Historical Metallurgy Luncheon
– featuring the Fathi Habashi Lecturer
About the Historical Metallurgy Luncheon
The Historical Metallurgy Luncheon is an annual MetSoc tradition dedicated to celebrating the legacy and evolution of metallurgy. The lunch includes the Professor Fathi Habashi Lecture, named to honour his lifelong contributions to hydrometallurgy, extractive metallurgy, and metallurgical education which left a profound impact on our community. Each year, the Fathi Habashi Lecture aims to recognize individuals who reflect his dedication to advancing metallurgical knowledge and preserving the history of the discipline. This special event features a distinguished speaker who offers insights that connect the pioneering developments of the past with the innovations shaping today’s industry.
The 2026 COM Historical Metallurgy Luncheon Professor Fathi Habashi Lecture will feature Dr. Gary Fisher (InnoTech).
Proudly sponsored by
Dr. Gary Fisher
InnoTech
The Progressive Development of Wear Resistant Materials for Oil Sands Mining Operations
Abstract
The aggressive wear conditions in surface mining operations are the major contributing factor to multi-billion-dollar maintenance and lost production issues. The need to combat these issues has led to the ongoing development of protective materials to help improve the durability and longevity of equipment and help decrease costs and improve productivity. This presentation will provide an overview of the evolution of protective materials used in oil sands mining, with a focus on how the materials selection strategies have evolved to meet the operational requirements of the environment. The main classes of materials, including alloys, coatings, overlays, non-metallic liners and ceramics, will be reviewed and how their selection is dependent on the specific wear mechanisms that govern their applications.
Biography
Dr. Gary Fisher is the Subject Matter Expert for Materials at InnoTech Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Sheffield (UK) and completed his PhD in Advanced Materials at Cranfield University (UK) in 1998. His expertise spans protective materials and surface engineering for aerospace, petrochemical, energy, and mining applications. Dr. Fisher is a co-inventor on three U.S. patents related to petrochemical coating technologies and serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Alberta. He is a Fellow of both the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and ASM International. His current work focuses on developing programs that advance materials and manufacturing technologies to support the mining sector.