AMIRA

Last updated

AMIRA Global Ltd
Company typeNot–for–profit
IndustryResearch and development
Founded1959;65 years ago (1959) in Melbourne, Victoria
Founder CSIRO
Headquarters
Perth, Western Australia
Key people
 Sir Lindesay Clark (former councillor)
Beryl Jacka (former Secretary)
Jim May (former CEO)
Revenue $7.8 million (2014) [1]
Number of employees
30–50
Website amira.global

Australian Minerals Industry Research Association Limited (AMIRA), now AMIRA Global is a mining research and development organisation that was founded in 1959 in Melbourne, Australia. [2] In the early 2000s, the association changed its name to AMIRA Global, in order to incorporate its international connections. [3] [2]

Contents

History

AMIRA first formed in 1959 by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), in order to support the growing mining industry’s research component. [4] In a 1961 letter from the University of Queensland (UQ), to the inaugural secretary of AMIRA, Beryl Jacka, detailed the foundational aspirations of the new organisation. [4] This was to “facilitate the technological advancement of its members in the coal, petroleum and associated industries”. [4] However, for the first decade of its existence, it struggled to make ends meet. In addition, there was no permanent CEO of the not for profit organisation until July 1968. [4] In that year, Jim May was appointed AMIRA’s first full time CEO in which he served in this capacity until his retirement in 1994. In that time, May initiated the ‘AMIRA model’ in which research and development (R&D) collaborative methods were introduced throughout the organisation. [5] Thus, by the 1980s, AMIRA became the preferred mechanism for minerals research in Australia and many other countries as the organisation began to spread beyond Australia. Some of those countries that AMIRA has and maintains strong connections is Chile, South Africa and the United States to name a few. [6] Upon May’s retirement, the organisation had grown to encompass over 50 staff with 70 projects valued at over $30 million. [5] From the 1990s, AMIRA remained a leading research body for many large mining companies. However, it changed its name to simply ‘AMIRA’ in order to reflect the international approach the company was becoming. Moreover, as the organisation began to branch further out from its beginnings in Melbourne, the company moved its base to Perth, Western Australia, in order to be closer to the mineral industry in the state. [4]

Between 1973 and 2004, AMIRA won various prizes in the mining industry through its research. This included the Prince Philip prize for industrial design in 1973, and the Eureka Australian Museum Prize for industry in 1992, respectively. [7]

Company heads

Below, lists the CEOs of AMIRA since its first permanent full time CEO was appointed in 1968 to the present. [4] [3]

CEOs of AMIRA Limited
OrderMDs / CEOsPeriodReference
1Dr Jim May AM 1968–1994 [6]
2Unknown person1994–2004
3Deming Whitman2004–2009 [8]
4Unknown person2009–2012
5Joe Cucuzza2012–2019 [9]
6Dr Jacqui Coombes2019–2023 [10]
7Vaughan Chamberlain2023–present [11]

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Sir Gordon Colvin Lindesay ClarkFAusIMM was a renowned Australian mining engineer and company director. He had a profound influence on the metallurgical industry in Australia and on the attitudes of many of its later leaders. Over four decades, he was instrumental in transforming Western Mining Corporation from a small gold miner into a diversified giant.

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Frank Thomas Matthews WhiteFGS FIM FIMM FIMinE FAusIMM FGSA FCIM (1909–1971) was an Australian mining and metallurgical engineer and mineral science educator. His career included appointments in Australia, Fiji, Malaya, and Canada.

Sir George Read FisherHonFAusIMM was one of Australia's leading mining executives. In 2019, he was posthumously inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame in recognition of his eminent business leadership, driving the long-term success of Mount Isa Mines and Mount Isa's growth and development as a city.

Alban Jude LynchAOHonFAusIMM was a mining engineer and academic who helped develop the mineral processing teaching experience for mining students in Australia.

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John RalstonAO FAA FTSE FRACI HonFAusIMM is a physical and colloid chemist with training in metallurgy, whose research embraces various aspects of interfacial science and engineering. He was made the Professor at the School of Chemical Technology at the University of South Australia (UniSA) in 1984. In addition, he was the Director of the Sir Ian Wark Research Institute of the UniSA between 1994 and 2012. Ralston was awarded South Australian of the Year in 2007 due to his research.

References

  1. ↑ "AMIRA International Company Profile". AMIRA. 2009. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  2. 1 2 "AMIRA". AMIRA Global. 8 January 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Australian Mineral Industries Research Association Limited (AMIRA)". Swinburne University of Technology. 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Burgin, Robert (2021). "THE NEXT MOVE: 50 Years of the JKMCR" (PDF). The University of Queensland . pp. 13, 14, 15. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  5. 1 2 "James May". Alumni and Community. The University of Queensland. 8 January 2016.
  6. 1 2 Dr Richard May (26 August 2023). "Outstanding Contribution Advanced Mineral Research and Technology". The Age.
  7. ↑ "Prizes and Awards". AMIRA. 31 August 2023.
  8. ↑ "Deming Whitman". AMIRA. 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  9. ↑ "Amira Global Newsflash". AMIRA. 15 December 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  10. ↑ "Jacqui Coombes – Amira". AMIRA. 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  11. ↑ "Vaughan Chamberlain – Amira". AMIRA. 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
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