Derek Martin obtained his BSc in 1972 from Memorial University, his MEng from the University of Alberta in 1983 and his PhD from the University of Manitoba in 1993. He has over 35 years of experience in rock engineering associated with rock slopes, tunnels, caverns and dams. His early years were spent on construction sites for major civil, hydroelectric and underground projects. In 1987 he joined AECL, where he directed the geomechanics research at the Underground Research Laboratory in southeastern Manitoba and was senior adviser to the Director of the Canadian Nuclear Fuel Waste Management Program. From 1995-99, he served as Associate Director of the Geomechanics Research Centre at Laurentian University, working on the deep mining projects in the Sudbury basin. Since 2000, Dr Martin has been Professor in Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Alberta, where he holds an NSERC Industrial Research Chair. Dr Martin is a Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada and a Fellow of The Canadian Academy of Engineering. Peter Stacey has 40 years' experience in all aspects of pit slope and mining geotechnical design, project management and review. He holds a BSc Hons. degree in Geology and a D.I.C. from Imperial College, London, and is a registered engineer in Canada and the UK. After working for the Geological Survey of Sweden and subsequently with the Iron Ore Company of Canada as Supervisor – Geotechnical Engineering, Mr Stacey joined Golder Associates Ltd, based in Vancouver, Canada. During his 29 years with Golder, Mr Stacey worked primarily in the areas of pit slope design and the application of geotechnical engineering to the operational aspects of open pit mines. In 2003, he formed Stacey Mining Geotechnical Ltd to concentrate on independent review consulting related to the geotechnical aspects of open pit mining. In this capacity, he currently serves as either review consultant or on the Geotechnical Review Board for several large open pit operations. He also performs geotechnical review for a number of mining and consulting companies.