BHP Suspends Nickel Operations – What Does This Mean for Global Markets?

Mr. Jarvis has more than 30 years of experience in exploration and development of mineral resources, both in oil and gas and metals. After a career in financing exploration projects as a stockbroker, Mr. Jarvis moved to the corporate side of the business in 1996. He joined the Board of Ultra Petroleum, which at the time was a small oil and gas exploration and development company with a large, unconventional gas deposit. As Director responsible for Corporate Finance, he raised the equity capital necessary to prove the concept and to establish enough production to finance further growth with debt. Ultra Petroleum grew from an exploration play to 3 TCF of proven gas reserves. Mr. Jarvis became CEO of Giga Metals Corporation's predecessor company in January 2004. During his tenure, the company has drilled off a giant nickel/cobalt deposit, worked out a reliable metallurgical circuit, and published a Pre-Feasibility Study.

Martin Vydra joined Giga Metals after a 31 year career with Sherritt International Corporation, a leader in the mining, processing and refining of lateritic nickel and cobalt with operations in Canada, Cuba and Madagascar. Martin is widely recognized as an expert in nickel and cobalt extraction, processing and refining including the development and application of advanced technologies to maximize the recovery of valuable metals such as nickel and cobalt from a variety of feeds. While at Sherritt, Martin’s technical accomplishments spanned four continents and over 20 operations including postings in Australia where he was integrated in Murrin Murrin’s refinery start up; Finland for the design of Harjavalta’s nickel reduction circuit; and, in Chile where he oversaw the design, construction and commissioning of a major pressure oxidation operation. Most recently, Martin served as Sherritt's Senior Vice President, Commercial and Technologies, where he had oversight for the sales and marketing of nickel and cobalt, and marketing and commercialization of Sherritt's proprietary technologies.