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At Best Startup Canada we track over 100,000 Canadian startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top British Columbia based CEO’ operating in the Precious Metals space. If you think a CEO’ is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.ca.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
R.Michael Jones
President and CEO, Director of Platinum Group Metals
R. Michael Jones brings over 25 years of experience as a professional geological engineer and has been involved with the raising of over $1 billion for exploration, mining development and production. In addition to co-founding Platinum Group Metals Ltd., Mr. Jones was a founder of Glimmer Resources Inc. and was responsible for the discovery of the Glimmer Gold mine, now Blackfox, in Ontario. During a six-year tenure as President of Cathedral Gold Corp., Mr. Jones ran a producing gold mining company and was involved in the review of a feasibility study and financing for the $1 billion Diavik Mine project during two years as Vice President with Aber Resources. Mr. Jones was a co-founder and director of West Timmins Mining that was purchased by producing company Lake Shore Gold Corp. in 2009 and was a co-founder and former director until 2012 of MAG Silver Corp. Mr. Jones is a Director, President and Chief Executive Officer of West Kirkland Mining Inc. and a director of Nextraction Energy Corp. Mr. Jones served on the Securities Policy Advisory Committee of the British Columbia Securities Commission for six years and holds a B.A.Sc. in geological engineering from the University of Toronto.
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About Nextraction, Platinum Group Metals: Platinum Group Metals is focused on the development of platinum mining operations with targeted production in the near term.
Jorge Ganoza
Co-Founder, President & CEO of Fortuna Silver Mines
Jorge A. Ganoza is a geological engineer with over 20 years of experience in mineral exploration, mining and business development throughout Latin America. He is a graduate from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. Jorge is a fourth generation miner from a Peruvian family that has owned and operated underground gold, silver and polymetallic mines in Peru and Panama. Before co-founding Fortuna back in 2004 he was involved in business development at senior levels for several private and public Canadian junior mining companies working in Central and South America. Jorge also serves as Chairman of the Board of Atico Mining Corporation.
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About Fortuna Silver Mines: Fortuna Silver Mines is positioned for sustainable growth with two low-cost underground operating silver mines
Peeyush Varshney
CEO, Chairman & President of Canada Zinc Metals
Peeyush Varshney is principal and director of Varshney Capital Corp., a public venture capital firm. He is currently a director or officer of several public companies listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and the TSX including Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. (MPVD). Mountain Province Diamonds is a partner in the largest new diamond mine under development globally. The project has the potential to become one of Canada’s major high grade and long-life diamond mines. Mr. Varshney obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree (1989) and a Bachelor of Laws degree (1993) from the University of British Columbia.
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About Canada Zinc Metals: Canada Zinc Metals is a mineral exploration company focused on unlocking the potential of a future long life mining.
Amir Adnani
President, Founder, Director & CEO of Uranium Energy
Mr. Adnani is a founder of Uranium Energy Corp and has been the President, Chief Executive Officer, and a director of the Company since January 2005. He serves as a spokesman for the uranium industry before all international media, and is frequently invited to speak before major industry gatherings including the Milken Institute Global Conference and the World Nuclear Fuel Conference. He is recognized by Casey Research, a leading investment advisory publisher, as a top-ten leading mining industry entrepreneur and executive. Mr. Adnani is an entrepreneur with a background in business development and marketing. In 2004, he founded Blender Media Inc. where he served as the President and a director until 2006. Blender Media is a strategic communications firm for public companies, and in 2005, was named one of the fastest growing companies in Canada by Profit magazine. He is also a founder and the Chairman of Brazil Resources Inc., a gold exploration company listed on the TSX-Venture Exchange with projects in the gold districts of Brazil. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of British Columbia, and serves on the university’s Alumni Advisory Board.
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About Goldmining Inc, Uranium Energy, Uranium Royalty: Uranium Energy specializes in acquiring exploration databases and leveraging those databases to generate acquisition.
Simon Ingram
President & CEO of Reservoir Minerals
Dr. Ingram currently serves as President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Reservoir Minerals. Dr. Ingram was a founding director of Reservoir Capital (TSXV: REO) and has 20 years international experience in the exploration and mining industry. He is the founder and principal of a resource services firm, through which he has provided technical and managerial expertise to exploration and mining companies worldwide, throughout the project cycle from early-stage exploration projects to feasibility studies, mine start up and production. Projects that Dr. Ingram has been a consultant and advisor to include; Petropavlovsk Plc (LSE: POG), a London-listed mining and exploration company with its principal assets located in Russia, Anglo American Zambia copper mine production and expansion, Rio Tinto Technical Services for resource definition to mine start up in the Middle East and the resource expansion, mining start up and subsequent sale of a polymetallic mine in Armenia for a private Swiss company. Dr Ingram holds a B.Sc. (Hon) in Exploration and Mining Geology and Ph.D in Mineral Resource Evaluation from Cardiff University.
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About Reservoir Minerals: Reservoir Minerals is a mineral exploration company.
Donald R. Lindsay
President and Chief Executive Officer of Teck
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About Teck: Teck is a diversified resource company with business units focused on copper, steelmaking coal, zinc and energy.
John Lando
CEO, President & Secretary/Director of New World Resource
Mr. Lando has more than 20 years of experience working in the equity markets and managing and financing public companies. He has worked for RBC Dominion Securities and has served as a Director of several public companies. Mr. Lando is also the CEO and President of Northern Lion Gold and Nano One Materials Corp.
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About New World Resource: A New Age Of Mineral Exploration In The Americas.
Catalin Chiloflischi
President, CEO & Director of Goldplay Mining
Catalin Kilofliski is the Founder, CEO, President, and Director of Goldplay Mining.
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About Goldplay Mining, Goldplay Mining: Goldplay Mining is a junior exploration company focused on advancing and exploring gold, silver, and copper assets.
David Tafel
President, CEO & Director of Centurion Minerals
Mr. Tafel contributes over 20 years of corporate structuring, strategic planning, financing and management experience to the Centurion Minerals team. He is the former CEO of Garson Gold Corp. and has been an officer and director of several TSX Venture Exchange listed companies. Prior to his public company experience, Mr. Tafel managed private investment funds at a major Canadian investment firm.
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About Centurion Minerals, Portofino Resources: Centurion Minerals is focused on the exploration and development of gold and other precious metal projects in Southeast Asia
Richard D. Williams
Chief Executive Officer & Director of Winshear Gold
Richard Williams is a Professional Geologist with over 20 years experience in gold mining and precious and base metal mineral exploration in southern Africa, south, central and north America, and most recently in southern Europe. Richard graduated from Portsmouth University, UK in 1988, before becoming a mine geologist in the Witwatersrand goldfields, South Africa. In 1993, he completed a Master’s degree in Mineral Exploration at Queen’s University, Ontario and joined Canarc Resource Corp. as its Exploration Manager in Suriname, South America. In 1998, based in Vancouver, Richard assumed the role of Acquisitions Manager for Canarc, working mainly in Mexico. In 2001, Richard formed his own exploration consulting company – RDW Consulting – as well as assisting Chris MacKenzie in the formation of the BAFEX group of companies. As a consulting geologist Richard worked for a variety of exploration companies, with experience gained in the exploration for IOCG deposits in northern Canada and Chile, and also for high and low sulphidation gold deposits in Sardinia, Italy. Richard is based in Vancouver and is responsible for Helio’s corporate affairs.
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About Winshear Gold: Winshear Gold is a Canadian based junior exploration company
James Anderson
CEO of NuLegacy Gold
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About NuLegacy Gold: NuLegacy Gold is a mining company focused on gold exploration projects.
John-Mark Staude
President & CEO of Riverside Resources
John-Mark Staude holds a Ph.D. in economic geology and has over 20 years of diverse mining and exploration experience in precious and base metals. He earned a Masters of Science from Harvard University in 1989 and a Ph.D. in economic geology from the University of Arizona in 1995. Mr. Staude held positions of increasing responsibility with a number of major international mining companies including Kennecott, BHP-Billiton, and most recently Teck Cominco. He also worked with smaller commodity-focused companies like Magma Copper Company and consulted to private investment groups. Mr. Staude’s extensive Latin America mineral resource experience began in Mexico and then extended through South America. Recently, Mr. Staude has ventured into Europe and Asia initiating companies and managing successful exploration programs in Turkey, Romania and China. Mr. Staude has been successful in creating shareholder value through discoveries of gold and copper in Mexico, Peru and Turkey. He has located additional resources in known districts and helped convert discoveries into new mining operations. His technical and managerial experience spans more than 30 countries in diverse geologic environments. Through Riverside Resources, Mr. Staude will continue to build strong portfolios and profitable businesses through prospect generation, early stage partnering and drill discoveries.
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About Riverside Resources: Riverside Resources is a well-funded mineral exploration company advancing multiple projects through JVs and strategic partnerships.
John Zbeetnoff
Chief Executive Officer & Director of SnipGold Corp.
Chief Executive Officer and Director; Mr. Zbeetnoff was previously on the Company’s Advisory Board and was consulting as the Chief Geologist working with the Company’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Jim Sparling, in the geological compilation, interpretation and supervision of the current exploration programme. He was previously chief geologist with Brett Resources (until transfer of responsibility to Osisko was complete), extensive experience with various other junior exploration companies including work with Curragh Resources in the 1980’s and early 1990’s where he carried out several phases of advanced exploration in four base metal deposits just prior to production; as Chief Geologist for Loki Gold he completed the final two exploration programs at Brewery Creek that transitioned the project from exploration to production; completed a large scale resource advancement of Segala gold Deposit in Mali West Africa — Deposit was eventually opened for production. Completed numerous resource estimates for junior mining companies with projects around the world. Mr. Zbeetnoff has also completed several years of geological modeling and resource work on Miramar Mining’s Hope Bay project culminating in the 1.5 billion dollar sale of Hope Bay to Newmont in 2007. Mr Zbeetnoff has been involved with all aspects exploration, from grass roots work to development programs for over 26 years.
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About SnipGold Corp.: SnipGold Corp. exploration and expansion of gold and copper resources.
Douglas Turnbull
President & Chief Executive Officer of Black Dragon Gold corp
Mr. Turnbull is a consulting geologist with over 25 years of experience in diamond, precious and base metal exploration. He holds an H.B.Sc. in Geology and is a Qualified Professional Geoscientist recognized by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia. Mr. Turnbull has managed or served on boards of a number of exploration and mining companies with assets ranging from early stage to advanced projects. He has played a key role on teams responsible for the exploration and development of the Eskay Creek Gold Deposit in Canada, the Petaquilla Cu-Au Porphyry Deposit in Panama, the Mt. Kare Gold Deposit in Papua New Guinea and the OJVG Gold Deposits in Senegal.
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About Black Dragon Gold corp: Black Dragon Gold is one of the largest undeveloped gold deposits in Western Europe – the Salave gold project in Spain.
Frederick W. Davidson
President, CEO and Director of Energold Drilling Corp
Fred Davidson is the President & CEO of Energold Drilling Corp. He attended The University of British Columbia.
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About Energold Drilling Corp: Canadian specialty drilling company.
Michael Brown
President & CEO of Argentex Mining Corp
Mr. Brown began his career as a professional geologist in 1994. Since then, he has gained extensive experience in corporate and project development, finance, team building and executive leadership around the world in natural resources, including Argentina. He has participated in the development of multiple $100 million dollar plus projects in Latin America. Mr. Brown was previously employed as the Vice President of Energy at Kinross Gold Corporation from 2009-2012. From 2002-2009 he was employed as Business Development Manager at Pacific Hydro. At Pacific Hydro he opened the company’s offices in Chile in 2002, and played a critical role in establishing a significant new market for the company through the acquisition of two run of river hydroelectric projects and leading the development and project financing of two large run-of-river hydroelectric projects. Mr. Brown has an MBA from the University of Melbourne, 2002, and a double Science (Hons-Geology, 1993) and Arts Degree, 1994, from the University of Melbourne. Mr. Brown is fluent in English and Spanish.
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About Argentex Mining Corp: Argentex Mining Corporation is a junior exploration resource company focused on advancing its Pinguino Silver/Gold Project in Santa Cruz,
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