The Mining CEO Behind Two Major Exits Starts Again - George Ogilvie

Trevor Hall (0:05)

Happy Friday, good morning, everybody. Welcome to this long form episode here on Mining Stock Daily to get you into your last day of trading on a Friday and into a weekend. We've got a great in-depth conversation here with one and only George Ogilvie, the new CEO of Hercules Metals coming off of that win from Arizona Sonoran, and then also prior success at Battle North. To actually go in-depth about the philosophy of taking distressed companies and rebuilding them, creating shareholder value, and what that foundational playbook looks like that George and his team are looking to replicate up in Idaho.

Maybe it's a little bit different of a beast this time. Some more on that great conversation. First time George and I, and all the conversations we've had, it would take over the full hour talking about his career and that playbook. So anybody interested in Junior Resource Speculation, this is a must listen.

Thank you so much to Integra Resources, Equinox Gold, Visa Silver and Revival Gold for their support of Mining Stock Daily. Also big thank you for Terrahutton, who also makes this program, being able for us to bring it to you every week. They are actually going to be in Colorado for the conferences in the next week or two. So if you are interested in learning more about Terrahutton, how they make the Invisible Investable, let me know. I'll get you in touch with the team and maybe you can set up a meeting with those gentlemen. Great platform there and we thank them for their continued support of MSD. All right, everybody. Great conversation with one and only George Ogilvie. Have yourself great weekend.

George Ogilvie (1:48)

Be well.

Trevor Hall (1:49)

It's a real pleasure to welcome George Ogilvie back onto the podcast. Typically when we've done these types of interviews in the last couple of years, it's been more on the corporate update side. From Arizona Sonoran Copper, obviously that Cactus project is gone and sold to Hudbay. George and team have recently announced going into a new project, the Hercules Metals project up in Idaho. More on that in a bit. So instead of really diving into more of the corporate update side, we're going to talk a little bit of George's success, mistakes made in the past, and really how he just cannot quit the CEO position within the mine development. So George, it's really good to see you, man.

What a year. Congratulations.

George Ogilvie (2:42)

Thank you, Trevor. Yeah, it's been a phenomenal year so far, and let's hope that it continues to get better.

Trevor Hall (2:50)

Yeah. Well, we've missed you dearly. Me personally, missed the conversations.

The banter back and forth. Who is going to have the best sport coat at any conference that you and I attended?

George Ogilvie (3:02)

Well, the Precious Metals is coming up in a few weeks though. The competition is on.

Trevor Hall (3:09)

Yeah, it is. Maybe we'll just wear the exact same jacket as we would do once in a while.

George Ogilvie (3:14)

Like last year, two years ago.

Trevor Hall (3:17)

Such a good time. You and I looked at each other pointed fingers like, okay, hey, great minds. All right. I do want to spend as much of the hour as I can, George, because we'll get to the Hercules story and the transition.

But honestly, you've spent more than three decades in mining. You started as an engineer and operator. You weren't necessarily a capital markets guy, that comes later. But when you look back at those early years underground in South Africa and then working for Canadian mines, what did that experience teach you about the mining sector that you simply cannot learn in an executive office in Toronto?

George Ogilvie (4:01)

Yeah. Well, look, it was a phenomenal experience and really gave me a solid grounding in the mining industry. Once you actually work underground and see what can actually be done as far as moving the rock is concerned, development rates, what people are physically capable of actually doing underground.

It really gives you a solid foundation to actually work from. As I always say, spreadsheets can really be made to give you any result that ultimately you're looking for, but at the end of the day, it's really the rock underground and the people that will deliver the results, not a spreadsheet. That's really allowed me to be successful in my career as having that solid grounding in practical mining and various types of mines around the world.

Trevor Hall (5:00)

When it comes to exploration and discovery, there's always that back and forth discussion about who makes the better executive, the geologist, or the engineer, or maybe even the banker, the finance guy.