Please join the Calgary Mineral Exploration Group on Friday, February 6 for a talk given by S. Mark Francis, CSE Senior Advisor.
If you would like to attend the luncheon, please RSVP by email at megcalgary@gmail.com or by selecting one of the options below.
**Please RSVP as soon as possible to accommodate everyone for lunch.
If you’d like to pay the Membership or Luncheon fee online, please click on the appropriate link below to be redirected to the secure Square website. Otherwise cash payment is available at the door.
- Annual Membership (Individual/Students) : $50.00 (plus GST)
- Corporate Membership : $475.00 (plus GST)
- Student Program Sponsorship: $500.00 (plus GST)
- Luncheon (Members): $40.00 (plus GST)
- Luncheon/ Field Trip (Non Members): $50.00 (plus GST)
- Luncheon (Beverage only): $20.00 (plus GST)
- Social Events : $20.00 (plus GST)
- University, SAIT, NAIT students: FREE with student ID (with purchase of membership)
Luncheon Details:
Date: Friday, February 06, 2026
Location: Kerby Centre – downtown Calgary (1133 – 7th Ave. SW)
Doors open at 11:30 am
Talk starts at 12:00 pm (NOTE TIME FOR THIS LUNCHEON)
NOTE: There is complimentary parking at the Kerby Centre. Parking lots are located beside the building (east) or across the LRT (North). Register your vehicle at Reception.
Presentation Abstract:
Advancing Processing of ASGM Ores: Potential, Pitfalls, and Promise
Curatio Gold Limited is focused on providing for-profit processing services to artisanal and small scale gold miners (“ASGMs”) in East Africa. Curatio has a cross-cultural team with relevant technical expertise and experience investing-for-profit in entrepreneurs in East Africa. Curatio will not acquire any mineral property / tenure and makes that commitment to ASGMs. The need to eliminate mercury has been a key driver in generating willingness to engage, but profitability must be present. There are many difficult challenges in this business vertical, especially relating to entrenched players, processes, and habits.
Curatio has signed MoUs with organized associations of ASGMs in two parts of Uganda, namely Busia near the border with Kenya and Mubende in central Uganda, as well as with Busitema University regarding training and employment opportunities. Curatio is also forming strategic relationships with several levels of government, including the Bank of Uganda and the Uganda Development Bank. Initial engineering indicate a very high IRR at $2,500/oz Au, and once in operation this business venture can be scaled in multiple ways. The first two projects represent only a small portion of the gold currently being mined in Uganda by ASGMs.
Presenter Bio:
S. Mark Francis, CIM
CSE Senior Advisor
S. Mark Francis, CIM (“Canadian Investment Manager” designation), is the founding director of Curatio Gold. For over 20 years he was a Senior Advisor to Canadian Securities Exchange, during which time it was the world’s fastest growing stock exchange for small-cap issuers. Mark started his professional career as an investment advisor, and also has experience as a consultant with Wardrop Engineering Business Solutions, and as a program review, budget, and business program analyst with the Province of Manitoba, Treasury Board Secretariat. Mark loves the “SmallCap” markets, and invests in small cap pubcos, especially mining, some private ventures, and is a director and/or investor in several East African entrepreneurs.
Mark has made lots of mistakes, both in personal life and investing, tries not to repeat those mistakes, and happily shares those mistakes in the hope that others won’t make the same ones.
