Earth and Environmental Sciences

Photo of Prof Patrick Foster

Prof Patrick Foster

Assoc. Professor in Mine Safety, Director of CSM

 P.J.Foster@exeter.ac.uk

 01326 371828

Overview

Dr Patrick Foster is the Director of Education and Associate Professor in Mine Safety at the Camborne School of Mines where he lectures and undertakes research into the health, safety and working environment aspects of mining and quarrying. His particular research interests are in safety management systems, human factors, risk management, surveying and underground communications.

He graduated in Mining Engineering from the University of Nottingham and continued there to undertake a PhD looking into safety risk assessment in the mining industry supported by British Coal. He then joined International Mining Consultants Ltd as a Mine Safety Consultant where he was involved in health & safety management system audits, risk assessment training and research in the UK, India and South Africa.

Professional Body Membership & Qualifications

  • Chartered Engineer
  • Chartered Health & Safety Practitioner (CMIOSH)
  • Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining
  • Fellow of the Mine Ventilation Society of South Africa
  • Fellow of the Institute of Quarrying
  • Council Member - Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (2003-2009, 2011- 2016)
  • Council Member - Mining Association of the United Kingdom (2008 - present)
  • President - Cornish Institute of Engineers (2012 - 2015
  • MSG Mining Industry Representative on the UK's Extractives Industry Transparency Initiative (2014 - Present)
  • Chair - Mining Technology Division of IOM3 (2011-2016)
  • Member - HSE Quarry National Joint Advisory Committee (2001-present)
  • Member - HSE Safety in Mines Research Advisory Board (2009-present)
  • Member of DTI (UKT&I) Mining Trade Advisory Group (2003-2006)
  • Member of DTI UK-Queensland Mining Working Group (UKT&I) (2005/6)

EXPERIENCE

2000 to present: Camborne School of Mines (University of Exeter)

2016 to present: Associate Professor in Mine Safety

2004 to 2016: Senior Lecturer in Mining Engineering

Lecturing and Research in health, safety and working environmental aspects of Mining Engineering.

  • Lecture subjects include Health & Safety Management, Mine Ventilation & Surveying;
  • Research interests are: Safety Risk Management Techniques & Applications, Human Factors and Ergonomics, HS&E Management Systems and their effectiveness, Behavioural Safety

2014 to present: CSM Director of Education

2002 to 2014: Statutory Mine Manager, CSM Test Mine

1996 - 2000: International Mining Consultants Ltd

Based in the UK and South Africa. Work included consultancy, project management and contract research on several major mining projects both in the UK and internationally. These have included:

  • Study of the health and safety management provisions of Indian coal mines as part of a World Bank funded programme to improve the Environmental and Social management of India’s coal mining operations.
  • Auditing the health and safety systems of mines in the UK against the requirements of UK legislation and international best practice.
  • Undertaking Initial Status reviews against the requirements of BS8800/OHSAS18001 in South African coal mining operations (both surface and underground).
  • Research studying the efficiency of mining transport operations, application of virtual reality to mining operations, safety of remote control mining operations & the safe application of small incline and vertical winder systems.
  • Design and implementation of a corporation wide health and safety risk management system for a major South African mining house.

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Publications

Copyright Notice: Any articles made available for download are for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the copyright holder.

| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 1996 | 1995 |

2023

2022

2021

2020

  • Foster P, Bedford M, Rodriguez A. (2020) Low Cost Leaky Feeder Communication for Mines Rescue, Transactions of the Institutions of Mining and Metallurgy Section A: Mining Technology.
  • Theobald E, Hosken DJ, Foster P, Moyes K. (2020) Mines and bats: the impact of open-pit mining on bat activity, ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA, volume 22, no. 1, pages 157-166, DOI:10.3161/15081109ACC2020.22.1.014. [PDF]

2019

2018

  • Daya P, Hughes HSR, Bybee G, Kerr M, Kinnaird J, Foster P. (2018) Understanding gas explosions in the platinum mines of the Bushveld Complex using applied fluid inclusion and gas chromatography studies, American Geoscience Union (AGU), 10th - 14th Dec 2018.
  • Daya P, Hughes HSR, Bybee G, Foster P, Kinnaird J. (2018) Assessing the petrology and petrogenesis of lamprophyric dykes in the Bushveld Complex, and understanding the causes of explosive gas outbursts, 1st - 2nd Jun 2018.

2017

2016

2015

2014

  • Cluff D, Kennedy G, Foster PJ. (2014) Liquid Air for Energy Storage, Auto Compression, Compressed Air and Ventilation in Deep Mining, Deep Mining 2014, Sudbury, 16th - 18th Sep 2014.
  • Foster PJ, Joy J. (2014) Risk Management in Mines, Ventilation and Occupational Environment Engineering in Mines, Mine Ventilational Society of South Africa, 915-930.
  • Navidi A, Ziaii M, Afzal P, Yasrebi AB, Wetherelt A, Foster PJ. (2014) Determination of Chromites Prospects using Multifractal Models and Zonality Index in the Parang 1:100000 Sheet, Iran, Universal Journal of Geoscience, volume 2, no. 4, pages 133-139, DOI:10.13189/ujg2014.020404. [PDF]
  • Eyre M, Foster PJ. (2014) The Benefits of Laser Scanning & 3D Modelling in Mine Accident Investigations, CIM Covention 2014, Vancouver, Canada, 12th - 14th May 2014.
  • Foster PJ, Lyle G. (2014) Application of Bowtie Analysis in Assessing the Risk of Major Hazards in the Mining Industry, CIM Covention 2014, Vancouver, Canada, 12th - 14th May 2014.
  • Eyre M, Pascoe D, Foster PJ, Coggan J. (2014) Digital Data Acquisition for Effective Slope Management, 22nd UK National Conference of the Association for Computational Mechanics in Engineering, Exeter, Uk, 2nd - 4th Apr 2014.
  • Yesrebi AB, Wetherelt A, Foster PJ, Coggan J, Afzal P. (2014) Application of a Density-Number (D-N) Fractal Modelling to correlate mineralised zones in Kahang Cu-Mo Porphyry Deposit, 22nd UK Conference of the Association for Computational Mechanics in Engineering, Exeter, Uk, 2nd - 4th Apr 2014.
  • Yasrebi AB, Wetherelt A, Foster PJ, Coggan J, Afzal P, Agterberg F, Ahangaran DK. (2014) Application of a density–volume fractal model for rock characterisation of the Kahang porphyry deposit, International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, volume 66, pages 188-193.

2013

  • Eyre M, Foster PJ, Jobling Purser J. (2013) The Benefits of Laser Scanning & 3D Modelling in Accident Investigation: In a Mining Context, 35th International Conference of Safety in Mines Research Institutes, London, 15th - 17th Oct 2014.
  • Foster PJ, Severn R. (2013) Roof fall Major Hazard Analysis with Bowtie Diagrams, 35th International Conference of Safety in Mines Research Institutes, London, 15th - 17th Oct 2014.
  • Williams NC, Kennedy GA, Foster PJ. (2013) Electrical demand reduction and response strategies for underground mining, 23rd World Mining Congress, Montreal, 12th - 14th Aug 2013.
  • Bennett JG, Kennedy GA, Foster PJ, Williams NC, Cluff DL, Clifford T. (2013) Low Carbon Coal Mining - A Contradicton or an Opportunity, 23rd World Mining Congress, Montreal, 12th - 14th Aug 2013.
  • Yasrebi AB, Wetherelt A, Foster PJ, Afzal P, Coggan J, Kaveh Ahangaran D. (2013) Application of RQD-Number and RQD-Volume multifractal modelling to delineate rock mass characterisation in Kahang Cu-Mo porphyry deposit, central Iran, Arch. Min. Sci, volume 58, pages 1023-1035.
  • Yasrebi AB, Wetherelt A, Foster PJ, Afzal P, Ahangaran DK, Esfashanipour R. (2013) Significant Factors that Influence Motivation of Employees within the Mining Sector, Mine Planning & Equipment Selection 2013, Dresden, Germany, 14th - 19th Oct 2013.
  • Yasrebi AB, Afzal P, Wetherelt A, Foster PJ, Esfahanipour R. (2013) Correlation between geology and concentration-volume fractal models: significance for Cu and Mo mineralized zones separation in the Kahang porphyry deposit (Central Iran), Geologica Carpathica, volume 64, no. 2, pages 153-163.
  • Foster PJ, Lyle G. (2013) Application of BowTie Analysis in Assessing the Risk of Major Hazards in the Mining Industry, 23rd World Mining Congress, Montreal, 12th - 14th Aug 2013.
  • Bennett J, Kennedy G, Foster PJ, Williams N, Cluff D, Clifford T. (2013) Low Carbon Coal Mining - A Contradicton or an Opportunity, 23rd World Mining Congress, Montreal, 12th - 14th Aug 2013.
  • Williams N, Kennedy G, Foster PJ. (2013) Electrical Demand Reduction and Response Strategies for Underground Mining, 23rd World Mining Congress, Montreal, 12th - 14th Aug 2013.
  • Foster PJ, Barnes S, Flumm L, Jobling-Purser J, Stroh F. (2013) Accident Scene Reconstruction in Underground Mining Operations, PositionIT, no. 46, pages 30-34. [PDF]

2012

  • Ahangaran DK, Nikzad M, Zomorodian A, Wetherelt A, Foster PJ, Yasrebi AB, Afzal P. (2012) Powder factor prediction in Urmia cement mine utilising Neural Network, 12th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference and EXPO - Modern Management of Mine Producing, Geology and Environmental Protection, SGEM 2012, volume 1, pages 729-736.
  • Yasrebi AB, Afzal P, Wetherelt A, Foster PJ, Esfahanipour R, Parvaz D. (2012) 3D lithology, alteration and zonation modelling of the eastern part of kahang cu-mo-au porphyry deposit in central Iran, 12th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference and EXPO - Modern Management of Mine Producing, Geology and Environmental Protection, SGEM 2012, volume 1, pages 417-423.
  • Ahangaran DK, Yasrebi AB, Wetherelt A, Foster PJ. (2012) Real Time Dispatching Modelling for Trucks with Different Capacities in Open pit Mines, Archives of Mining Sciences, volume 57, no. 1, pages 39-52.

2011

  • Ahangaran DK, Afzal P, Yasrebi AB, Wetherelt A, Foster PJ, Darestani RA. (2011) An Evaluation of the Quality of Metallurgical Coking Coal Seams with the North Block of Eastern Parvadeh Coal Deposit, Tabas, Central Iran, Journal of Mining and Metallurgy, volume 47, no. A(1), pages 1-16.
  • Yasrebi AB, Wetherelt A, Foster PJ, Afzal P. (2011) Determination and Analysis of Final Pit Limit of Esfordi Phosphate Open Pit Mine, 22nd World Mining Congress & Expo, Turkey, 11th - 16th Sep 2011.
  • Kennedy G, Bedford M, Foster PJ, Jones B. (2011) Underground Tracking and Positioning Techniques using Wireless Mesh Networking Technology, 34th International Conference of Safety in Mines Research Institutes, New Delhi, India, 7th - 10th Dec 2011.
  • Foster PJ, Hoult S. (2011) Development and Use of a Safety Maturity Model as a Safety Assurance Tool in UK Coal Operations, 34th International Conference of Safety in Mines Research Institutes, New Delhi, India, 7th - 10th Dec 2011.

2010

  • Barnes S, Foster PJ, Flumn L, Stroh F, Jobling-Purser J. (2010) The use of laser scanning and 3D modelling for accident scene reconstruction in underground mining operations, XIV Congress of the International Society of Mine Surveying, Sun City, South Africa, 20th - 24th Sep 2010.
  • Barnes S, Foster PJ, Jobling-Purser JA, Flumn L. (2010) The use of laser scanning and 3D modelling for accident scene reconstruction in underground mining operations, International Society for Mine Surveying 14th Congress, Sun City, South Africa, 20th - 24th Sep 2010.
  • Kennedy GA, Foster PJ, Faulks I, Brenkley D, Jones B. (2010) Wireless mesh network characteristics, performance and safety applications underground, 3rd International Conference on Wireless Communication in Underground and Confined Areas, Val-d’or, Québec, Canada, 23rd - 25th Aug 2010.

2008

  • Foster PJ, Parand A, Bennett JG. (2008) Improving the safety performance of the UK quarrying industry through a behavioural based safety intervention, Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, volume 108, no. 11, pages 683-690.
  • Foster PJ. (2008) The Risk Management Journey, Safety in Deep Mining, Johannesburg, 15th - 17th Jul 2008.

2007

  • Foster PJ, Bennett J, Parand A. (2007) Behavioural Safety & Performance Indicators: Research Based Approaches undertaken in the UK Quarrying Industry, 32nd Conference of Safety in Mines Research Institutes, Beijing, China, 28th - 29th Sep 2007.
  • Bennett, J.. (2007) Leading Indicators of Health and Safety Performance - A Qualitative Assessment of Improvement Processes within a large Industrial Company, Safety Science.
  • Foster PJ, Brenkley D, Faulkes CI, Kennedy G. (2007) Improving Underground Mine Safety with High Resilience Mesh Smark Sensor Networks, 32nd Conference of Safety in Mines Research Institutes, Beijing, China, 27th - 29th Sep 2007.
  • Foster PJ. (2007) Developing an industry-specific approach to a safety management system, Policy and Practice in Health and Safety, volume 5, no. 1, pages 37-59.
  • Bennett J, Foster P. (2007) Developing an industry-specific approach to a safety management system, Policy and Practice in Health and Safety, volume 05.1.

2006

  • Foster PJ. (2006) Modelling Potential SIghtline Improvements to Underground Mining Vehicles using Virtual Reality, Mining Technology, volume 115, no. 3, pages 85-90.
  • Kennedy GA, Foster PJ. (2006) High resilience networks and microwave propagation in underground mines, Proceedings of the 9th European Conference on Wireless Technology, ECWT 2006, pages 193-196, DOI:10.1109/ECWT.2006.280468.
  • Foster PJ. (2006) Improving Safety in the UK Quarrying Industry through the Hard Target & Behavioural Safety, ICMM Health & Safety Conference, Johannesburg, 14th - 16th Nov 2006. [PDF]
  • Foster PJ, Parand A. (2006) Behavioural Based Safety in the Minerals Industry: A Research Based Methodology Carried out in the UK Quarrying Sector, QRC Mining Health & Safety Conference, Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 1st - 1st Aug 2006.

2005

  • Jobling-Purser, J., Kennedy, G.. (2005) Underground Void Visualisation using a low-cost automated ROV, 31st International Conference of Safety in Mines Research Institutes, Brisbane, 2nd - 5th Oct 2005.
  • Kennedy, G.. (2005) Low-Power Wireless Mesh Networks in Underground Mining, Bulletin of the Australasian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy, volume March/April, pages 60-67.
  • Bennett J, Foster P. (2005) Predicting Progress: the use of leading indicators in occupational health and safety, Policy and Practice in Health and Safety, volume 03.2.
  • Kennedy GA, Foster PJ. (2005) Low-power Wireless Mesh Networks In Underground Mining, AusIMM Bulletin, pages 60-67.
  • Foster PJ. (2005) Hard Tergets: Improving Safety in the UK Quarrying Sector, Journal of the Mine Ventilation Society of South Africa, volume 58, no. 1, pages 14-17.
  • Foster PJ, Bennett J. (2005) Predicting Progress: The Use of Leading Indicators in Occupational Health and Safety, Policy & Practice in Health and Safety, volume 3, no. 2, pages 77-90.

2004

  • Wetherelt, A., Jobling-Purser, J.. (2004) Underground Void Visualisation using a Low Cost Laser based System, 1st FIG International Symposium on Engineering Surveys for Construction Works and Structural Engineering, Nottingham, 1st - 1st Jun 2004.

2003

  • Foster PJ. (2003) Health and Safety in Quarrying, Quarry Management, volume 30, no. 7, pages 57-65.
  • Foster PJ. (2003) Health and Safety in Quarrying - Part Five: Management of Health Risks, Quarry Management, volume 30, no. 9, pages 47-53.
  • Foster PJ. (2003) Health and safety in quarrying - Part two: Health and safety management systems, Quarry Management, volume 30, no. 3, pages 43-48.
  • Burton, A.. (2003) Virtual Reality in Improving Mining Ergonomics, Journal of the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, volume 103, no. 1, pages 129-133.

1996

  • Staley BG, Foster PJ. (1996) Investigating accidents and incidents effectively, Mining Technology, volume 78, no. 895, pages 67-70.

1995

  • Foster PJ, Edwards JS. (1995) Planning for safety: The use of risk assessment, MINE PLANNING AND EQUIPMENT SELECTION 1995, pages 49-55. [PDF]

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