Lifetime Achievement Award
for Contribution to the Mining Industry
ABMEC is proud to welcome nominations for the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Awards.
Since 2019 this has been awarded annually to some inspirational people who have made an outstanding contribution to the mining industry. The previous recipients are below the nomination form.
We welcome nominations from anyone with the aim of celebrating someone who may:
- Have a particular innovation,
- Exceptional research,
- Delivered a superb technical paper
- Overcame a major geological, environmental or political obstacle
- Encouraged new people to the industry.
Guidelines for entry
- Entry is open to any individual
- You can nominate yourself, a worthy colleague or a friend.
- Submit your free entry below
- Complete your entry and provide information/proof to substantiate your entry
- Nominations close on 14 November 2025
Lifetime Achievement Award recipients
2025
Vincent Fowler
Former HM Principal Inspector of Electrical Engineering in Mines
Throughout his career, Vincent has been a passionate advocate for UK mining engineering, championing innovation, technical excellence, and international collaboration. His commitment to supporting the industry has extended far beyond his professional roles, with significant contributions to ABMEC and the wider mining community through leadership, mentorship, and the promotion of British mining expertise around the world.
Vincent’s knowledge, integrity, and willingness to support colleagues have earned him the respect and admiration of peers across the sector. His influence has helped strengthen relationships across the industry and has played an important role in promoting the capabilities of the UK mining supply chain both nationally and internationally.
This award recognises not only a distinguished career, but also the legacy Vincent has created through his dedication, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to the success of the mining industry.
2024
Jim Jones
Fenner Dunlop
ABMEC Past President
Jim has made a significant contribution to the mining industry throughout his career in the operations arena and in the supply chain and for a long time gave his time freely to support ABMEC and its growth. His work with Fenner has helped to develop a reputable international brand. The HSE recognised Fenner’s contribution in the development of safety while using fire resistant rubber conveyor belts in underground coal mines worldwide. He worked in mines in UK & South Africa, and was instrumental in the opening of the Fenner Dunlop factory in India. Jim was ABMEC President for 2 years, with an open and inclusive attitude towards all. He encouraged all levels and ages of ABMEC members’ staff to attend ABMEC functions. Fenner maintained its Standing 5 position in ABMEC for all its membership years, and provided Fenner’s Accountant for the Chairman of the Finance committee for many years. Fenner was usually the first company to sign up to ABMEC-organised overseas exhibitions and events. He was generous with his introductions and looked after his team well (& they looked after him!)
2023
Dr Rick Smith
Geologist
Dr Rick Smith was Lead geological consultant for the exploration project for York Potash Ltd (later Sirius Minerals, and now Anglo-American); Rick carried out the geological appraisal and conceptual modelling, mineral rights acquisition, resource exploration drilling (to depths of 1700 m), mine-site location and shaft pilot holes. Logging and sampling ore horizons, and development of novel analytical procedures with the British geological society.
Rick has had ongoing responsibility for JORC compliant Polyhalite Exploration Targets, results and resources.
Rick has a First-Class Honours degree in Geology, a Phd in Economic Geology he’s a Chartered Engineer and a Chartered Scientist. Rick is also passionate about giving back to our great industry having designed and participated in a surface and underground mapping course for undergraduate geology students at the University of Durham.
Rick is a Fellow of IOM3 and of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical engineers over which he presided during 2 separate tenures as President. Rick has published and presented well over 30 technical papers and articles between 1973 and as recently as this year. By way of demonstrating the diversity of Rick’s work his first co-publication back in 1973 was;
Pressure-temperature estimates for a late metamorphic event in the Dalradian of the Scottish Highlands published in Nature Physical Science and his most recent earlier this year covered Potash Extraction from Blast Furnace Flue Dust. Published in the Transactions of the Cleveland Industrial Archaeology Society.
Rick was awarded the Dr WS Bisat Medal by The Yorkshire Geological Society for services to applied geology in December 2019.
Rick continues his work today as an independent geological consultant having recently completed a Review of geology of part of the Polish coastline for sites suitable for underground mined LPG storage caverns and has worked earlier this year providing a review and geological advice on the Khemisset Potash Project in Morocco for Emmerson.
Above all Rick is a true gentleman and a most worthy recipient of this award, I’m truly delighted to present it and I’d like to invite Rick onto the stage to receive the ABMEC 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award for services to the Mining Industry.
2022
Ian Lomax
ATB Morley (Wolong)
ABMEC Past President
Ian Lomax is a former President of ABMEC (2011-2013) and former MD of ATB Morley, a long standing ABMEC member company.
Ian has a degree in Mechanical Engineering (Aston University) and a master’s in engineering management (Warwick University). He is a Fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.
Ian started his career as a student apprentice in 1977 with GEC in Rugby (now called GE Power Conversion). Ian became a design engineer, learning electrical engineering to complement his mechanical knowhow and held a number of management positions with the company. He joined Morley in 2002 as Technical Director and became MD in 2007. Under Ian’s leadership the company introduced the world’s first 11kV mining motor whilst the turnover more than doubled and the company was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise three times in four years.
In 2012 Ian was appointed COO of ATB Antriebstechnik AG (the parent company of Morley).
In 2015 he returned to UK as Chairman of ATB Group UK. At the end of 2018 he started his phased retirement plan to continue as Chief Engineer for Wolong LDG Europe.
Ian has been a STEM ambassador and is a governor at East Coast College, which an FE college based in Yarmouth and Lowestoft.
Ian retired officially at the end of June 2020 to pursue his various hobbies which include cycling, running and bee keeping.
2021
Henryk Tarko
Becker Warkop
Henryk Tarko, MSc (Mining EE), is a mining electrical engineer with an impressive career spanning over 40 years in the coal and copper mining industries. For more than 30 years, he has cooperated with and represented leading British mining equipment manufacturers.
2020
Gerry Beetles
Davis Derby
(presented virtually during Covid-19)
In 1963 Gerry joined the start-up company, Winster Products where he rose through the ranks from Production Engineer to Production Manager. The company made motor rewinds & electronics for mining, where Gerry saw a great future.
Wintster Products was a competitor of Davis Derby at the time.
Gerry had many roles & managed lots of people; & even travelled to Russia for a mining exhibition in 1967.
In 1968, Gerry & his colleague, John Walker started a company, CCE (Control & Communication Equipment) in Calverton.
John was 20 years Gerry’s senior & was very influential in Gerry’s life. He had the utmost respect & admiration for this former Group Engineer at the NCB.
They proved a formidable success in electronics, & just 11 years later employing almost 300 people they sold the company to Readymix Concrete; a big USA company.
A succession of takeovers took place, John retired & Gerry stayed with the group, concentrating on electronics & cables.
In 1992, the company was bought by a Dutch company Draka Cable, & on 24 April 1992, Gerry led the buyout of the CCE side of the business.
He has been instrumental in fundraising for High Peak College & Buxton College.
Gerry has been the President of the Cable Manufacturer’s Association.
He chaired the Institute of Directors Notts & Derby, the CBI & sat on the Regional Assembly business executive board for East Midlands.
He’s also a member of the Institute of Directors & the CBI.
He is a member of the Tunnelling Society & a Fellow Member of IOM3.
His passions include a love of the sea, & he has been a proficient boating man in his days.
2019
David Johnson
Dosco & Joy Mining Machinery
ABMEC Past President
A UK based mining engineer with a career spent in the mining industry whilst gaining comprehensive knowledge and experience in all major global mining territories.
Extremely well -seasoned traveller over the past 55 years. First of 60 visits to China in 1973 as part of UK Government Delegation with similar experience in Russia, India, Poland, USA, Canada.
Executive Positions Held
- Managing Director of Dosco Overseas Engineering Ltd, a UK based Company, part of the Hawker Siddeley Group, manufacturer of underground mining equipment developing sales in 45 Countries around the world.
- Managing Director /Chairman of Joy Mining Machinery UK Ltd (now part of the Komatsu Group) the largest global supplier of underground mining equipment with responsibility for the development of emerging markets China, India, Russia and Poland. This included a temporary period as Managing Director of Joy Australia.
Non-Executive Roles Held
- Board & Audit Committee Member Mechel Group, a NYSE listed Company based in Russia and a major coal and steel producer. 2004-2016.
- Board & Audit Committee Member Coal Energy a Ukrainian thermal coal producer listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Currently helping re-establishment in Poland due to the Russian invasion. 2011-Present.
- Consultant to International Metallurgical Resources Ltd, a global commodity trader based in London.
- Chairman Hargreaves Mining India Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of UK based, AIM listed Hargreaves Services Ltd.
- Mining Advisor to Buckthorn Partners LLP, UK a private equity organisation.
- Advisor Energybuild Ltd, an anthracite producer in South Wales and the last remaining underground coal mine in the UK.
- Past President of ABMEC, (Association of British Mining Equipment Companies).
Awards and Achievements
- The first recipient of the ABMEC Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.
- Queens Award for Export Achievement on 2 occasions.
- The Order of Friendship by Decree of President Yeltsin in 1996 for services to the Russian Coal Industry.
- Established long term successful and sustainable Joy Companies in the emerging markets of India, China, Russia, and Poland.
Responsible for the successful introduction of underground mass production Continuous Miner Systems in India
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