William Mercer

Biography

Dr. Mercer has been VP, Exploration with Avalon since 2007. Dr. Mercer earned his BSc. in geology from Edinburgh University (1968) and a PhD from McMaster University (1975). He enjoyed a 32-year career with the Noranda/Falconbridge group, holding a series of managerial positions, working on international projects in over 30 countries, ultimately serving as Director-Geology and Geochemistry. Dr. Mercer served as the President of the Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences (CFES), the umbrella organization for all earth science associations in Canada (2008 to 2010), and as President of the Prospectors and Developers Association (2002 to 2004), serving as an executive of the association for eight years. He currently chairs or is a member of several PDAC committees, including the Health and Safety Committee and Geoscience Committee. From 2010-2013 he was a member of the Canadian federal government Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council grants review committee for Earth Sciences, and prior to that a member of the Minister’s National Advisory Board on Earth Sciences for the federal Natural Resources Canada. In January 2009, Dr. Mercer was the recipient of the David Barr Award from the Association for Mineral Exploration in British Columbia for excellence in leadership and innovation in mineral exploration health and safety. He also was honoured with the PDAC Distinguished Service Award in 2006. In 2015, he was the recipient of the “Award for Environmental Excellence” of the NWT and Nunavut Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists in recognition of his environmental efforts relating to renewable energy use at Avalon’s Nechalacho Project in Canada’s Northwest Territories. Dr. Mercer was selected in 2013 to be recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his service to the Canadian mining industry.

Research Interest

Environmental Science and Earth science