Santa Fe Gold Corp


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Santa Fe Gold Corporation
Management Team

W. Pierce Carson, President & CEO, Director

W. Pierce Carson, PhD joined Santa Fe Gold Corp as President and CEO in the fall of 2003 as part of the Company’s restructuring and reorganization initiative, following a period of engagement as consultant. With Santa Fe Gold, Dr. Carson continues an accomplished international mining career spanning 35 years with extensive experience in directing exploration, development and mining of base metals, precious metals and industrial minerals and in administering public companies. Dr. Carson holds a PhD in Economic and Structural Geology and an MS in Ore Deposits from Stanford University, and a Bachelors Degree in Geology from Princeton University.

Dr. Carson has served with distinction at several world renowned mining conglomerates.
Previous positions held by Dr. Carson include:

President and Director of Mining & Exploration Operations in Australia, Papua New Guinea, USA, Canada, and Mexico for Nord Pacific Ltd.
Vice-President of Exploration, Australia, Asia & US for Nord Resources Corporation
Manager of Precious Metals Exploration, North America, for Kennecott Copper, Inc.
Senior Geologist, Houston; Supervisory Geologist, Perth, Western Australia; Exploration Manager, Queensland

Exploration and Mining Career Highlights:

Discovery, financing, and development of the Kurara gold mine in Western Australia with subsequent successful operation
Acquisition, financing, and development of the Girilambone copper property using then-new and technically innovative and highly successful SX-EW processing system
Discovery of Emu South gold mine in Western Australia, joint venture of the property to Western Mining and subsequent sale of interest and $40 million distribution to limited partner investors
Acquisition of the Tabar Islands gold property, in a joint venture with Kennecott
Completion of Ramu nickel pre-feasibility study based on pressure acid leaching
Discovery of Tritton copper deposit using state-of-the-art geophysical methods
Purchase of Kennecott's interest in the Tabar Islands gold project
Acquisition of the Johnson Camp copper mine in the Southwestern United States
Sales of Ramu nickel project, Papua New Guinea and Sierra Rutile titanium mine, Sierra Leone
Arrangement of project debt financing of $42 Million for copper and other mines

Lawrence G. Olson, Chairman of the Board

Mr. Olson became a director of Santa Fe Gold Corp in March 1999 in connection with the Company's acquisition of Arizona Mica Properties, Inc., a private Arizona corporation owned by Mr. Olson and his partners. He has held the position of Chairman of Santa Fe Gold’s Board of Directors since October 2000, and until October 2003 also held the positions of President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Olson has owned and operated a successful business, Olson Precast of Arizona Inc., since 1973. Mr. Olson received a B.S. Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Southern California.

John E. (Jack) Frost, Director

John E. (Jack) Frost, PhD joined Santa Fe Gold Corp’s Board of Directors in May 2007. Dr. Frost brings to SFGC over 50 years of international mining experience in a wide range of metallic and non-metallic minerals. Dr. Frost has been closely involved in the discovery, evaluation, development and/or acquisition of more than 40 commercial mineral deposits. Dr. Frost holds a B.S. degree in mining engineering, an M.S. degree in geology and a Ph.D. in geology, all from Stanford University.

As principal of Frost Minerals International, Inc. since 1986, Dr. Frost has provided management and consulting services involving acquisitions, minerals exploration and mining. From 1967-1986, he worked for Exxon Minerals Company and its affiliates in a number of senior management capacities, including president of Exxon Minerals International. Frost had major responsibility for establishing and managing Exxon’s very successful domestic and international minerals exploration programs, among the largest in the world.

Prior to 1967, he managed exploration and mining activities for Duval Corporation and Philippine Iron Mines. In 1983, Dr. Frost received the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers’ Charles F. Rand Memorial Gold Medal for innovative leadership. In 1984, he was honored with the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration’s Distinguished Member Award.

Ryan P. Carson, Manager Legal Affairs

Ryan P. Carson, JD, has been with Santa Fe Gold Corp since September 2005. After graduation from law school in 2003, Mr. Carson gained general legal experience with law firms in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Phoenix, Arizona. Ryan is the eldest son of the Company’s president, W. Pierce Carson.

Mr. Carson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of New Mexico and a JD (law) degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Mr. Carson is a member of the state bars of New Mexico and Texas and is licensed to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Michael P. Martinez, Controller

Michael P. (Mike) Martinez, CPA joined Santa Fe Gold in April 2008 as Controller and Accounting Manager. Mr. Martinez has approximately 15 years of experience in public and private accounting and financial management. Prior to his employment with Santa Fe Gold, Mr. Martinez was self-employed as a financial management consultant.

Previously, he worked for ten years as Financial Officer for a global aerospace manufacturing company, during which time he was responsible for financial reporting and analysis, budgeting, tax planning and compliance, inventory and cost accounting, administration of payroll and benefits, risk management, and treasury activities.

Early in his career, he served for two years as a staff accountant for KPMG Peat Marwick. Mr. Martinez holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (Cum Laude) from the University of Arizona and is a member of the New Mexico Society of CPA’s.

Patrick Freeman , Manager Summit Project

Patrick S. (Pat) Freeman began working for Santa Fe Gold in January 2008 to oversee development of the Summit project. He has nearly 40 years experience in development and operation of underground and open pit mines. As president of St. Cloud Mining from 1986 until 2007, Mr. Freeman was responsible for the successful development and operation of numerous underground mining and reclamation projects within New Mexico.

Previously, he worked for Texasgulf in worldwide mine evaluation and for Golden Cycle in deep underground mines in Colorado. Mr. Freeman is a former member of the New Mexico Mining Commission and a former director of the New Mexico Mining Association.

Mr. Freeman’s other professional credentials include: Certified Professional Geological Scientist, AIPG; Member, AIME; Certified MSHA Instructor and ATF Party for Explosive Applications; Qualifying Party with NM Construction Industries Division and license holder with multiple contractor designations; General Engineering License, State of AZ. Mr. Freeman holds a Bachelors Degree in Geology from Monmouth College.

Stan Griffith , Mine Superintendent

W. Stan Griffith joined Santa Fe Gold as Superintendent of the Summit mine in May 2008. Mr. Griffith has 40 years of domestic and foreign experience in underground exploration, development and production with a proven track record of management of safe and successful mining operations.

He is a MSHA Certified Instructor, a member of the International Society of Explosives Engineers, a member of the Society of Mining Engineers, and holds a Federal Explosives License. Mr. Griffith served in the United States Marine Corps with Honorable Discharge.

Dominic Hoy, Production Geologist

Dominic Hoy began working for Santa Fe Gold in July 2008 to coordinate mining activities and oversee ore control at the Summit project. Prior to joining Santa Fe Gold, Mr. Hoy spent two years as an underground exploration geologist for Newmont Gold Company, where he was responsible for ore control, geological mapping, and geotechnical data interpretation. Mr. Hoy holds a Bachelors Degree in Geology from New Mexico Tech and is familiar with the latest geological modeling computer software.

Robert Lowery, Banner Mill Operations Manager

Robert D. (Bob) Lowery began working for Santa Fe Gold in August 2008 to supervise construction of the Banner Mill for the Summit project. Mr. Lowery brings to the Summit project over 40 years of experience in the development, construction, and management of milling operations. Mr. Lowery has been approved as a handler of explosives by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and holds MSHA Part 46 and Part 48 Safety Instructor and MSHA CPR and First Aid certifications.