The Best Experience Ever
The Best Life Ever
Being a diamond explorer and gemstone prospector since his early days, since 1991 to be exact, Martin knows the finer points of mining gemstones especially alluvial deposits but also experienced hard rock formations during his years of exposure in the hunt for the ultimate gem.
His exploration exposure spans several countries of which the most mentionable would be Namibia – (Damaraland, Brandberg, Usakos, Kaokoland, Waterberg, Tsumeb), South Africa – (Northern Transvaal, Northwest Province, Namakwaland), Botswana – (Orapa Kimberlite Field), Tanzania – (Sinyanga, Singida, Winza, Tunduru, Manyara, Longido), Paraguay – (Rio Apa, Conception & Amambay provinces). Visited Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe & Zambia.
Martin organised and led many expeditions over the years to remote locations with many untold adventures and am still planning to do more . . .
“When your passion and your dreams becomes so blurred that it seems to intertwined into only one road visible to follow, that is what your mind and soul stay focussed on – you don’t care about recognition or financial benefit – as long as you can do what your hearts compass is pointing you at!”
However, to add some weight to his story, its worth it to mention that he was eventually recognised for his work at the GSA(1) Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington, USA – 2017, for this New Kimberlite Locality in Tanzania and garnets recovered from it for analysis, indicating the potential for this new locality to be diamond-bearing. ((1) – Geological Society of America).
Martin gained more than three decades of accomplishment laden experience in the alluvial diamond and gemstone mining industry, driving achievement of the highest priority exploration and recovery methods and operation efficiency goals.
He brings valuable insight and knowledge regarding the leadership and ethical management challenges faced by small start-up and growing alluvial diamond and gemstone mining companies.
Leveraging an ever-expanding portfolio of qualifications covering law, health and safety, and general business management core competencies. Martin proved time and again his flexibility in responding to changing market conditions and his ability to “wear many hats” in the effort to meet and exceed goals and challenges.
It comes as no surprise to learn that Martin designed and built his first Faceting machine by himself and eventually over the years upgraded to where he now is cutting on the latest Ultra-Tec V5 and Ultra-Tec Fantasy Machines in his workshop. Martin is not a commercial gemstone cutter, but love to cut exceptional unique gems.
When Martin was challenged with writing his MBA dissertation on foreign operations management. The topic was: A Management Report on the feasibility of foreign mining operations;
Case study – “The DreamStone alluvial diamond mine in the Middle Orange River region of South Africa, from inception to production”.
Prior to that in 2008 for his Diploma in management, he did a management report with title: “Finlands’ diamond exploration; To invest or not”.
Martin is also a qualified South African lawyer, where he holds a Certificate of Distinction from Law School
Martin lived rough in the outdoors with the locals for six months in Tanzania whilst exploring for gemstones. Working and interacting with the local community, even attending church services with them and become life long friends with many as recent as 2017.
Martin is now settled in London, UK and a member of the UKFCG, (United Kingdom Facet Cutters Guild) where he was recently awarded a Certificate of “Advance Cutter” status. The criteria for this Advance Cutter Certificate is to satisfy the judging committee regarding cutting competence, and for attaining a minimum of 85% with two stones, in approved competitions or by assessment. Martin’s actual scores for the two stones were 87.00% and 90.08% respectively.
