BMCH).
Arthur King
Arthur was the Life Member and a founding Director of the Australian Coal Preparation Society. He was one of the longest serving members of the Queensland Society/Branch. His service to the Society is summarised below:
Queensland Committee:
- 20 years on the Committee – 1970-71 until 1989-90
- 20 years as Secretary – 1970-71 – 1989-90.
National Board:
- Founding member
- 2 years on the Committee – 1989 and 1989-90.
Conference Committees:
- 5 Local Organising Committees.
Courses:
- Contributed to the notes and organisation of the first Coal Preparation course in Queensland in 1976.
Society Histories:
- In 1994, compiled a history of the Queensland Society/Branch celebrating its first 25 years.
- In 1998, compiled a history of the first 10 years of the National Committee of the Society.
Arthur was a stalwart of the Society during his 20 years as Secretary of the Queensland Society/Branch.
Arthur passed away on 30 May 2001.
Bob Jackson
Bob has had a wide ranging involvement including a long-standing committee member for both NSW and Australia and appreciable involvement in the delivery of ACPS courses. His service is listed below:
NSW Committee:
- 17 years on the Committee – 1988-89 until 2004-05
- 2 years as Chairman – 1994-95 to 1995-96
- 1 year as Secretary – 1993-94
National Board:
- 6 years on the Committee – 1994-95 to 1999-2000
- 1 year as Chairman – 1997-98
Conference Committees:
- 3 Local Organising Committees.
- 1 Technical Subcommittee
- Organising committee for XIII International Coal Preparation Congress, Brisbane, 1998
Other Contributions:
- Lecturer at General and Advanced Coal Preparation Courses for 20 years
- Course director of ACPS General and Advanced Courses since 2008
- Formulated, directed and lectured 2 day Site Specific Courses since 2009
- Formulated, directed and lectured 2 day Site Specific and 3 day General Courses in Canada 2012-13
- Lectured and directed Advanced Course in Canada 2013.
Bob entered the coal industry in 1981 as Group Metallurgist Coalex and in following years Plant Manager at Wallerawang, Baal Bone and Wambo. He has also held a number of roles in service companies including CCI and ACIRL. Bob has continued to provide his expertise to the coal industry through his company BJACS.
Wes Membrey
Wes served on both the Queensland Branch and the New South Wales Branch for many years. His service is listed below:
NSW Committee:
- 12 years on the Committee – between 1991-92 and 2005-06
- 1 year as Chairman – 2004-05
- 3 years as Treasurer 1992-92 – 1994-95.
Queensland Committee:
- 2 years on the Committee – 2005-06 and 2006-07
- 2 years as Chairman – 2005-06 and 2006-07.
National Board:
- 9 years on the Committee – 1993-94 – 1995-96 and 2002-03 – 2007-08
- 1 year as Secretary – 2007-08.
Conference Committees:
- 1 Local Organising Committee
- 2 Technical Committees
- Editor for one Conference.
Eugene Gallagher
Eugene is a Life Member and a founding Director of the Australian Coal Preparation Society. He was one of the longest serving members of the Queensland Society/Branch and the National Board. His service is listed below:
Queensland Committee:
- 21 years on the Committee – 1987-88 until 2007-08
- 4 years as Chairman – 1983-84 – 1984-85
- 1 year as Vice-chairman – 1987-88
- 5 years as Treasurer – 2003-04 – 2007-08.
National Board:
- Founding member
- 19 years on the Committee – 1989 until 2006-07
- 1 year as Chairman – 1991-1992
- 1 year as Vice-chairman – 1990-91
- Managed the production and publication of the ACPS Monograph series from 1994 until 2004.
Conference Committees:
- 2 Local Organising Committees
- 6 Technical Committees, including
- Technical Chairman for XIII International Coal Preparation Congress, Brisbane 1998.
- ACPS representative on organising committee (with AusIMM) of Dewatering Technology and Practice Conference (Minerals and Coal) and Equipment Exhibition, Brisbane, October 1989.
- ACPS representative on organising committee (with AusIMM) for the Dense Medium Operators’ Conference, Brisbane, July 1997.
Course Lecturer:
- Presented Dewatering to the Queensland Advanced/Modern Course for many years
- Presented the Coal Preparation Engineer session for several years
- Member of the ‘Board of Directors’ analyses of project presentations by course members for several years.
Eugene was awarded Life Membership of the Society in 2008.
Bruce Firth
Bruce Firth obtained a Ph.D. from Sydney University in 1975; his work considered the flow properties of fine particle suspensions. Research and development in mineral and coal processing was continued at the Royal School of Mines at Imperial College (London), BHP Central Research Laboratories and BP.
For the last few years with BP, his efforts were directed at the development and implementation of decision support systems for the oil industry.
He joined CSIRO in 1991. He was instrumental in the founding and development of the Coal Preparation Group at the QCAT laboratory from 1992. This group has been continually supported by the Australian Coal Association since this date. He was also a Program Manager for Coal Preparation in the Centre for Mining Technology and Equipment CRC which had strong connections with the University of Queensland.
He left CSIRO in June 2014 and is currently pursuing research and consultancy issues of personal interest.
He was Chairman of the Australian Coal Preparation Society (1996/7 and 2002/5) and authored chapters in the Society’s Dewatering and Operations Measurement Monographs and the Dense Medium Cyclone Handbook. He is also a Fellow and Chartered Professional of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Over eighty papers have been written and he was the Regional Editor for the international journal ‘Coal Preparation’.
He was awarded the Brodie Medal for achievement in chemical engineering by The Institute of Engineers Australia in 2000, the Australian Coal Association Research Program’s Research Excellence Award for ‘provision of leadership and technical excellence in coal preparation’ in 2009 and was made a Life Member of the Australian Coal Preparation Society in 2013.
Chris Clarkson
Chris was a long serving member of the Queensland Society/Branch and the National Board. His service is listed below:
Queensland Committee:
- 6 years on the Committee – 1989-90 until 1994-95
- 2 years as Chairman – 1991-92– 1992-93
- 2 years as Vice-Chairman – 1989-90 and 1990-91.
National Board:
- 6 years on the Committee – 1990-91 until 195-96
- 1 year as Chairman – 1993-1994
- 1 year as Vice-chairman/Secretary – 1992-93.
Conference Committees:
- 1 Local Organising Committees
- 5 Technical Committees
Course Lecturer:
- Presented to the Queensland Advanced/Modern Course for many years.
Glen Fewings
Glen has been a long-standing member of the NSW Branch Committee and has had significant involvement with education. His service is listed below:
NSW Committee:
- 12 years on the Committee – 1993-1995 and then 2006-07 to present
National Board:
- 2 years on the Committee as Secretary– from 2013-14 to present
- 1.5 years as current Chairman – 2015-16
Conference Committees:
- Served on the 2008 Sydney Conference Local Organising Committee
Other Contributions:
- Lecturer at Introductory and Advanced Coal Preparation Courses
- Board representative/ advisor for QLD/NSW Advanced Course plant design presentations by students
- Education Chairman
- Newsletter editor
- Branch Secretary
Glen worked in supervisory, technical and plant management roles across 7 coal preparation plants in NSW before progressing to plan design and commissioning management positions providng services to operations.
Jim Donnelly
Jim’s working career of over 50 years spanned a period of great development in coal preparation, and Jim has been a significant contributor. All who came in contact with Jim during this period were impressed with his enthusiasm and work ethic, which continued up until the very day he retired on his 70th birthday.
Like many in the coal industry, Jim’s training, and first contact with the coal industry, came through BHP. From 1950 to 1960, Jim worked at the Newcastle Steelworks, firstly as a trainee chemist/chemical engineer, and then as a technical assistant/foreman, in the coke ovens, coal preparation plant and by-products operation. From 1960-1972, he worked with a number of engineering companies that supplied equipment and designed/constructed coal preparation plants; these included A E Goodwin, Thomson & Carroll, United Development Corporation and Sala Australia. He was involved with projects at Coal Cliff, Moura, Lithgow, South Bulli, Wollondilly, Gretley, Avon, Yellow Rock, and Liddell State.
Jim then returned to operations as the Manager of the TPM Moura Coal Preparation Plant (1972-75), and during this time the first dense medium cyclone plant in Australia was installed. For the period 1975-84, he was Manager Coal Preparation & Marketing for the Peko-Wallsend Coal Division and in this role he had technical responsibility for all coal preparation activities, including operations, upgrades and new plant construction, as well as attending to technical marketing, quality control and coal supply logistics. From 1984, Jim operated his own engineering and design consultancy – James C Donnelly & Associates. Some notable achievements were the design/engineering of plants such as Rix’s Creek, United and Burton. In 1999, James C Donnelly & Associates merged with QCC, and he subsequently retired in 2001.
Jim has made an outstanding contribution to the Coal Preparation Society. In the early days of the NSW Society, he was on the Committee (1967-72), serving as secretary from 1969-71. He rejoined the committee in 1977 and was Chairman from 1981-83; overall Jim was on the NSW committee for 11 years. He lectured at Introductory and Advanced Courses from 1976 to 1996. During his period as Chairman, the NSW Branch was incorporated and the first introductory textbook was produced. However, Jim’s greatest legacy to the Society was his leadership in organising the First Australian Coal Preparation Conference in Newcastle, 1981. It was a resounding success and has set the standard for every conference thereafter. Australian Coal Preparation Conferences are a feature of society activities providing great opportunities for technical and social exchanges, and the proceedings are a valuable source of technical information.
Mark Crosbie
Mark was presented with Honorary Life Membership of the ACPS in November 2018. At that time, he was the longest serving NSW Branch Committee member, having served 20 years over a host of portfolio duties. Two of those years were served as NSW Branch Chairman.
He was a member on the National Board for 12 years and participated significantly in the organisation of National Conferences in NSW, being an active member of four Local Conference Organising Committees. Mark was also instrumental in reviewing and updating the ACPS Constitution for ratification by the membership in 2016. Mark has delivered outstanding service to the Australian Coal Preparation Society and has met the minimum requirements for Life Membership in spades. His depth of knowledge and experience across all aspects of ACPS administration, including recent forays into Australian Coal Industry Reference Samples (ACIRS), has been invaluable in the evolution of the Society since its inception over 50 years ago.
Ken Bateman
Ken is a Life Memberof the Australian Coal Preparation Society and was a long serving member of the Queensland Society. His service to the Society includes:
Queensland Committee:
- 6 years on the Committee – 1973-74 until 1978-79
- 2 years as Chairman – 1973-74 and 1974-75
- 2 years as Vice-Chairman – 1975-76 and 1976-77
- 2 years as Treasurer – 1977-78 and 1978-79.
Conference Committees:
- Local Organising Committee for the International Congress in 1976
Courses:
- Involved in establishing the first Modern Coal Preparation course by the Queensland Society in 1976.
- Wrote the first Coarse Coal Lecture notes (with assistance from Mike Williamson).
- Lecturer on Coarse Coal in the late 1970s.
Ken retired in 1998 after a distinguished career in the coal industry.
Ken was awarded Life Membership of the Society in 2008.
Ken Baker
Ken has been very active over a long period of time on both Australian and NSW committees, and assisted with the organisation of many ACPS conferences. He also was responsible for driving the modernisation of the financial administration of the ACPS. His service is listed below:
NSW Committee:
- 11 years on the Committee – 1994-95 until 2004-05
- 2 years as Chairman – 2002-03 until 2003-04
- 4 years as Treasurer – 1995-96 to 1999-2000
National Board:
- 12 years on the Committee – 1995-96 to 2003-04, and 2005-06 to 2007-08
- 4 years as Chairman – 2000-01 to 2001-02 and 2005-06 until 2006-07
- 6 years as Treasurer – from 1999-2000
Conference Committees:
- 2000 Port Stephens – Chairman and Treasurer
- 2004 Pokolbin – Treasurer
- 2008 Sydney – Treasurer
- 2012 Canberra – Treasurer
Other Contributions:
- While Board Chairman and Treasurer a driving force behind development of ACPS Operations Manual and author of many sections.
While on the ACPS Committees Ken worked for Halley & Mellows.
John Arnold OAM
John was a Life Member and a founding Director of the Australian Coal Preparation Society. He was one of the longest serving committee members of the Queensland Society/Branch and the National Board. His service is listed below:
Queensland Committee:
- 21 years on the Committee – 1979-80 until 1999-2000
- 2 years as Chairman – 1983-84 – 1984-85
- 1 year as Vice-Chairman – 1981-82
- 7 years as Treasurer – 1986-1987 – 1992-1993.
National Board:
- Founding member
- 11 years on the Committee – 1989 until 1998-99
- 7 years as Treasurer – 1992-1993 – 1998-1999.
Conference Committees:
- 6 Local Organising Committees 1981-98, including
- Treasurer for XXIII International Coal Preparation Congress, Brisbane 1998.
Course Lecturer:
- Coal quality and utilisation to the Queensland Advanced/Modern Course for many years.
He was awarded a Life Membership of the Society. A more detailed biography is listed under Life Members on the ACPS website (www.acps.com.au).
In 2007 John was awarded the Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia in the General Division for service to the development of the coal industry, particularly through research and education activities, and to the community.
John passed away on 2 January 2007.