Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner

Exploration Discovery Award- Ivanhoe Mines

Mining Company of the Year- Latin America –  SolGold

Mining Company of the Year- Canada & USA – Kirkland Lake

Mining Company of the Year- Asia – Central Asia Metals

Mining Company of the Year- Australia – Hancock Prospecting

Mining Company of the Year- Europe – Nevsun Resources

Mining Company of the Year- Africa – Bushveld Minerals

Innovation in Operations – Agnico Eagle

CTO of the Year – Tony O’Neill, Technical Director, Anglo American

Excellence in Sustainability – Nemaska Lithium

Alternative Finance Provider of the Year – Orion Mine Finance

Social License to Operate – Oceana Gold

Mining Broker of the Year – Peel Hunt

Young Rising Star in Mining – Frederick Bell, CEO, Elemental Royalties

Outstanding Achievement for a Woman in Mining – Eira Thomas, CEO, Lucara Diamond

Charles Kernot Mining Analyst of the Year – Menno Sanderse, Morgan Stanley

Best Small-Cap Deal – Yellow Cake IPO

Best Mid-Cap Deal – Lundin Gold – Fruta Del Norte Gold Project – US$750m project financing

Best Large-Cap Deal – Randgold / Barrick merger

CEO of the Year – Exploration – Nicolas Mather CEO, SolGold

CEO of the Year – Mining – Peter Kukielski, CEO, Nevsun Resources

Mines and Money Inspiration Award – Gina Rinehart

Lifetime Achievement – Peter Hambro

Gina Rinehart – Mines and Money Inspiration Award

Gina Rinehart is a leading figure in the mining and agricultural industries in Australia.

She spent her childhood between the Pilbara, in north-west Australia, where she lived with her parents on large sheep and cattle properties in the remote and rugged iron ore region, later attending boarding school at St. Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls in Perth.

Since becoming Executive Chairman of the Hancock Prospecting Group in 1992, Mrs. Rinehart has transformed the Group from one that was in difficulties and financially troubled to a successful industry-leading innovator. Under Mrs. Rinehart’s leadership, the Hancock Group has diversified from prospecting to include investments in iron ore, coal, beef, dairy and property.

Mrs Rinehart’s achievements include the development of the mega Roy Hill project, the exploration and then development of three, soon to be four, major iron ore mines at Hope Downs with joint-venture partner Rio Tinto, and the considerable expansion of Hancock’s agricultural business, now the second largest producer of cattle in Australia.

At Hope Downs, Mrs Rinehart took the company’s tenements from a status of temporary titles – with the area having little more than a few drill holes – to then with partner Rio Tinto, construction of three major mines. A fourth mine is under development and will be opened in October 2018. This involved an enormous approval process and extensive high-risk expenditure both for exploration and studies, then raising money to develop these mammoth mines and related facilities.

Mrs Rinehart’s flagship achievement is the exploration, financing, construction and operation of the $US10 billion Roy Hill project – the debt raised was the largest ever for a mainly greenfield land-based mining and infrastructure project anywhere in the world. This debt-funding package was secured from 19 of the largest banks in the world and five Export Credit Agencies.

Peter Hambro – Lifetime Achievement Award

Peter Hambro is best known as the co-founder of Petropavlovsk. Peter is a pillar of London’s mining community and one of the most recognisable figures in the industry, which is why the Advisory Board chose him to receive this award. Peter Hambro initially worked at a firm of accountants. He then briefly worked at Hambros Bank before moving on to Smith St Aubyn, a discount house, where he became a Managing Director in 1973. From 1983 to 1990 he worked at Mocatta & Goldsmid, a bullion house, where he became Deputy Managing Director

With Pavel Maslovskiy, Hambro co-founded Peter Hambro Mining, now renamed Petropavlovsk plc, in 1994. He served as its chairman until June 2017

Eira Thomas. CEO, Lucara Diamond- Outstanding Achievement for a Woman in Mining

Eira Thomas is a Canadian geologist with over 25 years of experience in the Canadian mining business. She is the President and CEO of Lucara Diamond Corp as well as an original founder of the company. Eira’s previous roles include CEO of Kaminak Gold Corporation, Vice President, Aber Resources, now Dominion Diamond Corp., and founder and CEO of Stornoway Diamond Corp. She was elected to Suncor’s Board of Directors in April 2006 and is the chair of the Environmental, Health, Safety & Sustainable Development (EHS&SD) Committee and a member of the Human Resources and Compensation Committee.

In 2004, Ms. Thomas was honoured as one of “Canada’s Top 40 under 40” by the Caldwell Partners and Report on Business magazine. In 2007, she was named to Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 list by the Women’s Executive Network.

Check out the 2018 highlights