With vast mineral reserves and untapped potential, Africa has a diverse range of exploration companies seeking to discover the next big deposit. Luckily, starting new ventures and creating something meaningful is what motivates geologist Ross McGowan.

He’s the Managing Director of a private, junior exploration company, Tutume Metals. With Technical Lead Thomas Rogers, a 25-year veteran of exploration across Africa, McGowan is focused on searching for new magmatic nickel and copper systems under cover in southern Africa.

“The importance of well funded exploration and time to discovery cannot be overstated, especially as the world’s demand for critical metals continues to rise,” says McGowan.

Tutume Metals brings a unique approach to exploration that profits from global deposit experience and assesses exploration and strategy from a different perspective.

As part of the Xplor 2023 program, they have time to develop an expanded exploration toolkit for magmatic systems. That’s enabling them to think bigger and longer term about how large discoveries will be made in the future. While it will take dedication to explore the region, make new discoveries and unlock the untapped potential of Africa, McGowan and the Tutume Metals team are now well positioned to contribute to the global supply of these crucial metals.

Discover more about BHP’s 2023 Xplor cohort.