The appointment of experienced African mining executive Dr Tommie van der Walt to the position of chief operating officer (COO) at Ionic Rare Earths Ltd (ASX:IXR, OTC:IXRRF) will enhance the company’s leadership skills and project development experience.
Dr van der Walt is a highly experienced executive having served as general manager of projects and studies Africa with specialist resources private equity group EMR Capital, where he was leading the Lubambe Copper Project in Zambia.
He also spent time with Newmont as regional project director for Africa where he delivered the US$2 billion Ahafo mega-project in Ghana.
"Key to harnessing technology"
“This significant addition to our executive team demonstrates our focus on the delivery of the Makuutu Heavy Rare Earths Project in Uganda,” IonicRE managing director Tim Harrison, said.
“Dr van der Walt is key to us harnessing our technology to accelerate our mining, refining and recycling of magnets and heavy rare earths which are critical for the energy transition, advanced manufacturing and defence.”
IonicRE is set to become a miner, refiner and recycler of sustainable and traceable magnet and heavy rare earths needed to develop net-zero carbon technologies.
Its flagship 60%-owned Makuutu Rare Earths Project in Uganda is well-supported by existing tier-one infrastructure and is on track to become a long-life, low-capex, scalable and sustainable supplier of high-value magnet and heavy rare earths oxides (REO).
Dr van der Walt will oversee all aspects of IonicRE’s day-to-day Makuutu Project, which will include further growth strategies for the mine.
About Dr van der Walt
Dr van der Walt has a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pretoria, a Master’s Degree in Business Management from the University of Cape Town and a PhD in Business Administration from the Potchefstroom Business School, University of North West, South Africa.
With more than 20 years of experience in mining industry leadership and delivering large-scale projects in Africa, he will bring invaluable expertise to IonicRE’s leadership team.
“Dr van der Walt has a proven track record in mining project development and has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and a deep understanding of project delivery in Africa,” Harrison said.
"His appointment reflects our commitment to delivering one of the most strategic magnet and heavy rare earths projects outside of China with our product destined to supply critical European, north Asia and US supply chains.”
“Dr van der Walt is the ideal executive to join the company now, as we await the Mining Licence award at Makuutu in the very near future.”
The appointment of Dr van der Walt will help IonicRE accelerate its mining, refining and recycling to align with global policy priorities and offtake objectives.