Career Overview
Jeff is the founder of Whittle Consulting Pty Ltd and the creator of the Whittle Consulting mining software. Since 1994, Jeff has developed computer software which has revolutionised mine design, strategic mine planning and, most specifically, the ability to optimise the economic value of mine sites in Australia and around the world. Originally trained as an experimental physicist, Jeff is a pioneer of the computer industry. After joining the mining industry in 1979, he recognised the need for mining optimisation tools. In response to this need Jeff and his wife, Ruth, started Whittle Programming Pty Ltd in 1984. Over the next 16 years they successfully developed and marketed worldwide a series of mining optimisation packages. In 2000, the business was sold to Gemcom Software International in Canada. At the same time, Jeff commenced development on his multipit mine scheduling optimisation software. This software has resulted in the Prober series of optimisers used by Whittle Consulting today. In January 2018, Jeff was recognised in the Australia Day Honours as an Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia for his service to the IT sector and mining industry. Now a spritely nonagenarian, Jeff continues to work in the business as Technical Director to further refine and develop Whittle software.
Career Highlights
- Whittle software is considered industry best practice within the Australian and international mining industries.
- Over 2,000 licenses of Whittle software are currently in use by mining, exploration, consultant and academic customers in over 70 countries worldwide. • Whittle software is in use in an estimated 35% of operating mines in Australia.
- The term “whittling the pit” is now firmly entrenched within the everyday lexicon of the international mining industry.
- Software created by Jeff Whittle has enabled the maximisation of natural resource recovery, stakeholder value and shareholder return from open pit and underground mines. It is conservatively estimated that Whittle software has improved the value of the international mining industry in the many billions of dollars.
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science (Physics, Hons), Manchester University, United Kingdom.
Memberships
- Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (FAusIMM)
- Fellow of the Australian Computer Society (FACS)
- Jeffrey Whittle was inducted into the International Mining Technology Hall of Fame in the Mining Software category in 2013.
- Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia, January 2018.
- Elected to the Pearcey Hall of Fame for a lifetime commitment to the Australian ICT sector, December 2020.