ASX-listed Lithium Australia’s rapidly advancing suite of lithium-related projects has prompted the company to beef up its board and senior management. The Perth-based company has appointed veteran resources industry player and lithium specialist, Phil Thick as a Non-Executive Director and Stuart Tarrant as its Chief Financial Officer. Thick was previously General Manager of the part owner of the largest hard-rock lithium mining operation in the world at Greenbushes in WA.
He has more than 30 years executive experience in oil and gas, mining and chemical processing in large multinational companies, smaller ASX-listed companies and privately owned businesses.
Thick worked for Shell in Australia and overseas for two decades and was Downstream Director for Shell Australia during the last three of those years.
His Shell career was followed by a four-year stint as Chief Executive Officer of Coogee Chemicals in Kwinana and then almost more three and a half years as Managing Director of New Standard Energy, a junior oil and gas explorer based in Perth.
Most recently Thick headed up Chinese mega industrial player, Tianqi Lithium in Australia for four and a half years.
Tianqi, a subsidiary of Chinese company, Tianqi Lithium Corporation, one of the world’s largest lithium companies, owns 51 per cent of the revered Greenbushes hard-rock lithium mine in WA.
He also oversaw the construction of one of the world’s largest lithium hydroxide plants in Kwinana for the company.
Tarrant has worked in a range of industries including mineral extraction, mineral exploration, financial institutions and agribusiness.
His most recent position was as Chief Financial Officer at ASX-listed and LSE-listed Danakali Ltd, where he spent four years in the role.
Danakali is developing the Colluli sulphate of potash project in Eritrea, East Africa that has a CAPEX of $US320 million, of which about $US200 million in senior debt financing has been locked in.
Prior to that Tarrant was a Finance Manager with BHP at the Area C iron ore mine in the Pilbara and also worked for Leighton Contractors and Great Southern Ltd.
Lithium Australia Managing Director, Adrian Griffin said: “Phil brings a wealth of knowledge in lithium chemicals and project implementation. His experience and management skills will reinforce the board’s capacity to deliver our planned outcomes.”
“Stuart has an outstanding track record in financial and capital management at the top end of the mining industry.”
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By Matt Birney
