Mark is Head of Advisory for the APAC region. He is a Chartered Professional Engineer with more than 35 years’ international industry experience across a range of sectors with particular focus on the global mining industry. His experience includes Board, chief executive, managerial and technical roles across most commodities and geographies in public and private companies. This includes experience in design, operations, manufacturing, project management, strategy development, corporate and Board activities. Mark has more than 30 years’ experience in the management of consulting and advisory services businesses. Mark is a former Chairman and Director of Austmine representing METS industry of Australia, and has served in Director, Chairman and Executive Committee roles in ASX-listed companies. Mark’s general knowledge across the mining industry and experience in a number of mergers and acquisitions brings a broad perspective and management capability for the clients of Snowden Optiro’s corporate and transaction services.
With executive-level experience, M&A experience and general knowledge across mining enterprises, Mark provides Board support, strategy development services, due diligence and corporate advice to clients.

Paul is a geologist with more than 37 years of technical and operational experience. He has worked as a consultant in resource geology for over 30 years. Paul’s skills include resource evaluation, technical audits and reviews, geostatistics, reconciliation, grade control, competent persons reporting and project management. During Paul’s career as a resource consultant, he has been exposed to a wide range of commodity types, including extensive experience in many types of gold deposits from narrow vein extreme nugget variations through to porphyry copper-gold styles. Paul also has substantial iron ore experience and significant exposure to copper, PGE, base metal and mineral sands commodities. Paul has considerable practical experience in resource estimation, technical audits and reviews, and grade control systems. The application of tailored resource evaluation and grade control methods to produce the best possible estimates and to optimise ore recovery have been long term areas of interest. These skills and experience have led to Paul acting as the Competent or Qualified person for a large number of resource projects. Paul has passed on these skills to numerous geologists over the years through the delivery of training courses and mentoring programs.

Andrew is a mining engineer with more than 40 years of diversified experience in the West Australian and International mining industry, including 10 years as operating/technical superintendent, 10 years as operations/general manager and 15 months at managing director level. Areas of responsibility and direct involvement have included grassroots exploration; mine site establishment and commissioning; open cut and underground mining; operation and maintenance of medium and large-scale ore processing operations; industrial relations; contractor control; occupational health and safety; environmental control and planning; mine site, general and corporate management. Andrew’s specialist skills are in operational optimisation, mentoring individuals and teams and corporate/transaction services including due diligence and ore reserve audits.

Ferrin Gersbach is the Training & Marketing Manager at Snowden Optiro, a global mining advisory and professional training organisation. She has experience in marketing enablement, customer engagement, professional training coordination, and account management within technical consulting and mining technology environments. Ferrin works closely with consultants and technical specialists to deliver mining industry training programmes, webinars, trade shows, and client events, ensuring initiatives are well executed and aligned with business objectives.

Before joining Snowden Optiro, Ferrin worked as Operational Excellence Manager at Datamine, a leading provider of mining software and technology solutions. In this role, she led the planning and delivery of regional industry events, professional training programmes, and marketing campaigns. Her responsibilities included developing campaign concepts, managing messaging and execution, and ensuring technical accuracy and brand consistency across marketing materials.

Ferrin brings a practical, delivery-focused approach and plays a key role in strengthening how technical expertise and mining consulting services are communicated to the global mining industry. She supports the continued growth of Snowden Optiro’s professional training programmes and global marketing initiatives.

Frank is a mining engineer with more than 34 years surface mining industry experience, with the last 18 years in a consulting role. His consulting expertise includes project financial analyses and Competent Person sign-offs.

His consulting work includes project management for iron ore, gold, bauxite and nickel laterite mining studies at the scoping, feasibility and prefeasibility level, Ore Reserve audits and specialised technical reports (NI 43-101, Chapter 18).

Frank has been involved in reconciliation technical studies at BHP, Mt Keith and Tarmoola, all of which were triggered by shortfalls in metal production. Frank was the Competent Person for 2 years (2012 – 2013) for the Gove Ore Reserves, in addition to several competent person appointments. He has also visited the Boddington Bauxite Mine (Worsley Alumina), Wagerup mines (alcoa), Sangaredi deposit (Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée) and several Bauxite mines in Brazil.

Frank is a Competent Person/Qualified Person for reserves and open pit mining. His commodity experience includes: Nickel/Cobalt, Graphite, Rare Earths, Lithium, Diamonds, Iron ore, Gold, Mineral sands, and Industrial sands.

Dr Gregory (Greg) Zhang is a highly experienced geologist and resource estimation specialist with more than 14 years’ experience across mining, exploration, and academic research. He has contributed to over 80 projects worldwide, providing expertise in resource estimation, review, and due diligence for a wide range of commodities including gold, copper, nickel, iron ore, silver, cobalt, mineral sands, and PGE.

Greg’s technical strengths include resource estimation using both linear and non-linear geostatistical methodologies, as well as advanced resource review and model validation. Fluent in English and Mandarin, he brings a bilingual advantage to international projects and training programs.

A strong advocate for efficiency and innovation, Greg is skilled in workflow automation through scripting and programming. In his own time, he enjoys developing geoscientific software tools, including post-processing applications for localised multiple indicator kriging (LMIK).

As part of Snowden Optiro’s training team, Greg develops and delivers professional development courses in both English and Mandarin. He also shares his expertise through open-access technical tips, podcast appearances, and published best-practice papers — supporting continuous learning across the global mining community.

Greg has experience working with gold, copper, nickel, iron ore, silver, cobalt, and PGE, and he can sign off as a Competent person for gold.

Hamish is the Managing Consultant of Snowden Optiro's Mining services. He has more than 25 years of mining experience with a focus on underground and open pit metalliferous mining. His experience covers many mining engineering roles in the mining industry including strategic corporate planning, senior production and planning roles, contract management and estimation, and site management roles. His operational site experience covers a broad variety of environments including gold, nickel, coal and iron ore, and mining methods including underground narrow vein, sublevel stoping, sublevel caving, and surface operations. Hamish has consulting experience in mine optimisation, strategy planning, mine and infrastructure design, scheduling, cost modelling, equipment selection, operational review, and sensitivity and risk evaluation, for studies of scoping to feasibility level standards for both open pit and underground mining methods. He has worked with large-scale iron ore and coal studies, mineral sands, open pit and underground hard-rock feasibility studies, and JORC and NI 43-101 compliant documentation.

Hamish has experience in the following mining methods: Open pit, Underground, Narrow vein, Caving, Open Strip mining, and Hand held methods. His commodity experience includes: Gold, Nickel, Copper, Zinc, Polymetallic (Zinc, Copper, Lead, Gold, Silver) Iron ore and Coal.

Ian Glacken is an Executive Consultant with Snowden Optiro’s Geology Advisory group. An experienced geologist with postgraduate qualifications in geostatistics, mining geology, and computing, Ian has more than 38 years of global mining industry experience.

Ian began his career with a major multi-national, multi-commodity mining company, where he spent 16 years in a range of technical and geological management roles. He then moved into consulting, leading the resource evaluation function of a major mining consultancy for more than a decade, helping to grow the team from 30 to over 200 specialists. During this time, he also established one of the industry’s most successful training businesses and initiated a dedicated Risk Services division.

His skills and expertise cover Mineral Resource evaluation, public reporting, quantitative and qualitative risk assessment, strategic advisory, geostatistics, reconciliation, project management, due diligence, competent persons’ reporting, and mining geology studies. Ian also presents many of Snowden Optiro’s professional development courses, sharing his knowledge with geologists and mining professionals worldwide.

As a founding Director of Optiro, Ian played a key role in shaping its reputation for excellence in geology consulting, resource estimation, and mining advisory services. Today, he continues to do the same for Snowden Optiro, helping clients achieve technical confidence and industry best practice.

Jan Graham is a Resource Geologist with over 18 years of experience in the mining industry, bringing strong technical expertise across a range of commodities and deposit types. As a consultant, she has worked extensively with mining software including Datamine, Supervisor, and Vulcan.

Jan’s capabilities span resource estimation (including advanced techniques), geological modelling, grade control system design, macro development, technical report writing, and audit and review work. She is experienced in delivering both internal and external training, and has authored reports to JORC 2012 and NI 43-101 standards.

Known for her clear communication, strong time management, and commitment to deadlines, Jan’s key strengths lie in resource geology, software proficiency, and training and mentoring.

Qualifications: MSc (Mining Geology), BSc (Geological Sciences)

Professional Membership: MAusIMM (CP), MAIG, FGS.

Jodeane is Snowden Optiro's Project Management Office's Operations Support Manager. Jodeane is an experienced Administration Professional with more than 30 years’ experience in administrative and management roles. She is a highly dependable, support specialist who works effectively with cross functional teams ensuring operational and service excellence.

Kahan Cervoj is Snowden Optiro’s Executive Consultant in Geology Advisory. With more than 30 years of experience in the mining industry, Kahan has worked across exploration, resource development, and mine geology, with a strong emphasis on getting the fundamentals right and developing a clear understanding of each deposit’s geology.

His expertise spans a wide range of commodities including gold, nickel, base and precious metals, iron ore (DSO and magnetite), manganese, uranium, and vanadium, covering multiple styles of mineralisation.

Kahan has managed geology functions for both surface and underground mining operations, including bulk and narrow-vein mines. He has extensive experience in Mineral Resource estimation, as well as conducting independent reviews, audits, and due diligence studies. He is recognised for his ability to establish practical geological systems and processes, along with a strong commitment to mentoring and training geology teams.

Proficient in Datamine, Surpac, and specialised geostatistical and geological software, Kahan has worked extensively in Australia and consulted on mining projects in Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and Africa. He also presents Snowden Optiro’s professional development training courses, sharing his knowledge of geology, resource estimation, and mining software with geologists worldwide.

Mark is a geologist with more than 29 years of experience in due diligence studies and Mineral Resource audits, underground and open pit production, resource development, resource estimation, consulting and geological management at operational and corporate levels. Mark has extensive experience in Western Australia gold, nickel, manganese and chromite grade control, mining, resource development and due diligence audits, along with consulting work in Mali, Tanzania, Ghana, Mozambique, Southeast Asia, Mongolia and Saudi Arabia. As Geology Manager for Sons of Gwalia and Consolidated Minerals he was responsible for operational performance from a number of operations and commodities, along with reconciliation, reporting, resource development, long term project planning and cost control. As a consultant, Mark Drabble specialises in realising value from geology in 3D modelling and Mineral Resource estimations. He has carried out due diligence audits, mineral resource estimation and sign-off, reconciliation reviews, grade control studies and high-level corporate presentations. Mark presents Snowden Optiro's professional development courses.

Samantha is Snowden Optiro's Training and Project Administrator. Sam has a wealth of experience having worked with companies such as Centric Mining Systems and Calibre. 

Susan Havlin is the Managing Consultant – Geology at Snowden Optiro, leading our team of Australia-based geologists. With over 23 years of experience across exploration, mine, and resource geology, she has developed deep expertise in a wide range of commodities, including gold, copper, base metals, uranium, iron ore, lithium, nickel, and mineral sands.

Susan’s core skills include mineral resource estimation, production geology, drilling program management, due diligence, technical reporting, sampling and QAQC, reconciliation, grade control design, project management, and Competent Person reporting. She is a recognised Competent Person for gold, mineral sands, iron ore, and lithium (as co-CP).

Susan has spent 15 years at Snowden Optiro, where her commitment and capability have seen her grow steadily into senior leadership. She is a passionate mentor, presenter of our professional development courses, and team leader.

Tarrant is Snowden Optiro's Executive Vice President. He has more than 16 years of mine consulting experience specialising in mine optimisation and M&A Due Diligence. He specilised in mining strategy selection, early stage scoping studies, project management, and providing solutions to unique complex mining problems. Tarrant has been involved in studies in Australia, South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia; across commodities including precious metals, base metals, industrial minerals and iron ore. He also leads the development of Snowden Optiro’s optimisation software and manages a number of key business functions.

Tarrant has written more than 15 published papers and contributes heavily to blog posts on the Snowden Optiro website.

Tarrant has experience working in these commodities:
Gold, Silver, Iron Ore, Vanadium, Titanium, Lithium, Nickel, Cobalt, Rare Earths, Copper, Graphite, Manganese, Bauxite, Lead, Zinc, Mineral Sands, PGMs, Tantalum, Uranium

Allan Earl, is an Executive Consultant in the Mining Advisory division. Allan has more than 40 years' mining experience in open pit and underground gold and base metals operating mines and consulting. More recently Allan has been involved in lithium feasibility studies in Australia and Europe.

Allan has specialised in the delivery of feasibility studies for open pit and underground mines,  reporting of Ore/Mineral Reserves for international reporting Codes, Independent Technical Reports, due diligence assessments and Ore Reserve audits. Allan’s is currently the Competent Person for the Kathleen Valley lithium project Ore Reserves and, until 2021, the Jadar lithium project in Serbia.

Allan's range of experience includes financial analysis, technical audits and project evaluation, underground mine design, planning and production scheduling, Ore Reserve estimation (as a Competent Person and Qualified Person), and optimisation of underground orebodies using Snowden Optiro’s Evaluator software.

Christine is a geologist with more than 35 years extensive experience in the exploration and mining industry. She has been consulting in resource estimation and generating independent experts’ reports since 1988, and her skills include resource evaluation studies, grade control and reconciliation work. Christine has five publications in journals and conference proceedings covering reconciliation, conditional simulation, mineral asset valuation and geology, and several hundred technical reports.

Matt is an experienced mining industry professional specialising in creating value in resource companies through resource optimisation, project development, business improvement, and value-adding transactions. He has a strong geological and mine planning background, and a proven track record in resource and project development, business improvement, mergers and acquisitions, capital project governance, and senior management. Matt has specialised in developing and implementing global governance and best practice systems for resource companies in the areas of resource reporting, mine planning, capital governance, and productivity. Matt’s range of experience includes early-stage geological and opportunity assessments; resource modelling; estimation and reporting; mine planning; strategic resource development; project evaluation and economic modelling and analysis. Matt is a Competent Person/Valuator in most major commodities and has worked in the key geological terrains in Canada, the USA, Cuba, Suriname, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Mali, Guinea, Liberia, the DRC, Angola, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa, India, China, Indonesia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. He has operated in large mining companies (ArcelorMittal, Billiton, BHP, Randgold Resources and Goldfields), mid-tier companies (Severin Mining), research (CSIR), as an entrepreneur, as a mining analyst on the JSE and has helped companies list on the JSE, LSE, and NASDAQ. Matt is also a presenter of Snowden Optiro's professional development courses.

Oscar is a skilled geostatistician and researcher with more than 19 years of combined experience in the Oil & Gas and Mining & Metals industries with a proven track of innovative research and achievements. Oscar’s experience in the Mining & Metals industry comprises resource estimation and applications of conditional simulation, uniform conditioning, change of support and non-linear techniques within a range of different commodities and mineralisation styles. Oscar’s experience in the Oil and Gas industry encompasses geostatistical reservoir characterisation as a part of a multidisciplinary team, seismic guided estimation of reservoir properties, co-simulation of reservoir properties through geostatistical techniques, conditional simulation of facies and applications of neural paradigms for seismic pattern identification and interpretation. Oscar has a strong theoretical background which combined with his vast working experience has also made him sought after for the customisation, development and presentation of geostatistical training courses worldwide.

Michael is a highly experienced geologist with over 35 years of technical and operational expertise in the global mining industry. His career spans roles in exploration and mining across Australia and numerous international jurisdictions, working with major mining companies, consultancies, and training teams.

Career Experience
Before joining Snowden Optiro, Michael held key roles at:

Evolution Mining – 7 years
(Worked across all Australian and Canadian assets)

Major Mining Consultancies – 11 years
(Technical advisory, modelling, due diligence)

Newmont Australia – 10 years
(Projects including Yanacocha and Minas Conga in Peru, Normandy/Newmont Australian assets)

BHP Steel – 5 years

Areas of Expertise
Michael brings specialist knowledge in:

Geostatistical resource estimation

Resource optimisation and grade control

Risk assessment and technical audits

Due diligence and mine valuation studies

Technical training and mentoring

Commodities
Michael has extensive experience working with:

Gold and precious metals

Base metals (e.g. copper, uranium)

Iron ore

Industrial minerals

Deposit Styles
He has contributed to projects involving:

Shear and vein-hosted deposits

Epithermal systems

Placer deposits

IOCG deposits

Porphyry-style systems

Global Project Experience
Michael’s international experience includes work on mining projects in:

Australia

Canada

Peru (Yanacocha, Minas Conga)

Russia (Albazino, Tamunier – Polymetal; Kupol – Kinross)

Papua New Guinea

Colombia

Indonesia

India

USA

Ghana

Turkey

New Zealand

Pakistan

Philippines

Democratic Republic of Congo

Malaysia

Mali

Chile

South Africa

Summary
Michael’s career reflects a deep commitment to technical excellence, practical application, and global collaboration. His ability to deliver value through estimation, auditing, and mentoring makes him a key contributor to Snowden Optiro’s consulting and training services.

Julian is based in the UK and is our Regional Manager - International. He has more than 20 years of experience as a geologist in resource assessment, mineral exploration and project management of grassroots to feasibility stage projects. He is skilled in 3D modelling, resource assessment, QAQC assessment and data/statistical analysis. He is a Chartered Geologist (CGeol) with the Geological Society of London, a Member of the IOM3 (MIMMM) and acts as a CP/QP.

Before working as a consultant, Julian spent 10 years as an exploration geologist, managing drill programmes, running geochemical sampling and geophysical programmes in multiple countries. He has a superb practical knowledge of modern mapping, sampling and analysis techniques and has spent time working on remote sites and communicating in different cultures, allowing him to develop an excellent analysis and interpretation ability. Julian has an expert knowledge of genetic and descriptive metallogenic models.

Julian has experience with the following commodites Mineral Sands, Silica sands, Lithium, REEs, Bauxite, and Vanadium and is a Competent Person for Gold, Silver, PGEs, Iron ore, Base metals, Copper, Nickel laterite, and Graphite.

Vince Agnello – Competent Valuator (CoV) and Mining Industry Consultant
Expertise in Mining Valuations and Advisory Services

Vince Agnello is a highly experienced Competent Valuator (CoV) and consultant to the global mining industry. With over 23 years of industry expertise, including 19 years as a CoV, Vince has worked across all major commodities, minor minerals, and a wide range of international jurisdictions.

He has been a core member of Snowden Optiro’s corporate advisory division for more than 17 years, contributing to independent technical reviews, audits, valuations, and market studies of mineral projects and properties.

Professional Background

Before joining Snowden (now Snowden Optiro) in 2006, Vince worked at the Department of Minerals and Energy as a commodity specialist. During his four years there, his focus was on industrial minerals, conducting detailed analysis of mineral markets, supply and demand trends, and providing statistical interpretation to support industry and government decision-making.

Recent Mining Projects and Valuation Work

Vince’s extensive project portfolio includes:

Preparation of Competent Persons Reports and NI 43-101 Technical Reports for listings of major platinum and gold producers.

Completion of more than 30 mineral property valuations covering commodities such as platinum, coal, gold, graphite, uranium, bauxite, dimension stone, and diamonds.

Delivery of fair and reasonable opinions across diamond, copper, and platinum assets.

Participation in 15 due diligence reviews on mining feasibility studies and projects for debt and project finance.

Authoring in-depth market and technical reports on uranium, copper, chromite, manganese, neodymium, vanadium, carbonates, and coal.

Professional Credentials

Vince is recognised under multiple international reporting and valuation codes, including:

Competent Valuator (SAMREC)

Qualified Valuator (CIMVAL)

Practitioner/Specialist (Valuations) under VALMIN Code

With this unique blend of technical expertise, valuation experience, and international perspective, Vince is trusted by mining companies, investors, and regulators to deliver independent, transparent, and defensible assessments of mineral assets.

Jane is an Associate Principal Consultant in the Geology division. She has more than 20 years of experience in exploration, mine and resource geology working with companies including Gold Road, Gold Fields, Newcrest, Rio Tinto, and Optiro. She has geological expertise in a variety of commodities, including gold, copper, base metals, uranium, and iron ore. Jane’s experience includes mineral resource evaluation, production geology, drilling programme management, due diligence, technical reporting, sampling and quality assurance/quality control (QAQC), reconciliation, grassroots exploration and feasibility studies. Jane’s recent focus has been in resource estimation where she is experienced in linear and non-linear estimation techniques, including complex multi-element estimation. She has exposure to simulations to quantify estimation risk and has been involved in technical audits and reviews. With a proven track record of delivering projects on time with appropriate documentation applicable to Competent Person standards, Jane is continually motivated to learn new techniques and methodologies. Jane is proficient in Datamine, Supervisor, and Leapfrog software to facilitate the completion of projects.

Matthew is a mining engineer with more than 25 years’ surface mining industry experience, with almost 20 years in a consulting role. Since joining Snowden, now Snowden Optiro, he has worked on numerous studies from scoping to feasibility level standard involving a wide variety of commodities and software. He has experience in open pit and dump optimisation, design and scheduling; equipment selection and scheduling; and mine costing.

Stefan is an Executive Consultant with our Geology division. With more than 35 years’ mining industry experience, Stefan’s career has spanned from exploration to mining geology in a number of managerial roles and various locations. Stefan’s expertise includes technical reviews, due diligence, sampling and reconciliation, short-term grade control strategies, regional/project exploration, resource estimation, database/computer management, feasibility studies, geostatistics, risk assessment through conditional simulation, project management, acting as an Expert Witness, and mentoring and training. His experience covers a range of commodities in a variety of locations and geological settings.

Danny is Snowden Optiro’s North American Regional Manager.  He has more than 20 years of mine operational and consulting experience specialising in both open pit and underground mine optimisation.  He has experience in project economic evaluation, open pit drill and blast, short- and long-term mine planning, design, and site supervision.  He has specialist skills in project management and has completed all levels of project studies from conceptual to feasibility.  His consulting assignments have included numerous technical studies, audits, M&A due diligence, and mine operational assistance. He has completed numerous studies comparing conventional truck and shovel with various material handling technologies.  His commodity experience continues to grow but has included coal, copper, diamonds, gold, silver, nickel, lead, zinc, uranium, limestone, rare earth, and specialty industrial aggregates such as fracsand.  Danny is a Qualified Person for open pit mining for NI43-101 and SK1300 Technical Reporting.

Paul has more than 42 years of wide ranging geological experience in the mining and minerals industry. This includes over 20 years in senior positions managing geographically and culturally diverse multi-disciplinary exploration and project development teams on 6 continents. Experience includes most major deposit types for Au, Cu, Ni, Zn, Pb, Zn, Ti, V, Fe, Mn, Cr, U, Sn, W, Mo, mineral sands and industrial minerals. Includes significant involvement with major project development including management of all geoscience activities associated with Feasibility Studies and project implementation. This includes geology, process mineralogy, resource estimation and JORC 2012 compliant reporting. Significant experience with Due Diligence Studies as well as providing Expert and Competent Person Reporting and Independent Technical Reviews for mineral properties under the ASX, TSX and London AIM jurisdictions. Qualified Mineral Property Valuator as defined by the VALMIN Code (2015) and completed numerous valuations globally. Provision of Expert Witness testimony on mineral property valuation and mineral exploration in the Supreme Court and State Administrative Tribunal of Western Australia. Previous Member of the Western Australia Chamber of Mines Exploration Council.

Phil has more than 46 years of experience in open pit mining, including: 25 years of large open pit precious and base metals operations with Rio, BHP Billiton and Placer Dome in a range of technical and managerial roles in Australia, Papua New Guinea, South America and Africa; four years as General Manager then CEO of an International Mining Contractor operating in Ghana and Tanzania in Africa; and 17 years as an international mining and geotechnical consultant, and a specialist in-pit crushing expert. Phil has a strong technical background which has included the publication of many papers on probabilistic rock slope stability, final pit wall blasting, trolley assisted truck haulage, contractor vs owner mining, and in-pit crushing and conveying (IPCC). He has also run workshops on pit slope stability (with Evert Hoek), managing mining contracts, understanding risk in mining, and IPCC. As a consultant, Phil managed the global mining division activities for the Snowden Group and expanded its international operations.

Philip has more than 35 years’ professional experience in the mining, consulting, financial services and investor relations sectors, including a long association with the WA resources industry. He possesses strong capital market and corporate communication skills through his direct involvement in numerous asset, market and corporate transactions.

Richard has been involved in the field of geotechnical engineering, principally for mining and tunneling projects for more than 35 years. He has worked on projects in the UK, Ireland, Australia, Africa, S America and Asia. He joined Snowden’s Brisbane office in 2003, having moved into mining consultancy in 2001 and has worked on a wide range of surface and underground mining projects. After graduating in Civil Engineering in 1976, Richard worked on the excavation and support of major underground power station caverns. Richard has extensive experience of geotechnical investigations and design for studies from scoping to feasibility-level of large open pit and underground mining projects for coal, iron ore, precious metals, base metals, and industrial minerals.

Jady is a Geological Engineer graduated from the Federal University of Ouro Preto, Brazil and a Chemistry technician graduated from the Technological Education Center of Minas Gerais, Brazil. In the mining industry, she has experience in consulting services, information technology and natural resources, experience in the implementation of LIMS solutions, reconciliation solutions, data management and analysis in the mining sector. Jady is a Reconcilor domain expert consultant with experience in Reconcilor implementation for open-pit and underground mines, review of reconciliation process, data requirements and analysis.

Ana is Snowden Optiro's Brazil Principal Administrative Officer. Ana is an experienced Accountant Professional with more than 15 years’ experience in administrative and management roles. She also provides administrative assistance to Project Managers and consultants in order to insure the company high standard practices.

Gordon is a professional Mining Engineer with more than 12 years of experience. Specializing in open pit mining including mine optimization, design, scheduling, costing, project evaluation and public disclosures (NI 43-101 and S-K 1300).  He also has experience including block cave evaluation, geotechnical evaluation, rock mass characterization and discrete fracture modelling for caving and fragmentation purposes. His consulting experience have included all levels of project studies from conceptual to feasibility as well as audits, due diligence and mine operational assistance.  His commodity experience has included coal, copper, diamonds, gold, silver, nickel, lead, zinc, uranium, limestone, rare earth, and industrial aggregates.

Fabrício is a Mining Engineer with more than 15 years of experience in the mineral industry. He is a Principal Consultant based in our Brazil office. Fabrício is specialized in surface and underground mining and have conducted numerous studies for several operations and projects in Latin America. Fabrício's experience in commodities includes gold, copper, iron ore, bauxite, limestone, phosphate, manganese and niobium. He is skilled in open pit and stope optimization, mining design and strategic scheduling, mapping and improvement of long and short-term mine planning processes, and project management.

Doug is a Mining Engineer and Associate Principal Consultant with Snowden Optiro. He started his career at Teutonic Bore underground copper/zinc sublevel open stope mine in Western Australia in 1980 as a longhole production driller. Doug has worked in many facets of the mining industry since then, including drill & blast crew, shotfirer, shiftboss, mine planning engineer, mining production manager, processing production manager, fixed  and mobile equipment maintenance manager, supply chain manager & study manager across a number of commodities including iron ore, aggregates, coal, copper, gold & manganese mines.

Doug extended his experience into mining equipment supply and services on a global basis, including being Vice President of Mining Systems Products and head of Trans4mine, where he specialised in customer applications optimization, fitting the mine plan to the equipment, including in-pit-crushing-&-conveying assessments in surface mining and automated equipment assessments in underground mining. This background has provided Doug with a strong global network together with an extensive understanding of what works and what does not.

Senzeni is a seasoned Resource Geologist with 22+ years' experience in Resource/Evaluation, Exploration, Mining, Planning Geology, and Consulting. Holds an MSc in Engineering (Mineral Resource Evaluation & Management), GDE in Mining Engineering, and BSc in Geology & Chemistry. Specializes in Mineral Resource modeling, Technical Report writing, feasibility studies, and audits. Proficient in geological software: Datamine Studio RM, Leapfrog Geo, Isatis, Strat 3D, GEOVIA Gems, and Surfer. Registered Pr.Sci.Nat, GSSA Member, CP/QP for multiple commodities, and global project experience.

Laurie is a geologist with more than 13 years’ experience in mineral exploration, project development and mining operations relating to Tungsten, Tin and Lithium. Having held senior geology and technical services management roles for many companies across the SW of England, he has been at the forefront of a revival in UK mining & exploration activity.

Graeme Lyall is an Executive Consultant with more than three decades of experience in exploration, business development, project evaluation, mine development, and operations within the minerals sector. His expertise spans theoretical knowledge and practical application in geological resource modeling, coupled with a deep understanding of downstream processes crucial for profitable mines. Holding a Fellowship with the AusIMM and qualified as a Competent Person under the JORC code and a Qualified Person under NI 43-101, Graeme has contributed significantly to both team efforts and leadership roles in brownfields and greenfields discoveries, including the acclaimed Los Sulfatos discovery, which earned his team the prestigious PDAC’s Thayer Lindsey discovery prize in 2011. Graeme remains dedicated to fostering successful discoveries and mining projects while enhancing operational efficiency by leveraging his profound geological insights, orchestrating coordinated workstreams, and ensuring disciplined resource allocation. Graeme is based in Santiago and is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese. 

Clementine is a Resource Geologist who is a proficient user of Supervisor, Datamine and Leapfrog for data analysis, variography, geological modelling and wireframing, and two and three-dimensional resource estimates. She has worked on various Platinum Group Element (PGE) , Base Metal and Silver projects across Africa and the Americas and is considered a Competent Person in PGE and related deposits. She has significant experience in copper-cobalt, gold, and polymetallic skarn deposits and in addition has worked on projects dealing with chrome, manganese phosphates and vanadium. She has carried out resource estimates using various techniques, including Inverse Distance, Ordinary Kriging, MIK, and Conditional Simulation. Projects worked on primarily involve geological modelling and Mineral Resource estimation; QAQC training, review and analysis; technical reviews and audits; CPRs; exploration plans and designs; project valuations; and reconciliation reviews. Clementine presents Snowden Optiro’s professional development courses.

Dr Simon Dominy our Executive Consultant and Group Lead of Geometallurgy, is a seasoned mining geologist-engineer with more than 25 years of experience spanning mine operations, consulting, and academia. His expertise covers economic geology, geometallurgy, mine value chain sampling, resource development, Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation, project studies, mine operations and M&A due diligence. Simon is adept at handling small to medium-sized mining assets and excels in solving complex technical problems with a multi-disciplinary approach, emphasizing cross-disciplinary integration and data sharing throughout the mine value chain.

Rodrigo Barbosa is our Regional Manager LATAM. He is a mining engineer with an MSc in Mining Engineering. Rodrigo has consolidated and recognised experience in feasibility studies, fleet sizing, mining operations, and related activities in large-scale open-pit operations. He has worked for multinational mining companies such as Votorantim and Gerdau and has served as a consultant for a wide range of commodities within the mining industry. He has been involved in mine planning, mining operations, and technology development for large mining companies.

Rodrigo's key skills include fleet sizing, feasibility studies, capital projects, key performance indicators, planning, cost management, strategic planning, and operations optimisation.

Sarah de Vries is a Principal Consultant based in Perth, focusing on Mine Electrification. With over 15 years of experience in open pit and underground operations across Australia and Africa, she brings a wealth of knowledge to the role. Over the past 8 years, Sarah has specialised in mine electrification technologies, working with First Quantum in Zambia, and FMG and IGO in Perth. Her recent work includes modelling the electrification of an underground mine with IGO. Sarah’s expertise extends to electrification solutions such as trolley assist and battery electric haulage, along with In-Pit Crushing and Conveying (IPCC) technologies.

Jenny Dalrymple is a resource geologist with over 20 years of experience in mining, exploration, and resource geology. With postgraduate qualifications in geostatistics, she has worked with Rio Tinto, Teck Resources, and IGO across a variety of commodities, including base metals, porphyry copper, nickel, coal, and iron ore. Jenny is proficient in geological modelling, resource estimation, and technical report writing to JORC 2012 and NI 43-101 standards, with expertise in Vulcan, Supervisor, Datamine, and Leapfrog software.

Bob Jankovic has over 30 years of experience in mineral exploration and resource management. He is an expert in mineral asset reviews and technical reporting. Bob’s notable achievements include overseeing 40 mine and exploration geologists, driving operational analysis, and increasing asset values. Experienced in deposit and grade interpretation, grade control and reconciliation. He has extensive experience in defining the operational efficiencies and mine plan achievement. Specialized in copper, gold, base metal commodities.

Bob is committed to using his extensive knowledge in geology and strategic leadership to deliver exceptional results.

Aaron Radonich – Executive Consultant, Geology.

Aaron is a highly experienced Executive Consultant in Geology, specialising in mineral resource estimation, geological modelling, technical reporting, and exploration program management. His global career spans over two decades and includes extensive work across greenfields, brownfields, and operational mining sites in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA, Indonesia, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea, Zambia, the DRC, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, South Africa, Chile, Brazil, Turkey, and Russia.

Aaron’s technical expertise covers a broad spectrum of geological consulting services, including:

Geological modelling and mineral resource estimation

Independent technical reviews and audits

Scoping, pre-feasibility, and feasibility studies

Exploration program design and execution

Technical training and mentoring for geology teams

Due diligence for mergers, acquisitions, and project finance

A highly skilled user of Vulcan™ and Vulcan Isis™, Aaron brings strong capability in geological databases, block modelling, and resource estimation workflows. He is also proficient in Leapfrog™ Geo, particularly for geological modelling and 3D interpretation.

Aaron is recognised as a Competent Person for the reporting of Mineral Resources under the JORC Code (2012) and the SAMREC Code (2016), with experience across coal, gold, base metals, and various other commodities. He is also a Qualified Person (QP) under NI 43-101, S-K 1300, and other major international reporting standards.

Aaron combines deep technical knowledge with strong practical insight, making him a trusted advisor for clients seeking to optimise resource confidence, meet regulatory requirements, and support informed decision-making at all stages of the mining project lifecycle.

Leonardo de Souza is a highly experienced exploration and resource geologist with over 40 years in the global mining industry, including more than 28 years of specialist expertise in mineral resource evaluation.

Leonardo’s core strengths lie in geological modelling, grade control, mine reconciliation, and the application of both linear and non-linear geostatistics. He has worked across a broad spectrum of commodities and complex geological settings, delivering technically sound and commercially relevant solutions to clients worldwide.

Throughout his career, Leonardo has held key positions with major mining companies and specialised consulting firms. He has made significant contributions to grassroots mineral discoveries, feasibility studies, mergers and acquisitions, and operational mining projects across South America and Africa.

Leonardo’s project portfolio includes extensive work with major organisations such as Anglo American, AngloGold Ashanti, Talisker Exploration Services, and Snowden Optiro. His multi-commodity experience spans gold, copper, nickel, iron ore, phosphorous, and various base and industrial minerals.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology from the Universidade de Brasília and is registered with CREA. Leonardo’s deep technical knowledge, combined with his practical understanding of mine-site realities, enables him to deliver high-value insights across the full mining value chain - from early-stage exploration through to resource estimation and operational optimisation.

Diego Campos da Veiga - Principal Consultant – Geology | Mineral Resource Estimation Specialist

Diego Campos da Veiga is a Principal Geological Consultant based in Brazil with over 15 years of experience in the mining industry. He is a recognised expert in Mineral Resource estimation, 3D geological modelling, and geostatistical analysis, with a particular focus on phosphate and industrial mineral deposits.

Diego has built a strong track record delivering resource estimation and geological solutions across both greenfield and brownfield mining projects throughout Brazil. His experience includes QA/QC validation, resource reconciliation, and technical reporting in compliance with the JORC Code and S-K 1300 standards.

Before joining Snowden Optiro, Diego held senior technical roles at leading mining companies including Mosaic Fertilizantes, Vale, Galvani/Yara, and WALM. He has led projects involving geometallurgical and geomechanical modelling, drilling program design, and long-term mine planning support.

Diego is highly proficient in advanced geostatistical techniques and machine learning applications using industry-standard software such as Leapfrog, Isatis.Neo, and Datamine.

Ezilma Cordeiro Dias is an accomplished Principal Consultant in Geotechnical Engineering with more than 18 years of experience in the global mining industry. Based in Perth, she specialises in open-pit geotechnical engineering and underground mine geotechnical support across a range of commodities including iron ore, copper, nickel, and gold. Her expertise covers large and mid-size soft-rock and hard-rock operations, as well as challenging seismic underground mines in Western Australia’s Goldfields region.

Ezilma has worked at every stage of the mining lifecycle – from greenfield mine design through to operational geotechnical risk management – delivering geotechnical reviews, pre-feasibility studies, and feasibility studies for projects and operations worldwide. With over 15 years of site-based experience in both open-pit and underground mining, she brings a practical, operational perspective to her consultancy work.

Her focus is on providing tailored geotechnical solutions that improve mine safety, optimise operational performance, and ensure accurate, reliable design and planning decisions. Whether advising on pit slope stability, underground ground support, or site-specific geotechnical challenges, Ezilma’s depth of technical knowledge and hands-on approach make her a trusted advisor to mining operations in Australia and internationally.

Ivy Chen is a highly respected mineral resources governance specialist and the founder of GeoReg Mining and Compliance. Her work ensures alignment with the JORC Code, VALMIN Code, the Corporations Act, and ASX Listing Rules in Australia, as well as equivalent international frameworks.

With more than 30 years of experience in the mining industry, Ivy has completed and supervised mineral resource estimations across a wide range of commodities, including gold, nickel, manganese, iron ore, and lithium. She has also reviewed numerous base metal and industrial mineral resource estimates prepared under Australian and global reporting standards. Her leadership extends to managing both consulting and in-house resource estimation teams for major mining consultancies and operators.

Ivy is an active contributor to industry governance and policy. She serves on the VALMIN Committee, which administers Australia’s minerals valuation code, and is a member of the WA Government’s Mining and Petroleum Advisory Committee and the WA Investment Attraction Fund Governance Board. A former Director of the AusIMM, Ivy represented mining professionals nationally and internationally. From 2009 to 2015, she was the ASIC National Advisor for Geology and Mining, providing regulatory expertise on mineral reporting and disclosure.

Jamie Oppelaar is a Senior Consultant in our APAC team with extensive experience in geological modelling, Mineral Resource estimation, and technical reporting across lithium, gold, and rare earth element deposits. She has worked in both operational and consulting roles, giving her a comprehensive understanding of the mine value chain from early resource definition and production through to detailed resource estimation and public reporting.

Jamie’s technical expertise spans geological interpretation, geostatistics, conditional simulation, and the preparation of Mineral Resource Estimates in line with JORC, NI 43-101, and SK-1300 reporting standards. She is particularly passionate about building reproducible, data-driven workflows and integrating geometallurgical insights and uncertainty analysis into resource evaluation and mine planning.

With a strong focus on technical rigour, collaboration, and practical outcomes, Jamie supports clients in improving geological understanding and building confidence in their Mineral Resource results.

Corey Achikian – Geology Consultant, APAC

Corey is a Consultant Geologist based in Snowden Optiro’s Perth office, with over eight years of experience across mineral exploration, resource development and grade control in both open-pit and underground mining environments.

Corey has extensive experience working on greenfields and brownfields projects, with a strong focus on orogenic gold systems within the Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia. His technical background is complemented by exposure to manganese, potash and petroleum projects, providing a broad understanding of diverse geological settings.

He holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours H2A) in Geology and Chemistry, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Geostatistics and Spatial Modelling. Corey is proficient in industry-standard geological software, including 3D geological modelling using Leapfrog and Datamine.

Corey is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG) and has a strong interest in mentoring and upskilling colleagues. He works closely with clients and project teams to deliver practical, technically robust geological and resource solutions.

Joel is a Principal Consultant - Mining at Snowden Optiro, based in Perth, with over 25 years of experience in mine planning, optimisation and mining studies across iron ore, mineral sands, gold and base metals. He provides practical, high-quality technical advice to mining companies, supporting informed decision-making across the full life of mine.

Joel has held senior technical and leadership roles with major mining organisations including Rio Tinto Iron Ore, Fortescue Metals Group and Iluka, where he has led life-of-mine and medium-term planning, feasibility studies, mine design and optimisation projects. His expertise also includes strategic scheduling, financial evaluation, and the technical assessment of decarbonisation pathways, including electric haulage and equipment modelling. Known for his clear communication and strong problem-solving skills, Joel focuses on value optimisation, risk management and delivering robust, implementable study outcomes for clients.

Daniel Silva Dutra is a Mining Engineering student at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), currently completing an internship with Snowden Optiro.

During his internship, Daniel is supporting a range of internal and client-facing initiatives. His work includes contributing to the development of an AI-assisted interface for Snowden Optiro’s project and proposal database, consolidating CAPEX and OPEX benchmarks, and preparing value-add communications for clients.

Daniel is also developing practical skills in Datamine Studio UG and OP, assisting with the localisation of Snowden Optiro’s training materials for the Latin American market, and supporting the review of technical reports.

Through this work, Daniel is contributing to the strengthening of knowledge integration and information sharing across the business, while building a strong foundation in mining advisory and technical consulting practices.

Charles Faria is an Executive Consultant based in Brazil, bringing over 22 years of experience in mine planning and strategic mine development across large-scale open-pit operations.

Charles has deep expertise in pit optimisation, strategic mine planning, and resource and reserve management, with a strong focus on iron ore, coal and nickel operations. His technical background includes the simulation of iron ore and coal products, contract management, and the allocation of capital investment to maximise project value.

He has held senior planning and management roles on major international mining projects valued between US$1 billion and US$15 billion, including Itabira Compact Itabirites, Carajás Expansion (+20 Mt), the S11D Truckless Project, and the Moatize Coal Mine. His work has supported both project development and operational optimisation at scale.

Charles is highly regarded for introducing and implementing innovative mining methodologies, including In Pit Crushing and Conveying (IPCC), Terrace Mining, Dozer Push, and Cast Blasting. These approaches have delivered cost reductions of 10% to 35% across multiple operations, while improving productivity and operational efficiency.

He has advanced knowledge of mine planning and pit optimisation software, including Datamine and NPVS, and extensive experience in cost management and long-term investment planning. Charles also brings a strong understanding of Brazilian iron ore deposits, supported by broad international professional and academic experience.

Charles has been a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) since 2012.

Romulo Sanhueza is an Associate Executive Consultant based in Santiago, Chile, with over 30 years of international mining experience across Chile, Argentina, Colombia, South Africa and Mali. He specialises in mine planning, mining studies, Mineral Reserve estimation and audits, with extensive experience supporting gold and copper projects from scoping through to feasibility and operations.

At Snowden Optiro, Romulo focuses on business development across the LATAM region, while also providing senior consulting support on mining studies, reserve estimates, technical reviews and due diligence. He has held senior leadership roles with Anglo American and AngloGold Ashanti, and brings strong expertise in asset optimisation, governance and reporting under JORC, NI 43-101, CRIRSCO and S-K 1300 standards. Romulo holds a BSc in Mining Engineering, is a Member of the AusIMM, and is fluent in Spanish and English, with working knowledge of Portuguese.

Raphael is a Senior Mining Engineer with more than 13 years of experience in strategic mine planning and Life of Mine planning for both underground and open pit operations. He has worked across iron ore, limestone, gold and base metals projects, delivering resource and reserve reporting in accordance with industry standards and supporting multi-mine project development.

His expertise includes underground mine design, open pit optimisation, feasibility studies, and the implementation of emerging mining technologies. Raphael combines strong technical capability with strategic mine planning insight, consistently driving value creation, operational efficiency and continuous improvement across the full mining lifecycle.

Sean Gaynor is the Commercial and Finance Manager at Snowden Optiro, based in Brisbane, Australia. In this global role, he supports the sustainable growth of the business through financial planning, commercial strategy, and pricing optimisation across Snowden Optiro’s international operations.

Sean is a CPA-qualified finance professional (CPA) with extensive experience in commercial finance within professional services and global corporate environments. He specialises in pricing strategy, commercial negotiations, and financial planning, helping organisations align financial performance with strategic business outcomes.

Before joining Snowden Optiro, Sean was a Senior Manager in Commercial Pricing Strategy at PwC, where he focused on developing and implementing pricing frameworks and supporting complex commercial decisions. He also held senior regional finance roles with Flight Centre Travel Group across Asia, gaining broad experience in multinational business operations and financial management.

Sean is particularly skilled at bridging finance and commercial decision-making, ensuring that financial insights translate into practical business outcomes. He is currently completing a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), further strengthening his capabilities in commercial contracting, governance, and risk management.

Melanie is based in the UK and joins us with over eight years of international experience across resource estimation, geological modelling, data verification, and technical due diligence within the mining sector. She has recently been working as an independent consultant and as an Associate with Bara Consulting, supporting private equity, corporate, and mining clients on project evaluations and regulatory reporting (JORC and NI 43-101).

Prior to this, Melanie held roles with Mining Plus and Tungsten West, where she was responsible for geological database management, mineral resource estimation, geometallurgical studies, and feasibility study inputs. Her experience spans a wide range of commodities including gold, lithium, copper, tungsten, and nickel, with project exposure across Europe, Africa, North America, and beyond.

Melanie brings strong technical capability in resource modelling, QA/QC, due diligence, and reporting, along with hands-on operational experience in open pit environments. She is a Fellow of the Geological Society of London and a member of both the IOM3 and AusIMM.

Perry is an Executive Consultant at Snowden Optiro and has over 35 years of industry experience across a wide range of global operations and commodities, including bauxite, borates, coal, copper, diamonds, gold, iron ore (Australia, Guinea), lithium, nickel, titanium minerals and uranium.

Beginning his career in the Western Australian goldfields, Perry has held senior technical and advisory roles supporting major mining projects. Reinforced by over 15 years in operations, his core expertise includes grade control, production reconciliation, sampling QA/QC and resource modelling, with a strong focus on geological risk management. Perry brings extensive experience in corporate Mineral Resources and ore Reserves statutory reporting and management of technical audit processes across multiple international operations and is a JORC Competent Person (Mineral Resources).

Perry is an active contributor to industry initiatives, including Competent Person forums and technical leadership programs, supporting the development and advancement of leading practice in mining and resource geology.

Helen Barnes is a Principal Consultant – Geology at Snowden Optiro and is based in Brisbane. She has over 15 years of experience in resource development, estimation, and mine geology across both underground and open pit operations. She also has extensive experience working on copper and polymetallic systems.

Helen’s core expertise includes JORC-compliant reporting, 3D geological and fault modelling, and resource estimation to support Life of Mine extensions. She is skilled in using geological models and resource evaluations to identify opportunities for resource growth and optimisation, as well as improving modelling workflows and technical outcomes.

Helen has held a range of senior and principal roles throughout her career, where she has contributed to advancing modelling practices and delivering robust, high-quality resource estimates across complex orebodies.