Association of Prospectors and Developers of Canada 2023

Anna Fonseca has 30 years of international experience in structural and geological mapping, 3D modeling, and the interpretation of remote sensing data to support geotechnical models, rock mechanics, resource evaluation, and exploration models.

For the past four years, she has been working at SRK Consulting Kazakhstan in Almaty, focusing on the complexly deformed geometries of orogenic veins, porphyry-epithermal, and related deposit types in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

Reimar Seltmann (PhD 1987, Bergakademie Freiberg) joined the Natural History Museum (London) in 1999 following postdoctoral research at ZIPE/GFZ Potsdam and the Geological Survey of Canada. At the Natural History Museum, he serves as the Research Leader in Ore Deposits and, since 2002, has been the founder and head of CERCAMS (Centre for Russian and Central Eurasian Mineral Studies). He is an Adjunct Professor at Trinity College Dublin and a Guest Professor at the Ocean University of China, Qingdao.

Reimar has nearly 40 years of experience studying ore-bearing granite systems across the trans-Eurasian metallogenic belts, with a particular interest in the magma-hydrothermal transitional processes in granite-ore systems. His research on mineral deposits spans a wide range of mineral systems (Au, Cu, Sn, U, REE, Li, etc.), with a regional focus on geodynamic and metallogenic processes in ore districts within accretionary and collisional belts, particularly in Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

Reimar has led the Natural History Museum’s research on several projects, including the Metallogeny of the Altaids, IGCP/INTAS projects, EC H2020 FAME, and UKRI Li4UK. Currently, he is a co-investigator on the NERC-LIFT project, as well as projects exploring the critical metals potential of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan (funded by the World Bank, BEIS, and NCSTE). He is also a member of the advisory board for the EC H2020 GreenPeg project.

Ali Haji has over 15 years of global experience in asset management, risk analysis, and program management. He is a Director of Antler Hill Mining Ltd and an advisor to ATMA Capital Markets.

He also serves as a Director of Aranjin Resources, a company focused on copper exploration in Mongolia, and is part of a group of companies that includes Steppe Gold, a leading gold producer in Mongolia.

Ali holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Western Ontario.

Britt Blumel has over 15 years of experience in mineral exploration and mining. She specializes in geochemistry, particularly biogeochemistry, alteration modeling, and multivariate data analysis.

Over the past five years, Britt has delivered various short courses for academic and industrial audiences on geochemical data analysis, as well as theoretical and practical courses on the collection and application of hyperspectral imaging data. She has geochemical expertise in porphyry (Cu-Au) and epithermal systems, Carlin-type deposits, banded iron formations, rare earth element-bearing alkaline intrusions, platinum group metals (PGMs), and magmatic Ni-Cu deposits.

Darren graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2006 with an Honours degree in Geophysics. He began his career in South Africa’s deep gold mines, analyzing mining-induced seismicity and collaborating with mining engineers to ensure safe underground mining conditions. He later transitioned to a platinum exploration project in the Bushveld Igneous Complex, where he was responsible for drill hole planning, logging, and managing exploration data.

Darren further advanced his career in the field of airborne geophysics with Fugro / CGG / Xcalibur, holding various positions focused on geophysical data processing, interpretation, and business development. At Xcalibur, he works with clients in mineral exploration, energy, and government sectors, helping to design airborne geophysical survey programs to address exploration challenges.

Stuart Thompson is the CEO of MSA Labs, a global provider of geochemical laboratory services for the exploration and mining industry. He is a seasoned professional in exploration and marketing with over 25 years of experience, having progressed from entry-level roles to serving on boards of directors. Stuart has established himself as a "change agent" and organizer, driving transformation both within companies and externally across various sectors.

He has hands-on experience in the mining industry, particularly in base metals, gold, and iron ore, having worked for companies such as Normandy and Portman. Throughout his career, he has held various roles, including operator, site engineer, mine planner, and mining manager.

Stuart has collaborated with exceptional teams on diverse and complex projects worldwide. These include scaling up a coal mine in China from 90 to 130 billion cubic meters per year, managing and developing a maintenance team in North Asia, and spearheading business turnarounds.