Dr Wolfgang Baum is inducted into the International Mining Technology Hall of Fame in the exploration category for 2015. Baum has been a pioneer in process mineralogy, in fact he is a world recognised as a process mineralogist with over 40 years of industrial experience in the mining industry.  He is currently director of the Ore Characterization and Process Mineralogy Laboratory at the FLSmidth Minerals Research Test Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Baum pioneered the first commercial installation of QEMSCAN technology in the USA, operating five QEMSCAN systems in Arizona, and two at a mine site in Peru.  He was the leader of a design and engineering team for the installation of the two of the most advanced robotics preparation and analytical laboratories in the USA. He is an innovator in the integration of mineralogical analyses into geo-metallurgical programs for several base metal mining operations in the USA and overseas.

He has authored over 70 technical papers, hold two patents, and received the James Douglas Gold Medal award from SME in 2009.

Baum left FLSmidth at the end of June and has formed a consulting firm called Ore & Plant Mineralogy LLC.

Don’t forget to put your nominations in (to [email protected]) for the 2016 inductions. There are 12 categories:

1.Exploration

2.Underground development

3.Underground Production

4.Surface mining

5.Comminution

6.Concentration

7.Mining software

8.Safety

9.Bulk handling

10.Metallurgy

11.Environmental management and stewardship

12.Outstanding innovator.