Canadian critical minerals exploration company Avalon Advanced Materials has announced the addition of two new directors who bring extensive expertise in international capital markets and resource development to its board.

Alec Kodatsky, founding partner of Forthlane Partners, and former Brendon-Woods metals and mining equity analyst and a mining engineer, joins Avalon as a member of its board of directors.

Benny Loix, VP commercial North America at SCR Sibelco joins Avalon as Sibelco's nominee to the board.

"Mr. Kodatsky and Mr. Loix represent significant additions to Avalon's board of directors, deepening our expertise and capabilities with respect to executing on the company's aggressive growth agenda," said Avalon lead director Alan Ferry.

"We look forward to their help in furthering our strategic objectives, which include building a midstream lithium processing facility in Ontario that can efficiently, securely and sustainably see the province's lithium supply the North American EV battery market."

Kodatsky, based in Toronto, who will also join the company's audit committee, brings more than two decades of experience conducting in-depth financial analysis and research in the metals and mining sector. He has extensive experience in firsthand assessments of operating and developmental mining assets for institutional and investment banking clients in Canada and internationally.

Pursuant to the terms of an investor rights agreement entered into between Avalon and Sibelco on June 14, 2023, as part of the joint venture between the two companies, Loix, who will be based in Charlotte, joins Avalon to accelerate the development of Avalon's portfolio of lithium deposits.

"These appointments complement other recent changes to the management team and board, that have provided the necessary expertise to execute on our 'Avalon 2.0' initiatives," said Avalon CEO Scott Monteith.

"We are very focused on operationalising our assets and maximising Avalon's market potential as the need for lithium and our other critical minerals continues to grow exponentially."

Marilyn Spink, a director since June 2020, has retired from the board.