Ronel Kappes is Director Processing with Newmont’s Processing and Metallurgy Technical Services team located in Englewood, Colorado, USA. 

She earned a baccalaureate decree in chemical engineering from Potchefstroom University, South Africa and a Ph.D. in metallurgical engineering from the University of Utah. She is a qualified professional member of MMSA (Mining and Metallurgical Society of America) and is a member of the Board of Directors of AMIRA.  She is currently the executive editor for the SME journal, Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration.  In 2023, Kappes received the inaugural Cindy Moore Courageous Impact from SME for her contributions and dedication to the mining industry.  Kappes has extensive flotation development experience in a variety of commodities, including copper, gold, platinum-group metals, molybdenum, lead and zinc.  In her current role, Kappes supports Newmont’s global flotation portfolio, Newmont’s copper/gold greenfield projects, and provides metallurgical and strategic support for due diligence efforts and evaluations.