Dr Malcolm Scoble a Professor at the University of British Columbia specialising in surface and underground mine design and planning: mine-mill integration: occupational health and safety: sustainable mining and mining with communities, is the first person to be inducted into the IM Technology Hall of Fame in 2018, in the Outstanding Innovator category. Jonathan Peck, PhD. a past inductee (Surface Mining) and CEO & President of Peck Tech Consulting Ltd, made the initial nomination and wrote, “he was my PhD supervisor and served as the same for several people that went on to dramatically transform mining in many ways. Malcolm also had a profound impact on the mining engineering programs at McGill and then UBC. Thus, the energy he injected and changes he made allowed these mining schools to continue to grow and thrive. Mining rarely acknowledges the role that academics play to ensure a healthy industry. But without the contributions and dedication of people like Malcolm, mining graduates would be poorly prepared to enter the workforce with the right skills…”

International Mining’s Founder, John Chadwick, counts himself very fortunate to have had Malcolm as his  tutor at Nottingham University’s Mining Department back in the 1970s.

Two of the current panel of judges for the Hall of Fame were also beneficiaries of Malcolm’s enthusiasm, help and mentoring – Peter Knights, Professor of Mining Engineering at the School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, The University of Queensland; and Mark Richards, Manager Mining Technology Teck Resources Ltd, who notes “Malcolm has been a great mentor for many people.”

Malcolm is a firm supporter of industry associations, particularly the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum, as well as the Mining Association of British Columbia.

This year he was awarded the CIM Distinguished Service Medal, “in recognition of a passionate and visionary proponent of mining education at all levels.” He has been a dedicated member and supporter of CIM and its branches in Flin Flon, Snow Lake, Montreal, and Vancouver since the 1960s.  Among prior awards are CIM’s Fellowship {1994} and Distinguished Lecturer Award {1996}. In 2012 he was awarded the Inaugural Gold Medal for distinguished service by the Canadian Mining Innovation Council.