Fran Burgess

Process Manager, QLD

Fran is passionate about safety, people, the environment and driving innovation in the mining sector. She has a fundamental belief in people and values teamwork, working in cross functional teams and developing people to be the best version of themselves.
Based
Brisbane
Languages
English

Fran is a metallurgist with more than 40 years’ experience in the mining industry, having worked for various mining companies throughout her career. She has an extensive operational background in running mines, mineral processing plants and smelters, most notably the lead smelter at Mt Isa. Fran is a strong believer that getting safety “right” i.e., zero injuries, will lead to good discipline and success in other aspects of business.

Fran also believes that you create your own miracles from determination and hard work and has done so many times in her career, such as significant zinc recovery improvement at Pasminco Elura Mine using stirred mill detritors, the ramp up of Pasminco Century to achieve the planned recovery regardless of the feed grade and the feed tonnage, and changing the safety culture at a zinc processing plant in Mt Isa and Zinifex Rosebery Mine.

Fran has completed four degrees including an MBA and Environmental Management undergraduate degree. She is a Fellow of AusIMM and is a chartered professional in metallurgy (CP(Met)). To give back to the mining industry, Fran has done extensive mentoring with WIMARQ and has been an AusIMM mentor in 2022 and 2023 and WIMnet NSW in 2015. Fran is the Chair of the Chartered Professional Program for the AusIMM and a past member of the Professional Conduct Committee.

Country experience:

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • Chile
  • Colombia
  • Cuba
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • Italy
  • Ivory Coast
  • Laos
  • Peru
  • Sudan
  • Switzerland
  • United States
  • Zambia