Meet the Team: Mark Stockton, VP of External Affairs & Sustainability, Integra Resources

Mining veteran Mark Stockton has helped transform Integra Resources from a small junior exploration company to a significant player in the American precious metals sector, bringing a wealth of operational experience and stakeholder engagement expertise to his role in external affairs.

Stockton joined Integra 13 years ago when it was “a really junior company” with a mere $10 million market cap and a modest 100,000-ounce resource. Beginning in exploration operations, he managed core shacks with multiple drill rigs and gained invaluable exposure to senior leadership decisions.

“I lived in the staff house with our VP Exploration, the COO, and our Chairman and CEO when they would come through. I got to see around the dinner table the brainstorming and balancing of various opportunities and challenges,” Stockton recalls, describing these interactions as “very formative” to his professional development.

His tenure spans Integra’s major milestones: developing and selling the Lamaque mine to Eldorado Gold, establishing operations in Idaho, acquiring the Millennial and Nevada North assets, and most recently, completing the transformative Florida Canyon acquisition.

Stockton’s career path demonstrates versatility across multiple business functions. Beyond his operational roles, he gained substantial investor relations experience, particularly during challenging market conditions in 2015 when “truly nobody wanted to talk to junior miners.” This diverse background shaped his management philosophy.

“I think ultimately any employee’s job should be accretive and should serve the shareholders in some manner,” he explains, emphasizing why he ensures his team receives cross-training in investor relations.

Innovation has been a hallmark of Stockton’s approach. He spearheaded the Gold Rush Challenge that evolved into Disrupt Mining, a crowdsourcing initiative that brought significant attention to Integra. He also developed the company’s first mobile app, which provided building blocks for what became Verify – now a standalone AI exploration targeting company with over 100 employees.

In the critical area of stakeholder engagement, Stockton rejects binary thinking in favor of comprehensive solutions. “Very rarely are things mutually exclusive. If you’re versed well enough in the priorities and values of each party at a table, often you can find a successful path for all parties,” he notes.

This philosophy has yielded tangible results, including a recent relationship agreement with the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes. “If Integra’s success can mean success for your community, your tribal nation or your NGO or your small business, then we seek out opportunities to partner with groups where we see potential for aligned interests,” Stockton explains.

His approach to community engagement is deliberately personal and present. Citing a mentor’s observation that “stakeholder engagement is a contact sport” requiring in-person interaction, Stockton emphasizes that “building trust – you can’t buy it, you have to earn it. And the only way in the Great Basin to do this is by spending time with people.”

On environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters, Stockton stresses early integration rather than retrofitting. “The key in our approach is really just about starting early,” he states, noting that sustainability must be defined collaboratively with stakeholders rather than imposed from corporate headquarters.

Integra’s projects interact with communities characterized by generational thinking – ranching and tribal communities that “think about today’s decisions and how they will play out for coming generations.” This perspective aligns with Integra’s goal of creating “a positive legacy, both in the community as well as in the surrounding environment.”

The implementation process involves incorporating stakeholder feedback into technical decisions, influencing choices regarding access roads, shift schedules, facility locations, and water management at projects like Delamar. Stockton includes tangible examples of stakeholder input integration in his team’s key performance indicators.

The current policy environment presents both opportunities and challenges for American mining companies. “At the moment in the US, we’re in a very fortunate time where everyone from state, federal, and county governments are all really singing the same tune when it comes to securing domestic sources of minerals,” Stockton observes.

Recent developments include silver’s addition to the U.S. Geological Survey’s draft critical minerals list, creating opportunities for Integra to align its projects with federal policy initiatives. “All in all, it’s a great time to be building a gold-silver project in the US,” he concludes.

However, Stockton recognizes that expedited permitting creates both opportunities and responsibilities. While accelerated timelines are welcome after historically slow processes, the industry must demonstrate that efficiency doesn’t compromise robust processes or erode public trust.

Looking forward, Stockton’s 13-year journey with Integra provides unique perspective on the company’s transformation and future potential. With a portfolio of Nevada-based assets and current policy support for domestic mining, his approach to early stakeholder engagement and collaborative problem-solving appears well-positioned to advance projects through permitting while maintaining community support.

For investors evaluating mining companies, Stockton’s career illustrates how leadership capabilities can directly influence project outcomes through operational excellence, innovation, and maintaining the crucial social license to operate.