Key Staff for Mining & Environmental Services





Mark Levin, founder and principal

Mark Levin - General Manager


Mr. Levin is the founder and principal owner of the firm.

Mr. Levin has over 25 years of education and experience in engineering, consulting, design and construction management. Projects include mining and tunneling, mine closure, mine subsidence, underground water control, mining-related environmental effects assessment; economic and regulatory feasibility evaluations; historical mining records research; public relations and mine and prospect permitting support.

Mr. Levin has served as a technical consulting resource on projects involving mines and tunnels; regulatory issues; safety or subsidence hazards; and environmental, economic or mineral resources evaluations at over 400 mine sites, in the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Peru.

Mr. Levin's firm, MES, has been the construction contractor or construction project manager for tunnel/mine/mill rehabilitation, closure, development, special project or cleanup work at over 150 sites in the western United States.

Prior to founding MES in 1995, Mr. Levin served as the Geosciences Division Manager for EG&G, where he was the director of a technical organization for Geology, Soils, and Groundwater studies at Rocky Flats nuclear weapons component facility, near Golden, Colorado, underground characterization and cleanup under CERCLA.

Concurrently, he also project-managed the "Sitewide" environmental program, which also included treatability studies, risk assessment; analytical sample management/ database; statistical and geostatistical analysis. Mr. Levin's overall budgetary authority was approximately $35 Million per year.


Previous positions held by Mr. Levin at that facility include:


Clean Water Act Regulatory Programs Manager, supervising engineering and legal staff for water permitting, compliance support and oversight, and as the corporate lead negotiator for a Federal Facilities Compliance Agreement.

Senior Engineer, Rockwell International, leading wastewater treatment plant and environmental containment design teams.

Advanced Safety Analysis Engineer, Rockwell International, responsible for nuclear facility risk analysis and NEPA coordination

Mr. Levin has previously had staff, consulting, and management positions in underground coal and hardrock mining and exploration companies.

Mr. Levin began his work career as an underground miner, mine mechanic/electrician, and mine foreman, before starting his university studies to become an engineer.


Education:


Bachelor of Science, Mineral Engineering Mathematics (High Honors), Colorado School of Mines

Master of Science, Ecological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines

Master of Engineering (Engineer of Mines), Colorado School of Mines


Community and Public Involvement:


  • Colorado Mining Association (Chairman, Small Mine Operator's Committee)
  • Society of Mining Engineers (former Chairman of Baseline Environmental Evaluation and Impact Analysis Committee)
  • Colorado Chapter of the International Society of Explosives Engineers (past President)
  • Denver Regional Exploration Geologist's Society
  • American Society of Civil Engineers (Geo-Institute affiliate)
  • Former Member and Chair, Clear Creek County Planning Commission


In the public policy arena, Levin has been involved in support of the mining industry in numerous rulemaking and policy advisory proceedings at the federal, state, and local level. This includes participating in the working groups and hearings for drafting Colorado mine site groundwater regulations (SB-181 implementation) and new mine reclamation regulations (SB-247 implementation) following the Summitville incident.



Will

Willis K. Beach, P.E. - Operations Manager


Prior to joining MES in 2007, Mr. Beach operated a successful drilling and blasting contracting firm, based in Oregon. Previously, Mr. Beach designed, developed, constructed and operated mines and mills from 100 TPD to 10,000 TPD capacity.

Mr. Beach's Stoping method experience includes back slice open stopes, shrinkage, long hole open stopes, sublevel long hole caving, breasting square set, breasting cut and fill, back stope cut and fill, panel caving, block caving, room and pillar, sub level pillar, and under hand cut and fill; and truck-loader and dozer-loader open pit. Haulage systems experience includes track haulage, LHD, scraper, and truck/loader systems. Milling systems experience includes a variety of gravity methods, differential flotation, CIL, CIP, and heap leaching.


Some past positions of note held by Mr. Beach


Resident Engineer, Newmont Mining/ Granduc Mine, Stewart B.C. Canada
Driving of 13 mile single heading, 48 inch gauge rail, haulage tunnel, development of 7,500 TPD sub level caving system

Chief Planning Engineer/ Division Foreman, Bunker Hill Co./ Bunker Hill Mine, Kellogg ID
Design of 10,000 TPD block caving system, development of ramp system, development and operation of 800 TPD sublevel stoping, and cut and sand fill stope systems

Mine Manager, Day Mines Inc./ Sherman Mine and Mill, Leadville CO
Design and operation of 1,000 TPD underground trackless room and pillar system at 12,500 foot elevation

Mine Superintendant/ Chief Engineer, Siskon Gold Corp./ San Juan Ridge Mine, Nevada City CA
Design and operation of 1,200 TPD under ground placer operation, LHD and truck haulage, room and pillar system


Community and public involvement experience:


  • Josephine Housing and Community Development Council, Chairman
  • Josephine County, Oregon Mining Advisory Board


Education & Registrations:


MSc and BSc, Mining Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle WA

Licensed Professional Engineer, Washington, Idaho, and British Columbia




David N. Sornborger, Equipment Manager

David N. Sornborger - Equipment Manager



Prior to joining the MES team as Equipment Manager in 2009, Dave Sornborger has had extensive experience in the servicing and debugging of complex industrial machinery. Working in both the mining and heavy equipment industries for over 30 years, Dave has worked on nearly all kinds and every aspect of underground mining equipment, surface equipment and heavy machinery.

Some past positions of note held by Mr. Sornborger:


  • Master Mechanic/Electrical Superintendent, American Mine Services, Multiple locations: CO, WA, MT, AK, MO, NY, ID, NV, OR, ID, NM Began as mine mechanic and quickly promoted to Master Mechanic. Contract mining was the company profile, moving from jobsite to jobsite to meet the customers' needs. Extensive variety of responsibilities including: Prototype equipment fabrication and design; Hiring and firing of personnel; Job setup and demobilization; Equipment modification; Warehousing; Jobsite construction; Electrical design, setup, implementation, and service; Maintenance of heavy equipment; Parts ordering and fabrication; Finding new technologies for different applications, etc.

  • Longwall Electrician/Mechanic, Arch Minerals, Gunnison County, CO Longwall mine electrician and mechanic. Responsible for downshift maintenance on LS 6 Joy longwall. Additional responsibilities included: Electrical control circuit diagnosis and repair; High voltage electrical installation and repair; Hydraulic system maintenance and repair; Welding, fabrication and repair of associated parts; MSHA permissibility inspections; Maintenance and installation of mine monitoring and communication systems.

  • Capstone John Deere Technician, Honnen Equipment Co., Durango, CO John Deere University certified Capstone Technician. Responsible for diagnosis, parts ordering and repair of all John Deere construction equipment. Worked in the field in remote locations.


Education and Certifications:


Certification, John Deere Equipment

Certification, Electrician
  • University of Southern Utah

Certification, Hoistman
  • On the job training 1/90 - 1/97
  • Certified Surface and Underground MSHA Certified Hoistman, Oxygen and Methane Deficiency Card, Shotfirer

Certification, Airframe & Powerplant Mechanic

Certification, Pilot Training
  • Lynch Aviation Flight School Billings, MT 1/83-1/84





Branden G. Burden, Project Engineer/Safety Coordinator

Branden G. Burden - Project Engineer/Safety Coordinator



Mr. Burden joined the MES team in early 2008. Prior to this time, Mr. Burden held a key position with Mount Royale Ventures, LLC in Gold Hill, CO. Mr. Burden is currently an active member of the Front Range Mine Rescue team, which meets and trains monthly.

Some past positions of note held by Mr. Burden:


  • Mine Engineer, Mount Royale Ventures, LLC, Gold Hill, CO Responsibilities included mine engineering, mine management/operations, health and safety compliance, human resources, and training at a small high-grade gold and silver mine. Authored attendance/discipline policy, Pollution Prevention Policy (award winning), standard operating procedures, purchase ordering system and database, cost analysis, training program, budget tracking system, and healthcare program. Implemented and managed multiple health and safety programs including Hearing Conservation Program and Respiratory Protection Plan.

  • Laboratory Teaching Assistant/Lab Tech, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO Laboratory teaching assistant for Mining Engineering compulsory class: 'MNGN322: Intro to Mineral Processing'. Responsible for preparation and operation of the Mineral Processing Laboratory, including safe operation of all equipment for all students.

Key Achievements


Intimately involved in multiple achievements and awards for a fully compliant, underground gold mine and mill, including: 2005 Sentinels of Safety, First Runner Up - Small Underground Metal Mine Group, nationwide; 2005, 2006, 2007 Sentinels of Safety recognition - Small Mill Group; 2006 Colorado Department of Natural Resources - Hardrock Reclamation Award; 2006, 2007 Colorado Mining Association - Pollution Prevention Awards; 2007 Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining & Safety - Small Underground Safety Award.

Community Involvement


Map Man, Colorado Front Range Mine Rescue Team, 2007-Present
Volunteer Fire Fighter, Gold Hill Fire Department, 2005-2008

Education


BSc, Mining Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO




Christopher Emanuel - Project Engineer


Prior to joining MES in 2009, Mr. Emanuel held a key position with Mount Royale Ventures in Gold Hill, CO. Chris' knowledge and experience in precious metals mining and milling is a valuable asset to the company. Mr. Emanuel has gained additional project management experience while working with MES.

Some past positions of note held by Mr. Emanuel:


Mill Engineer, Mount Royale Ventures, LLC
Managed the restoration and daily operation of the Gold Hill Mill, a 50 ton per day concentrator linked to the Cash Mine in Boulder Country, Colorado. Part of a three member management team that brought a mine property from the exploration phase to production status.

Major projects, daily activities and achievements included:
  • Installation of modern gravity circuit

  • Ensuring that equipment and personnel complied with MSHA safely guidelines

  • Responsible for recruiting, hiring, training, and managing two crews

  • Creation and implementation of standard operation procedures for all equipment and tasks

  • Responsible for the creation and management of control procedures for critical aspects of the process such as grind control, flotation, and gravity separation

  • Design and implementation of sand fill program for underground tailing disposal including key design elements of pipe diameter, fluid velocity, and solid-liquid ratios

  • Maintenance, repair, and troubleshooting of 1940's era milling equipment

  • Scheduling, packaging and managing the transportation of concentrate to smelter

  • 2005, 2006 & 2007 MSHA Sentinels of Safety Recognition: Small Mill Group


Community Involvement


Gas Monitor Specialist, Colorado Front Range Mine Rescue Team
MSHA approved mine rescue team. Maintained an active mine rescue base station while competing and practicing with other mine rescue teams in mine emergency responsive development contests.

Education & Certification


B.Sc. Mining Engineering, Colorado School of Mines
MSHA 40 Hr, First Aid & CPR/Adult AED (current), HAZWOPPER (2003)