After earning geology degrees from Dartmouth College and the Colorado School of Mines, David Abbott began his career as a geologist for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in Denver. At the SEC he assisted both mining and oil and gas companies in complying with disclosure requirements of the securities laws, and investigated and helped prosecute mining and oil and gas frauds when warranted. The enforcement work stimulated his interest in professional practices and ethics.
He left the SEC after 21 years and became a consulting geologist. His consulting practice focuses on disclosures by natural resources firms, the application of resources and reserves classification systems to particular deposits, litigation support and professional geoscience ethics. As an author, Abbott’s publications focus on the intersection of the natural resources business and the securities laws. His works also include 50 papers on professional ethics, published by U.S. and international geoscience organizations.
Abbott has been a member of AAPG for more than 45 years and has been the chairman of AIPG’s Ethics Committee for 20 years. He is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy’s Ethics Committee as well as sitting on the committees that prepared AGI’s Guidelines for Professional Ethical Conduct. He is a recipient of AIPG’s Van Couvering Memorial Award, AIPG’s Honorary membership and the Ben H. Parker Memorial Award. In addition, he received a Certificate of Merit from AAPG’s Division of Professional Affairs for his service as the Editor of DPA’s Correlator.
Consulting Geologist and Author