Phil McMurtrie completed a Mining Engineering degree from the University of Queensland and a Diploma in Project Management from The University of New England. Whilst employed as mine manager of a large-scale mineral sand dredging operation on North Stradbroke Island, he obtained the statutory qualifications for a 1st Class Mine Managers Certificate of Competency under the Queensland Mining Act. Mr McMurtrie commenced his professional career in mine operational roles in 1982 as a graduate mining engineer with Hamersley Iron at the iron ore mines in the Pilbara region of Western Australia and subsequently accepted positions as mining engineer with Queensland Nickel at the Greenvale nickel mine in North Queensland, senior mining engineer with Consolidated Rutile at the mineral sand dredging and concentrating operations on North Stradbroke Island, mine manager with Republic Resources at the Yarrowick alluvial gold mine in New South Wales, and mine manager and operations manager with Consolidated Rutile at the mineral sand operations on North Stradbroke Island. In 1996, Mr McMurtrie moved from mine operational roles to mine development roles when he was appointed project manager for the feasibility study into the development of a new mineral sand dredging operation at Yarraman on North Stradbroke Island and was subsequently appointed project manager for the implementation and commissioning phases of the project. On successful completion of the Yarraman Project, he managed operational support projects for CRL in the role of projects and capital manager until 2003 when he became a consultant project manager for mine development projects. Since 2003, Mr McMurtrie has worked extensively on mineral sand, industrial minerals, and iron sand mine development projects from exploration, through the various stages of feasibility studies, government approvals, project implementation, and commissioning. He now specialises in providing mine development and project management services to mining and exploration companies to assist the development of mineral resources through completion of feasibility studies, and the management of project implementation and commissioning.
