Exploration Team
Director of Geology – Dr. Peter Jackson BSc (Geology), PhD, MAIG
Dr. Jackson is a Geologist who lectured for many years in Geology at Victoria ’s renowned La Trobe University. He has around 30 years practical experience in the Eastern Victorian Goldfields and has conducted 100’s of field studies on old mining operations in the Woods Point area including economic geological assessments. He is intimately acquainted with all of the key mines & dyke structures within Morning Star’s tenement package. He has contributed towards & co-written books and academic texts on the area and the occurences of gold in Victoria. Dr Jackson is based between Melbourne & Woods Point. Peter has particularly close knowledge of several of Morning Star's regional assets such as the Dempsey, Hunts, All Nations and Rose of Shamrock mines and another of the company's current key targets (Waverly dyke).
Chief Geologist - Greg Curnow BSc (Geology), MAusIMM
Morning Star appointed Greg Curnow as its Chief Mine Geologist in 2009. Greg has over 20 years of experience in many parts of the world in mine geology. He has worked in the field and in underground gold production situations in Australia also. Greg spent several years with Western Mining and is intimately experienced in narrow vein gold mining situations. Greg is well known to some of MCO's Directors having worked on other projects with them in the past. Most recently Greg was a senior consultant with the respected Geos Mining - Mineral Consultants. He also has advanced skills in micro-computing, is familiar with MCO's geological modelling software and has plenty of experience in water resources and interface with government.
Technical Director - Peter Hepburn-Brown BSc (Eng), Grad Dip HR, MAusIMM
Morning Star Gold appointed a mining engineer as its Technical Director overseeing all mine planning and operations.
Peter Hepburn-Brown, a highly regarded and experienced mining operative will oversee all operational aspects of getting the Morning Star mine and surrounding potential ore sources into production. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering and a Graduate Diploma in Human Resources, First Class Mining Certificates in Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland and has over 25 years of diversified mining industry experience from greenfields right through to production. Peter has worked for large-scale gold producers including WMC, Harmony, Niugini Mining, Great Central Mines and St Barbara on a plethora of very successful gold projects such as Bronzewing, Jundee and Leonora.
Mine Manager - Maurice "Mott" Ryan
Mott Ryan is a hugely experienced miner and has worked on and off for many years with Peter Hepburn-Brown. Mott has accepted the role of Mine Manager at the Morning Star mine and will oversee the exciting push towards 2010 gold production. Mott is an expert in jumbo mining , hand held mining and decline building. The entire Woods Point mining & mechanical crew report to Mott on a daily basis.
Mine Foreman – Max Towe
Max has lived and worked in and around Woods Point for 18 years. He is a key underground point man assisting the team of miners all other aspects of underground exploration and mine development. Max has also been invaluable on the drill rigs during the various surface diamond drilling programs and drilling underground into the Gap Zone. Max is married with 4 daughters and lives in Woods Point, enjoying a spot of mining at nearby Perkins Creek in his time off.
Workshop Foreman - Bernie Johnson
Bernie is a key cog in the Morning Star machine keeping all of our mechanised gear running smoothly in the work sheds at the Morning Star mine. Bernie works at surface at the Morning Star mine site and has extensive mechanical nouse on all forms of mining related equipment. We were very lucky to have Bernie accept an expanded role as surface foreman recently.
Mining Offsider – Jamie Scott
Jamie Scott is a member of the locally renowned ‘Scott Clan’, who have been miners at Woods Point and other hard rock mines in the district for some 60 years. Jamie’s father and he both mined the rich A1 Mine near Gaffney’s Creek during the 1980s. Jamie has been involved with MCO on and off since 1992. His has wide ranging responsibilities for MCO both at surface and underground.
