Hamilton, Kiernan take chairs

MID-WEST mining companies Mt Gibson Iron Ltd and Precious Metals Australia Ltd have announced major board changes that represent a generational change. Mt Gibson said its founding managing director and current deputy chairman, Brian Johnson, would retire from the board at the end of June, following this week’s retirement of chairman Bill Willis. Company director Neil Hamilton has been appointed chairman. Mt Gibson also announced that Peter Bilbe, who joined the board following last year’s acquisition of his old company Aztec Resources Ltd, would not stand for re-election. Precious Metals, which is developing the Windimurra vanadium project, announced that long-serving managing director Roderick Smith would be stepping down. The company has recruited Straits Resources Ltd general manager operations Iain Scott as its new managing director, while non-executive director Michael Kiernan will replace Tony Grey as chairman.