Dr.Roman Shklanka
Position: Chairman and Director
Dr. Shklanka has over 40 years of experience in the mining industry. From 1969-1990 Dr. Shklanka worked for the Placer organization in a variety of positions including General Manager, Exploration for Placer Development and Vice President, Foreign Exploration for Placer Dome Inc. Dr. Shklanka was Chairman of Sutton Resources Ltd. and responsible for the acquisition of Sutton's world-class Bulyanhulu, (Tanzania) gold deposit which led to the purchase of Sutton Resources by Barrick Gold Corp. in 1999 for CAD$525 million. Dr. Shklanka was also the chairman of Canico Resource Corp. which developed the Onca Puma Nickel Laterite Project in Para State, Brazil from a greenfields exploration project to the commencement of construction including receipt of environmental permits for development. Canico was purchased by CVRD in 2005 for CDN$950 million. Dr. Shklanka is also currently the chairman of International Barytex Resources and Polaris Minerals Corp.
Dr. Shklanka has a doctorate in Petrology and Ore Deposits from Stanford University and a Master of Arts in Geology and Bachelor of Commerce degrees from the University of Saskatchewan.
Mr. Leo King, P. Geo, P. Eng
Position: President and Director
Mr. Leo King has over 40 years experience in mineral exploration and mining geology, including 10 years in senior executive positions. Mr. King has managed exploration and development projects in Canada as well as internationally and has valuable experience in mineral prospect evaluation and property acquisition. Mr. King holds a Masters degree in Geology from the University of Saskatchewan and is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario and a member of the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia
Mr. Maurice Tagami, P. Eng
Position: Chief Operating Officer and Director
Mr. Tagami is a graduate of the University of British Columbia in metallurgical engineering, a registered professional engineer in the province of British Columbia and has over 26 years experience in mine development and operations. Since 1981, Mr. Tagami has specialized in extractive metallurgy and mineral processing project management within mining operations and mineral processing facilities for new base metal and precious metal projects.
Mr. Tagami has played a significant metallurgical and project management role in numerous open pit, underground and heap leach projects in North and South America, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Africa, Europe and Asia. He has implemented parameters for metallurgical test work, designed flow sheets for mill recovery applications, managed projects, and actively participated in several plant commissioning and start-up periods.
Mr. Tagami has supervised and directed both metallurgical flow sheet development and engineering for the resumption of operations of a massive sulphide base metals ore body in Portugal as well as for grassroots gold/copper projects in northwest Tanzania and Mongolia. Recently, Mr. Tagami held the position of senior project manager for Canico Resource Corp. on the Onca Puma project, a large greenfields nickel laterite smelter project in Para state, Brazil, from exploration through scoping study, feasibility study and basic engineering.
Mr. James O'Rourke
Position: Director
James O'Rourke graduated from the University of British Columbia with a BSc. in Mining Engineering. During the initial 14 years of his career Mr. O’Rourke was involved in a number of major new mine start-ups including Gibraltar, Marcopper, and Endako, while working with Placer Development Limited. During Mr. O'Rourke's tenure as President and CEO of Princeton Mining Corporation he was responsible for the acquisition of the 25,000 tpd Similco open pit copper mine. He was also involved in the development of the $60 million underground block cave development at Cassiar and the $140 million Huckleberry mine development.
Mr. Steve Bebek
Position: Director
Steve Bebek is a self-employed developer with over 25 years experience in real estate development in West Vancouver. Mr. Bebek has been involved in the financial markets for the past 15 years and has extensive experience in raising funds for junior companies as well as in investor relations.
Mr. Evan Koblanski
Position: Director
Evan Koblanski brings many years of corporate management experience involving a diversity of activities and industries. . Since the 1970's he has been involved in a number of mining related projects in Mexico and elsewhere in Central America. He was President and Director of Lytton Minerals Ltd. which explored a major open-pit copper deposit in Mexico, this company later became an affiliate of Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Ltd. Presently Mr. Koblanski is President and a Director of Texon Technologies Ltd. which has developed a cardiac monitor for diagnosing the condition of the heart and a bone analyzer for osteoporosis, both of which are in clinical trials.
Mr. Geoffrey Bird
Position: Director
Mr. Geoffrey Bird is a lawyer who has been practicing in the areas of corporate, mining and securities law since 1972. He previously obtained a BSC Degree (Honors, Geology) from the University of British Columbia in 1965 and practiced for three years as an exploration and mine geologist.
