Ben earned an honours degree in geology at University of Oxford in 1962 and was soon inducted into a successful career as an exploration geologist, gaining his early experience in Ireland and Ghana, West Africa. He joined Placer Development Limited ("Placer") in 1965 and worked there for 21 years, holding assignments throughout Canada, and later in Chile. From 1968 to 1978, his principal area of work related to the research and application of geochemistry for mineral exploration. Ben carried out extensive exploration work in British Columbia and the Yukon, which led to the 1972 discovery of the world class Howard's Pass lead-zinc deposit.