The Metals & Minerals department comprises a team of specialists with extensive expertise of all industrial minerals, ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

The department offers a comprehensive service for the investigation of incidents and disputes involving the production, storage, transport and maritime trade of metals, metal products (e.g. pipes, drums, coils, bars, flats, plates), and minerals on an international basis.

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Scope of work

Advice on metals and minerals storage, handling & transportation
Assessment of environmental claims
Asset evaluation
Business Interruption assessment
Cargo disposal & damage mitigation
Cargo liquefaction studies
Cargo self-heating investigation
Environmental damage studies
Environmental impact studies
Expert witness  >
Feasibility studies
Independent sampling & assaying
Investigation of cargo damage incidents
Litigation
Live attendance  >
Load & discharge surveys
Market research
Mediation in trading disputes
Minerals plant analysis
Processing capabilities
Plant design and engineering
Post incident investigations  >
Process analysis and value-in-use
Rapid response advisory service

Experts & Consultants

The Metals & Minerals department was established in 1994 and has an established track record of investigations into causation, advice on quantum and mitigation as well as risk management, safety and environmental studies.

The department is headed by Caline Sahyoun, who is supported by other specialist technical, engineering and trading consultants who have direct access to analytical and testing facilities at leading laboratories.

Dr Caline Sahyoun
Dr Caline SahyounHead of Department Member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining; Chartered Engineer
Over 15 years of international experience in the metals and minerals industry. Expertise in issues relating to bulk cargoes including cargo heating, liquefaction, water contamination. Also has extensive experience in storage, shipping, weighing, sampling and sample preparation of mineral concentrates.
David Duckworth
David DuckworthConsultant Chartered Engineer
Member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining

Over 30 years' experience in the mining industry as a geologist and commodity analyst. Expertise in issues affecting mineral bulk cargoes including liquefaction, cargo heating, contamination by seawater and damage through incorrect handling procedures, across a wide range of cargoes including alumina, bauxite, coal, copper concentrate, DRI/HBI (direct reduced iron/hot briquetted iron), cement, iron concentrate, iron ore fines lead concentrate, limestone gravel, potash, pyritic ashes, salt, sodium sulphate and zinc concentrate cargoes. Also knowledgable of the comercial aspects of metal concentrate sales contracts.
Geoff Mason
Geoff MasonConsultant Chartered Engineer
Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining

Has 30 years experience in the metals industry, including senior operating and technical positions with major mining companies. Experience in market research and operational efficiency studies.
Colin Jemson
Colin JemsonConsultant BSc (Hons) Metallurgy
Former Process Technology & Research Manager at British Steel/ Corus/ Tata Steel. 40 years experience in the iron & steel industry covering quality & process control, product development, capital investment, Research & Development, and general management.
David Thompson
David ThompsonConsultant MA (Cantab)
Past President of the International Fertiliser Society. Ex-ICI agricultural adviser with extensive expertise in all types of fertiliser, their manufacture, quality control, handling and transport. Experienced in the investigation of incidents and claims.
Kevin Rudd
Kevin RuddConsultant Fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers
Kevin Rudd is a Fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers in the UK, (FIMechE) and currently is the only active member within the British Cement Industry to have achieved this status. In this role he also mentors Engineers working towards accreditation. With 25 years of experience in the cement industry, his in-depth knowledge covers the following areas: expert witness, specialist support for major insurance claims, plant operations, project/shutdown management, new projects, feasibility studies, technical/financial evaluation, equipment inspection, project monitoring and business management.
Steven Frankland
Steven FranklandConsultant BSc(Hons), Fellow of the Minerals Engineering Society
Has worked for more than 40 years as a coal technologist. Working for coal producers and as a consultant for the last 30 years, he has world-wide experience. Steve has been involved in coal quality determination, coal mining, coal preparation and coal transportation for all of his career.
Dick Wilkinson
Dick WilkinsonConsultant Chartered Engineer
Highly qualified engineer. Possesses international mining industry background with wide experience of planning, design and operation.
Dr Brian Mellor
Dr Brian MellorConsultant Metallurgist
Professional Member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining since 1973
Chartered Engineer since 1978

A Metallurgist with a Master’s degree and PhD from the University of Cambridge who has worked in academia and University Consultancy activities for most of his professional life. Taught most of the undergraduate module on “Manufacturing and Materials” and modules on “Failure of Materials and Components”, “Surface Engineering” and Materials in Transport”. His main areas of research in recent years have been in the fields of the service performance of materials, in particular the low cycle fatigue behavior of shot peened ferritic steels, fatigue crack initiation from welds and shape memory alloys. He has published over 150 papers in refereed academic journals, edited works and conference proceedings and was editor of “Surface Coatings for Protection against Wear” (Woodhead Publishing, June 2006). He has an international reputation in the service performance of material and he given courses on Failure Analysis at the University of Southampton, Solent University and the University of Barcelona.

He was appointed Technical Manager of the Engineering Materials Consultancy Service, University of Southampton in 1985 and has undertaken over 1,000 consultancies. These have included major investigations on high profile ship causalities where he has provided Expert Reports for London based solicitors on causalities.
John Parratt
34 years experience in the iron and steel industry. Has held senior technical, operating and research positions including 10 years as technical manager for Redcar ironworks.
Has gained extensive knowledge and experience in agricultural sciences with expertise in crop nutrition and soil science. After completing his PhD in crop-soil interactions, he continued to develop expertise in soil hydrology in connection with root development for flood alleviation and crop productivity. Developed disruptive technologies protected by patent portfolios working with multinationals to capture the global market. He has leading expertise in minerals and their uses in an industrial manner. .

CWA Experts & Consultants

Typical Cases

Damaged Steel

CWA has reviewed and reported on the arrangements for shipping and chartering world-wide and has been able to identify areas for substantial efficiency improvement.

Cold Rolled Steel

CWA provides expert evidence on the technical and commercial aspects involving disputes arising from shipments of rolled coils.

DRI

CWA has been involved with the research into the root causes of self-heating of Direct Reduced Iron in the light of recurring problems in DRI shipments.

Business Interuption

CWA has been involved in investigating business interruption (BI) incidents involving continuous process plants. CWA has reviewed the standard methodologies for ramp-up business interruption claims and evaluated the business interruption quantum for plants during start up.

Consequences of Liquefaction

CWA has investigated and advised on numerous incidents concerning the liquefaction of bulk solid cargoes including coal, iron ore fines, nickel laterite ores, and base metal concentrates.

In the light of these experiences, CWA have been involved in reviewing shipping procedures.

Contaminated Cargo

CWA has frequently advised on the treatment of a comprehensive range of contaminated cargoes and undertaken forensic analysis of the causes of contamination, often with support on the commercial front by assisting in disposing off-specification cargoes.

Long Term Storage

CWA provides expertise on the effects of long term storage of mineral concentrates required by, for example, the grounding of a bulk carrier which necessitated length repairs.

Potash

CWA was directed to inspect a cargo of potash which, on arrival showed evidence of water ingress. CWA was involved in the loss mitigation and arranged for the material to be treated locally.

Potash

CWA regularly provides expert advice either in situ or post incident for disputes arising during international maritime trade

 

Cargoes

The group provides expertise in all metals and mineral materials shipped worldwide.

Alumina
Aluminium
Bauxite
Borax
Calcined Alumina
Calcined Brucite
Calcined Bauxite
Cement
Cement clinker
Clay
Clinker
Columbite concentrate
Coal
Copper
Etibor-48
Ferro Manganese
Ferro Silicon
Ferro Silicon Manganese
Ferrovanadium
Fertiliser
Fluorspar
Glass Sand
Iron
Lead concentrates
Magnesite
Manganese ore
Molybdenum concentrates
Nickel laterite ore
Precious metals scrap
Pyritic ash
Pyrite concentrate
Pyrochlore concentrate
Salt
Sand
Scrap metal
Soda ash
Sodium Sulphate
Steel
Steel scrap
Sulphur
Tantalite concentrate
Tin concentrate
Tungsten concentrate
Urea
Vanadium slag
Zinc
Zircon

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