On behalf of Big Rock Exploration, Relevant Gold Corp., and F3 Gold, it is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of our longtime friend, mentor, and technical advisor, Dr. Stephen Allard, PhD.

Dr. Allard’s influence in our lives began even before we co-founded Big Rock Exploration. His tireless enthusiasm for teaching structural geology made a lasting impact on us while attending Winona State University. Dr. Allard was passionate about getting out and seeing the rocks, and we spent years studying the unique structural geology of the Black Hills under Dr. Allard’s tutelage.

Dr. Allard was a foundational component to our vision and structural understanding of complex mineral systems, and our entire team will be forever grateful for his contributions.

His teaching’s and perspectives on putting boots on the ground and listening to what the rocks are saying are woven into Big Rock’s new eyes on old rocks approach to exploration and have helped shape all of our businesses.

For more than 20 years Dr. Allard studied the rocks of the Black Hills and formulated and advanced a new theory that recognizes the Dakotan Tectonic Zone (DTZ) as a deep, through-going shear zone which serves as a previously-unrecognized control factor for gold mineralization in the Black Hills. This DTZ theory was the catalyst for us to found F3 Gold to explore for undiscovered gold opportunities in the Black Hills.

In a similar way, Dr. Allard’s understanding of the structural geology of Wyoming and his knowledge acquired during his PhD studies at the University of Wyoming – Laramie helped guide and inform us in the formation of Relevant Gold Corp. and the exploration for undiscovered Abitibi-like gold deposits in Wyoming.

Dr. Allard’s legacy will continue to live on through these companies, through our staff and through the many students and professionals that had the unique opportunity to be exposed to Steve and his teachings.

In closing, we’ll leave you all with some Dr. Allard wisdom that can be applied not only in geology, but in all facets of life: “make sure you walk the entire outcrop, only then can you begin to make quality observations.”

Brian Lentz (Winona State class of 2007) and Rob Bergmann (class of 2009)