Darren Cooke

Darren Cooke is a geologist with over 20 years of experience across Australia and North America, with roles spanning regional and near-mine exploration, operational geology, long-term strategic planning and corporate development.

Mr Cooke held senior positions with global miners including Barrick Gold, Newmont and Northern Star Resources. He was involved in the discovery and delivering of resource and reserve growth while working at world-class deposits such as the Golden Mile Kalgoorlie (KCGM), Callie (Newmont Mining Tanami), Kundana, Kanowna Belle (Northern Star/Barrick Gold) and the Pogo deposit in Alaska (Northern Star).

Mr Cooke spent seven years with Northern Star, having joined the company as geology and long-term planning manager for the Kalgoorlie district via Northern Star’s acquisition of the Kalgoorlie assets from Barrick Gold in March 2014. At the Kalgoorlie assets, he led the teams which significantly extended the mine life of the operations, underpinned by the discovery and development of the Pegasus and Millennium deposits at Kundana (+2Moz) and the Velvet deposit at Kanowna Belle. In 2015, Mr Cooke joined the Northern Star business development team as principal geologist and was heavily involved in due diligence, project generation and the significant gold mergers and acquisitions transactions that have seen Northern Star transform from a junior miner into a globally significant gold company.

He joined AuTECO Minerals in February 2021 as chief operating officer before being promoted to chief executive in June 2022.