Geological and Engineering Team
A.I.S. Resources Limited has assembled a world class team, who have extensive knowledge across all sectors of the lithium process – from discovery to production.
Phillip Thomas BSc Geol MBusM MAIG MAIMVA MCIM CMV
COO, Marketing, Capital Finance, Geology
Phillip has degrees in Geology and Business Marketing and is a certified mineral valuer. He specialises in finance and capital raising, management of mining companies, planning, development and management of mining projects, having established a number of significant exploration projects in Mexico, USA, Chile, Argentina, Arizona and Australia. Previously he was actively engaged in developing two major lithium projects in Argentina with Dr. Sorentino. Phillip has specialised in the exploration, development, financing and sales of lithium deposits within the public company structure.
He has extensive knowledge of the lithium carbonate markets in Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan. From 2003 to 2008 he was CEO of Admiralty Resources, worked on the Rincon Salar project in Argentina, and prepared the bankable feasibility study for the exploitation of the Salar del Rincon. He raised more than $6m for this project and sold it in 2008. He and his team constructed a laboratory, pilot plant and developed a process to evaporate the brines in half the usual time. Phil has been active in three lithium projects in the last 4 years. Phillip holds a M Bus Marketing degree with high distinction from Monash University, a Bachelor of Science (Geology) degree and a Diploma in Finance. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and a certified Mineral Valuer with the Australasian Institute of Mineral Valuers and Appraisers.
Dr. Carlos Sorentino, Chief Chemical Engineer
Dr. Sorentino has degrees in engineering and economics. He specialises in the valuation, planning, development and management of mining projects, having established a number of significant exploration projects in South America. He has completed a number of major lithium projects in Argentina . Dr. Sorentino has specialised in the exploration, metallurgy and development of the mineral resources of evaporitic deposits, particularly in the Andes Cordillera. From 1996 to 2001 he prepared the detailed engineering and a bankable feasibility study for the exploitation of the Salar del Rio Grande, and from 2004 to 2008 developed the basic and detail engineering and directed the establishment of a pilot plant for a Lithium project in the Salar of Rincon, both of them in Salta, Argentina. More recently, he formulated a detailed business plan for the exploitation of lithium in the Salar of Pozuelos.
Dr. Sorentino’s doctoral dissertation was in the field of mineral economics. He also holds a Masters of Environmental Studies degree, a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemistry) and a Diploma in Radioisotopes Technology. He is a Fellow and a Chartered Professional of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, a member of the Mineral Industry Consultants Association, a member of the American Chemical Society and a Director and Certified Mineral Valuer with the Australasian Institute of Mineral Valuers and Appraisers.
Dr. Sorentino holds directorships in a number of private corporations in Australia, Argentina and elsewhere. He is an honorary Associate in Macquarie University, Wollongong University, University of Jujuy (Argentina) and in the Kalgoorlie School of Mines.
Professor Dr. Ricardo Alonso, Academic Researcher
A Doctor in Geological Sciences, researcher and university professor, Ricardo Alonso specializes in Geology of the Central Andes. He graduated as a Geologist from the National University of Salta (UNSA) in 1978. Since 1984 he has been a Professor of UNSA, teaching Systematic Mineralogy, Geology of Evaporites and History of Latin American Geology. He has been a Visiting Researcher at Cornell University, NY, Potsdam University, Germany and a guest professor at the International University Menendez Pelayo, Santander, Spain. Since 1984, Dr. Alonso has been a researcher of the National Science Council of Argentina (CONICET) and has been involved in international projects with the National Science Foundation (USA), National Geographic Society (USA), Cornell University (Program INSTOC-NASA), Nebraska University (USA), Natural Science Museum (Madrid, Spain), University of Barcelona (Spain), University of Potsdam (Germany) and Dokuz Eylull University (Izmir, Turkey), amongst others.
A prolific author, he has written numerous papers and over 50 books in his field, including “Diccionario Minero Hispanoamericano” published in Madrid in 1995 by the Spanish National Research Council. Dr. Alonso is the recipient of several awards, including the Journalism Prize in History and Culture (ADEPA, Bs. As., 1999), the “Miner of the Year 2007” (Argentinean Mining Industry, Bs. As.) and the Argentinean Geological Association Prize 2010 (in the category of Ore Deposits).