Geology alumnus receives Award of Excellence

Posted: February 17, 2015 1:05 p.m.

Peter Ogryzlo at the Santa Fe Pacific Gold Mine in Nevada.
Peter Ogryzlo at the Santa Fe Pacific Gold Mine in Nevada. Photo courtesy of N. Ogryzlo

Alumnus Peter Ogryzlo describes himself as a person who ‘looks at rocks, and tries to understand them.”

Ogryzlo understands rocks.

He has been recognized by the Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia (AME BC) and is the recipient of its 2015 H.H. “Spud” Huestis Award for Excellence in Prospecting and Mineral Exploration. The award is named after Herman Huestis, a legend in Canada’s mining world.

The award recognizes the key role Ogryzlo played in the discovery of two new ore zones at the Huckleberry Copper Mine near Houston, B.C. It’s a discovery that has breathed new life into a community.

“The mine now has another seven years to run,” says Ogryzlo. “People won’t have to sell their house and move. Their kids (can) get their teeth fixed. They (can) go to university.”

Ogryzlo graduated from the University of Regina in 1995 with his Masters of Science in Geology and consequently was awarded the Governor General’s Gold Medal for his Master’s thesis.

He credits his success today to the support he received at the University of Regina.

“They were willing to support a mature student who was well into his career,” says Ogryzlo. He is particularly grateful to professors Drs. Pier Binda, Stephen Bend, Geoff Parslow and the late Dr. John Lewry.

“My career would not have advanced in the way it did without their examination of my work,” says Ogryzlo. “I now have appreciation for the value of critical review. I would not have received the level of competence that I have without submitting my thesis to Drs. Binda and Parslow.”

Geology professor Stephen Bend remembers Ogryzlo as being a highly motivated student, with a keen intellect and tremendous sense of humour.  

“I particularly enjoyed having Peter in class. He would always be willing to contribute, was always very respectful and humble, but fun to tease,” says Dr. Bend.

Peter and his wife Christine Ogryzlo left Regina in the mid-nineties. They live on Babine Lake, in north central B.C.

The University of Regina’s Department of Geology offers its graduate students opportunities to work in the field in Saskatchewan and around the world. For information about the department please visit: http://www.uregina.ca/science/geology/