Chatham Rock Phosphate Ltd. has reconfirmed to its shareholders and stakeholders the depth of talent it has access to within its board, management team, consultants and its technical advisory committee.
The majority of these people has been in place for several years and is superbly qualified to carry out the next steps in the company’s business plan, these being:
Sourcing the required financing;Reapplying for and gaining the company’s environmental consent; Working with the company’s technical partner in establishing the company’s marine phosphate extraction and marketing business.
- Sourcing the required financing;
- Reapplying for and gaining the company’s environmental consent;
- Working with the company’s technical partner in establishing the company’s marine phosphate extraction and marketing business.
1. Sourcing the required financing
Chris Castle, president and chief executive officer of Chatham Rock, is full-time working on the required financing.
Chris Castle, founder and CEO of Chatham Rock
Mr. Castle leads the company and is the individual primarily responsible for sourcing the continuing finance required to maintain project momentum and conclude the financing requirements for the coming EPA application process, which will cost approximately $4-million (U.S.).
His background includes:
44 years involvement in a range of management roles in the mineral sector;
36 years raising capital for stock-exchange-listed companies in Canada, Australia and New Zealand;
Executive director roles in over a dozen listed companies.
- 44 years involvement in a range of management roles in the mineral sector;
- 36 years raising capital for stock-exchange-listed companies in Canada, Australia and New Zealand;
- Executive director roles in over a dozen listed companies.
Jean-Pierre Colin, strategy consultant of numerous public issuers in mining and clean technology
Mr. Colin has recently been appointed as a strategy consultant to assist Mr. Castle in obtaining the financing required by the company.
After 30 years as a successful international investment banker on Bay Street (Toronto, Canada), leading many corporate finance departments at recognized national securities dealers and having raised over multiple billions of dollars in the mining industry throughout his career, Mr. Colin brings an important number of corporate financing skills and experience to the company, especially because of his past high-profile mining finance accomplishments, for example Detour Gold, Virginia Gold, Wolfden, Premier Gold Mines, Pelangio Mines, Audrey Resources, Aur Resources, Louvem, Blue Note Metals and many others. In clean technology, Mr. Colin is currently a director of DynaCERT Inc., a provider of international carbon emission reduction technology. Mr. Colin also serves on the board of directors of Sego Resources, developing a copper-gold porphyry project in Canada, and was an adviser to the chief executive officer of the billion-dollar BlackRock Metals feasibility-level project currently advancing to production in Canada.
2. Reapplying for and gaining the company’s environmental consent
The company’s board of directors, as well as the company’s management team and technical advisory committee, has high-profile key people to accomplish the company’s goals.
Board of directors
The board comprises Robert Goodden, Mr. Castle, Jill Hatchwell, Linda Sanders and Ryan Wong.
Mr. Goodden has been a board member, as well as a key member of the company’s technical advisory committee, since 2010. Mr. Goodden brings a wealth of experience to the Chatham Rock board, influencing its business and operational planning. He was previously on the advisory board for Nautilus Minerals, advising on the operations of core drilling and sample recovery. Mr. Goodden reinforces Chatham Rock’s management depth and knowledge in all exploration and production matters that are planned by the company, as evidenced by the following:
Mr. Goodden founded Seacore Ltd., an offshore drilling and construction contractor, in 1976 and ran the company for 30 years until it was sold to the Fugro Group in 2006.
Mr. Goodden was president of the International Marine Mining Society for years 2017/2018 and, due to his contribution to multiple marine mining projects, is arguably one of the best-known individuals in the industry.
- Mr. Goodden founded Seacore Ltd., an offshore drilling and construction contractor, in 1976 and ran the company for 30 years until it was sold to the Fugro Group in 2006.
- Mr. Goodden was president of the International Marine Mining Society for years 2017/2018 and, due to his contribution to multiple marine mining projects, is arguably one of the best-known individuals in the industry.
The company’s other board members, Mr. Castle (president and chief executive officer), Ms. Hatchwell, Ms. Sanders (chair) and Mr. Wong variously contribute many years experience in leadership, corporate finance, audit/accounting, stakeholder relations and engineering skills. Further detailed information is available on the company’s website.
Management team
The management team comprises Mr. Castle, Renee Grogan, Ray Wood, Cam McKenzie, Dr. Robin Falconer, Ms. Sanders and Robyn Hamilton.
Renee Grogan, team leader for the marine consent reapplication
The marine consent is the environmental permit Chatham Rock needs to give effect to the company’s granted mining permit.
Ms. Grogan is the environmental management expert required by Chatham Rock for steering the team toward success of the new EPA application process. Her qualifications in that regard are unique:
She has over 13 years experience, both with regulating agencies (working in policy, as well as program implementation with the Australian state and federal governments) and within the extractive industries.
Ms. Grogan’s industry experience includes achieving permitting and compliance outcomes for mining companies across Asia Pacific. As a consultant, Ms. Grogan advises on environmental impacts of terrestrial and seabed mining to intergovernmental bodies, including the World Bank and European Union, and government agencies across the world.
She has delivered in excess of 30 permitted environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and environmental management plans (EMPs), and has extensive experience developing community engagement plans and negotiating with government, non-government and community stakeholders. Ms. Grogan delivered the world’s first EMP for a seabed mine in Papua New Guinea in 2015.
Ms. Grogan’s EIA (environmental impact assessment) experience includes terrestrial and marine mining and waste disposal, port operations, transport and pipeline corridors, and water management, all of which will help the Chatham Rock proposal for a favourable EAP outcome.Ms. Grogan is also managing director of Gro Sustainability Pty. Ltd. (Australia), a director of the World Ocean Council and an advisory board member of the European Union Viable Alternative Mine Operating System Project. She has a master of business administration, specializing in sustainable supply chain management, and a bachelor of science.
- She has over 13 years experience, both with regulating agencies (working in policy, as well as program implementation with the Australian state and federal governments) and within the extractive industries.
- Ms. Grogan’s industry experience includes achieving permitting and compliance outcomes for mining companies across Asia Pacific. As a consultant, Ms. Grogan advises on environmental impacts of terrestrial and seabed mining to intergovernmental bodies, including the World Bank and European Union, and government agencies across the world.
- She has delivered in excess of 30 permitted environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and environmental management plans (EMPs), and has extensive experience developing community engagement plans and negotiating with government, non-government and community stakeholders. Ms. Grogan delivered the world’s first EMP for a seabed mine in Papua New Guinea in 2015.
- Ms. Grogan’s EIA (environmental impact assessment) experience includes terrestrial and marine mining and waste disposal, port operations, transport and pipeline corridors, and water management, all of which will help the Chatham Rock proposal for a favourable EAP outcome.
- Ms. Grogan is also managing director of Gro Sustainability Pty. Ltd. (Australia), a director of the World Ocean Council and an advisory board member of the European Union Viable Alternative Mine Operating System Project. She has a master of business administration, specializing in sustainable supply chain management, and a bachelor of science.
Ray Wood, chief operating officer
Mr. Wood is the director of Chatham Rock-OCS Consulting Ltd. and chief operation officer for Chatham Rock Phosphate. He retired from GNS Science in 2013 after a 34-year career as a marine geoscientist. He was a principal scientist at GNS and held several management positions in the resources division.
Mr. Wood is an enthusiastic promoter of the exploration of New Zealand’s marine territory and has led or contributed to studies of much of New Zealand’s EEZ. He was the lead technical adviser to the New Zealand continental shelf project and to the MFAT team, which negotiated New Zealand’s maritime boundary with Australia. He has an extensive publication record on a wide variety of topics, but most of his research has focused on the tectonic evolution of the New Zealand region and its influence on the distribution of natural resources. Because of his expertise on the continental shelf as described in the United Nations Law of the Sea, he has provided technical advice to Brunei, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Oman and the United States.
Mr. Wood has been involved with studying the Chatham Rise phosphate deposit since the early 1980s. As COO, he has been involved in all of the technical aspects of the project, including the design of the proposed mining system and process with Chatham Rock’s partner Boskalis, leading surveys to the licence area to collect geological and environmental data, and overseeing the analysis of Chatham Rock’s data for resource assessment and environmental characterization.
Mr. Wood has had extensive experience using geographic information systems to interpret and model geological and other data. This included GIS support for the development of the fishing industry’s proposed benthic protection areas and analysis of the extent of trawling on the sea floor for the New Zealand government.
Campbell McKenzie, vice-president, technical services
Mr. McKenzie is an exploration geologist who has worked in the mineral industry for over 20 years. He has held upper management roles with mineral sector consultancies, government and industry.
He is currently the business development manager of the international resource consultancy RSC Mining and Mineral Exploration Ltd. RSC operates globally from key offices in New Zealand and Australia.
Mr. McKenzie is also a non-executive director of Australian Securities Exchange-listed Pacific Bauxite Ltd. He is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and a member of the International Marine Minerals Society. He provides technical support across Chatham Rock’s business, including exploration planning, stakeholder and environmental management, and corporate affairs.
Robin Falconer (PhD, BSc, honours, BSc), principal scientist
Mr. Falconer is the principal of Robin Falconer Associates Ltd., with more than 40 years experience in geosphere, atmosphere and ocean science surveys, and research as a university lecturer, government scientist, consultant, industry employee and research group manager in New Zealand and internationally. His background is fundamental to Chatham Rock’s success moving forward.
Mr. Falconer’s work and experience are crucial to Chatham Rock’s EPA application. He has included marine mineral and oil exploration, seabed surveys, weather analyses, oceanography, environmental studies, geographic information systems, and computer mapping. He has worked at sea off New Zealand, Australia, South Pacific, New Caledonia, China, Antarctica and the Arctic; for New Zealand, the United States, Canadian, Australian, Southeast Asian, German and United Kingdom companies and research institutes.
Mr. Falconer has several years at sea experience on a wide range of industry and research institute vessels like the ones used by Chatham Rock. He is a former chairman of the guiding committee of GEBCO, the joint international hydrographic organization, and UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Organisation that co-ordinates world ocean bathymetry mapping. In marine minerals, Mr. Falconer has worked on offshore exploration projects for gold, chromite and phosphate.
As principal scientist of the company, Mr. Falconer provides input on the practical and management aspects of Chatham Rock’s marine operations, including general seabed, oceanographic and environmental mapping; and technical input on all aspects of the Chatham Rock project. He has also been involved with the company’s Chatham Rise project since the early 1980s.
Linda Sanders (diploma in journalism), stakeholder and corporate communications manager
Ms. Sanders provides investor and stakeholder relations, marketing, and communications expertise to the company. Ms. Sanders has more than 40 years of experience as a communications executive and journalist, and has significant board experience with New Zealand-listed companies and community organizations. At Chatham Rock, Ms. Sanders manages crucial investor relations with an immediate goal of attaining a $4-million (U.S.) financing or strategic investors to finance the marine consent reapplication.
Robyn Hamilton, chief financial officer
Ms. Hamilton has been the chief financial officer of Chatham Rock since its formation in 2004. Ms. Hamilton is a chartered accountant with 25 years of commercial experience. She has worked as a chartered accountant in New Zealand and Australia and brings a range of expertise in the areas of due diligence, internal control, corporate governance, international financial reporting and statutory compliance. She is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and the Governance Institute of Australia. Ms. Hamilton has an extensive background in oil and gas and mining listed companies working for listed companies Bass Oil Ltd., Aorere Resources Ltd. and previously Asian Mineral Resources Ltd.
Technical advisory committee
Members of Chatham Rock’s long-standing technical advisory committee include Mr. Goodden, Dr. Hermann Kudrass, Prof. Cees van Rhee and George Lagers. Their role is to act as a sounding board to the board and management and to provide technical advice relating to the dredging operations and phosphate recovery.
Mr. Goodden’s background has already been discussed.
Dr. Kudrass is a former director of the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) and a seabed phosphorite mineralization expert.
Dr. Kudrass first visited the project site when BGR was extensively sampling phosphate resources in 1978 aboard the R.V. Valdivia, working under a joint West German-New Zealand agreement for scientific and technological co-operation. Dr. Kudrass was involved with all aspects of the development of sample procedures, sampling and grade analyses conducted on the cruise. In addition:
Dr. Kudrass was again involved as a marine geologist and as cruise leader on behalf of BGR on the R.V. Sonne second cruise in 1981, where he was involved in all aspects of sampling. He has published a number of scientific papers detailing the work conducted on the two R.V. Valdivia and R.V. Sonne cruises, including previous resource estimations of the deposit.Thirty-three years later, Dr. Kudrass again visited the project aboard the Dorado discovery for approximately 12 days during the April, 2012, geotechnical survey conducted by Chatham Rock Phosphate
- Dr. Kudrass was again involved as a marine geologist and as cruise leader on behalf of BGR on the R.V. Sonne second cruise in 1981, where he was involved in all aspects of sampling. He has published a number of scientific papers detailing the work conducted on the two R.V. Valdivia and R.V. Sonne cruises, including previous resource estimations of the deposit.
- Thirty-three years later, Dr. Kudrass again visited the project aboard the Dorado discovery for approximately 12 days during the April, 2012, geotechnical survey conducted by Chatham Rock Phosphate
Prof. Cees van Rhee has been engaged with research for the dredging industry since 1985 working with Deltares, then at Van Oord. At the end of 2002, he obtained his PhD degree. Since October, 2007, he has been professor of dredging engineering at Delft University of Technology. His group is engaged with Msc and Phd students in DSM research projects as JPI Oceans, Blue Mining, Blue Harvesting (European Union) and Treasure (Netherlands). His main scientific achievements are modelling of highly concentrated sediment water flows and high-velocity erosion of granular sediments, a significant aspect of the Chatham Rock application to the EAP.
Mr. Lagers has close to 40 years experience in offshore engineering, in the design of mobile drilling units, floating storage and production units, pipe layers and other mobile structures.
In 1977, he co-founded Marine Structure Consultants and then worked for it as a senior engineer (four years) and as its managing director (11 years). While senior engineer, he was seconded to Lockheed Ocean Systems (California) for its nodule mining project.
He has also consulted for Shell, Intec, Bluewater and others. He co-authored a book on 50 years history of offshore technology, which appeared in July, 1997.
Summary
The company’s team is world-class and, based on feedback during the last eight years, recognized as such by other companies in the company’s industry group.
It is a striking statistic that three of the team, Mr. Kudrass, Mr. Falconer and Mr. Wood, have been involved in the project since the early 1980s with a combined total of approximately 118 years.
The company’s shareholders are fortunate to have such a strong management team, a team which has achieved all of its objectives to date, apart from one final step, the marine consent.
