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Following a month-long nomination process, the MNN editorial team faced the difficult task of combing through the submissions to finalise a shortlist.
While we had 16 finalists across four categories last year, 2020 sees us with our biggest list of contenders yet: 27 nominees across Deal and/or Merger of the Year, Explorer of the Year, CEO of the Year and New and/or Emerging Leader of the Year.
The task of narrowing down all of the year's best performers was so difficult that the Explorer of the Year category was significantly expanded to reflect recent successes (more on that here).
Thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate. Nominations came from the companies themselves, as well as analysts, corporate advisors, investors and the judging panel.
After much discussion and debate, the final nominees are:
Explorer of the Year
De Grey Mining for the Hemi gold discovery in WA
Alkane Resources for the Boda gold-copper discovery in NSW
Chalice Gold Mines for the Julimar nickel-copper-PGE discovery in WA
Tietto Minerals for the Abujar gold project in Cote d'Ivoire
Legend Mining for the Mawson nickel-copper discovery in WA
Greatland Gold/Newcrest Mining for the Havieron gold-copper discovery in WA
Stavely Minerals for the Thursday's Gossan discovery in Victoria
Mincor Resources for the Cassini nickel deposit in WA
Apollo Consolidated for the Lake Rebecca gold deposit in WA
Deal and/or Merger of the Year
Saracen Mineral Holdings for the acquisition of 50% of the Super Pit in WA
Northern Star Resources for the acquisition of 50% of the Super Pit in WA
Resolute Mining's takeover of Toro Gold
Auteco Minerals' farm-in over the Pickle Crow gold project in Canada
Sandfire Resources' takeover of MOD Resources
Centaurus Metals' acquisition of the Jaguar nickel project in Brazil
CEO of the Year
Richard Hyde of West African Resources
Mark Zeptner of Ramelius Resources
Jeff Quartermaine of Perseus Mining
Peter Bradford of IGO
Luke Tonkin of Silver Lake Resources
New and/or Emerging Leader of the Year
Tony Swiericzuk of Salt Lake Potash
Nic Earner of Alkane Resources
Scott Williamson of Blackstone Minerals
Alex Dorsch of Chalice Gold Mines
Robert Ryan of Bardoc Gold
Alex Passmore of Rox Resources
Dr Francis Wedin of Vulcan Energy Resources
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Over the next few weeks, we will be profiling each of the nominees which will shed some light on the rationale for their inclusion as finalists.
The awards will be judged by a panel comprising MNN editor Kristie Batten, senior journalist Michael Quinn and Aspermont managing editor Richard Roberts, as well as weekly editorial contributors Allan Trench, John Sykes and Barry FitzGerald.
Rounding out the judging panel is Kalgoorlie-Boulder Mining Innovation Hub director Sabina Shugg, PCF Capital managing director Liam Twigger, CSA Global managing director Jeff Elliott, Lion Selection Group investment manager Hedley Widdup and Cube Consulting general manager Rebecca Prain.
We have a large judging panel to allow for potential conflicts. Voting will be conducted later this month with winners announced by early August.
