Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA)

Neil James, an MBA-qualified executive with over 35 years of management and leadership experience across various sectors, has recently been awarded the MRIWA's MARS Program Scholarship for 2025, funded by the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety. His journey in the mining industry began in 2012, where he initially led site-based teams for five years before taking on the role of managing Global Safety Systems within Technology at BHP Before his mining career, Neil enriched his profile by serving three years at the QUT (Queensland University of Technology) as a sessional lecturer and Manager of External Relations in the Australian Centre for Entrepreneurship Research. He has recognised that while the industry excels in mitigating risks through controls, there's a crucial need to enhance the role of front-line leaders and the workforce. In moments requiring rapid decision-making, supporting employees to make the safest choices is essential. This insight has led Neil to embark on a significant research project titled "Psychological Capital – The Last Line of Defence in Psychosocial Safety in the Mining Industry," hosted by Edith Cowan University, under the supervision of Prof. Tim Bentley, Dr. Geremy Farr-Wharton GAICD, and Prof. Yvonne Brunetto. This research delves into the interaction between psychosocial safety climate and psychological capital, aiming to improve mental health and well-being by leveraging psychological capital elements specifically within the Western Australian Mining Industry. Neil's scholarship and research represent a commendable effort to not only enhance physical safety but also foster psychological safety in the mining sector. Learn more on our website: https://ow.ly/nRvR50Vkw0e #MiningSafety #PsychologicalCapital #PsychosocialSafety #LeadershipInMining #MentalHealthAtWork

It’s a big week in Perth next week with the Clean Energy Council’s WA Clean Energy Summit on Tuesday followed by the Green Iron and Steel Forum on Wednesday and Thursday !

Advancing Mental Health in Mining: A Step Forward    The mining industry is evolving, and so is our understanding of mental health, safety, and leadership.    It’s great to see the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA) investing in cutting-edge research through the MARS Program, funding new PhD projects to drive real change.    These projects will explore:   ▶️ Psychological safety & leadership – Leveraging psychological capital to build trust and well-being.  ▶️ Psychosocial risks & workforce sustainability – Understanding how risk factors impact retention & behaviour.  ▶️ Exposure monitoring & occupational hygiene – Improving dust sampling for better risk-based exposure control.  ▶️ Effective safety storytelling – Enhancing how leaders communicate safety to drive real impact.    WA’s investment in mental health research reinforces the need for strong, proactive leadership in creating safer, more inclusive workplaces. Research-backed strategies will equip leaders with the tools to foster trust, well-being, and a sustainable workforce.    How is your organisation prioritising mental health in the workplace? The Jonah Group. Saving Lives. Protecting business. #safety #safetyculture #safetyleadership #safetydifferently #leadership #leadershipculture #leadershipdevelopment #safetyeducation #mining #psychologicalsafety #culture #limbicsafety #workplacewellness #mentalhealth ______________________________________________________ Exchange your thoughts on this post in the comments below Follow us on LinkedIn  

Awarded the MARS Program PhD Scholarship for 2025, which is funded by the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, Patrick Benetti's research project, titled "Effective Leader Safety Storytelling: its attributes and outcomes," is hosted by The University of Western Australia (UWA). Through this study, he aims to provide organisations with evidence-based strategies that can directly influence safety practices. By analysing the attributes of compelling safety narratives and their resultant outcomes, Patrick's work promises to offer valuable insights for leaders looking to foster a safer work environment. Patrick, a PhD candidate at UWA School of Psychological Science is making significant strides in the field of Industrial/Organisational Psychology. With a Bachelor of Science with first-class honours and currently in the Master phase of his combined PhD and Master program, Patrick's research delves into the art and science of leader safety storytelling. His work, supervised by Dr. Lisette Kanse, Dr. Laura Fruhen, and Dr. Parkes Katharine, seeks to uncover how leaders can effectively craft and communicate safety stories to enhance workplace safety. This research is particularly beneficial for Western Australia, where understanding the nuances of effective communication in leadership can significantly improve safety culture across various industries. Learn more on our website: https://ow.ly/AvuP50ViPNE #SafetyStorytelling #LeadershipInSafety #WorkplaceSafety #PsychologyResearch #IndustrialOrganizationalPsych

A last minute addition to our calendar, we are partnering with CORE Innovation Hub and their #CommunityCoffee event on Wednesday 7 May. Open to anyone and anyone, male and female, this informal coffee catch up is going to be a great way for our #mineralsresearch community to connect with start ups, SMEs and industry partners in the #perthmining ecosystem. Go through this link to register your spot! https://lnkd.in/gF2zmYZ3

HILT CRC welcomes today's announcement by the Australian Government of $750 million in funding to advance innovation in green metals, enhancing the global competitiveness of Australia's metals manufacturing industry. This significant investment, to be administered by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), was announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese MP and Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic MP at Curtin University on 14 March. It promises to advance Australian innovation that aligns closely with HILT CRC’s mission to accelerate and de-risk the decarbonisation of heavy industry. Our CEO Jenny Selway spoke at the announcement, which was also attended by Federal Member for Swan Zaneta Mascarenhas MP, Curtin University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Harlene Hayne, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research Prof. Melinda Fitzgerald and Prof. Hongwei Wu, leader of HILT CRC's "Biomass-derived fuels and products for green steel production" project. The $750 million will: ➡️ progress innovative technologies to enhance productivity and lower emissions in the iron & steel, alumina & aluminium sectors ➡️ support green metals pilot and demonstration projects that accelerate efforts to take research from the lab to commercial-scale operations. The new funding is part of the $1.7 billion Future Made in Australia Innovation Fund.    A significant step forward to progress green metals in Australia! #GreenMetals #HeavyIndustry #Decarbonisation

We’re excited to welcome Keely Gausten to the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA) team. Keely joins us in 2025 as a CEED Student, working on the Precision and Low Impact Mining (PLIM) Technologies Inventory. With a diverse background as a student engineer, Keely has gained valuable experience in both local government and the private sector, collaborating with industry leaders like BHP, Roy Hill, and the City of Swan. Keely holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Science and is currently pursuing a Master of Professional Engineering, specialising in Mining Engineering, at The University of Western Australia. Passionate about innovation, she is dedicated to identifying novel and emerging technologies that will shape the future of the PLIM Focus Area, driving a more responsible and sustainable Minerals Sector in Western Australia. #MRIWA #MiningInnovation #Sustainability #PLIM #WesternAustralia #Engineering

The next in our Tech Talk series has just been released. Confirming our 2nd Tech Talk will be hosted by Dr Ryan Noble who will be discussing his work using the UltraFine+TM method. Follow the link to find out more! https://lnkd.in/g6gPKDf8

Benjamin Walsh's PhD research, titled "Occupational Hygiene Dust Sampler Comparison Study in Western Australian Mining Operations," is supported by Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA)'s MARS Program PhD Scholarship (2025), funded by the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety. Under the supervision of Dr Jacques Oosthuizen and Dr Marcus Cattani, from Edith Cowan University, his study aims to update codes and standards for dust monitoring practices. By comparing different dust samplers, Ben seeks to enhance the adoption of real-time dust monitoring equipment in mining operations, which will significantly improve worker health protection. For Western Australia, the data from Ben's study will inform local health and safety practices in mining. On a broader scale, the findings will contribute to updating international standards and guidance on workplace aerosol sampling methodologies, benefiting the global occupational hygiene community. Stay tuned for updates on this ground-breaking research as we support Ben in his mission to make our workplaces safer and healthier. Learn more on our website: https://ow.ly/MfCj50Vh0a2 #OccupationalHygiene #MiningSafety #PhDResearch #HealthAndSafety #Perth #EdithCowanUniversity #AIOH

We’re thrilled to welcome Sarah Scott a Master’s of Engineering student from The University of Western Australia to our team through the CEED program until December 2025. Sarah will be tackling a project evaluating the potential of mine waste for construction solutions, while completing her final year of study in Civil Engineering. With her background in iron ore mining and construction, Sarah brings valuable experience and a passion for driving sustainability. #BulkMaterialsHandling #MineWasteValorisation #CircularEconomy