Burkina Faso nationality. Rémi completed his Honours in geology at the Université Cheik Anta Diop in Dakar, Senegal, in 1991. He also completed a Master in environmental management at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium, in 2006.

During his 23 years of professional career, Rémi has worked as an exploration geologist and project manager for a number of mining and exploration companies, mainly in gold and for ‘juniors’ in West Africa. He has also worked for ‘majors’ like Barrick Gold and BHP Minerals.

He joined BHP Billiton in 2007 where he has acquired his experience in copper (Katanga, DRC) and IO (Liberia). During his career as a gold exploration geologist, Rémi has had the opportunity to carry out exploration on important mines such as Belahouro, Inata and Essakane.

He has been consulting for Benzu since 2010, his latest contract being for IO exploration in Togo. Rémi is perfectly fluent in both English and French, while he also knows local West African tongues.

Tanzania nationality. Mhina completed his Honours in geology at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in 1984. He also completed a Master in exploration geology at the ITC, University of Twente, Netherlands, in 1994.

During his >30 years of professional career, Mhina has worked as an exploration geologist, project manager and consultant for a large number of mining and exploration companies, mainly in gold exploration, including amongst the ‘majors’: Barrick Gold, Randgold Resources and BHP Billiton. He has been consulting for Benzu since 2009. He is perfectly fluent in both English and Swahili.

Ethiopia nationality. Ermias graduated with Honours in applied geology in 2002 from the Mekelle University, Ethiopia. He has also completed a Masters in exploration geology at the Rhodes University, Grahamstown, RSA, in 2008.

He has worked for Midroc Gold Mine Plc. in southern Ethiopia from 2003 to 2007 as an exploration geologist. After obtaining his Masters he was recruited by BHP Billiton as project geologist firstly in Katanga, DRC, for Cu exploration and then in the Danakil, Ethiopia, for potash exploration.

Ermias has left BHP Billiton in April 2011 to join Benzu as project manager. In 2013 he was “seconded” to GoldFields as project geologist in the Assosa and Kibremengist gold exploration projects.

Burundi nationality. Nearly 30 years’ experience in applied geology and minerals exploration, Joël graduated with Honours in geology and mineralogy at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium, in 1985. He started his career at the Burundi geology survey where he gained experience in mapping gold, tin and wolframite deposits.

Between 2007 and 2009 he was appointed project geologist with BHP Billiton on the Muremera Nickel exploration project, later taken over by Danyland Limited where he continued fulfilling senior geologist roles until mid 2011. Thereafter he was appointed chief geologist at Rainbow RE where he is currently overseeing the feasibility study and development of the REE mine.

Joël is member of the Burundian Association of Environmental Impacts Assessment Studies (ABEIE); he is fluent in French, English and Kirundi.�

Togo nationality. 30 years’ experience in minerals exploration, Sam obtained a Masters degree at the University of Benin in 1988. In 1993 he obtained a specialisation in exploration at CESEV/ENSG of Nancy, France.

He spent the first 9 years of his career at the Togolese Geology and Mines Ministry where he was involved in the exploration of diamond, gold, bauxite and iron. Between 1997 and 2002 he fulfilled senior geologist roles with BHP Billiton, Anglo American and the UN mainly in the exploration of nickel, zinc and gold deposits. From 2005 to mid-2008 Sam worked for High River Gold and Orezone in Burkina Faso on gold world class projects at Essakane, Markoye and Bombore.

From mid-2008 to now, Kokou has consulted (as GM of his own consultancy company, Panafrican Gold Corporation) for various junior companies (RRCC Togo, G&B African Resources , Southern Iron/ Ferrex) in Togo, Benin and Gabon, mainly exploring gold and zinc, but also uranium, manganese and iron ore. He is fluent in French and English.