Technical Advisors
Phil Smerchanski
Lead Technical Advisor
Phil Smerchanski is a senior technical advisor with over 20 years of experience in mineral exploration, specializing in metallic ore systems. He has held senior technical leadership roles with Oxygen Capital and Anglo American, where he provided strategic oversight of exploration portfolios and project pipeline development.
Mr. Smerchanski has extensive experience advancing exploration projects across the Americas, Australia, and Europe, from early-stage greenfield discovery through to advanced brownfield development. His expertise spans resource discovery, mine development, and portfolio-level exploration strategy. He brings proven leadership in guiding multi-project exploration programs and plays a key role in shaping Canterra Minerals’ long-term exploration strategy and project prioritization.
Matt Penney
Technical Advisor-Geophysics
Matthew Penney, P.Geo, is a professional geophysicist and a Qualified Person (QP) under National Instrument 43-101, with over 20 years of international experience in mineral exploration and mining. He has held senior geophysics roles with major mining companies including Anglo American, Lundin Mining, and Glencore, most recently serving as Principal Geophysicist at Glencore.
Mr. Penney is currently President and Consulting Geophysicist of Hardrock Geophysics Inc., where he has led geophysics programs for major and mid-tier mining companies across more than 14 countries. He is widely recognized for his expertise in advanced exploration technologies, including deep-penetrating induced polarization (IP) surveys and 3D geophysical inversion modelling. His work has directly contributed to the identification of high-priority gold and base metal targets and the discovery of new mineralized zones in both greenfield and brownfield settings.
Randy Turner, P.Geo
Technical Advisor
Randy C. Turner, P.Geo, is a highly accomplished professional geologist with more than 50 years of experience in mineral exploration, corporate leadership, and mining finance. His career includes over 20 years with Esso Minerals Canada and AGIP Mining Ltd., where he focused on uranium, gold, and base metals exploration.
Mr. Turner has served as President and CEO of multiple successful public companies, including Trimin Resources Ltd., Winspear Diamonds Inc., Silver Quest Resources Ltd., and Independence Gold Corp. He is best known for leading Winspear Diamonds from the discovery of the Snap Lake diamond deposit through to its acquisition by De Beers Mining for $305 million. In recognition of his contributions to diamond exploration, he was awarded the Hugo Dummett Award in 2007. Mr. Turner brings deep experience in discovery, project development, and strategic asset monetization across the full mineral value chain.
Rodney Allen, PhD
Technical Advisor-VMS
Dr. Rodney L. Allen is a globally recognized economic geologist with over 40 years of experience in mineral exploration and research, specializing in Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) deposits. He holds a PhD and completed post-doctoral research at Monash University, with a career-long focus on VMS geology and ore systems.
Dr. Allen previously served as Manager of Geology Research and Development at Boliden Group in Sweden and is currently a Consultant Geologist and CEO of Volcanic Resources. He is internationally known for his work interpreting complex ancient volcanic terranes and their associated mineral systems. His research and applied geological interpretations have contributed to major VMS discoveries and resource expansions, including more than 100 million tonnes of mineral resources at the Garpenberg mine in Sweden. Dr. Allen’s work exemplifies a strong research-to-discovery approach that directly supports Canterra’s VMS exploration strategy.
Stephen Piercey, PhD, P.Geo
Technical Advisor-VMS
Dr. Stephen J. Piercey is a University Research Professor and Full Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at Memorial University of Newfoundland, and a consulting geologist with Piercey Geosciences Inc. He holds degrees from Memorial University and a PhD from the University of British Columbia.
Dr. Piercey is a leading expert in economic geology, with specialization in Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS), orogenic gold, and uranium systems. He is particularly recognized for his work on Newfoundland’s Cambrian–Ordovician VMS belts, including the Buchans–Mary March corridor. His expertise includes hydrothermal alteration analysis, lithogeochemical vectoring, and the application of real-time portable analytical technologies to improve drill targeting. A prolific author and recipient of numerous awards, including the Duncan R. Derry Medal, Dr. Piercey provides Canterra with applied scientific insight that directly supports discovery-driven exploration.