PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Lithium miner Pilbara Minerals has appointed John Stanning to the newly created position of chief development officer to oversee all of the company’s corporate development, growth and exploration functions.

Stanning has more than 20 years’ experience in the resources sector as an investment banker, and has spent the last 17 years at Macquarie Capital.

“Stanning brings an impressive track record of lithium sector experience and relationships across the value chain. He is already well known to the Pilbara team given his previous corporate advisory role, assisting us with corporate strategy and key transactions, including the successful acquisition of Altura Mining and the associated equity raising,” said Pilbara Minerals MD and CEO Dale Henderson.

“While Pilbara Minerals’ focus remains firmly on maximising value from our Pilgangoora project, including the scaling-up of our operations, we are delighted to have secured Stanning’s services to lead a dedicated function, focused on corporate strategy and growth to ensure that we capitalise on our market position at this transformative time.

“We are looking forward to having Stanning join our executive team and working closely with him to further our growth objectives as an emerging leader in the provision of sustainable battery materials products.”

Pilbara Minerals earlier this week awarded ASX-listed NRW Holdings a A$62-million contract for work at its P680 Expansion at the Pilgangoora operation.

The works to be performed under the contract include upgrading the existing Pilgan lithium processing plant through the construction of a new primary rejection facility and preliminary work in connection with a new crushing and ore sorting facility.

Under the contract, NRW subsidiary Primero will be responsible for detailed earth and concrete works associated with both the primary rejection and crushing and sorting facilities, together with structural, mechanical, piping, electrical and instrumentation installation associated with the primary rejection facility. Primero will also assist with shutdown, brownfields integration and commissioning support to tie the primary rejection facility into the existing Pilgan plant.

The contract is scheduled to run for approximately eight months, commencing this month.