Independent metallurgical and mineral processing advice for projects and operating plants
From early concept and design through to optimisation, troubleshooting and decarbonisation
• Process and flowsheet design for mineral processing and metallurgical projects
• Independent review, optimisation and troubleshooting of operating plants
• Owner’s representation and technical leadership for studies and projects
• Due diligence and technical advice for owners, investors and decision-makers
• Decarbonisation and net zero pathways grounded in operational reality
QIT Madagascar Minerals mine, Madagascar
Services Offered
Process Design and Flowsheet Development
We design and review metallurgical and mineral processing flowsheets that are grounded in the realities of the orebody, mineralogy, operating context and cashflow, not textbook ideals. This includes early-stage concepts through to detailed flowsheets for operating plants, expansions, and technology upgrades.
Early-Stage Engineering Definition
We prepare the practical engineering deliverables needed to engage engineering contractors from a position of strength, including process descriptions, design criteria, PFDs, equipment lists, and supporting technical documentation.
Due Diligence and Independent Technical Review
We support owners, investors and lenders through technical due diligence, independent reviews and audits of metallurgical and processing assets, projects and opportunities, providing clear, balanced advice on risks, upside and technical credibility.
Project and Study Support
We provide project management and technical leadership for greenfields and brownfields projects, either as a stand-alone role or integrated within a broader owner or consultant team, with a focus on keeping studies and projects technically honest and moving forward.
Flowsheet Review, Optimisation and De-Risking
We work with owners and operators to challenge, refine and improve existing flowsheets at any stage of the project life cycle — from greenfields studies to mature operations — with a focus on operability, robustness, and economic performance.
Operational Audits and Performance Improvement
We audit and review metallurgical and mineral processing operations — hydrometallurgical, pyrometallurgical and physical separation circuits — to identify root causes of poor performance and develop realistic, implementable improvement plans.
Technical Support to Investors and Boards
We act as an independent subject matter expert for investors and decision-makers assessing the technical and economic merits of processing-led opportunities, helping translate complex metallurgy into clear implications for value and risk.
Carbon Footprint Assessment
We quantify baseline and ongoing carbon emissions for processing operations, including trend monitoring, data validation and identification of material emissions drivers.
Owner’s Representative and Technical Stewardship
We act for the owner as their independent owner’s representative when engaging with EPCM contractors, engineering houses, technology suppliers and testwork providers, helping ensure technical decisions remain aligned with project objectives and are not diluted during execution.
Troubleshooting and Operational Problem Solving
We specialise in finding what’s really going wrong in operating plants and building solutions that work in practice, whether the issue sits in grinding, classification, leaching, carbon handling, separations, utilities, control, or operating discipline.
Indicative Capital and Operating Cost Assessments
We provide order-of-magnitude capital and operating cost estimates for metallurgical and mineral processing components of projects and opportunities, suitable for early-stage decision-making and option screening.
Net Zero and Decarbonisation Pathways
We support the development and implementation of practical net zero pathways, balancing required emissions reduction with capital discipline, operating risk and cashflow, and focusing on measures that genuinely move the needle rather than tick boxes.
Targeted Training and Capability Uplift
Where performance issues are linked to skills or an understanding shortfall, we provide targeted, site-specific training and mentoring for operators, technical staff and managers, as identified. This training is practical, problem-focused, and directly tied to the work being undertaken and the identified skills shortfall — it is not generic, nor does it comprise ongoing classroom programmes.
About Us
Brian Gerrell
Brian Gerrell is the owner of Gwanda Consulting, and is a metallurgical engineer with extensive experience in multiple commodities, including gold, silver, uranium, pyrite, copper, phosphates, rare earths, aluminium and lithium. His involvement spanned plant operations, process optimisation, flowsheet development, testwork, pilot plants, demonstration plants, engineering from conceptual to final engineering, commissioning, ramp-up and operations, including maintenance. He has conducted due diligence reviews and operations audits across many different commodities, and participated and led project teams covering the full spectrum from conceptual studies up to feasibility studies, as well as engineering, commissioning and ramp-up, as part of both the technical team and the owner’s team.
With a career spanning more than 40 years that includes senior technical and management roles at Rio Tinto, AngloGold, and Harmony Gold, he has successfully led plant performance improvements, technology development, and major operational troubleshooting efforts. His expertise covers comminution, material handling, flotation, magnetic and electrostatic separation techniques, heavy media separation, leaching, recovery circuits, roasting, smelting, drying, crystallisation and precipitation.
He has demonstrated a strong focus on deriving and implementing practical, results-driven solutions. He has designed and implemented innovative recovery strategies, optimised complex processing flowsheets, and led multidisciplinary teams to resolve critical operational challenges. His approach is grounded in both technical depth and hands-on operational experience, ensuring solutions that are not only technically robust but also commercially viable. Brian is a member of both the AusIMM and of the SME.