Board of Directors
Twenty members of the network sit on the current Board of Directors (2010). They come from the academic, government and industry sectors, and from research organizations, representing the multi-stakeholder interest in CMIC.
The Board does not offer remuneration to its members, and the directors also work as volunteer staff with the Executive Director to advance a variety of programs and initiatives.
The Board of Directors include:
Anil Arora was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister of the Minerals and Metals Sector in March 2010.
Since 1985, Anil Arora has worked in the private sector as an exploration geologist, hydrogeologist and geological laboratory scientist, as well as in various leadership capacities at all three levels of government: municipal, provincial and federal.
Prior to joining Natural Resources Canada, Anil Arora was the Assistant Chief Statistician (ADM) of the Social, Health and Labour Statistics Sector at Statistics Canada.
Anil Arora has completed the Canada School of Public Service's Advanced Leadership Program and the Public Sector Management and Governance graduate program at the University of Ottawa, and he holds a B.Sc. in Geology from the University of Alberta. Anil Arora is married and has three children.
Chris Twigge-Molecey
Chris Twigge-Molecey is Project Principal at Hatch, supervising a wide range of metallurgical plant projects. Chris has more than 39 years experience at Hatch including: implementation of technology development programs, management of R&D programs, scale-up to full scale, plus design and commissioning of full scale plant. He developed a group to commercialize proprietary technologies globally, including metallurgical processes and environmental control systems.
He has extensive international experience in establishing new markets, and in international infrastructure and alliances to support their activities. Chris has a degree in Mechanical Sciences from the University of Cambridge, U.K., and received his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto.
Chris is the Past President and Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum; Director of the Canada-China Business Council and a member of the NRCan's Green Mining Initiative Advisory Committee as well as member of the Board at Hatch. He received the Mineral Economics Award from American Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Engineers. Chris is the author and presenter of over 30 publications and/or plenary lectures, has edited 4 books and holds 4 patents.
Prior to his appointment at Queen's University, Dr. Laeeque Daneshmend was Associate Professor in the Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, and also in the Department of Electrical Engineering, at McGill University. He was also a founding member of the McGill Centre for Intelligent Machines.
In 1992, Laeeque Daneshmend co-founded Aquila Mining Systems Ltd. and served as its Vice-President of Engineering. Aquila was the pioneer in the development of advanced software and embedded monitoring and control systems for blast-hole drills and cable shovels used in open-pit mining. In September 1996, Caterpillar Inc. acquired a controlling interest in Aquila: Dr. Daneshmend continued in his role as a Principal in Aquila until 1997.
Laeeque Daneshmend received a B.Sc. (Honours) in Electronic Engineering from Southampton University, England, in 1981.
In 1985, Daneshmend received a Ph.D. and D.I.C. in Mechanical Engineering, with specialization in Robotics and Automation, from the Imperial College of Science and Technology, University of London, England.
Dr. Laeeque Daneshmend has held the Noranda-Falconbridge Chair in Mine Mechanical Engineering at Queen's University since 1995.
Daneshmend is currently Head of the Robert M. Buchan Department of Mining, with a cross-appointment in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, as well as being an affiliated faculty member of the cross-disciplinary Cultural Studies program at Queen's University.
Daneshmend's interests within Cultural Studies include: interactions between First Nations, other stakeholders, and the mining sector; cultural divides between engineering and the arts and sciences; technological risks, techno-optimism, risk perceptions, and social responsibility (with a particular interest in the Bhopal disaster), as well as; appropriate technology for social justice.
James Franklin is an exploration geologist with over 40 year of experience, focusing on discovering base metal-, uranium- and gold-bearing ore deposits. He taught at Lakehead University (1969 - 1975). And then joined the Geological Survey of Canada, where he directed major research programs and coordinated the GSC's marine minerals program culminating in the discovery of a major deposit at Middle Valley on Canada's Juan de Fuca Ridge.
As Chief Geoscientist of the GSC from 1993 until 1997, Franklin was responsible for coordinating GSC's entire scientific program. Currently he is a director of three exploration companies and sits on numerous boards for professional and scientific groups.
Franklin has received GAC's Logan and Duncan R Derry medals, CIM's Selwyn Blaylock, A.O. Dufresne and Julian Boldy Memorial awards and SEG's Thayer Lindsley and Distinguished Lecturer awards. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, a registered professional geologist in the Province of Ontario, and an Adjunct Professor at Queen's, Laurentian and Ottawa Universities.
Franklin is a Past President of both the Geological Association of Canada and the Society of Economic Geologists.
Dr. John Hadjigeorgiou holds the Claudette MacKay-Lassonde Chair in Mineral Engineering and is the Director of the Lassonde Mineral Engineering Program at the University of Toronto. He is also the Director of the Lassonde Institute for Engineering Geoscience, an interdisciplinary research institute within the University of Toronto.
Hadjigeorgiou has served on the board of directors of the COREM applied research consortium, as Chair of the Canadian Rock Mechanics Association, and the CIM Rock Engineering Society.
Hadjigeorgiou is the Past Chair of the Canadian Mining Education Council. He was previously Head of the Department of Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at Université Laval.
Hadjigeorgiou's teaching, research and consulting activities are in the areas of rock engineering and mine design. He has over 25 years of experience in North America, Australia, Africa and Europe.
Hadjigeorgiou is a past recipient of the John Franklin Award in Rock Mechanics from the Canadian Geotechnical Society and the Rock Mechanics Award from the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Petroleum.
Dr. Yves Harvey is Executive Manager of COREM, an important mineral processing research consortium established in Québec City.
Prior to his appointment, Harvey served as President and CEO of SOQUEM, the Québec Crown Corporation dedicated to mineral exploration and mining development, from 1990 to 1998.
From 1998 to 1999, Harvey also served as the President of CIM.
From 1998 to 2006, as Vice-President Mining for SGF Minerals Inc., Harvey oversaw the completion and execution of major investments in a number of mineral ventures and properties for this corporation.
Harvey holds a Bachelor's and Master's degrees in engineering from École Polytechnique de Montréal and a PhD in Economic Geology from Laval University in Québec.
Over the years, Harvey has sat on the boards and committees of a number of public corporations.
Dr. Ferri Hassani is the Webster Chair Professor of Mining Engineering at McGill University. He has served a number of terms as the Director of the Mining Program at McGill University, where he teaches courses in rock mechanics, energy resources, professional engineering ethics and occupational health and safety.
Hassani's research and consulting work focuses on mine backfill, mine design, and geothermal energy from mines.
Hassani was the chairman of the Canadian Mining Education Council as well as the chairman of the Canadian Rock Mechanics Association and the CIM Rock Engineering Society.
Hassani is an active member of CIM (Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum) as a member of a number of CIM committees and has organized many major conferences.
A recipient of the CIM Fellowship Award and the John Franklin Award in Rock Mechanics, Hassani is an advisor to numerous international mining research labs and has been a board member for a variety of companies.
Dr. Michel Jébrak received his two Ph.D.'s from the Université d'Orléans, France. He has worked in mineral exploration in Europe, North America, Australia and Africa for the BRGM, Normandy La Source and as a consultant for several Canadian and foreign companies.
Since 1987, Jébrak has taught the geology of mineral resources at UQAM. While there, he has held a number of positions of academic responsibilities and was Vice-President - Research and Implementation. He has contributed to the Conseil de la Science et de la Technologie and to the new Innovation Strategy of the MDEIE in 2010.
Jébrak has authored more than 80 scientific articles in mineral resources, and has contributed to research development through the creation of industry-academia consortia (Consorem, Divex).
Jébrak is presently co-holder of the UQAT-UQAM chair in mining entrepreneurship.
Dr. Peter K. Kaiser is the President and CEO of the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI). He provides overall R&D program leadership and oversees all aspects of CEMI's finance and operations.
At Laurentian University, Kaiser is a Chair for Rock Engineering and Ground Control and is
a specialist in applied research for mining.
Kaiser's interests lie in geomechanics, mine design, and applications of new technologies that increase mining safety and productivity. He brings extensive experience from both the industrial and academic sectors, having served as consultant to numerous consulting engineers, mines, and public agencies.
Kaiser is the author of more than 150 technical and scientific geomechanics publications. He is a Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Engineers.
Peter Kondos was born in Athens, Greece, where he completed his Diploma of Engineering (Mining, Mineral Processing & Metallurgical Engineering) at the National Technical University of Athens. He then moved to McGill University, where he obtained an M.Eng on Computers in Mining and a Ph.D. on Pressure Leaching in Hydrometallurgical Engineering.
Kondos joined the Mineral Sciences Laboratories at CANMET working as a Research Scientist in various hydrometallurgical projects for almost 8 years.
Kondos moved to the Noranda Technology Centre for 5 years, where he ended up leading the Hydrometallurgy group. He then became R&D Manager of New Products in an electronic powders manufacturer for a year, before he joined Inco Technical Services as a Miniplant Operations Manager to work in the development of the Voisey's Bay hydrometallurgical process.
Kondos is currently with Barrick Gold as Director, Strategic Technology Solutions, leading a corporate technology development group. This group is responsible for unlocking value from current operations and major, challenging gold deposits around the world, while supporting strategic company initiatives.
Chief Geologist for the British Columbia Geological Survey, Dr. David Lefebure leads a group of geoscientists working to attract investment to the province. He has more than 25 years of experience with government geoscience surveys and private sector mineral exploration in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.
Lefebure works on mineral development and geoscience initiatives at the provincial and national level.
A popular speaker, Lefebure delivers frequent presentations on the geology and exploration potential of British Columbia and the minerals industry.
Lefebure worked for Falconbridge Copper from 1980 to 1986 exploring for polymetallic deposits. He joined the British Columbia Geological Survey in 1986 as the Northwest District Geologist just in time for the "Golden Triangle" exploration boom.
In 1991, Lefebure moved to Victoria to supervise first the Economic Geology Section and then later the Mapping and Resource Evaluation Section.
Lefebure completed two advanced degrees in geology, a M.Sc. from Queen's University and a PhD from Carleton University. He is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Victoria.
Paul Stothart
Paul is presently the Vice-President of Economic Affairs at the Mining Association of Canada (MAC) where he is responsible for advancing the mining industry's interests in the tax, trade and investment, transport, energy and climate change areas. Key advocacy activities include preparing pre-budget submissions, writing the industry's annual Facts & Figures book, and appearing before parliamentary committees.
Prior to joining MAC in 2006, Paul was senior policy advisor to several economic ministers in the Jean Chretien and Paul Martin cabinets, including the ministers of transport international trade, and natural resources. Paul has written extensively on Canadian public policy issues, including numerous articles in Policy Options, the economic components of three election platforms, and a present monthly column in CIM Magazine.
In addition to his advocacy and political experience, Paul has worked with Export Development Canada and Ernst & Young Management Consultants and played professional hockey in Europe. Paul has Engineering and MBA degrees from Queen's University.
Dr. Stephen Lucas was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister of the Minerals and Metals Sector in April 2007 and of Science Policy Integration in November 2009.
Prior to his appointment, Stephen Lucas was Director General of the Policy, Planning and International Affairs Directorate in Health Canada's Health Products and Food Branch, where he was responsible for the modernization of Canada's regulatory system for health products and food, strategic planning and performance management, federal-provincial-territorial relations and international regulatory cooperation.
Stephen Lucas began his career as a research scientist at the Geological Survey of Canada in 1988. He led the inaugural National Geoscience Mapping Program project in the Flin Flon-Snow Lake area of Manitoba and Saskatchewan from 1991 to 1996 in partnership with the provinces, industry and universities.
Stephen Lucas joined what is now the Strategic Policy Sector in Natural Resources Canada in 2000 as Senior Director, Science, Innovation, Regional and Aboriginal Affairs.
Stephen Lucas holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geological Engineering from Queen's University and a Ph.D. in Structural Geology from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
Ray Mantha assumed the role of ADM Mines and Minerals Division at the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry in October, 2010.
He had been with Ontario Ministry of Transportation for 31 years, working in both the head office and field operations environment in engineering, construction and maintenance.
In 2004, Mantha became Chief Engineer for the Ministry.
In 2005, Mantha became the Executive Director, Windsor Border Initiatives Implementation Group, a newly created MTO group dedicated to implementing all transportation initiatives at the Windsor Gateway.
Mantha was appointed Executive Director, Provincial Highways Management Division in 2006.
Mantha is currently the Vice-President of the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC).
Mantha continues to be very involved in community development. He was elected to the national board of the YMCA in 1995 and served as its Chair from 1999 to 2002.
Internationally, Mantha has served for four years as Canada's representative on the World Alliance of YMCA Executive Committee.
In 2009, Mantha received two noteworthy honours: the Engineering Medal for Management and a Fellow of Engineers Canada, and can use the designation F.E.C.
Dr. Richard Moore is an exploration geologist with more than 40 years of experience in mineral exploration.
Moore is currently Vice-President Exploration for Vismand Exploration, a privately funded junior mineral exploration company, which has conducted exploration programs in Ontario, Greenland, Spain and Chile.
Previously, Moore was the Director of Technical Support for Falconbridge and its predecessor companies, where he held various positions for 26 years. During this time, Richard worked throughout Canada and internationally from offices in Fredericton, Toronto, Vancouver, and the Dominican Republic.
Moore is currently the Chairman of the Geoscience Committee and a Director of the PDAC. He also represents the PDAC for the Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences and the Canadian Council of Professional Geoscientists.
Moore received his B.Sc. in Geology from the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, his PhD in Geology from Carleton University in Ottawa, and is a registered professional geologist in the Province of Ontario.
Engin Özberk is Vice-President, Innovation and Technology Development of Cameco Corporation.
Özberk has more than 30 years of research and development and project management experience in light metals, base metals and nuclear industries.
Özberk holds a B.Sc. in Metallurgical Engineering from Middle East Technical University, Turkey; a Master's in metallurgical engineering and a graduate diploma in management, McGill University.
Özberk is co-chair of the Technical Advisory Committee of the UOIT Cameco Chair for Nuclear Fuel. He has authored or co-authored more than 40 papers. Engin has also chaired and presented at numerous international conferences and symposia and various universities.
Özberk is a CIM Fellow, a recipient of the Silver Medal and the Rio Tinto Alcan Award from the CIM Metallurgical Society, and the Extractive Metallurgy Science Award from The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society.
In 2007, Özberk received the Canadian Nuclear Society Communication and Education Award and in 2009, he became a CIM Distinguished Lecturer.
Hal Sanders is the Assistant Deputy Minister, Minerals, Lands and Policy Division with the Ministry of Energy and Resources.
Hal Sanders has been with the Government of Saskatchewan, and involved with energy and minerals, in numerous capacities since the early 1980's including mineral taxation and incentive programs, mineral land management, regulatory affairs, and fiscal regime development.
Sanders was born and raised in Regina and has a Bachelor of Administration from the University of Regina.
Dr. Bryan Schreiner is Chief Geoscientist for the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC). There, he provides technical leadership and expert guidance in geoscience to management and researchers, and assists in identifying and building new programs for geosciences services.
Schreiner is responsible for monitoring the development of key economic sectors and resources, primarily mineral, petroleum and water resources.
With over 35 years of experience, 30 with the SRC, and five with the University of Saskatchewan as Assistant to the Vice-President of Research, Schreiner is a strong proponent of interdisciplinary research and a leader of several highly diversified science teams. In particular, he works with industry to ensure successful research gets into commercial practice.
Schreiner's management training includes the Queen's Executive Program and numerous management courses.
Kelly Strong is Department Director, Production Services and Studies, for Vale's North Atlantic Base Metals business. In this role, Strong oversees production support services such as utilities, transportation and construction, as well as all capital projects and strategic studies across the North Atlantic.
With more than 15 years in the industry, Strong began his career in 1994 at Placer Dome's Campbell Mine in Red Lake where he served in senior roles including Chief Mine Engineer and Mine Captain.
In 2001, Kelly Strong joined Vale and has since taken on a number of progressive leadership roles, including Mine Manager, Assistant Vice President, Mines and General Manager, Mines and Mill (Ontario Operations). He's worked in various parts of Canada and Indonesia.
Kelly Strong holds a Mining Engineering Technologist Diploma from the Haileybury School of Mines, a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering from South Dakota Tech and is a registered Professional Engineer in the Province of Ontario.
Strong is active on numerous industry committees and serves as a Board Member on the Ontario Mining Legislative Review Committee, the Ontario Mining Association and the Sudbury Neutrino Observation.
Dr. John Thompson is Vice-President Technology and Development for Teck Resources Limited. Born in England, John obtained his BA from Oxford University and moved to Canada where he completed his M.Sc. and PhD degrees at the University of Toronto.
Thompson joined the BP Minerals group (subsequently Rio Tinto) in 1982, based initially in Australia, followed by the United Kingdom and United States, and was involved in global exploration.
In 1991, Thompson became director of the Mineral Deposit Research Unit (MDRU) at the University of British Columbia, managing research for mining and exploration companies.
In 1998, Thompson joined Teck Corporation as Chief Geoscientist, and in late 2005 was appointed to his current position.
Thompson is active in societies and associations, and is currently Past President of Society of Exploration Geophysicists, and Chair of Geoscience BC.
Jean Vavrek is the Executive Director of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM).
Previously, Jean Vavrek was Vice-President, Performance Services, for Laurentide Controls Ltd., the business partner for Emerson Process Management in Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces.
From 1981-1999, Jean Vavrek held various positions across Canada and in Sweden with ABB, including Manager, Engineering Department Process Control Systems; Business Unit Manager, Mining and Metals Canada; Sales Manager, Industrial Accounts, Eastern Canada; Partnership Manager (Cominco); and Manager, Service, High and Medium Voltage Apparatus.
In his recent years at CIM, many of Jean Vavrek's efforts have been focused on the "softer" aspects of the industry, for example, in the areas of human resources, public outreach and education, community interactions, innovation and social responsibility. These activities include serving as a member of the board of the CMHF (Canadian Mining Hall of Fame), in addition to his work as a board member of the CFES (Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences).
Additionally, Jean Vavrek serves as secretary on the board of CESSE (Council of Engineering and Scientific and Society Executives) and is a member of CSAE (Canadian Society of Association Executives).
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Pierre Verpaelst was born in Montreal. He graduated in geology at the University of Montreal, where he received his Ph.D. in volcanology in Archean volcanic rocks of the Abitibi, Rouyn-Noranda area, in 1985.
Verpaelst was project geologist for the Ministère des Ressources naturelles du Québec and SOQUEM Quebec between 1974 and 1981. Until 1988, he was Research Officer and Professor of Applied Science at the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue.
Verpaelst then became Regional Geologist, Ministère des Ressources naturelles for Abitibi, the North Shore and the Northern Quebec in 1988. He has held various management positions at Géologie Québec, Ministères des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune since 1999.
Pierre Verpaelst is currently Director General of the development of the mineral industry since 2009.
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William Westgate graduated from Queen's University with a Masters in Science (Chemistry) and has spent most of his working career with 3M.
In 1998, William Westgate used his creative time to innovate a new business model to sell the Big 3M to the mining market for 3M Canada. He is presently Global Business Manager for 3M Mining and Minerals Extraction Emerging Business Opportunity, based in St. Paul Minnesota.
William Westgate is is passionate about creating a sustainable future for Mining and a memorable experience for all stake holders.
Gordon Winkel, CMIC Vice-President
Gord Winkel joined the Imperial Oil/ExxonMobil organization in mid-2007 as a Vice-President on Loan from Syncrude Canada Ltd. to advance the Kearl Oil Sands Project as a member of the Kearl Project Management Team.
Winkel has since been requested to also lead startup and commissioning work for the Kearl Project.
Winkel is a graduate of the University of Alberta with a Bachelor's of Science (1977) in Mechanical Engineering; he completed a Master's of Science (1979) degree in the same field.
Winkel's work to improve workplace safety led to a Distinguished Lecturer Award from the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) in 2002.
From 2002 onward, Winkel has chaired the Surface Mining Association for Research and Technology (SMART), which has grown to include 28 mining firms and four participating universities.
Winkel's work to advance the surface mining industry through sharing knowledge, technology, best practices and innovation led to a second Distinguished Lecturer Award from CIM in 2008.
Gord is now Chair and Industrial Professor of the Engineering Safety and Risk Management Program, Faculty of Engineering, at University of Alberta.
