TSX-V-listed Deep-South Resources, which owns copper projects in Namibia and Zambia, has appointed Matthew Starnes as an independent director.
Starnes is a lawyer with over 25 years of experience. He is currently a consultant Peerpoint lawyer with Allen & Overy in Tokyo, Japan, specialising in mining law. He acts as senior external counsel to Base Resources' Toliara Sands project in Madagascar.
Prior to this he was legal counsel in Sumitomo Corporation's Mineral Resources Division in Tokyo. Among other things, he was responsible for legal aspects of Sumitomo's investment in the Sierra Gorda copper project, in Chile, and was also part of the team for the Ambatovy nickel and cobalt project in Madagascar.
Prior to joining Sumitomo, Starnes was the general counsel and deputy president of the Ambatovy project during its construction phase where, among other things, he was responsible for closing a $2.1-billion financing.
He has also practiced as a corporate lawyer with major law firms in Montreal, Canada.
He is a director of Critical Elements Corporation, which is developing a lithium project in Quebec. He holds a BA in English and History and a joint LLB/BCL from McGill University in Montreal.
“We are very proud to have Starnes joining our board of directors. His appointment is a very strong move into the development of the company. His vast experience in the mining industry and his qualifications add considerable strength to Deep-South,” Deep-South president and CEO Pierre Léveillé says.