W. Pierce Carson, PhD, MS, AB
President and Chief Executive Officer

Dr Carson joined Azco  as President and CEO in the fall of 2003 as part of its restructuring and reorganization initiative, following a period of engagement as consultant to the company. Dr. W. Pierce Carson with a PhD in Economic and Structural Geology and MS in Ore deposits from Stanford University and a Bachelors Degree in Geology from Princeton, has an accomplished international mining career spanning 33 years with extensive experience in directing exploration, development and mining of base metals, precious metals and industrial minerals and in administering public companies.

Dr Carson has served with distinction at several World renowned Mining Conglomerates

Previous positions held by Dr Carson include:

• Senior  Geologist Houston, Supervisory Geologist, Perth, Western Australia,  Exploration Manager, Q ueensland & N ew South Wales, Australia for Exxon Minerals, managing Uranium and Copper exploration  both in Western and Eastern Australia
• Manager of Precious Metals Exploration, North America, for Kennecott Copper Inc.
• Vice-President of Exploration for Nord Resources Corporation, Australia, Asia & US.
• President and Director of Mining & Exploration Operations in Australia, Papua New Guinea, USA, Canada & Mexico for Nord Pacific Ltd.

Exploration and Mining Career Highlights:

Early in his career, his geologic work with a small exploratory task force at Exxon Minerals on all five continents of Central and South America, Asia, Europe and Africa led to major exploration programs in Australia, Chile, Germany, Spain and South Africa.

Responsible for all precious metals exploration activities in the United States and Canada at Kennecott Copper Inc: A property identified and recommended for acquisition was acquired and developed by Kennecott: Subsequently became a significant gold-silver producer.

• Acquisition of the Tabar Islands gold property, in a joint venture with Kennecott.
• Discovery of the Kurara gold mine in Western Australia with subsequent successful financing, development and operation of the mine.
• Discovery of Emu South gold mine in Western Australia, joint venture of the property to Western Mining and subsequent sale of interest and $40 million distribution to limited partner investors.
• Completion of Ramu nickel pre-feasibility study based on pressure acid leaching.
• Acquisition of the Girilambone copper property and design of the technically innovative and highly successful SX-EW processing system.
• Arrangement of financing for Girilambone mine development through joint venture participation and bank debt. Implementation of hedging programs.

• Successful operations of the Girilambone copper mine and the Kurara gold mine.

• Discovery of Tritton copper deposit using state-of-the-art geophysical methods.
• Purchase of Kennecott's interest in the Tabar Islands gold project.
• Acquisition of the Johnson Camp copper mine and Tritton copper property in the United States and Australia.
• Sale of Ramu nickel project, Papua New Guinea and Sierra Rutile titanium mine, Sierra Leone.
• Arrangement of project debt financing of $42 Million for copper and other mines.