JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Lithium and tantalum developer Pilbara Minerals has appointed Tony Kiernan as its nonexecutive chairperson with effect from July 1.
Kiernan would succeed Tony Leibowitz, who had tendered his resignation, the ASX-listed company reported on Wednesday.
Pilbara stated that Leibowitz, who had joined the company in 2013, had played a key role alongside founding directors Neil Biddle and John Young in overseeing the organisation’s growth from a junior explorer to an emerging Australian lithium producer.
“In particular, Mr Leibowitz was instrumental in securing the initial capital required to acquire and rapidly advance the company’s key strategic metals projects in Western Australia during a challenging period for the junior resource market and, more recently, in the successful execution of the company’s $100-million institutional capital raising.”
Leibowitz said the completion of this raising together with the imminent completion of the definitive feasibility study on the Pilgangoora lithium/tantalum project and a busy personal international travel schedule over the coming months made it a logical time for him to step aside.
Pilbara MD Ken Brinsden commented Kiernan was a highly experienced public company director and former solicitor well credentialed in the mining sector. He was currently chairperson of ASX-listed resource companies BC Iron, Chalice Gold Mines and Venturex Resources, as well as a nonexecutive director of Danakali.