GeoTech Namibia - GBO Geological & Geotechnical Consulting Namibia

Grantham Ockhuizen (Pr. Sci. Nat), a Namibian Sole Proprietor, trading as GBO Geological & Geotechnical Consulting Namibia (GeoTechNam), is a professional Geologist and Geotechnical Engineer, with over 10 years of operational experience in the mining industry. He has been involved in mine engineering, scoping studies, feasibility studies, mine design, equipment selection, geotechnical engineering with a broad range of operational and explorational expertise in various mine sites and commodities (Base metals- Copper, Zinc, REE, Uranium, and Iron Ore). Grantham was previously employed as the Geotechnical Superintendent at RUL (Rio Tinto, Namibia), where his key functions were to lead the geotechnical team, and oversee design and execution of monitoring programmes in line with medium and long-term plans. This included continual improvement of Department systems to optimise both efficiency and effectiveness, to ultimately maximise production. In 2013, Grantham Ockhuizen served as the Namibian - branch Chairman for Southern African Institute for Mining & Metallurgy (SAIMM), of which he is still an affiliate member (SAIMM Branch Chairpersons). During a brief secondment in 2014, Grantham was employed at Rio Tinto Iron Ore in Australia, managing geotechnical drilling programmes and doing stability analysis of geotechnical data. It was during this period that Grantham became captivated by the vision of creating a digital mine - the mine of the future - through incorporating emerging technology solutions (such as 3D printing and VR) in everyday aspects of the mining industry.