GamX Inc.’s President, Mr. Robert (Rob) B.K. Shives (B.Sc., P.Geo.) has more than 37 years’ experience 
in public and private sector geoscientific activities, including mineral exploration and geophysical surveying for a variety of commodities. During his university years (Carleton University, Ottawa, 1979) he worked as a summer field assistant for the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC), Ottawa, throughout many locations in Canada, conducting ground magnetometer and gamma ray spectrometer surveys for the Resource Geophysics and Geochemistry Division. This work demonstrated the ability of geophysical methods to quantify “invisible” geological properties at all scales, in boreholes, drill cores, on the ground and from aircraft, significantly augmenting the traditional geological toolkit.
Lessons learned proved useful in Rob’s subsequent private sector employment, exploring successfully for uranium in Canada’s famous Athabasca Basin (Saskatchewan), for gold in Saskatchewan and Ontario, and for copper-gold in British Columbia. In 1985 Rob accepted a permanent position at the GSC, with the Airborne Geophysics Section (subsequently the Radiation Geophysics Section), planning airborne surveys, processing GSC’s Skyvan airborne data, creating and publishing airborne gamma ray spectrometric and magnetic maps. He conducted independent field research to follow-up the airborne results, creating valuable case histories to demonstrate utility. Rob monitored many contracted surveys throughout Canada, flown by geophysical contractors to GSC standards.
In 1998 he became Head of the Radiation Geophysics Section and established NATGAM-Canada’s National Gamma Ray Spectrometry Program to increase acceptance, surveying and usage. Post September 11, 2001, under Rob’s leadership the Section worked with industry partners to develop a state-of-art Canadian emergency radiological airborne response to accidental or intentional release of radioactive material.
Rob’s drive to create practical applications frequently required collaboration with industrial stakeholders, to ensure interpretation of GSC results were of more than merely academic interest. Published successes prompted him to depart the GSC in 2007, to provide industrial clients with consulting services through GamX Inc. During this period Rob also became a Director of two exploration companies and Vice President Exploration, searching for copper-gold-magnetite deposits within the renowned Quesnel Trough in central British Columbia.
Throughout his career Rob has maintained memberships in several professional organizations and has presented formal papers and posters at major geological conferences. He has provided mentoring and training of government and private sector geoscientists via numerous published papers, short courses, workshops, formal posters and field training, internationally. He continues to provide training at University undergraduate and Masters levels. Rob is also registered as a Professional Geoscientist (P.Geo.) in British Columbia, Canada.