Welcome
TULLY MATTHEWS
Policy Manager, NSW Minerals Council
NSW Minerals Council Update
DAVID SALIM
CEO & Principal Solicitor, Hetherington
Sponsor Welcome Address
Session 1 | Case Studies & Expert Insights
TODD McGILVRAY
Group Manager – Exploration, Aurelia Metals
Presentation: Carbon farming and exploration; clash or coexistence?
Todd has nearly 25 years’ experience in the minerals industry, spanning exploration, development and mining across Australia and internationally.
He is currently Head of Exploration at Aurelia Metals, where he focuses on extending mine life at Peak and Federation, advancing Great Cobar and Nymagee, and discovering the next Cobar Basin deposit.
SAMANTHA DALY
Partner, Johnson Winter Slattery
Presentation: Carbon farming and exploration; clash or coexistence?
Samantha is a planning and environment lawyer specialising in the energy and resources, property and infrastructure sectors. She advises clients across all aspects of planning and environmental regulation, including approvals, compliance, climate change, water, biodiversity, cultural heritage, contaminated land and pollution.
She also supports clients in assessing project risks, provides practical guidance in response to regulatory investigations, and represents clients in planning and environment litigation.
Samantha has been recognised as a leading Environment and Climate Change lawyer in Doyle’s Guide from 2019 to 2025 and has been listed in Best Lawyers in Australia from 2017 to 2025.
JEMIMA MOFFAT
Assistant Manager, Hetherington
Presentation: Land access case studies and tips for success.
Jemima Moffat brings strong legal expertise and industry insight to the complex landscape of land access under the Mining Act 1992 (NSW). She holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics), and over the past decade has worked across commercial, family and resources law, with a focus on mediation and arbitration.
Jemima will speak to the importance of balancing legal risk, commercial outcomes and human impact in land access negotiations. She offers a firsthand, strategic perspective on navigating challenging landholders, competing land uses and community engagement.
BLAKE LARTER
Chief Geologist, First Tin – Taronga Mines
Presentation: Exploration and mine approvals for the Taronga Tin deposit.
Blake is an Honours graduate at UNE Geology with a decade of exploration experience in NSW, predominately in exploration geology. Blake has worked on gold, antimony, tungsten, sapphire, cobalt, nickel, and tin deposits across Australia. Blake has worked on expanded, and discovered multiple significant orebodies during his career. Most notable are the Oberon Deposit at Tanami (NT) and Hillgrove’s Sunlight and Bakers Creek Deposits (NSW).
PETER DUERDEN
Managing Director, Waratah Minerals
Presentation: The Spur gold discovery and pathway to development.
Peter Duerden is a geologist and mining executive with over 25 years of experience in mineral exploration and development across a range of commodities. He has a strong track record of delivering successful exploration strategies for both junior and major companies.
Peter previously held senior roles at Newcrest and Alkane Resources, where he played a key role in the Boda gold-copper discovery and led exploration across the East Lachlan Fold Belt.
At Waratah, he identified a new discovery opportunity at Spur, with early exploration results quickly demonstrating the potential for a significant gold resource and positioning the company as one of the country’s emerging gold exploration success stories.
Session 2 | Case Studies & Expert Insights
CHRIS RAYMOND
Regional Exploration Manager (NSW), Aeris Resources
Presentation: An update on Tritton Operations and bringing Constellation deposit into production.
Chris is a graduate of Curtin University and has worked at Aeris Tritton Operations for the past 16 years. In that time he has been involved in the discoveries of Avoca Tank, Kurrajong, and most recently Constellation Mineral Resources (combined ~190kt of Cu). Chris will be talking about the discovery of Constellation, and progressing an exploration project towards development.
ROB TYSON
General Manager – Exploration, Peel Mining
Presentation: The Peel Mining story
JANE YELLAND
Consulting Manager Environment, Social and Sustainability
Organisation: Yelland Enviro & Engagement Pty Ltd
Presentation: The Peel Mining story
Jane is an environmental and social performance specialist with more than 25 years’ experience supporting major mining operations across Australia. She has extensive expertise in environmental approvals strategy, stakeholder engagement, regulatory compliance systems and development of HSEC management frameworks for greenfield and operating mines as well as exploration projects. In her roles in the mining industry Jane provides strategic advice to executive leadership and boards regarding environmental risk, approvals pathways and community engagement.
JO BATTERSHILL
Managing Director, Silver Mines Limited
Presentation: Exploration and mining approvals for Australia’s largest undeveloped silver deposit
Jo graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (Geology) degree (Hons) from the Camborne School of Mines, United Kingdom in 1995. His career spans over 20 years in mining, business development and finance both in Australia and internationally. His industry experience includes senior operational and business development roles with WMC Resources Limited as well as significant stockbroking experience at Hartleys, Citigroup and UBS both in Sydney and London. Jo was consistently voted one of the leading mining analysts in Australia between 2009 and 2015 by institutional investors.
FERGUS KILEY
Managing Director, Mount Hope Mining
Presentation: Why NSW? The pathway from exploration success to low capex, high-grade mine
Fergus Kiley has 15+ years’ experience across capital markets and the resources sector, specialising in business development, project finance and multi-commodity project evaluation across Australia, Europe and North America. He currently serves as Managing Director of Mount Hope Mining. Previously, Fergus led business development at Wyloo Pty Ltd and played a key role in Wyloo’s CAD$616.9 million acquisition of Noront Resources. He brings deep expertise in stakeholder engagement, joint venture management and ASX governance, providing strong strategic and operational insight.
Government Updates
GEORGINA BEATTIE
Deputy Secretary, NSW Resources
Presentation: Updates from NSW Resources
Georgina has extensive experience as a public sector leader and has a strong track record in strategy, reform and economic development. In her role as Deputy Secretary of NSW Resources, Georgina is responsible for oversight of the State’s mineral and petroleum resources. This includes setting the policy and strategic framework for exploration and mining in NSW, ensuring effective regulatory outcomes and driving investment in the sector.
Georgina joined NSW Resources in early 2021 following a broad career in economic and environmental strategy and regulatory policy. She has held several senior leadership roles in the NSW Government and has strong, trusted relationships across Government, with industry and community stakeholders.
Georgina is committed to delivering reforms and initiatives that support safe, sustainable growth in exploration and mining, with a strong focus on customer service and responsible resource development.
MEAGAN McCOOL
Chief Regulatory Officer, Mining Act Inspectorate, NSW Resources Regulator
Presentation: Mining Act and NSW Resources Regulator updates
Meagan has over 28 years in the public service across a range of portfolios from Mining Rehabilitation at the NSW Resources Regulator; Construction, Dangerous Goods, Explosives, Major Hazard Facilities, Asbestos & Demolition, Safety Management Systems, High Risk Plant & Equipment and Licensing at SafeWork NSW; to Builders & Tradespeople, Consumers, Tenants and Traders at NSW Fair Trading.
JOHN SEIDEL
Director Assurance and Biodiversity Stewardship, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment & Water (DCCEEW)
Presentation: Environmental assessment of exploration projects and Biodiversity Stewardship Agreements
John is the Director Assurance and Biodiversity Stewardship. Since 2008, John has worked extensively on the development and implementation of the NSW Biodiversity Offset Scheme. In his current role, John oversees the implementation of the Biodiversity Stewardship Program fostering a collaborative approach with ecological consultants, industry and landholders. He has wide-ranging experience in conservation, impact assessment and land management from a career working in rural and regional NSW for different government and non-government organisations.
John enjoys the challenges of implementing environmental policy and finding practical solutions that enhance private land conservation and improved stewardship of our unique ecological heritage.
ALEX WHITESIDE
Inspector of Mines, NSW Resources Regulator
Presentation: Safety in exploration – Audit findings and recommendations
Alex is an Inspector of Mines with the Resources Regulator’s Mine Safety Inspectorate. He has been with the regulator since 2018 and undertakes inspections and assessments as part of the Mining Engineering team. Prior to joining the Regulator Alex spent over 10 years in the oil and gas industry working primarily in the areas of drilling and completion. Alex holds a Petroleum Engineering degree from the University of New South Wales. He is passionate about safety on all drill rigs – big and small!
SIMA WILLIAMSON
Director, Strategic Assessments, NSW Resources
Presentation: Land Access: Process and Trends in Mediation and Arbitration
Sima has over 20 years’ experience in exploration and mining related roles. Starting her career in mine rehabilitation and closure in the central west, she then moved into private legal practice where she specialised in approvals strategies and transactions for mining, before taking up a resources role in in government. Since 2018, Sima has been involved in range of titles administration and assessment work, part of which includes supporting the land access framework established under the Mining Act 1992.
Networking Drinks
THE HON. COURTNEY HOUSSOS, MLC
Minister for Finance, Minister for Domestic Manufacturing and Government Procurement, and Minister for Natural Resources
Networking Drinks Special Guest Speaker
Courtney Houssos was elected to the NSW Legislative Council in 2015.
Thank you to our event sponsors for their continued support.
Gold | Naming Rights Sponsor
With offices across Australia, Hetherington is a market leader and specialist in Tenement Management, Environmental Consulting, and Mining Law. For over 35 years, we have specialised in assisting exploration and mining companies achieve their commercial goals. Our reach extends across Australia, and globally to countries such as Canada, USA, New Zealand, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and India.
Managing tenements, planning, and navigating environmental approvals and compliance requirements involves intricate and specialised knowledge encompassing various domains. Our service offerings include audits, legal Due Diligence for acquisitions and Prospectus listings, activity approvals, Native Title extinguishment and negotiation, landholder management, arbitration, and all levels of government liaison.
Silver | Networking Drinks Sponsor
Alkane Resources (ASX:ALK; TSX:ALK; OTCQX:ALKEF) is an Australia-based gold and antimony producer.
The company has three wholly owned producing assets across Australia and Sweden: the Tomingley open pit and underground gold mine in Central West New South Wales, the Costerfield underground gold and antimony mine in Central Victoria, and the Björkdal underground gold mine in northern Sweden. Ongoing near-mine exploration continues to grow resources at all three operations.
Alkane also owns the large gold-copper porphyry Boda-Kaiser Project in Central West New South Wales and sustains ongoing exploration within the surrounding Northern Molong Porphyry Project.
Bronze | Coffee Cart Sponsor
The International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) is Australia’s largest mining event, uniting 11,500+ attendees from 120+ countries. Under the 2026 theme “From Strategy to Execution,” it features 500+ speakers, five streams, and 500+ exhibitors. Held 27–29 October 2026 at ICC Sydney, it drives collaboration, innovation, and investment across the global mining value chain.
