Dr Firek has been involved in mining and mineral processing for over 26 years. His experience includes managing of process development, construction, commissioning and operations of coal, base and precious metals plants in Europe, Africa and Australia. He worked in Europe and Africa as a United Nations expert in fossil fuels exploration, mineral processing and energy generation. Dr Firek is also familiar with downstream processing of oil and gas that helps in evaluating feasibility of fuel resources.

Dr Firek was a Group Leader at the CSIRO, Division of Fossil Fuels in Sydney and was engaged in developing technologies to produce liquid fuels from coal. He was Project Director at Memtec Ltd, following which he joined Pancontinental Mining Ltd where he was Research and Development Manager involved in substantial mineral resources projects including base and precious metals, uranium and the development and commissioning of a $220 million magnesia production facility near Rockhampton in Queensland. He worked on site during construction and commissioning for 12 months.

Dr Firek was a director of mineral residue processing group Hydromet Technologies Ltd. He was a founding director in three ASX listed companies and managed coal, iron ore, base and precious metals exploration, feasibility studies and financial negotiations for projects in Australia, South America, China (Inner Mongolia) and Indonesia.

Dr Firek was also the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Coalworks Limited until June 2012 and currently is a Technical Director at Orpheus Energy Limited.