


Merinda Westcott has a B.Eng (Chemical) from the University of Pretoria. She has worked in the advanced control field for twelve years, with SGS and BluESP, including being the business unit leader (APC). Before moving to the control field she was with Impala Platinum (the world’s second-largest platinum producer) for twelve years, holding various positions.
Merinda has implemented projects in various minerals fields, including: copper, lead-zinc, iron ore, diamonds and platinum. Merinda is a registered Professional Engineer with ECSA.
Andrew Carr is an experienced control engineer who has specialised in Multivariable Control of refinery process units. He has supervised Advanced Control groups at SPRC Thailand and Caltex Cape Town as well as having consulted at Batangas Phillipines and for Technip Abu Dhabi.
He was commissioning manager with UTS Kent responsible for instrumentation and DCS installation for the Borouge Ethylene Plant at Ruwais Abu Dhabi and Superintendent Control Applications at BAPCO, Bahrain where he supervised refinery controls and the installation of a refinery power plant optimiser. His interests are industrial process control and developing DCS resident multivariable control.”
Johann Botha has a B.Eng and B.Eng Honours from the University of Pretoria. He aims to solve process problems, using advanced process control and knowledge-based techniques, modelling and data analysis, and delivering a safe, sustainable solution. His process control experience lies mainly in the metals, mining and minerals industries, specifically iron ore, platinum, copper, ferrochrome, iron making, cement and lime.
In executing APC projects, Johann has realised benefits such as
• increased throughput, typically greater than 4% on comminution circuits
• improved efficiencies – e.g. kiln specific energy consumption improved by more than 3%, and
• improved qualities – e.g. 40% reduction in the standard deviation of residual lime
while always being cognisant of safety and environmental requirements.
He has helped develop advanced control platforms, including model predictive controllers, modelling software as well as various utilities that simplify the engineering workflow. He finds empowering others through knowledge transfer and mentoring extremely rewarding.