Michael Barker

Principal Engineer

Michael is a highly experienced mining professional with over 25 years’ experience in the mining sector, 14 years in operations and 12 years in consulting, who has an unrelenting focus on maximising margin through identification of high value products, cost reduction initiatives and benchmark productivities.

His ability to challenge existing assumptions and identify innovative technical solutions through rigorous technical processes backed by a strong operational background flows through into “real world” project assessment and design.

Michael has extensive experience in the management of all facets of technical services including mine design, subsidence management, spontaneous combustion, complex geological and geotechnical conditions, gas drainage and difficult ventilation circuits.

This deep technical knowledge results in high productivity mine design and equipment selection, from exploration through to beneficiation, including the approval processes. Michael complements his extensive mining experience with an intimate knowledge of feasibility studies, resource development processes and how the various disciplines interact.

His achievements include major operational improvements in safety and productivity both locally in Australia and Internationally with experience across 10 different countries.

Michael joined Enable in 2021 after spending 13 years working at a consulting firm, where he completed over 300 projects across multiple areas including:

• Feasibility studies – Over 50 studies completed in both open cut and underground projects locally and international experience including Turkey, Indonesia, Canada, UK, Russia, USA, New Zealand.
• Due diligence – experience with both buyer side and vendor due diligence in underground and open cut coal including ITER reporting.
• Experience across a range of commodities including coal, coal seam gas, copper / gold / lead / zinc and potash.
• JORC competent person Reserves for both underground and open cut coal with almost 20yrs experience in Resource/Reserve estimation. Experienced with several internal reporting codes including NI43-101, SAMREC and SEC guidelines (US).
• Financial assessment – including financial modelling and optimisation.
• Mine planning – with experience across a range of mining methods including longwall, bord & pillar, multiple continuous miner methods, dragline, truck/shovel, bucket wheel excavator.
• Decarbonisation – development of coal mine gas utilisation and destruction including power generation, gas to LNG conversion, CNG/LNG equipment conversion, gas flaring. Australian carbon credit assessment and carbon abatement project comparison (MACC)Michael is a qualified ventilation officer with experience in gas drainage, outburst, spontaneous combustion and heat management.