Board of Directors

Cynthia Thomas, MBA, Chair and Director
Cynthia Thomas has 28 years of banking and mine finance experience, and currently acts as principal of Conseil Advisory Services Inc. ("Conseil"), an independent financial advisory firm specializing in the natural resource industry which she founded in 2000. Recent mandates include providing strategic advisory services to Mercator Minerals, Luna gold, Aquila Resources, Capstone Mining, Sherwood Copper and Xstrata Nickel and Yukon Zinc. Prior to founding Conseil, Ms. Thomas worked with Bank of Montreal, Scotiabank and ScotiaMcLeod in the corporate and investment banking divisions. Ms. Thomas holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Toronto and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario. She was formerly a Director of PolyMet Mining Corp. and is currently a Director and Chair of the Audit Committee for Ferrinov Inc., a private corporation.

Ethel Dorothy Blondin-Andrew, P.C., B.Ed., LL.D, Director
A former federal Minister of State, Ms. Blondin-Andrew became the first Native woman elected to Canada's House of Commons in 1988. Her federal political experience spans more than 17 years, during which she held the portfolios of Secretary of State (Training and Youth), Secretary of State (Children and Youth), Minister of State (Children and Youth) and Minister of State (Northern Development). Prior to entering federal politics, Ms. Blondin-Andrew spent many years working in northern Canada as a teacher, served as an Assistant Deputy Minister with the Territorial government and worked two years with the Public Service Commission of Canada in Ottawa as the National Manager of Indigenous Training and Development. Ms. Blondin-Andrew is also a Director of Horizon North Logistics Inc. (TSX:HNL).

W. Warren Holmes, B.Sc., P.Eng., MBA, Director
Mr. W. Warren Holmes Has more than 40 years of experience in the mining industry. He is Chairman of Wallbridge Mining Company Limited, Executive Vice-Chairman of HudBay Minerals Inc, Vice-Chairman of Atlanta Gold Inc, a Director of Foraco International SA, a Director of Nuinsco Resources Limited and a Director of several other private corporations. He was previously with Noranda Inc (1964-1986), and Falconbridge Limited (1986-2002) latterly as Senior Vice President of Canadian Mining Operations. He has also been the President of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum, Chairman of the Ontario Mining Association, and Co Chair of the Ontario Mineral Industry Cluster Council.

Roland Horst, MBA, M.Sc, B.Sc., Director
Mr. Horst has 35 years of mining industry experience as a chief executive officer, investment banker, corporate banker and geologist, including 13 years as a CEO of both public and private companies involved in mining production, development and exploration in Canada, Brazil, Indonesia and Chile.  Most recently he was President and CEO of Royal Nickel Corporation. Before Royal Nickel, Mr. Horst was President and CEO of International Nickel Ventures Corporation, Vice-President, Business Development for FNX Mining and President of Aurora Platinum Corporation and CEO of Aeroquest Limited and Scintrex Limited, two geophysical companies. In addition, Mr. Horst recently joined the Board of Directors of Wallbridge Mining Company.

Howard Stockford P. Eng., Director
Mr. Stockford is a professional engineer and mining consultant with over 40 years experience, including 13 years with Falconbridge. Formerly Executive Vice-President of Aur Resources Inc., where he spent 21 years, he currently serves on the board of Agnico Eagle Mines Limited. Mr. Stockford is a life member of the Canadian Institute of Mining (CIM) for which he has served as Chairman of both Winnipeg and Toronto Branches. Mr. Stockford was honoured to serve as the President of CIM from May 2003 to May 2004.

T. Mike Young, P. Eng., Director
Mr. Young is a mining executive, mining consultant and metallurgist with 45 years of global industry experience with a range of companies including Anglo American, Rio Tinto, Normandy Mining and Diamondfields. Between 1996 and 2003, Mr. Young was Vice-President Corporate Development for Falconbridge Ltd. He serves on the Boards of a number of mineral industry companies working in Canada and internationally.