Directors

Patrick J. Mars, Chairman of the Board and Director Mr. Mars was appointed the non-executive Chairman of the Board in March 2008. Mr. Mars is currently the President of P.J. Mars Investments Limited, a private investment company, and works as an independent consultant specializing in mine financing and analysis. Mr. Mars has over 30 years of experience in the Canadian investment industry. For the majority of his career he was with Alfred Bunting & Co./Bunting Warburg, a Canadian investment dealer and stockbroker where he was President and CEO from 1981 to 1994. During this time, he served three year terms both as a governor of the Toronto Stock Exchange and director of the Investment Dealers Association. From 1999 to 2001, Mr. Mars served as the Chairman and a director of First Marathon Securities (UK) Ltd., prior to the company’s acquisition by National Bank of Canada, and subsequently served as a director of NBC Financial (UK) Ltd. Presently, he is a director of Yamana Gold Inc., Carpathian Gold Inc., Sage Gold Inc. and Selwyn Resources Ltd. Mr. Mars is also on the board of directors of the Renascent Foundation, a charitable organization.
Jim Bannantine, Director Mr. Bannantine joined Aura Minerals in October 2011. Prior to joining Aura Minerals, Mr. Bannantine served as CEO of Intercap Energy Systems, a provider of systems and software to electric utilities and large commercial, campus and government customers. From 2005 to early 2010, Mr. Bannantine was a partner in Atlantic Capital Group and served as Managing Partner of their private equity activities, responsible for origination, investment due diligence, negotiation of transactions, investment pricing and structuring and fund raising. Between 2001 and 2005, Mr. Bannantine founded Acumen Capital, LLC, a private equity firm. From 2001 through 2002 Mr. Bannantine led and then sold a start-up company, Dorsal Networks, to Corvis Corporation (NASDAQ: CORV). Corvis subsequently became Broadwing Corporation (NASDAQ: BWNG), a $900 million telecom company, where Mr. Bannantine served as President and Chief Operating Officer from 2003 through 2005. Mr. Bannantine worked with Enron Corporation for ten years, from 1990 to 2000, holding several top management positions, including six years in Brazil, most notably as Chief Executive Officer for Enron South America, the power and pipeline division of Enron with assets of $3.5 billion and 4,500 employees. Prior to Enron, Mr. Bannantine served in the United States Army as Contracting Officer for the Corp of Engineers in Honduras, and as an Assistant Professor of Economics and Finance at the US Military Academy. Mr. Bannantine received an MBA from the Wharton School with Distinction and is a West Point Distinguished Graduate. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and is board member of several private companies, organizations and charities.
Tom Ogryzlo, Lead Director Mr. Ogryzlo has over 35 years of experience in the development, financing, design, construction and operation of global mining, industrial and energy projects, particularly in Latin America. Mr. Ogryzlo has held executive management positions with a number of mining and engineering companies worldwide. He recently retired from the positions of Senior Vice President of Latin American Operations for Ram Power Corp. and President and CEO of Ram’s subsidiary, Polaris Geothermal Inc., a geothermal power producer. Among his previous positions, he has held the roles of President and CEO of Black Hawk Mining, a gold producer, President of Kilborn SNC-Lavalin, a large engineering contractor, and President of Cerro Matoso S.A., a large ferro nickel producer. Mr. Ogryzlo has been a director of many public companies, including Polaris Geothermal Inc., Franco-Nevada Mining, Baja Mining Corp. and Vista Gold Corp.
John Ivany, Director Mr. Ivany was appointed to the Board of Directors in September 2009, and brings with him 35 years of experience in the mining industry. In 2006, Mr. Ivany retired from Kinross Gold Corporation having served as Executive Vice President since 1995. Prior to this, he held executive positions with several resource companies including Noranda Inc., Hemlo Gold Mines Ltd., Prime Resources Corp. and International Corona Corporation. He is currently a director of Allied Nevada Gold Corp., Breakwater Resources Ltd., B2Gold Corporation and Eurogas International Corp.
Stephen Keith , Director Mr. Keith is currently the President and CEO of Rio Verde Minerals Corp. ("Rio Verde") and has worked on projects in more than 30 countries, with a strong concentration in Latin America. He has 14 years of experience working with mining and energy companies, spearheading projects through feasibility studies, engineering design, project management and construction. Mr. Keith has engaged in over C$2 billion in financings and merger and acquisitions deals for natural resource projects. In addition to his work with Rio Verde, he is on the Board of Directors of Vertichem Corporation, an innovative green specialty chemical company. Mr. Keith has previously held the titles of Vice President of Corporate Development at Plutonic Power, Director of Investment Banking at Thomas Wiesel Partners, Vice President of Investment Banking at Westwind Partners Mining Group and Senior Consultant Engineer with Knight Piesold Consulting.
Elizabeth A. Martin, Director Ms. Martin is a corporate director and professional accountant with a strong background in international exploration and mining projects. She has held senior financial management and executive roles in base metal and precious metal companies such as Northgate Mines Inc., Western Mining Corporation, IAMGOLD Corporation and High River Gold Mines Ltd. Ms. Martin, who is a certified member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, is currently on the board of Marengo Mining Limited and is also on the board of directors of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre as well as the Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada, the latter two organizations being based in Toronto. In the past five years, in addition to serving as a financial consultant in the mining sector (2001 to 2006), she was on the board of Goldbelt Resources Ltd. (2005 to 2008), and was the chair of the board of St. John’s Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto (2005 to 2008).
William Murray, Director Mr. Murray is a Professional Engineer with over 30 years of international mining experience in operations, engineering and construction. During the period of March 2003 and February 2008, Mr. Murray was President and CEO of PolyMet Mining Corp. where he was instrumental in developing and advancing the large-scale poly-metallic NorthMet project located in the Minnesota Iron Range. He is currently a director of South American Silver Corp. and Prospero Silver Corp. Mr. Murray previously worked in senior management positions at Denison Mines, Anglo American Corporation and Fluor Daniel. Most notably, in the mid-1980s Mr. Murray was part of a consortium that bought Placer's Craigmont Copper Mine, located in British Columbia, principally for its by-product iron in the form of magnetite. Mr. Murray was directly responsible for the successful design, construction and operation of the magnetite recovery plant which is still in operation.
Ian Stalker, Director Mr. Ian Stalker joined Aura Minerals in January 2012. Mr. Stalker has over thirty years of experience developing and operating mines in Europe, Africa and Australia. He has worked his way up from operational roles in base and precious metals mines to executive positions in some of the largest mining companies in the world. Mr. Stalker is currently the CEO of Brazilian Gold Corporation. In 2010, he was the CEO of Berkeley Resources Ltd. From 2005 to 2007, he was CEO of UraMin Inc. ("UraMin") until its acquisition by Areva in August 2007 for US$2.5 billion. Prior to joining UraMin, Mr. Stalker was a Vice President of Gold Fields Limited from 2005 to 2007, the fourth largest gold producer in the world at the time. Mr. Stalker has held the position of director for many public companies, including Forum Uranium Corp., Polo Resources Limited and Elemental Minerals Limited.

Patrick J. Mars, Chairman of the Board and Director

Mr. Mars was appointed the non-executive Chairman of the Board in March 2008. Mr. Mars is currently the President of P.J. Mars Investments Limited, a private investment company, and works as an independent consultant specializing in mine financing and analysis. Mr. Mars has over 30 years of experience in the Canadian investment industry. For the majority of his career he was with Alfred Bunting & Co./Bunting Warburg, a Canadian investment dealer and stockbroker where he was President and CEO from 1981 to 1994. During this time, he served three year terms both as a governor of the Toronto Stock Exchange and director of the Investment Dealers Association. From 1999 to 2001, Mr. Mars served as the Chairman and a director of First Marathon Securities (UK) Ltd., prior to the company’s acquisition by National Bank of Canada, and subsequently served as a director of NBC Financial (UK) Ltd. Presently, he is a director of Yamana Gold Inc., Carpathian Gold Inc., Sage Gold Inc. and Selwyn Resources Ltd. Mr. Mars is also on the board of directors of the Renascent Foundation, a charitable organization.

Jim Bannantine, Director

Mr. Bannantine joined Aura Minerals in October 2011. Prior to joining Aura Minerals, Mr. Bannantine served as CEO of Intercap Energy Systems, a provider of systems and software to electric utilities and large commercial, campus and government customers. From 2005 to early 2010, Mr. Bannantine was a partner in Atlantic Capital Group and served as Managing Partner of their private equity activities, responsible for origination, investment due diligence, negotiation of transactions, investment pricing and structuring and fund raising. Between 2001 and 2005, Mr. Bannantine founded Acumen Capital, LLC, a private equity firm. From 2001 through 2002 Mr. Bannantine led and then sold a start-up company, Dorsal Networks, to Corvis Corporation (NASDAQ: CORV). Corvis subsequently became Broadwing Corporation (NASDAQ: BWNG), a $900 million telecom company, where Mr. Bannantine served as President and Chief Operating Officer from 2003 through 2005. Mr. Bannantine worked with Enron Corporation for ten years, from 1990 to 2000, holding several top management positions, including six years in Brazil, most notably as Chief Executive Officer for Enron South America, the power and pipeline division of Enron with assets of $3.5 billion and 4,500 employees. Prior to Enron, Mr. Bannantine served in the United States Army as Contracting Officer for the Corp of Engineers in Honduras, and as an Assistant Professor of Economics and Finance at the US Military Academy. Mr. Bannantine received an MBA from the Wharton School with Distinction and is a West Point Distinguished Graduate. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and is board member of several private companies, organizations and charities.

Tom Ogryzlo, Lead Director

Mr. Ogryzlo has over 35 years of experience in the development, financing, design, construction and operation of global mining, industrial and energy projects, particularly in Latin America. Mr. Ogryzlo has held executive management positions with a number of mining and engineering companies worldwide. He recently retired from the positions of Senior Vice President of Latin American Operations for Ram Power Corp. and President and CEO of Ram’s subsidiary, Polaris Geothermal Inc., a geothermal power producer. Among his previous positions, he has held the roles of President and CEO of Black Hawk Mining, a gold producer, President of Kilborn SNC-Lavalin, a large engineering contractor, and President of Cerro Matoso S.A., a large ferro nickel producer. Mr. Ogryzlo has been a director of many public companies, including Polaris Geothermal Inc., Franco-Nevada Mining, Baja Mining Corp. and Vista Gold Corp.

John Ivany, Director

Mr. Ivany was appointed to the Board of Directors in September 2009, and brings with him 35 years of experience in the mining industry. In 2006, Mr. Ivany retired from Kinross Gold Corporation having served as Executive Vice President since 1995. Prior to this, he held executive positions with several resource companies including Noranda Inc., Hemlo Gold Mines Ltd., Prime Resources Corp. and International Corona Corporation. He is currently a director of Allied Nevada Gold Corp., Breakwater Resources Ltd., B2Gold Corporation and Eurogas International Corp.

Stephen Keith , Director

Mr. Keith is currently the President and CEO of Rio Verde Minerals Corp. ("Rio Verde") and has worked on projects in more than 30 countries, with a strong concentration in Latin America. He has 14 years of experience working with mining and energy companies, spearheading projects through feasibility studies, engineering design, project management and construction. Mr. Keith has engaged in over C$2 billion in financings and merger and acquisitions deals for natural resource projects. In addition to his work with Rio Verde, he is on the Board of Directors of Vertichem Corporation, an innovative green specialty chemical company. Mr. Keith has previously held the titles of Vice President of Corporate Development at Plutonic Power, Director of Investment Banking at Thomas Wiesel Partners, Vice President of Investment Banking at Westwind Partners Mining Group and Senior Consultant Engineer with Knight Piesold Consulting.

Elizabeth A. Martin, Director

Ms. Martin is a corporate director and professional accountant with a strong background in international exploration and mining projects. She has held senior financial management and executive roles in base metal and precious metal companies such as Northgate Mines Inc., Western Mining Corporation, IAMGOLD Corporation and High River Gold Mines Ltd. Ms. Martin, who is a certified member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, is currently on the board of Marengo Mining Limited and is also on the board of directors of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre as well as the Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada, the latter two organizations being based in Toronto. In the past five years, in addition to serving as a financial consultant in the mining sector (2001 to 2006), she was on the board of Goldbelt Resources Ltd. (2005 to 2008), and was the chair of the board of St. John’s Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto (2005 to 2008).

William Murray, Director

Mr. Murray is a Professional Engineer with over 30 years of international mining experience in operations, engineering and construction. During the period of March 2003 and February 2008, Mr. Murray was President and CEO of PolyMet Mining Corp. where he was instrumental in developing and advancing the large-scale poly-metallic NorthMet project located in the Minnesota Iron Range. He is currently a director of South American Silver Corp. and Prospero Silver Corp. Mr. Murray previously worked in senior management positions at Denison Mines, Anglo American Corporation and Fluor Daniel. Most notably, in the mid-1980s Mr. Murray was part of a consortium that bought Placer's Craigmont Copper Mine, located in British Columbia, principally for its by-product iron in the form of magnetite. Mr. Murray was directly responsible for the successful design, construction and operation of the magnetite recovery plant which is still in operation.

Ian Stalker, Director

Mr. Ian Stalker joined Aura Minerals in January 2012. Mr. Stalker has over thirty years of experience developing and operating mines in Europe, Africa and Australia. He has worked his way up from operational roles in base and precious metals mines to executive positions in some of the largest mining companies in the world. Mr. Stalker is currently the CEO of Brazilian Gold Corporation. In 2010, he was the CEO of Berkeley Resources Ltd. From 2005 to 2007, he was CEO of UraMin Inc. ("UraMin") until its acquisition by Areva in August 2007 for US$2.5 billion. Prior to joining UraMin, Mr. Stalker was a Vice President of Gold Fields Limited from 2005 to 2007, the fourth largest gold producer in the world at the time. Mr. Stalker has held the position of director for many public companies, including Forum Uranium Corp., Polo Resources Limited and Elemental Minerals Limited.