John Bridges

How did you get your start in the mineral industry?

Little pieces of galena that I noticed in limestone road aggregate sourced from North Derbyshire piqued my interest in the region's minerals and that took me to the Camborne School of Mines the UK's southwest. I graduated into the late 1970's gold boom and I was hired onto the learner official program with Goldfields of South Africa. This was a wild learning experience as I transitioned from spotty university student to miner to Mine Captain in about five years on the rich West Driefontein mine.

What advice would you give to someone who is considering a career in the mineral industry?

Go for it! While there are likely to be testing moments, like when I spent my first Christmas away from home the far West Rand in conditions reminiscent of the movie, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; by January I was back in the staff mess. The career broadened my horizons and exposed me to the opportunities in management, technical departments, and in my case, into the banking sector. I went from breaking rocks to researching valuation and then advising investors on the sector. Good luck and be versatile, the industry can take you many places