The workshop will offer more insight into the infrastructure requirements for the application and automation to mass mining. It will review telecommunications from a positioning and navigation system and data and management information system. Case studies will be used to discuss the technology applied and the financial and economic value of the project.
Dr. Greg Baiden, Chairman and CTO
Penguin Automated Systems Inc.
Dr. Greg Baiden is Chairman and Chief Technology Officer of Penguin Automated Systems Inc., a leading research and development company that provides mobile robotic technology solutions for numerous industries. Dr. Baiden holds a PhD in Mining Engineering with a speciality in technology and economics and is a Professor at the Laurentian University School of Engineering where he teaches Mining and Automation Robotics. In 2001, he was awarded the prestigious Canadian Research Chair in Robotics and Mine Automation.
As an international authority in the field of Robotics and Automation, Dr. Baiden is a sought-after consultant, lecturer and speaker and has received numerous awards and distinctions in recognition of his visionary leadership.
Dr. Baiden holds a number of patents in mining automation systems including robotic positioning systems for applications in open pit, underground, subsea and space environments.
A member of Inco Limited’s Senior Management Team from 1986-2001, Dr. Baiden was responsible for all corporate mining research. This research involved pioneering telerobotic systems within the company and globally and included the conceptualization and implementation of the world’s first robotic mine prototype at the 175 Ore Body. Dr. Baiden was also the President of Automated Mining Systems, a spin-off of Inco Limited, specializing in communications and control systems for future mine production technology.

Dr. Yassiah Bissiri, Vice Chair
Penguin Research Center
Dr. Yassiah Bissiri is the Vice Chair of Research and the Senior Operations and Mathematical Modeling Specialist at Penguin ASI. Along with his roles at Penguin ASI he is also a Research Associate at Laurentian University where he teaches Machine Maintenance and Reliability along with Automation Engineering Dynamics.
Dr. Bissiri holds Mathematics and Physics degrees from West Africa as well as a Masters and PhD in Applied Science (Natural Resource and Mining) from the University of British Columbia (UBC). His research interests and specialties include but are not limited to: operations research on complex engineering problems; mathematical modeling, innovation and automation; intelligent systems; machine maintenance and reliability; applications of new methods for the advancement of the field of natural resources.
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The primary objective of the workshop is to expose attendees to ground support practices and techniques from around the world. Presentations describing the type of support elements used, the installation process, the equipment and the performance from Australia, Canada, South Africa, Scandinavia, South America and Eastern Europe will be developed. Discussion periods will allow the participants to provide a perspective on their own experience and for the audience to develop an understanding of the motivations behind the practices, as well as the pros and cons of different world practices. New ground support techniques will also be presented and discussed.
Safety statistics, indicative costs, installation procedures within the development mining cycles, productivity, new equipment, and new products will be the essential items covered in each presentation.
Winthrop Professor Yves Potvin, Director
Australian Centre for Geomechanics
Yves joined the Australian Centre for Geomechanics in 1998 and was appointed Centre Director in 2000. In close collaboration with industry, Yves seeks to advance mine safety through the development of geotechnical research projects, further education and training courses, and training material. He is lead author of the Minerals Council of Australia’s “Management of Rockfall Risks in Underground Metalliferous Mines – Guideline and Reference Manual” and lead editor of many ACG’s publications including “Surface Support in Mining”, and the “Handbook on Mine Fill”. Dr Potvin has also published more than 60 papers. He has more than 20 years of experience in rock mechanics and mine design and has previously held positions at Mount Isa Mines, Noranda Technology Centre and Noranda Mines, Gaspe Division.
Winthrop Professor Phil Dight, Geotechnical Engineering
Australian Centre for Geomechanics
Phil has been involved with the development and design of ground support for mining applications since 1975. He was a partner in BFP Consultants until BFP was acquired by Coffey Mining. Phil has extensive consulting experience in the geotechnical aspects of the mining industry, and has worked on open pit and underground metalliferous mining problems. In 1985 he was awarded the Manuel Rocha Medal by the International Society of Rock Mechanics for his work in open pit mining and use of ground support to improve pit stability. His ground support algorithm has been adopted by Rocscience in its evaluation of ground support in Phases. With Peter Fuller he undertook research into ground support in a number of AMIRA sponsored projects. Much of that early research work has now been formalised in the literature by others. Phil joined the ACG in 2008 and has since been working on stress memory effects in rocks, ground support applications and slope stability problems.
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Seismic monitoring is no longer considered just a daily safety tool. Recent advances in technology have opened new doors into obtaining more valuable information from seismic waveforms and events that can reveal rock mass behaviour and hidden conditions. The aim of this workshop is to discuss and demonstrate a few advanced seismic analysis developments and the applications of these approaches in geotechnical studies.
This short course covers topics such as:
- Ray tracing and event location for complex media such as block caves, backfilled areas, and open pits
- Identifying seismicity trends and the potential source of these seismic occurrences
- Advances in re-entry protocols after larger magnitude events
- ESG Solutions achievements from their latest research project in stress distribution analysis using seismic data
The purpose of this workshop is to demonstrate how the history of seismic data at any mine site can be used for advanced seismological analysis. The result of this analysis which is derived from real field (seismic) data can then be used in mine design, geotechnical, or safety projects at the mine site.
Dr. Cezar Trifu co-founded ESG in 1993 and is currently executive vice president of mining and geotechnical applications. Cezar has 30 years of experience in seismology and has published over 80 articles on seismic source interpretation and microseismic applications. He is an adjunt professor with Queen’s department of mining engineering and an associated editor with the bulletin of the seismological society of America.
Dr. Dave Collins received his PhD in Applied Seismology from Keele University UK in 1998. Dave joined ESG in 2008 and is currently the Manager Consulting Services for Mining and Geotechnical Applications. Before this, Dave worked at the University of Toronto managing and performing research at the Rock Fracture Dynamics Laboratory.
Dr. Yuzo Toya received his PhD in Geophysics from Hokkaido University, Japan, in 2004. Yuzo joined ESG in 2011 and currently works as an advanced geophysical analyst of consulting services for mining and geotechnical applications. Before this, Yuzo worked at the University of Western Ontario and the Institute of Seismology and Volcanology at Hokkaido University, specialized in seismicity, statistical seismology and geodesy.
Dr. Zara Hosseini received her PhD in Rock Mechanics from McGill University in 2007. Zara worked for several years as a ground control engineer at Vale sites in Sudbury before joining ESG Solutions in December of 2010. As the Head of International Business Development, one of her key mandates is to incorporate the unique needs and expectations of mine operators and rock mechanics engineers into ESG’s complete seismic monitoring offering.