Executive Board Members
Mike Armitage
Mike graduated from Cardiff University in 1983 and now has almost forty years’ experience in the exploration and mining industry, thirty of which were with SRK Consulting (UK) Ltd. Prior to joining SRK he worked on gold mines in South Africa and Zimbabwe and also completed a PhD assessing alternative methods of reserve estimation at Renco Gold Mine in Zimbabwe. At SRK he was responsible for managing feasibility studies and stock exchange competent persons reports on behalf of mining and exploration companies and also audits and due diligence studies on behalf of investment institutions or in support of mergers and acquisitions. He has written several papers on resource and reserve estimation methodology and spent several years as joint course co-ordinator of an MSc in Mineral Resources at Cardiff University and then as external examiner for the MSc in Metals and Energy Finance at Imperial College, University of London. He has also been a council member and Vice President of the Geological Society and is currently Chairman of the Applied Earth Science Division of IOM3 and Honorary Chairman of the Critical Minerals Association.
In addition to his role as managing director of Sarn Helen Gold Ltd, he is also a non-executive director of Central Asia Metals PLC and Tertiary Minerals PLC
Mike worked at Dolaucothi while studying at Cardiff University both carrying out exploration and as a tourist guide
Roger Murphy
Geologist born and educated in South Wales and graduate in geology from Swansea University. Worked as exploration geologist in Africa and elsewhere focused on gold also worked underground in South Africa as gold mine geologist. 25 years experience in mining finance in City of London with variety of investment banks, including in senior management roles. Former CEO of small London-listed Africa-focused gold exploration company. Managing Director of private Zambian copper explorer Zamare Minerals and NED of AIM-listed Sunrise Resources
David Pearn
Born and educated in Neath and graduated from Cardiff University (UWIST) with a degree in Pharmacy in 1987. After qualifying as a pharmacist, he worked for Boots across South Wales & then an independent pharmacy in Bridgewater. In 1990 he returned to Cardiff and opened his first pharmacy in Danescourt. Over the subsequent years he built up a pharmacy group that eventually comprised a chain of 20 pharmacies across South Wales with over 190 employees and an annual turnover of over £22 million. The Company, Pearn’s Pharmacies Ltd, was sold in August 2021 to Knights Pharmacy Group.
Iestyn Humphreys
Mining Engineer born and educated in Wales. Currently employed by SRK Consulting and has over 25 years’ experience in the metals and mining sector, specialising in managing due diligence projects on behalf of mining and exploration companies and financial institutions seeking to access the debt and equity capital markets. Former Managing Director and Chairman of the UK practice of SRK
Exploration Management
Tristan English
Tristan graduated from Cardiff University in 2021 with a Masters in Geology including one year of international study at the University of Western Australia. His Masters project with Anglo American involved assessing and correlating the chemostratigraphy and Ni-Cu-PGE mineralisation of the Main Zone of the Bushveld Complex, South Africa. Prior to starting university and alongside his studies Tristan gained experience in gold and lithium exploration and drilling in Western Australia and the Northern Territory of Australia. Tristan joined Sarn Helen Gold upon completing his studies in 2021 and now acts as project geologist directing and managing fieldwork activities alongside Jasper Thomas.
Jasper Thomas
Jasper graduated from Cardiff University with a Masters in Geology in 2021. During his time at Cardiff, he became especially interested in geochemistry undertaking undergraduate projects researching acid mine drainage and mine remediation. His Masters studies focused on uranium isotope systematics and the behaviour of radionuclides in nature. Jasper made the move to exploration geology when he joined Sarn Helen Gold in the summer of 2021 where his knowledge of geochemistry is now applied to gold exploration. He has also developed a particular interest in the structural geology of gold deposits. Jasper works alongside Tristan English in managing fieldwork activities and carrying out analysis of exploration data.