Headshot Photo Credit: Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC)

When Paul J. Bartos '76 first arrived at Catholic Central, he had no idea that his career would one day lead him to one of the most significant mineral discoveries in North America.

Today, Bartos is recognized as one of the mining industry's most accomplished exploration geologists. Most recently, he received the prestigious Thayer Lindsley Award for the discovery of the Silicon gold-silver deposit in southern Nevada. This find is widely considered the largest gold discovery in the state in the last 25 years.

For Bartos, however, the foundation for that success was built decades earlier in the classrooms and hallways of Catholic Central.

A World-Class Discovery 

The Thayer Lindsley Award is one of the highest honors in the global mining and exploration industry, recognizing the year's most significant mineral discovery. Bartos earned the award for his role in discovering the Silicon gold-silver deposit, which now contains more than 16 million ounces of gold and 40 million ounces of silver.

This equates to a gross metal value of nearly $70 billion. That’s gross value; one has to subtract the costs of mining and processing the ore, as well metallurgical recovery losses. Important note: Bartos doesn’t own any of this gold and silver. The company he was working for (AngloGold Ashanti) does. 

The discovery almost never happened.

At the time, Bartos was finishing exploration work on another project in Colombia. He then proposed to explore in Nevada, which met with strong corporate resistance as Nevada was felt to be over-explored. Nonetheless, he continued, uncovering a property that many geologists dismissed. 

"There was no gold showing at the surface," Bartos explained. "Because of that, somewhere between 50 and 60 professional geologists had looked at the property and passed on it."

Still, something about the site caught his attention.

"It looked too good not to check."

After securing the property and convincing company leadership to support the effort, Bartos and his team spent nearly a year and a half exploring the area. The company invested close to $1 million before finally making the breakthrough.

The persistence paid off. What they uncovered became one of the most important gold discoveries of the modern era.

"It was a project that required looking at things differently," Bartos said. "You had to challenge the assumptions everyone else was making."

That willingness to think beyond conventional wisdom has become a hallmark of his career. Over the years, Bartos has been involved in seven major mineral discoveries around the world.

A Catholic Central Education That Opened Doors

Long before he became an internationally recognized geologist, Bartos was a Shamrock involved in a wide variety of activities.

He participated in the Lumen Club, a science-focused organization led by Fr. Ray Paramo, CSB, took students on educational trips to cities such as Toronto and Chicago as well as white water rafting in southern Pennsylvania. He was also a member of the chess team, helping Catholic Central win the city championship during his senior year and earning a varsity letter in chess. In addition, he played intramural hockey.

What stands out most when Bartos reflects on his Catholic Central experience, however, is the rigor of the academic program.

"It was a very good education," he said.

Through advanced coursework in biology and mathematics, Bartos and his classmates were taking classes with students from local colleges, including Mercy College and the University of Detroit. Under the guidance of Fr. Philip Acquaro, CSB, who held a Ph.D. in biology, Catholic Central students routinely excelled in college-level coursework.

"We were taking college classes while we were still in high school," Bartos recalled. "On some of the exams, the Catholic Central students ended up at the top of the curve."

One of his most memorable experiences came through advanced biology studies that exposed students to real-world medical settings and research opportunities that were almost unheard of for high school students at the time.

"It gave me an incredible start."

By the time he graduated from Catholic Central, Bartos had already completed many of the prerequisite courses that other students would not encounter until college.

"I thought Catholic Central was harder than Wayne State," he said with a laugh. "A lot of students struggle when they get to college. For me, college was no problem because Catholic Central had already prepared me."

He describes his education as both rigorous and formative.

"It was a classical liberal arts education that emphasized critical thinking. They did a top-notch job. It was a great launching pad for whatever I wanted to do."

Discovering a Passion for Geology

Interestingly, geology was not always part of Bartos' plan.

As a student at Wayne State University, he initially expected to pursue a career in law. But he had always enjoyed collecting rocks and spending time outdoors, and after attending a geology field camp, his plans changed.

"It was too much fun being out in the field," he said.

The decision surprised his family.

"My mom's heart was broken," he joked. "She thought I was going to be a lawyer. She didn't know what a geologist did."

Bartos earned his undergraduate degree in geology from Wayne State before receiving a scholarship to Stanford University, where he completed a master's degree in Applied Earth Sciences. Later, he earned a Ph.D. from the Colorado School of Mines.

His professional career took him around the world as an exploration geologist, in other words, a modern-day prospector searching for gold, silver, and other valuable mineral deposits.

Along the way, he also helped design and build what became a renowned geology museum at the Colorado School of Mines, another accomplishment he remains proud of today.

Advice for Today's Shamrocks

When asked what advice he would offer current Catholic Central students, Bartos quickly returned to the values he believes shaped both his education and his career.

"The thing I got most out of Catholic Central was knowledge and discipline, all under a Catholic framework (i.e. goodness)."

Those values, he says, provided the framework that allowed him to think creatively and challenge accepted ideas throughout his career.

"In order to make discoveries, you have to think outside the box," Bartos said. "But to think outside the box, you first have to understand the box. You need knowledge. You need discipline to know where to push the boundaries. And you need the faith of your convictions, which Catholic Central also instilled - to fight for what you think is right."

He believes Catholic Central gave him all three.

"It provided the structure for a solid education and the ability to challenge ideas. To ask, 'Is this really true?' That grounding from Catholic Central has allowed me to do that throughout my career."

His advice to today's students is simple:

"Appreciate the incredible opportunity you have at Catholic Central. You are blessed to be there. Take advantage of it."

Bartos encourages students to explore as many interests as possible while they have the chance.

"In high school, you can do anything. You're not limited yet. You're encouraged to try different things and discover what you're passionate about. Catholic Central gives you the faith and the foundation to become who you want to be. Then it's up to you to figure out what that is."

For Bartos, that journey led from a curious student who liked rocks to an award-winning geologist whose discoveries have reshaped the mining industry. And it all began at Catholic Central.