The award was presented at yesterday’s RIU Explorers Conference in Fremantle and is judged on the performance of small to mid-cap companies across exploration, mining, community and environment.
 
Sirius managing director Mark Bennett accepted the silver, titanium, copper and gold sculpture from Oliver’s eldest daughters, Georgia and Hannah, who again thanked the industry for its ongoing support.
 
Bennett said it was a tribute to Oliver's character and influence was that almost everyone in the sector either knew him or was just one connection away from knowing him.
 
He said he was proud to work in the exploration sector, which had a family feel.
 
The award was created in memory of the Sundance Resources non-executive director, who died on June 19, 2010, when a plane carrying the entire Sundance Resources board crashed in the Congo, killing everyone on board.
 
Sirius, which has had a mammoth six months since the discovery of the Nova nickel-copper deposit, beat out six other nominees.
 
The others were Doray Minerals, Northern Star Resources, Papillon Resources, Phoenix Gold, Regis Resources and Sandfire Resources.
 
The award was judged by sponsors Atlas Iron, Patersons Securities, Western Areas and RIU Explorers Conference organiser Stewart McDonald, the managing director of Vertical Events.
 
“The award is a fitting tribute to a fine person who contributed in so many ways to the resource industry,” Western Areas non-executive director Julian Hanna said last week when the nominations were announced.
 
Oliver was also Western Areas’ chief financial officer.
 
Past winners of the award were Independence Group in 2011 and Silver Lake Resources last year.