Keep up with the latest executive movements across the mining sector, including Minerals 260, Avenira and Arafura Rare Earths.
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Minerals 260 has appointed former OZ Minerals executive Luke McFadyen as its new chief executive officer (CEO).
McFadyen was most recently head of portfolio strategy and economics at OZ Minerals where he oversaw corporate strategy, market intelligence and group valuation. He played an important role in the valuation, due diligence and integration of OZ Minerals into BHP.
Prior to his time at OZ, McFadyen worked at the likes of South32, Syrah Resources, KPMG and the International Copper Association Australia.
McFadyen said he was excited by the opportunity to lead Minerals 260 from exploration into production.
“I will be focussed on leading the company from a relatively new explorer into an innovative mining company that will be focussed on creating value for our stakeholders with the development of high value critical and modern minerals assets,” he said.
Minerals 260 is represented by its Moora and Koojan projects in the Julimar province of WA, along with its Aston lithium project also in WA.
McFadyen’s appointment will coincide with current CEO David Richards transitioning to executive director initially, before moving to non-executive director as he looks to spend more time with his family.
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Avenira has appointed Sean Buxton as a mining engineer to support its Wonarah direct shipping ore (DSO) project in the Northern Territory.
Buxton was most recently general manager operations at Core Lithium, where he played a key role in transitioning the Finniss lithium project from its definitive feasibility study (DFS) to commencement of operations and first spodumene concentrate production.
Avenira said Buxton’s experience in open-pit mining and direct shipping operations will be valuable as the company advances its Wonarah phosphate project.
With more than 30 years’ mining industry experience, Buxton has also spent time at Newcrest Mining, Barrick Gold, Glencore and Evolution Mining.
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Graphite-focused EcoGraf has appointed Keith F Jones as an independent non-executive director, who brings significant corporate finance experience to the company.
Jones was the former chair of Deloitte Australia and also has mining industry experience having been chair of Gindalbie Metals, where he oversaw the commencement and ramp-up of the $3 billion Karara magnetite project in WA.
“Mr Jones’ experience will be of significant benefit to EcoGraf as it works through funding and pre-construction activities to support the company’s final investment decision for the Epanko graphite project and development of its downstream vertically integrated battery anode materials business,” EcoGraf said.
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Arafura Rare Earths has announced Quansheng Zhang has resigned as a non-executive director, having been a nominee director of former major shareholder East China Non-Ferrous Mineral Resources Co. (ECE).
He was appointed to the Arafura board in 2016 and has supported the company through a number of economic cycles, but with ECE no longer a substantial shareholder of Arafura, the company said it was appropriate that Zhang resign as director.
Arafura is advancing its Nolans rare earths project in the NT towards production in the coming years, with the company set to be a key supplier of the electric vehicle (EV) movement.
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