The ultimate products from the extractive industries are used in myriad ways: construction materials, energy production and transmission, food production, clothing, health, packaging, manufacturing, aeronautics, defence, transport, entertainment, education.
Extraction
Andy Birtles
Extraction
Andy Birtles
Mr. Andy Birtles is a Mining Engineer, Professional Engineer and a Chartered Engineer and has specialised in the coal mining sector since 1979 and in the metalliferous and heavy minerals sector since 1999. He has worked on coal mining operations both in the UK and South Africa in various levels of operational management. Subsequently he spent time with various international mining consulting groups, and is currently a Director of ANB Mining Ltd. Andy has extensive experience in coal mine operations, planning and design (both opencast and underground), metalliferous, precious metal and precious stones mine planning and design (both surface and underground), and heavy minerals mine planning and design. He has also been involved in the valuation of mining projects and operations and exercises involving initial public offerings (IPOs) and the development of Public Reports and Technical Reports. He has also been involved in coal research and development and in lecturing activities at tertiary educational facilities. Currently he is undertaking work assessing business interruption and material risk on mining operations, and also continuing his involvement with the IOM3 and other Professional Organisation initiatives.
He is currently a Leadership Team member of the Mining Technology Group, a Strategic Advisor to IOM3, a representative of the IOM3 for the Global Minerals Professional Alliance, and Vice Chairman on the PERC Committee.
Andy oversees the Applied Earth Science Group, the Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Group, and the Mining Technology Group.
It is hard to consider any item of everyday use that has not used some substance that has been extracted from under our feet. Much of how we live, and how we enjoy our lives, is affected directly or indirectly by location of useful quantities of minerals in the ground, extracting them from the ground, and processing these minerals into useful solids, liquids or gases. Thus if we look at the components of the humble mobile phone, most, if not all, of the components have been derived from a mineral extracted from beneath the surface of the earth.
The IOM3 Technical Communities of Energy Transition, Applied Earth Science, Mining Technology, Mineral Processing & Extractive Metallurgy are focussed on bringing these natural, sub surface minerals and fossil fuels to continue to improve our lifestyle and contribute to our continuing improvement in terms of health, life and happiness.
Mining, extraction & exploration news
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Upcoming events
WCSB12: 12th World Conference on Sampling & Blending
Join global sampling and blending experts at WCSB in seaside Penryn, Cornwall (UK), 30 June–2 July 2026, for cutting-edge insights, networking and innovation.
Camborne School of Mines, University of Exeter, Cornwall, UKAwards in mining, extraction & exploration
2025 IOM3 Awards & Prizes
IOM3 has a range of Awards, Medal and Prizes to recognise personal achievement, for published work and for contributions to the Institute, knowledge, outreach and profession.
Visit our Awards pages to see details of the awards and competitions on offer and details of previous winners.
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