North Queensland Resources Forum

Dr. Nathan Chapman joined the Austral Exploration and Resource Development Team in 2022. He completed his PhD at CODES in 2019, focusing on the genesis of the Olympic Dam IOCG deposit and the broader crustal evolution of the Gawler Craton. He brings 15 years of industry experience across base (Cu–Zn–Pb) and precious metals (Au–Ag), spanning systems from Paleozoic VHMS–SEDEX and porphyry–epithermal–skarn environments in NSW to Proterozoic sediment-hosted copper and IOCG systems in SA and QLD.
Dr. Chapman is known for pairing strong technical capability with a field-first mindset, turning complex datasets into practical drilling programs. His exploration style prioritises direct geological observation and a boots-on-the-ground approach, consistently translating data and field insight into tangible exploration outcomes.

Mike O’Kane founded Okane Consultants in 1996 to provide integrated mine planning, closure, and relinquishment solutions globally, while also developing solutions to support sustainable environmental assessments and mine permitting. He serves as Chair of Okane’s Board and continues to contribute as a senior technical advisor, bringing deep expertise in mine permitting, risk management, closure planning, and design.

Mike is widely recognized as a subject matter expert in landform and cover system design, as well as in the application of unsaturated zone hydrology and geochemistry. He also serves as a Director of the Landform Design Institute and as a Technical Advisor to the Board of Tersa Earth.

He holds a Global ESG Competent Boards designation and received the University of Saskatchewan Alumni Achievement Award in 2014 for global business development and philanthropy.

Ryan MacNeill is the Senior Commercial Manager at EQ Resources, where he is focused on tungsten concentrate sales, offtake development, market strategy and positioning EQR as a leading Western tungsten producer. Ryan has a broad background across mining operations, commercial management, commodity trading and strategic corporate development, with experience across Australia, Southern Africa, Europe and global critical minerals markets. Prior to joining EQR, Ryan held senior operational and commercial roles with CRONIMET, including at the Mt Carbine tungsten operation in Far North Queensland.

Iain is a minerals and process engineer with over 25 years of hands-on experience solving complex metallurgical challenges. His career bridges the gap between daily operations and big-picture strategy, built largely around base metals flotation in North West Queensland. Most recently, Iain helped take MMG’s Dugald River operation from construction all the way to commercial success. Now, he has stepped into an exciting new chapter at Graphinex, leveraging two decades of flotation expertise to help develop a groundbreaking, Australia-first graphite project.

Mark is a metallurgist with 25 years of global mineral processing experience. He has worked globally in operations and mining projects across various commodities. Prior to joining Graphinex, Mark was Senior Study Manager at Sedgman, managing the DFS and PFS for the Mt Lyell Copper Gold Processing Plant Restart for New Century Resources in Tasmania. Before this, Mark was Principal Metallurgist for MMG, working at the Las Bambas Copper Mine in Peru, the Sepon Copper Mine in Laos and the Rosebery polymetallic mine in Tasmania. He has also worked for BHP and South 32. Mark holds a Bachelor in Metallurgical Engineering and an MBA in International Finance.