Corporate Information
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Brent Willis Bsc. Eng, President
With over 20 years of experience in the mining and drilling fluid industries, Brent has been managing people and projects since 1995. Brent has been directly involved in everything from field exploration, to Raymond mill design and construction, to designing, building and overseeing a successful milling, crushing and jigging operation. A career highlight was managing the Jubilee Barite Mining Project (Tiger Ridge Resources Ltd.) from discovery into production where he effectively designed and oversaw building of the mine’s crushing and jigging operations on a remote mountaintop location. Brent continually demonstrates his innovative thinking by conceptualizing and designing patented technology such as Blackfire’s Slim Line Pipe Weight and the Hydrotech Concentrator which was used to recycle water in the Jubilee Project. Brent holds a degree in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Wyoming and a petroleum technology diploma in Drilling Technology from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. Brent has been involved in bringing three mines into production and continues to work on developing new projects.
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Brad Willis Bsc. Eng
, Vice President
Brad has been actively involved in exploring for minerals and the mining industry for over 20 years. Brad was also an instrumental part of the Jubilee Barite Mining Project and developed it from raw prospect to a fully producing mine. Brad's has experience as a diamond driller and has been extensively involved in field exploration, geological work, mapping, geophysical work, mine design and mine management. Brad is a co-inventor on two patented technologies, one of which is Blackfire’s high density pipeline buoyancy control sack. Brad graduated from the South Dakota School of Mines with a Mining Engineering Degree and also holds a Petroleum Technology Diploma in Drilling Technology from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.
Brad works hands on in Mexico and has played a key role in bringing into production two mines in Chiapas Mexico.
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Emiliano Canales
, President and General Manager of Blackfire Exploration Mexico
Emiliano comes from a third generation mining family. Born and
raised in the family business, Emiliano has been actively involved in mining for over 9 years. Emiliano has played an intercut role in bringing on stream two producing mines in the State of Chiapas.
Emiliano' experience includes involvement with international customers as a real time translator, public relations, working with the legal side of the business, and
negotiating sales and joint venture deals with international companies such as Rio Tinto, DuPont, CEMEX, Consup commodities and the state and federal Government. He also acted as a consultant on the campaign design for the state government of San Luis Potosi and several minor campaigns in the south Mexico region. Emiliano holds a bachelor’s degree in math physics, with a major in political science from the ITESM, Monterrey Tec. Emiliano is one of the founders of Blackfire and is responsible for all Mexican public relations, human resources and the liaison between Blackfire Mexico, and both state and federal governments.
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Kevin Fitzpatrick Bsc. P.Eng, Mine Manager
Kevin has been involved in the mining business for the past 30 years and has a broad background in exploration, mine operations and engineering. He has been involved with underground and open pit operations in coal, barite, base and precious metals in Canada, United States and Mexico. Since 1997, he has managed advanced exploration projects, operating mines and mine start-ups. Kevin graduated from the Mining Technology program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in 1979, and in 1985, received a Bachelors of Science degree in Mining Engineering from the University of Arizona.
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Collin Roulson, Operations Manager
Collin has been working in the mining industry for the past 10 years. He joined Tiger Ridge Resources Ltd. in 1998 and was promoted to Chief of Operations where he was responsible for rebuilding the Raymond milling facilities, tracking inventories, developing maintenance schedules for equipment/machinery, and providing rig move logistics for numerous exploration projects. Because of his efforts, milling productivity increased over 100% and staffing was reduced by 33%. Collin was instrumental in designing and implementing several new
labour
saving initiatives while fostering a great team spirit and a willingness in staff to get the job done.
Collin has played a key role in managing the successful start up of the barite mine in Chiapas, Mexico.
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Noe
Serrano Bsc.Geology, Geologist and Assistant Mine Manager
Noé studied in Instituto Politecnico Nacional and has 34 years of experience in the mining industry, specifically in the areas of Geology, subsoils, diamond drilling, exploration and exploitation. He held the position of Manager of the Department of Geology at IMSA (Industrial Mines SA), and has worked for the government’s Geological Mexican Service, the CRM (Mineral Resources Council), Minera Frisco, UraMex (Mexican Uranium) and many other important mining companies in Mexico.
Noé has been exploring for precious and semi precious metals for many years and is extremely familiar with the geology in Chiapas. Noé is responsible for managing mining operations and his experience has been an important factor in Blackfire’s success in Chiapas.
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Brenda Leon, BBA, Senior Controller
Brenda has more than ten years of experience in strategic financial analysis, corporate planning and accounting.
She has spent her career working in the Latin American region as the responsible financial development officer for international companies such as CHEP, Monsanto and Rohm and Haas.
Brenda has managed projects such as plants implementation, organization restructure and new systems set up. She brings with her a Bachelor of Business Administration from La Salle University and a Corporate Finance Diploma from the ITAM. Brenda’s significant expertise, management
style and analytical skills allow her to provide valued strategic input and be a key contributor into Blackfire’s continued success.
•
Brent Willis Bsc. Eng, President
With over 20 years of experience in the mining and drilling fluid industries, Brent has been managing people and projects since 1995. Brent has been directly involved in everything from field exploration, to Raymond mill design and construction, to designing, building and overseeing a successful milling, crushing and jigging operation. A career highlight was managing the Jubilee Barite Mining Project (Tiger Ridge Resources Ltd.) from discovery into production where he effectively designed and oversaw building of the mine’s crushing and jigging operations on a remote mountaintop location. Brent continually demonstrates his innovative thinking by conceptualizing and designing patented technology such as Blackfire’s Slim Line Pipe Weight and the Hydrotech Concentrator which was used to recycle water in the Jubilee Project. Brent holds a degree in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Wyoming and a petroleum technology diploma in Drilling Technology from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. Brent has been involved in bringing three mines into production and continues to work on developing new projects.
•
Brad Willis Bsc. Eng
, Vice President
Brad has been actively involved in exploring for minerals and the mining industry for over 20 years. Brad was also an instrumental part of the Jubilee Barite Mining Project and developed it from raw prospect to a fully producing mine. Brad's has experience as a diamond driller and has been extensively involved in field exploration, geological work, mapping, geophysical work, mine design and mine management. Brad is a co-inventor on two patented technologies, one of which is Blackfire’s high density pipeline buoyancy control sack. Brad graduated from the South Dakota School of Mines with a Mining Engineering Degree and also holds a Petroleum Technology Diploma in Drilling Technology from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.
Brad works hands on in Mexico and has played a key role in bringing into production two mines in Chiapas Mexico.
•
Emiliano Canales
, President and General Manager of Blackfire Exploration Mexico
Emiliano comes from a third generation mining family. Born and
raised in the family business, Emiliano has been actively involved in mining for over 9 years. Emiliano has played an intercut role in bringing on stream two producing mines in the State of Chiapas.
Emiliano' experience includes involvement with international customers as a real time translator, public relations, working with the legal side of the business, and
negotiating sales and joint venture deals with international companies such as Rio Tinto, DuPont, CEMEX, Consup commodities and the state and federal Government. He also acted as a consultant on the campaign design for the state government of San Luis Potosi and several minor campaigns in the south Mexico region. Emiliano holds a bachelor’s degree in math physics, with a major in political science from the ITESM, Monterrey Tec. Emiliano is one of the founders of Blackfire and is responsible for all Mexican public relations, human resources and the liaison between Blackfire Mexico, and both state and federal governments.
•
Kevin Fitzpatrick Bsc. P.Eng, Mine Manager
Kevin has been involved in the mining business for the past 30 years and has a broad background in exploration, mine operations and engineering. He has been involved with underground and open pit operations in coal, barite, base and precious metals in Canada, United States and Mexico. Since 1997, he has managed advanced exploration projects, operating mines and mine start-ups. Kevin graduated from the Mining Technology program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology in 1979, and in 1985, received a Bachelors of Science degree in Mining Engineering from the University of Arizona.
•
Collin Roulson, Operations Manager
Collin has been working in the mining industry for the past 10 years. He joined Tiger Ridge Resources Ltd. in 1998 and was promoted to Chief of Operations where he was responsible for rebuilding the Raymond milling facilities, tracking inventories, developing maintenance schedules for equipment/machinery, and providing rig move logistics for numerous exploration projects. Because of his efforts, milling productivity increased over 100% and staffing was reduced by 33%. Collin was instrumental in designing and implementing several new
labour
saving initiatives while fostering a great team spirit and a willingness in staff to get the job done.
Collin has played a key role in managing the successful start up of the barite mine in Chiapas, Mexico.
•
Noe
Serrano Bsc.Geology, Geologist and Assistant Mine Manager
Noé studied in Instituto Politecnico Nacional and has 34 years of experience in the mining industry, specifically in the areas of Geology, subsoils, diamond drilling, exploration and exploitation. He held the position of Manager of the Department of Geology at IMSA (Industrial Mines SA), and has worked for the government’s Geological Mexican Service, the CRM (Mineral Resources Council), Minera Frisco, UraMex (Mexican Uranium) and many other important mining companies in Mexico.
Noé has been exploring for precious and semi precious metals for many years and is extremely familiar with the geology in Chiapas. Noé is responsible for managing mining operations and his experience has been an important factor in Blackfire’s success in Chiapas.
•
Brenda Leon, BBA, Senior Controller
Brenda has more than ten years of experience in strategic financial analysis, corporate planning and accounting.
She has spent her career working in the Latin American region as the responsible financial development officer for international companies such as CHEP, Monsanto and Rohm and Haas.
Brenda has managed projects such as plants implementation, organization restructure and new systems set up. She brings with her a Bachelor of Business Administration from La Salle University and a Corporate Finance Diploma from the ITAM. Brenda’s significant expertise, management
style and analytical skills allow her to provide valued strategic input and be a key contributor into Blackfire’s continued success.
