MDE Minerals Consulting
Strategic geometallurgical consulting for the sustainable recovery of critical raw materials from mineral resources
Advanced Exploration and early stage Engineering Projects
Value Proposition
MDE offers consulting services for robust NI43-101 based process design for Scoping, PEA and (P)FS level studies. Value generation is maximised by producing high-quality geomet data early on so that the right investment decisions can be made, driven by the best possible orebody knowledge.
About MDE Minerals Consulting
Romke Kuyvenhoven, Senior Consultant, M.Sc., MBA
Romke Kuyvenhoven is MDE's senior consultant and has 25+ years of experience in geometallurgy and process development; she has been involved in applied research projects and engineering studies at scoping, PEA and PFS level. Her focus has been primarily on porphyry copper and IOCG deposits in the Atacama region. She is permanently based in Chile and fully bilingual English-Spanish. Almost three decades of professional activity in the region has given her a profound understanding of the Chilean culture and business climate, including extensive experience with NI43-101 reporting standards.
Zoom-in: Sustainable Mining Development of IOCG ores in Chile's Atacama Region.
Early recognition of the local mining culture & tradition and awareness of the expectations of the neighbouring communities, is of critical importance in the early stages of development of a mining project. There is more to a project than its geology! Not many will recognise that projects can be haunted by historic relationships with locals or by the poor track record of the owners at other sites.
Based on that experience, Romke Kuyvenhoven developed the following Cardinal Rules in Geometallurgy:
- Go to site - nothing better than your own eyes and ears
- Be critical & curious - don't believe what others tell you
- Think global act local - you are in somebody else's backyard
- Get into the lab - value can easily be created or destroyed
- Dive into the past - many lessons can be learned there
- Share your experience - others will have usefull feedback
- Have fun at work - don't overdo, but work is more than work
- Stay up to date - the only constant is change
For more information on these Cardinal Rules see MDE's LinkedIn profile
Experience | Qualifications | Publications & Presentations
Technical Expertise in Raw Materials Processing
Geometallurgy
Cobalt Recovery
Cobalt Recovery
- HotChili Costa Fuego Geometallurgical Consulting PFS
- KGHM Explorations Geomet work on IOCG ore pre-PEA level
- Minera Santo Domingo FS-level Cu/Fe/Co plant development
- Minera Vizcachitas Cu/Mo PEA level study
- Anglo American Coarse Particle Recovery metallurgical testwork
- Antofagasta Minerals & CODELCO VCP Support for the development of the Corporate Guide on Geometallurgy
- Due diligence studies for various (confidential) private equity funds of early project development in Chile (Cu, Au, Co)
- Geomet testwork management for Monterrico Metals/Rio Blanco, Barrick/Pascua Lama, Collahuasi, Chuquicamata, El Abra, Escondida, Candelaria, Los Pelambres, Andina, El Teniente at bench and pilot scale
Cobalt Recovery
Cobalt Recovery
Cobalt Recovery
- Evaluation of cobalt potential for Hot Chili's Costa Fuego project, Atacama region, Chile (2023)
- Due Diligence for Confidential Client: corroboration of cobalt potential as byproduct (2023)
- Development of cobalt recovery process at PFS level from copper tailings at Minera Santo Domingo (2021)
- Confidential client, IOCG ore, Atacama region, possible reactivation of Cu plant with high Co content in copper tailings (2020)
- Quantification of cobalt recovery from PLS and Cu tailings and the ENAMI plants in Vallenar and El Salado (2019)
- Evaluation of cobalt recovery from Minera Vizcachitas copper tailings (2018)
- La Estrella IOCG, preliminary process development for recovery of copper, iron as magnetite and cobalt (2018)
Due Diligence & Operational Improvement
Course instructions, thesis supervision & lectures
Course instructions, thesis supervision & lectures
- Confidential client Cu LX-SX-EW restart & expansion due diligence study
- Anglo American Los Bronces pyrite activation study
- AMSA/Minera Los Pelambres SAG mill soft sensor development
- BHP/Escondida development of innovative process to enhance leachability of secondary and primary copper sulphides
- CAP Minería/Pellet Plant Huasco identification of opportunities for increased enery efficiency in magnetite concentration and pelletising process
- BHP/Spence update of JKSimMet model and development of geochemical proxies for hardness prediction
- Anglo American/El Soldado evaluation of water balance and impact of water quality on recovery in flotation
Course instructions, thesis supervision & lectures
Course instructions, thesis supervision & lectures
Course instructions, thesis supervision & lectures
- Applied Geometallurgy course, Colegio de Geologos de Chile (2025)
- NI43-101 based Chilean Case Studies in Geometallurgy course, class for UCN Master's students (2025)
- Metcelerate young professionals training program development for Latin America (2022-2025)
- Thesis Projects Supervision at Chilean Universities since 2020, related to Coarse Particle Flotation (USACH); Water Recovery from Tailings (UTFSM); Reduced Energy Consumption (UTFSM); Definition of Economic Potential of Cobalt in Pyrite (Universidad Mayor)
- Lecturer of Mineral Processing course for 4th year engineering students at Universidad Técnica Federico Santa Maria, Valparaíso (2014-2019)
Qualifications: Education & Registrations
Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Earth Sciences
Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Earth Sciences
Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Earth Sciences
Master of Science in Mining and Petroleum Engineering, 1991-1997
Tulane University USA, Freeman School of Business
Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Earth Sciences
Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Earth Sciences
Double Degree Master's in Business Administration, Universidad de Chile & Freeman School of Business, 2006-2008
Universidad de Chile, Faculty of Economics and Business
Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Earth Sciences
Universidad de Chile, Faculty of Economics and Business
Double Degree Master's in Business Administration, Universidad de Chile & Freeman School of Business, 2006-2008
Mining Engineering Department, Universidad de Chile
Formally registered QP at the "Comisión Minera" in Chile
Universidad de Chile, Faculty of Economics and Business
Graduate diploma in Geo-Mining-Metallurgy, Universidad de Chile, 2017-2018
Formally registered QP at the "Comisión Minera" in Chile
Formally registered QP at the "Comisión Minera" in Chile
Formally registered QP at the "Comisión Minera" in Chile
Formally registered as Qualified Person at the Comision Minera de Chile with registration number # 330.
IAC Certified Ontological & Organizational Coach
Formally registered QP at the "Comisión Minera" in Chile
Formally registered QP at the "Comisión Minera" in Chile
Master coach in Ontological and Organizational Coaching, CMG Consultores Chile, 2022-2024
Recent publications & presentations
TU Delft 2025 - The Netherlands
TU Delft 2025 - The Netherlands
TU Delft 2025 - The Netherlands
The cost of not-knowing: why technical expertise is critical for the security of supply of resources. Authors: Romke Kuyvenhoven
SAIMM 2023, Zambia
TU Delft 2025 - The Netherlands
TU Delft 2025 - The Netherlands
Geometallurgy of Cobaltiferous Copper Ores of the Chilean Iron Belt. Authors: Romke Kuyvenhoven & Brian Townley
Weir Eriez 2023, Chile
TU Delft 2025 - The Netherlands
Weir Eriez 2023, Chile
Plantas Concentradoras del Futuro. Author: Romke Kuyvenhoven
IAGS 2022, Chile
Minexcellence 2017 - Santiago
Weir Eriez 2023, Chile
Geometallurgy of Cobaltiferous Copper
Ores of the Chilean Iron Belt. Author: Romke Kuyvenhoven
Flotation 2019 - Cape Town
Minexcellence 2017 - Santiago
Minexcellence 2017 - Santiago
Challenges and opportunities for cobalt recovery at copper plants. Authors: Romke Kuyvenhoven and Brian Townley
Minexcellence 2017 - Santiago
Minexcellence 2017 - Santiago
Minexcellence 2017 - Santiago
The role of electrochemistry in making a mining business work: Why adequate particle liberation is not enough. Authors:
Romke Kuyvenhoven and Massimiliano Zanin
Contact information
Bienvenidos
Romke Kuyvenhoven da inicio a su propia empresa consultora a fines del año 2021, enfocada en la utilización de procesos metalúrgicos sustentables y el modelamiento geometalúrgico robusto, con el fin de asegurar el desarrollo exitoso de proyectos mineros nuevos y proyectos de expansión en la región Andina. Solicita mas información por email si te interesa, para ver como MDE Consulting puede ayudar.