Charley Murphy

Charley Murphy
Geophysicist, De Beers Canada
Exploration Division

The basic building block for everything I do in my career is the passion I have for my work.

The challenges I face in the field require an elevated level of focus, motivation, and determination, in order to rise to the occasion.

I am involved with early exploration for De Beers Canada. The immediate team that I work with is a young and passionate group. As with the rest of the group, the bar is set very high and we have many exciting challenges and opportunities going forward.

It feels great to be a part of an energetic and enthusiastic exploration team that does not find any challenge insurmountable.

In order for the exploration team to deliver real value to the De Beers Family of Companies, we need to be constantly outperforming what has been previously accomplished. In part, it is this atmosphere that I think creates something very unique within De Beers.

My true passion for geophysics was discovered when I was a summer student, working with the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC). This first summer working with the GSC opened my eyes to the many possibilities within the field of geophysics, and the greater geoscience world.

I went back to school after that summer with an invigorated drive to finish up the last year of my honours Bachelor of Science degree in Geophysics. After my final undergraduate year I went back for a second summer campaign with the GSC. With another field season under my belt I decided to return to school and spent the next two years completing a Master of Science degree in Geophysics.

Immediately after finishing my graduate work at the University of Western Ontario I began my exploration career with De Beers Canada in early 2004. It was evident in the very early days that the sky was the limit and there were endless opportunities with De Beers.

I began my career with De Beers based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Yellowknife is located at the 62nd parallel, where the average January temperature is below -25 °C and the nearest major city is about 1,500 km away. Much of my work during this time was in the harsh arctic climate located between Yellowknife and the arctic coast.

I then moved to Sudbury, Ontario, where much of my work focused in the northern parts of the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and Manitoba. Two years ago I moved to the Toronto office, where the entire exploration team is now housed under one roof.

Much of our work since then has been focused in northern Ontario. The terrain of northern Ontario is some of the most challenging in Canada.

I have been involved in acquiring, processing, integrating, and interpreting all kinds of geophysical data. Much of the geophysical exploration I do is focused on magnetic, gravity, and electromagnetic techniques.

These usually begin with reconnaissance work, using a helicopter or plane, often followed by more detailed work on the ground. The real excitement in my work is when new data is coming in, targets are being identified, and later the targets are drill tested.

I have had the opportunity to travel to Angola, South Africa, England, and Australia with the company. I have interacted with people from various backgrounds, in very different settings, throughout these travels and within my work in Canada.

All of these experiences have proven invaluable in shaping my future with the company. These very diverse experiences and interactions allow me to have a more holistic view as I face new situations.

I have been very involved in the exploration community in Canada. I am the current past-President of the Canadian Exploration Geophysical Society. I have worked on the Executive for the past four years and this has allowed me to expand my leadership capabilities, give back to the geophysical community, and keep abreast of the latest developments in Exploration. I am also a registered Professional Geoscientist in the province of Ontario.

I have been involved in sport all of my life, most notably in track and field and cross-country running. I feel as though these life lessons have greatly prepared me for becoming a valuable member of the De Beers Team. Throughout my career I have drawn on many of the lessons that I have learned from my days involved in sports.

I work on the front lines of the De Beers pipeline and it is exciting to know that I am at the forefront of delivering real value to the De Beers Family of Companies. The people I work with, the challenges we overcome, and the places I work in all make for an exhilarating career.