OBJECTIVES & WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Course Objectives: By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify the data required for slope design.
• Comprehend laboratory strength data for pit slope characterization.
• Grasp the fundamental components of pit slope.
• Recognize the significance of managing water in pit slopes.
• Understand the impact of wall control blasting on wall stability and pit slope optimization.
• Design and implement monitoring systems and ground control strategies.
• Address practical slope stability challenges using real-world case studies.

This course is ideal:

• Mining engineers and geotechnical engineers
• Geologists involved in open pit stability assessments
• Mine planners and operations managers
• Safety professionals working with ground control engineers
• Students and recent graduates seeking to enhance their knowledge of geomechanics and its applications in mining

Date:             21 September – 25 September, 2026

Time:             8:30am – 5:00pm GMT each day

Location:      Busua Beach Resort – Ghana

Fees:              Course fees are in US Dollars (exclusive of taxes)     

Regular: US$1,650

Early bird: US$1,550 (before 10^th August 2026)

Multi-person (>2) and WAIMM members: US$1,450 (before 15th September 2026)

Registration Deadline:    15th September 2026

COURSE CONTENT

Day 1: Open-Pit Mining Geomechanical Fundamentals & Geological Data Requirements

• Difference between geomechanical engineering and conventional civil engineering.
• Importance of pit slope design in mining operations.
• Key factors in slope design: Safety, economics, environmental impact, legal considerations, and infrastructure.
• Geological data requirements for pit slope design.
• Laboratory testing for soil and rock strength: Uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), triaxial tests, direct shear tests, etc.
• Principles and classification of rock mass strength, including typical values.

Day 2: Slope Stability Analysis & Design Criteria

• Kinematic analysis: Plane failure, wedge failure, toppling failure.
• Analysis approaches: Limit equilibrium vs. numerical methods.
• Simple examples of slope stability analysis (Rocscience Slide, RocSlope, RocFall, etc.)
• Selection criteria for slope angles and design acceptance.
• Models for the pit slope design process
• Pit slope components: Bench design, inter-ramp design, and overall slope design.
• Inter-ramp analysis with cost-benefit integration.
• Overall analysis with cost-benefit integration

Day 3: Slope Monitoring & Risk Management

• Managing slope performance and mitigating risks in open-pit mines.
• Developing and implementing ground control plans.
• Creating and applying Trigger Action Response Plans (TARPs).
• Real-time slope monitoring systems and instrumentation.
• Predicting failures using inverse velocity analysis.
• Water management strategies: Pore pressure control, depressurization, and dewatering techniques.
• Back analysis vs. forward analysis for slope evaluation.
• Introduction to wall control blasting techniques for enhanced safety.
• Rockfall hazards and mitigation methods.

Day 4: Case Studies, Practical Applications & Future Considerations

• Learning from past slope failures: Key lessons and slope optimization strategies.
• Geotechnical life-of-mine (LOM) review examples.
• Final evaluation and knowledge consolidation.

COURSE PRESENTERS

Frank Lloyd-Mills, Senior Geomechanical Engineer, Knight Piesold , Knight Piesold and Co, USA (Main Presenter)

Frank Lloyd-Mills is a distinguished Mining Geomechanical Engineer with more than 20 years of extensive experience in the design, implementation, monitoring, and risk management of open-pit mining operations. His comprehensive understanding of geomechanics and a strong emphasis on operational efficiency have played a crucial role in optimizing pit stability, ensuring safety, and enhancing productivity across mining operations globally. Throughout his esteemed career, Frank Lloyd-Mills has effectively led geotechnical teams in the development and execution of slope stability programs and risk mitigation strategies, consistently adhering to industry standards and best practices. His expertise in slope design implementation and effective depressurization techniques has significantly reduced operational costs while improving geotechnical performance in mining operations. Until recently, Frank was the Group Principal Geomechanical Engineer at Imerys, a global leader in mineral-based specialty solutions. Frank Lloyd-Mills continues to foster innovation and establish best practices in geomechanics, thereby assisting mining operations in achieving optimal economic and technical results. Frank recently joined Knight Piesold and Co., USA as a Senior Geomechanical Engineer.

Scott Cylwik, Vice President / Geological Engineer, Call and Nicholas Inc., USA (Guest Presenter)

Scott Cylwik has 18 years’ experience as a geotechnical consultant for open pit mine slope stability.  He earned his M.Sc. in Civil Engineering from UC-Berkeley and B.S. from the University of Arizona in Geological Engineering and is a registered professional engineer in 6 US states.  He has worked on over one hundred open pit mine slope stability projects on five continents.  His specialty areas include slope stability, rock mechanics, and shear strength of materials.  He has published research articles on rock mass shear strength, core orientation, anisotropic strengths, numerical modeling, probabilistic analysis, and experimental rock testing. He is a qualified person in geotechnical engineering for reporting and review boards per SK-1300, CIM, and 43-101.

Reginald Hammah, PhD, Director, RocScience Africa (Guest presenter)

Dr. Reginald Hammah is the Chief Scientific Officer at Rocscience, a leading provider of geotechnical software solutions, and he also serves as the Director of Rocscience Africa. He holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering with a specialization in Rock Mechanics from the University of Toronto, Canada, and a Master’s degree from the Zaporozhye Industrial Institute in Ukraine. Dr. Hammah has played a pivotal role in advancing geotechnical engineering, particularly in Africa, and he has been integral to Rocscience’s global expansion and technical leadership. He has served as the Technical Chair for major industry conferences, including the Rocscience International Conference, and is recognized for his expertise in geomechanics, numerical modeling, and risk management in mining and civil engineering. Additionally, Dr. Hammah is an accomplished editor and contributor to technical publications in the field.

Stefano Utili, Professor, Geotechnical Engineering Department, University of Newcastle, UK (Guest presenter)

Professor Stefano Utili is a Full Professor of Geotechnical Engineering at Newcastle University, United Kingdom. He holds a first degree in Structural Engineering and a doctorate in Geotechnical Engineering. prior to his appointment at Newcastle he served as Lecturer at the University of Oxford (2008–2011) and Associate Professor at the University of Warwick (2011–2016). He is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and is a member of the International Technical Committee 208 on Slope Stability in Engineering Practice. His principal research areas include slope stability, limit analysis, the distinct element method, granular materials, and bonded geomaterials, with a Google Scholar citation count exceeding 4,500. He serves on the editorial boards of several leading international journals including Engineering Geology, Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, and Landslides, and has published extensively on slope stability assessment and mine pitwall design for over 20 years. He is also the founder of OptimalSlope Ltd, a company commercialising researchbased slope optimisation tools for the mining industry.

Rami Abousleiman, PhD, Project Geomechanical Engineer, Knight Piesold and Co, USA (Guest presenter)

Rami Abousleiman has 12 years of geological and geomechanical engineering experience as a consultant supporting environmental, civil, and mining industry projects with a focus on slope stability and rock mechanics.

He earned his Ph.D. in Geological Engineering from Colorado School of Mines and his B.Sc. from Rutgers University in Geological Sciences. His specialty areas include site characterization, domain definition, advanced numerical modeling, probabilistic analyses, and operational support/auditing.

He has published research in conference proceedings and journals, primarily on rock mass shear strength characterization and discrete-element method numerical models.

CONTACT US:

Please contact the WAIMM office on +233 558073244 or send email to events@waimm.org for any further information about the course and we would gladly get back to you.