John Vann

UNE alumnus and Group Head of Discovery & Geosciences at Anglo American, John Vann is a geologist and mining industry executive with global experience in base metals, precious metals, iron ore, coal, uranium and industrial minerals.  He was awarded a Bachelor of Science with Honours from UNE.

John also holds Adjunct Professor appointments in Geology at the Centre for Exploration Targeting, University of Western Australia and the WH Bryan Centre at the University of Queensland.

What was your UNE qualification?

BSc(Hons) in Geology graduated in 1984.

Online or on-campus study?

On campus - I lived at Wright College.

How did you find UNE lecturers?

I came to UNE having completed my first 3 years elsewhere (RMIT University) and spent just the Honours year at UNE. There were no compulsory lectures in the Honours program for geology, but I attended several 3rd year series of lectures and they were excellent.

What was your reason for studying at UNE?

I came to UNE because the geology and geophysics school had a good reputation, and specifically to study with Professor Ian Plimer who was then the Economic Geology Professor. Ian supervised my thesis work.

Your current job

I am Group Head of Discovery and Geosciences for Anglo American, one of the largest diversified mining companies in the world. This is the top geology job in the company, and the large team of geoscientists and others reporting to me is responsible for (a) discovering new mineral deposits (mineral exploration) and (b) developing systems that deliver maximum value from our wide portfolio of copper, nickel, platinum, iron ore, coal, crop nutrient and diamond mines.

How has your UNE qualification aided you in your career? 

Absolutely. The year I spent at UNE was one of the most memorable in my life and it taught me many of the skills I have used to develop a great career in the minerals industry. Also, living in Wright College (which was an international and post-graduate focussed residential college) meant that I gained a broad perspective.

What inspires you inside work and outside work?

In my work, I believe that mining is essential for the green revolution we now must embark on - renewables need copper, nickel and many other inputs; the sort of technical work I do really influences this; So my answer would be "reimagining mining to improve people's lives". Outside work, family, art, music.

Do you volunteer your time for a community project or organisation?

I serve on the board of the Centre for Exploration Targeting (UWA/Curtin) and I am an Adjunct Professor at both UWA and the University of Queensland.

In this time of Covid-19, how has the virus impacted your work?

Last year I travelled 400,000 kilometres and worked in 10 countries. In the next 12 months I will work from home!

Anything else you would like to share?

I am glad to see geosciences are re-building at UNE after a period where things declined. My year there inspired me to later post graduate study and I think was an important part of preparing me for a career in geology that has allowed me to work in 60 countries and now occupy one of the most senior geoscience roles in the world. Armidale holds a special place in my memories and I still keep in touch with some of my fellow students.