Will Wilkinson

Wilkinson H. Wilkinson, a Phoenix resident, retired as Vice President Exploration, Africa, for Freeport-McMoRan Inc. in November 2015 after nearly 25 years. He was responsible for project direction, reconnaissance and acquisitions throughout the continent. He has over 40 years of experience in mineral exploration, has worked in base and precious metal exploration in 25 countries on five continents and has been involved in or directed major copper, gold and copper-cobalt discoveries that were put into production. Will has also worked in the southwestern United States for Anaconda, Duval Corporation, Westmont Mining and Phelps Dodge prior to Freeport. 

Will received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in geology from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, with a three-year break for service in the U.S. Army. He received his Ph.D. degree in geosciences in 1981 from the University of Arizona. Will was the 2009 President of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME), is a Distinguished Member of SME, a charter Registered Member of SME, a member of the Board of Trustees for the SME Foundation and an Honorary member of AIME.  He is a Certified Professional Geologist of the American Institute of Professional Geologists, is a Senior Fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists and is a member of the Mining and Minerals Education Foundation (Board of Governors), Mining and Metallurgical Society of America and the Arizona Geological Society. 

Will has been an avid mineral collector since the fourth grade, which provided the impetus to study geology and explore for new mineral deposits. The Wilkinson collection focuses on base metal oxides and native copper minerals.  He and his wife, Pam, spend their retirement volunteering and travelling the world and exploring geological sites.