COMET Strategy’s Dr Brett King to accept International Mining Technology Hall of Fame Award on behalf of mining thought leader Ken Lane.

Brisbane, Australia

This Sunday, 20 February, COMET Strategy’s Founder and CEO Dr Brett King has the honour and privilege of accepting a prestigious International Mining Technology Hall of Fame Award on behalf of mining thought leader Ken Lane.

Mr Lane led the way for value based optimisation of the full scope of mining activities and is known and respected the world over.

“Ken ‘CutoffGrade’ Lane is a true gentlemen and a great contributor to the mining industry whom I am blessed to know and worked with”, said Dr Brett King.

“Ken’s legacy to the industry is his book, The Economic Definition of Ore – Cut-off Grades in Theory and Practice, which has had such an enormous impact on the practice of mine planning.

Ken’s various insights into the economics of mining have stood the test of time and perhaps more importantly, still represent the foundation for optimal mine planning and effective decision making for the future.”

Mr Lane’s book has recently been reprinted by COMET Strategy in both English and Spanish versions.

Learn more about Ken’s admirable mining career and gift of knowledge to the mining industry here:

The gala awards dinner takes place at the Brown Palace Hotel, Denver.

Dr Brett King Bio
PhD, ME, BE, MAusIMM
Founder and CEO, COMET Strategy

A respected global figure in the field of optimisation application and research, Brett has more than 25 years of experience covering operational and strategic roles in both small and multi-national companies. Prior to establishing COMET Strategy, Brett was a Senior Principal with Rio Tinto Technical Services group and, based on the pioneering work of Ken Lane, was responsible for the development and implementation of optimisation principles and associated cash flow grades in the Rio Tinto optimisation system COSMOS.

A widely published author and popular conference speaker, Brett holds a PhD from London University Royal School of Mines on optimal mine scheduling policies, as well as a Bachelor and Masters degree in mining engineering.

Brett is a keen runner and triathlete.

Ken Lane Bio

Ken Lane began his industrial career in Sheffield, England in 1950 having gained a first in mathematics at Cambridge and his particular concern was with the introduction of computer techniques in production planning and quality control.

In 1959 he joined a planning department at Rio Tinto headquarters and was with the company through its period of major expansion leading to the establishment of the RTZ Corporation.

He became managing director of a central consulting group, RTZ Consultants, which rapidly gained an international reputation for its pioneering work on the development of mining software and the application of computers in mining.

Mr Lane was appointed to the board of the parent company, RTZ Corporation, in 1970 and served on it until 1975 when he left to pursue another interest – sailing.

He and his wife built their own boat as a hobby, working at weekends over several years.

When it was eventually finished they decided to take time off and for two years sailed in the Caribbean and off the eastern seaboard of the USA. He now lives in Poole, Dorset and occasionally practices as a mining consultant between periods or retirement.