(Kitco News) - Kitco Mining announced its nominees for Mining CEO Of The Year 2023.
The award recognizes exceptional leadership, vision, and dedication in guiding a company to new heights of success and investor returns.
Winners in the producing and non-producing categories will be announced at PDAC 2024.
NON-PRODUCING
Scott Berdahl, CEO and Director, Snowline Gold - Snowline is one of the most exciting exploration plays to emerge out of the Yukon. The company has a huge land package, 330,000 ha with 30+ primary gold targets. Thanks to outstanding drill results the company is up 17-fold since 2021. The company also received backing from B2Gold.
Leigh R. Curyer, CEO and Director, NexGen Energy - With run up in uranium, NexGen has been one of the best plays in the sector. The stock more than tripled since the start of the decade. The company’s flagship Rook I project is far advanced with environmental assessment approval granted in 2023.
Kurt House, CEO, KoBold Metals - KoBold is applying a fresh approach to the mining space with tech forward focus. KoBold says its Zambian copper project may be the largest this century. KoBold has also brought much needed attention to the resource sector with high-profile backer Andreessen Horowitz, as well as additional help from Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos.
Brandon Macdonald, CEO and Director, Fireweed Metals - Fireweed drilled its biggest campaign ever after securing investment from the Lundin group and Teck Resources, accelerating the advance of its high-grade zinc and tungsten discoveries in Yukon, Canada. The company is advancing one of the world’s largest high-grade undeveloped zinc projects.
Mark Selby, CEO and Director, Canada Nickel Company - Despite a miserable market for nickel, the company has attracted a number of large backers, including Samsung and Agnico Eagle Mines due to its potential to produce nickel with a zero-carbon footprint.
Ari Sussman, Executive Chair, Collective Mining - Colombia-focused Collective Mining has made several grassroot exploration discoveries at its Guayabales project in Caldas, including a tungsten discovery, with potential to be another 10Moz project. The team previously discovered and built Colombia’s largest gold mine which they sold for C$1.4 billion.
PRODUCING
Ammar Al-Joundi, President and CEO, Agnico Eagle Mines - Agnico Eagle has not been afraid to do deals. It consummated its Pan American-Yamana deal in 2023 that saw it consolidate the standout Canadian Malartic mine in Quebec, vaulting it to become the third largest gold miner. Its jurisdiction gives it geopolitical advantages and lower carbon output production.
Phillips S. Baker, Jr., President and CEO, Hecla Mining - Hecla was active in the M&A space, creating excitement in the silver sector with deals to acquire Alexco Resources and ATAC Resources, and taking a stake in Dolly Varden Silver. It also upped production at its Lucky Mine through innovative mining operations.
Patrick Downey, President and CEO, Orezone Gold - Orezone got its Borombe mine in Burkina Faso over the finish line in a tough market and achieving its annual guidance of 140,000 to 155,000oz. Now it is looking to expand.
John A. McCluskey, President and CEO, Alamos Gold - The company has grown smartly in the gold sector. Its year-end EBITDA jumped from $352 million in 2022 to $500 million in 2023.
Tom Palmer, President and CEO, Newmont - Newmont provided a big lift to the space by completing its Newcrest acquisition, which vaulted the company up the top producing gold companies list.
David Strang, CEO and Director, Ero Copper - Ero Copper is a high-growth, clean copper producer with operations in Brazil and a landmark deal with Brazilian giant Vale could trigger long-term growth.
