Education Micky Allen
BA (Hons). MSc, DIC, ARSM, MBA, FIMMM, CGeol
1960 – 1970 : Prince of Wales School, Nairobi, Kenya 1970 – 1974 : Keele University, UK BA (Hons) in Geology / Chemistry (2:2) 1977 – 1978 : Royal School of Mines, UK – MSc in Mineral Exploration, Thesis topic “Carbonatites – mineral deposits of the future?”. 1984 : INSEAD, France – Masters in Business Administration. 1984 : INSEAD, France – Research Associate. Prepared a report on European Manufacturing Futures for the Professor of Production and Operations Management.
Work experience
1970 : Scott Wilson Consultants, Kenya – summer work experience. Shadowed geotechnical consulting engineer who was supervising pitting programme to assess potential of calcreted gravels as road-bed material for Nanyuki.
1970 : Shell Oil Explorations, Kenya – summer work experience. Shadowed geologist / mudlogger working on wild-cat hole near Lamu
1975 – 1977 : Nchanga Consolidated Copper Mines, Zambia – Mining Geologist. Sampled orebodies and mapped geology ("Lower Ore-body" underground, and "Chingola" openpit) , logged underground diamond-drill core, calculated ore-reserves (underground and openpits) , monitored underground dewatering, mapped blasthole geology ("Mimbula- Fitula" open-pit), surveyed (underground and openpits) and staked out ore and waste.
1979 – 1980 : Geosurvey International GmbH, Tanzania - Exploration Geologist. Trained and supervised a team of local Counterparts, as part of a World Bank grassroots exploration programme carrying out ground follow-up in the Archean, of a concurrent airborne geophysical survey. Investigated Lufusi ultramafic copper prospect, Shinyanga diamondiferous kimberlites, Uluguru uraniferous pegmatites, Nzega VMS lead / zinc prospect, and Geita greenstone belt gold mines.
1980 – 1983 : Riofinex Ltd, Saudi Arabia – Exploration Geologist. Pre-feasability evaluation of the Cretaceous Az Zabira Bauxite deposit, monitored and logged diamond drill core, field exploration (helicopter) for further similar occurences of bauxite. Grassroots exploration (flycamp) for Basemetals in Ordovician sandstones and for coal in the sedimentary cover rocks of eastern Saudi Arabia. 2 weeks study tour in Australia examining RTZ bauxite mines and processing facilities with the aim of transfering know-how to the Az Zabira deposit.
1985 – 1987 : Kali und Salz A.G (West Germany) - Project Evaluation Geologist. Based in Kassel Member of Mergers and Acquisitions team, worked on the Wintershall Oil and Gas J.V. (Prinos field) in Greece, and the Deminex Oil and Gas J.V. (Yacimentos field) in Argentina. Evaluated salt and potash projects in Canada, Saudi Arabia and Thailand, as well as domestically in West Germany.
1987 – 1988 : Banque de la Societe Financiere Europeenne (France) – Project Finance Analyst. Based in Paris, analysed, structured and monitored project finance in Oil and Gas, Cogeneration, and Mining. The Bank's mining portfolio included Magma Copper (USA), Colomac Gold (Canada), Island Creek Coal (China), Audrey Lead/Zinc (Canada), Cleveland Cliffs Iron Ore (USA), Denison Potash (Canada), and El Indio Gold (Chile).
1989 – 1991 : Trischler und Partner (West Germany) – Environmental Geologist. Based in Braunschweig - Worked on Rustungsaltlastung project in Lower Saxony, used GIS to assess the environmental hazards associated with German WW2 munitions factories (Mustard Gas, TNT, and Nerve Gas). Developed a computerised Expert System to identify potential current environmental hazards.
1991 – 1992 : Centurion East European Mining Plc (Hungary) – Project Analyst. As a minority shareholder, prepared feasibility study for privatising the Hungarian State Marble and Masonry Company (Kofarago) The study focussed on geology, quarrying, slab and tile production, marketing, finance and environmental liabilities. A business plan was prepared, a J.V. structure negotiated and finance raised in the City of London to buy out the business from the Hungarian State.
1993 – Present : Layla Resources Ltd (UK) – Managing Director and Owner. Set up my own geological consultancy focussing initially on Contaminated Land, Internet and multimedia, GIS, and Eastern Europe. The bulk of my work now is geological / mining related. Work carried out during this period (in chronological order) for a variety of clients included :
Platinum Lake Technology Inc Canadian startup developing a process to recycle the Platinum in automobile catalytical convertors. Prepared a business plan, located a suitable West German partner, demonstrated the process at their site in Hannover, negotiated contracts, monitored process innovations, and negotiated a J.V. agreement at Board level.
Bioseparation Ltd UK startup developing a process to extract Heavy Metals from refinery wastewater using magnetotactic bacteria. Prepared a business plan, identified suitable J.V. partner in Europe, and negotiated contracts.
Bardon Plc – UK aggregates producer looking for suitable acquisitions in the former East Germany. Located, visited and evaluated suitable quarries with potential for hard rock, sand and gravel.
East European Trade and Development Ltd UK investment company, advising the Czechoslovakian Government on privatisation. Evaluated an aggregates producer and a chemical grade dolomite producer, with emphasis on geology, technology and environmental liabilities, which were used to prepare an offering document.
Umweltamt Rostock Warnemunde State Environmental Agency in former East Germany that was preparing an inventory of WW2 environmental damage. Acquired suitable RAF WW2 air photography and carried out assessment of damage to munitions factories using GIS.
Gilban Ltd UK finance company raising money for Bonte Mines (alluvial gold) in Ghana. Carried out geological due diligence.
BHP (UK) UK company looking for gold in the Tethys belt of Turkey. Carried out geological data search and data acquisition.
www.ContaminatedLand.co.uk UK based website. Designed, programmed, setup and currently syill run this portal for information on Contaminated Land, which appeared in top position on the Google search engine listings for over 10 years.
Association for Geographic Information (AGI) UK trade association for the GIS industry. Was their information officer and designed, setup and ran their website.
Maghreb Minerals UK company evaluating Lead / Zinc mines in Tunisia. Acted as Consulting Geologist assessing viability of the privatisation of 2 State owned Lead / Zinc mines, assisted in the flotation of the company on AIM, and subsequently supervised, the diamond drilling at the Fej Ladhoum Pb/Zn mining lease and the logging of the drill-core.
Montrose Gold UK company (fronted by Indian lady called "Simi") exploring for gold in Tanzania. Advised on gold exploration programme, which a colleague then carried out in the field, BUT I WAS NEVER PAID.
AngloSlovak Minerals UK company exploring for gold, silver, antimony, nickel, uranium and cobalt in Slovakia. Acted as Consulting Geologist evaluating various mineral properties in Slovakia.
Global Minerals Ltd Canadian company re-evaluating an old flooded silver mine in Slovakia. Prepared a NI 43-101 compliant report on the Strieborna Silver mine.
Mineração Sudoeste Brazilian company with diamond and gold prospects. Advised on disposal of assets.
Mayfair Securities US private investment bank funding early stage mining projects. Advised on the technical aspects of a client's potential investment in an Alaskan placer gold project.
ACMC Inc US company developing Kiere manganese mine in Burkina Faso. Advised on geological setting and potential JV partners.
Mali Manganese Subsidiary of ACMC Inc. Advising on evaluation strategies for various Malian manganese concessions and subsequent supervision of the drilling and geological mapping of the Ansongo manganese resource.
Unicorn Resources Subsidiary of ACMC Inc. Advising on gold exploration strategies in Burkina Faso and subsequent supervision of the trenching and geological mapping of the Kiere gold resource in the Hounde greenstone belt.
Compass Resources Subsidiary of ACMC Inc. Advising on oil and gas exploration strategies for Block 10, in the Gao graben of northern Mali.
Element Commodities Hong Kong based trading house (fronted by Austrian gentleman called "Gregor"). Advising on manganese exploration strategies and subsequently supervising a team of expatriate geologists evaluating the Tasdremt manganese concessions in western Morocco. BUT I WAS NEVER PAID. Moroccan concession maps
Swanshire Ltd Sierra Leone based private company. Advising on mineral exploration strategies in Sierra Leone.
Stansair Resources UK based private company. Advising on exploration strategies in Mauretania (Iron), Sudan (Base metals), and Ethiopia (Gold).
St Barbara UK based consultancy. Advising on the updating of a Competent Persons Report for an Irish company with a gold mine concession in Zimbabwe.
Moab Ventures UK based private company. Advising on exploration strategies in Somaliland (Coltan).
St Barbara UK based consultancy. Assessing the viability of a set of concessions containing Gold, Base metals (VMS), Rare Earths and Scandium at three locations in Norway.
Nigerian private company Advising on the viability of exploring a set of gold concessions near Kaduna, northwest Nigeria. Pannon Marble Industries Plc (A & B) : 2 case studies on the privatisation of the Hungarian State Marble Company (Kofarago) just after the fall of the Berlon Wall in 1989 Case A presented the complex inheritance of the company and the perspective of the UK acquirer, Centurion East European Mining Plc. The two management teams then later met at a resort on Lake Balaton to discuss the situation and to recommend a mutually satisfactory way forward
Case B presents what actually happened afterwards.
Published by INSEAD, I presented and discussed it at the Fontainebleau campus with the MBA students in 1993 and 1994Ergethan Mustard Gas Factory – A GIS case study: This Second World War chemical weapons production site contained a complicated cocktail of contaminants including mustard gas, tear gas, arsenic, trichloroethane and zinc.
Risk assessment was carried out by stereoscopic interpretation of RAF wartime reconaissance photography. Site investigation and subsequent ground truthing permited the delineation of a range of hazards through the use of simple GIS techniques. Published by the AGI (Association for Geographic Information) and presented at their 1994 annual conference.Silicon Surf – has the sand hit the fan? : The Internet – is it just a toy?: The history of the Internet; what's on the Internet; sources of GIS information on the Internet; the Association for Geographic Information (“AGI”) Environmental Special Interest Group SIG pages; redefinition of GIS. Published by the AGI and presented at their 1996 annual conference.
www.FreePint.co.uk: Feature Article "Gimme a G for Global, a G for Geography" – 2000: Feature Article "Central and Eastern European Web Sources" – 1999: Tips and Techniques "Environmental Information on the Internet" – 1999
Making snarky comments on LinkedIn: and generally being a smart-arse . . . . . . . .
Fellow of the Geological Society of London Chartered Geologist Fellow of the Institute of Mining Metallurgy and Minerals Committee member of the AGI Environmental Special Interest Group Judge for the best paper award at the AGI annual conference for 2002, 2003, 2004 Exploration adviser to CD Capital, a London based Private Equity firm specialising in Natural Resources.Languages :
German – Good French – Good Swaheli Spoken Hungarian Beginner Slovak – Beginner