Rehabilitation, risk assessment and risk management
Dr Philip Tanner obtained the BSc Agric (Hons) degree from the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (1969), the MPhil (Soil Science) from the University of Rhodesia (1976) and PhD (Science) from the University of London (1989). Phil worked for 16 years at the Soil Productivity Research Unit in Marondera, Zimbabwe, initially as researcher, and for the last five years as Principal/Chief Research Officer in Charge. The unit investigated soil related agricultural problems (chemical, physical, microbiological) throughout Zimbabwe.
His focus was on plant nutrition, with special emphasis on soil acidity, phosphate and micronutrient availability.
In 1983, Phil joined Anglo American Coal in Emalahleni (Witbank), South Africa, initially with responsibility for developing the rehabilitation methodology for the open pit coal strip mines. In 1993 he set up and managed Anglo Coal Environmental Services, which assisted Anglo Coal mining operations with resolving the more complex issues of Land Rehabilitation, Water Management and Environmental Management Systems. A primary task during this period was the development and implementation of Risk Assessment and Risk Management approaches to ensure focus on key environmental issues. In 2001, he was transferred to Anglo’s Base Metals Division, becoming the Divisional Environmental, Health and Safety Manager, in which role he investigated mining related environmental issues in North and South America, Europe and Africa.
Phil retired from Anglo American in 2004 and continues to consult in the fields of Land Rehabilitation, Environmental Management and Risk Management. In 2005 he compiled the Guideline for the Rehabilitation of Mined Land, under the auspices of the South African Chamber of Mines and Coaltech 2020. Phil was a member of the team that developed the SHE Risk Management Process, now in use in several major mining companies. He is an Associate of Digby Wells Environmental and was a Non-Executive Director of that company for 8 years.
