International situations involving business development, mine feasibility, property negotiations and risk analysis requiring most aspects of the minerals industry to maximize client success, including dredging projects. Expert in placer deposit evaluation. Found and own Nevada Carlin type gold deposits. Consolidated and marketed Nevada bulk and underground minable gold-silver mines. Evaluated many gem deposits including diamonds, sapphires and garnets. Experience in select industrial mineral deposits.

Created professional engineering-geological department involving mine planning, pit slope stability and ore reserve projections for this struggling placer mine. A profitable 24/7/365 mine was created from this world-class gold deposit situated in difficult Arctic conditions within six months which ultimately sustained a 75,000 ton per day production rate with 260 employees. Environmental planning and major stream diversion were also the responsibilities of this position.

Co-coordinated and planned structured corporate geological functions for many operating underground and open pit mines, including: Greens Creek, Black Bird, Grey Eagle and Ontario Three, plus dredging at NYAC. Responsibilities include mine planning, reserves, grade control, stream diversions, environmental controls, tailing dam construction, risk analysis and engineering studies. Member of International Task Force involving alluvial tin mining in Brazil.

Managed the development of multiple gold and silver mines in the Walker Lane trend, central Nevada utilizing a staff of 60 including professionals, equipment operators and maintenance technicians. Activities involved geological appraisal of complex volcanic terrain, metallurgical agglomeration testing of ores, drilling and open pit/underground mining the ores for heap leach treatment.

Developed a Mid Continent and Eastern US Mississippi Valley exploration and development program. Visited, explored for and worked underground in Tennessee zinc mines. Found zinc deposit in Indiana by meticulous well logging.

Managed the exploration of much of eastern Australia from the Brisbane office. Alluvial gold, volcanogenetic massive sulfide, porphyry Cu-Mo and industrial mineral deposits were found and evaluated. Staff included field geologists and office personnel.A transfer to the Welkom Mine in South Africa, as head of underground exploration, focused on expanding these deep gold reefs. This 14 month posting resulted in discovering and bringing into production the Leader Reef, which was subsequently mined for 20 years. This developed technique of sedimentological evaluation of gold deposits was then taken to other Anglo mines with similar positive ore finding results.

This employment period included responsible postings in Canada and through out the South Pacific involving nickel sulfide and laterites exploration, mining and processing.The position of Exploration Manager of Western Australia required management of both nickel sulfide and laterite exploration in vast expanses of this state with a diverse staff of 300 people. Jim was also involved in developing and sinking a 1,000 foot shaft on a discovered massive sulfide nickel deposit which subsequently became the largest in the district. Mining and metallurgical testing several complex nickel laterite deposits near Rockhampton, Queensland. This required the delineation of the many diverse ore types and blending for on-site metallurgical treatment. Involvement in various laterite projects in the South Pacific thus providing management for the exploration, development, metallurgical and mining expertise necessary for complex feasibility studies.Three years in the Solomon Islands involved exploring and developing several nickel laterite deposits, trial mining 1.0 MT of ore and metallurgical processing these complex deposits. A diverse staff of 350 was required for this extensive undertaking. Base metal explorations resulted in locating and drill testing several massive and porphyry copper deposits.Underground geologist at the Thompson Mine, Manitoba required the management of many stopes and development headings for grade control. Summer canoe expedition through Mackenzie River delta resulted in finding a molybdenum deposit. Mr. Prudden was transferred to Australia to manage the Solomon’s project.