Our expert team leverages extensive mining expertise to drive discovery, growth and strong corporate leadership.
Board & Management
Impact’s Board of Directors have extensive experience in mining and mineral exploration supported by a strong history of exploration success, business development and corporate management. The Board includes two highly experienced geologists with over 50 years combined industry experience, headed by a company Chairman with significant experience in the mining, finance and securities industries.
Dr Mike Jones, MAIG
Managing Director
Dr Jones completed undergraduate and post-graduate studies in Mining and Exploration Geology at Imperial College, London. His Ph.D work on gold mineralisation saw him move to Western Australia in 1988 to work for Western Mining Corporation exploring for gold and nickel deposits in the Yilgarn.
From 1994 he consulted to the exploration and mining industry specialising in the integration of geological field mapping and the interpretation of geochemical, geophysical and remotely sensed data for target generation.
Dr Jones has worked on over 80 projects both in greenfields and near mine exploration in a wide variety of mineralised terrains and was the founding director of Lithofire Consulting Geologists in Perth, Australia.
He was also the team leader during the discovery of a significant gold deposit at the Higginsville Mining Centre, near Kalgoorlie and an iron ore deposit near Newman, both in Western Australia.
Scott Phegan
Executive Director
Scott is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in the bauxite and alumina industries, including global leadership roles at Alcoa, where he oversaw multibillion-dollar refining expansions across several countries.
Since 2019, he has focused on developing innovative processes for high-purity materials and rare earth extraction, while consulting on diverse projects and serving as a board member for Canyon Resources, advancing a bauxite project in Cameroon.
With expertise spanning project execution, alumina refining, and business development, Scott brings deep industry knowledge and international experience.
Paul Ingram
Non-Executive Director
Mr Ingram is a geologist with extensive experience in managing major mineral exploration programs for several publicly listed companies and has been involved in the mining sector for over thirty years. He has designed and implemented innovative techniques for exploration in remote areas, and has managed projects in countries throughout Australia and east Asia.
Paul has been a director of the following listed companies in the past years:
- Polo Resources Limited
- A-Cap Resources Limited
- Consolidated Global Investments Limited
- CaledonResources Limited
- Australian Pacific Coal Limited
Dr Frank Bierlein
Non-Executive Director
Dr Bierlein is a geologist with 30 years of experience as a consultant, researcher, lecturer and industry professional.
Dr Bierlein has held exploration and generative geology management positions with QMSD Mining Co Ltd, Qatar Mining, Afmeco Australia and Areva NC, and consulted for, among others, Newmont Gold, Resolute Mining, Goldfields International, Freeport McMoRan, and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
He is currently a Non-Executive Director of PNX Metals Ltd, was previously a Non-Executive Director of Gold Australia NL, and chaired the Advisory Board of a Luxemburg-based private equity fund between 2014 and 2021.
Arron Canicais
Company Secretary
Arron is the founding director of boutique corporate services business Explorer Corporate and is currently a company secretary and chief financial officer of a number of ASX-listed mining and resources companies.
He is a seasoned professional with 16 years of industry experience, is a Chartered Accountant and GIA associate that brings a wealth of knowledge and insights to mineral exploration companies.
Having spent four years in auditing and twelve years working in the mining industry in various capacities, including company secretary and CFO roles, Arron has successfully navigated a myriad of compliance and financial issues, solved complex problems, and faced industry-specific challenges.
Lake Hope HPA Team
Impact Minerals’ Lake Hope Project team is comprised of seasoned professionals dedicated to advancing the High Purity Alumina (HPA) initiative in Western Australia. Their collective expertise spans geology, metallurgy, environmental science, and project management, ensuring a comprehensive approach to resource development.
Scott Phegan
Technical Consultant
Scott is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in the bauxite and alumina industries, including global leadership roles at Alcoa, where he oversaw multibillion-dollar refining expansions across several countries.
Since 2019, he has focused on developing innovative processes for high-purity materials and rare earth extraction, while consulting on diverse projects and serving as a board member for Canyon Resources, advancing a bauxite project in Cameroon.
With expertise spanning project execution, alumina refining, and business development, Scott brings deep industry knowledge and international experience.
Joseph Casella
Marketing Manager
Joseph is a commercial professional with over 25 years’ experience in international sales, marketing, project management, and business development predominately in the resources and critical minerals sector.
His career highlights include both executive and senior commercial roles at Tianqi Lithium, Avendiam, Rio Tinto and Iluka.
He holds a Master of Business Administration (International Business) from the University of Western Australia and a Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing) from Curtin University and is a former Chair of the Australasian Pozzolan Association.
Roland Gotthard
Consulting Geologist
Roland is an experienced project generative exploration geologist with over 20 years of experience across a range of commodities, and 7 years of exploring for and conducting metallurgical research on lake clays, high purity materials, critical minerals and rare earth element exploration.
He is a director of Playa One Pty Ltd and vendor of the Lake Hope HPA Project and exploration projects.
Exploration Team
Impact Minerals’ Exploration Team is dedicated to unlocking the mineral potential of Australia through innovative and strategic exploration. With a focus on the Arkun, Broken Hill, and Commonwealth projects, the team leverages cutting-edge techniques and extensive industry experience to identify and develop high-value mineral deposits. Committed to sustainable practices and driven by a passion for discovery, the team plays a pivotal role in advancing Impact Minerals’ vision of creating long-term value for stakeholders while contributing to Australia’s resource sector.
Martin Neumann
Senior Geologist
Martin is a geochemistry-focused geologist with 5 years of experience spanning copper and gold exploration. His expertise includes data-driven prospectivity modelling and simulation, optimisation solutions and geochemical data interpretation.
He holds a Master of Science in Mining Geology from Camborne School of Mines (University of Exeter) and a Bachelor of Science in Geology from University College London.
Jack Porter
Exploration Geologist
Jack graduated from Cardiff University with a Bachelor of Science in Exploration Geology in 2024. During his time at Cardiff, Jack gained experience in gold exploration, associated sampling methods and subsequent data analysis, fostering his keen interest in the practical applications of exploration geology.