Mining and exploration company Jervois Mining has appointed James May as CFO and executive GM of finance, as it advances the financing and construction of its Idaho Cobalt Operations (ICO) in the US and the restart of the São Miguel Paulista (SMP) refinery in São Paulo, Brazil.
He joins Jervois with more than 20 years of experience in the global resources industry. He began his career with Deloitte in London within its energy and resources division, before joining Rio Tinto in 2006.
May will be based in Melbourne, Australia, and will start on March 1, 2021.
He will be supported by a new group controller Craig Morrison. Morrison is currently group financial controller for an Australian agriculture business. Morrison will also be based in Melbourne, Australia.
From March 1, 2021, Jess Birtcher will relinquish his position as acting CFO and pass these responsibilities to May, which will allow Birtcher to focus on his ICO finance manager role ahead of a restart of construction activities on site in Salmon, Idaho, in the second quarter of 2021.
In addition to its assets in the US and Brazil, Jervois also holds exploration licences in Australia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.