Pluton is a young company, but already the management and operation team have won national and international recognition.

Golden Gecko Award

In September 2010, Pluton won the Prestigious Golden Gecko Award for environmental excellence in the Western Australian mining industry.

Judges said that Pluton had made great use of the Universal Drilling Platform in restricting the footprint of drill sites and minimising the impact of exploration activities in sensitive areas.  The platform was developed to deal with the challenges of drilling on steep slopes and on uncleared land at Pluton’s Irvine Island project.

Prospect Award

In November of the same year, Pluton’s dedication to responsible development was recognised nationally with the Mining Australia Magazine Prospect Award for Excellence in Environmental Management.

Pluton Managing Director Tony Schoer says the awards reflect a new paradigm in mining.

“Minimising the land disturbance during exploration can make an important difference to the industry’s footprint,” he said after the Golden Gecko presentation by Western Australian Mines Minister Norman Moore.

“A few months after drilling from the platforms, it is almost impossible to tell where the platform has been.”

Corporate Social Responsibility In March 2011, Pluton was invited to host three sessions on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at the world’s biggest mining conference – the Prospectors and Developers’ Association (PDAC) of Canada convention. The invitation recognised the partnership between Pluton and the Mayala People to develop the Irvine Island Protect.  PDAC President Scott Jobin-Bevans visited the island in July 2011. He described the Irvine Island project as an example of best practice in corporate social responsibility. He said the company had established a strong relationship with the traditional owners and set high standards of environmental management. Pluton hosted the CSR sessions with two Mayala elders Sandy Isaac and Graham Ejai.	Mayala elder Graham Ejai, Managing Director Tony Schoer, elder Sandy Isaac, External Affairs Manager Pamela Kaye and Community Relations Coordinator Johari Bin Demin at Niagara Falls during a break in the PDAC Convention