Mark Bennett
PhD, BSc, MAIMM, FGSL, FAIG, MAID
Executive Chairman
Mark was the managing director and CEO of Sirius from its inception to its merger with Independence Group, and was non-executive director of Independence Group following the merger until May 2016.
He is a geologist with 26 years’ experience in gold, nickel and base metal exploration and mining. He holds a BSc in Mining Geology from the University of Leicester and a PhD from the University of Leeds and is a Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, a Fellow of the Geological Society of London, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
He has worked in Australia, West Africa, Canada and Europe, predominantly for LionOre Mining International Limited and WMC Resources Limited at locations such as Kalgoorlie, Kambalda, St. Ives, LionOre’s nickel and gold mines throughout Western Australia, Wiluna and most recently Nova, the Fraser Range and Polar Bear. Positions held include various technical, operational, executive and board positions including Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer, Executive Director, Exploration Manager and Chief Geologist.
Mark is a two times winner of the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies “Prospector Award” for his discoveries which include the Thunderbox Gold Mine, the Waterloo nickel mine and most recently the world class Nova-Bollinger nickel-copper mine.
In addition to his technical expertise, Mark is very experienced in corporate affairs, equity capital markets, investor relations and community engagement and has led Sirius from prior to the discovery of Nova all the way through feasibility, financing, permitting and construction, and latterly through the schemes of arrangement to merge with Independence and to demerge S2.