Who are we?

Kim Frankcombe   Kim cropped

Kim Frankcombe graduated from the University of Tasmania in 1978, with an Honours Degree in Geology and Geophysics. He worked initially as an exploration geologist for DeBeers before joining Mobil in 1981 as a geophysicist in their energy minerals division, searching for uranium and coal.

In 1983 he left Mobil to set up an independent consultancy and over the next six years worked on a wide range of projects including engineering site investigation studies, groundwater exploration, software development and minerals and petroleum exploration. He was recruited by World Geoscience Corporation in 1989 to lead their ground geophysics contracting and consulting division, later adding the new airborne EM branch to his responsibilities.

Kim left World Geoscience in 1991 to take up a position as senior geophysicist for Normandy Mining Group, responsible for geophysical support to regional and mine exploration teams in Western Australia, Northern Territory and Indonesia.

He joined Southern Geoscience Consultants (SGC) in 1997 as a Senior Consultant going on to become a significant shareholder in 2000. He provided sole geophysical support to the exploration teams of a wide variety of companies operating both in Australia and overseas. Kim also provided specialist technical geophysical support to company geophysicists and engineering consultants. In addition he provided technical support and mentoring for geophysicists within the SGC group.

Having played an active role in building SGC to possibly the world's biggest minerals geophysical consultancy he decided to form a smaller group and in 2010 left to form ExploreGeo. 

Kim is an active member of the ASEG, EAGE, AIG, IAMG and both SEGs. He served on the ASEG Federal Executive from 2011 through to 2018 and as District 12 representative on the SEG Council from  2019 to 2021 He is currently Secretary of the Australian Geoscience Council (AGC), District 12 Special Advisor to the SEG Council, Co-Chair of the GeoSciEd X conference, Treasurer of Australia's bid to host the 2028 IGC and an active member of three ASEG subcommitees.

Regis Neroni   Reggie pic

Regis had his first brush with geophysics volunteering on archaeological searches and guiding tours at the local museum of seismology and Earth magnetism during his student years at Strasbourg University in France. Shortly after graduating in 2006 with a French Master’s degree in Geosciences, Environment and Risks, he arrived in Australia to undertake an internship in hydrogeophysics at the University of Adelaide. The short visit unexpectedly turned into a few years undertaking ground electrical surveys in outback Australia with Zonge Engineering and Research Organization.

He moved to Perth in 2009 to join Southern Geoscience Consultants, where he provided geophysical support to numerous mineral exploration companies active in Australia, SE Asia and Africa, including an 18-month long secondment to Barrick Australia’s gold and copper exploration teams. From 2012, he worked as a company geophysicist for Rio Tinto and took part in exploration programs throughout Australasia searching for copper, iron ore, aluminium, uranium, diamonds, mineral sands and coal. He left in 2014 to build Fortescue Metals Group’s geophysics department and steer the company’s geophysical endeavours across their Pilbara-based operations and exploration projects for iron ore, copper and lithium, in Australia, Eurasia and South America. He finally joined ExploreGeo as an independent consultant in 2021.

Regis is an active member of the ASEG, AIG and EAGE, and a Registered Professional Geoscientist (Geophysics and Mineral Exploration). He is the first person to have received awards for best oral paper at two consecutive ASEG conferences: in 2016 (Minerals) and in 2018 (Near Surface and Groundwater), and the grateful recipient of the prestigious ASEG Early Achievement Award in 2019. More importantly, he is a keen proponent of the promotion of applied geophysics and a dedicated mentor to junior colleagues.

When he is not thinking about the next big mineral discovery, Regis enjoys searching for astonishing small underwater creatures he attempts to photograph with his limited recreational skills or bring home for an outdoor cooking feast.

 

Riaan Mouton   riaan at work

 

Riaan Mouton has been actively working as a geophysicist since 1998 where his career began conducting geophysical projects in Southern Africa and Australia focusing on base metal, iron ore, diamond, uranium, and gold exploration. In recent years Riaan broadened his experience in applied geophysics to include geotechnical engineering, hydrogeology and environmental geophysics applications.

He has a history of award winning accomplishments with combined experience spanning over both geophysics and medical physics. Having received two awards for work excellence and a career highlighted with consistent delivery of results in a diverse range of geophysical and radiation physics environments, you can be confident that you are in good hands for any geoscientific project you seek to carry out.

Riaan’s client base includes companies and people from different backgrounds and business environments including mining and production, geophysical contracting and consulting, mining exploration and even health service providers. He has developed and managed large projects for companies including Kumba Resources, Gold Fields, Phoenix Copper Limited, GroundProbe Pty Ltd, and Silver Lake Resources.

From January 2008, he expanded his expertise as a senior geophysicist in the service of GroundProbe Pty Ltd working on a number of large projects for clients including Golder Associates, Arup and Chevron.

He is currently involved in projects ranging from green-fields exploration, near-mine geophysics and geophysical applications in geotechnical engineering.

With a strong commitment to ongoing self development, training and education has always been an area of focus for Riaan. He has successfully contributed to the development and delivery of tailored training programmes, covering diverse and complex subject matter, both in medical physics and across the spectrum of geophysics. He has a key awareness of the importance of health, safety, environment and community obligations, and has been pivotal in the development of Safe Operating Procedures, engineered risk mitigation strategies including hardware and equipment operator safety modifications, and in the development of a variety of procedural manuals.

With extensive experience in radiation oncology physics he is well qualified to provide valuable input into radiation safety and radiation risk management. He is also a member of the Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists (ASEG) and has served as the President of the Western Australian branch of ASEG.