Trailblazer Florence Drummond

MARK ASHCROFT

MARK ASHCROFT, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF AURELIUS MINERALS SHARES HIS INSIGHTS ON THE MINING INDUSTRY

Q. PLEASE COULD YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOUR MINING EXPERIENCE?

»I am a 6th generation underground miner and professional mining engineer born in Sudbury, Ontario. Having first toured an underground mine at 12 years old, I started as an underground miner at 18, and paid my way through university by working in mines in Canada, Australia and Chile. After graduation, I gained my P. Eng designation at Inco, before pursuing a M.Sc. in Finance at the University of Reading (UK) and becoming an investment banker for nine years in London, New York and Toronto. In 2008, I returned to the industry as the CEO of a phosphate development company, before becoming CEO of Aurelius Mineralsin 2016.

Q. TELL US MORE ABOUT AURELIUS MINERALS?

»Aurelius Minerals, listed on the TSX Venture Exchange, is a Canadian focussed, advanced-stage exploration company currently exploring a suite of properties in Nova Scotia and Ontario. Our most advanced asset, the Nova Scotia-based Aureus East Project, is a 300-tonne-per-day underground mine and mill complex currently on care and maintenance and located approximately 90 minutes east of Halifax. Over the past year, we have successfully diamond drilled over 12,000 metres from both surface and underground. We have confirmed the presence of high-grade gold in both the hinges and limbs of the saddle reef deposit, identified gold in the host sediments, and extended the length of the limbs beyond 100 metres – significantly increasing the mineralised envelope. Building on the exploration successes of our programs, and that of other regional explorers, we have significantly improved upon the traditional understanding of the Meguma gold district.

Q. WHAT ARE THE TOP ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE (ESG) TREND IN THE MININ INDUSTRY AT THE MOMENT?

»I think ESG will become ever more important and can be an effective vehicle to grow trust with the communities that our industry co-exists with. While all elements of ESG are important, some areas

“SIXTY YEARS AGO, MINING WAS AN UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS INDUSTRY. IN 2021, IT IS THE SAFEST HEAVY INDUSTRY IN THE WORLD”