A big thank you to everyone who came out to the June technical meeting and networking event in Emerald. It was a great event with some very robust discussions around professional liability, engineering practices and advancement in automation capability and strata management.

BBUGS launched a promotional video to encourage more students and graduates to consider a career in Geotechnical Engineering. Please reach out to the BBUGS committee if you would like to present this video at your next event.

Richard Campbell (Blackrock Mining) presented a case study on the technical challenges of extracting and recovering a longwall with undersized gateroad pillars. A very informative presentation detailing the engineering process undertaken and importance of good mine planning.

Paul Buddery (In-Depth) talked through a case study in Canada where an engineer didn’t carry out a proper geotechnical investigation for a bridge design, at the request of the client, and the ongoing legal battle after the bridge collapsed. A cautionary tale in professional liability and the importance of good engineering practice.

Matthew Wakeford (Anglo American) presented Anglos journey to full longwall automation. Matthew talked through the key learnings and advancements that have allowed Anglo to operate their longwalls from the surface safely and efficiently. An interesting insight into the technical challenges of automating a longwall in a changing environment.