Chris Chapman
Vision Advisor, Mining
Chris Chapman has 30 years of experience in the mining and mining maintenance industries, of which 20 years has been in expatriate roles in Uzbekistan, China and predominantly Indonesia. Starting in 1977, Chris built his strong foundation in heavy machinery maintenance and repair as a Fitter, and subsequently as a Field Service Engineer and Foreman, servicing the mining and power industries in Australia over 16 years.
Chris has built an extensive high-level network in Indonesia over the last 20 years, dealing at the Board of Directors and President Director levels. In 1993, he was seconded to P.T. Hexindo in Indonesia as supervisor to maintain KPC’s fleet of 18 Hitachi large sized excavators under a full maintenance contract. Under this project, Chris displayed his strengths in effectively supervising and training a team of Indonesian Nationals in components overhaul, engine overhaul, electrical, welding, machine and light vehicle workshops. By identifying and rectifying inefficiencies, and streamlining communications between the engineering and operations department, Chris has proven to be a strong team builder and leader, particularly in developing countries. In Indonesia, Chris worked with big players such as Hitachi Construction Machinery, Terex Mining Indonesia, PT. Penindo Jaya Perkasa and Borneo Lumbung Energy & Metal, heading Plant Maintenance and Mine Production.
Utilising his extensive experience with alternative fuels, Chris has worked closely with major mining companies in Indonesia to transition their fleets to alternative fuels be they LNG, LPG, Bio-Diesel or Coal/Bio-Mass to Gas convertors. He has collaborated with PT. Sinarmas to assist in development of the Trillion Bio-Mass gasifier which turns bio-mass and coal into gas for remote power station generators. He has also assisted United Tractors (Komatsu Indonesia) in the study of bio-fuels for use in Komatsu 785-7 100t haul trucks, working closely with Komatsu engineers to study the effects of bio-fuels on fuel injection systems. He is currently assisting PT. Samindo with the setting up of a coal to gas gasifier and to convert their fleet to run on LNG.
Chris has extensive experience in alluvial gold, coal and tin mining in North Queensland and in Indonesia. He has mostly been employed by machinery dealers such as Hitachi, O&K and Terex/Bucyrus/Caterpillar in senior mining portfolio positions and, running component rebuild centres and component exchange programmes. Chris has also been responsible for the maintenance of all tugs, barges, barge loaders and ancillary marine equipment.