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Mike Swatman Executive Director: RSV group of Companies

Mike’s career commenced in the mining industry after being recruited by the former major mining house, Union Corporation Limited, as a graduate Junior Engineer in January 1976.

He commenced work on the shaft sinking arrangements for No 7A Shaft at Impala Platinum’s Bafokeng North Mine in Rustenburg and then completed various Utility Plant projects at Impala Platinum Refineries in Springs. During his time in Head Office, he worked on the Unisel Gold Mine Refrigeration Plant and Beisa Uranium Mine Feasibility projects.

After obtaining the GCC (Mines/Mechanical), he was appointed as Underground Section Engineer at Leslie Gold Mine in Evander, responsible for refurbishment of the sub-decline shaft system, and in 1979 returned to Impala Platinum Refineries in Springs as Site Project Engineer responsible for several construction programmes which included a Hydrogen Generating Plant, Nickel Sintering Furnace, Copper Electro Winning Plant and Cobalt Plant.

After leaving Gencor ( the former Union Corporation), he became self-employed and joined JCI’s projects division in August 1986 as Project Engineer working on HJ Joel Gold Mine’s No 1 and 2 Shaft projects, REGM’s Doornkop Shaft Hydropower Feasibility Study and RPMA’s No 1 Shaft project, as Lead Engineer.

During a second term with JCI Projects, as Lead Engineer Mike prepared the Feasibility Study for REGM South Deep Gold Mine while also commencing with project implementation for the sinking of the twin vertical shafts. The work included all preliminary mechanical design for the permanent equipment, surface and underground, as well as the final design for the surface infrastructure, winders, headgears and all sinking arrangements to support the shaft sinking operations.

After co-founding RSV (Pty) Ltd in January 1991, he was appointed to the client’s project team as the Refinery Project Manager on the Mossgas Onshore Refinery Project, through Construction, Commissioning and Handover to Operations.

Later projects included a Concentrator Plant upgrade at Palabora Mining Company, the Nkomati Mine Expansion Feasibility Study for Avmin, and the design of an underground mine Dewatering Project for ERPM.

He established and implemented the RSV Quality Management System (ISO 9001) in 2002, which has been expanded and rolled out across the RSV Group.

With the development and expansion of the RSV group of Companies, he holds Executive and Non-executive Directorships on the Boards of the RSV Group’s various Linked Enterprises, and looks after Assets and Capital Purchases. He maintains contact with projects through his appointment as Group Management Representative for Quality, as well as his involvement in the Design and Contract Review processes.

Mike is a registered Project Management Professional (1999) and is a member of the Institute of Directors (SA).

He has a B.Eng (Mech) Degree from Sheffield University (UK) (1975), holds an SA Mines and Works (Mechanical) Certificate (1978), is a registered PMP (1999) and is a member of the IOD(SA).