Q&A with André Esterhuizen
NAME
André Esterhuizen
TITLE
Senior Geotechnical Engineering Consultant
QUALIFICATIONS
Advanced Rock Engineering Certificate, (Currently studying towards MSc Mining Engineering (Rock Engineering))
Everyone has a story to tell, and this month we asked André Esterhuizen, Senior Geotechnical Engineering Consultant at South Africa-based Open House Management Solutions, the hard questions.
What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?
I don't believe in a singular, predefined purpose in life, but I am convinced that the value of our lives is shaped by how we live and the impact we have on others. Every day, my motivation is to add value to the lives of those around me - whether it is through personal interactions, professional contributions, or simply being present for the people who matter. As a consultant, I take pride in making meaningful contributions to my clients, ensuring that each day brings progress, solutions, and insights that benefit both them and the broader community. This drive to make a difference is what fuels me to get up every morning.
Why did you choose your current career and how did you get to your current position?
To be honest, my career path wasn't meticulously planned; it is more the result of having great mentors and managers who helped guide me along the way. I left university before completing my degree and started working at Open House Management Solutions as a seismic processor. After a few months, the initial novelty of seismic processing began to fade, and a conversation with my manager at the time changed my trajectory. He suggested I apply for an opening in the Rock Engineering Department. I took the advice, got the job, and earned my Strata Control Certificate within three months.
During this time, I developed a deep interest in Geotechnical Engineering, fuelled by the passion of the Rock Engineering Managers I reported to. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and it inspired me to delve deeper into the field, leading to further studies into geotechnical engineering, which was never part of my initial plan. Three years later, I made a significant transition from deep-level gold mining in central South Africa to shallow bord and pillar operations along the Eastern Bushveld Igneous Complex. This move opened a world of new opportunities for me. Over time, I advanced through the ranks from entry-level to leading our company’s regional branch and took on multiple Chief Rock Engineering roles at various mines in the area. Today, after 22 years, I am proud to be a shareholder of the company, and although I am still responsible for our Eastern Bushveld branch and oversee our Coal Mining division, my primary focus has shifted to consulting.
What is your favourite part of your job?
What initially attracted me to geotechnical engineering is the fact that it's still such a young and evolving field. One of the earliest tasks I was involved in was assisting Professor Francois Malan as he gathered data for his PhD research, which eventually earned him the la Rocha medal. I was part of a team of entry-level workers, unknown even to Francois himself at the time, tasked with installing closure meters at Harties Gold Mine. At the time, I did not fully understand the purpose of the meters or the significance of the data we were collecting, but those recordings became a crucial part of his research. As a young student, it was a wonderful experience to later read his published work and realize the importance of what we had been contributing to, that it was entirely possible that I could one day make a similar impact in the field myself. There is a vast amount yet to be explored, and refined, which means there is so much room to innovate and contribute meaningfully. As a consultant, each day brings a new client and a fresh set of challenges. Even when facing familiar problems, there is always an opportunity to challenge oneself to find a better, more efficient solution. One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is that I am not just working in an established discipline—I am helping to shape its future through mentoring, lecturing and being involved in various aspects of improvement during the years.
On a professional level, I’m fortunate to work alongside incredibly talented colleagues at OHMS, with a wealth of experience. The quality and quantity of work we consistently produce together is something I take great pride in, and it's fulfilling to know that our contributions are advancing both our clients' goals and the field of geotechnical engineering itself.
What do you find most challenging about your role?
While I am not shy, I do tend to be introverted, which can make interacting with strangers and managing new environments challenging for me. Despite its reputation, age really is a wonderful thing! Meeting new clients and visiting new sites does not bother me as much as it used to 10 years ago.
The other big challenge, of course, is the never-ending report writing and deadlines. I can’t wait for A.I. to advance to the stage where we can let it write legitimate and sound technical reports on our behalf, freeing us up to focus on more strategic aspects of our work and enhancing our overall efficiency!
What is one thing you would like to change about the mining and geotechnics/rock engineering industry?
Reluctance to change is a significant issue, particularly among the older generation of mine owners and managers. We still have influential decision-makers who are resistant to evolving with the times. It is frustrating when a manager insists, 'But we did this on a mine I worked at 25 years ago...' Such attitudes can stifle innovation and progress.
While I do see the mining industry gradually catching up to technological advancements, it still largely lags behind in fully embracing modern solutions. Our industry, and especially geotechnical engineering, is uniquely positioned to leverage technology to enhance our knowledge, skills, and capabilities. By adopting innovative tools and methodologies, we can not only improve operational efficiency but also ensure safer and more sustainable practices in mining. I believe that fostering a culture of openness to change will be essential for the industry to thrive in the future.
What areas of the industry or trends do you think will become more important in coming years?
Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation are poised to become increasingly important in the mining industry in the coming years. When I began my career in mining in the early 2000s, very few of my clients engaged in any form of monitoring. Fast forward to today, and nearly all my clients are implementing, or at least considering, some level of monitoring. Over the past five years our instrumentation and monitoring department has seen significant growth, indicating a tangible change in attitude in this regard. With advancements in technology, monitoring is becoming more frequent, and we are gathering vast amounts of detailed information at an unprecedented rate. However, the biggest challenge often lies in effectively utilizing the data we collect.
I believe that artificial intelligence will play a crucial role in the real-time collection and processing of data moving forward. This will not only enhance our ability to analyse information but also improve decision-making processes across the board. Similarly, the integration of automation with artificial intelligence is likely to drive significant advancements in the mining industry over the next 20 years, particularly in terms of enhancing mine safety. As we continue to embrace these technologies, I foresee a future where mining operations become more efficient, safer, and better equipped to respond to challenges in real time.
If you could invite three people, alive or dead, to dinner – who would they be and why?
I would invite Carl Sagan, as he was a childhood hero of mine whose work led to my love of reading and sparked my desire to seek a broad general knowledge.
Next, I would choose Prof. Charlie Li. As I near the completion of my MSc research, I would cherish the opportunity to sit down with him and tap into his extensive knowledge and expertise.
Lastly, I would invite my mother. We lost her to cancer last year, and I would love the chance to have a catch-up session with her. There is so much I wish I could share, including the fact that I will have become a grandfather by the time this interview is published!
What moment of your life would you want to re-live – and would you change anything?
It’s difficult for me to pinpoint a single moment in my life that stands out as more significant than the rest. However, I often wish I could relive my children's childhoods. I enjoy being a father tremendously. Unfortunately, we often fail to appreciate the present moment, as we tend to dwell on the past or focus on the future. Two of my three children are now adults and have moved out, and while each stage of their lives has been special in its own way, I would cherish the opportunity to experience those times with all of them again. If I could change anything, it would be to live more in the moment and savour the small joys of life.
What is the best advice you have ever been given?
If you know what you don’t know, half the battle is won! Everyone understands the easy stuff, so don’t skip over the difficult parts! Understanding the difficult parts is often the 20% of the information that adds 80% of the body of knowledge you need to excel and stand out.
What advice would you give to someone considering geotechnical or rock engineering as a career?
Don’t specialise yourself into a corner. By becoming too specialised you lose the ability to objectively consider facts by looking at everything from your very specialised, but limited, perspective. Confirmation bias is just as dangerous as the Dunning-Kruger effect, in that you don’t realise the value of the data you are ignoring, or misinterpreting. It is essential to have that range, to broaden your knowledge base by exploring related fields such as mining, planning, geology, and management. A well-rounded engineer should have a solid understanding of all aspects of the industry.