MINING PEOPLE: Americas Silver, Gold Ridge Exploration, New Millennium Iron, and Premier Gold

Toronto-based Americas Silver Corp. has named Alex Davidson as chairman of the company. He was responsible for Barrick Gold’s international exploration programs and corporate development until 2009. Davidson was also named PDAC Prospector of the Year in 2003. Former chairman Peter Hawley remains on the board. Gold Ridge Exploration Corp. of Calgary has appointed Jeff Decter as president and CEO. He  has been president of Integrity Financial Corp. since 1998. At the same time, the company named Robert Thomas as CFO. Howard Lutley is now non-executive chair of the board at New Millennium Iron Corp. in Calgary. He succeeds Lee C.G. Nichols, a co-founder of the company. Charlie Ronkos and Peter Mah have been retained as senior technical advisors by Premier Gold Mines of Thunder Bay, ON.  Mah has over 25 years engineering experience including work at the Red Lake and Musselwhite gold mines as well as the Victor diamond mine development. Ronkos has 38 years of exploration experience, primarily at US gold projects.