Francisco Awad

Chief Project Officer

As Chief Project Officer, I am responsible for leading the Twin Metals team toward permitting and eventual operation of a model mine. Additionally, I work to establish business goals for our organization; to ensure our employees have the resources to be successful in their roles; and to communicate Twin Metals’ vision with both internal and external stakeholders.

Having worked in mining for my entire career, and as a second-generation miner, I have witnessed firsthand the importance of developing a mining project that adheres to the highest environmental and safety standards and that aligns with the needs of local communities and stakeholders. Our goal at Twin Metals is to engage and have meaningful conversations with all stakeholders to make sure we are putting forward a project that our region will be proud of.  

Prior to joining the Twin Metals team, I worked for a decade at Antofagasta Minerals on the commercial side of the business. In that time, I was able to be part of an evolution that’s taken place in the mining industry, with an ever-increasing focus on high ESG standards, from both the production and consumer standpoint. One of the reasons I love working in mining is because we produce the raw materials needed in many of the products that will better our future, like electric vehicles, solar panels, medical technology, infrastructure, smartphones, batteries and more.

I am originally from Chile and grew up in England. My family and I are now incredibly lucky to call Minnesota our home. Outside of work, I enjoy experiencing all that Minnesota has to offer. I’m also a big fan of Formula E and Extreme E racing, and it’s amazing to me that the vehicles are now electric. Mining makes that possible!