Independent Technical Assurance
Independent review, challenge and governance of mining projects and operations for boards and investment committees requiring an opinion free from project-team interests.
Established 1990
Seltrust Associates
Independent Mining Engineering
Gavin A. Ferguson, CEng MIMM — independent underground mining consultant specialising in cave mining, mine geomechanics, technical assurance and quantitative decision support.
Discuss an assignment →Trusted by major mining companies, government organisations and independent review boards across five continents.
The practice
Independent underground mining judgement.
Clear advice.
Clients call upon the professional judgement of Gavin A. Ferguson — a Chartered Mining Engineer with a doctorate in cave mining engineering design, in continuous practice since 1968 across mining operations worldwide.
His work has centred principally on underground mines, including block cave and sublevel cave operations, mine geomechanics, feasibility review and strategic mine planning. Each engagement draws on accumulated experience that no report template or standardised methodology can replicate. Seltrust is a principal-led professional practice, working with established specialist associates where an assignment requires complementary expertise.
BSc Hons (Mining) · MPhil (Engineering Ground Support) · PhD (Cave Mining Engineering Design, University of Leeds, 2024) · CEng MIMM
Underground mining expertise
Selected services
Independent technical assurance, cave mining and geomechanics expertise for assignments where clarity of thought materially affects the decision.
Independent Technical Review Boards
Chair or member of geomechanics, peer review, investment and risk panels, including review boards for Newcrest Mining, Codelco and Rio Tinto.
Strategic Mining Advice
Senior strategic advice to mining executives and boards, focused on clear thinking, direction and decision support at the highest level.
Quantitative Decision Support
Multi-criteria decision making, AHP, ANP, Monte Carlo simulation, risk and uncertainty analysis applied to method choice, capital allocation and project ranking.
Expert Evidence & Arbitration Support
Technical support for international arbitration and litigation, including independent expert opinion, review of evidence and clear explanation of complex mining issues.
Independent Mine Planning & Design Review
Independent review of mine plans, geomechanics, feasibility studies and design assumptions, with particular expertise in cave mining and challenging geomechanical environments.
Selected assignments
Experience in context
Representative commissions, grouped by the nature of the professional contribution rather than chronology.
Independent Review Boards
Newcrest Mining — Caving Panel Chair for Cadia East, Telfer and Wafi-Golpu. BHP Resolution — member of the Independent Review Panel for the Resolution Project, Arizona.
Technical Assurance
Codelco-Chile — independent reviews of El Teniente, Chuquicamata Underground and Andina; submissions to the Investment Committee; geomechanics board service and risk-based decision protocols.
Technical Assurance
Rio Tinto / Oyu Tolgoi, 2018–March 2026 — multi-criteria decision protocol using the Saaty methodology and an independent presentation on the history of caving at El Teniente.
Government Advice
Ireland — regulation of State Mining Leases and Licences and risk management for Galmoy Mine closure. Kyrgyzstan — independent review of the Kumtor open pit.
Major Capital Projects
MCM Zambia — seconded to management to re-establish planning protocols and reduce costs.
International Due Diligence
CSA Global, Tetra Tech and AMEC — due diligence, peer review and feasibility assignments across Africa, Central Asia, Eastern Europe and the Americas.
Published work
Selected publications
Research and professional writing spanning cave mining, geomechanics, project management and quantitative decision-making.
- Catalan, A. & Ferguson, G. (2026). Evaluation of caving mining methods through multi-criteria decision-making: an integrated AHP–ANP methodology. Caving 2026, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth.
- Ferguson et al. (2018). Strategy for research and development in the cave mining industry. Fourth International Symposium on Block and Sublevel Caving, Perth.
- Ferguson et al. (2017). Cave mining design methodology for use in challenging geomechanics environments. First International Conference on Underground Mining Technology, Perth.
- Caving Geomechanics. Comprehensive Rock Engineering, Pergamon Press, 1993.
- Brown, E.T. & Ferguson, G.A. (1979). Prediction of progressive hangingwall caving at Gath’s Mine. Transactions of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, Vol. 88.
Enquiries
A limited number of assignments are accepted each year.
Assignments are selected for their technical interest and the value that independent professional judgement can bring.