Pure-play cobalt company First Cobalt has appointed the longest consecutively-serving government in the US – Butch Otter – to serve on its board of directors.
Otter retired as Idaho governor in January, having served for 12 years.
The TSX-V and ASX-listed company said that Otter’s appointment to its board would it to draw on his knowledge of the Idaho state landscape as First Cobalt advances the Iron Creek project in Idaho.
“Idaho has a long and rich mining history and the Idaho cobalt belt is strategically important to America as we seek to reduce our reliance on foreign sources of cobalt and other critical minerals,” Otter commented in a statement.
“Our country needs to become more self-reliant for minerals that are of strategic importance to our military and industry. First Cobalt has demonstrated a commitment to move swiftly and responsibly to develop a domestic supply of cobalt and I am keen to help with these efforts.”
The Idaho cobalt project has an inferred mineral resource of 26.9-million tonnes, grading 0.11% cobalt-equivalent. The company also owns the only permitted primary cobalt refinery in North America. While currently on care and maintenance, First Cobalt is exploring a potential restart of the refinery, which has the potential to produce up to 1 000 t/y of cobalt material.