Graduated with a BA and DPhil in Geography from Oxford when dinosaurs ruled. Taught at Oxford, Makerere (Uganda), University of Papua New Guinea and James Cook (North Queensland). Undertook whilst at UPNG (with Craig Emerson) the first socioeconomic impact study of a mining project in that country for Ok Tedi in 1976 and went on to work, whilst based in the university there, on almost every subsequent metal mining project in PNG. Resigned from academia in 1997 to work as an independent consultant in the mining sector based in Manila. Have worked since then in this sector in Ghana, Guinea, and almost all South Pacific countries, and world-wide on the closure plans for many Rio Tinto site - but mainly in Southeast Asia where I helped establish the Sepon mine in Lao PDR until its takeover by Chinese interests in 2009. Recent work has included work on in-migration strategies for Frieda River and the preparation of plans for the Woodlark mine(PNG), the establishment of the Martabe mine in Indonesia, gas pipelines in PNG, and electricity power lines in Laos/Vietnam, and social issues at the Didipio and Tampakan projects in the Philippines. Currently reviewing community affairs practice for Phu Bia Mining in Lao PDR, undertaking a survey of landowner businesses at resource projects across PNG and assisting in the preparation for a proposed gold mine in El Salvador.