The members of Whillans Mine Studies acquired their experience of production improvements with more than 50 mines and mining projects in different parts of the world. While offering the same level of expertise and strategic ability of larger contractors and companies, we also offer greater responsiveness and cost effectiveness because of minimal overheads.
We work in a collaborative manner to achieve productivity improvements. All of the associates of Whillans Mine Studies enjoy field work and we have discovered that involving key site personnel in our optimization work or mine expansion leads to more successful implementation of those plans.
We have built strategic partnerships with Qualified Professionals in different disciplines within mine engineering and mine operations including specialists in a variety of mining methods, rock mechanics, ventilation, metallurgy and process engineering, geology, resource evaluation, environment and reclamation, shaft sinking and shaft maintenance and procurement of mining personnel and mining machinery appropriate for the task.
The nature of our work has included:
- Sustainable improvements to mine production, tunneling rates and costs
- Improvements to technical services and mine planning
- Increased integration between operation, development and technical services
- 43-101 Reports: Scoping and Pre-Feasibility studies
- Mining and Process trade off studies
- Operational audits and risk assessments
- Assistance in establishing key performance indicators
- Operational troubleshooting
- Due diligence studies
- Organizational effectiveness assessments
- Resource Evaluation
- Mentoring and assistance with decision making
- Training of site personnel in developing operating standards and procedures (mining and technical services)
- Procurement of site personnel and equipment.
PAUL TIM WHILLANS: PRINCIPAL
Before launching into consulting in 2002, Paul Tim worked for Barrick Gold in Tanzania as Senior Mine Engineer and at Myra Falls Operation on Vancouver Island with the same position. With over 34 years in the mining industry he has worked at 14 underground mines, has hands on experience with mining and a wealth of experience in designing mining methods. Trained in Geology and Physics, completely fluent in Spanish, and gaining fluency in Portuguese, Paul Tim has worked in numerous positions in engineering and production supervision. Paul Tim volunteered as a cross country ski coach for 17 years and he applies coaching values of ethics, teamwork, excellence and humour to his work in mining.
Email: paul@nullwhillansminestudies.com
Tel: +1 604 250 1119
PAUL ICENT BROWN: PARTNER
A career miner, Paul Icent has worked as a miner, in mine supervision and management for 32 years. His collaborative approach has lead to important and sustained improvements in tunneling rates and productivity at four operations. As site manager for a mining contractor, he oversaw 12,000m of ramp development and accesses and 1,000m of raising as well as the construction of an underground cemented rockfill plant 1,200m below surface that was constructed by miners. A resident of Montana of Métis ancestry, Paul Icent maintains close ties to Colombia and Mexico and is improving his Spanish.
Email: icentpaul@nullwhillansminestudies.com
Tel: +1 (406) 926 2326
ALEJANDRO GÁLVEZ ENCISO: ASSOCIATE
Alejandro is a Mining Engineer with postgraduate studies in rock mechanics at the National University San Agustín de Arequipa in Peru. He has worked in rock mechanics, planning, supervision and training of miners for 9 years in Peru and Colombia. He has experience with design of support for underground heading, design of tailings and waste dams, slope stability and foundations. Alejandro provided input for changing ground support and with Paul Icent, was part of the team that reduced the cost of development at the Higabra Tunnel in Colombia by more than 50%.
