Managing Geologist/President

Larry D. Turner:  BS, MS geology; MS mineral economics

Larry D. Turner is a mineral exploration geologist (B.S., 1975: Eastern Washington State College), exploration geochemist (M.S., 1981: Eastern Washington University), mineral economist (M.S., mineral economics, 2000: Colorado School of Mines) with a total of over 25 years of experience in the named fields. His earliest full-time work in mineral exploration dates back to the mid-1970s when he worked for the uranium company, Minatome, as projects geologist and program manager. Subsequent non-DIR exploration employers included Denison Mines (gold and uranium), Energy Fuels Nuclear, Inc. (uranium), and Franco-Nevada (gold).

Mr. Turner managed a long-term breccia pipe uranium exploration program for the Red Butte JV between DIR Exploration, Inc., and PNC Exploration (USA), Inc., from 1987 through 1992. The initial properties of the recent 2006-2009 Kaibab JV exploration program, managed by DIR and funded by Takara Resources, consisted of the core prospects of the earlier DIR-operated Japanese joint venture.

Mr. Turner returned to gold exploration in the early 1990s with exploration drilling work that helped effect the discovery and development of the Ken Snyder/Midas bonanza silver-gold vein deposit, as well as the later reconnaissance discovery of DIR’s Gopher Prospect. The Gopher is an bonanza gold vein prospect in the northern part of the Awakening/Slumbering Hills Mining District, the same mining district that hosted AMAX Gold’s high-grade Sleeper Mine.  Nevada Exploration, Inc., is currently leasing and exploring DIR’s Gopher prospect.  With the current federal delay of northern Arizona uranium mining, Mr. Turner is working as a consultant, contractor, and is conducting precious metals vein exploration on the behalf of DIR.

 

Executive Vice President

Irving L. Turner:  MS geology,  BA geology/physics

I.L. Turner is a mining and mineral exploration geologist with almost 50 years experience in the minerals industry. He earned his BA in geology/physics at Southern Illinois University in 1958, and his MS in geology at the University of Tennessee in 1960. First employment was with the St. Joseph Lead Company as mine geologist, then as district geologist and exploration geologist in the southeastern Missouri lead belt. During 1969 to 1973, he worked as district geologist for Vanguard Exploration at the Pend Oreille Mine and in the encompassing Metaline Mining District in northeastern Washington State.

From 1973 to the present, he has lived in Colorado, starting his Colorado-based work with NL Industries as special projects geologist with emphasis on the Bayhorse fluorspar-base metal Mining District in Idaho.  In 1976, he joined Texasgulf Minerals and Metals Co., initially as manager of coal and potash exploration, then as manager of North American base metals exploration, and finally as TG’s vice president of exploration. Since 1986, Mr. Turner has worked as a geological consultant, primarily in the Illinois-Kentucky fluorspar/base metal Mining District, and also as executive VP with DIR Exploration in Arizona and Nevada.