Clontarf, Petrel and Botswana Diamonds announce death of David Horgan

Thu, 30th Oct 2025 17:01

(Alliance News) - Mining executive David Horgan has died aged 66, three exploration companies he co-founded announced on Wednesday.

Horgan, who was born in Belfast, was a co-founder & director of Botswana and South Africa-focused diamond explorer Botswana Diamonds PLC; co-founder & chair of Iraq and Ghana-focused oil & gas explorer Petrel Resources PLC; and co-founder & chair of Clontarf Energy PLC, an oil, gas and minerals explorer with projects in Bolivia and Ghana.

"The death of David Horgan is a deep personal loss to each of us," said Botswana Diamonds Executive Chair John Teeling and Clontarf's Finance Director Jim Finn, in a joint statement. (Finn is a director at Clontarf and Botswana Diamonds, and Teeling is a director at Petrel Resources.) "In over three decades together we have created, financed, managed and listed a series of early-stage exploration ventures in a variety of natural resources."

They continued: "Early-stage exploration is very high risk...The last decade has been hard on explorers. Little or no investor interest in our activities.

"David had a simple message - no exploration, no mines, no transition to green energy. His passing, just as the message seems to be getting traction, is ironic. He is a huge loss for his friends, family, colleagues, shareholders and the wider Irish resource sector."

Shares in Clontarf closed down 2.0% at 0.025 pence on Thursday in London. Petrel Resources closed 4.1% higher at 0.89p. Finally, Botswana Diamonds shares were untraded at 0.25p, having last been sold on Wednesday.

By Emma Curzon, Alliance News reporter

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