Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical Engineering, University of Cape Town, South Africa).
Ernst has worked within a variety of operations in Rio Tinto in the past 18 years, and prior to that in De Beers (5 years). His commodity experience spans diamonds (De Beers, Argyle Diamonds), uranium (Rössing) and iron ore (Rio Tinto Iron Ore (RTIO)), and he has filled senior roles in the operating and corporate environments.
In recent years Ernst has been involved in developing and embedding a technology division within RTIO, under the Mine of the Future brand and with the intent to progress ‘near-ready’ technologies into existing or new iron ore projects. His technology project involvement included automated heavy haul trains; mechanical rock (or surface) mining; advanced sensing in an open pit environment; remote control centre operations; innovative conveying and renewable energy opportunities. One of his projects included equipment trials on the Simandou iron ore project in Guinea in West Africa, while the project works provided to access to a variety of global technology providers, including: General Electric (GE) Technology in Schenectady/ New York; Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); Honeybee Robotics (NASA associated company); and various universities in Europe and Australia.
His strengths lie in the analysis and synthesis of technical and strategic opportunities and issues facing resource companies, and developing integrated and sustainable solution pathways for implementation.
